{ Volume XXIV, Number 4 } July & August 2009 A Publication of the Women’s Community Center of San Luis Obispo

po County

FREE ADMISSION

August 8th 2009

10am - 5pm
Mission Plaza, SLO

Featuring
Live Music,
Handcrafted Items
& Kidz Zone!
Painting by Elise Beavers

3 WCC Move 6 Motherhood 9 Day With Creative 12

Women Details

4 Creative Women 7 Voices Around the Table: 10 Transitioning Your

Promoting Equality Community
2 Women’sPress
Courtney’s Quill
Well, summer has officially begun, and we
seem to be in the midst of perfect summer
weather! I love the longer days, the warmer
evenings, and the overflowing local pro-
duce stocked at every local farmers market.
And, of course, this is always the time of
the year for me to catch up on the stack of
novels growing more quickly than my own
children! Oh how I love summer!
Besides the time to read and cook, sum-
mer also brings one of the most fun events
to our town. Day with Creative Women
takes place on August 8, 2009 from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. in the Mission Plaza. This event
celebrates women artists from a variety of
genres and mediums. There is a place for
children to play, for vendors to sell their
crafts and artwork, and for everyone to
dance to the wonderful musical artists who
send amazing tunes throughout the entire
plaza! I have enjoyed this festival for the
past five years, and yet, did you know that
this is the 35th anniversary of the festival?
Wow. Congratulations to the Women’s
Community Center for putting on such a
fantastic event every year.
This issue follows with Day with Cre-
ative Women, as this is our creative issue.
Please look on page 4 for all the wonder-
ful poems we received. We truly have some
talented women in our community, and I
am so proud and happy to publish some
of their amazing personal thoughts and
poems. Bravo to all of our amazing artists.
Finally, I urge you to spend a little
time volunteering for Women’s Press. We
are in desperate need of some help, and I
promise you the work is minimal. If you
are at all interested, please contact us at
womenspress.slo@gmail.com.
So, enjoy your summer and all the
goodness that comes with this time of year,
and I hope to see you at Day with Creative
Women!
Courtney
YOU CAN HELP
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ON THE CENTRAL COAST!
For more information,
see the callout on page 14.
MAILING ADDRESS:
Women’s Press
Women’s Community Center
PO Box 13659
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
805.544.9313
Managing Editor: Courtney Brogno
womenspress.slo@gmail.com
Layout & Design: Benjamin Lawless
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Advertising Team:
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Benjamin Lawless
Submissions Welcomed!
Articles, essays, opinion pieces, letters, artwork, poetry
wanted & appreciated. The Women’s Press reserves the
right to edit all submissions for content, clarity &
length. Contact womenspress.slo@gmail.com or call
805-544-9313. Submissions will also be placed online.
The opinions expressed in the Women’s Press are those of the
authors & do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the
Women’s Community Center. The Women’s Community Center
does not necessarily endorse products or services advertised
in the Women’s Press.
Drum Circle Magic Part Seven:
Rhythmic Enlightenment
Welcome back to the circle. If you have
been following this column, we have
taken a journey together into the various
aspects of rhythm. These explorations have
included the universal, emotional, personal,
heart beat, communicative, and intuitive
aspects of drumming. Some of you may see
a pattern. Contemplating the format to use
in beginning this series, I was drawn to the
human chakra system as a mode for dis-
cussing the essentials, as this is the basis of
our energetic presence. In keeping with this
template, we have arrived at our connection
to the Divine.
Our brains are separated into two hemi-
spheres, the left and right, responsible for
logic and creativity, respectively. These
halves take turns, lasting about 30 minutes
About This Issue’s Cover Artist
Elise Beavers
Elise Beavers is a third year student in the
Communication Design program at Cali-
fornia State University Chico, studying
Graphic Design. Originally from Moraga,
California, she has studied fine art for over
ten years and is currently working to build
her portfolio to advance within her pro-
gram. She hopes to establish herself in the
Graphic Design industry, with a focus on
advertising and package design.
6000 free copies distributed in SLO County. Subscriptions available.
Contributors
MaryAine Cherry
Jeanie Greensfelder
Laura Grace
Judythe Guarnera
Hilda Heifetz
Lisa Pimental Johnson
Lisa Jouet
Angie King
Volunteers
Evelyn Adams
Barbara Atkinson
Cassandra Carlson
MaryAine Cherry
Kathleen Deragon
Bailey Drechsler
Anne Dunbar
Cynthia Fatzinger
Ani Garrick
Angela Henderson
Margaret Hennessy
Jane Hill
Susan Howe
Women’s Press | July & August 2009 | womenspress.slo@gmail.com
To have a deeper experience, the trick is
to sync both sides of the brain to the same
frequency, known as hemispheric synchro-
nization, preferably in Alpha or Theta.
Hemispheric synchronization in Theta cre-
ates a state of consciousness during which
much greater integration is possible. We
become insightful, access intuition and
creativity easily, experience spontaneous
healing, and more directly perceive our
connection to the Divine. Chanting, danc-
ing, spinning, meditating, from the begin-
ning of human existence, we have sought to
achieve this blissful, indescribable, transfor-
mational state of grace otherwise known as
transcendental consciousness, and extend
it for as long as possible. As covered in
earlier articles, sound very effectively pro-
to 3 hours playing the dominant role. Not duces entrainment, making trance inducing
only are we switching sides, we are often drumming one of the easiest ways to syn-
generating many separate wave patterns, chronize and maintain Theta waves. This
at varying frequencies, on either side. Our was the major role of the ancient Priest-
conscious thoughts are supported by three esses, it is the Shaman’s Way, the Path of
major types of brain waves: Beta, the out- the Sufi, the Mystic Heart and the ultimate
ward, logical, analytical speech mode; purpose of drumming.
Alpha, a slower, more relaxed, creative state; Even if you are only planning to have
and Theta, the most profound and dream- a little fun with your drum (and there is
like, interfacing conscious and unconscious nothing wrong with that!), you should be
thought. Theta is the frequency of advanced aware of this aspect. It is the source of cul-
learning and physical and emotional tural reverence, the incredible persistence of
healing, but is very hard to maintain, the practice in the face of persecution, and
usually leading quickly into Delta, the pat- the feeling of oneness within a circle. You
tern of sleep. At any given time several con- hold a powerful tool for increased health,
scious frequencies, even possibly the same well-being, and spiritual insight. How far
