KJ Aartila
Stories (297)
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A Collection of My Young Adult/Upper Middle Grade Stories
I am an author of primarily Young Adult/Upper Middle Grade fiction with a main focus on kids developing self-awareness through their relationships with other people, friends and horses. This is a collection of fictional short stories, poetry and a short, personal biography that fit into this category. I hope you enjoy this inspired collection so far! I invite you to subscribe at no charge to my Youtube channel, also where you can watch horse videos, and be notified of updates and opportunities!
By KJ Aartila2 years ago in Confessions
Tethered
TETHERED The ego is heavy. The realization hit me the other day, as I was working with my horse. I am in the midst of learning a new mindset for interacting with my horses, but I had the horse I was currently working on wearing his halter, while I had ahold of the lead-rope. Nothing unusual, or abusive in any way and he was used to this. I only wanted to get a few tangles and burdock out of his mane.
By KJ Aartila2 years ago in Journal
Watership Down
A busy warren; a story about bunnies - Not as expected. **************************** I found Watershed Down to be a weird story about rabbits that, in some ways, I enjoyed as a kid. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized it was about a whole lot more, which made it a much more intriguing story.
By KJ Aartila2 years ago in Poets
A Plea to Spammers. Top Story - July 2023.
New (and older) Vocal users - let me appeal to your business sense and desire to make money. Spamming people’s stories with your links is not the way to go about it, nor is posting AI only created content. I can only imagine any gain in results, if there are any, are quickly lost. You are only hurting your attempts to create viable business by creating a disrespected reputation instead! If you want to be successful as a creator, it’s a long-term investment of your time and money.
By KJ Aartila2 years ago in Journal
Three Little Kittens. Content Warning.
The woman walked into the animal clinic where I worked as a veterinary assistant. She set a small, brown lunch sack on the counter and spoke to the receptionist. After the woman left, I scooped up the paper sack to carry to the back where we performed exams, surgeries and lab work. Not knowing what it was holding, I opened the paper sack and peered inside. I gasped at what I saw. It did not contain the fecal sample I expected to find, but three tiny kittens huddled up together, sleeping contentedly. Feeling safe. They had been brought in by the woman to “be disposed of” meaning euthanized. No mother cat was brought in to be spayed or cared for in any way - just the kittens, which were to be killed.
By KJ Aartila2 years ago in Petlife
Ugh! Customer Service. Top Story - July 2023.
I’ve had it up to my freakin’ eyeballs with Customer Service! Or Customer Support, or Customer Care or whatever ridiculous moniker it’s given. It’s all the same, and means little. No matter what it’s called, I don’t feel like any more of a concern to the powers-that-be than I would feel talking to a rock. Actually, I would probably feel better talking to a rock, as my expectations would then be met.
By KJ Aartila2 years ago in Journal
The Barriers We Keep
This is what the energy we carry and project can look like, both figuratively and literally - a closed gate. This lesson that was brought home to me this morning, after struggling, finding success and then an “AHA!” moment granted during some relaxed consideration.
By KJ Aartila2 years ago in Journal
