Author Archives: Jaclynn Loibl

“You’re going to bed?” Dave said, moments after I stood and announced a general goodnight to the room. “Before your daughter?” he added, incredulously. Yes. Before my daughter. She’s a maniac—wakes up before me and, if allowed, would go to sleep after me. Plus, my eyes are still watery, my body is fully in vacationContinue reading “I Tried”

I’m too tired to write. Today was a long, lovely blur of jigsaw-puzzling Santa Claus and kitty cats, visiting my friend Kristen, dressing and accessorizing wooden paper dolls with Evelyn, and ending the evening on a double date—Thai food and a pirate-themed escape room. I’ll carve out more space for writing tomorrow. Love, Jaclynn

I met Jakob. He’s a big, bad troll with endearingly prominent toes and fingernails, caught mid-lounging, casually gripping the two trees that flank him like they’ve always been his. I’ve seen him—and his brothers, or maybe his cousins—lurking in countless Explorer-meets-Adventure articles, and I always promised myself that if our paths ever wandered close enoughContinue reading “Understanding Can Wait”

I monitor the pitch-and-roll gauge on the seatback screen in front of me. I’m impressed with Delta’s “command center” data screen—specifically the 510–530 mph speed shifts and the 3D image of a Delta plane rotating above a compass, an arrow measuring our 34,000-foot altitude. Earlier, paused in security, a TSA worker—someone who reminds you ofContinue reading “The Airport Roll of Shame”

All my devices—Kindle, phone, laptop, headphones, iPad, and iPad stencil—are at maximum battery capacity. Their chargers are neatly coiled in a billfold-sized makeup purse. Everything is stuffed into my backpack, ready to accompany me on a cross-country trek to my motherland. That’s in the midst of historic flooding, with an emergency declaration coming from theContinue reading “When the Number Isn’t 100%”

Years ago, I wrote a letter to myself from my future self. It’s handwritten and folded up to the size of a notecard. I found and read it when packing to move a year and a half ago and since then it’s been resting in a bin in the attic. The exercise of picking anContinue reading “A Quiet Kind of Care”

It’s December 13th. As Santa does last minute check and balance of the naughty and nice list and stuffs Donner and Blitzen with nutrient packed meals of alfalfa and carrots, two little girl’s in my backyard have dropped their skivvies, and are turning back the seasonal clock from winter to summer. They’re in the pool.Continue reading “Pretend I’m the Best”

I mimic other writers’ styles. I take a mini-challenge to the page, their a caricature propped on my shoulder, and I ask, What would you do next? It’s the novelty and stimulation I seek. I once dated a 2-handicap amateur golfer. He was constantly tweaking micro-movements of his swing. Whether watching back video or standingContinue reading “Sticky As Hell”

I had a cool story to share, but I forgot it somewhere between driving three laps through a festive country-home yard’s Christmas lights, reminding myself to order more dog food from Chewy, and comparing airport parking rates. Whoops, First, a special and necessary apology to anyone who interacts with me at the tail end ofContinue reading “A Masterful Woman”