Published in Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs·6 days agoMember-onlyThe Beginning of the EndLife when the floor is the ceiling — This is the beginning of the end, I said what I meant and I meant what I said. As I was lying in bed, I felt alone, even more alone than I do on solo nights when I hug myself and go to sleep. …Sexual Assault3 min readSexual Assault3 min read
Published in Out of the Woods·Jan 17Member-onlyPlaying Chess With the DevilThe only rule is insanity — According to 23 and Me, I should know how to play chess. Of course, that’s not what the app actually said, but I am, in fact, Indian, and Indians are supposed to be able to play chess. That’s one stereotype. The best I can do is checkers. What a shame. …Sexual Assault4 min readSexual Assault4 min read
Published in Know Thyself, Heal Thyself·Jan 12Member-onlyHe Was Everything I Ever WantedIn the wake of yet another sexual assault, I’m struggling to let go — “I should be used to this,” I told my friend Kelly. The two of us were sitting in a car meant for a family of at least eight. I laughed, just thinking about it. I laughed at everything she said. I couldn’t stop. In Kelly’s car, I giggled. I cackled…Sexual Assault6 min readSexual Assault6 min read
Published in The Virago·Jan 9Member-onlyA Survivor in Search of Other WorldsDissociation is my refuge — The world is a dangerous place, and I want a gun. I suppose I could end my story here, the way I do in casual conversation; six letters and a perfectly placed apostrophe stop further questions in their tracks. I’m fine. I tack on a “thanks for asking” if I’m…Mental Health4 min readMental Health4 min read
Published in Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Poems·Jan 8Member-onlyThe DisarmamentI Don’t Want to Lay My Weapons Down — I am from the jungle. Of course, it’s not really the jungle anymore, and I’m not even really from there, but a man who considered himself Wise Once said that I am what my father is. …Poetry4 min readPoetry4 min read
Published in Out of the Woods·Jan 5Member-onlyFlashbacks and Fried EggsLearning to embrace former triggers — I have eggs in my refrigerator. For the first time in over two years, I have eggs I intend to use in my refrigerator. I open the door, look at the eggs for a fleeting moment, then close the door again, but I will use the eggs. I promise to…Healing From Trauma4 min readHealing From Trauma4 min read
Published in GFC Mag·Jan 5Member-onlyI Overuse the Three Little WordsAnd I’ll continue to do so — When I was a kid, I thought love was a bad word. That, along with ‘stupid’ and ‘yucky.’ I remember the day my little sister, only two years old at the time, proclaimed that I was yucky. That didn’t go over well. Neither did the time I was trying to…Love6 min readLove6 min read
Published in Age of Empathy·Jan 3Member-onlySinging Denial to SleepRest easy — Sometimes, a story is the toothpaste still left in the tube when my little sister proclaims that it’s empty. Other times, it is the first rain of the season, the kind that heals the cracks in the dry earth like much-needed Vaseline for the chapped lips of a middle school…Childhood Trauma7 min readChildhood Trauma7 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Jan 1Member-onlyThis Holiday Season, I Chose PeaceThe world lived on — I have rules. It is true that I am far from picky: I believe that most home repair jobs can be completed with nail glue and I readily perform these jobs myself. …Healing From Trauma6 min readHealing From Trauma6 min read
Published in Know Thyself, Heal Thyself·Jan 1Member-onlyHomelessness Taught Me Lessons That My College Degree Didn’tMy lived experience is my contribution — Two years ago, the sun fell out of the sky. Or at least, that’s how it felt because our daytime star refused to shine. Rochester December’s are really something, a different breed of cold. The kind that used to make my eyelashes freeze, a thousand years ago when I was…Homelessness6 min readHomelessness6 min read