I promised you a recap of what I've been up to in the nearly 3 years I've been hanging out with the crickets, and I promised it wouldn't be very much. But I lied! So much has happened! When Covid started I was just starting to crawl out of a 2-year stage of introversion and... Continue Reading →
An Open Letter to my Facebook Friends:
I just have to say, I'm so happy to have all of you in my weird, sometimes off-putting Facebook land. Today social media exploded with beautiful news. That news, fantastically, has remained beautiful as the day has worn on. What I've seen from the moment I woke up until now, when I'm about to go... Continue Reading →
Coming Unchained
I used my drive to work this morning to catch up on NPR podcasts, as usual. Since my children have developed an interest in hearing Ask Me Another, Snap Judgement and Wait Wait...Don’t tell me!, I now save those for when they’re in the car with me. This morning, I was listening to All Songs Considered.... Continue Reading →
At This Time, Back Then
Two Aprils ago, Paulie and I decided to break up. There were valid reasons for both of us, which made sense at the time, but clearly they didn't stick because as you know we are again a couple: living together, breathing together, laughing together, growling together. Yes, growling; it wasn't a typo. But growing, too -... Continue Reading →
Me and Joni Mitchell
I climbed back into bed after wishing my Paulie safe travels for the weekend, only to find that the bed is too vast and cold and now my life is one big Joni Mitchell song until he returns. If Joni Mitchell had a seven-year-old daughter climbing into bed with her every few minutes to warm the coldest-ever toes... Continue Reading →
After the Fight
“We need to learn to fight better,” he said. “I think the problem with us getting along so well all the time is that when something goes wrong, we don’t know how to figure it out!” What he said was true. We would disagree, gently, quietly, and then step away from each other, overly frustrated... Continue Reading →
Love, Love, Love.
I have been absolutely, unequivocally, mind-bogglingly overcome with love lately. Regardless of where I am in my life - physically, geographically or emotionally - it finds me. At work, driving home, sitting on the couch reading - it will gently roll up onto me and suddenly I'm filled with all-out kick ass Love. Love! Nothing... Continue Reading →
Let’s Hear it for The Boys
I recently stumbled upon the blog post "You Just Broke Your Child. Congratulations."(which, in all fairness, you might want to just go ahead and click over there to read so that the rest of what I'm about to say makes more sense). It was written by Dan Pearce of Single Dad Laughing, and I've gotta say,... Continue Reading →
I wore your shirt, it kept me warm
The one that says 'I *heart* my planet' It's even too big for you and on me, I'm swimming. But when I saw it on the laundry pile in my bathroom, I pulled off my old camp shirt with one hand, reaching behind with my one good shoulder and grabbing at the cotton until it was off. The night... Continue Reading →
The Five Stages of Grief: Anger & Depression
I asked for Anger because the Depression was weighing too heavily on me. I didn't intend for them to become as intertwined as a couple of Siamese serpents constantly trying to swallow each other's heads. Anger does not come naturally to me, which usually serves me well. In the case of my breakup and my... Continue Reading →
Amanda Janik 