The Taleswappers’ Porch

I’m “Taleswappers” - a pretty goofy name. Taleswapper is a character in Orson Scott Card’s Alvin Maker series, and when the idea for this project came up, it seemed the perfect name for the blog.

I am 35, separated from my husband of 15 years, mother of a teenager and a soon-to-be-teenager, cradle Episcopalian (though I’ve wandered in other directions a few times), software engineer, flutist, writer, and (of course) teller of stories. I love pink, purple, slipping into a bed made with freshly washed sheets, the feel and scent of a fresh towel on my face after a hot shower, a cold glass of lemonade after mowing the lawn, snuggling with my kitty, listening to great music, reading and listening to poetry, and discovering new delights in unexpected places.

I hope you enjoy your visit here, and I hope we’ll see you back again!

I’m Eileen, a soon to be contributor here at the Taleswapper’s Porch (as soon as I cogitate on which story I want to share first). The other part of my moniker is “..the Episcopalifem”, because I’m a recent convert to the Episcopal church, and because I have feminist tendencies, although, I’m not a feminazi.

I’m 37, married for 17 years, and I have two children, ages 9.9 and 6. Like Taleswapper, I play the flute (although, not nearly as often as I’d like - I’m rusty) and I sing (both on an amature level), I love to read, argue, laugh, listen to music, read blogs, and think through a good argument (in terms of debate). I work at a community college on the East Coast, but I’m not really sure what I want to be when I grow up. I think the “growing up” part is the problem.

I’m on a new spiritual journey, and it’s been very exciting for me. The best part is finding that I can find God, and still be my naughty self.

Looking forward to getting to know you all better, and exchanging some good stories.

I’m LJ, another potential contributor to the site. I’m the old lady here, at 44, and recently separated after 14 years of marriage. I have a 9 year old son who is brilliant, goofy, maddening, wonderful and on the mild end of the autism spectrum. I, myself, am certifiably crazy and I kind of like it that way. Never a dull moment.

I am a preacher’s kid who grew up to be a preacher. And then I quit and have been trying to figure out who I want to be ever since. I work at a feminist retreat center now in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. I am living near my parents for the first time since I was 18, watching my father fade into a place where he can barely be reached and my mother struggle to keep her humor and joie de vivre through it all.

Most of my life has been in the folds of the Calvinist wing of protestant Christianity, with ventures into Quaker, Episcopal and progressive Catholic communities. Buddhist and Taoist teachers have been dear to me in recent years. I am a great lover of music and poetry and when I’m hiking I think I’m pretty darn close to heaven. And I miss sex. (Just thought I’d point out that there are some down sides to leaving a marriage.)

I’m Scott, and I’m still getting used to not being the youngest person at everything (well, except in my job as an Anglican church organist, where being 30 is rarely a barrier to being the youngest!) My job is at the church I attended growing up. As well as that job, I also do a lot of other musical work: teaching piano, accompanying both the community choir and area voice students.

I live just west of Ottawa, Ontario, in the same town in which I was born and where I’ve lived for all but six years of my life. The buidling I live in is on the same street as the hospital where I was born. I was the oldest of five kids in my family, which probably has led to my appreciation of peace and quiet!

I don’t know how to summarize me very well beyond the music and church stuff, but I’m sure that you’ll get a chance to know me better as the stories come.