but out of sync, may be taking place within you take it is up to you. So play and grow
the brain. and until next time, keep the beat!
Correction from Last Issue My piece “Waiting” belongs to a body
of work that focuses on a moment of cri-
Cover Artist sis. Interested in manmade disaster, such
as nuclear, and its ability to match the
Ashley Wertheimer destructive forces of nature, this piece cre-
ates my own vision of the catastrophic
moment before the two powers collide.
The theme of manmade order and
nature has carried over into my final year as
an art and design major at Cal Poly, now
focusing on royal European gardens and the
taming of the natural world. Using water
fountains as my subject matter, my recent
work explores the liquidity of paint, specifi-
cally the manner in which it breaks down
a form creating tension between figure and
ground. “Waiting” was shown in January at
Traditional Tattoo as part of my first solo
show. I’m graduating in June as a fifth year
senior Art and Design major at Cal Poly. I
Last issue’s cover artist bio for Ashley Wert-
lived in Italy and studied art for a year, an
amazing experience that has changed my
heimer was inaccurate. We sincerely apologize life forever. After I fulfill my desire to travel
for this mistake. The title for the cover art was abroad again, I hope to continue on to grad
“Waiting.” In her own words: school in the near future.
Women’s Community Center Board
Angie King, President
Sonia Paz Baron-Vine
Robin Rinzler
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July & August 2009 | www.womenspress-slo.org | Women’s Press
Timeless Insights from
“The E-Myth Manager”
by Adele Sommers
Whether you’re in a large organization or a
small business startup, a few elusive ques-
tions you may be pondering are:
“Are we there yet?”
“Are are people happy and committed
enough to stay, learn, and grow with us,
while contributing 110% of their talents to
our success?”
“Are we creating conditions that will
help people feel valued while they contrib-
ute remarkably and directly to our mission
and goals?”
“What would it look like when every-
one is engaged in a focused, concerted, and
deeply rewarding effort to produce world-
class products and services?”
Michael E. Gerber offers timeless
insights into this ongoing journey in The
E-Myth Manager: Why Most Managers Aren’t
Effective and What to Do About It. Ger-
ber proposes a way to innovate, quantify,
and orchestrate the results you wish to see,
which includes the following advice:
1) Responsibility: Recognize that every-
one in the organization shoulders the
responsibility for identifying the best way
to solve problems and achieve desired
results. As a group, aim for “discovering
the very best methods, processes, and sys-
tems for producing results that will make
everyone in the organization, and everyone
depending upon it, extremely successful”
(p. 130).
2) Goal setting: Provide all personnel
with a way to “set their own benchmarks,
personal and organizational, and then help
them in every way you can” to realize those
goals. Give people access to up-to-date
information on results and ask them to ana-
Women’s Community Center Moves to New Location
“Wow, I didn’t remember we had all these
posters and signs.” “Gee, where did this old
notebook come from.” That and other simi-
lar comments were heard as we cleared out
the old space, including the upstairs stor-
age room, for our move. For those of you
who don’t come into the Center, but only
come to our activities or read about us in
the Women’s Press, this news may come as
a shock – but the Women’s Community
Center has moved!!
As of June 1, 2009, the Women’s Com-
munity Center of San Luis Obispo County
has re-located from the Goodwill Building,
880 Industrial Way, to our new location
at 4251 South Higuera Street, in San Luis
Obispo. We got the word in April that we
might have to move if Goodwill received a
big grant permitting them to provide direct
client services – and they did! While this
was great news for the people Goodwill
serves, it was bad news for the non-profits
who had been part of the “family” at their
building.
“While we were sad to leave the conge-
nial collaboration of other non-profits in
the Goodwill Building,” said Angie King,
president of the Board of Directors, “we are
very happy with the new space. We expect
to grow our relationships with our new
neighbors in our new location.” WCC’s
new quarters, inside the San Luis Obispo
Business Center, makes available to the
organization more space for program activ-
ities, including the on-going legal clinic
and divorce seminars. There are conference
rooms for our divorce clinic and for other
LocalPerspectives 3
Chanting a Buddhist Chant to Add Some Balance
lyze and share daily what they are learning
about improving their individual and group
performances (p. 132-33).
3) Generating revenue: Encourage every
person in the organization to think like an
entrepreneur and operate like a personal
revenue center. Provide insight into organi-
zational cash flows and involve everyone in
the subject of money: “how it works, where
it goes, how much is left, how it’s spent,
and how much everyone gets at the end of
the day” (p. 144).
4) Expectations: Set unusual (but not
unreasonable) expectations, such as asking
all staff members to tell the truth as they
see it regarding the organization, despite
how difficult it may be because of prior Painting by Anne Barga
upbringing and conditioning. Request their
by June Beck the psyche engages the body, breath, and
commitment to being fully present each
mind, chanting opens the heart.
day and to nurturing a desire to learn. Ask
Looking back to analyze appearances of the When I practice regularly, issues become
them to continually discover what works,
Sacred Feminine in his-story keeps my head easier to analyze and transform. Bad
what doesn’t work, and why. If something
over my shoulder. How can I keep my focus moods, for instance, lose that mysterious
isn’t working, aim to discover increasingly
forward, embracing balance instead? quality. With clarity, I know what is on my
better ways of doing it (p. 202-04).
I can chant! mind instead of having to act out scaven-
These snapshots of organizational cul-
Some see Buddhism as dominated ger hunts, adding drama and creating suf-
ture suggest a need for transparency; for
by masculine energy, but meditation has fering, which affects not only me. But that’s
leaders modeling the behaviors and roles
always depended on openness. Accord- not all.
they want their personnel to emulate; for
ing to Buddhist Anne Cushman, author of Recent studies in how the brain works
shared learning, continuous improvement,
Enlightenment for Idiots, the Sacred Fem- reinforce the value of chanting. According
observing cause and effect, and personal
inine values “the interpersonal aspect of to George Lakoff, professor of cognitive
responsibility; and for measuring and mon-
practice; the intimate aspect of practice; the and linguistic science at Berkeley, recent
itoring results.
qualities of unwinding and opening rather studies show what we think creates neural
