Author Archives: Jaclynn Loibl

I bought a bag of MSG from Amazon after watching a social media video that reminded me of this secret ingredient. In Japan, it’s known to trigger our “fifth sense,” aka umami, and is referred to as the “essence of deliciousness.” The video showed a man adding it to a jar of chopped cucumber rounds,Continue reading “That’s a Wrap”

The past few nights, I’ve been aghast at the state of Dave’s bathroom-side drawer toothpaste. Having left mine in Evelyn’s room, I’ve been sneakily stealing a dollop from his. The problem? He’s out—or at least I thought he was. With a toothpaste squeezer pushed to the end, the tube seemed like a Mary Poppins bag,Continue reading “Hard Headed House”

After a cross-room flight, I handed Evelyn the airplane back. “Flies alright for me. Give it one more try.” With the underside pinched between her pointer and thumb, she cocked back the folded paper, then extended it forward, releasing it into forever. At seeing the sharp nose dive no more than a foot past theContinue reading “The Awkward Art of Not Buying at Holiday Markets”

You know I’m obsessed with trauma—understanding it, digging into it, identifying what it is and isn’t. Earlier in a session, I stumbled upon a subtle distinction, like noticing the difference between hazel and brown eyes. It’s nuanced but meaningful, and here goes… Wound and vulnerability are entirely different animals. Maybe they’re part of the sameContinue reading “A Subtlely Mindful Distinction”

I feel parts of myself are opening, like the little doors on an Advent calendar. Not all the cheap sugar chocolates have popped into my mouth yet, but we’re getting there. I haven’t announced my book club choice to the group yet, but if you promise not to ruin the surprise, I’ll tell you. IContinue reading “Unwrapping Myself”

On accident, I had my webcam turned on while sitting at the kitchen island. Front and center was my spectacular face, and in the background was the glowing Christmas tree, a cozy mantle, a brick fireplace, and the comforting touches of my mushroom blanket and large tropical plant. The backdrop through the wooden pocket doorsContinue reading “Nervous System Hack”

I meant to write in my book—really, I did. But the funniest things popped up instead: cooking masaman curry and Mexican rice, Facetiming Paula, tackling progress notes, watching Klaus, and playing chess. Oh, and let’s not forget the ever-creeping stress of the holiday season. With just 17 days until Christmas, my biggest worry isn’t giftContinue reading “Reason for the Season”

I search for words I can’t grasp, like an early-onset dementia patient. Sometimes, sentences come at me like a salad without space, thrown in my face, and I stutter, saying, “sí, uh, sí, uh, sí.” It’s week two of studying conversational Spanish with Mercedes from Spain. Knowing how my Spanish-speaking self operates, I have aContinue reading “Lost in Translation”