Diary of a Sjogie – a Column by Rena Newman

Choosing to Walk in Forgiveness

Greetings, friends. I was just bawling because “Hard Candy Christmas” played on the car radio, and now I have extra smudgy, smeary smoky eyes. Uh-oh, I need to wipe and blow my nose, but I don’t have any Kleenex. I guess I’ll have to use this polka-dot cloth…

A Greaser Chick Gets the COVID-19 Vaccine

What’s going on, cool cats? I just got ketchup on my brassiere and accidentally sprayed hairspray in my eye. It’s a muggy, dewy morning here on Florida’s Emerald Coast, and I’m thinking of you all as I sit and wait at the doctor’s office. Mmm, hmm, umm. What is that…

Achieving Goals While Being Chronically Ill

Hello, friends. Phowhoo, snap. Apparently, I have a new habit of chewing gum obnoxiously and blowing bubbles like I’m in junior high school in the 1980s. I don’t know how I stand it because I can get amusingly agitated if I hear others chewing — or breathing — but not…

Staying Strong After Receiving Another Diagnosis

What’s up, warriors? I just cleaned out my purse and found 11 pens and a new lipstick I forgot I had. At least the TV remote wasn’t in there this time. OK, I’ll stop procrastinating and get right to it. I have some bad news. The other day, I was diagnosed with my…

Sharing Some Recent Embarrassing Sjögie Moments

Welcome back to tea and talk with your favorite peculiar Sjögie. Today’s topic is embarrassing moments. I had an interesting week, to say the least. It was filled with random awkward events that I’d like to share with you all. Are you ready? Here it goes. Awesomely abashed The first incident…

Saying Goodbye to My Sugarholic Diva Days

“Oh, honey. Ah, sugar, sugar.”   Hola, señoritas y señores. I’m still exhausted from the holiday weekend, even though I didn’t do much. Hey, looks like there’s caramel corn in my cleavage again. Crunch! Nom nom.   Anyway, tonight I’m sitting at home wrapped in my knitted purple mermaid…

Being Dry Makes Me Cry

It’s a stale Saturday night and I’m in my living room hanging with the kitties. My eyes are devastatingly dry and irritatingly itchy! I rub my left eye with two fingers and then my right, which is itchier and burns more for some reason. Of course, I can’t get in there good enough since my fingers are weak and sensitive,…

Staying Positive as a Foggy-headed Warrior

“Welcome back to the Sjögie Show. I’m your host, Rena Newman.” Oops, sorry. I was daydreaming. Hello, friends. Have you seen the Wonder Woman meme? You know, the one that says, “I am Wonder Woman. I wonder where I left my keys. I wonder where I put my purse …” Well, that’s me!…

Analyze and Assess: How I Deal With Disability Harassment

Howdy, friends. As an Asperger’s person, I am no stranger to discrimination, ableism, and disability harassment.  I could tell you many stories of how I’ve been mistreated due to having a different way of functioning, processing information, and socializing. Sigh.   A few rhetorical…

A Tale of Frozen Fingers and Viagra

Bonjour! What do frozen fingers and Viagra have in common? The answer is Raynaud’s phenomenon. Let me tell you the story of when I first experienced Raynaud’s phenomenon and how it led me to popping Viagra pills daily. Sjögren’s, Raynaud’s, and the patch Oh, the comorbidities of Sjögren’s…