Erin Riedel
@erinriedel.com
Writer, therapist, minor weirdo. Writing in Taco Bell Quarterly, Autofocus, and elsewhere. Order Muppet in the streets, Chaos Muppet in the sheets. She/her. 🌈
Louisville, KY
Louisville, KY
I just registered for AWP. I'm a literary almost-nobody but I honestly just think it sounds like a blast. I hope I get to hang out with some internet people there!
November 8, 2025 at 11:36 PM
I just registered for AWP. I'm a literary almost-nobody but I honestly just think it sounds like a blast. I hope I get to hang out with some internet people there!
This has been the shittiest birthday in recent memory, but since we no longer have a dog we just booked an impromptu trip to Pittsburgh to look at art and eat food. Give me recs if you've got them!
October 9, 2025 at 12:30 AM
This has been the shittiest birthday in recent memory, but since we no longer have a dog we just booked an impromptu trip to Pittsburgh to look at art and eat food. Give me recs if you've got them!
I was about to give the last bite of my PB&J to the dog and then remembered she’s not here. I really can’t wait to move past this part of the grieving process, it fucking sucks.
October 7, 2025 at 1:50 PM
I was about to give the last bite of my PB&J to the dog and then remembered she’s not here. I really can’t wait to move past this part of the grieving process, it fucking sucks.
Reposted by Erin Riedel
well, I will be using that, with attribution
I just saw someone use the abbreviation “AI;DR” and I’ll be laughing for a while.
October 7, 2025 at 4:06 AM
well, I will be using that, with attribution
I’ve been distracting myself from my grief by watching YouTube videos about developing your personal style. By the time I stop crying I’m going to be the most fashionable bitch you’ve ever seen.
October 6, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I’ve been distracting myself from my grief by watching YouTube videos about developing your personal style. By the time I stop crying I’m going to be the most fashionable bitch you’ve ever seen.
This is the second time I’ve been through the loss of a dog, and for various reasons this one is WAY worse. I was not prepared to feel this way. I feel like something’s been physically ripped out of me.
October 5, 2025 at 4:21 PM
This is the second time I’ve been through the loss of a dog, and for various reasons this one is WAY worse. I was not prepared to feel this way. I feel like something’s been physically ripped out of me.
I had no idea this would be the last photo I’d take of her.
Rest easy, my sweet girl.
Ellie Michelle Riedel-Gilbert, 2012-10/3/25
Rest easy, my sweet girl.
Ellie Michelle Riedel-Gilbert, 2012-10/3/25
October 4, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I had no idea this would be the last photo I’d take of her.
Rest easy, my sweet girl.
Ellie Michelle Riedel-Gilbert, 2012-10/3/25
Rest easy, my sweet girl.
Ellie Michelle Riedel-Gilbert, 2012-10/3/25
Reposted by Erin Riedel
I do not want to be a parent and I never really have. I'm not a kid person and I have no desire to raise a child. But there is a part of me that wants a baby SO BAD. Again, don't want to parent. And I extremely don't want to be pregnant. But I am low-key obsessed with babies. Kinda wanna steal one.
October 2, 2025 at 10:03 PM
I do not want to be a parent and I never really have. I'm not a kid person and I have no desire to raise a child. But there is a part of me that wants a baby SO BAD. Again, don't want to parent. And I extremely don't want to be pregnant. But I am low-key obsessed with babies. Kinda wanna steal one.
Reposted by Erin Riedel
i feel like im going crazy bc housing prices are crushing me and every day i wake up and see the political convo being "is cantaloupe is woke?" "did TGIF change its logo?" "are we renaming new mexico to new america?"
October 2, 2025 at 2:57 AM
i feel like im going crazy bc housing prices are crushing me and every day i wake up and see the political convo being "is cantaloupe is woke?" "did TGIF change its logo?" "are we renaming new mexico to new america?"
Sometimes I do something particularly masculine and declare to my husband "I'm the husband now!" and he always replies, sounding so genuinely defeated, "But I don't *want* a husband."
He knew who he married!
He knew who he married!
October 1, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Sometimes I do something particularly masculine and declare to my husband "I'm the husband now!" and he always replies, sounding so genuinely defeated, "But I don't *want* a husband."
He knew who he married!
He knew who he married!
There’s a house we see on our morning walk that has a catio. We always consider seeing 1 cat somewhat auspicious and 2 cats very auspicious. We stopped to chat with the homeowner today and it turns out there are SIX cats. We only ever see 2 out of 6. That explains a lot about the world right now!
September 30, 2025 at 1:23 PM
There’s a house we see on our morning walk that has a catio. We always consider seeing 1 cat somewhat auspicious and 2 cats very auspicious. We stopped to chat with the homeowner today and it turns out there are SIX cats. We only ever see 2 out of 6. That explains a lot about the world right now!
Reposted by Erin Riedel
Please don’t be afraid to ask your therapist about their views regarding trans rights, white supremacy, feminism etc.
We’re in a moment where ‘blank screening’ these issues is not an option imo.
It’s a matter of safety.
We’re in a moment where ‘blank screening’ these issues is not an option imo.
It’s a matter of safety.
I had a close family member who was a quite openly racist and misogynist, who retrained as a therapist, and then bragged about telling his male clients to be shittier to their wives. And was misogynistic to his female clients. Therapists can and do bring their ideology into the room. Terrifying.
Safety Advice:
I keep seeing young trans people on social media talking about therapists disrespecting their pronouns and parents telling them that the therapist has a right to their beliefs.
