Chick Pick
Discovering the Chinese Way
by Julie Thompson
"The ancient building is renovating. Excuse me for bringing trouble to you," read the apologetic sign on a building in the centre of Beijing. For Faith Whitell, aged 66, of GinGin, Western Australia, it was just another example of the gentle manner of China. Read more.
Kate Haas: Miranda Zine
New Jersey, Indiana, Massachussets, Maryland, California, Oregon--and three life-changing years of Peace Corps service in Morocco: Kate Haas is a woman who has been around and has a story to tell. Or, rather, many stories to tell about her adventures as a mother, a Peace Corps volunteer, and more. Kate's first offspring was the love child of her writing and reading passions: a zine called Miranda (a favorite name Kate always thought she would use for a fiction character). Now the 41-year-old mother of two boys, Kate has established herself as an editor and a freelance writer of creative non-fiction, with publications in Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers, Mamazine and Mothers Movement Online, among others. Still, eight years after that first issue, she faithfully produces Miranda about twice a year for an eager readership. Mosaic Minds met up with Kate to find out more about her writing and her popular zine. Read more.
Mother Love
One morning a few weeks ago I was catching up on my blog reads and I came across a mention of a "great" new site that the blogger said was a "must-read" for all women. The title of the site, "The Shape of a Mother," intrigued me, so I clicked on the link and was whisked away to something the likes of which I'd never seen: dozens of pictures of women in various states of undress. Okay, I know we've all seen those sites, but this was something far different and wholly unexpected. The women on "The Shape of a Mother" looked like ME. Their bodies bore the badges of motherhood that I am all too familiar with--loose skin, stretch marks, saggy bellies--but instead of bemoaning their "flaws" or covering up in shame, these women were celebrating. Celebrating their bodies, celebrating themselves, celebrating their transformation into mothers. It was glorious. Read more.
Grrrl Pick
Jennifer Whiteford is the kind of woman I've always wanted to be: smart, funny, confident, irreverent, socially and politically aware ... and a published novelist. That last is the big buzz around Jennifer these days. Her debut novel, Grrrl, was released this spring to positive reviews and the ensuing readings and book tours have been keeping her plenty busy. Read more.
Trading Home Comforts for Dreamy Mountains in Nepal
by Julie Thompson
"The comforts of the west are definitely lacking in Nepal," says Britta Schroeder, a volunteer from Colorado, U.S. But despite living on rice and sleeping in a straw bed for four months, she would not trade her experiences as a Global Volunteer Network (GVN) volunteer for anything. Read more.
Betty Friedan--Gone But Not Forgotten
by Sarah Artis
One of the most influential American feminists of the twentieth century passed away earlier this year.
Betty Friedan, pioneer of the women's movement, died of heart failure in Washington on February 4. It was her 85th birthday. Friedan was a writer, social activist and mother of three. She was best known as author of The Feminine Mystique, a book discussing the dissatisfaction of women in their limited roles as housewives and mothers. Read more.
Dreams Start Early
by Sarah Artis
When Katherine Williams stands, she crosses her legs, putting one foot on top of the other, and bounces with excitement. She's usually smiling and her movements are relaxed, but she always stares intently at the person she's talking to. Whether Katie, age 8, is looking for answers or making sure the other person is listening is uncertain. Read more.
Dominatrix
by Sarah Artis
You can lick the heels of her black knee-high boots or spend a few hours locked in her cage, but no sexual contact is allowed. She'll tie you up and ride you like a pony, but she won't take off her clothes. And you never tell Sara Akeera what to say or do. Read more.
Shark Bait
by Sarah Artis
Tara Zonderland spent the better half of her 20s in the middle of the Caribbean ocean feeding sharks. The small-town Canadian girl knew after her first lesson that scuba diving was for her. Read more.
To Health and Happiness
by Sarah Artis
At first glance, Jenn Carter, Health and Fitness Director of the Vancouver Southslope YMCA, matches the fitness industry stereotype perfectly: she is blonde, bubbly and fit. After five minutes of conversation, however, it is obvious that the aerobics-instructor-turned-director takes her job very seriously and is quite good at what she does. There is a much more going on in her head than, as some people may presume, whether or not she looks good in her workout clothes. Read more.
Snowboarding Entrepreneur Extraordinaire
by Sarah Artis
It is a Saturday night on the first really hot summer day of the year, a time when most people are taking their holidays or relaxing for the weekend. Yet, during the course of this one evening, Yuho Sekihara, age 27, receives several phone calls from investors interested in her new company, Gauge, a women's athletic clothing line, as well as several frantic phone calls from her father seeking advice on the sale of his home. He wants to accept the first offer but Sekihara insists he counteroffer for more money. Read more.
Before Her Time: Mary Wollstonecraft
A few days ago I was driving along, happily minding my own business and having a normal conversation with my husband. I suddenly let out a small scream of joy and pointed frantically at the car next to me. Read more.
