Jennifer R
Bio
I was born in New York and raised in South Florida. I enjoy writing as a hobby and a means to transmit knowledge and wisdom obtained over the years. I love animals - they're better than humans. I can't stand it when people are late.
Stories (22/0)
7 Non-Regrets
American life is, "Go go go!" We don't give ourselves time to slow down and "smell the roses." Believe me, when I tell you, those pauses are needed. They may seem pressing at the time. You may feel that those extra minutes or seconds are precious to your current task and you can't spare them for anything else. But ... you do, and you can.
By Jennifer R12 days ago in Lifehack
A Pirates Tale
“Scarlet is in the forest,” William told his soldiers. Twenty of his men stood around the large table while he loomed over the map, clutching the edges with sweaty hands. He pointed to the patch of woods to the southeast of the cellar. “She will be in this area here.” He drew a cone in the suspected direction Scarlet may have gone. He was certain. She had to be there. Without looking at anyone he called for the dogs to be rallied and handed over a cloth kept in his breast pocked. “Use this.” One of his men took it.
By Jennifer R12 days ago in Chapters
A Pirates Tale
George looked up from his hands at the girl and sighed heavily. ‘I didn’t know who she was when I found her in the woods!’ He shouted to himself, mentally continuing the argument with Rusty. ‘I saw a pair of eyes and a head of dirty blonde hair.’ He recalled the moment from his memory like a moving picture. ‘It was too dark to see what was around her neck for God’s sake!’
By Jennifer R13 days ago in Chapters
A Pirates Tale
Scarlet sat in a rickety wooden chair in Captain George’s cabin of The Master's Betrayal. It was a decently sized room with a desk to her right, a wobbly table behind her to the back of the room, and a bed to her left. She watched as George paced the room impatiently, waiting for his first mate to arrive. His face twisted as he came to an abrupt stop and looked at her, causing tears to sting her eyes. His stare was disturbed when she screeched at the man barging through the door.
By Jennifer R13 days ago in Chapters
A Pirates Tale
Screams and shouts began to die to groans and weeping the closer the men came to the cellar. As they approached the entrance, they spotted six pirates. Without order, all fourteen men, including his majesty, hacked and slashed at the pirates who stood in their way. With all pirates dead, the soldiers stood before the splintered cellar door; broken chains and brass hinges scattered the grass. William, Jeff, and two other soldiers made their way inside the cellar. The rest stood guard. Jeff retrieved torches and handed one to each man inside.
By Jennifer R13 days ago in Chapters
A Pirates Tale
“Shh,” Anya rocked and patted Scarlet’s head, trying to soothe the child. Banging, scratching, and shouting could be heard from above ground. Seven Azarian soldiers guarded the East cellar entrance, following orders to knock down anyone who tried to enter.
By Jennifer R13 days ago in Chapters
Random Prompt (Writing on Your Feet)
Prompt: You are a brand new suicide hotline counselor. Describe how you feel during your first call. She's crying. Still crying. I'm not supposed to cry. I mute the headset to blow my nose and take a few deep breaths. Unmute. I tell her to pull over. She can't. She's on the highway. She gets off at the next exit and pulls into a gas station. I tell her to park where it's lit and to lock her doors. Does she feel safe there? Yes, she feels safe. She's still crying but I can understand her better now. I had gotten bits and pieces before. A boyfriend. Fighting. Getting hurt. Wanting to leave him, no, kill him, or herself. I speak calmly as my hands shake like they're on a wooden rollercoaster, hoping my voice doesn't match. What happened? You fought. Fistfight. Okay. He hit you. A lot. You think you're okay. You want to kill him or yourself. It's easier to kill yourself. He's big, strong, won't go down easily. She's starting to get hysterical again as she relives the fight. I stop her. Tell her to take a breath. I breathe with her. I need it as much as she does. I take a sip of coffee. It makes me think when has she last eaten? I ask her. She can't remember. I tell her to go into the convenience store and get something to eat and drink. Whatever her favorites are. She keeps me on the line but doesn't talk. I mute the mike and take another sip of coffee, hoping to calm my nerves and crunch on a chip. Let the salt sit on my tongue and breathe it in. She's back in her car with a root beer and Reese's peanut butter cups. I hear the bottle hiss open. She's chugging, I stop her. Tell her to sip. Savor. Let it sit in her mouth and feel the bubbles. I hear her breathe and swallow hard. She takes deep breaths and then belches loudly. I snigger without thinking and freeze with my hand over my mouth. Eyes wide with fright and disappointment in myself. I hope I didn't upset her. She laughs too. My shoulders sigh relief. She admits she doesn't drink a lot of soda because it makes her burp so. I tell her I have the same issue. We