DOCSLIB.ORG

An American Woman It Has Been a Very Intense and Arduous Few

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An American Woman It Has Been a Very Intense and Arduous Few 7/19/2020 – An American Woman It has been a very intense and arduous few weeks. I am learning what it’s like to rise from the ashes. And I have not risen yet. In order to maintain my vision and keep my mind clear while mastering all my strength, I decided to remove myself from the scene for a brief moment. A short road trip was just what the doctor ordered. I have fallen in love with road trips over the years. Driving through this beautiful country and seeing the stunning landscapes and experiencing exciting cities has a special effect on me. Not only does it reinforce my gratitude, it also gives me a chance to think clearly and find right directions. Many decisions about my business have been made during the road trips, and this time was no exception. But I have a serious problem: I get very high at the end of these trips, intoxicated by the beauty of this land and my love for it. And worse, each time I get higher than the previous one. Luckily, I have a potent and effective medication called “work” to combat the withdrawal syndrome, the work that I love whole heartedly. I simply have to dial up the dosage each time. Three highlights of the Lower Cascade Range were our destinations: charming Mt. Lassen, breathtaking Crater Lake and majestic Mt. Shasta. When we left behind the endless almond trees thriving on the fertile grounds of the Central Valley, the topography changed and slender pines replaced the voluptuous almonds. The upbeat “American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz replaced “Take It Easy” by Eagles on our Spotify. We like playing hearty American songs when we drive through America. I don’t know what came over me, perhaps it’s the burgeoning pride inside of me seeing the beautiful landscape unfolding in front of my very eyes, but I blurted out: “ He is singing about me! I am an American woman!” Our son laughed out loud. I laughed out loud too. Perhaps he was laughing about the kind of American woman Lenny was singing about. But I thought: Will I ever be an American woman in my son’s eyes? Surely I am not an American woman in the traditional sense, but in today’s America, I think an American woman comes in many different shapes and forms. I love these mountains. They remind me of the area I grew up in, (I come from a mountainous and volcanic area with similar latitude and altitude) the air, the light, the trees and butterflies… It evokes the distant memories of my childhood, running around catching dragon flies, endlessly dreaming of the future; dreams in which America was nowhere near. How could it have been? The cultural revolution started the year I was born. I was a child growing up under a communist regime brainwashed by its ruthless dictator, wearing the mandatory red neckerchief to school and memorizing his red books everyday, being told that America was the worst and most evil country on earth where people were oppressed and deprived. Why would anyone dream of such a hellish place? What an irony it is, that today I happily live in America enjoying all the freedom, exercising spirited individualism and personal responsibility, oppressed by no one, deprived of nothing, feeling less privileged than no one for any reason, and fervently arguing how much I love this country and why – the place I was told to hate with all my heart and mind as a child. After a few days of immersing ourselves in the nature that’s so refreshing and awakening, we left the mountains and drove toward where the lands meet the sea. I love the sea too. It makes me think of freedom, openness and limitless possibilities, just like America. I thought of the words of Confucius: A wise man loves the mountain and a man of virtue loves the sea. To me, ultimately a wise man is a virtuous man, and one (a man or a woman) can love both the mountain and the sea. I remembered my childhood dreams and was reminded of how far I have come. Having lived in two starkly contrasting societies, it almost feels as though I have had two different lives. One can dream as a child or as an adult, in a forbidden world or a free one. As someone said: If you cease to dream, you cease to live. I still have dreams, many dreams, dreams in which communism is nowhere near, dreams in which I am an American woman, the kind of American woman who embodies wisdom and is instilled with virtue. Fortunately for me, my medication—the work I love—has a powerful side effect: the inspiration from my wonderful customers, as I have said many times before. A substitute teacher A~ has a passion for fashion and has been shopping at my store for many years. Yesterday, she told me that the $600 per week aid from our government was more than she ever made as a sub-teacher and she wanted to use it to stimulate the economy by spending it at my store. She was so direct and sincere while she looked straight into my eyes. My brand new customer L~ excitedly told me: I could tell you are the owner right sway because you exuded such a pride when you greeted me. I want to support the local businesses and I am so happy to meet the owner of this beautiful store! One of the things that impresses me continually is how generous, at ease and without reservation American people are when they compliment someone, especially an immigrant. One of the decisions I made during this road trip was to increase the interactions with my customers by having more presence at my business, which will require some changes. Getting to know them has become one of the joys of having this business, and something increasingly important to me. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE the Guess Who
