I got to thinking tonight about my post, "10 Things You Learn When Your Mom Rides a Motorcycle" and I realized that many of the things I talked about in the post are feminist in nature. Body positivity, being true to yourself, showing respect to other women, not conforming to gender norms, these are all feminist ideals.
My mom (and most other motorcycle riding mamas) is a feminist whether she realizes it or not. In fact I am quite certain that if I asked her if she is a feminist that she would say yes. I don't believe that my mom would have any problems with this word unlike many women now a days. I wonder if it is because the first ten years of her life were in the 70's when feminism was first defined as gender equality. Or maybe this idea of the feminist as a man hater only exists in the minds of my generation.
It certainly does not exist in the minds of the middle schoolers I teach. I remember last year we took the 7th grade girls to a science for girls workshop. At this workshop one of the facilitators asked my students if they knew what feminism was or what a feminist was. None of them knew. They did however, use a common decoding strategy (kudos to them for using those ELA skills!) and associated the word to a similar sounding one that they knew: feminine. So many of them guessed that a feminist was someone who chose to dress particularly girly.
I remember spending an entire class period the next day teaching them the true definition of feminism and showing them Emma Watson's speech to the U.N. about feminism. As a woman who has always defined herself as a feminist, and felt completely comfortable with that definition, I was determined to ensure that all of my students knew what feminism was really about.
I worry that this blog has only seen the traffic it has because it found an audience among biker chicks. It is clear that they loved my post about the things I learned from my mom. I worry that I can not duplicate that success again because I don't have a wide enough audience. I don't know enough about motorcycles or the biker way of life to write a new blog post about it every day, every week, or even every month.
But that post wasn't just about bikers. It was about strong women. Feminist women. Maybe not all of those women would label themselves and their actions as feminist but.. they are. Feminism is something I know a little bit about. Feminism is perhaps something I can write about on a regular basis.
And maybe, just maybe, the world will stop seeing feminist as men-hating. Maybe the world will start to see feminist for the strong, capable, fierce women that they are.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Priorities
Good morning blog.
Last night I made myself a schedule so I could get as much done today as possible. HA! First, my schedule involved waking up by 6 like I would if today was a school day. I wanted to know if I could be self-motivated enough to get up and work the same hours that Garrett does at his job. This way when he is home I could be spending time with him knowing I had already put in a full 8 hours of work. I didn't feel good this morning and so I didn't get up when I was supposed to. Instead I slept until 8:30. And then I laid in bed till after 10 playing games on my phone.
What can I say? I am supposed to be on vacation and my usual vacation schedule clicked in. But if I am going to get serious about writing then I need to start treating it like a second job and not like a past time. This means that on days when I have the time to devote 8 hours then I need to. Otherwise it will become a dream that I never managed to achieve.
When I was a kid I always wanted to be a writer but I knew that it wasn't a terribly lucrative career when you first start out. So I decided to have more realistic dreams. Something that would help me make decent money while incorporating my passions and leaving plenty of time to work on writing on the side. This was my original reason for deciding to become a teacher.
Now this changed as I went to college. I enjoyed all of my education classes as much or more than a lot of my English courses. I especially loved the two opportunities I had to be in a classroom with students. And so I kind of forgot about writing. I was happy teaching, I was very busy working and going to school, and I needed time to breathe. After I graduated from college I spent all my time working and trying to find a teaching job. I literally worked all day, went to bed, and then got up to do it again. Then when I found a teaching job I learned what a time suck it can be.
Teachers arrive at work by 7 sometimes earlier if they have a meeting before school starts. The students arrive by 7:30 at most schools which means teachers are with students from then until 2:30 in most schools, some go late, some are a little earlier. Then after kids leave teachers plan for the next day, make copies, have meetings, and grade. Most stay at least an hour after kids leave many stay longer, especially if they are also running an after-school activity. Then most teachers spend at least some time on their weekends grading and/or planning. Over the summer teacher are supposed to have lots of time off but many don't. They work second jobs, they plan for the upcoming year, they attend workshops, and they put their classrooms back together. In my case I spent last summer getting married, finding a new place to live, and moving. The summer before that I work 3-4 days every week on units for the upcoming year and I went to several workshops. The crazy thing about teaching is that there is always something that you can do. And the more time you spend on it the better your students (usually, not always) do. So it is easy to throw yourself into your work and ignore other parts of your life. You have to prioritize.
