Jenn Kirkland
Bio
I'm a kinda-suburban, chubby, white, brunette, widowed mom of a teen and a twenty-something, special services school bus driver, word nerd, grammar geek, gamer girl, liberal snowflake social justice bard, and proud of it.
Stories (56/0)
Single Parent of Teens
Edit below the ~~~~~~ Let's face it: life is just strange right now. I mean, it has been - for everyone - for about a year. It's been weird longer for us because of the death of my second husband in 2016 (I'm divorced from my first), but that's a whole different story. Suffice it to say that I'm a single parent, in a rural/suburban (exurban?) pocket of lower income in a high-income school district. I work for the school district in question, which - were it not The Year(s) That Shall Not be Named - would still be pretty awesome. But I'm low on the seniority list as I've only worked there for a couple of years before... all this.
By Jenn Kirkland2 years ago in Confessions
Ugh, Humans
See what I did there? Between the Crumbleys basically pulling a Willy Wonka on their kid ("stop. don't. come back" in the most bored and insincere way possible) and then running away themselves, the usual suspects among the anti-vaxxers & antimaskers, the folks who believe that fetal existence trumps (yes, I said 'trumps' even though I hate it) actual living breathing humans out and about in the world, the fake-concern what-about-the-children types running for school boards and lying (or bullying) their way there, and people who think that 108F is reasonable for Seattle, especially on Blow Things Up Day, I'm about ready to throw hands.
By Jenn Kirkland2 years ago in The Swamp
Meanderings and Musings
It is that time of year again. A little background (with links to further details on the backstory!): Holidays are hard, even if you don't take commercialism into account. I miss my late husband, I am trying to get my brakes fixed for a reasonable price, and my work schedule is highly variable. It's fairly ad hoc anyway, but in December and in the spring, clients go on vacation or leave school early or take mental health days without informing my department.
By Jenn Kirkland2 years ago in Humans
Weird Little Lists
No, I am not one of those people who makes a list on a calendar, complete with specific times and dates, synced with everyone I have ever met. Nor am I the one who makes lists on sticky notes, left everywhere for cryptic moments of what the heck was I thinking/doing/saying that made me write that down?
By Jenn Kirkland2 years ago in Families
Perseverance
I hear people complain about the restrictions and mandates and so forth in a pandemic. And I think they ought to be grateful they're alive and that others are trying to help keep them that way. I try not to judge, but if the last six or so years have taught me one thing, it's perseverance. How to keep on keeping on. And how to Just Keep Swimming.
By Jenn Kirkland2 years ago in Confessions