Geronimo is a big, beautiful, waxy green spathiphyllum* who is 3.5 feet tall and at least that wide. After some initial hesitation at his sheer size, I have grown to appreciate his presence in my tiny apartment. These plants are known to be easy care, long living, and helpful in purifying the air. The problemContinue reading “The threat of dead house plant”
Author Archives: Jen
Dear Me
Dear ten-year-old version of myself, Today I ate an entire yellow bell pepper for lunch because I’m an adult, and I can do what I want. There are some real advantages to this growing up business. Don’t get me wrong, the dire stories you hear about responsibility and paying bills and doing taxes are real.Continue reading “Dear Me”
Turning End Tables
There was a new bruise on my knee this morning, roughly the size and shape of the coin slot in a pool table. This time I know where it originated (excitement over a particularly close shot in last night’s UNC – Oregon game while standing unfortunately close to the aforementioned pool table), but that’s notContinue reading “Turning End Tables”
Copyright and Copywrong
“It’s on the Internet, so it must be okay to use it.” Nooooooooooooooooo. As a long-time writer and blogger who currently works in the publishing industry, this has to be one of the most cringe-worthy statements I hear from fellow bloggers. And although most lawyers may be snarks, not all snarks are lawyers, so pleaseContinue reading “Copyright and Copywrong”
How do you solve a problem like millennials?
(It’s not quite the Von Trapps or Margery McKay, but it’ll do. #nerd) How do you solve a problem like millennials? How do you catch their eye and sell them stuff? How do you find a word that means millennial: a narcissist man-child? a delicate flower? our pride? Many a thing you know you’d likeContinue reading “How do you solve a problem like millennials?”
The Wax in My Coffee
One day last week I was running late by the time I made it to the kitchen for my morning coffee. I was leading an early meeting, so I desperately needed caffeine. I reached automatically for the jar where I keep the beans. I shook it. It was the worst sound in the world–silence. ThereContinue reading “The Wax in My Coffee”
Sonnet #2016, for North Carolina
Sonnet #2016 If Shakespeare saw beyond the mask of death Sir Walter’s face stamped on this legal tryst, I think he’d turn to Richard, to Macbeth, to see what strain of tyranny he’d missed. He could not understand the roots of power so well as all the teachers have portrayed yet be so speechless onContinue reading “Sonnet #2016, for North Carolina”
What’s Next?
*Yes, I’m back. But only just. It’s 2016, and I’m eating Ramen noodles for dinner. Pokemon is all the rage again. What’s next? These young people, they like to tell us that everything is changing, but I’m not fooled. History follows logical patterns, as any good conspiracy theorist knows, and this one is a taleContinue reading “What’s Next?”
What does a mayor do?
If your city, like mine, is hosting municipal elections this week, you might be paying absolutely no attention. Or, you might be picking names based on the number of yard signs you’ve seen with a particular candidate’s name on them. After all, What does a mayor do, anyway? and What happens in a city councilContinue reading “What does a mayor do?”
Things I like: shameless plugs
I have tremendously talented friends. We’re talking fire-breathing, elephant-herding, shattering glass buildings in a single B talents, here. (Also, they are firmly in support of snark. And no one told me to write this post–I’m too snarky for that. So, you should read about them on your lunch break.) 1. Fire-breathing Bees? Who they are:Continue reading “Things I like: shameless plugs”
Snark on the Side 