than dominating and controlling.” circuits—ruts for our minds to slip into.
Adele Sommers, Ph.D. is a business per-
Even if some men who practiced Bud- Chanting the Green Goddess Mantra
formance consultant who helps entrepreneurs
dhism have reflected the gender discrimi- can deconstruct the socio-cultural notion
align their life passions with their business
nation of their time, the practice itself has that God stands alone as masculine and
purpose. She also guides organizations through
embraced the sacred energies of both the Goddess, only as other than God.
“tactical tune-ups” and “strategic makeovers”
masculine and the feminine. The trick lies in the creation of new cir-
in individual or group sessions. Contact her
Every day Tibetan Buddhists, includ- cuits. Knowing what we know about the
today for a free initial consultation at Adele@
ing the Dalai Lama, recite chants to 21 god- brain, we can see that chanting the Green
LearnShareProsper.com, or 805-462-2199.
desses. Closer to home, a statue of Prajna Goddess Mantra is a useful tool, connect-
Paramita sits next to the Buddha on the ing the Sacred Feminine to creator, to
altar at Spirit Rock, a Buddhist retreat cen- power, to strength – creating a Sacred Fem-
ter near San Francisco. inine groove for our minds to slip into all
I chant The Green Tara Mantra because
she represents spontaneous, fearless action,
day.
In this way, we might move ourselves
action that arises from compassion. You- into a new world, a world in which both
public meetings we sponsor. The San Luis Tube “Green Tara Mantra” and you will the masculine and the feminine are seen as
Business Center provides all the business hear Her chant: Om Tare Tuttare Ture integral parts of the whole.
amenities, including Internet access, copy Svaha. Chant with me and others on the first
machines, storage space, and a receptionist! Chant the Green Tara Mantra to expe- Wednesday of every month at St. Stephen’s
The move culminated a month’s search, rience an intimate interpersonal connection Episcopal Church in Los Osos (on Los
led by Robin Rinzler of the Board with with the Sacred Feminine. As the music of Osos Valley Road) at 5pm.        
numerous volunteers. “WCC depends on
volunteers for our activities,” said Robin,
“and it was very gratifying that so many
people stepped up to help us find just the
right place to move.” WCC had several
options, but we couldn’t find just the “right
fit” and at a price we could afford until we
saw this space.
We are now officially moved in, and our
posters and signs and notebooks are all put
away in drawers and cupboards. The Wom-
en’s Press materials are there, too. Come see
us at our new location. It’s at the T inter-
section where Los Osos Valley Road meets
South Higuera Street. You can’t miss it! In
fact, we are telling people signed up for the
divorce clinic that they will run smack into
the building if they don’t make that turn off
LOVR!
And because we didn’t have a new
address for a while, when we were searching
for the new office space, the board decided The new WCC offices at 4251 South Higuera Street, in San Luis Obispo
we needed a PO Box. Especially with Day
with Creative Women coming up, we didn’t
want to miss any of the vendor applica-
tions as they came in. Please note our new
mailing address is PO Box 13659, San Luis
Obispo CA 93406. If you notice anything
with our old address on it, please call and
let us know so we can have it changed. The
phone number is still the same.
4 CreativeWomen
Arthur
By Dorothy Segovia
I am in my robe and cute red flip-flops
from Spain,
searching half-heartedly for a dog named
Arthur.
He is black and not mine. I thought I saw
him sneaking
through his front yard, head down, fur-
tively glancing about.
Though I can’t pick him out of a line up,
I’ve met Arthur twice. Both times I was
pushing
his head out of my crotch while his buddy
Cesar,
the grey German Shepard, tried to barrel
out the front door,
not caring that I was in the way, and prob-
ably preferring that I was.
I am the voice that Cesar recognizes as try-
ing to stop his 24-hour barking cycles
– a useless and ineffective dog whisperer.
I peek through the round hole in the fence
hoping
to see that Arthur is actually there,
but only Cesar lunges at the wooden bar-
rier.
If I do find Arthur, I’ll have to block the
entrance with my body long enough
to shove Arthur in and slam the gate shut.
Now I want to go home.
Home to my television and tea,
where my barking, messy feelings are safely
tucked
behind my high, chain link fence.
I turn in time to see a black shape slinking
across the street several blocks away.
Being a non-dog owner, I shrug
and climb the stairs to my studio.
I am on my way to call Daphne at work
to tell her that I’m almost certain that
Arthur is loose.
R.I.P.
By Kathy Bond
Goodbye to rural Harford and Cecil
Counties.
Maryland roads that proved a maze,
that challenged us to get around.
Great people, but nothing’s next door.
Route 40 and I-95 became part of our lingo.
Different stores, Food Lion, Happy Harry’s
Pharmacy.
Coffee and the Cecil Whig from Royal
Farms, or cross
tracks and inhale fumes—nobody walks in
these parts. Tall, sandstone-colored new
library—formerly,
one room over City Hall, opposite the
MARC station.
We met soccer moms, nuns from school,
old friends,
and family, in Angie’s hospital room.
Help included nurses, social workers,
counselors,
a financial planner, an attorney, and a
tax preparer
who all gave peace of mind in different
ways.
Studio 432 features recycled art made by
Trashy Women.
The owner, a survivor, recognized the
pink-ribboned
group’s karmic energy. It also provided a
refuge
on those lonely, long winter days.
A Pocket Memory
By Jeannie Greensfelder
I joined my father as he got ready for work.
Before trampolines, I jumped on the bed 
and came to life, laughing with him.
Pop, dressed in his gray, tweed suit,
slipped his watch into his vest,
swung his tie around his neck
and with magic twists and turns
of his arms, tucked it into place.
Each morning I begged to go with him.
His eyes sparkled. He’d smile and sing,
“I’ll carry you in my pocket, Sweetie.”
I imagined fitting into his hand
and then into his pocket,
ready to dance on his desk.
The ritual completed, off we set,
me to first grade, him to the office.
Several years later he died.
No longer jumping, lying on my bed,
I feared I’d forget our time together
until I heard his lilting whisper,
“Carry my memory with you.
Keep me in your pocket, Sweetie.”
Post-Traumatic Peach
By Anne R. Allen
I found a bruised, forgotten peach
beneath fall apples in a bowl.
Craving one last taste of summer,
I bit between its wounds
into flesh so succulent I bit again,
and twice again—
juice running down my chin
until my teeth sank into hidden rot
that ringed its stony core.
I washed juice from my face, hands,
breast—
sickened by my own peach-lust.
But oh, my unforgotten love,
I’ve never tasted fruit so sweet!
Her Old Kentucky Home My Hand
By Jeannie Greensfelder
After a road trip to Florida
my brother drove my mother and me
through Kentucky to seek her teensy home
town.
At fifteen, an angry adolescent,
I wanted to get back home to my friends.
 
