Framed
July 14, 2010
INVISIBLE …that is a word I hear middle-aged women often use to describe themselves in the midst of the lives they are living. How do YOU suppose so many feel exactly the same way? Upbringing; restriction placed on the possibilities for women? Mothers who expected little else than to serve a family and therefore communicated conditional value to their daughters? I am finding though that there seems to be a trend among 50somethings…less and less are settling for the quietness and isolation that often comes when one is cloaked in invisibility. More and more are donning their Super Hero caps and finding voices that speak volumes about who they are, what they value and how they intend to spend the rest of their lives.
I AM CURRENTLY WORKING ON AN AMAZING PROJECT BASED ON THE VOICES OF REAL WOMEN. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU…I WANT YOU TO SEND ME THE WORDs THAT DESCRIBES YOU AT THIS TIME IN YOUR LIFE…I am not looking for super woman, or fearless, or perfect…I am looking for the authentic words that describes you. I will use them to create the voice of our generation.
Me? letting go and open to possibilities.
Matters That Matter ® 
July 14, 2010 at 7:34 pm
The post-fifty perception of women is my schtick, I blog and wrote a novel about what happens when even the husband suddenly acts like the wife is invisible. So here’s one recent blog entry:
The other day I got a FB comment from Tony, my former fashion PR in London. We’d lost touch for 25 years. It said:
“Wow you’ve become such an ‘earth mother’… What happened?!!!!”
Ouch. I thought. I’m not cool anymore. I’m not post-punk London groovy anymore. I’m not young and cutting edge and wild a n y m o r e.
I’m an EARTH MOTHER!
SHIT.
I thought of cutting my hair and bleaching it . I thought of piercing my nose and tongue and moving back to London. I thought of me 25 years ago and I felt wistful.
Tony now owns a forecast service, predicting future fashion trends and runs it from Melbourne. I guess the latest wave of Green fashion hasn’t reached there yet, lets face it fashion forecasting from down under must be quite a challenge… I’m being bitchy. I know, here: ; ) … a blinking smiley should make Tony feel better.
So this is what happened:
I became a mother.
I grew up.
I saw better, clearer and beyond myself.
and use this in my work…
So maybe now I’m an earth mother and maybe I’m proud of it. Maybe the earth needs mothers. Its not like the fathers have done such a great job over the ages with their offerings of virgins and plundering and raping and not picking up after themselves. Maybe it takes some global mega-mothering, you know, like mothers for wiping sooty volcano’s, tucking in trembling fault lines, putting bandages on gaping ozone holes, and cold compresses on raising temperatures. And how about a few volunteer mother surrogates against the extinction of the Iberian Lynx , Saiga Antelope, Sumatran Tiger, Silky Sifafka and the South China Tiger?
If only.
If only earth mothers had father time on their side….
July 14, 2010 at 8:26 pm
I love the photograph..but not sure it represents well what we in the 50’s feel…this woman is definitely NOT invisible..shes gorgeous..even with the paint ..but the perky boobs and tiny waist..sort of give away the fact that even like this..she would demand attention.
Lets be honest with ourselves…as women..no matter what we accomplish..how many glass ceilings we break thru..or mountains we move..for alot of women we still feel our desirability lies in our appearance. There comes a time with almost all of us..where we walk into a room..and notice that men dont turn their heads..and no matter how in love you are with your mate or partner ..or how much you love your life…your kids or where you are emotionally now…no matter what..it still stings..
I have never considered myself beautiful..but I felt that with the right make up, the perfect black dress and a little luck from the “hair gods” I could command a “few glances” at any social event …however there came a time when all the “low lighting ” in the world did not create that need from anyone for “a second glance”..and indeed..I did feel invisible…very very invisible. Im very lucky that my husband still says “Youre pretty”…it makes the transistion a heck of a lot less bitter in the throat!
July 14, 2010 at 10:50 pm
wobbly.
uncertain.
cynical but grasping at hope.
fiercely loving.
strong.
scared.
wise-ass.
that’s me.
July 19, 2010 at 5:23 pm
“Framed” Thoughtprovoking…
*Arranged beforehand…
faked, fixed*, planted*, cooked up*, set up*, trumped up*. *
Made of wood
timbered, beamed, raftered, girdered, scaffolded, trussed, constructed, carpentered
I am all that, and more
It is said that women in Africa don’t drum….
I do
July 19, 2010 at 5:25 pm
http://www.ecu.edu/african/sersas/Papers/MarshallFall2001.htm