Friday, December 29, 2006

January*

She was a January girl
She never let on how insane it was
In the tiny, kinda scary house
By the woods, by the woods, by the woods, by the woods

--Tori Amos, "Black Dove" from the album From the Choirgirl Hotel

My birthday is dangerously close to the New Year. In fact, my mother began a long, difficult labor while helping to clear New Year's Day dinner. I have the scar from the forceps to prove it.

I sometimes wonder if those of us born during the long dark can ever really shake the memory of winter shadows welcoming us into the world. Tori Amos sings, "she was January girl." Yes, I think I know what she means.



A Meme

Since blogland is slow for the holiday season, I thought those of us around should do something fun. There are memes out there which ask you reveal various things about yourself, but I'd like to start a "Questions from the Audience Meme." Is there anything you want to know or ask? Drop a question in the comments, and I will answer on Monday. As long as it's not utterly compromising, anything goes!

(*I have to give my normal northern hemisphere disclaimer here. For my friends south of the equator, I suppose the title of this post should be "July.")

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

i just had a birthday myself- three days after christmas and three days before new year... everyone is usually either drunk, broke or away on holiday!

Anonymous said...

tell me please jason- what is your earliest childhood memory?

mermaid said...

It's funny, Jason. I was born in April, but there are Winter shadows inside of me. But as my blog implies, I am all about renewal and Spring, springing back, and growing again. Thank you for sharing this thought.

You have probably answered this question elsewhere, but who has been your greatest inspiration as a writer?

Anonymous said...

Happy Birhtday!
If you could go anywhere in the world all expenses paid where would you go?
Oh and your favorite snack food?
Happy Weekend. :)

Joni said...

I love Tori! Her style and harmonies speak to the misfit in me. Some of her subject matter leaves me unsettled, but I consider her a genius of her own kind.

This leads me to wonder, if you could pick only three CDs to listen to for the rest of your life, what would they be?

Anonymous said...

A very happy birthday to you, Jason.
How fitting & auspicious I would think, so close to the New Year. Resolutions have so much more meaning for you.

Anonymous said...

In which other era in history would you have liked to live, and in what capacity?

Happy Birthday and many happy returns of the day. ~K~

Anonymous said...

Hey Jason-
Happy Birthday in advance! I'm a January girl too. I enjoy your blog very much- you are obviously very talented. I read often, but this is the first time I've left a comment for you.

My question: How do you get so much accomplished here and still balance work and family obligations?

Please let me in on the secret!!

Best wishes-
~Saturn Rising

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Jason and Happy New Year as well. Love your moon poem
Hope your holidays were wonderful

Jeff said...

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year, Jason!

Anonymous said...

**Thanks for the wonderful questions so far! Answers coming on Monday.**

Angel, I feel your pain. ;) Happy Birthday!

Mermaid, that really fits you. :) I'm afraid in January, the rebirth of life is far, far away.

Kate, thanks for the birthday wishes. :)

Beady, thanks, my friend.

Joni, I couldn't agree more about Tori. In a way, I aspire to be like her as a writer. There is such a close connection between her subconscious and her music. And she is so free and open.

Susan, thank you! Yes, each year is very fixed and complete for me. Every year of my life is a reflection of the calendar.

Kaye, many thanks, my Pennsylvania friend. :)

Saturn Rising, it's a special thrill for me when someone watching from the shadows emerges! I wish you a happy birthday also, and a bit of light for times when the sun has long been dreaming.

Anna, thank you, my friend. :)

Jeff, thanks! Happy New Year to you too.

Jaye Wells said...

Oooh! Oooh! I have a question: When are you hosting another flash contest?

Also, what is your favorite type of cheese?

Anonymous said...

I'll save the Happy Birthday for your actual birthday.
On second thoughts with my record I should probably do it now so...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

My birthday is halfway through January but yep, I'm part of that Southern Hemisphere audience of yours so until we moved over here it was always boiling hot on my birthday. Talk about going from one extreme to the other!

My question... If there is one thing in your life you could go back and do differently, what would it be?

Happy New Year!!

Michele said...

I am the blog lurker ... or at least, that's what I've become. Glad I popped on over in time to wish you,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND BEST WISHES THAT ALL YOUR GOALS COME TRUE!!

As for a question:
Yep, I'm a curious kitty.

With all of the (keep in mind that if I've missed the big news already, apologies) literary journeys that you've posted here over the year - has it generated any nibbles from someone who's interested in publication or representing you or even saying "submit 'this or that' to this contest", that this entry is perfect for it?

Let's face it, many of your works that I've read, seemed to me as beacons of light in a shadowed blogland for writers in training.

Funny how you mention "shadows".
Being born in October, I'm a dappled autumn with overtones of light and shadow gamboling about in the fallen leaves.

Happy New Year! I'll try not to be such a stranger. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Birthday and New Year wishes to you! Hope you're happy and feeling great :)

My question: are you a professional, published writer (aside from blog publishing)...if no, when do you plan to become that and how are you going to go about it? If yes, how did you go about it?

Hope that's not too compromising. Love your blog!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday and happy new year! I suppose it's nice to have opportunities for fresh, new beginnings all at once. Enjoy. :)

Anonymous said...

You lucky chap.
Jason, may you, your wife & kids have a wonderful time ahead. Once more today on Jan 1st, Happy New Year.

Anonymous said...

Thanks again for all great questions! Happy New Year to everyone. :D