August 24, 2002
I’m taking a break from wrestling with updating a calendar of events in Quark. I don’t even know how to use Quark. I just plowed into an old issue of the magazine on disk, copied the old calendar into another Quark file, and am cutting and pasting. It’s a wonder I get anything done at all using technology.
My name is Elaine of Kalilily and I’m addicted to blogging. I could have taken a walk, went down to get the mail, read the newspaper. But instead I’m still here at the keyboard. Blogging. Help!
I was over at Blog Sisters keeping up with the great stuff over there and wound up Commenting on several posts. I want to repeat here some of what I said there.
I am part of a group of 6 women who often take vacations together -- sometimes not all of us go, but often we do. We usually go to the ocean, rent a house, and have just the kind of days you describe, although sans kids, since all of ours our grown. Sometimes there are men in our lives and sometimes not. We have had some marvelous -- in every sense of the word -- times together. We laugh until we pee in our pants; sit under the moon, drink wine, and conjure a safe and magical world; share the cooking, clean-up, planning with ease and humor. We always come back wondering why we don't live like this always. And the answer is usually because it would be very different with the men around. I just finished a very powerful post-apocalyptic novel about two young sisters surviving together, returning to some primal-female connection -- "Into the Forest" by Jean Heglund. My ex-husband sent it to me because he liked it and thought I would like it even better. I heartily recommend it.
Men can complement our lives in many wonderful ways. But their ways are often so different from ours that we wind up having to forgo some other pleasures when they're around. Life is always a trade off. I don't think this is being sexist; men and women are different. Not better or worse. Just different. Sometimes the differences bring such sweet joy into our lives. Sometimes they bring anguish and pain. And I suppose the reverse is true as well. How great it would be if we found ways to build greater common ground.
Meanwhile, vactioning with women friends (and kids) is terrifically relaxing, liberating, and satisfying!
And, about sexism and blogging:
For me, it all boils down to intention. The same look, the same word, the same movement can be sexy or sexist, depending on the doer's intent. Granted, it's hard to know what's in someone's mind and heart unless he lets you/us know. Personally, I don't think Doc had any particular intention. I think he was thoughtless about what he posted. Personally, I wish that he had been more thoughtful about it, as he is about most things he says.
I guess I approach blogging as I approach life and child-rearing. We have rights, but along with those rights come responsibilities, especially important when those rights get into the faces of other people and of major survival (not just physical) issues. We can choose to ignore those responsibilities, but if we make that choice, then we'd better expect consequences -- reactions and responses from the others affected by our choice. Heh. I made the choice of letting my "righteous indignation" get in the way of choosing the best way to phrase some things on this issue, and I got called on it, even by my son. He sure gets it, and he reminds me when I forget.
And now I return to the Crone’s misadventures in Quark.
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Old Comments (1)
Lisanne on 25 Aug 2002
I'm addicted to blogging, too!!! So you are not alone! :-D