Category Archives: Uncategorized

I move to the St. Louis area this past June. For the final four-and-a-half months, I chronicled the restaurants, coffee shops, parks, and stores I loved, as I visited them for the last time. I posted these under the hashtag #texasfarewelltour on Instagram. One poetry friend from San Antonio commented on a restaurant post thatContinue reading “Where I Ate Before Leaving Austin”

Having a phone with portrait mode Patrizi’s Italian Restaurant Getting to have the Salt Lick experience before I leave Finding a barely-used Krups waffle maker for $10 at the thrift store Outdoor poetry gatherings

As they say in the current parlance, it’s been a minute. Last summer, after the writing intensive I was part of wrapped up, I just felt a need to stop. Stop pushing, stop trying so hard. Just be quiet and see what happens. And quite a bit happened. I earned my Level 1 comprehensive teacherContinue reading “Introducing the Culinary Saijiki”

High’s Cafe in Comfort, Texas Driving through the ranch roads of the Texas Hill Country The Family Secrets podcast The Sounds Like a Cult podcast Richard Wright’s Haiku

As I finish this post, I’m thinking about the meme that complains about the essay that inevitably comes before a recipe on a poetry blog. So I’m going to lead with John’s four key tips for negotiating a car. If you want the context for why I have car negotiation tips on a poetry blog,Continue reading “Notes on Negotiating for a Car”

Making my most favorite pasta dish Time with my memoir group Able to walk Astrid during the brief period of sunshine Having a totally clean apartment Silence

“Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it.” Daisy Buchanan, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Let’s try not to miss the summer solstice this year! In honor of the official transition intoContinue reading “June Poetry Contest”

Celebrating Astrid’s first adoption anniversary Celebrating 13 years in Austin Getting to go to my first in-person poker night in over a year It’s pasta salad season! Inherited a beautiful potted plant from my neighbors who are moving

My poetry contest continues to bring amazing poetry entries from an international audience! I truly never thought I’d be getting responses from other continents. This month, the winning poem comes from Medha Goel, a poet living in India. Medha posts short poems under the instagram handle of @whyj_st. The $25 prize will be send toContinue reading “May Poetry Contest Winner”

The salted PB&J ice cream pie recipe by Sohla El-Waylly Getting most of my summer prep done early so I can have some actual time off Plans for small outdoor writer gatherings Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson Getting to FaceTime with John regularly while he’s in Denmark