Comments on: Losing My Bus Control

By: The Nervous Breakdown

The Nervous Breakdown — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 02:12:29 +0000

[...] Flashbacks *Alison Aucoin loses her bus control. *Joi Brozek leaves New York for Kansas. *Suzanne Guillette goes on date, has panic attack. [...]

By: (Sister) Dorothy, O.P.

(Sister) Dorothy, O.P. — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:37:30 +0000

As Sister Dorothy, who took her time opening up the “mean nun story,” is grateful to have been a part of Lynn’s life, then Alison’s, both in deeply meaningful ways, now the great joy of meeting the amazing child tops the whole experience, as life goes on, and is a thing of beauty. As a believing nun, I pause to say,
“God is good, and writes straight with crooked lines, if we let it happen.” Thank you, Alison!

By: Alison Aucoin

Alison Aucoin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:34:11 +0000

Yeah, seems like nun stories tend to be pretty bad but in addition to having experienced one of the worst in the past, I still get to spend time with one of the best. Sr. Dorothy was my mother’s homeroom teacher in the 1950’s and we are so grateful that she’s still a big part of our family’s life.

By: Lenore Zion

Lenore Zion — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:56:24 +0000

that nun was very scary. she needs to chill the fuck out.

you know, it never seems to end up well when there’s a nun involved. i guess you don’t hear the good stories. like, nuns curing cancer and stuff. just mean nuns.

By: Alison Aucoin

Alison Aucoin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:01:30 +0000

I’m glad you enjoyed it Josie. Sometimes parenting is holy. And other times it’s a holy terror.

By: Alison Aucoin

Alison Aucoin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:58:51 +0000

Thanks Robin. More to come.

By: Alison Aucoin

Alison Aucoin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:57:57 +0000

This is because I live so damn far away now and can’t laugh hysterically over stupid TV with you guys. I miss Van Morrison…

By: josie

josie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:07:38 +0000

Bad God forsaken evil doers aside, I liked this story. The image of the rearview mirror is relevant on many levels. We all look back at some haunting memory unawares of our reflected image being expressed to the world. And the effort to change the image your daughter witnesses is truly holy. Wherever Sr Mary is, I hope she can see you and learn from you the power of a compassionate surrender.

By: Brad Listi

Brad Listi — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:16:32 +0000

Alison! Welcome! Don’t forget to go to http://www.gravatar.com. Set up a free account, upload a photo, and voila. This is how you get your photo to show up on the comment boards here at TNB.

Just make sure to use the same email at gravatar that you do when commenting here on the boards.

Thanks! And again: welcome!

By: Robin Antalek

Robin Antalek — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:04:23 +0000

Amazing images, so well done…. you made me flashback to my brief Catholic School career where I sat in church during designated prayer time looking at the ceiling for a glimpse of Jesus and thinking about boys… and then thinking if Jesus was cute as a boy… as justification for this heathen behavior I had just seen Jesus Christ Superstar…
Welcome to TNB - can’t wait to read more!

By: Ronlyn Domingue

Ronlyn Domingue — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:02:35 +0000

Maestro would be most chagrined to learn you did not know this reference. Praise be for Google.

By: Alison Aucoin

Alison Aucoin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:46:34 +0000

Thanks Matt. I’m excited to be here. Getting this first post ready was scary. I’m really happy that it’s well received so far.

Obviously Sr. Mary was a very extreme example but recalling my experience with her has made me ever-mindful that things I do & say now to my daughter can have consequences for her way into the future.

Nothing whorish Matt. I’m looking forward to reading when I have time to digest. You’ll be reading way more about my Katrina experiences in the future. Time to purge.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:13:57 +0000

Man, stories like this make me glad I didn’t have a religious upbringing. While I do feel a moment of empathy for (as Ronlyn points out) whatever horrible internal conflict was consuming Sr. Mary, it’s negated by the fact that she would take this out on a child, and a handicapped child at that.

This is very well told, Alison. Welcome aboard.

(and at the risk of seeming too whorish, here’s my recollection of Katina: http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/mbaldwin/2009/08/eye-of-the-storm/)

By: Alison Aucoin

Alison Aucoin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:07:04 +0000

Had to google ‘more cowbell’ and now that I have, I have to say that I am in favor of anything that links me to Christopher Walken, no matter how tangential.

By: Alison Aucoin

Alison Aucoin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:02:06 +0000

Thanks Ronlyn. I’ve thought about Tasha a lot since I’ve been working on this essay. Can’t help but worry a bit…