laugh. I tell her to eat and drink slowly and mindfully. Think back to the last happy time she had a root beer or a Reese's. She tells me about her mom. Then her brother. A trip to the zoo. I let her talk, occasionally stating something small to let her know I'm still listening. I am listening to her story, but I'm also listening to the inflections in her voice. A crack or a pause, anything that might lead her back to her current dilemma. I don't want that. I'm prepared to redirect. I don't need to. Her voice is calming. Her breathing is regular. A few more burps and giggles. She's feeling better. I'm feeling better. She says she wants to kill him. That was out of the blue! She's calm! Then she says it would be easier to kill herself. She's thinking about this rationally. Well, rationally in her head. I ask her why she would want to do either. She says she needs to get out and away. She's afraid if she leaves he'll find her. I tell her about restraining orders and protection. She was never sure it would work. I tell her I will help her get away. I will help get in contact with the right people. She is grateful but still thinks it would be easier to drive head-on into a semi-tractor trailer. I tell her if she does that, he wins. She's silent. I hear her bite her Reese's. She's thinking. She asks why he would win. I tell her because you did it because of him. You would have ended your life because of him. He gets to live and do this to another girl. But, if you live, thrive, get a restraining order, go to the police, he will be punished for his actions. Held accountable. You will be safe. She thinks about this. I hear her take a sip of root beer. I mute and crunch a chip in anxiety. I just got her calm, eating, and talking about good memories. Yet she still wants to end everything. I want to hug and shake her at the same time! She asks where she would go. I ask if she has any friends or family that he's not familiar with. She says she has never introduced him to her parents. He knows about them, but not where they live. They live in the next state over. I ask her if she's able to make the drive. She says yes. I tell her to fill up, get some more snacks for the trip and head out. She isn't sure. She's silent. I hear the door ding. I call her name, ask what she's getting from the store. She says some more snacks. I mute myself and listen to make sure she's doing what she says. My heart is pounding. I want her to make the right decision. Don't walk into highway traffic. Please. Please! The door to the convenience store dings, my body sinks into my chair with relief. I hear her walk around the store and fill a basket. The clerk asks her a question, I can't hear it. She says she's going on a long trip. She's excited. She's going to see her parents. The clerk sounds happy for her. When she gets back in the car she asks if this is the end of our conversation? I tell her if she wants it to be. I will stay on with her as long as she needs. She's happy about that and I stay on the line.
By Jennifer R2 years ago in Psyche
Outschool or Bust
At the beginning of 2021, my fiance' and I bought a house an hour's drive from our apartment. I had to quit my job, but my fiance' continued to work remotely. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to move at all. With this new start and my own home office, I decided to take this opportunity to try my hand teaching on the Outschool platform.
By Jennifer R2 years ago in Journal
My Ginger Bear
Owning a dog is not something special for all people. I mean, almost half of Americans own a dog, but the bonds are all different. I have owned dogs since I was six years old and have developed a love for them that is hard to describe. The closest I can think to explain it is an adult wanting to be a parent. You know those people, maybe you’re one of them? Ever since you were little you dreamt of having children and it excites you to think about it all coming true and terrifies you if something should keep you from it. That’s how I feel about having dogs. I want a dog like a woman wants a baby. Laugh if you must. I’m not offended.
By Jennifer R4 years ago in Petlife
Top 5 Relationship Absolutes
The Perfect Guide to a Healthy and Happy Relationship is written by No Author, from Anywhere in the world. Sadly. Wouldn’t that be nice to have a Table of Contents like that at your fingertips when needed? Not knowing the right thing to say, so you look it up! Or a whole chapter called "What Are Women Really Thinking?" Sadly these grand pages of wisdom don’t exist. Well, that’s not entirely true. There are plenty of books on relationships, the psychology and genetic makeup of the male and female brain, etc. But if you have ever read any of those books, as I have, you’ll quickly learn in your own relationship that everything is a hit or miss. Some things mentioned about women are true, some false. Same for men; some facts and behaviors are true, others false. Then how do you know what to follow? How do you navigate? How do you figure out how not to screw it up? Well, let’s not fool ourselves, you’re going to screw up a little - it’s inevitable.
By Jennifer R4 years ago in Humans
