Thursday, March 8, 2012

International Women's Day 2012

silk floss tree

Thanks to Monica Hubbard, the author, gatherer, disseminator and mastermind behind the local weekly newsletter Wired Women, this year I actually know that International Women's Day is today! I'm celebrating.

I looked on the IWD website for local events in Pasadena and there's one. (This is an improvement; last year I'm pretty sure there were no IWD events in Pasadena. Next year, I'm pretty sure there will be more.) This year's local event, at Amadeus Spa on Hudson at Green, is called A Day at the Spa. Check out the links for more information about how you can empower women entrepreneurs while getting yourself the treatment you deserve.

Today I'm celebrating by doing things I believe in and enjoy: taking pictures, writing, walking in nature, sending thank you notes, being with my family, eating chocolate and taking my HRT. Thank goodness that's covered by health insurance regardless of how my behavior is perceived by the men of Congress because believe me, without it my behavior would be worse.

16 comments:

Kalei's Best Friend said...

well, that photo got me!. lol.. for a second I thought those spots were dried out chocolate chips!.. seriously, I had a bag of old chips and it looked similar to what u have here... and don't ask how I could have a bag of dried out, old chocolate chips.

Petrea Burchard said...

I know. You kept getting better chocolate and the chips got relegated to the bottom of the pile.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Sadly, I think my mind is going.. I buy them, then I forget that I have them and end up buying more... I only discover the old when I clean out the pantry!...

Bellis said...

What an interesting photo of the tree trunk. The silk floss tree doesn't welcome tree huggers, does it? And don't even think of climbing it.

At first I thought it was a bit ironic that the only Women's Day event in Pasadena was at a spa, but then I remembered that the Romans often used their spas as venues for high-level political discussions.

Deb said...

It does take a second look to 'see' the image, I thought it was limpets and whelks on a seaweed covered rock.
Nice, love the background colour and the contours.

Petrea Burchard said...

This is why we need our hormones, Kalei.

Bellis, the spa is our golf course.

Thank you, Deb! When I first moved to southern California from Illinois I was amazed at the strange flora everywhere. Dr. Seuss got his inspiration here.

Petrea Burchard said...

Oh my gosk its National Proofreading Day! I whisk I'd gnome that.

http://www.nationalproofreadingday.com/

Susan Campisi said...

I wish I had time to go to the spa today to treat myself to a massage and engage in high-level political discussions at the same time, but alas I'm still entertaining guests.

That's a silk floss tree?

Petrea Burchard said...

I hope it is, Susan, because I'll feel like a doofus for getting it wrong. But that's what I've been told it is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiba_speciosa
scroll down and look at the photos

Katie said...

At first I thought this cool photo was a strange landscape taken from above. But I like the dried chocolate chip theory better. I didn't celebrate IWD or NPD; maybe next year. Thanks for the link; I've been meaning to search out her testimony.

Ms M said...

Silk floss trees are a new thing to me. When I first saw your photo I thought it was an interesting abstract design.

Margaret said...

I think I'm going to force my family to see the Women Hold Up Half the Sky at the Skirball this Sunday.

Petrea Burchard said...

We've had the good fortune to grow up with a lot of rights. It's hard for me to imagine losing them, but I'm old enough to vaguely remember a pre-women's movement world, and how Steinem and other such heroines helped change things. It wasn't that long ago. It's still, apparently, tenuous.

Mister Earl said...

My niece was born on International Women's Day. You can always remember her birthday!

Monica Hubbard said...

Thanks for the shout-out, Petrea. Back in 2002 Betty Sandford brought International Women's Day to my attention when she gathered a small group of local women representing various organizations together to put on a concert. We did that for a couple of years. The Women's Council at All Saints Church hosted a concert by Vox Femina LA the third year and that was it. In March of 2013 IWD falls on a Friday. Wouldn't it be great if the 20+ women's organizations in town could plan a full or half day conference of some sort, capped off by a great party in the evening?

Petrea Burchard said...

Mister Earl, I hope they don't change the date...

Monica, it would be--should be fun! When I was a teenager there was a lot of angry shouting, dangling of breasts and growing of armpit hair, and that had its place. But we really have come a long way and we do have a lot to celebrate. I would love to do so, and invite the men to join us.