Articles written by Jennifer Shell

What is Helium

About me - Jennifer Shell

I'm a 34 year old wife and mother of two young children, living in East Tennessee, USA. Writing is my absolute favorite thing to do (aside from hanging out with my kids) - especially when I don't really have a point to get across and am just writing for the

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Jobs & Careers > Job Interviews Important job interview tips: 1 of 53
I've been in the professional world for quite a while now; long enough to have a good idea of what the word "professional" means. I may not be a hiring manager, or one who has any say in hiring practices, but I have observed much when it comes to hiring practices and, most especially, dressing for interviews.I work for a comp... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Living with the past: 16 of 204
Most stories similar to mine begin something like, "I remember the day like it was yesterday." In this case, it is the truest statement available to me. The day of which I speak is June 15, 1989, a Thursday, the last day of my freshman year of high school, and the last day of my mother's life.She had been suffering from cance... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: How my cats got their names: 5 of 63
I've had several cats during my 34 years, but when I moved to Virginia in 1996, I left my two babies with my mother. I knew that my mother would take great care of my fuzzy white felines, so off I went.The male half of my two cats was Hector Murray Space Shoe Foot Rosencrantz Kitty, a.k.a. "Hector". He was a sleek, white, dom... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short Stories: Heartbreak: 5 of 27
For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn. Call 555-0212.I saw the one-line advertisement in the classifieds one week ago and have not been able to stop thinking about it. Who placed the ad? What could have prompted such a depressing thing; to sell unworn baby shoes? There had to be a story behind it and I was determined to find out.S... More..
Home & Garden > Cleaning (Other) Humor and the lighter side of housework: 10 of 25
The Secret Life of SocksWe never know what the day will hold. Is today going to be quiet and uneventful, conversing with our fellow drawer-mates in the dark silence, or will it involve any number of tortures? That all depends on what the human decides when she wakes up.Right now, all we can hear are muffled sounds from Outsid... More..
Style & Beauty > Clothes (Other) Most embarrassing clothing disasters you've experienced or observed: 8 of 18
I spent some of last night getting my outfit ready for today. (The significance of today is that it's the day before the BIG event I've been planning at the office and the day that all the Grand High Muckety-Mucks start arriving.) After deciding I needed a dressy belt, I went to the "I'd-hate-to-be-here-on-a-Saturday-afternoo... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short Stories: Psychology: 5 of 10
BREAKTHROUGHI'd been sitting in the waiting room for thirty minutes, and was starting to get impatient. Who does he think he is, anyway? He knows I'm waiting out here for him. What kind of game is this, anyway? The truth is I know exactly what he's doing. This is my last session with him. He hasn't told me that yet, but he's ... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Skipping as an exercise option: 1 of 1
How do you know you're not a kid anymore? When, at 34 years old, you cannot jump rope for more than 60 seconds without feeling like you're going to die.Let me paint this picture for you in greater detail.I've given up soda and am attempting to give up red meat and just generally change the way I live my life health-wise. On M... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Solitude: 29 of 51
The woman lowered herself into a kneeling position and began tending to her sorely neglected garden. In her mid-eighties, and slightly heavier than she knew she should be, her knees protested painfully. With effort, she pushed the aches of old age out of her mind. Gardening was such a calming, soothing hobby - and one she was... More..
Arts & Humanities > Thoughts on Writing Why writers write: 113 of 193
I've often said that I write for the sheer joy of writing. I think that no matter how many different subjects I write about, whether personal or professional, I will always feel that way. There have been times when I've lost track of who I am - began writing for the audience instead of for myself - and the difference in the q... More..