Tristan RuarkinThe Memoirist·14 hours agoI Will Always Come for You, My BrotherNo matter where, when or what — The last time I saw Sgt Joel Lee Murray, he was sitting in the front passenger seat of a Humvee in Iraq. Flames washed over him like a log in a lakeside bonfire. He was slightly leaning to the right. I could only see the back of his helmet, which…The Memoirist9 min readThe Memoirist9 min read
WorrickjkinThe Memoirist·1 day agoMember-onlyAn Ode to My Gay BrotherHis life was an ever-rising sea of challenges — This photo is one I took of Rob with our mother. If I could read the calendar above his head, I could say for sure when this was taken. My best guess is 2004 when Rob was 44 years old. My brother Robbie first came ‘out’ to me when he…The Memoirist8 min readThe Memoirist8 min read
Tristan RuarkinThe Memoirist·5 days agoThe Job of Telling Children Their Daddy is DeadI slowly slid the white gloves over my unsteady hands. I had never owned a pair of these white gloves in over 21 years of service. They were for special occasions only. Ruining a family’s life seems like just the occasion. Shortly after I had made the rank of E7…The Memoirist5 min readThe Memoirist5 min read
Desiree HarosinThe Memoirist·2 days agoMember-onlyThe Day I Thought I Was Going to Lose YouYou overdosed and I thought I’d never be the same — It’s Mother’s Day, 2022. I‘ve made dinner earlier than usual. You amble your way towards the garage and tell me you’ll be right back in. I have set aside a plate of baked chicken and sauteed artichokes for you. I feed our little ones and our nine-year-old. Even though the…The Memoirist6 min readThe Memoirist6 min read
Robert Knight·3 days agoMember-onlyI hated that jobIt was also the only job where I was fired. — It was in the heyday of Time share sales. I was sales manager of a time share operation (Pelican Bay Resorts) in the paradisical island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean. If you’ve ever been to a time share presentation you have some idea of the high-pressure sales tactics they…The Memoirist3 min readThe Memoirist3 min read
Mary Lou HeaterinThe Memoirist·4 days agoMember-onlyTwo Years in the Job From HellDamn near killed me My body tried to warn me. “Get out,” it screamed. During the last year on that job, I was admitted three different times to a hospital. Speed might kill faster, but stress does it insidiously. As noted in a recent article in Business News Daily: Employee…The Memoirist5 min readThe Memoirist5 min read
KiKi WalterinThe Memoirist·5 days agoThe Memoirist News: Birthday Stories, New Prompt, & The Boost ProgramJune 2023 — Memoirists, Can you believe June is here already? Weren’t we just doing crappy Valentine’s Day writing prompts? Warm summer breezes, kids are out of school, and family vacations ensue; writing tends to slow down during these warmer months, but make sure to take some breaks from the sun and relieve…The Memoirist5 min readThe Memoirist5 min read
KiKi WalterinThe Memoirist·6 days agoMember-onlyJune Memoir Prompt: “I Hated That Job!”Give us your stories about your worst most terrible jobs — Memoirists — Who’s looking for a new writing prompt!? I’ve got a good one for June…. “I hated that job!” I’m looking for stories about your worst job, awful experiences, and terrific memories of crappy ass work situations. Give us humor, drama, and everything in between. Did you have a…The Memoirist1 min readThe Memoirist1 min read
James Alexander, MATheol, MA, PhDinThe Memoirist·6 days agoHow to Run Away and Still Get the GirlJames Alexander, PhD, TSSF I was eighteen (almost nineteen). I guess some would say I was a sight to behold. I came from a poor family and wore some pretty pathetic clothes. It was 1975, and I had most definitely been a part of the hippie scene in Kansas City. My hair hung near…The Memoirist7 min readThe Memoirist7 min read
Rebecca A. BarrettinThe Memoirist·6 days agoMember-onlyReflected LightNostalgia for Broken Things — “What do you think about moving to Pennsylvania?” my wife asks. I think of the house we just bought. It’s been 18 months but there are still boxes in the closets. I think of the 16 years of friends, familiar bars, favorite restaurants in Chicago. A lifetime of theatre venues…The Memoirist4 min readThe Memoirist4 min read
