Jim Stitzel
Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of WordsExcerpts from Life
4:30am
It's 4:30am and I'm wide awake already. It appears it's going to be yet another short night, which means I'm going to be running my day on a sleep deficit. This is nothing new. I've been living my life like this for months now. It just means I'm going to have to be...
Following Medical Directions
So, I messed up. Sort of. I followed my doctor’s directions, even when I was pretty sure I shouldn’t. You see, almost two weeks ago, he put me on Abilify because my Effexor had stopped working for me. I’d fallen into a deep state of depression for almost five days, and I was the most miserable that I’ve been since that day three-and-a-half years ago when I was admitted to the hospital. I wasn’t suicidal this time, but I was suffering deeply, and I was ready for some relief.
Tribe
I'm tired. Frankly, I'm exhausted. And I hurt. Everywhere. My mind is in pain, and my body responds in kind, translating that emotional turmoil into physical suffering. I'd like nothing better right now than for somebody to take me in their arms and hold me and tell...
Fiction
Emerging from the Dark
We emerged from the tunnels back into Haven just as a search party was about to leave to look for us. We described our journey, our adventure, to the others as they listened with rapt attention. All the while, you had an arm around my waist, and I had one around your...
Walking in the Dark
We walked, then, through the dark tunnels, with hardly a care in the world. We were hand-in-hand, and I thrilled at your touch. We talked in hushed tones, reluctant to wake up anything that might be lurking out of sight. The tunnel we were in just then began to slant...
Splitting the Sky
Lightning splits the sky, making contact with the lightning rod on the Capital building. Only, instead of disappearing, the bolt remains, freeze-framed between cloud and building. Another bolt, and another freeze-frame. Over the course of the next ten minutes, dozens...