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Guess Who will rock Tulalip Resort Casino in May 2019 TULALIP, WA – (January 25, 2019) – The Canadian rock band, The Guess Who, will be performing live in Tulalip Resort Casino’s Orca Ballroom on Friday, May 10. Formed in Winnipeg, The Guess Who initially gained recognition throughout Canada before becoming an international success in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Guess Who has enjoyed 14 Top 40 hits, including "These Eyes," "Clap For the Wolfman," "Hand Me Down World," "No Time," "Star Baby" and "Share the Land.” Additional classics include their number one rock anthem, "American Woman" and "No Sugar Tonight," plus "Laughing" and "Undun." The Guess Who are amongst music's most enduring bands and are eternally etched within the very fabric of pop culture history. Get up-close seating in the Orca Ballroom, an intimate 1,200-seat entertainment venue at Tulalip Resort Casino. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 15, at 10AM PST and start at $50. Tickets will be available for purchase on Ticketmaster.com or service charge free at the Tulalip Box Office. Must be 21+ to attend. About Tulalip Resort Casino Award-winning Tulalip Resort Casino is the most distinctive gaming, dining, meeting, entertainment and shopping destination in Washington State. The AAA Four-Diamond resort’s world-class amenities have ensured its place on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold and Traveler Top 100 Resorts lists. The property includes 192,000 square feet of gaming excitement; a luxury hotel featuring 370 guest rooms and suites; 30,000 square feet of premier meeting, convention and wedding space; the full-service T Spa; and eight dining venues.
    [Show full text]
  • THE GUESS WHO BIOGRAPHY As the House Lights Fade Down and The
    THE GUESS WHO BIOGRAPHY As the house lights fade down and the stage spots flair up, the sounds of rock and roll with classic sensibilities and progressive nuances permeate the crowd. At first a familiar chord strikes everyone's attention, then comes a catchy chorus followed by a memorable solo or remarkable moment of improvisation. Such an ear-pleasing arsenal carries into a non-stop evening of precise performance taking fans on a roller coaster ride of electric instrumentation, timeless balladry, unpredictable Jamming and the ultimate sing-a-long experience. It's a position held by a troupe of true musical luminaries who through over five decades in show business have been loaded with more hits than members can count, record sales well into the multi- millions and more drama than a VH1 "Behind the Music" episode and an E! "True Hollywood Story" documentary combined. The name is none other than The Guess Who, a group that's connected with the masses throughout a exultant hit parade spanning fourteen Top 40 hits, including "These Eyes," "Clap For the Wolfman," "Hand Me Down World," "No Time," "Star Baby" and "Share the Land." Add in fellow classics and double sided singles like their #1 rock anthem "American Woman" and "No Sugar Tonight," plus "Laughing" and "Undun," and the Canadian bred stateside conquerors are amongst music's most indelible treasures who are eternally etched within the very fabric of pop culture history. "You're going to see an excellent version of the songs and hear exactly how they should sound or be played," verifies founding member and original drummer/songwriter Garry Peterson.
    [Show full text]
  • JOAN CRAWFORD Early Life and Inspiration Joan Crawford Was Born Lucille Fay Lesueur on March 23, 1908, in San Antonio, Texas
    JOAN CRAWFORD Early Life and Inspiration Joan Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur on March 23, 1908, in San Antonio, Texas. Her biological father, Thomas E. LeSueur, left the family shortly after Lucille’s birth, leaving Anna Bell Johnson, her mother, behind to take care of the family. page 1 Lucille’s mother later married Henry J. Cassin, an opera house owner from Lawton, Oklahoma, which is where the family settled. Throughout her childhood there, Lucille frequently watched performances in her stepfather’s theater. Lucille, having grown up watching the many vaudeville acts perform at the theater, grew up wanting to pursue a dancing career. page 2 In 1917, Lucille’s family moved to Kansas City after her stepfather was accused of embezzlement. Cassin, a Catholic, sent Lucille to a Catholic girls’ school by the name of St. Agnes Academy. When her mother and stepfather divorced, she remained at the academy as a work student. It was there that she began dating and met a man named Ray Sterling, who inspired her to start working hard in school. page 3 In 1922, Lucille registered at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. However, she only attended the college for a few months before dropping out when she realized that she was not prepared enough for college. page 4 Early Career After her stint at Stephens, Lucille began dancing in various traveling choruses under the name Lucille LeSueur. While performing in Detroit, her talent was noticed by a producer named Jacob Shubert. Shubert gave her a spot in his 1924 Broadway show Innocent Eyes, in which she performed in the chorus line.
