Building

[Teresa]

When you look at the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge or a Bentley, you do not think of a woman.

 

This occurred to me as I watched two women selecting a cake size and shape, then the frosting color and design, all meticulous decisions for them, then I realized that we all have the urge to create, which I already knew, but we all want to build too and yet, while men are out conquering and building empires, we women are planning baby showers, giant weddings, graduation parties, and making executive life-changing decisions about cakes!?!

 

History books are filled with stories of men who quite visibly changed the world; they built airplanes, invented telephones, light bulbs, vaccum cleaners, and even the first birth control pill.

 

Look around -- men built the world.

 

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this, how as a woman I am perceived by men (and now myself) as a cook/whore/princess/nanny/janitor in a grand palace built by someone else; I am perceived as the whole of women, in one of two ways, either as the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel -- Clothed in crinoline, Softer than the rain -- or the Commodores -- How can she lose with the sex she use, 36-24-36, what a winning hand. 

 

When I look around at what glory the world will remember, I do not see a woman in the picture.

 

 

[Gita]

Mary Anderson - windshield wipers.

Barbara Askins' invention involved the use of radioactive materials to enhance negatives, which, as it turned out, could also be used to enhance images even after the pictures had been developed. After patenting the invention in 1978 (U.S. patent No. 4,101,780), Askins' method was put to use by NASA with great success. In fact, Askins invention was so successful that it was adopted outside of the agency for a variety of other uses, including improving the clarity of x-rays and restoring old photographs. For her invention of a new way of developing film, Askins was honored as the National Inventor of the Year in 1978.

Bette Nesmith Graham -- Liquid Paper

Stephanie Kwolek - Kevlar

Hedy Lamarr -- yes that Hedy Lamarr -- developed the "spread spectrum" radio frequency technology galvanized the digital communications boom, forming the technical backbone that makes cellular phones, fax machines and other wireless operations possible.

Patsy Sherman, a researcher at 3M,  invented Scotchguard, a coating for polymer fibers.

Rachel Zimmerman - In the mid-1980s, a twelve-year old girl from Ontario, Canada, developed an invention that greatly helped people who have difficulty communicating: she created a software program using Blissymbols, symbols that enable non-speaking people, such as those with severe physical disabilities like cerebral palsy, to communicate.

For dozens more, see http://inventors.about.com/od/womeninventors/a/women_inventors.htm

 

[Toby Tucker Hecht]

You need to hang around different women. 

[Teresa]

@Angela ~ I like that you don't see the Garf/Commo song themes as a dilemma.  I never did but now that I'm getting older, less "softer than than the rain" or "sex she use", I wonder how much of what's left will get any notice?

@Ron ~ You are a horndog.  But we love you anyway.

@Christopher ~ You answer matches mine.  Women have an earthy natural power.  But it doesn't make the cover of Time.

@Toby ~ Only 43 women have won a Nobel since 1901.  And a teensy percentage of women are successful architects.  Line six is depressing.  Because it is true.  But I don't mean to be disrespectful.  I love being a woman.  I'm just not sure why, ha.  I love men, too.  I just don't want to appear as a cliche' to them, a mostly useless soft thing with breasts and too many feelings.  This six is also a social experiment.  I want the men to tell me where women are in the big scheme of things.  What is our value and why is it that "Behind every great man is a woman"?  Are we as recessive as our sex organ?  What is our purpose besides incubating future generations of great men?  And why is our minor role in history nothing to get depressed about?

@Stephen ~ Thank you.  I am aware of these hidden helpful roles, but women are still invisible unless there is major beauty or sexuality.  And I can hear my father-in-law's words, "All a woman has is a face and a figure."  He is not alone in this opinion.  And I can't really fault him for saying this when the majority of women are just not on the Map of the Great.  We can add that a woman is kind and compassionate, but these qualities are not listed as great wonders of the world.  Heavy sigh... 

[Stephen Torelli]

Just a thought, Teresa: Women, mamas, and wives run the show.  When General Douglas MacArthur was a cadet at West Point his mama spied on him with her "looking glass" while he was training on the parade field at West Point from her nearby bed and breakfast. And during their free time she would critique him to become a better cadet and officer. Lincoln also had a doting stepmom.  Excellent write!  

[Toby Tucker Hecht]

How do you know that the two women selecting a cake weren't Nobel Prize winners in a scientific field or town counsel leaders or highly skilled archetects or....?  Women certainly build!  That last sentence is depressing and untrue.

[Christopher Cody]

I really liked this 6. But unlike men the glory of women is not in the modern world. I think its in nature. Anytime people personify the ocean they say "she" and the same goes for a country or nation. Nature itself is referred to as "mother nature" and no matter how long empires and buildings last they will both crumble and nature will always prevail.  Just thought id share that with you. :)

[Ron. Lavalette]

I hafta admit: this is all a little too deep for a tiny mind such as mine, but almsot everything makes me think of a woman or women or womanhood in general.  Maybe I'm just a horndog.

[Angela]

No slamming here, but I think that the crowning glory of many buildings is a female form representing something like art or wisdom.  Not much of a consolation.

Now, about the Garfunkel/Commodore dilemma.  I do not see it as a dilemma so much any more.  I want to be both, and am, at will.  It is fun, when others cooperate.

What glory will the world remember?  Whatever is left standing for the longest period of time.  The pyramids gave us Nefertiti. 

You give such great things to think and talk about.  Cool cool six.