I am woman, hear me bitch about my period
Mar. 26th, 2007 08:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jianantonicI promise I am not going to go into detail about menstruation in this post. Men, feel free to read on. In fact, please do.
I cannot speak for all women - no one can, as all women are different; I know that much - but what I am going to write about comes from nearly 24 years of first hand experience as a female. Oh, and this post is dedicated to Jen Cote, the strongest woman I know. And I will say right off the bat that no piece of writing could possibly do justice to the love I have in my body and soul for this woman.
So, on womanhood...
As women, we are biologically and societally programmed to feel bad about ourselves often, if not constantly, and also to feel threatened by other women. I don't mean threatened as in "that ho is tryin' to steal my babydaddy!" I mean that it's hard for women to enjoy the good qualities in other women, because it feeds our own insecurities. Noticing another woman's virtues is like highlighting our own flaws. We envy the beauty found in others and want it for ourselves. It's hard to share a spotlight; worse to relinquish it completely when another woman is recognized above oneself for her talent, goodness, beauty, etc. I think this is the root of cattiness. I do not believe all women are catty, or even that all mild mannered women are just suppressing their natural cattiness, but I do think this is a common tendency of our sex, and I am guilty of it. Constantly. I have gotten better and to all the women I have ever complimented, I swear I was not faking it. I'm pleased that I have recently found the ability to compliment other women openly, honestly, and frequently. I must be growing up.
Biologically, there are just times we women do not feel our best, and nothing short of a 7-day nap can snap us out of that funk. Sure, menstruation is part of this equation, but there are other, less biological factors that contribute to the womanly funk. Glass ceilings come to mind, for one. But back to biology. A woman's body is constantly changing. Our bodies require far more maintenance than those of our male counterparts. Puberty is on public display for a girl, then pregnancy, and even menopause. Any onlooker can judge the ripeness of a female by the position of her breasts. Not discounting the hardships a man endures in his lifetime, I must say that women have a lot of factors that contribute to insecurity, and the occasional period (no pun intended) of general disgustedness with our own selves.
So...
Anyone who has been reading my journal for a while knows that I've been struggling, lately quite successfully, though it remains a struggle nonetheless, to lose weight. I am trying to get to a point where I feel good about my physical self again, and you know, I'm close. Lately, I've felt great, cute, hot, cocky. And I've blogged about it, and told the world how awesome I feel about how awesome I'm doing. And it probably comes off a little...full of myself.
Well, whether you're trying to lose weight or if you're already in top physical form, I challenge you - go through what I've gone through over the past five years, 12 months, six months, four weeks, day, and then I'll give you a dollar if you can come out the other side of that and say I don't deserve to be a little cocky. It's been hard. And I've worked hard.
But all these posts I make about how great I feel and look and all that are not about being cocky. It's about giving credit where credit is due - partially to myself, of course, but also largely to my trainer, the lovely and fabulous Jen.
And I'm not just saying this because I know she's going to read it tonight because I emailed her my blog address. I'm saying this because it's true.
Jen is an amazing trainer. She kicks my ass, and I hate everything she makes me do, but I love the way I feel when I'm done, and I love the way I look. She has a way of making me feel like I am the queen of that gym, even when she gives me exercises that make me look like a circus freak. She's encouraging, she's kind, she's tough, and she's great at her job.
And it takes a lot to be great at what she does. She doesn't get to pick her clients, and I know some of them are tough for her. And she has bad days, like any human does, but what makes her job particularly tough, in my opinion, is that she has to be constantly encouraging to all of her clients, when I just don't think that comes naturally to women. Maybe it's through gritted teeth, maybe it's completely phony at times, but good day or bad, she's gotta be there in that gym, pumping others up, in all senses of the phrase. Do you know how hard it is to tell someone they look great when you feel horrible about yourself? This is not to say that Jen should EVER feel horrible about herself, because she is fantastic and wonderful in every way, but I know she sometimes does, and to be able to be there for her clients even when she's not all there for herself...that takes major strength.
Without a trainer and friend like Jen guiding me on my path to a better self, I'd still be floundering. Maybe down a couple of pounds, but certainly not pushing myself the way she does. And she's so good to me, I want to do well for her. I want my new body to be a testament to her skill and dedication as my trainer. I want to be able to make her feel as good about her work as she makes me feel about myself. I get credit for losing the weight and sticking with my diet and exercise program, but I couldn't have done any of it without Jen.
So thanks for indulging me as I bask in my new figure (or old one, as it were), and for not calling me a cocky bitch or telling me to stfu when it gets old. I know this fitness stuff can be a real snoozer to some of you, but I'm just so smitten with the situation I have to go on and on about it. After all, it is my journal.
And for those of you in the Charlottesville area - Gold's Gym. Jen Cote. Awesome.
Peace.
I cannot speak for all women - no one can, as all women are different; I know that much - but what I am going to write about comes from nearly 24 years of first hand experience as a female. Oh, and this post is dedicated to Jen Cote, the strongest woman I know. And I will say right off the bat that no piece of writing could possibly do justice to the love I have in my body and soul for this woman.
So, on womanhood...
As women, we are biologically and societally programmed to feel bad about ourselves often, if not constantly, and also to feel threatened by other women. I don't mean threatened as in "that ho is tryin' to steal my babydaddy!" I mean that it's hard for women to enjoy the good qualities in other women, because it feeds our own insecurities. Noticing another woman's virtues is like highlighting our own flaws. We envy the beauty found in others and want it for ourselves. It's hard to share a spotlight; worse to relinquish it completely when another woman is recognized above oneself for her talent, goodness, beauty, etc. I think this is the root of cattiness. I do not believe all women are catty, or even that all mild mannered women are just suppressing their natural cattiness, but I do think this is a common tendency of our sex, and I am guilty of it. Constantly. I have gotten better and to all the women I have ever complimented, I swear I was not faking it. I'm pleased that I have recently found the ability to compliment other women openly, honestly, and frequently. I must be growing up.