    [Show full text]
  • Burton Cummings Mccallum Theatre Monday – February 24 – 7:00Pm
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 29, 2020 CONTACT: DeAnn Lubell-Ames – (760) 831-3090 Note: Photos available at http://mccallumtheatre.com/index.php/media Burton Cummings McCallum Theatre Monday – February 24 – 7:00pm Palm Desert, CA – Burton Cummings, one of the most successful music artists in Canadian history, will head down south to the McCallum Theatre for a special performance at 7:00pm, Monday, Feb. 24. Cummings is best known as the former lead singer of and songwriter for The Guess Who. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, Canadian Walk of Fame, Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and the Prairie Music Hall of Fame. He’s won multiple Juno Awards, and is a recipient of the Order of Canada, the Order of Manitoba, the Governor- General’s Performance Arts Award, and several BMI (Broadcast Music Industry) awards for more than 1 million airplays of his songs. With Canada’s original rock ’n’ roll superstars The Guess Who, Burton scored an unprecedented string of international hit singles, including “These Eyes,” “Laughing,” “No Time,” “American Woman,” “Share the Land,” “Hang on to Your Life,” “Albert Flasher,” “Sour Suite,” “Glamour Boy,” “Star Baby,” “Clap for the Wolfman” and “Dancin’ Fool”—all written or co-written by Burton. By 1970, The Guess Who had sold more records than the entire Canadian music industry combined to that point, and the band’s achievements remain unparalleled. The group notched up a long list of firsts, including being the first Canadian group to reach No.
    [Show full text]
  • A Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2002 A Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays. Bonny Ball Copenhaver East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, and the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons Recommended Citation Copenhaver, Bonny Ball, "A Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays." (2002). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 632. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/632 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays A dissertation presented to the Faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis by Bonny Ball Copenhaver May 2002 Dr. W. Hal Knight, Chair Dr. Jack Branscomb Dr. Nancy Dishner Dr. Russell West Keywords: Gender Roles, Feminism, Modernism, Postmodernism, American Theatre, Robbins, Glaspell, O'Neill, Miller, Williams, Hansbury, Kennedy, Wasserstein, Shange, Wilson, Mamet, Vogel ABSTRACT The Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays by Bonny Ball Copenhaver The purpose of this study was to describe how gender was portrayed and to determine how gender roles were depicted and defined in a selection of Modern and Postmodern American plays.
    [Show full text]
  • Mystic Messenger Mystic Many of Us, a Time of Trying to Make
    Volume 6, Issue 2 December’s Theme is Stillness Stillness December 1, 2020 By Rebecca Kelley-Morgan, Director of some fashion. Keeping, as the poet Lifespan Religious Education Neruda writes, “our lives moving”. Reading, cleaning, exercising, baking Usually this season, December is a sourdough breads, household projects, rush of activity, gifting, cooking, plan- parenting, and home schooling, all on ning, and taking advantage of the steroids. I was encouraged to keep a many different times and ways to pandemic journal, so that a future Ken gather. Not this December. I have Burns has material to describe these always believed the many festivals times. I declined to accept the chal- during the winter were an instinctive lenge. push back at the darkness, finding consolation for the short days in cele- There are others who found a different bration with each other. Not this De- focus, falling into a sort of inertia, while cember. The pandemic has forced a doom scrolling through the news and protracted pause on our accustomed pandemic statistics, perseverating up- rhythms of living. on them. A couple of months ago, I found this Whatever our reactions and responses, poem by Pablo Neruda and promptly they all become exhausting. and at posted it above my computer screen. some point, the weight of keeping busy forces us into stillness. Stillness borne “Now we will count to twelve on fatigue, when the mind goes blank, when the hands grow idle. But are we and we will all keep still ever still? Our hearts beat on, our bod- for once... ies go about their business and we If we were not so single-minded about keeping our lives moving, and for once could do nothing, perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves…” (Continued on page 2) These last 9 months have been, for Mystic Messenger Mystic many of us, a time of trying to make Inside this issue: sense of the abrupt and continuing disruption to them.