So many stops, so many inquiries
to learn she sought a ghost town.
When an old couple recalled her clan,
she was as home as she was going to get.
 
A bit later my mother yelled, “Stop here!”
I pouted and couldn’t care less
while she stood in a field alone,
staring, breathing, sniffing the air,
just wasting my time.
 
I remember her often in that stance.  When will I see my hands?
long to know the memories never shared,
and wonder what she felt that summer day.
 
Six years later she died, left a clue
in her safe deposit box: a marriage annul-
ment
from 1910—her nine year old sister, the wit-
ness;
my mother, the bride at thirteen.
Women’s Press | July & August 2009 | womenspress.slo@gmail.com
Angie’s Last Moments
By Kathy Bond
Due for medications at 8 p.m.—
Tylenol and Phenobarbitol suppositories—
to sedate, and prevent seizures,
our daughter-in-law feels
Angie probably thought—and felt—
“Oh, Sweet Jesus, take me now,”
and rightly so. She’d suffered
seven years of a dreadful
disease, and at the end, we all wanted
to see her comfortable, peaceful, and rested.
A runner a lot of her life,
her legs moved restlessly—and often—
in her hospital bed. “Pain,” the nurses said.
She seemed less agitated at home in her
final days, and responded
to her children’s voices. She’d had
Last Rites that afternoon
and left under a dark blue velvet
cloak of silver stars.
By Debra Davis Hinkle
I look down at my hands
What do I see?
His hand
Large, powerful and mean
Why do I see his hands,
And not mine?
Is he in my hands,
Or
In my head?
***
His hands I see
When I should see mine
Thank God
I know longer feel his hands
I feel my hands
When I no longer remember the pain?
***
I look down at my hands
What do I see?
My hands by choice and time
Wrinkled, but, strong, powerful and kind
Photo by B. Lawless
Kindled
By Jeannie Greensfelder
Ready for tea I turn on the gas burner.
Staring at its tidy, twenty-eight blue points,
I glimpse the twig fire of my forebears.
 
