100 years of womening...

A woman I respect and admire more than my words can express resigned from her position today. Her two boys (a 3-year old and a 5-year old) started pulling out the ever-so-heart-wrenching phrase, "mommy's working" in her absence. She thought (and properly so) it best to part with her high-flying gig in the skyscraper, for a much more trying post - motherhood.

I know it's the right decision. I know it's a good decision. She had been wearing herself down for some time. But, I think it galls us to ask ourselves what is says about a system that is unable to sustain our women. When making the decision to have children means taking a few steps down from the corporate ladder. What does it say? What do our "achievements" really mean if a woman in a position of power, ambitious as they come, with the smarts, the abilities and the heart to do the best possible job, can't? What does it say?

It's a loss. In every way. No matter how you slice it. A woman should not have to choose between a family and a career. But, take a long, hard look at the women that sit in the boardrooms of this country and the proof is blatantly clear.

It's ironic too, considering we're at the fore of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, tomorrow, March 8th.  After 100 years of womening, it's clear to see that progress has been made. Lest we forget the suffrage movement, the millions upon millions of women who have come before us (bra burning et al.) fighting for the great freedoms that we have, and at times, take for granted. Long battles were fought, and still there are more to come.

On this day we think of the famed femmes. We think of Rosa Parks, who left a nation changed by refusing to surrender her seat to a white man on a bus. The greatest saint our generation will ever know, The Mother Teresa of India's most impoverished slums. And yes, an unseemly alliance - a royal with a humanitarian flare, the peoples' Princess Diana. We think of their achievements and remain deeply touched by their service to women (and humanity).

But, we also take a bow to the women in our everyday lives. Who don "the cape" - you know that red one - superwoman styles. As they lead their workplaces, their families, their communities and everything else in between. We - the young femmes - look on in awe. Hoping, some day, we may be so fortunate to have the strength to balance it all. We yearn for a system that will sustains us, our ambitions, our desires and our dreams.

I hope you take a moment to send a nod to the women in your lives, your everyday Rosa Parks or Mother Teresas or Princess Di's. Those women you hold so high on that pedestal. Send them a note, to help them soldier on. In every way, a salute to one woman in your life is a salute to women everywhere.

Happy IWD. Vive les femmes. Here's to another century of progress.

An update and some quotable quotes a la The West Wing

As a newly hired speechwriter, I'm finding that inspiration is rare to come by. And often - nay, too often - the days are spent chasing deadlines and pleasing the powers that be, so much so that there is little time left for the serendipity - the romance - the sheer joy of the speechwriting craft if you will. 

I keep reading it's a lot like acting. And it's true. I get into character when I'm ghostwriting--well I try to anyway, best I can. I put myself in the speakers shoes, imagine myself in their head and under their skin and think of things that they might think and see and do or say. It can actually be quite fun! I get to learn a ton, A TON, about Toronto, there's a shit load of ridiculously cool grassroots organizations out there doing some friggin fantastic work.

I have a deep (perhaps deeper?) affection for Barack Obama. Politics aside, he who makes himself available to his chief speechwriter - Jon Favreau -  is in my good books. Favreau, being in his late 20s, is inspiration enough. I'm only now learning how difficult "access" is to come by. I wish I had it, I so rarely do. There's somethings you just can't make up. So as much as you hope your speaker will add colour and anecdotes in the delivery, you lose the umpf factor and most of your control in resonating with your audience when you don't have that inside scoop. Though when you do, boy do you make the most of it. Like a kid in a candy store, you soak it in with each and every one of your senses. 

The learning curve is steep, that's putting it lightly. But, I'm really enjoying it. I've always believed I'm a bit of a masochist and that I like this experience is proof of that. The absolute decimation of my ego allows for a pure and uninhibited focus on honing some key skills. 

I still have a long, long ways to go. I know where I'd like to be and where I need to be. But, the process is - and has been - trying, and excruciatingly slow. I hope to have opportunities to meet some of the impeccable speechwriters that have come before my time. Canada seems to lag behind the States and parts of Europe in organizing a Guild of sorts, but I guess that's no surprise. 

I'll do my best to post updates as I soldier on - both here and on my twitter account @DLamsar. My sincere apologies to those missing me in their lives. Trust me, my end is probably just as lonely - if not more - than yours. 

Until next time, much love. 

d.

Oh and here's some sweet literary connoisseuring from The West Wing. Enjoy! 

"Securing peace in a time of global conflict. Sustaining hope in this winner of anxiety and fear.

More than any time in recent history, America’s destiny is not of our own choosing.

We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedom and our way of life.

We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil.

Yet, the true measure of a peoples’ strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive.

44 people were killed 4 hours on the swim team. Upon hearing about the explosions, they ran into the fire to help get people out.

Ran into the fire.

The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight. They’re our students and our parents and our teachers our friends. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight.

But, every time we think we’ve reached our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and are reminded that that capacity may well be limitless.

This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard.

We will achieve what is great.

This is a time for American heroes. And we reach for the stars.

God bless their memory. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America."-- President Bartlet in "20 Hours in America"

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral. Returning violence with violence only multiplies violence. Adding deeper darkness to a night already void of stars." -- Quoting Dr. King, in "The Dogs of War"