https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/Jennifer: Far from domestic goddess.hourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/410112I jumped Sunday....twice. The first time was a bit of a fiasco. I was terrified in the plane; the fear consumed me and as the (teeny-tiny) plane took off, I closed my eyes grabbing onto some kid's hand and leg (I bet I left bruises on his calf) as I tried to control my thoughts. Finally I was...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/401821It’s 8:00 AM on Sunday morning and the house is quiet. My son is at an overnight birthday party, and my brother, John—back for a short visit from Iowa—is still sleeping. It’s been good having my brother here again; good to be around family, around someone who’s known me all my life and who...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/400843"I see no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane!" This is what my boss said when I came into work one morning and told him I'd signed up to skydive. I was 17, living in Annapolis, Maryland, and the night before my girlfriend, Jo, and I had been out drinking in the local pubs (I know, we...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/400545When I was 20 I lived in Iowa City, Iowa, and fell in love with a hippie named David. He had sparkling blue eyes, long reddish-blonde hair, and a matching unruly beard. He lived in a tent in the state park, cooked rice and black beans over his campfire, and drove a 15-year-old Scout in which he...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/400079In 1985 my mother became involved in drug trafficking and, by the time Toby was born, she was hooked into a Mexican cartel. I had been active in her business (mostly I “tested the product”) and while I had stopped using or handling drugs or money when I realized I was pregnant, I still made phone...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/398535See previous blog.... I rarely use my home phone anymore. Both my son and I have cell phones, and over the past two years we’ve gradually moved all important telephone communication to our cell numbers. I haven’t watched TV for over a decade (our television is used strictly for videos and DVDs; a...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/397930In three weeks I will be starting the fall semester. I can't tell you how much I've missed school, how burned out I feel at work when I'm not actively learning in the classroom. As I look forward to the semester to come, I'm also looking back at semesters gone-by. The following is something I...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/397040I worked late tonight, didn't break for lunch, and on my way home realized the only thing I'd eaten today was an apple (don't worry, my weight didn't suffer from it--more's the pity). So I called my son and took him and his friend out to a local Perkins-like restaurant. I'm enjoying him, watching...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/jentoblues1011719/396246Tuesday I took my car in to a local garage for some extensive work. It’s a 1999 Mazda, and I debated putting money into it vs. buying another, and after several phone calls with the garage I decided to invest in my current car with the hope that after the work it will be reliable and trouble-free...