Sometimes You Just Have to Say…

I like to think I’m a pretty positive person – and when RA invaded my life, I found a way to look at the lighter side. I rarely complain about my flares and bad days because, quite frankly, those of us who have some form of inflammatory arthritis already know how bad it can get,…

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Re-Imagining the New Normal

These are strange days for the world. A viral epidemic has set boundaries on our lives, and cultivated fear in the masses. It’s created an environment where groups and communities compete to set themselves above others, when all of humanity is on equal footing in the face of this outbreak. This is an unprecedented time….

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25 Minutes…

The west coast winters are rainy and damp as opposed to icy and snowy – but in recent years, we’ve had random episodes of snowfall, small in comparison to the rest of the country but significant enough that our little harbor city becomes a little more challenging to navigate. The snow we get is wet…

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RA Sins in Sin City

At the end of 2019, we took our annual trip to Vegas – it was a much-needed vacation after a year long program with the Writer’s Studio. The desert calls to me and it always offers a reprieve from painful joints. Winter or summer, the dry environment makes RA disappear from my world for just…

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A Vintage Year

Like wine, the calendar years can be excellent, fair, or poor, and difficult to predict what you’re going to get until you pull the cork and take your first sip. My personal and creative life started out rich and full of flavor, but RA made some moments a little bit sour, like drinking wine with…

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Finding My Light

The autumn glow of the harvest lights has long burned out and the tranquility of winter is gently creeping in. The crystallized frost on the windows is illuminated by a charcoal gray dawn. These days the sun sinks behind the mountains a little earlier, mornings are a little harder, and the joints a little stiffer,…

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Illuminating the Shadows of RA

The turning of the year has launched us into the darkest season. The clocks have turned back, and fall has embraced the west coast with misty mornings and auburn leaves. The days are short, the nights long, the air scented with the burning wood of home fires, apple pies and fresh rain. It is a…

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A Little Bit of Fun – All Hallows Eve

“I am reminded that there is still a brightness to be found in the turning of the year – intermittent moments when the darkness is pierced by the sun burning through the afternoon clouds. Its golden imprint streams through the beaded condensation of my windows, warming my body, lulling the ghost of RA into a…

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Arthritis Awareness: All About Living

The summer is burning out in deep crimson streaks of early twilight. The leaves are starting to turn, and last night the skies unleashed a torrent of rain, finally breaking the cloying humidity. Fall is delicately balancing on the horizon as we shift into September and Arthritis Awareness Month. Arthritis Awareness Month comes around every…

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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.