How I Spent My Summer Vacation 2008
by G-jet gjetwriteszines(at)gmail(dot)com

You know what I like? I like brutal honesty. I like it when people write about their personal experiences the way G-jet writes about depression, Portland winter, the quest for happiness- because you know what? We’re all fucking human. And someone, somewhere, can relate to your story. And hearing that story will most likely make them feel better about whatever shit they happen to be dealing with. Which is exactly what happened to me, when I read G-jet’s zine. I felt better. About everything. And not only did I feel better, but I also learned about the emotional implications of Jam, teaching, and being a Grown Up. (cover illustration is a drawing of G-jet done by one of G-jet’s students.)

When Language Runs Dry
a zine for people with chronic pain and their allies.
nevertwice(at)yahoo(dot)com

I knew nothing about chronic pain before I read this zine. Now I have been educated. Eight authors from the DIY community write beautiful essays about their experiences with chronic pain. They write about the difficulty in communicating the physical sensations they experience, the inaccessibility of spaces they once felt welcome in, the harsh reality of paying for a lifetime of treatment and drugs with or without health insurance, and the very real impact an invisible dis/ability can have on your mental health.

After reading this zine, I feel grateful that I do not have chronic pain. I also feel better able to see the world around me, as if something previously invisible has been illuminated. An important zine.