Jaclynn Loibl

To Be or Not To Be

Parenting in the age of Minecraft means it was only a matter of time before the request to play came knocking. And here we are—the thud-thud-thud of footsteps, the doorbell, and the inevitable, “When will you know?” ringing in my ears. While Dave and I played a board game with friends, Evelyn played Minecraft withContinue reading “To Be or Not To Be”

Sorry to the Detective in Dexter

“Can we rent?” I asked Dave after yet another house expense popped up like a prairie dog in a field. This time it was air filters. Earlier, it was a handshake on a $3,500 deal with the owner of Skinner Tree Services to take out three trees and limb up another. Once Tony—the tree assessor—shotContinue reading “Sorry to the Detective in Dexter”

Deflated Bagel Maker

More and more, I want to quit. Quit trying, quit caring, quit doing. I want permission to pull all my irons out of the fire—forever. I get so tangled in things that don’t matter. I hate that I do. It’s the principle of it, I say. I take on these heroic endeavors, hand over myContinue reading “Deflated Bagel Maker”

The Unrelenting: A Poem

Some days are quitting days.The hits come relentlessly, like 3-inch hail balls on a rebranded Jaguar.I wanted to give up, up, up. But the times I stayed in the ring paid off.The blows I took, the nights I lay KO’ed on the mat—they left a set point.Something to outlast.A bar that keeps inching higher,and somehow,Continue reading “The Unrelenting: A Poem”

Smells Like Teen Septic

I’m not remembering what I wanted to talk to you about. It was something good. It had action, details, and personality. And now? I sit here like a bump on a log as the clock ticks time away. Well—one thing: I talked to a gentleman, Tony, from the University of Georgia Extension Office. He’s aContinue reading “Smells Like Teen Septic”

Here For It All

I want to tennis-ball-spike vulnerability away from me. Its tentacles are massaging my neck all creepy-like, and no matter where I go—to social media, to take Bunny’s cloth igloo hideaway out of the dryer, to tuck in Evelyn—it follows. It’s not quite tripping me yet, but its pitter-pattering little feet are never more than sixContinue reading “Here For It All”

Snuggles and Serial Killers

Sex, nudity, violence, and gore are listed as severe. Profanity, frightening, and intense scenes? Moderate. Which can only mean one thing: I’m back to watching Mindhunter. The Netflix series pulled me in for the first seven episodes, but I took a break back in April. Tonight, though, I’ve got a rare moment to myself—Dave andContinue reading “Snuggles and Serial Killers”

The Jump On Inn

The lively green tree frogs are on the move, and I’m on it. With a cup in hand, I captured two and introduced them to the newly constructed frog hotel near my morning coffee rocking chair spot. We built the house using three two-foot PVC pipes with 90-degree bends, buried them in rock, and toppedContinue reading “The Jump On Inn”

Want to Be My Friend?

Sitting in the children’s section at the Centerville library, I watch Evelyn watch two sisters play. They’re making food—cutting a pancake, a chicken drumstick, and an over-easy egg. Evelyn’s brow furrows as she watches the younger one step away to rummage through a nearby bin for more plastic food. As she passes Evelyn, who remainsContinue reading “Want to Be My Friend?”

Hopping To Be Happy

It sounds like the banging of a marching band—the bass of it, the lowness. Rhythmic and ominous. Then comes the breeze, equally teasing. A light warm-up. A few jumping jacks. You keep swimming, acting as if there’s nothing to see, until— That big rumble. No mistaking it. A low growl that pops off suddenly, likeContinue reading “Hopping To Be Happy”