What the Twerk? I don't know how to process it. Last week, I chaperoned the local high school prom, and thing is, the kids weren't twerking. Not a one of them. Not at all. Not one booty bounce among the hundred-odd teens gathered on that dance floor, living it up. None. Instead, they were happy-dancing, … Continue reading What the Twerk?
Nature: An Unrequited Love As Valentines approaches, I'd like to declare my undying and unrequited love for nature. Nature, of course, doesn't care about me. Red in tooth and claw and all. But, like other quasi-relationships I've known, a lack of reciprocity doesn't phase me. This love for nature has now led me into the … Continue reading Nature: An Unrequited Love
I'm a finalist in the January 29th Winter Hauntings competition for my short story "Taste of Robins." This is exciting, as I was also a finalist last year and am hoping this time, I'll win. Winter Hauntings required ghost stories of 1300 words or less, with a Carteret County connection. My entry from last year, … Continue reading For the Love of Trees
And the Cat Came Back On to the second pet-post to celebrate the publication of my essay "Pet Pack" in Next Chapter LitMag and a definite-maybe from Chicken Soup from the Soul: What I Learned from my Dog, for my essay "Rebel Heart." Fingers crossed, ya'll. Now let's talk cats. But first, a full disclosure: … Continue reading And the Cat Came Back
Lizardo In honor of Next Chapter Literary Magazine publishing my essay "Pet Pack" in their upcoming issue, I'd like to kick off a series of pet posts. Let's start with my lizard, Lizardo. My brother won Lizardo in a dart game at the Seafood Festival when I was in high school. Lizardo was one of … Continue reading Lizardo
Ten Years with My Gingineer My husband and I are celebrating our ten-year wedding anniversary this week. How is that possible? I mean, our eight-year-old son is good evidence of our longstanding relationship, but it seems like just yesterday that I met the man of my dreams. Was it in a bar, you ask? At … Continue reading Ten Years with My Gingineer
A Farewell to Horses So far, readers, you've met Phoenix, Sugar, the three paint mares, and the mustang. But that's only six horses out of fifteen. In this last post, let's visit the other nine horses and find out why I left them. Behind Horace's barn was a stately black draft gelding and a gray … Continue reading A Farewell to Horses
Broken In By Horses I was no more qualified to tend those fifteen horses than I was to write two novels, but I did it anyway, because I enjoyed it. Also, no one else was jumping for the job. It was poor pay and worse conditions - sweaty, stinky, sticky work (the horses, not the … Continue reading All the Horses
Horace of the Horses I met Horace beside a sewer pipe. It was a brand new sewer pipe; Horace was connecting it to my house, digging its trench with his backhoe. When work was done for the day, I offered him a smoothie, since I'd just made one for myself. And by smoothie, I mean … Continue reading Horace of the Horses
The End of the World I'm currently reading Where'd You Go, Bernadette, a book recommended by my friend Shazam. It's an engaging read - interesting format and great build-up. The **** is about to hit the fan, and I'm enjoying my front-seat view to the chaos. What Bernadette doesn't realize is that it's unwise, dangerous, … Continue reading The End of the World
Jessi Waugh Writer 