Articles written by Erika Armyn

What is Helium

About me - Erika Armyn

I am 25 years old, currently living in Denver, CO with my honey and our baby boy.

I answer phones in a call center during the week, design floral arrangements on the weekends, and write constantly. I am also a voracious reader of anything from trade publications

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Politics, News & Issues > Environmental Awareness How to be a locavore: 1 of 16
Long ago, we were all locavores.We didn't have a catchy term to describe the practice back then, as it was simply the natural order of things. We took great pains to produce everything we ate. We slaughtered and stored our own meat, harvested the grain from which we made our bread and tilled the soil in which our onions and p... More..
Personal Finance > Credit Cards Should credit card companies be targeting college students?: 5 of 40
From personal experience, I can assert that in many cases, credit card companies are dragging college students into a lifestyle of debt. When I attended university, representatives would set up booths at populated "hot spots" on campus, like the student bookstore and the campus activity center, enticing students with T-shirts... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Wedding Traditions & Themes Creative ideas for wedding flower bouquets: 2 of 14
Choosing Flowers For Your 2009 WeddingWhen it comes to weddings, flowers are truly what make the event sparkle, and that statement has never been more true than it is now. The past decade has seen cutting-edge floral innovations and sensational new interpretations of line, style and color. Gone are the days of bashful bridal ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Environment (Other) What are the benefits of a Wild and Scenic designation on Vermont's northern rivers?: 3 of 7
Forever a Vermonter in spirit, this Green Mountain native can hardly imagine this green jewel of a state without its rushing waterways, historic covered bridges and verdant riverbanks coming to mind. Accordingly, it comes as a surprise to many, including myself, that Vermont is only the latest state to make a move toward defe... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Junior high school memories: 17 of 36
HORMONAL LOVE*Some names have been changed to protect the innocent Although I entered junior high school in the fall of 1996 with a quasi-boyfriend (with whom I had no classes except for Concert Band), I was slightly thrilled that I had all of my core classes - English, Earth Science, History and Religions, and Math - with th... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) What Mardi Gras colors symbolize: 5 of 10
On Mardi Gras, the French Quarter is a throbbing vein of gold, green and royal purple, swarming with revelers draped in beads and baubles in the emblematic colors. Like King's Cake and excessive libations, those jewel-like tones of gold, emerald and amethyst have become inextricably associated with New Orleans' pre-Lenten par... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Drinking: 18 of 29
It's March, and three months post-graduation, I am steadily unemployed. No respectable newspaper wants the likes of me writing for their rag. My ex just broke the engagement and pawned off every souvenir of our relationship. Ah, it was doomed from the beginning anyway. I'm glad he's gone.At the same time, I'm lonely. So when ... More..
Creative Writing > Satire Satire: Pregnancy is beautiful: 4 of 6
All I wanted was a dress.Actually, scratch that. What I really wanted was to feel like a woman again. Oh, the perfect irony of it! Here I was, 8 months pregnant, harboring a growing, squirming life within me, and "feminine" was the last adjective that sprung to mind upon contemplating my bloated image in the dressing room mir... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Baby Developmental Stages Signs of teething in babies, children and teens: 2 of 3
SIGNS OF TEETHING IN BABYWhile teething is no fun for baby, it is certainly no picnic for Mom and Dad, either. On average, infants cut their first tooth at around seven months of age, though baby's first little tooth has been known to appear as early as three months and as late as one year. The teething experience varies for ... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Valentine's Day Tips for Valentine's Day floral designs: 2 of 3
A word of advice from this veteran designer: this Valentine's Day, forgo the cliched dozen red roses and the '70s throwback baby's breath and surprise your sweetie with something different. I know, it's so easy to pick up that ubiquitous long-stemmed rose arrangement. After all, roses are so readily available during the holid... More..