Artificial Eyes

August 11, 2011 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

I am crazy stupid irrationally proud of my two sons.

Not because they’re academic geniuses, or outstanding sportsmen, or the most popular kids in their schools – by any of the standards that the world usually measures adolescent success, my boys are pretty average.

But they are both happy, contented, loving young men who treat their fellow human beings with kindness and respect. They view the world with constant fascination (particularly Small Man), enjoy spending time with us and each other, and fill our lives with joy and laughter.

Big Boy, who is now at university, is a writer. He is yet to be published, but that doesn’t change what he is. He writes all the time, and has done so since he was five. I recently came across a story he wrote a few years ago for an English project at school. At the time he was just fifteen years old, and this was the first piece he’d produced that he was reasonably happy with.

Because I am a crazy stupid irrationally proud mother, and because I feel like you’re all part of my village, I asked him if I could share his work with you. It’s quite long, so please don’t feel you need to read it if that’s not your thing. But if you’d like to, then I hope you enjoy it as much as Pete and I did.

And if you’re a major publishing house and would like to offer Big Boy a book deal (ok, so I’m an optimistic crazy proud mother), please leave him a comment below.

. . . . .

ARTIFICIAL EYES

password: (please leave me a comment and I’ll email it to you)

. . . . .

Posted in Food & Friends | 56 Comments

56 Responses

on August 11, 2011 at 12:21 am thecompletecookbook

I love that you are crazy stupid irrationally proud of your two sons!
Here’s hoping that it gets to a publishing house via one of your readers maybe?
Have a happy day.
:-) Mandy
- on August 11, 2011 at 5:17 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Mandy! Hope you have a great day too! :)
on August 11, 2011 at 1:02 am sallybr

Celia, my connections are horrible here, it was hard to even jump here from the email saying you got a new post for your readers…

so I will be back to read your son´s text, as soon as I get home, I do look forward to it

you have everyreason to be proud! ENJOY the feeling!
- on August 11, 2011 at 5:20 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Sally, thank you, I hope you enjoy it! And you’re right, it is a lovely feeling.. :)
  - on August 17, 2011 at 5:04 am sallybr
    
    My gosh, I loved it! Absolutely loved it! He is a great writer, I have a hard time accepting that he was only 15 years old! Such wisdom, and skill with words!
    
    Please congratulate him for me, he touches on points that resonated quite a bit with me – a few troubles I have with the way “scientific truth” is sometimes conceived.
    
    Wonderful! I am glad you posted and I finally had a chance to read it
    - on August 17, 2011 at 5:47 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
      
      Thanks so much Sally!! I’ll be sure to let him know.. :)
on August 11, 2011 at 1:34 am drfugawe

A very well done piece – thought provoking. Thanks for sharing. You have good reason to be a proud mom.
- on August 11, 2011 at 5:20 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks for taking the time to read it Doc, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
on August 11, 2011 at 4:47 am heidi

This was well written for most adults- for a 15 year old it is exemplary.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read- thanks for sharing – you rightfully proud mama!
- on August 11, 2011 at 5:22 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Heidi for the positive feedback – I was a little worried that you’d all think I was being a dork posting up my son’s school essays.. ;-)
on August 11, 2011 at 5:02 am Sally

You have a right to be proud. I hope it is reciprocated too.
- on August 11, 2011 at 5:22 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Sally, now wouldn’t that be nice? :) Thanks..
on August 11, 2011 at 5:28 am Norman

A splendid effort from a then-15yo. I can hear resonances of “In The Skin of a Lion” by Ondaatje, “Bladerunner” and even, at a fair stretch, Frankenstein. Did he study these at school? What are his writing interests now?
- on August 11, 2011 at 5:35 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Norman for taking the time to read it! Bladerunner possibly, but I’d have to ask him about Ondaatje, although I don’t think he studied either at school. I have no idea what he’s writing now – he won’t let me read anything until it’s finished. ;-)
on August 11, 2011 at 6:58 am Meaghan

Thanks Celia. I really enjoyed the piece and look forward to his first published work – surely that’s just a matter of time?
on August 11, 2011 at 7:38 am bagnidilucca

