With this fabulous summer weather upon us, I can't help but think about being out in the open, riding anywhere there's decent road and minimal traffic. Years ago I fell in love with being on a bike......a Harley, that is. It's been many years since then, marriage, kids, divorce and remarriage with his & hers kids. Time has gotten away from me. Things I used to love to do got replaced by things that needed to be done, riding replaced with work, school, house, stress.

As time went on, I thought less and less about riding....except in the late spring, when I'd hear that unmistakable rumble off in the distance, and have that sudden recollection of feeling the wind in my face, the sun on my back and the smell of the woods or fields or desert around me.

My daydreams of riding a two-wheeler have been replaced by one for a three-wheeler: a bike with a side-car to be exact. I'd really love to build the whole deal myself....and I know this would be a long, loooong project. I'm in not particular hurry. I've got way too many things going on to put this at the top of the list. Besides, I need to build up my courage to get back on, since I had a minor incident way back when.

Nevertheless....my decision to add researching a bike/sidecar as part of my 101 list is at least pointing me in the direction and giving me the inspiration to revive that dream.

I picture me and my husband riding, with one of our dogs & some luggage alongside. Puppy goggles! Minimalist camping, or maybe a bed & breakfast along the way. Who knows where? Does it matter?

Meanwhile, here is the first step in researching a sidecar. These folks just may steer me away from a complete "build it myself".

Liberty Sidecars, out of Seattle Washington, has been in buisness for twenty years, hand-building sidecars to order. Check out their website to see some extraordinary work!! Here is just one example.

Today's exercise in the Law of Attraction: I'm having a wonderful day!

Had a great dream just before I woke up! Had a few great moments just before work!

I am full of anticipation and excitement about the future! Life is better than good, it's great!

#84. Read a feminist blog twice a month. http://feministblogs.org/

I feel like the proverbial "ostrich". When I read articles on feminist blogs, I am forced to pull my head out of the sand and acknowledge the millions of little (and huge) ways that women are marginalized, undermined, minimized and manipulated in our culture (both national and global). To read from the feminist view forces me to see those things that I have subconsciously blocked out, because the process of blocking also keeps the anger at bay.

I once read that a woman cannot be a feminist and not be angry. The comment then became part of a class discussion in a course I took entitled "Race, Class and Sex", which focused on how color, income and gender impact everyone, and how certain groups are immune to those impacts. Rich people, white people and men feel the effect of their "condition" the least. And if you happen to be all three, well, life can be a whole lot easier for you than for most.

The discussion about being angry was interesting, as several women in the class were fairly devout Christians and felt that anger was an inappropriate response. Others felt that there is no possible way to counter the centuries-long embedded mindset of patriarchy other than by getting very mad and very active.

My day to day response: sadly and shamefully, I've avoided a great deal of it. Deep down, I know that if I ever allow myself to fully feel and see and acknowledge the injustices, the inequalities, the marginalization and sometimes the horrific treatment that women receive in our patriarchal society, I'm gonna get mad. Real mad. And I'm going to want, ....no, I'm going to NEED to do something about it. And I don't know what that is, yet. And therein lies my path to the sand. Not knowing what I can do makes me feel helpless. And ineffective.

And I am neither of those things.

So, where do I start...?

So, I have this nagging thought in the back of my mind....it's been over a month since I've updated anything on my 101 list. And I am acutely aware that I haven't really finished anything that I could actually add. But...I have been doing little bits here and there that at least move the needle a bit in the right direction.


I've picked up "Math from the Birth of Numbers" again and re-read the preface and intro, and started chapter one....again. It's a huge book, and very necessary for me to be in the proper state of mind to want to read it and enjoy it.


I did watch all the Lord of the Rings movies again last week, only not in one day...

And I'm reading feminist blogs. Since I'm not that savvy with blogging yet, not yet linked to many bloggers, and don't yet know my way around the blogging community, I relied on Google to help me locate a starting point for this one:

http://feministblogs.org/ is an aggregator of articles written by feminists. Perfect.

________________

As I read thru my list, I've become more aware of things on it that are not likely to happen, and even a few that I've changed my mind about. I'm deciding whether to stick it out with the existing list or to modify it to include some new things I'd like to do and eliminate the ones that no longer really interest me. Still deciding...