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Author Archives: Jenny
A day off
This week I gave myself the delicious gift of a day off. No fretting, no guilt, no appointments or commitments, nothing stamped on my calendar. No volunteering, no laundry, no chores. No working for the legal tender. I went to … Continue reading
Noise-less, time-less
At Heathrow airport recently, I was pleasantly surprised to experience their quiet zone. Signage explained that noise was not welcome except for necessary announcements. Brilliant! Rushing through security and trying to find gate numbers is stressful enough. To be suddenly … Continue reading
Blind in the savage garden
Recently I was forced to listen to one of my favorite sports events of the year instead of watching ESPN on my TV. During the two-week event, I scrambled to find places in my neighborhood that had ESPN and to … Continue reading
Samyang ramen, since 1963
Reunion, winter 2023. I am in a small Asian-owned green grocer’s a few blocks from my community writers’ space (since gone out of business, sadly—-this Zen-like space). I am looking for healthy snacks to fortify myself before a writing session. … Continue reading
Posted in aging, depression, health, love
Tagged cancer, childhood, death, mother, ramen
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New glasses, new face
Every few years I have the treat of new eyeglasses. You know you’re getting old when this event becomes a reason to keep living! How exciting! For someone who has been wearing glasses since the 9th grade (I think…) for … Continue reading
Laundry tales
I could tell you my life story through laundry tales. I grew up in my parents’ house(s) where my industrious mother did all the family’s laundry. I was confounded by the washer anyway, which had a lighted dial with a … Continue reading
45 and counting…
My sense of time is way off, now that I am a senior. To my amazement, it has now been 45 years since I graduated from high school. I would have guessed 35. Then I did the math (avoiding the … Continue reading
Exit strategy
The elderly woman was nearly out of breath with anxiety. She approached the security guard at my local library branch and asked him if he would kindly call her phone number. “You see, I don’t know where it is. It … Continue reading
‘Everything looks normal’
My internist said on the voicemail, after he had examined my latest blood tests, that “everything looks normal.” I rolled my eyes, Right, everything appears OK…NOW. If I were to succumb to sweet temptations on a regular basis, I would … Continue reading
Dis-ease during holidays
Holidays are not good times for me; they tend to sink me into mild melancholia. Routines are displaced, stores and libraries are closed, friends are with family, and I am left to my own devices. I am used to it, … Continue reading
Social Security
I’m officially semi-retired now that I am collecting Social Security. I have been working since I was 16, and now I’m reaping the benefits of taxes I’ve paid to Uncle Sam. I am lucky to receive benefits at the young … Continue reading
Posted in aging, health, relationships, wellness, work
Tagged pandemic, retirement, work
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Zoom fatigue
I am growing weary of my weekly Zoom groups. Meeting with fellow denizens of Planet Zoom was a necessity during the COVID lockdown, but now that we are out and about I am tired of Zoom. Recently a member of … Continue reading
Let there be light
For years I have had broken mini-blinds in my bedroom. The blinds are eternally closed. I have grown accustomed to the dark. I don’t raise the blinds, which I could do. They block the light, and I am OK with … Continue reading
Death of a writing group
Skeletons are all over my neighborhood these days. My neighbors love the spookiness of Halloween and starting in early October I begin to see skeletons scaling apartment buildings, staring out of doorways, sitting on front stoops enjoying a friendly Guiness … Continue reading
To join or not to join
I recently toured a community writers’ space, not too far from my home. The young woman, a manager there, was friendly enough but not terribly inquisitive. There was a small kitchen/lounge area for eating and making hot drinks, tiny lockers … Continue reading
Waste not, want not
I’ve been thinking about my surrogate mother, Sara, a lot. She had these wise sayings that I had not heard before. My biological mother was an immigrant and English was her second language. She didn’t share such things with me … Continue reading
Posted in family, love, Uncategorized
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The world is broken, and it will never be enough
After experiencing moments of joy, happiness, or clarity, I usually feel melancholy. And I think of this saying, “The world is broken…” Ain’t that the truth, though. You get a taste of the sweet marshmallow, and inevitably you want more. … Continue reading
Wailing in HMart
The last time I had a problem with any credit card was many years ago at a Loehmann’s store (they have since gone out of business). I was on a shopping spree, having purchased some items uptown and had stopped … Continue reading
I will not miss these things
When I am gone, I will not miss washing my hair two to three times a week. I do it because it is necessary for my hygiene and public health; I hate it. My hair is half gray, half black-brown, … Continue reading
Letting go and letting God
Last week I was getting some dental work done which required a local anesthetic. I trusted my dentist, although he was still pretty new to me, and I could see that he had a good assistant. I decided to let … Continue reading
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