Monday, March 8, 2010

Compromisin' Enterprisin' Anything But Tranquilizin'

So it's International Women's Day. I know this because it says so on my calendar. Also, Will Forte sang about Women's History Month on SNL.



Well, the venerable Mr. Forte addressed women in herstory (see what I did there?) pretty well, as did Maude before him.






I won't try to compete.

I read the following platitude somewhere:

Here's to wonderful women - may you know them, may you raise them, may you be them

I have been privileged to know many wonderful women in my life. I've known women who are strong in the way society values and women whose strength is quieter. I've known women who rocked the corporate world, women who rocked their babies, and women who just plain rocked. I have in my life women who are bitches, angels, geniuses, athletes, jokers, smokers and midnight tokers. I am so blessed, because I have women to laugh with, to cry with and sometimes just to be with. I know wonderful women. May you know wonderful women.

I have the huge privilege and responsibility of raising two wonderful women. My girls are beautiful and talented and unique. They are strong-willed and strong-minded. They have always been free to be who they are and (most of the time, anyway) who they are is pretty wonderful. I am raising wonderful women. May you raise wonderful women. (Even if you don't have a daughter! Remember - it takes a village!)

It would be immodest to say that I am one, so I won't - but I WILL say that I know there are folks out there who think that I am. For that I am lucky beyond measure.


eta: Those of you who generally stop here - don't! Read the Maya Angelou poem Unknown Mami posted in the comments. Seriously.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

I think EVERY woman is an amazing woman... period including you

Jennifer said...

Wonderful Post! I love this! And you are a wonderful woman as well! I know a few women in my life whose strength is immeasuareble I hope one day to be as strong as them!

Claudya Martinez said...

Modesty is overrated! You are Phenomenal Woman!

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

-Maya Angelou

Macey said...

Beautiful post and beautiful poem by Maya Angelou! :)

Unknown said...

I love the post and the poem!

Mandy said...

Great post Tammy! I'm proud to be a woman and to know a wonderful woman like you (even if it's only virtual) :-) I have always loved that Maya Angelou poem -- it was in that movie, "Poetic Justice" with Tupac and Janet Jackson years ago and that's how I know it, LOL! I always thought Maya wrote such powerful, beautiful words. Guess what? You do too! :)

Vixen of Vixensden.com said...

Fantastic post and thanks for mentioning the poem to read also, because that is phenomenal.

Happy Women's Day! You are wonderful.

Pam said...

Great post and wonderful poem. I know lots of phenomenal women (both in Real Life and Virtually). And my life is richer for the knowing.

Liz Mays said...

I feel also as if I've raised a wonderful woman. My daughter possesses so many of the character traits that I hoped for her!

MaryRC said...

Oh yea you are woman, I can hear you roar!! You rock my blogger world, here's to you my rocker chick friend.. xoxo

Housewife Savant said...

I normally don't like Maya, or poetry in general, cuz it goes against my rail-on-those-who-rail-on-conformity stance.
I conform in a non-conformist way, really.
And I rock.
We BOTH rock.

Carma Sez said...

I love Will Forte and his songs. Saw that one on Sat - luckily before I fell asleep while watching the rest of the show

Gibby said...

Raising two girls is one of the most frustrating, challenging, head-banging-on-the-wall experiences of my life.

But I love it and I wouldn't trade it for the WORLD.

Girls rule, Women rock. And that goes for you and your girls, too, Tammy!

Traci said...

You are right. There are lots of us who KNOW that you are an amazing woman.

I'm so mad at myself. I was feeling positively craptacular on Monday and completely missed International Women's Day. Everyone posted such beautiful post about women but NOT me. Oh well, maybe I will make a week of it and write a belated post. In the mean. Yay women! Yay Tammy!
:-)
Traci

Anonymous said...

Great post and love that poem!