Where did the name for this blog come from? Well, one of my favorite pieces of writing, of course!
I may review things, write things, heck - even sell things...but only God can make a tree which that can remain standing while witnessing centuries worth of history.
I love reading. One could often find the little girl version of me tucked into one corner or another, with my nose tucked into one book or another. Reading has always been one of my favorite passtimes - exploring new worlds, encountering new ideas, going on adventures, etc. May this little blog aid you in your search for new and interesting works (though bear in mind I may write about some oldie-goldies as well).
That said, there may be the occasional product and movie review posted as well. I don't live in a book, after all. : )
About Me
Well, I was born in 1988 in Albuquerque, NM. A little over a year later, my family moved to a homestead in remote Alaska, where I grew up in a log cabin on the outskirts of Denali National Park (no joke!). My family lived a subsistence lifestyle where gathering wild game and vegetation for food and collecting snow/rain for water was the norm.
In 2005, I graduated from Alyeska Central School - a correspondence school (aka home schooling) program - with my high school diploma. During high school, my interests included snow machining, voracious reading, avid beading, crocheting/knitting, fishing, helping with the results of my dad's and brother's hunting excursions, going on walks with my mom, getting to "Town" whenever possible, and going to youth group at a local church whenever we were able (during the summer the trails were too bad to get to town on a consistent basis).
Following high school graduation, a ceremony which consisted of me pulling a diploma out of an envelope while sitting in my parent's living room, I relocated to Minnesota in order to attend Hamline University. Freshman year found me either in class, in my room, the library, or at the cafeteria...those "people" things I had to go to class with were...intimidating. Sophomore year was when I got involved on campus and was soon a visible student leader. I served as President of the student chapters of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Psi Chi (a national undergraduate psychology society), was on several committees with administration (including a chaplain search process and university re-accreditation study process), and was member of several student organizations including Hamline University Student Congress, Alumni Assosication, and Bridge Scholars. During my time at Hamline, I also worked as an Administrative Assistant at Affiliated Counseling Center, Departmental Assistant to the HU psychology department, nanny to several families, HU tour guide, Residential Assistant to a floor in a freshman dormitory, and tutor at Hamline-Hancock University Magnet Collaborative School. I graduated summa cum laude in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minors in Anthropology and Creative Writing after being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating from college, I worked as a Program Counselor at ACR Homes in a group home with individuals who could not life independently due to an array of psychological and physical disorders. In 2010, I began working as an Administrative Assistant at World Wide Village, a non-profit organization working in Haiti. That same year, I discerned a call into ministry with children. Through a series of events that you can ask about if you like, I began pursuing a Master of Arts in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN (received in May 2012).
As part of my undergraduate and graduate studies, I have done extensive research into how children presenting with psychological disorders are accepted into society, whether that society be the child's school peers, youth group members, or neighbors. I have examined how children form their understandings of psychological disorder, where information for that idea formation comes from, and how to combat negative societal stigma that complicates the educational and theological lives of children with a disorder. (If you would like a copy of my research, shoot me an email at elnora.romness@gmail.com)
Currently I work and live in Minnesota while helping raise my two tiny humans - it is a pretty nifty place to be! I've worked in churches, mental health agencies, a non-profit...and continue to hone my writing skills. Someday I'll write books of my own. I only have about a thousand ideas...
