Posts by jcramermiller
The List that Changed My Life
I recently heard Cheryl Strayed, an author I admire (best known for her memoir Wild) tell this story, and it stuck with me. She was riding in the car with her ex-husband years ago. On an icy patch of a Wisconsin highway, the car started to slip and slide. As he tightly gripped the wheel,…
Read MoreConnections during Coronavirus
As I’m home dodging COVID-19, I’m lucky that I like to write—keyboard tapping definitely fills time. And I’m delighted that the Founder of ModernWell, Julie Burton, published this story about my grateful-to-give-back Live Happy, Dammit! t-shirts on the ModernWell blog. Check it out, stay home, stay healthy, and stay happy!
Read MoreNot So Perfect, Martha Stewart
My daughter and I had high hopes as we tackled Martha Stewart’s “Perfect Pie Crust” recipe. The result? Well, I think we can agree—not so perfect, Martha. I’m delighted to be published again by the Erma Bombeck Team! Check out my latest essay at: http://humorwriters.org/2020/01/10/not-perfect-martha-stewart/
Read MoreThe Power of People to Help People
September 1st is a noteworthy day for my husband and me. Because eight years ago on this very day, Dirk donated his kidney to a stranger to enable me to receive a gift from a 25-year-old man I’ve never met—an altruistic donor who wanted to share his extra kidney. When Dirk’s selflessness merged with the…
Read MoreThe Art of Heavy Packing
Are you a light packer? Well, I’m not. And I don’t care. I pack heavy. Sure, I endure the occasional “Oh, that’s a heavy one!” from the helpful check-in guy or gal at the airport. But it’s worth it. I’m here to tell you, packing heavy has benefits. Check out my latest piece published on…
Read MoreBecause, we endure.
Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and I’ve been thinking about all the women that raise us, inspire us—and the ones we lean on as we muddle through all the drop-offs, pick-ups, practices, parties, homework, heartbreak, hold-ons and push-aways. And through all the precious and precarious moments, we get to do the miraculous job of raising honorable,…
Read MoreA Humble Superhero Among Us
A few weeks ago, I had my second gig speaking to a bursting auditorium of medical students at the University of Minnesota. I’d been asked to enlighten future doctors about my experience living with kidney transplants. I think it’s critical for physicians to see patients as people and train beyond textbooks. So, I’m quite happy…
Read MoreJust To-Do It!
Oh, clutter, clutter, clutter. It’s a bully that intimidates us every day. Too much stuff. We know this. That’s why Marie Kondo, author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up is a best-selling, millionaire guru. But there’s another kind of clutter that weighs us down, and it’s not in our homes. It’s in our…
Read MoreFantasy Feasts
I’m delighted that my piece, Fantasy Feasts, is featured on the Erma Bombeck blog. Link to article. Check it out. And let me know if your entertaining undertakings go off without a hitch!
Read MoreThe Call to Save a Life
I love stories of kindness. I know that might seem saccharine and hallmark-y. But being the recipient of an altruistic kidney donation over seven years ago, I know all too well that there are rock stars of humanity among us. That’s why I’m drawn to this lovely story about a German woman that visited the…
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