    [Show full text]
  • Birth Behind the Veil: African American Midwives and Mothers in the Rural South, 1921-1962 by Kelena Reid Maxwell a Dissertatio
    Birth Behind the Veil: African American Midwives and Mothers in the Rural South, 1921-1962 by Kelena Reid Maxwell A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-New Brunswick Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in History written under the direction of Deborah Gray White and approved by ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ New Brunswick, New Jersey October, 2009 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Birth Behind the Veil: African American Midwives and Mothers in the Rural South, 1921-1962 By Kelena Reid Maxwell Dissertation Director: Deborah Gray White By the early twentieth century, the majority of white women living in the United States were giving birth in hospitals under the care of a physician. In 1921, the majority of women who gave birth under conditions that were indigenous, eclectic, spirit based, and not according to the standards of modern medicine, were the rural black women of the South. African American midwives and women of the South maintained the core qualities of the home birthing traditions, handed down through a matrilineal system of recruitment and training from the period of enslavement throughout the twentieth century. This occurred amidst a major program of midwife training and regulation. Public Health officials of the early twentieth century urged midwife regulation as a temporary measure. Medical professionals considered the lay midwives of the south a necessary evil. They were necessary because the population they served was left out of a medical system that operated according to the practices and laws of racial segregation.
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding Black Feminism Through the Lens of Beyoncé’S Pop Culture Performance Kathryn M
    Seattle aP cific nivU ersity Digital Commons @ SPU Honors Projects University Scholars Spring June 7th, 2018 I Got Hot Sauce In My Bag: Understanding Black Feminism Through The Lens of Beyoncé’s Pop Culture Performance Kathryn M. Butterworth Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.spu.edu/honorsprojects Part of the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, and the Race, Ethnicity and Post- Colonial Studies Commons Recommended Citation Butterworth, Kathryn M., "I Got Hot Sauce In My Bag: Understanding Black Feminism Through The Lens of Beyoncé’s Pop Culture Performance" (2018). Honors Projects. 81. https://digitalcommons.spu.edu/honorsprojects/81 This Honors Project is brought to you for free and open access by the University Scholars at Digital Commons @ SPU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Projects by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ SPU. I GOT HOT SAUCE IN MY BAG: UNDERSTANDING BLACK FEMINISM THROUGH THE LENS OF BEYONCÉ’S POP CULTURE PREFORMANCE by KATHRYN BUTTERWORTH FACULTY ADVISOR, YELENA BAILEY SECOND READER, CHRISTINE CHANEY A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University Scholars Program Seattle Pacific University 2018 Approved_________________________________ Date____________________________________ Abstract In this paper I argue that Beyoncé’s visual album, Lemonade, functions as a textual hybrid between poetry, surrealist aesthetics and popular culture—challenging the accepted understanding of cultural production within academia. Furthermore, Lemonade centers black life while presenting mainstream audiences with poetry and avant-garde imagery that challenge dominant views of black womanhood. Using theorists bell hooks, Stuart Hall, Patricia Hill- Collins and Audre Lorde, among others, I argue that Beyoncé’s work challenges the understanding of artistic production while simultaneously fitting within a long tradition of black feminist cultural production.
    [Show full text]
  • BENEFIT for MAMA BEARS Way, Here's Our Day to Socialize
    GROWING NEWS PAINS & NOTES August 1st marks a year since some Aug-Sept 1984 VoM, No 3 •Mama Bears' decided to rent the space we are in. There was no wiring, no plumbing, no side windows, and the floors were mostly dirt. Alice being who she is, looked at it and saw a M A M A B E A R S wonderful space. I could only look at it one eye at a time because all I & s^aw was a lot of work - and ask where BEACON PRESS all the money and energy would come from, anyway. * Proudly Celebrate Publication of Then things started to. happen. ANOTHER MOTHER TONGUE: Some very wonderful women held a par­ ty for us at which they raised about GAY WORDS, GAY WORLDS S900 to help us pay on our attorney's fees. Then our lawyer said, "Go ahead by and open a new space, don't worry Judy Grahn about paying me right now." Mickey Phillips (Arlene Slaughter's son) W ith a Party at Mama Bears from Central Realty not only arranged the lease for us, but believed in the > Sunday, August 5, 1984 vision enough to arrange some loans 4 PM for us. The I Ching said, "It'fur­ thers one to cross the great water." uie invite you—our sisters & brothers—to join We-were on our way. w ith us and Ms. Grahn in marking this joyous Several other; loans and donations event came to us; ranging from $10'to-$1000 from wonderful women who believed in Preface us.
