The Shrieking Cactus

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A Gulf So Wide
I'm back in my row boat, trying to stay afloat.
 • 
Joy V.
8
We're making weathermen cry now
Grappling with my ambiguous loss over Florida's Gulf Coast and, well, everything.
 • 
Joy V.
10
I'm hosting a webinar: Beginner SEO for writers
Dial in and nerd out with me next Tuesday. Free for Writers' League of Texas members!
 • 
Joy V.
4
A heart soft enough to break
Because change is inevitable and often. And sometimes awful.
 • 
Joy V.
10
The imperfect art of setting boundaries with difficult loved ones
I worried more about their reaction than mine. Now I can flip the script.
 • 
Joy V.
13
Ingrid Andress's bad singing was a massive act of bravery
In an industry that remains disproportionately unfair and unsafe for women, simply walking on stage is an act of rebellion.
 • 
Joy V.
6
Life with an emotionally immature mother
For years, I lived in the shadow of my mother's emotions. Here's how I found compassion for the both of us.
 • 
Joy V.
42
'Healthy societies recognize mixed feelings'
A Shrieking Cactus roundup of great stuff I've been reading lately.
 • 
Joy V.
4
Trapped in the heat dome? Ten tips from a Texan
Since I can't fix global warming for you, here's some practical stuff that keeps me from getting too prickly during a heat wave.
 • 
Joy V.
9
A week in the stunning 'south-up' of Argentina and Brazil
225+ waterfalls at Iguazu Falls, few fellow Americans, cheap wine and chocolate, and giant rabbit-like rodents.
 • 
Joy V.
9
Manifesting a byline in my favorite magazine: How it happened
It was far more complicated than writing a great pitch.
 • 
Joy V.
17
A few weeks of doing less (hopefully)
Like many parents, the month of May has left me harried and exhausted. So I'm taking a newsletter hiatus.
 • 
Joy V.
5
Our cat can talk. Turns out he's pretty funny.
Why every family could use a chubby rescue cat that sounds like Homer Simpson
 • 
Joy V.
10
Mother's Day fail via late-stage capitalism
Oh man I can't wait for this week to be over
 • 
Joy V.
5
The Shrieking Cactus
The Shrieking Cactus
Weekly musings for prickly people recovering from trauma and/or learning to love themselves (and the world in general). From writer, nature lover, and recovering crankypants, Joy V.
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