by Johnny Vrba | Jun 4, 2024 | Johnny
When I completed the puzzle in January 2022, I was elated I would finish the project before my goal of December. The rest of the year was spent individually picking up pieces and Gorilla gluing each one to its final resting place. I severely underestimate how long...
by Johnny Vrba | May 2, 2024 | Johnny
Now that the fantasy of my book being close to done was terminated I was living in reality again and I set my sights on a new goal, Christmas 2022. My senior year I connected 20,000 pieces. I now had seven separate 10,000 piece puzzles in front of me. I went back to...
by Johnny Vrba | May 2, 2024 | Johnny
My mom studied English in college so I had a professional on hand at all times, but I rejected her help week after week. I’d say, “I want this to be a gift for you! I don’t want you to put any work into this.” I’d never seen her make that sort of...
by Johnny Vrba | May 2, 2024 | Johnny
In late March of 2020 I sat with my mom on our back porch facing our willow tree and the prairie beyond. After six days of listening sessions my mom heard all 73 of my detailed daily journal entries from the craziest semester of my life. When I read the final sentence...