Biologically, there are just times we women do not feel our best, and nothing short of a 7-day nap can snap us out of that funk. Sure, menstruation is part of this equation, but there are other, less biological factors that contribute to the womanly funk. Glass ceilings come to mind, for one. But back to biology. A woman's body is constantly changing. Our bodies require far more maintenance than those of our male counterparts. Puberty is on public display for a girl, then pregnancy, and even menopause. Any onlooker can judge the ripeness of a female by the position of her breasts. Not discounting the hardships a man endures in his lifetime, I must say that women have a lot of factors that contribute to insecurity, and the occasional period (no pun intended) of general disgustedness with our own selves.
So...
Anyone who has been reading my journal for a while knows that I've been struggling, lately quite successfully, though it remains a struggle nonetheless, to lose weight. I am trying to get to a point where I feel good about my physical self again, and you know, I'm close. Lately, I've felt great, cute, hot, cocky. And I've blogged about it, and told the world how awesome I feel about how awesome I'm doing. And it probably comes off a little...full of myself.
Well, whether you're trying to lose weight or if you're already in top physical form, I challenge you - go through what I've gone through over the past five years, 12 months, six months, four weeks, day, and then I'll give you a dollar if you can come out the other side of that and say I don't deserve to be a little cocky. It's been hard. And I've worked hard.
But all these posts I make about how great I feel and look and all that are not about being cocky. It's about giving credit where credit is due - partially to myself, of course, but also largely to my trainer, the lovely and fabulous Jen.
And I'm not just saying this because I know she's going to read it tonight because I emailed her my blog address. I'm saying this because it's true.
Jen is an amazing trainer. She kicks my ass, and I hate everything she makes me do, but I love the way I feel when I'm done, and I love the way I look. She has a way of making me feel like I am the queen of that gym, even when she gives me exercises that make me look like a circus freak. She's encouraging, she's kind, she's tough, and she's great at her job.
And it takes a lot to be great at what she does. She doesn't get to pick her clients, and I know some of them are tough for her. And she has bad days, like any human does, but what makes her job particularly tough, in my opinion, is that she has to be constantly encouraging to all of her clients, when I just don't think that comes naturally to women. Maybe it's through gritted teeth, maybe it's completely phony at times, but good day or bad, she's gotta be there in that gym, pumping others up, in all senses of the phrase. Do you know how hard it is to tell someone they look great when you feel horrible about yourself? This is not to say that Jen should EVER feel horrible about herself, because she is fantastic and wonderful in every way, but I know she sometimes does, and to be able to be there for her clients even when she's not all there for herself...that takes major strength.
Without a trainer and friend like Jen guiding me on my path to a better self, I'd still be floundering. Maybe down a couple of pounds, but certainly not pushing myself the way she does. And she's so good to me, I want to do well for her. I want my new body to be a testament to her skill and dedication as my trainer. I want to be able to make her feel as good about her work as she makes me feel about myself. I get credit for losing the weight and sticking with my diet and exercise program, but I couldn't have done any of it without Jen.
So thanks for indulging me as I bask in my new figure (or old one, as it were), and for not calling me a cocky bitch or telling me to stfu when it gets old. I know this fitness stuff can be a real snoozer to some of you, but I'm just so smitten with the situation I have to go on and on about it. After all, it is my journal.
And for those of you in the Charlottesville area - Gold's Gym. Jen Cote. Awesome.
Peace.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 10:38 am (UTC)I'm going to burn my bra... of course that will take awhile. ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 11:48 am (UTC)Which reminds me, I'm thinking of planning a water skiing outing this summer. Get a bunch of people together, rent a boat, go out on the lake and make fools of ourselves. Is this something you'd be interested in?
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-28 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-28 01:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-28 01:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 11:53 am (UTC)Amanda can water ski like nobody's business while I am a water skiing nobody. I can't get up to save my neck!
We do need to get together sometime! I'm sure I'll be making a trip to Schuyler sometime this spring and with that, I can plan more time than when I'm coming for a show. Plus I'd be by myself. :)
I'm coming to C'ville on Thursday, but I'll be lucky to make doors at this point. I do need to recognize Clayton's birthday. :)
Oddly, we could probably discuss religion a whole lot easier than politics. HA!
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 12:31 pm (UTC)I really am serious about my Starr Hill embargo.
And it will be my last time playing bridge with Ann, as my mom is her regular partner, and my mom is stealing her back after this week, so I don't want to cancel on her.
It is always a hard decision for me to skip a concert, but knowing that I'll see them at FRFF this year makes it a little easier.
What's in Schuyler?
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 05:55 pm (UTC)*applause*
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 05:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 06:24 pm (UTC)How've you been, Meg? :)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 06:29 pm (UTC)I'm divorced now. It's for the best; we're both happier now, and get along great.
I bought a new place in Charlottesville. I love it, and I'm living there with my friend, bridge partner, and now boyfriend Ahren. We're taking it very slow, though. Nevermind that we live together. Everything's in my name and he pays rent.
And I've lost 35 pounds. And cut off nearly two feet of hair.
Things got bad before they got good, but I'm great now.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 06:37 pm (UTC)Your hair must be so short! And I bet you go through a lot less shampoo!
no subject
Date: 2007-03-27 11:24 pm (UTC)sorry, i thought this post was supposed to be about periods and none of the comments seem to be period-related, so i figured i'd make one.
sooo...looks like it's gettin' warmer, when do we get campy again?
no subject
Date: 2007-03-28 12:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-28 03:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-28 11:45 am (UTC)