I’ve never wrestled, but I know that right before someone shoots in, grabs, and slams their opponent to the ground, there’s a moment of calculation—waiting for the exact right opening. Writing feels like that. A game of two people walking directly at each other, shifting left, then right, an awkward laugh thrown in to easeContinue reading “Eternal Sunshine of a Bottomless Fridge”
Author Archives: Jaclynn Loibl
The Itch of Possibility
Hundreds of blue-and-white face-painted warriors charging across the battlefield, manic and fervent, white teeth flashing as they roar into the unknown. The image of Mel Gibson and his Scottish men blazing across a green field came to mind as I registered the tiny fire ants attacking my foot. Ant hills are cropping up like prairieContinue reading “The Itch of Possibility”
We Didn’t Start the Fire
I smell like the campfire. My teeth still need brushing, and changing clothes is in order, but after that, I’m collapsing into bed—and having a hard, hard sleep. This is the delirious kind of tired—the Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! swirly-head, little-white-birdies-circling kind. Reflecting now, it’s been a good, satisfying day. But at the start, the perfectionistContinue reading “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
A Day in Pictures
Love, Jaclynn
The Weight of Yes
I’m not a fan of me. In fact, if I could, I’d boo me. I wouldn’t vote for myself in a March Madness bracket, and if I saw myself walking down the street, I’d pull the old “honk and wave the other way” prank. I’m in one of those nothing-is-going-my-way, nothing-is-good-enough moods—the kind that feelsContinue reading “The Weight of Yes”
The Eagle Has Landed
We secured the packages from the airport—otherwise known as Grandpa and Grandma. They’re settling in nicely—I checked. Their suitcases and shoes are neatly stored on the newly purchased luggage racks. I’m all about providing a lovely guest room experience. However, I fully embrace a solid zero-star rating in the wall decor department. The walls areContinue reading “The Eagle Has Landed”
The Weight of the Underbelly
My clients are the ones doing the dirty work—the social workers, the detectives on sexual abuse cases. Their victims are the powerless, the vulnerable, the dependent. Together, we meet in the darkest recesses of humanity, working through the shock and sadness, reminding ourselves why we do this: to help the greater community. I like workingContinue reading “The Weight of the Underbelly”
Don’t Resist, Persist
Glocks, pistols, 9mm—just another casual topic of conversation among six moms at our homeschool co-op playground meetup. Before today, I had no idea they were so well-versed in pink designs, extra clips, and fun sizes. I sure as heck am not. But that’s what you get for joining a co-op minutes from an Air ForceContinue reading “Don’t Resist, Persist”
Lost in Procrastination
Hooking my Apple Watch to my wrist feels like slapping an ankle bracelet on my criminal self. But it’s a piece of technology that makes losing my other technology less likely. A built-in if-this-then-that sequence keeping my chaotic tendencies in check. Google Keep does the same. It’s my mind on paper when I’m on theContinue reading “Lost in Procrastination”
There’s No Place Like Home
When the construction site’s floodlights spilled into every window, I woke instantly. It’s amazing how quickly the senses flip on when the environment shifts. Even before the sound came, I felt my body retract, bracing. Not even three seconds later—boom. A cannon-blast thunderclap. Southern storms feel almost theatrical, like a movie production team is outsideContinue reading “There’s No Place Like Home”
Going On 40 