Learning how to be equals at home and work
Tom Ashbrook had a good segment on the new Pew study “the Rise of Wives.” I’m all for 50-50 parenting, but my sense after listening to the callers from the segment, and from hundreds of such conversations generally, is that our generation is literally writing the rules on how to be a couple and an equal financial unit. What a massive transition, full of so many subtle disappointments, resentments, and small victories too.
There’s no manual…though Dr. Joshua Coleman’s work is close.
F-ing brilliant
That’s all I can say about this discussion, started by Chrysula Winegar. Her post: “The House of Work is a Tear-Down” got many of us thinking. I’m still stuck on Carol Gilligan and her impact on women at work.
The MamaBee is putting her money where her mouth is. Unlike me, she’s climbing the corporate ladder. She’s a tempered radical, and for that I deeply respect her.
I opted out- not of work. Definitely not of work, because I work more hours now than I ever did in a corporate role. But opted out of the climb. Sometimes it makes me feel like a shirker…I must admit.
Ok, more work now.
Happy Birthday Beth Kanter
Well, that title sounds like a bromance movie.
But I was inspired by this post from Amy Sample Ward. She wrote:
In her birthday wish post, Beth announces that she’s trying to send 53 Cambodian children to school by raising $530. Last week, Stacy Monk and I were chatting and thought that our community could help smash that goal by raising much more funds as well as awareness for the work the Sharing Foundation does in Cambodia.
How does it work?
We’re hoping to inspire 53 bloggers to publish a post today that shares how Beth has impacted his/her work and shares Beth’s birthday wish with his/her blog audience. (Of course, you’re invited to make a gift to make her wish come true as well!)
What’s the point?
We’re hoping to make her birthday a very happy one by:
1. making her wish come true, and
2. reminding her how much she’s contributed to the community.
I knew Beth Kanter from BlogHer and from blogging in general; I admired how she had developed a singular expertise. Back in 2007 she graciously agreed to let me interview her for a paper I was writing at Harvard on bloggers as entrepreneurs. I had a theory that the most successful and inspiring independent bloggers, such as Beth, were less citizen journalists than they were entrepreneurs, using social media to build their brands and create their own path by which to live and work. Who better embodies this than Beth? She has inspired me and many other women who want to work on their own terms, to do really good work while fighting the good fight. After I wrote my paper and finished grad school, I too started my own business, on my own, working for clients who focused on women in the workplace. In my paper, I called Beth “Betty.” I quoted her,
“Betty, who writes a blog about non-profits and social change, notes that her readers are very
demanding. I asked her why her readers like her: ‘The most important thing is consistency. I hear that a lot from readers — you’re consistent, you’re always right. And if I slack off, my subscriber numbers go down.’”
Beth is disciplined, innovative, and true. Happy Birthday!
My Bday list- My Take on New Year’s Resolutions
Here we are, a new year. In December I was full of appetite. Now I’m full of good intentions. Here are my must-do’s to get healthier and give back in 2010. This list reflects my involvement with the American Cancer Society’s Movement for More Birthdays and my family’s personal experience with cancer treatment this year. I know it’s not enough just to say “I’m going to lose weight and exercise.” What does that really do for my soul? For the soul of my family? I’m trying to be holistic this year. Here goes:
1) Exercise three-four times a week (even it’s just 20 mins- just do it, as they say!)
2) Participate in a Relay for Life in Boston this spring
3) Smile more and laugh out loud each morning. It’s been proven to help– see laughter therapy.
4) Dance with my son everyday around the living room- honestly. He loves it, and it’s good exercise.
This is my “more birthdays list.” What’s yours?
About Me
Morra Aarons-Mele utilizes social media strategies to help employers, employees and communities connect. She also consults with leading organizations on how women can use the internet for professional and personal development. In her spare time, Morra enjoys blogging about women and politics. Read her full bio >>
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