Any way my point is that I have prioritized teaching over most other things for a long time and I need to stop. For one, it is not good for my health to spend so much time on my job and so little time on other things. Two, so far I have done a very good job not prioritizing my job over Garrett or my family and as time goes on I need to make sure I keep putting the most important people in my life first. Three, I have other goals, ambitions, and dreams that deserve my attention too.
Last night I made myself a schedule so I could get as much done today as possible. HA! First, my schedule involved waking up by 6 like I would if today was a school day. I wanted to know if I could be self-motivated enough to get up and work the same hours that Garrett does at his job. This way when he is home I could be spending time with him knowing I had already put in a full 8 hours of work. I didn't feel good this morning and so I didn't get up when I was supposed to. Instead I slept until 8:30. And then I laid in bed till after 10 playing games on my phone.
What can I say? I am supposed to be on vacation and my usual vacation schedule clicked in. But if I am going to get serious about writing then I need to start treating it like a second job and not like a past time. This means that on days when I have the time to devote 8 hours then I need to. Otherwise it will become a dream that I never managed to achieve.
When I was a kid I always wanted to be a writer but I knew that it wasn't a terribly lucrative career when you first start out. So I decided to have more realistic dreams. Something that would help me make decent money while incorporating my passions and leaving plenty of time to work on writing on the side. This was my original reason for deciding to become a teacher.
Now this changed as I went to college. I enjoyed all of my education classes as much or more than a lot of my English courses. I especially loved the two opportunities I had to be in a classroom with students. And so I kind of forgot about writing. I was happy teaching, I was very busy working and going to school, and I needed time to breathe. After I graduated from college I spent all my time working and trying to find a teaching job. I literally worked all day, went to bed, and then got up to do it again. Then when I found a teaching job I learned what a time suck it can be.
Teachers arrive at work by 7 sometimes earlier if they have a meeting before school starts. The students arrive by 7:30 at most schools which means teachers are with students from then until 2:30 in most schools, some go late, some are a little earlier. Then after kids leave teachers plan for the next day, make copies, have meetings, and grade. Most stay at least an hour after kids leave many stay longer, especially if they are also running an after-school activity. Then most teachers spend at least some time on their weekends grading and/or planning. Over the summer teacher are supposed to have lots of time off but many don't. They work second jobs, they plan for the upcoming year, they attend workshops, and they put their classrooms back together. In my case I spent last summer getting married, finding a new place to live, and moving. The summer before that I work 3-4 days every week on units for the upcoming year and I went to several workshops. The crazy thing about teaching is that there is always something that you can do. And the more time you spend on it the better your students (usually, not always) do. So it is easy to throw yourself into your work and ignore other parts of your life. You have to prioritize.
Any way my point is that I have prioritized teaching over most other things for a long time and I need to stop. For one, it is not good for my health to spend so much time on my job and so little time on other things. Two, so far I have done a very good job not prioritizing my job over Garrett or my family and as time goes on I need to make sure I keep putting the most important people in my life first. Three, I have other goals, ambitions, and dreams that deserve my attention too.
Sunday, December 27, 2015
How Do I Top My Last Post?
My previous post, "10 Things You Learn When Your Mom Rides a Motorcycle" has received over 7,000 views which is incredible. This blog has exploded practically over night. I am not sure how I can keep the momentum going.
I feel like the reason my previous post got so much traffic was because it found the right audience, biker mamas and others who have been around motorcycles their entire lives. I am not sure that I can continue to write for that audience.
But that just means that I need to find a niche that I can continuously turn out solid writing pieces for. There are a few audiences that I think I can write for. Teachers, women, short stories, poetry, maybe even some young adult sci-fi/fantasy. I have always wanted to try my hand at a young adult novel.
