About

About Me
I am Sara Beth Wald. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been cramming thoughts onto every inch of paper I could find, first by hand, then on the biscuit-colored word processor in our family’s basement.
I can still remember asking my mom how to place my fingers on the keys. Typing opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Finally, I could write as fast as I could think.
I am from small town Montana, which is distinctly different from being a country kid. I do not ride horses. I mean, I can, but it’s not my thing. If it’s not a unicorn, I’m not interested.
This is just one of the many ways that I’m weird in my agricultural family. In the words of the purple alien Oh in the movie Home, “I don’t fit in. I fit out.”
It’s been a 40+ year journey, getting to a place of being ok with not fitting in. I tried doing everything “right” for a long time. I went to the University of Montana, majored in social work – to help people! – then went back to college again three years after graduation, discouraged that social workers don’t actually save the world.
The next time around, I earned a master’s in journalism at Michigan State, thinking I could be a social justice writer. Then I wrote a novel. Then I got tired of being a starving artist. I got a job in corporate America as a large market bid writer at a dental insurance company. Still not saving the world.
Then I had a baby, got a divorce, moved back to Montana, worked in a flooring store (long story), sold carpet to a wildland firefighter, began a newspaper column, quit the flooring store, worked in accounts payable, married the firefighter, had a baby, quit at accounts payable, stayed at home for a while (baby was sick), became a social worker again, got sick myself, quit working, moved to my husband’s hometown, and here we are. Now you’re caught up.
About The Sara Beth Times
The Sara Beth Times began in 1996 as a newsletter mailed to far away friends and family. In 2008, I began writing a weekly column in two rural newspapers, The Lewistown News-Argus and the Sidney (Mont.) Herald. The column followed my thoughts, feelings, growth, and failings as I navigated the eight and a half years living in a tiny house on Main Street USA.
After a two and a half year break, I’m back, this time in the form of my own blog. Why the break?
Guess you’ll have to read the blog to find out!