I want to be clear: you have a right to the therapy room being a safe supportive space for YOUR growth.
I keep seeing young trans people on social media talking about therapists disrespecting their pronouns and parents telling them that the therapist has a right to their beliefs.
I want to be clear: you have a right to the therapy room being a safe supportive space for YOUR growth.
September 29, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Please don’t be afraid to ask your therapist about their views regarding trans rights, white supremacy, feminism etc.
We’re in a moment where ‘blank screening’ these issues is not an option imo.
It’s a matter of safety.
We’re in a moment where ‘blank screening’ these issues is not an option imo.
It’s a matter of safety.
When I was 19 I dated this doofus guy who wanted to be a filmmaker. It very much seemed like one of those unrealistic young adult flights of fancy at the time. But we recently got back in touch and damned if he isn’t making films. Still living here, working a corporate day job, but doing the thing.
September 28, 2025 at 2:31 PM
When I was 19 I dated this doofus guy who wanted to be a filmmaker. It very much seemed like one of those unrealistic young adult flights of fancy at the time. But we recently got back in touch and damned if he isn’t making films. Still living here, working a corporate day job, but doing the thing.
Reposted by Erin Riedel
This only happens to you once
September 26, 2025 at 7:39 PM
This only happens to you once
Reposted by Erin Riedel
My way of coping with all of the madness is focusing on what I can do to make my community a little bit stronger. So excuse me for all of the earnestness, but I wrote about ways we can all pitch in to support a thriving literary culture. lithub.com/how-to-be-a-...
How to Be a Good Literary Citizen (in Seven Easy Steps)
Last Sunday I spent hours at the Brooklyn Book Festival, a too rare occasion for me to pull myself away from the internet for an entire afternoon. As I looked around at the crowd on their way to pa…
lithub.com
September 25, 2025 at 2:24 PM
My way of coping with all of the madness is focusing on what I can do to make my community a little bit stronger. So excuse me for all of the earnestness, but I wrote about ways we can all pitch in to support a thriving literary culture. lithub.com/how-to-be-a-...
This seems like a great time for me to say that there are many people in my life who are trans and/or autistic and that they enrich the world in innumerable ways. I love them and want them to be respected, safe, and free.
September 24, 2025 at 11:33 PM
This seems like a great time for me to say that there are many people in my life who are trans and/or autistic and that they enrich the world in innumerable ways. I love them and want them to be respected, safe, and free.
Reposted by Erin Riedel
once again, if tylenol caused autism, america would have a better rail system
September 22, 2025 at 11:16 PM
once again, if tylenol caused autism, america would have a better rail system
PSA: If your parents have told you some version of “Everything you’ll need when we die is in the filing cabinet,” demand to see what’s in the filing cabinet. I did, and if I’d first encountered that mess while mourning I would have lost my mind.
September 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
PSA: If your parents have told you some version of “Everything you’ll need when we die is in the filing cabinet,” demand to see what’s in the filing cabinet. I did, and if I’d first encountered that mess while mourning I would have lost my mind.
In central AL we encountered some moderately heavy rain — not even enough for me to have my wipers on high. People slowed way down, put their flashers on, and a number even pulled over.
In Louisville people would have been doing 80 mph, no headlights on and no fucks given. 🥴
In Louisville people would have been doing 80 mph, no headlights on and no fucks given. 🥴
September 21, 2025 at 9:55 PM
In central AL we encountered some moderately heavy rain — not even enough for me to have my wipers on high. People slowed way down, put their flashers on, and a number even pulled over.
In Louisville people would have been doing 80 mph, no headlights on and no fucks given. 🥴
In Louisville people would have been doing 80 mph, no headlights on and no fucks given. 🥴
Update from the dogsitter, who said she’s been “a sassy little angel.”
September 21, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Update from the dogsitter, who said she’s been “a sassy little angel.”
Husband is telling me the different versions of me there would be if I were an action figure:
- Kaftan Erin
- Therapy Smock Erin
- Going Out Erin
- Exerclothes Erin (Workout Edition and Hiking Edition)
- Gardener Erin
Collect them all!
- Kaftan Erin
- Therapy Smock Erin
- Going Out Erin
- Exerclothes Erin (Workout Edition and Hiking Edition)
- Gardener Erin
Collect them all!
September 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Husband is telling me the different versions of me there would be if I were an action figure:
- Kaftan Erin
- Therapy Smock Erin
- Going Out Erin
- Exerclothes Erin (Workout Edition and Hiking Edition)
- Gardener Erin
Collect them all!
- Kaftan Erin
- Therapy Smock Erin
- Going Out Erin
- Exerclothes Erin (Workout Edition and Hiking Edition)
- Gardener Erin
Collect them all!
That's an interesting sentiment for a headboard!
September 18, 2025 at 10:52 PM
That's an interesting sentiment for a headboard!
I’ve always been hesitant to book a beach vacation this late into September because of hurricanes, but man, this is what’s up. The weather is perfect and there’s hardly anyone here.
September 17, 2025 at 2:40 PM
I’ve always been hesitant to book a beach vacation this late into September because of hurricanes, but man, this is what’s up. The weather is perfect and there’s hardly anyone here.
Reposted by Erin Riedel
not an exaggeration to say I am WEEPING with laughter at this reply from someone who hadn't seen that Robert Redford died today
September 16, 2025 at 12:53 PM
not an exaggeration to say I am WEEPING with laughter at this reply from someone who hadn't seen that Robert Redford died today