Purpose of a woman?
Childbearing, of course.
There must be something else.
Of course. Childrearing.
“Well-behaved women seldom make history.”
I was having chest pains today. No, this isn’t a bid for sympathy, it’s just what led me to think about something I hadn’t given much thought to in years. Once upon a time…don’t all good stories start with once upon a time?...in the deep dark ages when car radios were only AM/FM and social media was not yet a thing, I worked as a disability examiner, making decisions who got Social Security disability, and who didn’t. Heart conditions were a frequent complaint for individuals seeking disability, but not a particularly easy way to get on the rolls (hint: there really isn’t an easy way, in spite of all the anecdotes about all the people claiming disability when they are as able as you or me).
Read MoreA voice sings alone in the darkness;
No one hears.
A voice weeps alone in the darkness;
No one hears.
A voice scream alone in the darkness;
No one hears.
If you’ve ever had to ask someone for money, you probably know how humiliating it is. You dread the moment. You stand with deference and respect, hoping they won’t say no, hoping they won’t mock or deride you. You don’t feel comfortable in your own skin. It’s one of the worst things you can face.
Read More“Call me Maude, for I am the executioner!” I brandished the mop like a sword, and swung it in his direction.
Read MoreWhen a man beats a
Woman nearly to death, he
Too often goes free.
When I was a young girl, growing up in the middle of the feminist movement, we were urged to ‘have it all’. We were served up a steady dose of television women who didn’t have it all…unless cooking, cleaning, vacuuming, and smiling is having it all. We had few role models in our storybooks, few role models in our music or movies, and for a great many of us, few role models in our schools. Still, we were told that women could have it all…just like men.
Read MoreMarriage is for the man;
He benefits from the union.
Woman loses her independence,
Her name,
Often her property.
She becomes “Mrs.”
He stays the same.
Hi. The woman in the outer office sent me to you. I wanted to talk to Mr. Disney, but she said he’s dead. How can he be dead, when he’s still making movies? Anyway, she said you were the one to speak to…I have a complaint.
Read MorePeople dream. Some people dream big. For most people, those dreams won’t come true, or will only partially come true. The bigger you dream, the more likely those dreams will not come true. The vast majority of us lead mediocre, ordinary lives, but we like to think of ourselves as extraordinary. In short, we want to be the hero of our story.
Read MoreWith only one more day to go, I decided to try something I haven’t tried before. Could I tell a story in haiku? I have seen it done, but can I do it? I’ll try anything once…sometimes I fail, but in this case, what have I lost? Time, of course, because I’ll still need to write something. But I was game to try. So here it is, a story told in Haiku.
Read MoreThe news was full of the horror; there are more women going to college than men! The number of men going to college is down! This is a tragedy…we need to do something, because the way we teach is geared toward women, and not the right way for men. Oh, yes, I’m sure you’ve heard it. Panic in the streets, in the statehouses, in the newspapers and on social media, and everywhere else. Men are falling behind. I decided it was time to do a little research, see if I could figure out why. I was sure it wasn’t the teaching; there are all sorts of classes taught in all sorts of styles, and if one style didn’t work for men, there would probably be another that would. Besides, I refuse to believe that men are all alike, all barely literate brutes who can’t sit in a classroom and learn.
Read MoreThe governor looked up from his paperwork; his aide was waiting, hands at his sides, wanting to speak to him. “Well?” he growled.
“Sorry to bother you, sir”, the aide mumbled. “The riots…they’re…right in front of the capitol. We gotta do something.”
Read MoreEdges.
Edges of time,
Of space
Of reality.
Women have a right
To be who they want to be.
Get over yourself.
A woman stands up for herself.
She will be called
Destiny called my name.
I answered…I was ready.
I worked, I studied.
I followed the rules.
He hesitated. Everyone told him she was beautiful, but he knew his friends. They would send him out with a porcupine if they could get one to go out with him. He didn’t trust them. Still, the refrain kept running through his head – 36C. Whenever he asked about her, that was what they told him. 36C, they said. She’s 36C. It might be worth a chance. Even a porcupine might be a worthy date with such measurements. He entered the apartment building, his step lighter. He would get lucky tonight, he was sure of it.
Read MoreYesterday I wrote about some amazing women, women who made large contributions to knowledge and human well being, but no one knew their names. Today I want to continue the conversation. This time I want to talk about my own role models, women I have known who showed me a path toward accomplishing more than I could dream about. I will not address the women by name; they are not public figures, and I will respect their privacy, instead just giving them initials.
Read MoreI want to talk about some amazing women; you may have heard of some or all of these women. You may have heard of none of them. Their accomplishments have not been the highlight of the media, though many of them are beginning to get some notice in recent years. I want to start with a woman I admire greatly.
Read More