The Old Lady in my Bones

When I was in my thirties, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I started this blog to share my experiences living with RA, and how I live my best life in the face of chronic disease.

Keep On Dancing

April 26, 2023

I have spent most of my life on the stage. Ballet was my first love, but I adored all forms of dance, and I learned as many different styles as I could – salsa, ballroom, belly dance, flamenco, swing. From dance I twirled my way into acting, and that became my new focus, but I always returned to dance – and then a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis changed my choreography.

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RA-solutions: Nothing is Final

February 12, 2023

I have been busy preparing for new changes– the end of one job, the continuation and further development of a career. I’ve been thinking on how to navigate these changes and the goals I’d like to work towards. I don’t make resolutions per se – it’s in the word. Resolution. It sounds so final, and I don’t believe that anything in life is final – finality means the end and while there’s still life, there should always be room for growing and learning.

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Winter’s Light: RA and The Holidays

December 25, 2022

The winter solstice is a time of hibernation and restoration. After the solstice, the days start to get a little longer and the light returns. A New Year is here before we know it. It’s an opportunity for renewal, to begin again, to hope again…

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Transitions: Embracing a New Season

October 30, 2022

This is the time of year to sweep the negative energy into the darkness, honor our ancestors and plant the seeds of transition into a new year. The fall is always a season of new beginnings for me, a time where the major changes materialize transforming my life, as the fall transforms the color of the leaves – and this year there’s a big transformation looming beyond the full harvest moon.

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Corkboards and Coffee Houses

Welcome to my coffee house. This blog is about my writing life - the challenges, the success, the creative process and pushing through the blocks. This is my catapult to inspiration, a space where I can strengthen my writing muscles and share some insights on my process. So get comfortable, grab a hot cuppa, and let's talk about writing.

This is Writing

May 5, 2023

Writing doesn’t always look the way we think it should. Most writing takes place while engaging in other activities away from the desk.

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On Writing Newsletters

February 25, 2023

I don’t have a book to promote (reader, I’m working on it) and while I have some publications, I wasn’t sure they were particularly newsworthy – in other words, I wasn’t celebrating my accomplishments as a writer.

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Crime Wave 2: Women of a Certain Age – A Review

August 20, 2022

One of the many things I love about writing is reading the work of my peers and occasionally being asked to review it. It is a pleasure to review Crime…

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Writing is Hard: Celebrate the Small Victories

July 31, 2022

Celebrate that first draft of a novel. Celebrate finishing that short story. Celebrate that poem. Most of all, celebrate the time and the courage it took to sit down at the desk and do the work.

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If You Like What You See

Some people have inquired if there’s a place to donate on my blog. This is for those who would like to offer extra support for my work and I thank you for this.

A bigger thank you to all my readers who offer ongoing support simply by stopping by for a visit. I enjoy writing and interacting with you.

About me

J.G. Chayko is a writer, actress, and international arthritis advocate who’s been involved in theatre for more than 30 years and has published poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction.