Author Archives: Amy Jane

Revealing story?

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I was at a baby shower this morning, and the new little guy is already trying to lift his head. Everyone was exclaiming over this persistent, tiny baby (less-than 6 lbs!), and it made me think of a story from when Abby (my sister’s first-born) was new.

Abby was starting to push up off of my sister’s chest, and my mom and sister were both cooing over how “smart” Abby was. This struck me as odd, and I said, “That’s not smart.”

I was meaning to say it showed her strength, not her genius, but never got the chance. I had roused two mama-bears and had to take my tongue-lashing.

When I told the story, the mother of a friend just laughed and laughed. “That is so Amy!” she said. I asked her later what she meant (one interpretation I got was my knack for unintentionally offending people). She said it was just like me to make that sort of distinction with words, that she never would have thought of it, herself.

Self-defeating

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Not feeling like myself (probably from lack of sleep– the odds are pretty good) or not having/taking time to do my things (writing, reading, music); I can’t decide which is worse.

Intellectually I know that more sleep would be a good thing. But to get more sleep I have to do less of other things. Since children are “instant priority” the cut has to come from my own activities away from them. And I don’t want to give any of those up. I once heard someone say that in order for someone to do something uncomfortable (I think the example was coming to Jesus– both during his time on earth and today), “The desperation factor has to outweigh the embarrassment factor.”

This is a similar situation, I suppose. Before I can change my behavior, I will have to want sleep more than I want to do any of the other things I could be doing once the children are asleep.

I guess I just hope nothing huge and negative precipitates that shift in wanting…

C.S. Lewis on *Books*

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During my freshman year in college I bought a book called The Quotable Lewis, indexing his writings (both published and personal) on the catalogue of topics he addressed.

I liked so much the way he thought, that I would sit down and read Lewis by topic, circling or underlining the bits I liked, agreed with, and/or made me think. I wanted to be able to return to them.

Thinking about books (one of the forefront topics of this blog), it reminded me of a collection of his excerpts that resonated strongly with me. Reading them I felt that I’d found a “kindred spirit” (to borrow from another well-known book). The comments almost made me homesick for someone equally like-minded.

My Favorites:

  • When one has read a book, I think there is nothing so nice as discussing it with some one else– even though it sometimes produces rather fierce arguments. Continue reading »

Where legends come from

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I’m currently reading a rambling non-fiction “thriller” by a (former?) FBI agent involved in profiling serial criminals. Mindhunter. He points out early on that this (serial offenses) is a relatively recent phenomena, with “Jack the Ripper” in the late 1800s generally acknowledged as the beginning. I had never thought of this before, about crime patterns changing in this way.

Then, almost in opposition to what he’s just said, John Douglas muses that perhaps these types of crimes aren’t as new as we’d like to think, and suggests this may be where the stories of “witches, vampires and werewolves,” come from. Human beings just can’t do these sorts of things to each other, right? And so the peoples of Europe and early America had to explain what could treat humans so viciously.

Interesting theory. It builds on two ideas I buy into: 1) “There is nothing new under the sun.” and 2) Legends usually have at least some basis in reality.

I may do a longer post about it later, but I read once the idea of “changelings” (or the title) was very likely attached to physically and/or mentally handicapped children. I shudder to think how the “cures” would have been applied to such helpless individuals.

[Added 7-11-06]

Here are three links related to the changeling issue (in lieu of my writing more myself):

An Essay by D.L. Ashlimin, who does the Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts

A poem by John Greenleaf Whittier (1865) that has a different take entirely on changlings

An article that looks to be a defense of Martin Luther (shown negatively in the above documents). As of this writing I haven’t yet read it, but am linking it so I can find it to read when I have the time.

Look out!

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Error 403: Forbidden!
The server understood the request, but is refusing to fulfill it. Authorization will not help and the request SHOULD NOT be repeated.

~~~

This is the error message I received when I tried to access this new site While (unbeknownst to me) Jay was fiddling with it.

Sounds pretty ominous, no?

Why Story-singer?

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I came up with this name sort-of on the fly, when I was throwing my xanga account together. Then, when I came over here I wondered why I kept it. Well, mainly because it’s what I was already working under, but then I thought about other words for story-singer, and came up with things like “minstrel,” and “troubadour.”And I liked that idea. I don’t actually sing my stories, of course, and I don’t compose any kind of music, but I strongly identify with the idea of making words your work.So now it’s my title, even when I could change it.

Added 8/06:
I changed my name and tagline, to match the domain name and content. It was surprisingly confusing to have two names like that. And I haven’t been as focussed on writing as I’d expected.

Sweet Moment

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(Originally published on Xanga.)

During snuggle time last night Natasha kissed me, snuggled into my side and said, “Thank you for staying home with me.”

I still wonder if she understood what she was saying.

That was a thank-you about ten years earlier than I’d expected.

~~~

Added 1-24-07:

Jay has taught the girls to thank me for dinner. It is both adorable and gratifying to hear them thank me, especially in front of visitors. I am seeing the fruit of one thought-full, intentional teaching, and it’s rather inspiring for future work.

Bedtime

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MoonlightI’d like to see Rabbits under the moon
Dancing in winter, dancing in June
Dancing around while twilight lingers
and blinky-eyed stars
look down through their fingers.

I’d like to see rabbits under the moon
but I always,
always
have to go to bed too soon.
~~

I can’t remember who wrote it, but it’s one of the girls’ favorites. They both say it with me as eagerly as they sing “Row row boat.”

I think little kids have a greatly under-utilized capacity to memorize. We do bible verses too, but for now we’re moving a little slowly, for two reasons.

At first it was because we never remembered at the right time to look-up new verses. We were limited to verses that we’d memorized ourselves that didn’t sound too archaic (other than as a performing seal, I see limited value in teaching a 2- and 3-year-old the KJV version of, The Lord’s Prayer, for example). We want re-learn them in a more modern translation so they may be understood sooner with less explanation.

(Is anyone going to jump me for that one?)

Anyway, the verses they currently “know” (like they know the poem) are Genesis 1:1 (Natasha’s current favorite), Proverbs 3:5-6 (both girls recite v. 6 on their own, with great satisfaction, though, if you didn’t know what Melody was saying it wouldn’t make sense), and Eph 4:32.

The second challenge is that, like all children, they like best what is familiar. The girls aren’t very interested in most new verses when we introduce them. For example, earlier this week, when I tried to introduce Luke 6:31, both girls tried to talk over me with the verses they already knew.

After a couple nights they sometimes say it with me, but they haven’t “owned” it yet. Plenty of time, of course. Only, the last couple nights Elisha has needed me at bedtime, so I’ve not been able to do stuff with the girls.

We’ve talked about using the iPod to record a bunch of verses and night-time songs so we can leave it playing for the girls after we (grown-ups) move on to our evening activities (usually writing, for me). I wonder how interested the girls will be it that stuff when it doesn’t come with a lap.

Current favorite songs are Bluebird (bluebird on my window), Swing low sweet chariot, Row row boat, and “Hushabye” (All the pretty little horses).

Have you met…?

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I’ve heard of “wedding crashers” before; yes, even before the movie. I’d never thought to apply the term to anybody who shows up uninvited to a party. The “crashers” part.

I was at a 10th anniversary celebration Friday night at the UAF Botanical Gardens. That’s where this story comes from. Apparently (before I arrived) there was this barefoot guy wandering around the pavilion/gazebo thing, and nobody knew who he was. Bride asked various friends who he was/here with, and nobody knew.

Finally one of them went independently to the young man and asked, “May I introduce you to the bride and groom?”

I love it.

When the 10-years-married bride approached himlater he looked at her a little funny (she was wearing a tiara of small flowers, but her dress was a simple sundress). “Are you the bride?” he asked, hesitantly.

“Yes,” she said, almost as surprised to be addressed that way. “Yes I am.”

“Nobody knew who he was,” she told me later. “I was just going over to introduce myself.”

He left shortly afterwards. I have to wonder if he was full or had been shamed into leaving. And I’ll have to remember that line about “introducing.” Good stuff, that.

Elisha’s gone interactive!

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Currently Reading
Inkheart
By Cornelia Funke
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When a kid is this young, I don’t think it’s presumptuous to use two- or three-days-in-a-row to identify a pattern. This kid’s been consistently waking up (and staying awake, which bugs me more) between 4/4:30a.m. and resisting all efforts to crash him in less than an hour.

Last night I kept him awake a bit longer (and he kept himself up much longer) and it seemed to work. He didn’t wake until after 6 (wanting to stay-up, I mean).

During the evening “filler,” I read while I nursed him (which is normal evening routine) but after he was done, he was interested in “conversing” for a while. Lots of eye-contact, the “talking” mouth, and expressive face. Very fun.

We discussed my novel (I’m over 10,000 words now– that’s some sort of milestone, right?) and the book I was reading (finished it last night, but it’s still listed today), while Jay and the girls were off at the playground.