It’s a great story! I hope he becomes very successful – and stays happy.
on August 11, 2011 at 7:45 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Meaghan and Deb, bless you both! :) Thank you…
on August 11, 2011 at 8:08 am InTolerantChef

Wow, that’s very deep for before breakfast Celia! I’d love to read it with the concepts expanded into a novel- there is just so much to explore in these concepts. No wonder you’re so proud!
In the spirit of proud mums, I would like to share MiddleC’s first foray into literature with you, a poem- “I had a little pet, I took it to the vet, and now it’s dead.” You can see that I too share your pride :) This poem also covers life and death, hope and futility and misheld expectations on one with superior intelligence, and the hope of paradise to come.

But all in all, I think your sons story says it better! :)
- on August 11, 2011 at 8:19 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Becca, honestly you made me laugh out loud and I scared the fish… :)
  
  I’m sending MiddleC’s poem to my mate Steve the Vet. You’re right, it really is the same theme.. ;-)
on August 11, 2011 at 8:10 am theonlycin

It took a while between chores, but your crazy pride is justified, a very good bit of writing.
- on August 11, 2011 at 8:19 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Cindy, thanks for taking the time to read it, I really appreciate it as I know how frantic your days get with the early morning starts! :)
on August 11, 2011 at 8:20 am spiceandmore

Very cute Celia. You should be proud – they are both lovely boys. I am already sold by the time they look me in the eye and say hello! :) Not typical teenage behaviour.
I love the insight into your kids heads/lives that you get when you read their stories. It is like a little window that you can peer into. Sam is working on an assignment this term which is his diary of his adventure to Antartica. He is a farmer from Tasmania and already knows how to ride quad bikes which will come in handy for the trip to Antartica. His diary has progresed to the point where he is on the boat for the trip down. He has already made one good friend and a couple more in the process of forming. Dinner on the first night was Pad Thai and it was yummy. And so it goes…
Cute plus!
- on August 11, 2011 at 8:24 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks SG! He’s got a real imagination, your Sam!
  - on August 11, 2011 at 9:30 am spiceandmore
    
    Sam’s creativity always surprises me (not sure why)!
    When I read Matt’s story I see so much of you and Pete in there. I can ‘see’ the dinner table conversations that prompted his sense of logic and inquiring, testing, reflecting… I can read his sense of humour in there too. It is really nice to be able to see all that in his story and recognise the little bits that I know of him and you and Pete in it!
on August 11, 2011 at 8:50 am Anna Johnston

Ahhhhhh, love the proud Mommas. I can’t open the piece on my IPad for some reason, will try later this morning on the big computer. Hope you are all having a wonderful week.
- on August 11, 2011 at 11:05 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks love! Hope you’re all better from that nasty flu! :)
on August 11, 2011 at 9:35 am lindawoodrow

Hey Celia, can you tell Big Boy he has a fan. I’m not patronising him. He can write.
- on August 11, 2011 at 11:05 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Oooh Linda, he’ll be well chuffed with that, your opinion carries a lot of weight at our dinner table.. :) Thanks..
on August 11, 2011 at 11:09 am Michael - Moo

I love it when I learn something new, who thought a EB was a exabyte which is 1 billion gigabytes.
Your Big Boy has some wordsmithing skills no doubt.
Put a baby boy in a loving home and bathe him in unconditional love, sprinkle on some genius and look what grows…
- on August 11, 2011 at 7:44 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Moo, you are a darling friend, thank you!
on August 11, 2011 at 12:51 pm Jan

I want the next chapter please. I want to read more about the childlike Opal and how Jacob deals with disappointment and how Dr Mactavish deals with the reality he’s waited so long to meet….what a fabulous imagination your son has and such skill at building a story. I would be proud too Celia if I were in your shoes. I think you can give yourself 10 out of 10 – and Pete.
- on August 11, 2011 at 7:45 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Jan, I said the same thing to Big Boy! I want to know more about these characters! :) I’m so glad you enjoyed the story, and I know Big Boy will be chuffed too!
on August 11, 2011 at 1:28 pm Meg

