Hello and welcome! I’m Jen and that’s me up there learning to tap my first keg. Ah, such a proud moment. Y’all remember tapping yours, no? NO?!? My father artfully pumping the keg so that I can get a perfectly foamy pour…my mother looking on so approvingly…and Uncle Al….well, Uncle …
THE PARADOX OF PIZZA
Yesterday I traveled to a rural town in Kentucky to attend a celebration of life ceremony. Despite the somber purpose for the trip, I was thrilled about spending the night in a hotel solo. Having a busy life and a husband and kids and whatnot, this is a rare occasion …
SMILE, YOU’RE A MISOGYNIST
Have I told y’all about my friend Lenny? Lenny is 81 years old. He’s been in recovery for almost 20 years, so if you do that math that means he sobered up in his 60’s. That’s a pretty good run for those of us in the program. Plenty of folks …
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW
Over the years I’ve received a lot of tips when it comes to writing. Advice, guidelines and multiple do’s and don’ts. As a burgeoning young writer I would read and write voraciously and desperately wanted to write a novel of my own. As I got older I kept journals and …
THE JUDGMENT OF JULIA
In my early days of sobriety I was enjoying brunch with a couple of friends. My one friend has been a close pal of mine since moving to this fair city and the other gal was an acquaintance that I’d met through her. As we enjoyed our omelets they …
MY DEAD FRIEND BEN
Ben died this morning. Ben was a fabulously hilarious person. You’d have liked him. Well, then again, maybe not. Truth is, he was wildly opinionated and stubborn. He could have me gnashing my teeth in frustration one minute and laughing until I shit peed my pants the next. He was also my best …
WE LIKE TO STAY IN THE LOOP
A friend of mine and I were sitting at a local café after work the other day. Suddenly, everyone’s phones went off in unison. “Oh, that’s an Amber alert”, said my pal. We both picked up our phones to silence them and I noticed that my phone also had a …
PEANUT OR PLAIN?
I bought a new purse today at lunch. Just a basic hippie-boho-looking-faux-leather-every day bag. Salesgirl: I unpacked these purses yesterday, they are so cool. Me: I love it! I especially like this little semi-hidden pocket. I can smuggle in contraband! Salesgirl: Contraband? Me: Yeah, you know…like little bottles of booze and …
SOCIAL DISGRACES
So recently I attended a wedding of a dear friend of mine and y’all, it was FAN-CY. As in, right out of Pinterest pretty, if you know what I mean. So very elegant. I wore an appropriate black dress with a funky statement necklace but still felt like the …
APERTIF
Drinking has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My parents believed in pre and post dinner drinks and of course the occasional night cap. They threw epic parties. I can remember my father teaching me how to mix the perfect drink, when I …