I imagine amazing them with my stove,
running water, packaged food, and wonder
how long till they’d be stressed like me.
 
I would ask them to teach me the night sky,
help launch my circadian rhythms,
and shake me till I come to my senses.
Sweet Lawrence
By Sonia Paz-Baron
When she was born her mom was too young and
unmarried
So it was decided by the elders in her family that
she was to
be raised by her uncle and aunt who were child-
less
She grew up knowing that her real mom had
been called “aunty”
She had no sisters or brothers and was kept
indoors and quiet
She had a talent for sports but was not allowed
to participate
She was betrothed very young to an older man
who was in her
family’s eyes a good catch.
And so, sweet Lawrence, with her green eyes and
golden hair
walked down the isle looking pretty and agreed
to everyone’s requests
but her own...
Not twenty years old yet, she gave birth to a
beautiful little girl,
she was happy but her husband said, we will try
again for a boy...
Obediently she complied and produced the
expected boy,
who she loved and brought much joy to her fam-
ily.
But sweet Lawrence had a special love for her lit-
tle girl, and when they were alone
Lawrence’s creativity flourished,
and she made up magical stories told under the
starry sky,
these stories took them to a fantasy world
where they could be anything they wanted,
singers, artists, poets, writers, dancers,
and so sweet Lawrence taught her little girl
who grew up fiercely strong and independent,
creative and talented.
Years have passed and Sweet Lawrence has white
hair, her green eyes have a tinge of blue..
And she writes still, magical stories to pass to her
great granddaughters....
Time has changed her, she is now assertive and
feisty...
she drives and organizes other women from her
era..she is a leader
July & August 2009 | www.womenspress-slo.org | Women’s Press
Hooked on Artist Trading Cards
by Yvonne Helms
I’ve been scrapbooking for years, and I
routinely surf the net looking for new and
exciting ideas to try. During my many
searches, I kept noticing sites dedicated to
Artist Trading Cards or ATCs. Not know-
ing what these were, but assuming that it
was similar to some sort of scrapbooking
activity, I eventually clicked on
one of them.
And I’ve
b e e n
addicted
ever since!
ATCs are,
without a doubt, one of the best art discov-
eries I’ve ever made.
Artist Trading Cards are individual
works of art that are traded between artists.
The only rules for these cards are their size,
2.5” x 3.5”, the same as commercial trad-
ing cards, and that they are always traded,
never sold. Most ATC artists begin with a
stock card base, or similar product, and
they usually sign and date the back. But the
front of the card, the actual artwork, can
be made out of anything and in any media.
Some ATCs are painted or hand-drawn,
others are collage pieces, some might be
made from fabric. When it comes to creat-
ing ATCs, the sky’s the limit and anything
goes.
Once the cards are made, the trad-
ing can commence. There is a real sense of
instant accomplishment that comes from
sharing your little masterpieces with others
and receiving someone else’s in return. I’ve
been trading my cards at a couple of web-
sites for the last few years (http://www.atcs-
forall.com is my favorite), but what I really
wanted was to find other local ATC artists
to trade with. Sadly to sad, at first I wasn’t
able to locate anyone who knew about
them, so I took it upon myself to introduce
ATCs to the county’s many talented artists.
Last year I started a Yahoo group, SLO Co.
ATC Traders. We now have 35 members
and it has been a very busy year for
us indeed.
The members of SLO
Co. ATC Traders are
always looking for
fun projects to
get involved
with. We’ve
traded in
world-
w i d e
swaps, entered
our cards in the
Mid-State Fair and
had some of our ATCs
published in a full-color pic-
ture book. One of our young-
est members, an 11 year old girl
from Santa Margarita, was even inter-
viewed for an online ezine article. Our lat-
est endeavor is a month-long exhibit we’ll
be hosting in October at Barnes & Noble
Booksellers on Marsh Street. There will be
over 100 Artist Trading Cards on display,
so please feel free to stop by anytime and
check them out. We also have monthly
meetings, which are open to the public.
So far, everything I’ve done regarding
Artist Trading Cards has been one pleasant
experience after another. The ATC commu-
nity is incredibly supportive and friendly.
The is nothing pretentious or reticent about
ATC artists - just honest, heartfelt comra-
derie from like-minded individuals willing
to help each other succeed in accomplish-
ing their artist goals. Trust me on this one:
If you start making ATCs today, you’ll find
a world of fun waiting for you tomorrow!
For more information about SLO Co.
ATC Traders, please go to: http://groups.
yahoo.com/group/SLOCoATCTraders
What If I Fail?
By Inglis Carre’-Dellard, M.F.A.
Fear of failure can strike at any time in the
creative process. “What if this new direc-
tion turns out to be a dead end?” “What if
I can’t resolve this composition problem?”
“This project was a success, but will I be
able to keep this up?”
If we step back and consider the prob-
lem from a little distance, we can see that
fear strikes hardest when we are focusing
too much on the product, rather than the
process. The product is the surface expres-
sion of our creative journey and also a sign
pointing out future possible directions for
our work. It is not the end of the journey.
At the beginning of our journey, when
we make the first mark on the canvas or
write the first word of a story, the possibili-
ties for how the piece develops seem end-
less. As we continue to build our project,
the possible outcomes decrease in number
as one by one the earlier possibilities drop
away. As the piece develops, new paths
beckon, we choose among them, and oth-
ers continue to drop away. At the end of the
