What is Spoon Theory? What is a Spoonie? I’ve been candid about my neuro-atypicality and mental health, and about some of the details about life with chronic illness and chronic pain. Adam’s been candid about his own challenges with mental health and neuro-atypicality, too. We rely on the Spoon Theory a lot, checking with each…
Tag: Erika
Writing Fiction: Learning to Say “I Can”
About two years ago, fueled by COVID and general upheaval in my life, I started writing again. Writing was something I’d loved doing. Until I let someone into my life who destroyed my confidence in so many ways. And, as a result, I stopped doing things that brought me joy. That was almost twenty-five years…
Pain and Palliative Care
COVID: Another Source of Pain… and Anxiety So after nearly 36 months of working so hard to avoid COVID, I’ve got the spicy cough. I’m not actually coughing too much, but I’m congested, I’ve got itchy eyes, I’m aching everywhere and I’m exhausted. Those last two things aren’t all that unusual. Aches and exhaustion are…
Kindness: Be Kind, not Nice
Last week I got a new roommate here in rehab. She’s recovering from some pretty major surgery and really isn’t “alert and oriented”. Her husband has been coming here every day and sitting with her for ten to twelve hours a day. He clearly loves her very much and wants to do all he can…
Observations of a Jew on Christmas
Let’s talk about Christmas. Sure, I’m Jewish and I talk a lot about being Jewish. But when you consider how many of your favorite Christmas songs (and the best Christmas songs) were written by Jews, it’s clear that Jews have plenty to say about Christmas. I certainly do. Christmas, Whether you Like it or Not…
Hannukah Makes me Proud to be Queer
It’s the first night of Hannukah. I’m bathed in the light from the menorah as I write this. I think almost everyone is familiar with the story about the oil that lasted for eight nights when there was only enough to last for one day. I’ve got my holiday music playlist on and my Hannukah…
All I Want for Hannukah is to Keep a Little Oil in the Tank
Some parts of this piece have been percolating for a bit. There are a lot of things here that are just always gnawing at the back of my mind, waiting for the right story to come together for me to share. In fact, I even thought about writing it last week, but the truth is,…
Writer’s Notebook: Year in Review
“Hi,” he said. “How’s it going? Has the world ended yet?” Terry Pratchett, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch It’s kind of been feeling like that lately. At least for me. And probably a little bit for Adam, too, who has to edit all of my work before it’s posted…
World AIDS Day: A Tale of Two Pandemics
In the time of AIDS, when condom use was necessary… I am quoting John Ginoli, the founder of Pansy Division, the first openly gay punk band. Someone who had been at the forefront of the queercore movement in the 90s. It was on an episode of the podcast Out in the Bay that I listened…
Trauma Strikes, the Fight Continues: Club Q
Deja Vu Six and a half years ago I woke up in the middle of the night to flashing blue lights and news of a shooting at an LGBTQ club here in my adopted hometown of Orlando. A gunman had killed 49 people at Pulse. I felt it as a trauma. Those were my friends;…