about me

I’m Karen (not one of those Karens)…

a reluctant ager, main squeeze, mom, list maker, patio gardener, writer.

First of all – I am thrilled you are here…who the heck are you? And WHY am I doing this??

Well… here goes. A few years back I was ‘down in the dumps’ – having what I now think was a delayed reaction to both daughters having flown the coop and my ripening age (ugh) did not help. So I started writing (as my self-endorsed therapy) about my state of mind and reminiscences in what I referred to as my fake blog.

Having an audience of one, ME, allowed revealing without hesitation, without concerns over well-meaning critiques or my grammatical and punctuational boo-boos

While sharing this poopy outlook with a dear friend and offhandedly mentioning my writings I was tricked into persuaded to send her some examples. Her delighted response (now two people had read my stuff!) made me think I was onto something; even if it only came from one other person – who also happens to be a nearest and dearest.

She said, “Write a real blog”, “Get it out there”, “Tell Facebook”. I said, “Really???!” And I thought…wow, this could be my next chapter. Then I thought…terrifying. But I kept writing.

My thoughts are rather random. Some are commentaries on my unenthusiastic point of view on aging (although I am highly enthusiastic about the living and breathing part), others are humorous (hopefully) memories and some are just thoughtful observations.

And whether I ever put it out there for others to read was not the point. I loved the setting down of thoughts to paper. It was fun, nourishing, and cheap.

Previous chapters include dancing professionally as a founding member of the renowned Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Chicago Tribune’s Richard Christiansen called me “stunning” and “a wicked comedienne”. How cool is that? I created the role of Nancy Ralansky in the premiere cast of Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? and while performing the demanding role of Cassie in A Chorus Line, Christiansen declared me “a vulnerable, earthy woman whose singing is the equal of her virtuoso dancing”. Wow I do not remember paying him that much! Numerous industrial shows, musical theatre productions and a few commercials later… perhaps better known as Karen Frankel Jones in the biz.

CLICK HERE -> “BITE & SMILE” to check out my commercial for Dairy Queen back in the day

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – “Gershwin Dances” (circa 1980)

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – “At the Rosebud” (circa 1980)

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – “The 40s” (circa 1979)

“Do Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?” – original company (1979)

“Guys and Dolls” (1984)

“Evita” – (1985)

Cassie in “A Chorus Line” – (1985-86)

Rounding out that varied career, I performed as a dancing box of restaurant supply cleaning fluid and extolled the virtues of automotive, beauty, insurance and fast food products…all while sporting big hair and oodles of sequins.

Hardees Industrial show (and big hair)

I did have a chapter after showbiz, and prior to blogger, as a legal library assistant for over 16 years. It was there that I learned tons of legal gobbledygook and perfected my computer skills by discovering how to minimize and copy & paste.

BORN, RAISED & RESIDING in Chicago with my hubby and cats, Lulu and Betsy…I am a looong-time wife of an exceptional man I met at a disco (it was the 70’s), mom of two magnificent daughters I birthed at 39 and 41 years of age, a daughter and ‘only’ of parents I would choose over and over again and a breast and thyroid “been there, done that cancer achiever”.

This blogging thing has been an unexpected ‘next’ and now it is official. Join me on this undertaking and let me know if you can relate… but please be kind and remember I am a creative punctuator and time and again grammatically inventive.

Thanks for reading! I love you… even if I don’t know who the heck you are! xoxo, Karen

NEVER MISS A NEW BLOG POST! CLICK ON THIS LINK: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/pjET7Ji