Category Archives: Guest writer

Today I share Renee Lajcak’s essay, read by the author. Renee writes both for the page and for performance, adjusting her style for each. “For spoken word, I use shorter sentences, more repetition. On the page, you can be more … Continue reading →

By Carol J. Wechsler Blatter Pain, before your arrival, I was spoiled. Not spoiled like a spoiled child, but like a naive adult who had almost always enjoyed good health. Suddenly and without permission, you came into my life accompanied … Continue reading →

By Faith Ellestad It was 1970. We had been married for just a few months and had recently moved into our first real apartment.  It was on the second floor of a vintage two-flat on South Broom Street. The smell … Continue reading →

By Sue Oakes There was an old TV show called Mystery Science Theater.  The opening scene was a view from the back of a movie theater.  The movie theater is dark against the bright movie screen, revealing silhouettes of a … Continue reading →

By Gina Chirichella  My favorite winter activity has always been ice skating. Actually, at this stage of my life, it’s one of the few outdoor winter activities that I still partake in. Now that the kids are grown, I no … Continue reading →

By Iryna Mroz When I was about nine years old, I made a shocking discovery: pigs can swim. Not that anyone had bothered to tell me this crucial piece of information before I risked my life for them. We lived … Continue reading →

By Faith Ellestad In years past, far past, my husband used to refer to me, I assume affectionately, as Pollyanna. I was always in search of ways to make things better, or at least more cheerful.  Yes, I looked on … Continue reading →

By Janet Manders The day started like most others. Recently retired, I had learned to enjoy sliding into and savoring mornings. A huge difference from what I had experienced in prior years as a working mom. For the bulk of … Continue reading →

By Loriann Knapton We all have gifts. Natural talents that make each one of us unique.  For example, some folks are athletic, setting records that put them on top of podiums, while others can solve complicated math equations. Some work … Continue reading →

By Marlene Samuels High school in our new American community was, for me, a stress-filled experience that fueled my debilitating sense of dread every school-day morning. I was the proverbial “duck out of water”,  the girl who did not fit … Continue reading →