    [Show full text]
  • 15Th Biennial Convention, National Federation of Republican
    The original documents are located in Box D27, folder “15th Biennial Convention, National Federation of Republican Women, Washington, DC, September 27, 1969” of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Digitized from Box D27 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library BEFORE THE 15TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN, WASHINGTON HILTON HOTEL, WASHINGTON, D.C., 7 P.M. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1969. ,.....~ MRS. NIXON, MAMIE, TRICIA, JULIE, DAVID, MADAM PRESIDENT, OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN, HONORED GUESTS, AND LEADERS OF THE WORLD: I CALL YOU LEADERS OF THE WORLD BECAUSE I HAVE LONG FELT THAT IT IS REALLY THE WOMEN WHO ARE RUNNING THE SHOW. MAYBE IT 1S A BEHIND-THE-SCENES SORT OF OPERATION IN MANY CASES, BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION ' THAT THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD ••• AND PARTICULARLY WOMEN IN AMERICA ••• WIELD TREMENDOUS POWER.
    [Show full text]
  • Concert Series
    WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020 A3 Concert Series Continued from Page A1 has been in the top fi ve on the country singles chart three times (1991, 2001 and 2003), giving it the distinction of being the only song in any genre of music to achieve that feat. It was also No. 1 on the pop charts after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In addition, CBS News voted “God Bless the U.S.A.” the most recognizable patri- otic song in America. The Platters come to Convention Hall on July 15. The group formed in 1953. “Only You (and You Alone)” became its fi rst big hit. The follow-up single, “The Great Pre- tender,” propelled The Platters to the No. 1 posi- Provided tion on the pop charts, The Platters come to Convention Hall on July 15. The group formed in 1953 and its hit, ‘The providing the launch pad for their meteoric rise as Great Pretender,’ took the No. 1 position on the pop charts. crossover artists. As a re- sult, The Platters became singles include “Where Provided the fi rst African-American Did Our Love Go,” “Baby The Summer Concert Series kicks off July 1 with the Duprees, group to achieve interna- Love,” “Come See About best known for the hit ‘You Belong to Me.’ tional superstardom. Oth- Me,” “Stop in the Name of er hits included “You’ve Love,” “Back in My Arms Got the Magic Touch,” Again,” “You Can’t Hurry “My Prayer,” “You’ll Love,” “I Hear a Sym- Never Know,” “Twilight phony” and “My World is Time” and “Smoke Gets Empty Without You.” in Your Eyes.” In 1988, Wilson accept- The Platters were in- ed the prestigious Life- ducted into the Rock & time Achievement Award Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 on behalf of the Supremes and “Only You (and You when they were inducted Alone)” and “The Great into the Rock & Roll Hall Pretender” were named of Fame.
    [Show full text]
  • Sounding Sentimental: American Popular Song from Nineteenth-Century Ballads to 1970S Soft Rock Emily Margot Gale Vancouver, BC B
    Sounding Sentimental: American Popular Song From Nineteenth-Century Ballads to 1970s Soft Rock Emily Margot Gale Vancouver, BC Bachelor of Music, University of Ottawa, 2005 Master of Arts, Music Theory, University of Western Ontario, 2007 A Dissertation presented to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Virginia in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Music University of Virginia May, 2014 © Copyright by Emily Margot Gale All Rights Reserved May 2014 For Ma with love iv ABSTRACT My dissertation examines the relationship between American popular song and “sentimentality.” While eighteenth-century discussions of sentimentality took it as a positive attribute in which feelings, “refined or elevated,” motivated the actions or dispositions of people, later texts often describe it pejoratively, as an “indulgence in superficial emotion.” This has led an entire corpus of nineteenth- and twentieth-century cultural production to be bracketed as “schmaltz” and derided as irrelevant by the academy. Their critics notwithstanding, sentimental songs have remained at the forefront of popular music production in the United States, where, as my project demonstrates, they have provided some of the country’s most visible and challenging constructions of race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, and morality. My project recovers the centrality of sentimentalism to American popular music and culture and rethinks our understandings of the relationships between music and the public sphere. In doing so, I add the dimension of sound to the extant discourse of sentimentalism, explore a longer history of popular music in the United States than is typical of most narratives within popular music studies, and offer a critical examination of music that—though wildly successful in its own day—has been all but ignored by scholars.
    [Show full text]