Author: Jen
Torn between life and art
I am about to go on a vacation. I need this vacation. No, I mean, I really need this vacation. Now, mind you, this vacation …
The characters must fit the story
I almost forgot to punch out my 15-minute Friday piece until I checked my WordPress Reader and saw that the Daily Prompt today pushes us …
If your smartphone jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you?
We know our smartphones make us stupider. We know they distract us. Confuse us. Make us crash our cars into each other. And keep us …
Beyond the yellow gate
Beyond the yellow gate there is a woman. Her airy black head scarf almost shields her effervescent eyes. But when she looks up, sky blue …
What’s a little closure between friends?
I sat alone in a movie theater in Haifa last night. There were other people around me — strangers. An American guy and a Russian …
Stuck in Your Throat
Your silence is a cover-up. It’s a conspiracy between you and the way you think people see you. Your silence is a ruse. It’s a …
We’re all gonna die!
What do you think causes the majority of our existential angst? A. Knowing we’re going to die (and not wanting to) B. Not knowing exactly …
Joy ride
I almost got stuck in a worry this morning. I was in my car, driving to an appointment for a medical test. I started imagining …
I’m happy and I know it … clap your hands
I giggle. I work hard to make others giggle. I dream…and enjoy analyzing my dreams. I engage on social media. I innovate (at work) I …
Fast or Slow, This is Life
I read and sighed and groaned with interest this morning, “The Day I Stopped Saying Hurry Up” by Hands Free Mama. Her words resonated with …
Chin up, buckaroo
Do you ever notice how when we perseverate on good thoughts, we say we’re meditating on something… but when we harp on bad thoughts it’s …
Studies show: Sticking a bead up your nose indicates entrepreneurial spirit
Every family has one. The child who sticks beads up her nose. In our family, the child looks like this: Of course, she always has …
The felicity of freedom
I do not feel connected to Israel’s independence, nor America’s. My heart does not swell enough on Yom HaAtzmaut, nor does it burst with pride …
Kindness is less expensive than you think
I was sitting at a sidewalk cafe table when I noticed a praying mantis slowly crawling on the arm of the plastic chair next to …
How peeling eggs turned me into Ralph Macchio
I think the majority of the world falls into two camps. People who don’t mind peeling eggs. And people who hate it with all their …
An Israel Story Only I Can Tell
The title of my blog references my aliyah. Aliyah is the Hebrew word used when a Jew moves from somewhere outside Israel to Israel. If …
Midterm exam in letting go
I imagine the ultimate test in letting go is when you die. If you progress into the afterlife or Heaven or stay put, cold in …
How I accidentally on purpose became that mystery girl
I have a tendency to say things I don’t mean. Or, rather, say things I mean, but wish I hadn’t said or wish I had …