Author Archives: janets123

About janets123

Children's writer, newspaper columnist, essayist, poet, storyteller

Big Words, Strong Words

I love words. I’ve had more than a few conversations about my favorite ones and why I like them so much. My tendency is to favor words that are less common or that have some memory attached. I’m a real … Continue reading

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Gloom, Despair and Agony

Is it raining where you are? Is it damp, cloudy, maybe a bit chilly? Are you feeling the despair creep in? I find the weather can affect my mood; my mood affects my attitude; my attitude affects my life. I … Continue reading

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Fear of Pain

It’s hard to write creatively, difficult to think, when one is in physical pain. One can only think of and deal with the pain. I have, of late, been to a place where I didn’t really care if I ever … Continue reading

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Looking for Pollyanna

Most of the time, I am the epitome of optimism. I’ve been accused of being a “Pollyanna” a time or two. I find I’ve written about “hope” at least twenty times since starting this blog six years ago. Often I … Continue reading

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We are Hoarders, Pack Rats and Junk Collectors

I have too many shoes. That is, I have some shoes I can no longer wear and they are taking up space in my closet. When I have things that aren’t being useful, I like to dispose of them. I’ll … Continue reading

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Living Low Fat

I just found out a gallstone is what has been causing all my digestive upsets of late. While we are testing and investigating and deciding if further action is warranted, I have been advised to stick to a diet that … Continue reading

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The Happiness Factor

Traveling during Thanksgiving week, “people watching” at the airports and renewing family acquaintance, I was struck by the unhappiness and discontent around me. Oh, we had a great time, everyone was upbeat and full of smiles, but some faces in … Continue reading

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Memory Lane

The geese fly south and the hummingbirds abandon the blooms of the scarlet sage. It’s time, according to their light-sensitive eyes, no matter North Texas had some record-breaking heat this November. They were right, we remark, as the cool weather … Continue reading

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Two Dollar Shoes

  While Dan and I were on a weekend excursion last year, I picked up some cool-looking, wildly colored casual shoes I thought might be handy on a winter cruise vacation we had planned. They were made of elastic strips, … Continue reading

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A Murder of Crows

In the American South, sometimes it is hard to discern the seasons. The calendar can be a loose guide, but it is seldom ever right on time with the weather. There is a meteorological way of naming the seasons but … Continue reading

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