project the work becomes its own unique
self. What is driven in the beginning by
imagination and inspiration is governed
more in its later stages by the craft of work-
ing in your medium and your knowledge
and experience of your materials.
The working life of an artist follows
a similar continuum. The wildly variable
or extremely timid work of the student
smooths out as she gains more experience.
She develops procedures and routines that
work for her, and are compatible with her
temperament and artistic vision. The mid-
career and veteran artist has mastered a
range of techniques and routines that allow
her to more easily interpret the promptings
of imagination.
Boundaries
By Barbara Atkinson
Be for peace, for justice, for truth, for love,
and against nothing and no one.
For many of us, especially those with
a highly sensitive nature, boundaries can
be an issue. Energetically speaking, solu-
tions are offered such as surrounding your-
self with light or other imaginary barriers
of intent. Maybe they work for some, but
they never worked for me. The fact is the
true and lasting answer to honoring your
boundaries is total self-love and acceptance.
Often this comes in stages and can take a
bit of time.
When we let ourselves alone and stop
comparing and judging ourselves; when we
accept our foibles now (even if we intend to
improve); when, with forgiveness, we allow
ourselves to be imperfect; when we cut our-
selves as much slack as we do others; when
we are grateful and allow “what is” right
now; self-love and its boundaries come nat-
urally. That’s the spiritual journey – pure
and simple.
“Barbara! How can I accept what is
when it may be awful, when I hate it?”
You accept it all because that’s the way
it is right now. This acceptance includes
accepting how you feel -- accepting your-
self while you feel the situation is awful.
All your ranting and railings against it
won’t change a thing; you’re just expending
CreativeWomen 5
If a work isn’t going well, it doesn’t nec-
essarily mean that the original impulse was
flawed. It is often possible to back up and
reconsider previous choices by changing
areas to reopen some possibilities. Some
media are more forgiving and flexible than
others. An accident can result in a complete
change of direction for a project that will
lead the way into exciting new territory.
If a series of projects seems to have gone
astray, some change in your routine or sur-
roundings could be responsible. Did you
discard a tried and true approach when one
or two small changes would have sparked
your work up without a major reinvention?
Have you started painting in the afternoon
instead of the morning or vice-versa? Have
you traded your usual cup of herb tea for
an espresso? Are you distracted by family
problems? Any of these factors can have an
effect on your process.
Often, an exaggerated quest for perfec-
tion will cause us to judge good works too
harshly. Since art is made by humans, every
work will have flaws and inconsistencies
reflective of human imperfections.
Let’s remember that a truly creative
encounter is a beach walk of discovery that
will yield new insights to those who are
courageous enough to experiment. Experi-
mentation always includes the possibility of
failure (call it a learning experience). Don’t
let the occasional misstep pull you down
into the quicksand of depression and self-
doubt. Dance joyfully with your muse in
the sparkling foam of the sea of creativity!
Inglis Carre’-Dellard, M.F.A. is a Los Osos
artist and teacher whose nature inspired
oil paintings are the product of an intuitive
encounter with the unknown. Her teach-
ing style emphasizes individuality and self
expression in a nurturing environment.
For more information, e-mail her at
ingartist@yahoo.com
wasted energy. It’s a reaction to a situation
or behavior; it’s not a response, and there is
a difference. Reaction is resistance against
something, which is struggle. (That’s what
war is, and even if there is a victor, there
has been terrible loss and sacrifice on all
sides.) When you allow what is and accept
whatever is in your path right now, you’re
not struggling or warring against yourself.
Rather, you’re in a place of loving kindness
with yourself and so with life. That love
throws off light that is self-healing. When
you respond to something, you’re com-
ing from that place of acceptance: you’re
accepting the situation, yourself, and the
other people involved, and from this place
of self-love, you automatically come to the
best resolution. You have acknowledged
and honored your boundaries and you radi-
ate that light.
A Spiritual Journey
By Wendell Berry
And the world cannot be discovered by a
journey of miles,
no matter how long,
but only by a spiritual journey,
a journey of one inch,
very arduous and humbling and joyful,
by which we arrive at the ground at our
feet,
and learn to be at home.
6 Motherhood
Attached Parenting
Principle #2
By Lisa Jouet
The second principle of Feeding with Love
and Respect is one which logically follows
birth. What was unexpected for me was
how quickly it started. Attachment parent-
ing, with regards to feeding, starts as soon
as the baby first breastfeeds. I soon realized
I did not want to feed my sweet baby on
any sort of schedule. I felt her wants were
her needs at her stage of development.
Sometimes this meant she wanted to nurse
every hour in the afternoon! I never minded
though, for I felt so special and grateful
that my body was making milk for her. She
loved to breastfeed and was growing like a
little weed. Eventually, more time would
pass in between nursing sessions, and she
would even take a bottle of breast milk
from my husband or her grandmother. This
was important for us, as I am a mother who
also works outside the home.
As we approached the time for her to
start solids, we gave her pureed sweet yams
Society for the Self-Absorbed
By Jen Mowad
