Category Archives: Everybody Has a Story

Flattened by Overuse, Part 2

Posted on February 20, 2018 by Jan C. Johnson

When last I wrote about overusing the word “love,” I didn’t plan any followup post. But some of the discussion has reminded me of another overused word: “Just.” You hear it a lot. F’r instance, “I just think we should … Continue reading →

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I Got Superpowers. Who Knew?

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Jan C. Johnson

I’ve been preparing for my first overseas trip, February 22-March 5. Pretty exciting stuff! I’m going with a small group from the non-profit BESTWA, Inc, which exists to meet the most pressing needs and bring hope to the people of … Continue reading →

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59 of My Closest Friends, Many of Whom I Barely Remember

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Jan C. Johnson

Our high school graduating class hadn’t held a reunion in ages, so a few of us came up with the idea for a classwide birthday party. If you knew me as a teenager, you realize I’m the very least-likely person … Continue reading →

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New Year’s Luck: A Guest Post

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Jan C. Johnson

I wanted to share this post with you because it gives a northerner’s charming take on our treasured Southern tradition of eating blackeye peas on New Year’s Day. The post first appeared December 31, 2017 on Carolee’s blog “Herbal Blessings.” Carolee … Continue reading →

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My Grandparents Were Cooler Than I Am

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Jan C. Johnson

Lately, I’ve been thinking about my mom’s parents. Her mother, Sylvia, was a farmer’s daughter in a tiny Missouri town. Instead of merely cooking and helping her mother keep house, she went to work in one of the two local … Continue reading →

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Out in the Boondocks?

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Jan C. Johnson

The other day, I was working on my fiction series and had one of my characters refer to the “boondocks.” My editor brain got to wondering whether I was using the best word to mean “a remote, unsophisticated rural area.” … Continue reading →

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