Articles written by Todd Christian

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About me - Todd Christian

After gaining more than six years of feature writing and editing experience for a mid-sized Hearst Newspaper, I moved on to teach Language Arts to teenagers. But the passion for writing never really leaves you, so I've resurrected my writing career as a freelancer

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Relationships & Family > Dating Psychology Anatomy of a codependent relationship: 1 of 31
It took me years to get over the loss of my childhood best friend, Ross. What took him from our close core of lifelong friends was not death, but it had an almost equal potential for draining life - a codependent relationship.When we were in our late 20s, I was newly married and happy, as were about half of our social circle.... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: I am a perfect parent: 2 of 61
My wife knows that she can trust me at home with our two-year-old boy for long periods of time without having to worry, and she knows that there is nothing I would rather do than spend time with him. She honestly thinks I'm the perfect dad. So when she went to a Saturday night out with the girls, she fully expected to come ho... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) Unique and fun April Fools' Day pranks: 1 of 27
If you've never gone out to your car for the morning commute and found it full of water balloons, never received a "cake" at work that turned out to be a reasonably fresh cow patty, or never started unexpectedly receiving a subscription to a less-than-top-shelf adult magazine (found by your spouse, of course), then you've nev... More..
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: Fantasy: 15 of 387
If you've never stood alone on the bow of a ship on a moonless night, when watching the starlight glimmer in the glassy black sea is like riding over a boundless carpet of stars, you have no idea what you're missing.Below that shimmering surface lurk monsters beyond imagination squirming, slithering, writhing through the bone... More..
Relationships & Family > Successful Dating Conversation etiquette for a first date: 1 of 24
I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting across from a beautiful blonde girl, menu in hand, when the still-young conversation decidedly turned south.I had just made some passing comment about how all of the drinks in the flashy drink section seemed to be splashing out of the glass's rims (and how odd it was that it ... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Valentine's Day Making Valentine's Day gestures more meaningful: 1 of 23
It seems like only yesterday that I sat in the living room of our tiny house, wringing my hands, wrought with inadequacy. I was just out of college and working for a pitiful wage. My wife was still going to school full time.To say money was tight would be like saying a snakebite is unpleasant. I had a full heart and an empty ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Toddlers Humor: My toddler understands everything I say: 1 of 23
"Give me the scissors," I said, squatting and holding out my hand. "Bring them here right now.""No," my two-year-old son said, holding them behind his back."Give them to me," I repeated. "I'm going to count to three, and if you still have the scissors when I say three,' I'm putting them away. You won't get to play with them a... More..
Entertainment > TV Networks & Industry TV network reviews: Discovery Channel: 1 of 22
If any cable network has gone through a true geek-to-chic transformation over the last few years, it's the Discovery Channel.Gone are the endless, monotonous National Geographic snoozers that my grandparents seemed to grasp onto like the handle on a suitcase of cash. In their places are mold-breaking, outside-the-box, downrig... More..
Health & Fitness > Exercise Tips Strength training for beginners: 1 of 21
Jumping into the all-important habit of strength training takes will and motivation, but also the ability to limit yourself to what your body can tolerate. It's important to first assess your current ability and slowly build from there. For those who are truly beginners, here are the basics, broken down into specific consider... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Styles (Other) How important is immediate family support to parenting?: 1 of 21
The night I truly learned to appreciate the importance of immediate family support was the most heartbreaking night of my life. My newborn son, who had already carved his little initials deeply and permanently into my heart - was spending his fifth night in the neonatal intensive care unit. Since my wife was recovering from a... More..