Jana Remy
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Jana Remy

  • Writing
    • Disability
    • Making History
    • Digital Humanities
      • dayofDH
    • Canoeing
    • Creative Nonfiction & Essays
    • Feminism
    • Bibliographies
      • Pacific Worlds Bibliography
    • Social Media
      • Mentions/Links
  • Scholarship
    • Awards/Fellowships
    • Conferences & Invited Talks
    • Collaboration
    • Workshops
    • Conference Planning
    • Technical Skills
  • Teaching
    • Blogposts About Teaching
Daily Archives

December 22, 2005

familyJohn

Aslan, or cats that I have loved

Last weekend we watched The Chronicles of Narnia. Added to the special thrill of seeing the movie as a family, was that we watched it with C’s whole school class and their families (7 of C’s classmates have sibs in E’s class–most of them girls). So though all the Remys were in the same theater, the kiddoes sat just about _as far as possible_ from their parents who snuggled together in the soft seats and tried to pretend that they were on a date totally by themselves (instead of being surrounded by elem school kids who called us Mr and Mrs Remy. blech).

Of course it was a lovely movie. The young actors who played Lucy, Susan, Edmund and Peter were all the more endearing for their British accents and lack of obvious orthodontic work. As always, the emotional tug that occurs when Aslan is sacrificed was a potent moment. I particularly like the way that Lucy and Susan embraced the dead lion’s body afterwards. It reminded me of my last embrace of my father’s body after he stopped breathing. A haunting flashback.

But why the story oh-so-powerful this time around was that I could relate to the Pevensie’s worship of Aslan in a new way. As the kids buried their hands in his mane, or as Aslan breathed life into the Witch’s cold statues, I was absorbed in recalling the tender feelings that I have for our two cats (and for all of catkind, pretty generally).

No doubt my feelings were magnified by the fact that just that morning I’d taken Ellycat to the vet for her shots. And, unfortunately, sweet ragdoll Elly turns into a cat-from-hell as she nears Northwood Animal Hospital. I’d taken her in safely ensconsed in her kennel (which they quickly plastered with signs saying “EXTREME CAUTION: Demon Kitty Aboard”), and left her to be ‘gassed’ so she could get her routine checkup, flea shot, and bath. I’d brought her home just before we left for the movie and watched her transformation from howling, hissing wet hyena to docile Ellycat. She was still a bit loopy from the meds when we left the house and was efficiently licking off the bath smell under our bed.

Elly is the only creature that comes between John and I. She nestles in the hollow between our bodies each night and purrs up a storm as we drift off to sleep. When I nap she snuggles with me, too, though generally on my lower back or legs. Though my love for cats is a relatively recent phenomenon, I now can’t imagine a life without them. They delight me. They calm me. For me, their affection is a symbol of my own deep-seated craving for unconditional love.

When I was younger I never thought much about why Lewis’ Savior was a lion–except, maybe because of the ‘king of the jungle’ thing. But now I know that Clive Staples must’ve known, and loved, cats. As I now do.

December 22, 2005
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John

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Last night, as a Christmas present, John took me to see men in tights. Um,… I mean The Nutcracker.

The last time John and I watched ballet was a bit of a disaster, so he wanted to make it up to me. Very thoughtful of him! :) The show was preceded by dinner in a lovely little French restaurant (who knew that an Irvine strip mall could have such charm). :)

Though I am still a bit miffed that John didn’t discreetly take a picture of Clara’s throne in fairyland for the Internet. It was so funny–surrounded by huge stuffed purple ‘sugarplums’, which looked more like huge plummy butts than any kind of fruity confection.

December 22, 2005
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About Me

About Me

Hi there friend, and welcome to my blog. I started writing on the internet two decades ago. Since then I've started and finished a PhD program, left the Mormon church and became a Quaker, got divorced, remarried, found full-time work in academia, took up rock climbing and outrigger canoeing, and traveled across the globe (China! Belgium! Italy! Chicago! Montana! Portland! Gettysburg! and oh-so-many points in-between). This blog is eclectic and random--it has poetry and cooking and books. And cats. And flowers. And the ocean (my ocean). But in that sense it's a good reflection of me and my wide-ranging, far-reaching, magpie curiosity.

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