HeyJaredMelanie Benjamin: The Reluctant Extrovert
Stories about me and all the people in my head, some real, some imagined.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 10
- Latest publication
- Sep 27, 2026
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- Jul 14, 2026
Latest issues
Generation Jones, Are We OK? (opens the original)
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I’m often approached by people who have a story they want me to tell. Sometimes it’s about a real historical figure they’d like to read about. Annie Oakley is a frequent request. Often, it’s about a member of their own family, a distant relative who lived a remarkable life that they think would make a great novel.But lately, I’ve fielded requests for me to either write, or help someone write, their own life story. Oddly enough, recently two people I knew when I was younger, but whom I haven’t se
I Feel Bad About My Elbows! (opens the original)
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First a shoe update: Those Blondo loafers I talked about in my last post? They turned out to be as heavy as cement blocks. I felt like Frankenstein in them. Returned! I’ve found a good replacement in these <a href="https://www.nordstrom.com/s/revel-ave-leather-loafer/9135708?color=blackened+brown%2f+black&size=8.5&width=m&utm_source=gad&utm_medium=pdshp&utm_term=ntcmp&utm_content=at~pla&utm_creative_format=AG~All-Products_FF~PLA-Nordstrom-Terms&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=2221825765
Booties & Books & Blather (opens the original)
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Howdy folks, how was your week?Mine was swell. We went to a Cubs game on Monday. The Cubs won, PCA had a monster night, the weather was perfect, the seats were great. I love it when our calendar has a lot of what I call “Chicago” things on it, and this month has been a very “Chicago” month. We saw a film at The Music Box Theater as part of their Noir City series and it was introduced by Eddie Mueller. I’m a huge TCM fan and I love his Noir Alley series on Saturday nights. Then the Cubs game this
Listening to my heart - (opens the original)
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I’m sitting outside on my deck but there’s a gentle breeze and the temperature is only about 68, and it sure feels like fall; it feels like the weather just took a big cleansing breath.I’ve been doing that a lot lately, too. Big cleansing breaths. Embracing the now. By nature I’m a tightly-wound, dramatic type who rarely lets herself relax. I’m not apologizing for who I am anymore (something it seems I’ve spent most of my life doing). But it’s true that I’ve spent a lot of my life thinking (and
Be Like Doris! (opens the original)
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Hey-oh!It’s been a minute, I know. And I’ll be blunt; I haven’t written a Substack in a while because frankly, I can’t be arsed.Now, this is a shout out to one of my favorite characters in one of my favorite series, Gavin & Stacey. The character of Doris is a hoot and she has a moment when she – tasked with making a salad for a christening brunch – replies thusly:I relate to Doris quite a lot these days. I don’t know what it is – the
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