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 →
Ladies in the Bathroom
We were standing in line together, waiting for the bathroom. We started a conversation and we were mid-sentence, when the door opened. “Want to come in with me?” I asked. “Yeah. I’m on my period, you don’t mind do you?” I didn’t mind. She asked to go first. We kept talking, I averted my eyes.... 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 →
The Pendulum Has the Answers
I have a vague memory: my mom and I, sitting on the brown, worn-down old carpet in the living room, facing each other. Sometimes this was to practice my psychic powers - of which she thought I had many, and that they were strong. Other times we practiced harnessing the healing energies of crystals, understanding that... Continue Reading →
Hanging Out With Dani Burlison
When I got a text from Dani inviting me over I felt flattered, as usual. It had been a while since she'd invited me to hang out - the last time had started out fine, but then I drank more than was perhaps necessary and had proceeded to talk about blowjobs for her teenage daughter's YouTube channel.... Continue Reading →
The Movie of my Life
Would the Movie of my Life start at the beginning? I know this is where things generally start but part of me wants to skip all of that: The parents splitting before I could remember; the brother always punching me in the gut and farting on my head; the hot-faced, self-protective lying and the spankings... Continue Reading →
The Stranger
I found myself recently spending the afternoon with a virtual stranger. Scratch that - she was a literal stranger, but a virtual ‘friend’. Despite my tendency to not accept friend requests on social media from people I don’t actually know, somehow this woman and I had become ‘friends’ and, somehow, then found ourselves sharing a... 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 →
Bedtime
After we ate too much and then drank my magical concoction - garlic, lemon, honey, cayenne, turmeric, ginger, whiskey, hot water - the tea I hoped would heal my coming cough, we lay down, got comfortable. So much garlic, I said, beginning to doze. His slow blinking toward sleep matched mine. You smell like a steak,... Continue Reading →
The Accident
I once had a sweet little motorcycle. It was a gift from my friend Anders, who was an avid rider. I'd been depressed and was having a hard time making connections after my move from Michigan to Monterey, California. Anders called me up one day with a solution. "I think you need a motorcycle," he said.... Continue Reading →
Amanda Janik 