Bonnie Jaeckel

Growing up in Upstate NY, I often felt impatient for more. So, after college I headed to NYC where I loved working in the energy and excitement of Madison Avenue ad agencies. But after almost 10 years, and wishing for simple things like a backyard, a grill and a car, I traded my subway tokens for winter tires to return home to Rochester, NY. With shifted priorities, and grateful to become a mom, I balanced raising three strong-willed children into people with my husband and two dogs while managing roles in corporate marketing and communications for another colorful 20+ years. I’ve always been a curious observer, writer, and storyteller with a lot to say, yet surviving in a corporate culture by day meant I often had to mute my voice and ideas.

But at night I wrote in my own voice using my kids’ leftover notebooks, creating a literal closet of raw material. As an emerging humorist and storyteller, I am fueled by many neurons on high alert, and am inspired by Erma Bombeck, David Sedaris, and Matthew Dicks. I've shared some of my true stories in live performances at Listen to Your Mother, USA Today's Storytellers Project, and Rochester Spoken Word. You can see my blog and performance videos at www.nervousandannoyed.com.