It is very good for a 15 year old, Celia. No wonder you are proud. Is your son studying language or writing or literature? There are also master classes by experienced authors around.
- on August 11, 2011 at 7:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Meg, he’s actually doing something in the Engineering faculty, but he’s hopefully going to pick up some Arts units next semester. Thanks for the positive feedback, both our sons make us proud every single day… :)
on August 11, 2011 at 2:58 pm Keely aka The Richest Girl in Bondi

I can’t believe this was written by a 15-year-old – reminded me a bit of Dan Brown’s work. Loved it! Your son is so talented. You nearly made me tear up talking about how proud you are, you’re obviously a wonderful mother (with two spectacular sons).
- on August 11, 2011 at 7:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Keely, you’re sweet, thank you, but our two have made parenting pretty easy for us! :)
on August 11, 2011 at 4:15 pm Abbington

Celia, I think it is very well written indeed! He chooses his words carefully, so that the text doesn’t seem cluttered, and I love the interplay between the technical/scientific and the bigger philosophical questions. Made me think of Asimov’s work when I was reading it! Unfortunately, I don’t work for a major publishing house, though…
- on August 11, 2011 at 7:49 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Abbington, thank you for reading it with such care, I know Big Boy will appreciate the feedback!
on August 11, 2011 at 5:11 pm Tes

Your son are wonderful, and you’re a happy proud mama :) So sweet :)
The piece was amazing, I know we’ll be reading some of his works soon enough :)
- on August 11, 2011 at 7:50 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Tes, one day your little man will be huge, and you’ll look back and think…”wow, how did that happen so quickly?”. I love reading about your adventures with him – it brings back wonderful memories for me.. :)
on August 11, 2011 at 6:51 pm Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

Aww you guys are amazing! I’m going to read it tonight before bed. Can’t wait to have a look :)
- on August 11, 2011 at 7:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks love! Hope you enjoy it… :)
on August 11, 2011 at 8:31 pm Tandy

I am printing to read at home! it is great to be the child of proud parents :)
- on August 12, 2011 at 5:08 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Tandy! It’s not hard to be proud of our kids.. :)
on August 12, 2011 at 4:11 am Joanna

Hi Celia, have I mentioned this site before http://www.bookviewcafe.com/ to you, or maybe it was just to Heidi, anyway it might be of interest to Big Boy if he doesn’t know it in his pursuit of a writing career. Such a well-crafted piece of writing, marvellous :)
- on August 12, 2011 at 5:08 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Jo! I’ll let him know..
on August 12, 2011 at 9:52 am Cat

I think your son’s writing skills are superb. He’s captured the one skill that is really the most important – leave your audience wanting more. Its an excellent story and the level of sophistication is well above his years. Can’t wait for the full blown novel to hit the stands. I’ll be at the bookstore getting my copy. :)
- on August 12, 2011 at 9:59 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Cat, thank you very much! If he ever ends up getting published, I might just explode. :)
on August 12, 2011 at 11:41 pm frances

I did think when I read the story about what kind of thing that creature might need to consume in order to survive as a gourmet artillect so I thought I might let you know that my 17 old has started to show an interest in cooking. He has just cooked his very first dish in the oven. His video cards died so he went online and learned how to cook them in the oven and and he actually succeeded in repairing them.
- on August 13, 2011 at 7:20 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  LOL…Frances, that’s brilliant! Those video cards cost a bit of money, so he’s probably saved himself quite a few dollars. :)
on August 13, 2011 at 2:35 am Manuela

I just finished reading your son’s story and I must say I am sure impressed! A very interesting, well-written, thought inspiring story. It sure fits to our times now. Is he writing anything else?
- on August 13, 2011 at 7:21 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Manuela, thank you for taking the time to read it. He’s always writing something, but I won’t know what until he lets me read it.. ;-)
on August 14, 2011 at 2:55 pm cherie

You are justifiably proud. What a great story.
And what lucky sons you have.
Cherie x
- on August 14, 2011 at 3:23 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Cherie, that’s kind of you to say that, thank you.. :)
on August 23, 2011 at 1:39 pm Jason Dingley

Well done for good parenting! This world needs more real men. Men able to protect this earth and all its inhabitants through acts of kindness and generosity.
- on August 23, 2011 at 2:43 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Jason – it would be wonderful to raise men who could do that!