I took some time today to clean up my office and make myself a comfortable work space. At some point I am going to go through the poems and short stories I have already written, polish them up, and get them ready to submit to some places.
Then I am going to figure out how much I need to write every day if I want to publish my own novel within a year.
And obviously I am going to continue to write here. I need to have a place to record my journey and to keep practicing.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
10 Things You Learn When Your Mom Rides a Motorcycle
1) Feeling confident is not about how many people like you. It is about how you see yourself.
For many it can take years to figure out that self-confidence is really just a big fancy hyphenated word for "I feel good about myself." For some reason we have gotten it into our heads that we can't be confident about ourselves unless other people like us. But when your mom rides a motorcycle you learn the truth at an early age. That leather jacket she wears does more than just protect her from the cold winds whipping by her as she goes 80 miles an hour down the highway. That leather jacket tells everyone that she is one tough woman and she is not to be messed with. A good jacket is as much about making you feel good as it is about keeping you warm.
2) Never judge a book by its cover.
Many bikers have tattoos and to the rest of the world this makes them look "trashy" or "scary." But to those of us that were raised by a biker mom we know that tattoos are pieces of art that you wear on your skin to show the rest of the world who you are and judging someone because they choose to express themselves in a way that is different from your own is silly.
3) A woman can do anything she wants to do. And she can do it as well as or better than a man can!
People think that only men can be bikers but that is the farthest thing from the truth. Our motorcycle mamas showed us every day that women can be anything they want to be.
4) Never let one label define every thing about who you are.
Moms who ride motorcycles are the epitome of this rule. When people see them on the street they would never guess that these women not only ride motorcycles, dress in leather, and have tattoos but they also bake cookies, tell the best stories, create arts and crafts with their children, and much more. Being a biker was never the only thing that defined your mom and it never will be.
5) Family is not always just blood.
One of the reasons our moms ride motorcycles is because of the sisterhood that comes with it. Women bikers tend to stick together and to support each other in much the same way that family would. We saw this every day growing up and it taught us that family is more than blood. It is a choice you make every day.
6) Being tough is about more than just knowing how to throw a punch.
Sure many of us had moms who taught us how to punch for when we absolutely needed to fight but for all of us fighting was always seen as a last resort. When you have a biker mom you notice that she is going to take a lot of flak from men who ride motorcycles, from other women who think they know something about her, and from many others. But our moms never let this bother them. They knew that talk was just talk and they let it roll off their shoulders because sometimes knowing when to ignore someone's ignorant comment is tougher than kicking them in the teeth.
7) Always be true to yourself.
Which brings me to the seventh thing your biker mom taught you, always be true to yourself. Even though your mom might have had to listen to a lot of people complain about her motorcycle she never let that stop her from being her, not even for one tiny little second. In the end the only way to be happy is to always be yourself.
8) You may and should wear whatever makes you happy.
Our moms wore leather jackets and blue Levi jeans most days but occasionally they broke out the leather miniskirt and the long, thigh high boots. Or maybe they puttered around out in the yard in a sun dress. Or maybe one day mom decided she was going to wear a belly shirt. Biker moms wear whatever they want, whenever they want. They don't worry about being "too girly" or about appearing to be "too boyish" or "manly." No, biker moms wear what they like. And they taught us that too.
9) All women are beautiful and should be treated as such.
Our biker mamas made sure to have lots of different women coming in and out of our homes all the time. These women came in all shapes and sizes and mom made sure to show love and respect to all of them. She never once made a mean comment about any woman for her hair, clothes, makeup, body type or appearance. In fact, she made a point to tell us what it was she loved about each of those women who she had adopted as her sisters.
10) You determine who you are, no one else.
Biker moms never try to be anything that they are not. They never try to live up to anyone else's expectations of who they should be. They just try to do their very best to teach us that we can be anything that we want to be.
