I can't tell if this is a common pre-teen phase or a 1999-era phenomenon, but the summer I turned 13 I was obsessed with collecting, and following, Summer To-Do Checklists in teen girl magazines. The month of July has unfolded for me like I am following another checklist. I have experienced: A Scary Movie: The… Continue reading Essential Summer Experiences
Author: lauraeppinger
Laura Eppinger is a Pushcart-nominated writer of fiction, poetry and essay. Her work has appeared at the Rumpus, the Toast, and elsewhere. She's the blog editor at Newfound Journal.
Lucky Number 7
Genuinely pleased to announce that even before July Fourth weekend, I have visited State Parks seven different times. Island Beach State Park is my happy place: I have added Allaire State Park into my mix, and it is a special kind of gorgeous. Not sure why the light is reflecting like this, but I… Continue reading Lucky Number 7
HAIR/ LAURA EPPINGER
An oldie but a goodie.
Long hair, thick hair
pheromone trap black hair
a rope to tug pinned up
against a wall. Spillover bedside,
bleach in the summertime, shave
in fall. Smooth at secret crescent
silken comb of broken teeth. Tie
it back, it bursts, hair,
tie it back, it bursts.
Cable-strength noose, barbarian braid
a sword between two bodies reclined
no trust cannot sleep beside
hair, unsung Samson song keep
those fingers to yourself.
Supple never touch hair,
soft but never touched.
My State Parks Pass as a personal challenge
I bought the 2018 NJ State Parks Pass and I am using it to challenge myself. To get outside, if only an hour a day. To get some sort of exercise every day. One day this week I spent more than eight hours inside with meetings, but then got myself on a hiking trail and… Continue reading My State Parks Pass as a personal challenge
My very bad advice column, DO NOT FOLLOW
via Just A Phase: An Advice Column
Returning to the World of Adults
Work can take over my life for all kinds of reasons, but one of the more demanding ones is the role of Overnight Chaperone on teen weekend trips. I enjoy these excursions and am more than happy to support young people gaining more experiences in leadership, community service, and just plain fun. Still, when the… Continue reading Returning to the World of Adults
AWP18, indie book fair, and burnout
Can you stand perfectly still and hold this moment open? Very cool sign spotted on the way to Whale Prom, the alternative book fair to the one featured at the official AWP writers' conference. It's an appropriate message that likely won't be heard by the people who need it the most. We don't sit still… Continue reading AWP18, indie book fair, and burnout
