Started Yesterday, 7/30/08
My mind is so full lately! (Writing wise and other wise!)
Last Wednesday, I wrote about how a NY Times article led me to wonder what I’m trying to capture in all the photo’s I take of my flower’s and veggies! The article was about journalist/author/critic Janet Malcolm, who’s book “Burdock” comes out tomorrow, which is a new venture for her. The book is comprised of 28 photo’s of 28 different Burdock tree leaves and a 2 page essay introduction. Her editor, Ilene Smith, says they (the leaves) are Janet’s “ultimate biographical subject” and “are also at some level deeply autobiographical.” (Link to article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/arts/design/20shat.html?scp=2&sq=Janet%20Malcolm&st=cse )
Later the same day, I also wrote about how I worry about my potted treasures (flowers & veggies) when I know there are nasty storms coming! (Silly, I know!) I recalled how I’ve been known to wildly run outside in the middle of a raging thunderstorm (even at night!) to “rescue” any new arrivals not yet planted in their permanent homes by putting them under the patio table out back, screeching in terror with every lightning flash and crash of thunder!!! I vividly remember doing just this one time during the summer of 2006, but what I have no recollection of, whatsoever, is if I had any clothes on besides flip flops!!! (Guess it’s a good thing it was well after dark that time and I only went out back instead of out front into the complex courtyard!)
This past Friday evening once we were home, I started writing about little T’s wake (Thursday evening) but I couldn’t continue into Friday’s funeral & burial services and gathering afterwards. (I will, just not yet). Too sad.
This past Saturday morning, as I sat waiting in the truck at the junkyard for Hubby to see if they had tires for the pickup, I thought of how all I have and have really ever had are “What If’s?” and as truly horrible as our friends' losing little T is for them, what they have are memories and wouldn’t it be sad (aka pathetic) if all I ever allow myself to have are the “What if’s?” instead of memories?!
At first, I believed these thoughts only had to do with children. (I’ve been TERRIFIED on many levels to try again, for fear of my history repeating itself. (Not to mention that I don’t want to put my kids through what my Mother has put me through, what my Nana (supposedly) put her through and what my Great Grandmother put my Nana through!) But, I’m in a completely different place in life now than I was when I was pregnant with Brianna – I’m married to a wonderful, loving, supportive (pain in the ass Marine!) man and I’m healthier too. It’s not like I’ve already thrown my birth control pills into the trash! I’ve got to continue losing weight, at least another 28lbs AND make sure I do everything I possibly can to be as humanly healthy for me as I can be BEFORE I finally go off the birth control so that I/we can do everything possible to hopefully prevent my history repeating itself!)
But, as I was reading author Jennifer Chiaverini’s introduction to her Elm Creek Quilts series pattern book in which she details much of her initials writing struggles (SO similar to mine now!), I realized that this new way of looking at things goes beyond children! (Yes, I know, DUH!)
One of the articles that caught my interest in this past Sunday’s NY Times (7/27) was about a recent BlogHer convention in San Francisco. (Link to Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/fashion/27blogher.html?_r=1&oref=slogin ) I THOUGHT this would be an interesting article! Unfortunately, I was wrong. I thought, for a moment, as I read it that the author of the article was a man since it (especially the opening) made all women bloggers appear to be needy, weepy, over zealous, freebie grubbing mother’s! (As in mom’s, women with children, not as in the curse words!) But, this article is in fact written by a woman. Did she ever miss the mark on this topic! A topic with such great potential!!!
The women in the article complain that they (and women as a whole) aren’t taken as seriously as male bloggers, which, for the most part, I think is true! Unfortunately (again!) this article will do nothing to change this! Seriously, the article starts off with how the men’s restrooms at the convention hotel were turned into “women’s” rest rooms and “the stalls were lined with” inspirational phrases “like ‘You’re Perfect!’” “…Women were being dusted with blush and eyes shadow.” There was a “LACTATION” area, day care and “Onesies for sale!”
Are you freakin’ kidding me?!?!
Women’s business and politicial blogs are mentioned briefly, almost in passing, and I don’t remember references to specific blogs by Single Women, Married Women w/out children or Older Women! 1 blog is mentioned as being about living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Curiously, this isn’t an article where you can post comments in reaction! (Figures!)
I don’t think that the Women who attended this convention represent Women bloggers as a whole, unfortunately because of this article, that is probably going to be the overall perception! My GoodReads friend Tera was also aggrivated by this article (another member of the Chicks On Lit group started a thread about it) and said that one way for Women bloggers to be taken seriously is for women to take themselves (ourselves) and their blogging seriously! Great point, I thought! So, I made a few subtle changes to my blog (taking off the music, my Yahoo Avitar and the “I love my online friends” banner).
Then I created an account/profile with BlogHer.com and requested that my blog be “listed” with them because I feel I am different than those featured in the article and the focus should be on women bloggers as a whole, not just specific types. I was contacted last night via email and advised that my blog had been reviewed & it qualified for their BlogRoll, so it was published in their listing! (There is variety on BlogHer though I was disturbed to see a featured blog post title of “Does Your Daughter Breastfeed Her Dolls?”) I’m not sure what being in this list will do for me/my blog, but I was happy about it nonetheless!
Comments