Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Category: Writing
Paint It Red
I reached with my paintbrush for the tiny unpainted space between the two bedroom walls and the ceiling that the roller had missed, stretching my back and arm and holding the brush by its very tip to avoid having to step down from the… Continue Reading “Paint It Red”
Suck It Up, Sweet Pea
For two weeks, I have been dreading the start of Master’s Swim. I signed up again because my friend Karen had that look on her face that reminded me that doing Master’s Swim felt great, in the abstract anyway. While I was actually at… Continue Reading “Suck It Up, Sweet Pea”
It’s Not the First Tomollow, Honey
When our granddaughter comes for the weekend on Friday night, she asks what we’re going to do on the first tomollow (Saturday) and on the second tomollow (Sunday) and then the semi-dreaded but kind of nice third tomollow (School, also known as Monday). I… Continue Reading “It’s Not the First Tomollow, Honey”
Quilting: A Domestic Violence Story
PART 1 Thirty years ago, I sat all night on the sofa in my upper flat, smoking Benson & Hedges, with my mother’s green and orange afghan wrapped around my shoulders, waiting for my addicted, unpredictable, and sometimes violent boyfriend to pull up in… Continue Reading “Quilting: A Domestic Violence Story”
Take It Easy
A powerboat is thrilling. Thrilling, risky, and nervewracking if you’re a person prone to wracked nerves. Any number of things can go wrong – the boat can fall off the trailer, the car can back too deep into the water at the marina, the… Continue Reading “Take It Easy”
Say What?
You know how Iron Chef has Battle Mushroom or Battle Egg? And how everyone in Kitchen Stadium watches in awe as the Iron Chef and his challenger create amazing plates of food art to be judged by a panel of people who haven’t been hungry for… Continue Reading “Say What?”
Sweet Nothings in My Ear
I just came home from a huge event where my husband got an award. The award was a really pretty glass thing that probably weighed a couple of pounds but somehow hot sauce got in the picture. You can tell that he’s pretty happy. … Continue Reading “Sweet Nothings in My Ear”
Slut: A Flashback
Do you know who the father is? Yes. I know. Do you know who the father is? Slut. Yes. I know who the father is. He’s the only one. Do you know who the father is? Slut. Giving it away for free. I’m not… Continue Reading “Slut: A Flashback”
What We Can Learn from Ryan Braun
There are lessons we can learn from Ryan Braun and they aren’t about fielding or hitting. They’re about patience and certitude, control and timing. When Braun spoke yesterday standing by himself on the field at Maryvale, the Milwaukee Brewers Spring Training Facility in Arizona,… Continue Reading “What We Can Learn from Ryan Braun”
I Own This Face
This is my face. For a long time I’ve wanted to disown my face. Years of smoking, laying around in the sun with no sunscreen, using cheap face creams, and basically not caring gave me drapes of wrinkles, some so deep they look intentional.… Continue Reading “I Own This Face”
Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
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