Do you have a go-to system for doing things? A formula you can rely on when shit hits the fan? I do, but for the longest time, I didn’t and relied on the universe’s good vibbity-vibes to see me through. An older hippie friend of mine, Peter, drove his converted school bus from Los AngelesContinue reading “All Systems No”
Author Archives: Jaclynn Loibl
Imagine Wagons
The texture on the office wall reminded me of when I was a kid and how I’d follow its dimension on sleepless nights. I’d scamper across its hills and valleys with nothing more than a knapsack over my shoulder. I’d trek the ridgelines of the familiar over the shapes I’d conquered and to the featuresContinue reading “Imagine Wagons”
She Works Hard When It’s Sunny
My dirty Huck Finn feet are outstretched and crossed over the top of each other as I take a break against the deck’s railing to write. My eyes lock-in and my mind creates boxes, and the to-be-fixed list grows. A deck board needs replacing; it caves and is nothing more than a sway-backed horse putContinue reading “She Works Hard When It’s Sunny”
Random: A Writing Exercise
Grab a book off your shelf, any book. Then flip to a random page and pick a random sentence. Write the sentence at the top of your page and begin writing a story starting with that sentence. Write for 15-20 minutes. The prompt from my writing partner is my post for tonight. It’s a littleContinue reading “Random: A Writing Exercise”
Worry Warthog
I try to calm myself with it’s ok, and just breathe, but in this moment, my internal 12-year-old is running the show, sticking their tongue out with fingers in their ears while saying, “Not listening.” With a magnetic attraction of a mob to the word “fight,” my adrenaline kicks in. Then all at once, uninvitedContinue reading “Worry Warthog”
Dirty Dwarf
Wanting to drip a last drop of sun on myself, I flung out a blanket to soak it up. But the tippety-top of a Douglas fir stole it from me. So I departed with an idea, and returned to the spot carrying a propane tank in one hand and a stove in the other. LookingContinue reading “Dirty Dwarf”
Dead Man Talking
How come we don’t party like it’s 1999 or sing the Lion King’s “The Circle of Life” from the rooftops loudly when somebody dies? As you might guess, I’m contemplating bolstering up the rituals I do after the death of a loved one. This thought thread comes shortly after the death of Billie Murray ourContinue reading “Dead Man Talking”
Stuck On You
“You’re more trustworthy this way.” The thought came while I raked black gel up repeatedly and separated eyelash hairs. I twisted the mascara cap back on and smiled to myself. The things that stick with us, huh? In my former life as a poker dealer, the players liked to tell me stories. Most weren’t allContinue reading “Stuck On You”
Catch Me If You Can
Trust is a cat and mouse game of peek-a-boo. It’s an acrobatic leap into the air. And the unknown, we fling ourselves. A catch me if you can, can you? Some counseling sessions seem to twist the trust volume up to an ear-shielding pitch. And as a counselor, I get caught in its losing battlesContinue reading “Catch Me If You Can”
Crowspiracy Theory
It’s just a day, and I’m in a mood. I heard that dang sound again, the one that’s a cross between an eight-month-old human baby crying and a howling cat. Since I can’t stand not knowing the origin of something, I sat on the porch longer than I’d liked, waiting for the culprit to showContinue reading “Crowspiracy Theory”