Sling Sisters
Even on the surface, Carrie Allard and Vickie Johnsson have quite a lot in common. They're both North Americans--Carrie from Nova Scotia and Vickie from the eastern United States--transplanted to Sweden. Both have Swedish husbands whom they met online, and both are dedicated stay-at-home moms with their feet planted firmly in the "attachment parenting" camp. It should be no surprise, then, to learn that they have forged a strong friendship from these commonalities. What is surprising is that they were business partners almost before they were friends, and, perhaps more surprising still, they have yet to meet in person. Read more.
Textile Artist Robin Cowley
When you hear the word "quilting" it may bring to mind a treasured quilt your grandmother made, or the talents of the Amish, or perhaps a gathering of elderly women gossiping at a quilting bee in a church basement. This is partly why the woman I chose to interview does not consider herself a quilter but rather a textile artist. Read more.
Mir from Woulda Coulda Shoulda
Woulda Coulda Shoulda may be a relative newcomer on the blog scene, but it's remarkably free from the awkwardness and "growing pains" that often plague new bloggers. Mir, the brains behind this blog you don't want to miss, writes like a pro, treating us to long daily entries filled with irony, rueful observations, angst, neurosis, and most of all, humor. If there's one thing Mir can do, you see, it's laugh, and she seems to laugh loudest when she laughs at herself. Give her a read, and I guarantee you'll be laughing, too. Read more.
Tracy Bohannon Opens Her Heart and Home
For the past six years Tracy Bohannon and her husband, Billy, have opened their home to over 25 children in need of a loving family. Some of the children were just "weekenders," kids who were removed from their homes and had to wait for social services to contact a responsible relative on Monday morning. Others have had a longer stay in the Bohannon household, benefiting from all the motherly love that mama-bear Tracy has to share. Read more.
Laura Johnson
by Alyson Vykhovanyuk
This month's chick pick is Laura Johnson, a 27-year-old bassist who's been playing for almost thirteen years, but has been involved with music since she was a child. She's been in a variety of different bands, including punk, goth, blues/jazz and all kinds of rock. With four official album credits (and one unofficial) under her belt, she has a lot going for her resume-wise and has even made a professional music video. Read more.
Elin Tjerngren
Elin Tjerngren wears many hats. She's a successful entrepreneur, a computer programmer, a ceramicist, a gadget geek, a photographer, a painter, and a host of other things, not least of which is my sister-in-law. She was born in northern Sweden, where she still lives, in 1973. Following her basic schooling she attended a technical gymnasium--roughly equivalent to American high school, but much more specialized--with the goal of becoming an electrician. After completing the three-year program, she applied to and was accepted by a nearby art school where she spent two years studying ceramics, drawing and painting, textiles, and photography. A period of media work and education culminated in a two-year Interactive Media program in Skellefteå, Sweden. In 1998 she and her partner, Jonas Persson, founded the web design agency Artopod. "At last," she says, "I managed to combine the artistic with the technical--and that's my current work as a web developer!" Read more.
What If?
J. Rubi was a wild child. Her brother died when she was just nine years old, leaving a little girl in a family that couldn't deal with grief. Rubi thought should she have died too, but she didn't. Instead, she kept living, an invisible presence in her family. She begged for love, a true, endless love, but she didn't receive it. Read more.
Heroes and Role Models
by Katrina Martin
This month's theme is "heroes" and I wanted to find out who the writers and artists who contribute to and read Mosaic Minds look up to. Here are their responses.
One of my heroes is Frida Kahlo. Frida faced so many challenges and setbacks in her life and she rose above them. She created for herself, not for fame. She was messy and colorful and lived life fully. She kept journals where she proclaimed her love, her hurt, her feelings. She didn't hold back. I admire her because she was truly herself.
--Penelope, staff illustrator Read more.
Keri Smith on Winging It
by Katrina Martin
Keri Smith, the illustrious illustrator who shares her creative struggles at her website Wish Jar Journal, has made a living of winging it. In fact, she wrote a book about it. Living Out Loud is a book that encourages those with a passion for creating--whether with words or illustrations or paintings or anything at all--to play more in order to unleash their creativity. Read more.
Madge gets funky with nostalgic purses and lamps
by Katrina Martin
Madge Dietz is a busy bee. By day the Pittsburgh, PA resident designs computer software interfaces. By night she creates purses, lamps, sketch books and even curtains out of record covers and old children's books. It sounds strange at first, but Madge works magic with her creations to make them irresistible. Read more.
One Creative Person Shares Her Inspiring Story
by Katrina Martin
Alex Beauchamp doesn't like to be pigeonholed. Therefore, rather than adopting a specific professional title, she calls herself a "creative person." She writes, paints, draws, photographs and creates websites. She's working on a book and has another waiting in the wings. Through her sites she's become a bit of a web celebrity with her straightforward, honest, and elegant writing. Even with these successes, she remains humble and doesn't see what she does as unique or extraordinary. Read more.