For many it can take years to figure out that self-confidence is really just a big fancy hyphenated word for "I feel good about myself." For some reason we have gotten it into our heads that we can't be confident about ourselves unless other people like us. But when your mom rides a motorcycle you learn the truth at an early age. That leather jacket she wears does more than just protect her from the cold winds whipping by her as she goes 80 miles an hour down the highway. That leather jacket tells everyone that she is one tough woman and she is not to be messed with. A good jacket is as much about making you feel good as it is about keeping you warm.
2) Never judge a book by its cover.
Many bikers have tattoos and to the rest of the world this makes them look "trashy" or "scary." But to those of us that were raised by a biker mom we know that tattoos are pieces of art that you wear on your skin to show the rest of the world who you are and judging someone because they choose to express themselves in a way that is different from your own is silly.
3) A woman can do anything she wants to do. And she can do it as well as or better than a man can!
People think that only men can be bikers but that is the farthest thing from the truth. Our motorcycle mamas showed us every day that women can be anything they want to be.
4) Never let one label define every thing about who you are.
Moms who ride motorcycles are the epitome of this rule. When people see them on the street they would never guess that these women not only ride motorcycles, dress in leather, and have tattoos but they also bake cookies, tell the best stories, create arts and crafts with their children, and much more. Being a biker was never the only thing that defined your mom and it never will be.
5) Family is not always just blood.
One of the reasons our moms ride motorcycles is because of the sisterhood that comes with it. Women bikers tend to stick together and to support each other in much the same way that family would. We saw this every day growing up and it taught us that family is more than blood. It is a choice you make every day.
6) Being tough is about more than just knowing how to throw a punch.
Sure many of us had moms who taught us how to punch for when we absolutely needed to fight but for all of us fighting was always seen as a last resort. When you have a biker mom you notice that she is going to take a lot of flak from men who ride motorcycles, from other women who think they know something about her, and from many others. But our moms never let this bother them. They knew that talk was just talk and they let it roll off their shoulders because sometimes knowing when to ignore someone's ignorant comment is tougher than kicking them in the teeth.
7) Always be true to yourself.
Which brings me to the seventh thing your biker mom taught you, always be true to yourself. Even though your mom might have had to listen to a lot of people complain about her motorcycle she never let that stop her from being her, not even for one tiny little second. In the end the only way to be happy is to always be yourself.
8) You may and should wear whatever makes you happy.
Our moms wore leather jackets and blue Levi jeans most days but occasionally they broke out the leather miniskirt and the long, thigh high boots. Or maybe they puttered around out in the yard in a sun dress. Or maybe one day mom decided she was going to wear a belly shirt. Biker moms wear whatever they want, whenever they want. They don't worry about being "too girly" or about appearing to be "too boyish" or "manly." No, biker moms wear what they like. And they taught us that too.
9) All women are beautiful and should be treated as such.
Our biker mamas made sure to have lots of different women coming in and out of our homes all the time. These women came in all shapes and sizes and mom made sure to show love and respect to all of them. She never once made a mean comment about any woman for her hair, clothes, makeup, body type or appearance. In fact, she made a point to tell us what it was she loved about each of those women who she had adopted as her sisters.
10) You determine who you are, no one else.
Biker moms never try to be anything that they are not. They never try to live up to anyone else's expectations of who they should be. They just try to do their very best to teach us that we can be anything that we want to be.
Welcome to "Hear Her Roar"
Yesterday a student said to me, "I want you to write me something for me to read." This really hit me because little did she know, I have been thinking about writing a lot recently. I have been thinking that I desperately miss being able to create something truly unique with only my words.
I told my student what I tell everyone, "I am too busy. I don't have time to write." It is true that since entering college in 2007 the number of times I have written has slowly but surely dwindled. Minus, of course, that brief time my sophomore year when I had been writing a blog post every day. It is true that I spend most of my weekdays working 7-3(sometimes later, sometimes I get out earlier). It is true that I come home from work, cook dinner, and pass out on the couch most nights. It is also true that all of my housework gets done on Sundays and that on Saturdays I hang out on my bed, in my pjs, grading papers until Garrett gets home from work. I fill my every day life with work. And tv. And Garrett. And pictures of my two cats (don't judge, they are adorable!).
