-Isms: Views on life in rural America

The alarm screams, “Get out of bed. It’s 5 a.m.”

Must be Tuesday.

After gathering what I need for the day, making a quick stop at Hi-Way Mart for sustenance and a shot of caffeine, my office routine on deadline day is, um, routine.

After booting the iMac, I open a play list that helps me focus: a little Black-Eyed Peas, a mix of the Bardon Bellas from “Pitch Perfect,” a couple Eric Church tunes, maybe a slow song by Patsy Cline.

That 6 a.m. singalong is what I need to start the day. In stressful moments, or when my focus needs to be laser sharp, I turn to music. Maybe it’s because I started pi...