Blog — Alex Jennings

MAKING A WISH

My injury is more serious than I’d hoped. There are no broken bones, but last week, I had an ultrasound--using this device that suspiciously resembled a George Foreman Grill-- and the docs told me that my quad tendon was definitely torn and that it would require surgery to repair. The surgery needs to be sooner than later, so Kechi and I have been rushing to figure out the logistics of that, as well as getting a hold of mobility aids to get me back in class. What a way to start the quarter!

Alex JenningsASeptember 29, 2025Injury, mobility, disabled, Author, Chicago, Evanston, Northwestern University, MFAComment

PAPER ANNIVERSARY

RoundupAlex JenningsASeptember 4, 2025Moving, Evanston, Northwestern, Graduate School, AnniversaryComment

MIND THEM CORNERS

Kechi and I left camp a little early and went down to spend time with my family in Maryland for a few days. Then, on Tuesday, we drove straight to Chicago and installed ourselves in a hotel downtown….

Alex JenningsAAugust 23, 2025Comment

HOME STRETCH

Last night, we had the camp Halloween Carnival, and I didn't go. Instead, I took some time to myself, and then I played D&D with the camp staff group until after midnight. The lack of sleep is one thing, but I'm pretty tired apart from that--though I wouldn't yet say I'm running on empty. Last week was a lot--a lot of emotion, a lot of commotion, and a lot of work.

Alex JenningsAJuly 30, 2025camp, East Coast Summer, Chapter and Verse, Novel writing, Outlines, Karate, dogdad, doglover, movingComment

ENGINE SUMMER

Alex JenningsAJuly 15, 2025teaching, Camp, East Coast Summer, Buck's Rock, Performance, Performing arts, writing, movingComment

HAPPY CAMPERS

I feel like I’m beginning to get the hang of being at camp. The mornings are early—for me, at least—and working six days a week is a grind, even with all the art and goodwill and natural beauty of the Berkshires foothills. Last Friday was especially strange because it was the Fourth of July, and there was virtually no observance here…

RoundupAlex JenningsAJuly 7, 2025East Coast Summer, Buck's Rock, Dead End Boys, camp, life life lifeComment

UP IN THESE WOODS

This is my first day as a Creative Writing Counselor at Buck’s Rock Theater and Arts Camp. I’ve been interested in working at Buck’s Rock for years. Jade Patton and Amber Luning used to talk about adventuring there all the time back when I was still regularly doing standup comedy.

Alex JenningsAJune 23, 2025Comment

SOLOMON FLEW

I’ve also spent the last several days slowly rereading Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, and boy has that ever been instructive….

Life is Daily

My mother is fond of the saying, “Life sure is daily.” When I was younger, the sentiment seemed so silly to me. Of course life is daily! We live day in and day out! But the older I get, the better I understand.

Alex JenningsAMay 21, 2025writing, DEAD END BOYS, Moving, Chicago, Buck's Rock, camp, Teaching, Grief, Family, careerComment

FULL STEAM AHEAD!

Alex JenningsAMay 21, 2025death, grief, writing, moving, Chicago, politicsComment

DEAD END COMEDY

RoundupAlex JenningsAMay 12, 2025comedy, Dead End Boys, Novel writing, new orleans, Toledano Street Comedy Festival, Sports DrinkComment

Going Through It

The last week or two have been difficult. It was one of those periods where every step I took felt like a tooth-and-nail fight. Like I had to battle through a minefield of stress and anxiety and that the load was becoming so heavy as to manifest physically.

Phone is Ringin (Oh my Gawd)

As I type this little update, I'm sitting in one of my very favorite New Orleans cafes, The Bean Gallery. I didn't come to this place enough when I lived in the neighborhood, but I've been visiting for decades.

Alex JenningsAApril 29, 2025grief, ghosts, Writing, Dead End Boys, new orleans, BrandonComment

Never Can Say Goodbye (No No, Bay-bee...!)

RoundupAlex JenningsAApril 2, 2025New Orleans, TWFest, Books, Sports Drink, Comedy, weekendComment

Got Dem Shoes

Lately, I've seen discourse online about whether The Wiz is a good movie. I understand both sides of the argument, I suppose, but for me, a piece of art succeeds on its strengths rather than its exclusion of weaknesses….

RoundupAlex JenningsAMarch 18, 2025Mardi Gras, new orleans, musicComment

Okay, SO...!

I have officially accepted a position at Northwestern's Litowitz MA/MFA program. It's a 3-year commitment, fully-funded, and it's in-person….

announcement!Alex JenningsAFebruary 26, 2025announcement, academia, Northwestern, Chicago, New Orleans, Louisiana, Fiction writing, Literature, Afro-SurrealismComment

After Mardi Gras

On Saturday, Kechi and I headed back to New Orleans to catch LSD Clownsystem at the Joy Theater. This was our first true Carnival event this season even though it’s not a parade or a ball….

RoundupAlex JenningsAFebruary 24, 2025live music, live theater, New Orleans, costuming, Lightwire Theater, LSD Clownsystem, Moon MouseComment

Sliver by the River

This past Thursday, I read at Skye Jackson’s book release event for her poetry collection, Libre. The event took place at the Marigny Opera house, a venue where I’ve never performed. The space is beautiful—soaring cathedral ceilings, an air of mystery, and a sense that the building is even older than New Orleans itself.

Alex JenningsAFebruary 17, 2025Dead End Boys, New Orleans, Dogfish, Poetry, Skye Jackson, Ted Moree, Penda Smith, Marigny OperaComment

HYPNIC JERKS

We finally made it into February, and if I thought the world was on fire before, holy shit are we in it now….

Alex JenningsAFebruary 3, 2025comedy, fiction, standup comedy, politics, despair, hope, caring, the world, Dead End BoysComment

MORE THAN NOTHING

One of the things I love so much about Kechi is that she does excellent, engaging work on several fronts—as a comic, as a photographer, and as an educator, and helping her formulate and work toward her creative goals feels like an exquisite privilege. She does the same for me….

RoundupAlex JenningsAJanuary 30, 2025Dead End Boys, PERVIRGIN, Theater, Baton Rouge, Travel, Rest, FatigueComment