Hi All! I’ve felt like I’ve been doing a great job this last month of August, managing 2 popular blogs-working on my ebook, writing for a new gig as entertainment features writer for City Connect. Com and hosting women stories over at authentic-woman.net, my motivational website for women AND working my day job on a part-time basis!
I’ll reiterate. I’ve felt like I’ve been doing a great job. But, now, not so much. I have to start promoting A Life Toward Authenticity, my ebook now that it’s finished. Send out another entertainment post to City Connect. Update posts at blogher and clara54 today (this is it) and complete an application for a free 10 week class in leadership offered by Depaul University…
Today, for the next several hours, I know I’m going to have to make like the little engine who could and keep that choo-choo train on track before relaxing for the evening. And yes, Patricia, I do sleep:)
I come from closed doors.
doors locking me in,
doors locking me out,
doors closed by my mother,
her voice saying “Close that door!”
I come from doors I learned to close on myself,
and doors I was too frightened to open,
“Don’t go out” and “Don’t go in” and “Don’t Move”
never turning a doorknob, rapping knuckles in air.
I come from my mother’s voice saying
“No, you don’t need college”
declaring
“Learn typing and stenography.
That’s a real education.”
I come from fearing what might strike me
if I turned that doorknob.
I come from my father saying nothing.
I come from doors then closed to most women,
a society singing “No! No!” in chorus
Mother’s voice loudest of all,
her piercing descant of
“Typing, Stenography! Typing, Stenography!”
was all I could hear.
Yet, I come from books, newspapers, sermons,
from voices as shrill as my mother’s.
I come from the day when I finally noticed
how many women wait behind closed doors.
Closed doors were not just my personal secret,
Not my singular fate in my singular life.
I come from screaming
“All women are blocked by closed doors.”
I come from joining the banshees
wailing for all women.
I’ve made it my life’s work to fling those doors open,
to find those doors hidden in hallways and alleys,
to turn rusty keys and to oil creaking hinges.
I’ve pounded gates open from inside the fortress
and rattled them wide from without.
Many doors are now open,
but voices still caution…
some doors seem newly closed to me.
When I hear the voice of my aging calling,
she sounds like my mother,
though she wears a young face.
Marguerite Beck-Rex is such a wonderful 80 year old, inspiring “today’s woman!” She is a former editor, reporter and columnist for women issues! She is also a great artist and poet. She resides in Washington, D.C. Marguerite ‘s skills as a group organizer for other artists are legendary. She has definitely become an unofficial mentor of clara54’s! Enjoy my dear readers and stay tuned for much more about this wonderful woman! Alright… you can visit her site http://inkpaintwords.wordpress.com/
Hi, Marguerite, thanks for inspiring me to keep going, Clara.
Have you met anyone that ignited your confidence lately?
Good morning everyone. I know it must be quite chilly outside with the rains and winds kicking up a ruckus! But, I’m inside and I’m warm, pumped up and raring to go. So, I’m posting a bit of end of the month meanderings. Still newsworthy stuff this morning and I’ll share a secret idea that’s been brewing for the last month or so. You’ll just have to read the whole post for that teaser:)
The month of February has been very interesting, to say the least. First off, I ended a twitter posting gig with a friendly Realtor. I’m in the process of setting up my Celebrity/ Entertainment/ Gossip Blog over at Wordpress.org . Made lucrative connections with several networking friends as far as Switzerland and landed my sites onto several well established blogrolls. I published at the women ezine ForHarriett.com and have become the blogger in waiting for membership amongst a group of savvy women entrepreneurs (it’s good to be nominated) 🙂 And assisted with a writing project @ request of a fellow writer.
Clara54 welcomed Sylvia Browder guest post which received nearly 100 reads so far and still counting. I was invited to guest post at her blog as well. A Screenwriter has committed to posting for your reading enjoyment soon and another post from Sylvia is on the ready. I made the homepage at BlogHer for the third time and recently did a virtual tour of their new site with one of their editors…those taking the tour were sworn to secrecy and asked not to show the new images so I won’t.
The Sojourner Truth Speech, “Ain’t I A Woman?” republished at my motivational blog for women was a winner for the month of February, pulling in over 200 readers! Among them a networking friend & Radio personality ,who offered gratitude for my posting the speech because she admitted to not having ever read this historical speech by the former slave and activist for women rights! visit http://wisewoman2.wordpress.com to read Ain’t I A Woman? It’s been an awesome month and I’m grateful to have reached a lot of readers & made many wonderful blogosphere connections!
Now the Secret: By no means am I a woman of adventure. I am, however,a lover of beauty, nature, serenity, tranquility and daring spirit, who is willing to try a thing once. I’m also a sentimental fool. Remember Geraldine Page in A Trip To Bountiful? Well, I’m headed in that direction, sorta. I’ve been back to my birth home many times. I haven’t been out of the country, once… I’m planning to embark upon a Blogging journey to Tuscany, Italy by Summer’s end, or, early Autumn! The research for affordable abodes have begun. My Switzerland friend have offered to give me traveling tips and I’ve put out the 411 in a search of Sponsors to help lighten the pricey load!
Any helpful suggestions/advice feel free to send my way? A Black woman, who doesn’t know the language. YIKES!!
I know, it’s Christmas for christsakes & why am I thinking about “business‘ on this special day to celebrate the birth of our lord & savior? Because The Lord knew when he created woman, he created the essence that moves heaven & earth- that’s why! Actually, the turkey is in the oven and the veggies, fixings for savory dressing ,and sweets for the sweetest are making great progress. How’s that for a multi-tasking woman in business for herself? It’s a well known fact that women are savvy creatures. Not only can we can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, we can serve it on a decorative platter as well! AND read a good book all in one setting… Well, we can also embelish upon the truth a bit too, but, that’s what makes us so special! The woman in business for herself becomes an attribute to men owned bussinesses and other women entrepreneurs– doing it for themselves…
As we celebrate the Holidays; Christmas and New Year, let’s also envision the new start to growing, creating, and visualizing our businesses. Women of authenticity read more good stuff clara54 wants you to know about women issues by visiting “authentic woman” @ http://wisewoman2.wordpress.com and spread the word! There’s a savvy business woman in all of us, don’t cha know? Now is the time to create your vision for your business and start the New Year off with a banging profit building enterprise!
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