With video camera rolling, I have docu-
mented my youngest daughter’s first steps
over the past week or so. I also have digi-
tal pictures of the same events which I can
send out in a slideshow via a photo sharing
website, and ones taken on my cell phone
which can be sent to family member’s cell
phones. I have logged the date of those first
steps in her digital baby book, along with
other humorous and memorable tidbits
about her life at this stage. Of course I also
updated my blog with both video and pic-
tures. I think the only thing missing is an
update to my Facebook page, and since I’m
at it, I should join Twitter so I can update
her walking status to my friends on there as
well. Oh, and how could I forget to post it
to the message board of my mom’s group,
so all my close and not-so-close mom
friends are aware of her latest milestone?
Reflecting on the most recent accom-
plishment of my daughter, I am recogniz-
ing just how much attention is focused on
our children. Yes, the first years are a thrill-
ing time for both parent and child; watch-
ing them grow and develop is exhilarating
and fulfilling for every mom and dad and
it makes you want to shout from the roof-
tops with the pride that is brimming over
for your child. And I imagine parents have
experienced similar feelings of pride for
their children for thousands of years, as
cavemen boasted of their sons’ first hunt-
ing sessions and medieval women delight-
edly helped their daughters birth their first
babies. From the moment a child is born,
a parent feels an enormous responsibility
for the success of that child and when that
and after a week or so, she nibbled on
steamed, cooled broccoli.
Feeding with love and respect means we
eat together as a family and feed our daugh-
ter what we are eating. Now that she is two
years old, this has helped simplify our meal-
times and has encouraged us to eat well as
a good example. I have also learned to let
her choose how much she wants to eat and
to pay attention to what she eats over the
course of a week, not one day. Many par-
ents go crazy, like I did, when they see how
little their toddler eats each day. It took at
least a year of reading and talking to some
educated friends that I finally let my daugh-
ter eat without cajoling, coaching, or any
sort of running commentary. Imagine how
awful it would be if we had someone doing
that to us at every meal? My husband and
I feel so good about how things are going
with the way our daughter eats. I know I
feel better trusting my daughter to eat from
the healthy choices we give her.
child experiences success, we somehow feel
responsible for that as well.
Yet, all this attention makes me won-
der how our children will develop when
such focus and interest is given to their
every little word, act, or deed. When I
view friend’s blogs, I enjoy reading the lat-
est quirky comments spouted by a curious
toddler or watching the goofy dance of a
vivacious little tot. But lately I’ve begun to
wonder what happens when these children
grow up and become aware of the attention
they have received almost daily via blogs,
e-mails, video, pictures, and social network-
ing sites such as Facebook and MySpace?
Will this generation be so consumed with
themselves that they won’t develop the nec-
essary empathy and respect needed to be
positive, productive society members? Will
technology continue to develop ways for
them to communicate with others, yet not
truly connect? Will they become so self-
absorbed that having a “community” only
satisfies their need to communicate about
themselves and will they comprehend that
there is value in connecting and sharing
with others?
As I move into unprecedented parenting
territory with technology as an ever-pres-
ent part of our daily life, I am committed
to utilizing what makes our family’s life
easier and what contributes to our quality
of life. However, I am also committed to
limiting the use of technology when it
comes to monitoring and sharing my chil-
dren’s eating habits, sleeping patterns, and
bowel movements. I’m sure my “commu-
nity” will thank me for that, as will my chil-
dren some day.
Women’s Press | July & August 2009 | womenspress.slo@gmail.com
The Children’s Bookshelf
By Lisa Pimental Johnson
Can you sense it? Energy is sizzling off
school children’s skins. Can you smell the
aroma of sunscreen in the air? Can you hear
the jingle of the ice cream truck on your
street? Already the dreamy, goofy smiles of
summer are plastered
on everyone’s faces!
These books will be
fun summer reading
and might lead to a
few adventures too.
In the story, That’s
Good! That’s Bad! by
Margery Cuyler, one
little boy’s adven-
tures began at the
zoo when his parents
presented him with
a shiny red balloon. As the shiny red bal-
loon lifts him high in the air, his zoo animal
escapades begins from the back of a hippo-
potamus, swinging on a snake’s tail, getting
slurped up in an elephant’s trunk, and get-
ting licked by a big, pink, lion’s tongue. The
illustrations by David Catrow are vibrant,
richly colored cartoons that hilariously
depict the boy’s alternating terror and relief.
“A good one to boot!” describes this
wildly engaging pirate story. How I Became
a Pirate by Melinda Long is a voyage set
on the high seas with buried treasure, sea
chanteys, pirate curses, and throwing food
across the table along with manners. Jeremy
Jacob, a young boy in the story, happily
embraces his new pirate life. He teaches
his new pirate friends how to play soccer
on board the ship, and they teach him how
to pick his teeth with chicken bones. All is
happiness in a good stinky pirate way until
he discovers what they don’t do...
Honoring Your Needs
By Barbara Atkinson
When I begin to talk about meeting your
own needs, many women automatically
find a feeling of selfishness crop up in their
minds. Most of us by nature are giving
and nurturing beings. Culturally, that has
expanded to an ideal of the self-sacrificing
