Pingy-Dingy Wednesday – Mary Jacobsen’s “The Morning Show”

Always thoughtful, interesting, and kind, Mary Jacobsen interviews fascinating people on “The Morning Show” every week. A recent episode featured Dr. Gretchen Sorin, discussing “her book and PBS documentary, ‘Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights’ which explores the history of restricted movement for African Americans dating from the era of slavery past Emancipation into Reconstruction and beyond to the present. The car, Sorin explains, opened up new possibilities for African Americans to enjoy the open road, and thereby prompted the creation of what she describes as a “parallel, unseen world of black motorists, who relied on travel guides, black only businesses, and informal communications networks to keep them safe.” These guides included the famous Green Book, which helped grant black Americans that most basic American rite, the family vacation. Sorin also addresses the pivotal role cars played in the Civil Rights movement, including their role in the success of the Montgomery bus boycott.”

Mary in the Morning, you get one pingy-dingy! Thank you for your unfailing interest in this big beautiful world, and for introducing us to people and topics that make our lives so much richer!

Link to audio version: https://soundcloud.com/ncmhub/morning…

I’m a typewriter whompin’, card catalogue lovin’ white girl from back in the day, and I yearn for a time before the covers of trade paperbacks were all squidgy, so you can imagine that I don’t actually understand what a pingback is. I do know that it can in some way be part of spreading the love, and since that’s what I’m all about at The Total Femme… every Wednesday, I pay homage to the laughter, love, and inspiration to be had elsewhere online.

At the Total Femme, my intention is to post three times a week: Meditations for Queer Femmes on Monday, Pingy-Dingy Wednesday on Wednesday and Femme Friday on Friday. Rather than play catch-up in a stressful fashion on those weeks when life prevents posting, I have decided to just move gaily forward: if I miss a Monday, the next post will be on Wednesday, and so on. Thank you, little bottle of antibiotics for inspiring me in this! (“…if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Don’t take a double dose to make up for a missed one.”)

Published in: on December 16, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Meditations for Queer Femmes – Ahead

I don’t drive much these days, and today, whilst dropping off some queer books for my dear queer friend, my car died. Neighbors were called upon, and one of them came through with a charger. After trying to get him to tell me what kind of cookies he likes so I could drop off a gratitude gift (he demurred, so bashful), I decided to take the ol’ Femmemobile for a nice long drive to fatten up her battery, so off we went, onto the highway, tirra lee, tirra loo.

At one point, we passed a sign reading “Ahead”. Nothing more, just “Ahead”.

Yes, and isn’t it the truth? So much mystery is ahead of us. There is nothing really to guide us but our own wit and wiles, the wisdom we’ve picked up along the way, and our ability to situate ourselves as comfily as possible in the ever-ticking present.

I’ve lived in this area a long time. When Seth was a baby, he wouldn’t nap unless I put him in the previous Femmemobile and drove. Without quite meaning to, I found myself retracing our old Nappy Drive Route. It seemed like a good time to send him my love and my prayers.

I’ve lived in my body for nigh on 59 years. I’m still learning to listen to, cherish, celebrate, care for. Out there on the highway, pocketa pocketa, it seemed like a good time to look inside and send myself my love and prayers.

I don’t know what’s ahead for Seth, for me, for the two of us, or for you, dearest femme sisters. I know you are managing and negotiating through these almost-Solstice days, handling everything from disasters to miracles. I am so glad to be in your company, and to know there’s a femme bond that connects us as we carry on. And just about now seems like an excellent time for me to send you my love and prayers.

You wonderfuls, you beautifuls, you marvels!

Here we go!

Every Monday, I offer a Meditation for Queer Femmes, in the spirit of my maternal grandmother, Mimi, who was fabulous, and from whom I inherited her Meditations for Women.

At the Total Femme, my intention is to post three times a week: Meditations for Queer Femmes on Monday, Pingy-Dingy Wednesday on Wednesday and Femme Friday on Friday. Rather than play catch-up in a stressful fashion on those weeks when life prevents posting, I have decided to just move gaily forward: if I miss a Monday, the next post will be on Wednesday, and so on. Thank you, little bottle of antibiotics for inspiring me in this! (“…if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Don’t take a double dose to make up for a missed one.”)

Published in: on December 14, 2020 at 4:27 PM  Comments (1)  
Tags: ,

Femme Friday – Alaina Lavoie

Alaina’s super-adorable picture caught my eye in the summer issue of Boston Spirit, with her sweet smile and marvelous style. Turns out this nonbinary femme is super-accomplished as a journalist, an editor, communications manager, writing coach and more. In the Boston Spirit interview, she was asked, “How does being part of LGBTQ communities impact what you do?” to which she answered:

            It impacts everything I do. Throughout my life, I’ve gone from being ashamed and afraid to being openly queer to completely celebrating my queer identity. I’ve written extensively about LGBTQ+ communities and identity, and I put a lot of effort into making sure the work we do at WNDG (We Need Diverse Books) is LGBTQ-inclusive, from suggesting we change the language “preferred pronouns” to “pronouns” to making LGBTQ+ book recommendation lists for our followers. Being LGBTQ+ affects everything I do, in work and life, even when I’m not conscious of it. (Boston Spirit, Jul/Aug 2020).

