Joni Jesme

Meet the Author - https://whitechairday.com/

Joni Jesme is a mom, writer, and creative soul with wet feet, dirty hands, working on her 4th cup of coffee and continuously learning new things. She is employed in the creative world of marketing, working on web design, creative story content and social media as well as utilizing her inspired pen to help clients’ stories come to life.

“There’s a reason we remember stories from childhood days – they have a huge impact.” It is this childhood memory, the enjoyment, and laughter that she brings out in her book, White Chair Days.

Creativity and adventure are a big part of her personal life; photography, kayaking, hiking, travel and the great outdoors anywhere near water. She will quickly proclaim, “I love dirt! Every child has the right to get their hands dirty; drinking cold water from a garden hose, knowing where their food comes from, how to grow it, harvest it, and enjoy it.”

After starting a 6,000 square foot “teaching-giving garden” that has taught hundreds of youth, she started an Adopt-a-Crop program in her community. But is grows from there! She is currently in concept discussions with a group on developing and rolling out a multi-generational teaching garden program.

“Just think what we could accomplish if agriculture was included in our children’s education. Mentor programs could be set up where older students help younger students and together, they grow some of the food that would be served at lunch. Just think of the possibilities! Teach a kid to fish… teach a kid to garden…”

Jesme continues to stretch her creativity and has found encouragement from a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” And stretch she does. Her curiosity leads her into what she refers to “trial by fire”, being thrown into situations with and the pure love of digging in, figuring it out, and learning new things.

When sharing her first White Chair Day episode, she was surprised by the sharing of stories from others with their own similar, unique and humorous WCD moments. Taking the plunge, she gathered these moments and set out to share them in print. White Chair Days is the first collection of stories in the White Chair Days book series.

Jesme lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and is currently working on a series of children’s books with her two adult sons, Aaron and Evan, who each have their own creative uniqueness. You can find her wandering the woods with her hiking and walking sidekick, a Labrador named Miss Nala.

Joni has a philosophy on life; “Dirt happens, gardening helps”.

Have you hit your White Chair Days?

About a week before a milestone birthday, Joni drove coworkers out for lunch. On the way back to the office, they came across a very large green, plastic garbage can lid in the middle of the street. Startled by the object, Joni Jesme blurted, “Oh no! There’s a white chair in the road!!”

Yes, she said white chair. Her coworkers burst into laughter. “Joni, where did you get white chair from?” They continued to laugh for several days.

Joni had reached the point in her life when the wrong words flew out of her mouth. “Where’s the whatchamacallit?” And when she tried to find the correct word, it inexplicably vanished. She’d stepped across the threshold into a new, and sometimes humorous part of life. [Cue: Rod Serling] “That’s the signpost up ahead—your next stop, the White Chair Day Zone!”

From that moment, whenever Joni had one of those head-scratching moments, she would explain to those around her, “I’m just having a White Chair Day.” Surprisingly, others shared their stories with her and White Chair Days was born.

A funny thing happens on our way to growing older. You come into your White Chair Days after an amusing voyage through life’s milestones. When you look for and enjoy the humor as you transition from one phase of life to another, reaching your White Chair Days will defy expectations, and life will be anything but dull.

Adorned with endearing illustrations, “OMG! I’m having a White Chair Day” is sure to delight readers of all ages, particularly those who call green lids “white chairs” and thingamajigs “whatchamacallits.”