But in the back of my mind this excuse has never completely assuaged my guilt over not writing. I know that if it was really as important to me as it used to be then I would write. I would make time to write.
I thought about that concept today. I thought about making time to write. I even thought about sending out some writing pieces. But then I had a new thought. I had not written anything new in... well, I wasn't sure how many years it had been. I couldn't remember when I had written last. And I wasn't sure that I still could. What if I sat down to write and what came out wasn't any good? What if nothing at all came out? I know that I have changed a lot in the last 8 years. My writer's voice surely must have changed too. So what if I sat down to write something and I couldn't find that voice again? What if I no longer had anything to say? These thoughts were terrifying to me.
But then I remembered the blog I mentioned previously. The one I had started my sophomore year of college. I remembered how when I first started the blog it was hard because I wasn't sure what to write about. I remembered how for the first few posts I would stare at the computer screen for hours waiting for inspiration to come to me. But after a while inspiration did come. And the more I wrote, the easier writing became. Soon I was not only writing a blog post every day but I was writing poems and short stories again too.
That is the thing about writing. If you want to be a good writer then you have to write every day. Even if what you are writing is crap. Even if no one else on the planet is ever going to see what you are creating. If you want to be a writer then the only way to not be a writer is to not write at all.
So I am starting this blog. This is my first baby step to getting back to writing. This blog is here to help me share my thoughts and feelings with the universe and to help me find my writer's voice, my roar, again. It is also here to help me begin to gain followers. I am hoping to start other blogs in time that will be about more specific things. I am hoping I can get enough followers that I can add Google AdSense to one or more of my blogs and maybe make some money. I am also hoping that I will start writing stories and poems again. I would like to send submissions out.
But one step at a time.
I told my student what I tell everyone, "I am too busy. I don't have time to write." It is true that since entering college in 2007 the number of times I have written has slowly but surely dwindled. Minus, of course, that brief time my sophomore year when I had been writing a blog post every day. It is true that I spend most of my weekdays working 7-3(sometimes later, sometimes I get out earlier). It is true that I come home from work, cook dinner, and pass out on the couch most nights. It is also true that all of my housework gets done on Sundays and that on Saturdays I hang out on my bed, in my pjs, grading papers until Garrett gets home from work. I fill my every day life with work. And tv. And Garrett. And pictures of my two cats (don't judge, they are adorable!).
But in the back of my mind this excuse has never completely assuaged my guilt over not writing. I know that if it was really as important to me as it used to be then I would write. I would make time to write.
I thought about that concept today. I thought about making time to write. I even thought about sending out some writing pieces. But then I had a new thought. I had not written anything new in... well, I wasn't sure how many years it had been. I couldn't remember when I had written last. And I wasn't sure that I still could. What if I sat down to write and what came out wasn't any good? What if nothing at all came out? I know that I have changed a lot in the last 8 years. My writer's voice surely must have changed too. So what if I sat down to write something and I couldn't find that voice again? What if I no longer had anything to say? These thoughts were terrifying to me.
But then I remembered the blog I mentioned previously. The one I had started my sophomore year of college. I remembered how when I first started the blog it was hard because I wasn't sure what to write about. I remembered how for the first few posts I would stare at the computer screen for hours waiting for inspiration to come to me. But after a while inspiration did come. And the more I wrote, the easier writing became. Soon I was not only writing a blog post every day but I was writing poems and short stories again too.
That is the thing about writing. If you want to be a good writer then you have to write every day. Even if what you are writing is crap. Even if no one else on the planet is ever going to see what you are creating. If you want to be a writer then the only way to not be a writer is to not write at all.
So I am starting this blog. This is my first baby step to getting back to writing. This blog is here to help me share my thoughts and feelings with the universe and to help me find my writer's voice, my roar, again. It is also here to help me begin to gain followers. I am hoping to start other blogs in time that will be about more specific things. I am hoping I can get enough followers that I can add Google AdSense to one or more of my blogs and maybe make some money. I am also hoping that I will start writing stories and poems again. I would like to send submissions out.
But one step at a time.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)