Deep gratitude, Alaina, for your celebration of your own and others’ beautiful queerness, and for all the generous, hard, inspiring, loving work you do for our community and beyond. Check out her website here:

About

Every Friday, I showcase a queer femme goddess. I want to feature you! Write to me at thetotalfemme@gmail.com and let me shine a spotlight on your beautiful, unique, femme story! If you’ve written a femme story or poem or song, oh, please let me post it! Sometimes I talk about books, too…

 New Femme Friday feature starting spring 2020: Queer Femmes Respond. Are you reading more poetry? Are you navigating various technologies in order to see your folx and not be so isolated? Are you still going out to work? Are you able to get out for walks? Who’s home with you? We queer femmes are meeting these unsettling times with queer femme panache, and I want to hear about it! Along the lines of the Corona Letters over at the Sewanee Review, please send in what you’re doing, how you’re staying centered and sane! Write me at thetotalfemme@gmail.com with questions or ideas or a full-on post (with bio, if possible)!

At the Total Femme, my intention is to post three times a week: Meditations for Queer Femmes on Monday, Pingy-Dingy Wednesday on Wednesday and Femme Friday on Friday. Rather than play catch-up in a stressful fashion on those weeks when life prevents posting, I have decided to just move gaily forward: if I miss a Monday, the next post will be on Wednesday, and so on. Thank you, little bottle of antibiotics for inspiring me in this! (“…if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Don’t take a double dose to make up for a missed one.”)

Published in: on December 11, 2020 at 5:11 PM  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

Pingy-Dingy Wednesday – Bite the Road and Frank Strona

WHO is that adorable queer in the picture?? I was just innocently batting around the internet looking for a recipe I’d read about somewhere, and up popped this lovely fellow! Turns out he not only offers up recipes, but has a TEDX Provincetown talk about being a Daddy Bear, creating community and more, and does a bunch of other cool stuff to boot.

Frank Strona, you get one pingy-dingy! Thanks for the love you give, the yummy recipe, and the sweet and meaningful TED talk!

https://bitetheroad.com/pastel-israeli-spiced-meat-pie/

I’m a typewriter whompin’, card catalogue lovin’ white girl from back in the day, and I yearn for a time before the covers of trade paperbacks were all squidgy, so you can imagine that I don’t actually understand what a pingback is. I do know that it can in some way be part of spreading the love, and since that’s what I’m all about at The Total Femme… every Wednesday, I pay homage to the laughter, love, and inspiration to be had elsewhere online.

At the Total Femme, my intention is to post three times a week: Meditations for Queer Femmes on Monday, Pingy-Dingy Wednesday on Wednesday and Femme Friday on Friday. Rather than play catch-up in a stressful fashion on those weeks when life prevents posting, I have decided to just move gaily forward: if I miss a Monday, the next post will be on Wednesday, and so on. Thank you, little bottle of antibiotics for inspiring me in this! (“…if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Don’t take a double dose to make up for a missed one.”)

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

Published in: on December 9, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Comments (2)  
Tags: ,

Meditations for Queer Femmes – “Closed Until Further Notice”

Small pandemic scene: on the grounds outside our local library, two long-time tai chi practitioners, all bundled up, go through their moves. The dog and I stroll slowly – he’s a tri-paw, and elderly —  crunching through the thin scrim of snow covering the grass. After our walk, I tuck him back in his seat with a treat, then make my way up to the library for my contactless pickup. But the library is closed until further notice.

Turns out someone who works there tested positive, so they need to shut down for a while, but I didn’t know that until later. At the time, I just took it in my covid stride, even though I really wanted my books. I have books at home, believe it or not, and I figured there was a good reason for the shut down. That’s what we do, these days, isn’t it? Turn on a dime. Make do. Try to hold things lightly. Be more grateful than ever for health and well-being.

Just like the small pandemic scene, this is a small meditative offering. To say I’m with you. Thinking about you, sending you love. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, I hope you may find, here and there throughout your day, vibrant, meaningful connection to others, to the world, to your own hearts and souls. You, queer femmes, dearest loving creatures, you are so precious. This post is in celebration of you.

Every Monday, I offer a Meditation for Queer Femmes, in the spirit of my maternal grandmother, Mimi, who was fabulous, and from whom I inherited her Meditations for Women.

At the Total Femme, my intention is to post three times a week: Meditations for Queer Femmes on Monday, Pingy-Dingy Wednesday on Wednesday and Femme Friday on Friday. Rather than play catch-up in a stressful fashion on those weeks when life prevents posting, I have decided to just move gaily forward: if I miss a Monday, the next post will be on Wednesday, and so on. Thank you, little bottle of antibiotics for inspiring me in this! (“…if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Don’t take a double dose to make up for a missed one.”)

Published in: on December 7, 2020 at 7:35 PM  Comments (2)  
Tags: ,