After attending a biz women's networking event last night, I woke up this morning with this idea in my head and had to get it down on paper. None of the women I met yesterday do any of the things that the bouffanted lady in the cartoon does. And yet, in some strange way, it seems like they all did. The more I attend these events, the more I realize how multi-faceted and multi-"tasketed" us women are. Whatever happened to the idea of "less is more" and "K.I.S.S." (keep it simple stupid)? We don't just bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan anymore. No, We have 20 other things to do as well. So, I'm asking, just throwing it out there...is this good or bad? Is there a "fall-out" for women, their families, their friends and biz assocaties who "do it all?" Or is that just the way we're meant to be? And do all those "extra" things we do make a ripple in our own communities that turn into a tidal wave of change of positive energy throughout the world? Or, are we all just a little bit nuts? And no further philosophical thinking on this subject is needed?Chloe Pink © Sharna Fulton 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Um... YEAH. I feel like this watching some of the younger feminists. Maybe it's because they're still really young and don't have any of the medical problems I do, but where the heck do they get this energy? How can they work full-time jobs, blog, volunteer, attend feminist events and still have time to brush their teeth?
ReplyDeletePart of it might be having a hobby/passion while working the full-time job to pay the bills. And, instead of having a hobby just for fun, we're trying to find a way to make money off it... blogging used to be for fun, to communicate with my out-of-state sisters, but now it's more of a "business": I have to blog regularly to keep my readers, I have to blog about interesting topics to keep my readers (no more posts about my cats, since few people other than family tolerate those), and in order to get and keep readers, I have to read and comment on other people's blogs... Not like that's "work," but since it's something I "need" to do, there's more pressure than if I wer just reading and commenting randomly just because. Now I have to worry about marketing my "brand."
ReplyDeleteI used to scrapbook (I have no time, but I do have a craft table!); to support that habit, I tried to become a Creative Memories consultant. On top of the day job. (I've since regained my senses and quit that.) Then there's the long-forgotten freelance editing business... the website hasn't been updated in ages (and sorely needs to be). But that "side job" is because I want to transition from working a 9-to-5 job to working from home. Maybe that's this generation's version of the "get rich quick" scheme... we want to own a home business, so we turn all of our hobbies, which used to not be worth mentioning, into "jobs."
Danine:
ReplyDeleteI feel like you do and wonder where women find the time. If these "younger" feminists you're talking about don't have health issues like you, than that's at least one mystery solved. Fewer doctor appointments, etc leaves more time for blogging!
Criss:
ReplyDeleteI so agree that women are industrious in trying to turn a cottage industry into a profitable venture. Our multi-tasking abilities allow us to handle every facet of a business and, in life! The question still plagues me though, when is too much too much? Are we making ourselves work too hard and for what?