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Using Our Words

Slice-of-life stories about parenthood

There’s No Amazing Amy Here

There’s No Amazing Amy Here

June 11, 2012 by Amy, Using Our Words 17 Comments

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This post is inspired by the captivating mystery thriller Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. They may not have the perfect marriage, but after Amy (of the hugely popular children’s book series Amazing Amy) goes missing, her husband, Nick, becomes the number one suspect. Can he discover what happened before it’s too late? Join From Left to Write on June 12th as we write posts inspired by the book. As a member, I received (and really enjoyed!) a copy that now has wrinkled pages and smells of sunscreen.

It’s a funny thing being the main character of a story. Because the author gets to decide if you’re the good guy. (Or the bad guy.) And while this isn’t a book, just a simple blog, it is made up of characters. In the case of Using Our Words, the main character happens to be the author too. I get to choose what I share. And don’t share.

What you read shapes your perception of me. Of my family.

Of course some of you know me. In real life. And have seen me yell at my kids and panic over every little lump, bump and fever. You read through your own lens of who I am to you. But some of you just read. And believe. Believe that when things get stressful my first reaction is to turn on some great teeny bopper music and dance it out. Believe that I find everything my little characters say to be hilarious, precocious and sweet. Believe that I love deeply, laugh hard and—most importantly—am a lot like you.

And as the author—the main character—I like to believe all those things too. It’s not that I’m trying to hide my faults and show you a made-up, fictional version of me. It’s that this blog gives me the chance to think about the girl—the mom, the wife, the daughter, the friend—I aspire to be.

When I write, (for the most part), there’s nobody screaming from the bathroom asking me to hold their hand while they push. There’s nobody pulling Pink by her legs to get her away from their toys. There’s nobody threatening to hit someone else in the face, then hitting them in the face, then claiming they didn’t hit anyone in the face. There’s no tired, frustrated mom making threats, using too sharp a tone, rolling eyes and glancing at the clock praying bedtime is fast approaching.

There’s quiet. There’s reflection. There’s hope. There’s me. The me I want to be. The me who thinks, enjoys, appreciates, dances, laughs, loves.

I am not Amazing Amy. Just plain old Amy. Who does my best to be honest, transparent, relateable, kind and loving. And hopefully that character—the real me—is someone you want to keep reading about.

 

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Filed Under: From Left to Write, Mom Musings Tagged With: book, characters, from left to write, honesty, reflection, truth

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Comments

  1. Thien-Kim says

    June 11, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    I wish I could be amazing me and amazing mom, but we can only be our imperfect, but awesome selves!

    Reply
    • Amy, Using Our Words says

      June 13, 2012 at 9:56 pm

      So true!

      Reply
  2. Brenda Bartella Peterson says

    June 11, 2012 at 11:26 pm

    I think THIS Amy sounds amazing and I want to know her!

    Reply
    • Amy, Using Our Words says

      June 13, 2012 at 9:56 pm

      Thanks, Brenda!

      Reply
  3. Melissa says

    June 12, 2012 at 5:42 am

    Writing is always at its most interesting when it’s distilled down to it’s most poignant moments. Being able to do so, makes you amazing.

    Reply
    • Amy, Using Our Words says

      June 13, 2012 at 9:56 pm

      That’s a lovely thought. Thank you!

      Reply
  4. neena says

    June 12, 2012 at 6:02 am

    You’re wonderful just as you are!!

    Reply
    • Amy, Using Our Words says

      June 13, 2012 at 9:56 pm

      Back at ya!

      Reply
  5. OpinionsToGo says

    June 12, 2012 at 9:06 am

    I love you ‘warts and all!’

    Reply
    • Amy, Using Our Words says

      June 13, 2012 at 9:57 pm

      My warts are especially loveable. Oh wait, no, that’s my kids…

      Reply
  6. Eunice says

    June 12, 2012 at 1:59 pm

    You are amazing, compare yourself to the Amy in the book and aren’t you an amazingly saner, nicer, better human being than her? Or if you want to think of amazing as a psychopath like Amy in the book, then it’s better not to be amazing!

    Reply
    • Amy, Using Our Words says

      June 13, 2012 at 9:57 pm

      I’m afraid she set the bar rather low…but I’ll take it!

      Reply
  7. Karen @ Time Crafted says

    June 12, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    The beauty of writing your own story is you also get to edit. Yes, editing does still occur, even when ‘keeping it real.’ But, you’re right; the reader edits as well. S/he reads with his/her own perameters, coloring everything the writer shares. And thank goodness we can write without a kidlet poking us in the arm…’cause that could get downright scary! :>

    Reply
    • Amy, Using Our Words says

      June 13, 2012 at 10:08 pm

      So very true!

      Reply
  8. Amy says

    June 13, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    From one Amy to another-GREAT post! 🙂

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Book Club Day: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn says:
    June 12, 2012 at 5:04 am

    […] Amy Heinz at Using Our Words is no Amazing Amy […]

    Reply
  2. If These Walls Could Talk says:
    January 29, 2015 at 8:53 am

    […] been hard to tear down the walls that held us up for so long. Before we said goodbye, my friend Jessica Rosenberg, the talented blogger behind It’s My Life and author of the great read Aloha Also Means […]

    Reply

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I’m Amy, the girl next door. I’m your average obsessive mom/ happy wife/ freelance copywriter/ slice-of-life blogger/ social media addict/ chocolate lovin’ wino. Read More…

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