wife and mother; historically we have been
the unpaid volunteers keeping many orga-
nizations afloat. All this until we burn out
and wonder why. Meeting your own needs
isn’t about not being helpful or kind. It’s
about responsibility to the Self.
Your responsibility lies with meeting
and honoring your own needs with lov-
ing kindness and not acquiescing to what
you think are another’s needs or only doing
what others want you to do. A familiar
illustration of this occurs on an airplane:
the airline personnel tells everyone about
the use of the overhead oxygen mask,
instructing parents to first put the mask on
themselves and then their child. (You’re no
good to anyone if you pass out before you
can assist them.)
It’s not that your needs supersede anoth-
er’s needs or that you turn your back on
your innate kindness. Rather, when you
respond by extending that innate kind-
ness to yourself and honoring your needs,
you will find that your response is what’s
best for everyone involved, even if that
doesn’t seem evident at the time. (This isn’t an
excuse for ego to “get its way”; rather it’s a
David Shannon’s illustrations are full of
saturated color, detail, and buckets brim-
ming with whimsy. It will almost convince
you life is better on a pirate ship with Cap-
tain Braid Beard.
The next book is mentioned in fond-
ness of the little girl with purple ribbons in
her pigtails, who in
the bookstore, read
out loud the book,
Good Night, Gorilla
by Peggy Rath-
man, to her capti-
vated audience of
adults. Sitting cross-
legged, Sponge Bob
tennis shoes tucked
underneath her on
the carpeted floor,
she read and giggled
through the book while pointing to all the
colorful animals. It’s a story of an escaped
gorilla who manages to “borrow” the keys
of the zoo one long summer night. As the
friendly zoo keeper makes his rounds clos-
ing the zoo and bidding the animals good
night, the gorilla is quietly opening all the
animal cages. The animals end up follow-
ing the zoo keeper through the zoo, even-
tually ending up at his house. As the tired
zoo keeper falls into bed, the animals set-
tle down in his bedroom for sleep. The zoo
keeper’s wife wakes up to the cacophony
of snoring and takes matters into her own
hands! At the end of reading us the story,
the little girl in purple ribbon pigtails kissed
them all “night-night” on the page. It was
hard not to dive to the floor to buy that
slightly used book, but her mother silently
added it to her purchases. The rest of the
adults took that memory home with them!
response to loving the Self enough to listen
to its needs.)
Look at it this way: if you’re an
employer looking for a specific set of skills
in an employee, you’re going to do what’s
best for you and your business. If some-
one doesn’t have the skill level you need, but
you succumb to feeling sorry for them, via
a perceived need of theirs or a sob-story,
and then hire them for that reason, you and
your business are in trouble. Eventually,
you’ll be faced with having to let them go,
and what a bigger mess that will create for
everyone involved. It’s also true that those
who apply for the position and don’t get
hired may feel their needs haven’t been met
and may blame you. When you meet your
needs at the seeming expense of another,
trust that there is a higher purpose at work.
In the years that follow, these individuals
may look back on this perceived failure, and
realize it was the best thing that could have
happened at the time.
Like the employer, you are charged to
meet your own needs, to honor your Self.
Trusting Life is the wisdom of allowing, and
not assuming you know what is best for
anyone or anything else; that’s the job of
Spirit. Just like you, other people have their
own relationship with All There Is, their life
lessons, and their own responsibility to Self.
The only way to proceed, then, is to honor
your own needs trusting all is well and will
be well.
July & August 2009 | www.womenspress-slo.org | Women’s Press
How can women promote their equality
without being seen as radical?
Dorothy Segovia
I  best promote  my equality by assum-
ing and then acting like I am equal. This
has to do with confidence and ownership. I
also had to work with my anger. When dis-
cussing issues, because I want the other per-
son to hear me, I make sure my emotional
energy is clear before entering into the con-
versation.  day, it usually consists of trying (unsuccess-
Barbara Atkinson
I think the way “for women to promote
their equality without being seen as radi-
cal” is not to worry about how you’ll be
perceived.  No matter how strong or mild
you proceed in this promotion, there will
always be those who criticize your opinion
or action. Some might even think you radi-
cal when you consider your response to be
very moderate; it’s all a matter of perception
and that varies from person to person.  To
me, the way to proceed is with loving kind-
ness—honoring what is true for you and
which speaks to justice and equality for all
peoples regardless of gender, race, creed or
sexual orientation. It’s the winning way.
Anne R. Allen
I’m not sure there’s anything a woman
can do to avoid being called “radical” by a
right wing blowhard, except maybe offer
him a b.j. while simultaneously leading an
anti-choice rally, cooking his favorite meal,
and giving birth. And of course she’d have
to support him and his drug habit. So
maybe it isn’t such a bad label. That said,
I think feminists have often sabotaged our-
selves by letting bullies with their own per-
sonal agendas hijack the movement. An
example: recently a woman doctor asked
me to picture a peaceful beach while I went
through a scary and brutally painful medi-
cal procedure. Trying to lighten my own
anxiety, I joked that I was picturing some
hot guys on that beach. The doctor and her
nurse turned on me with icy fury, saying
that some women weren’t attracted to men,
and I should visualize with “equal oppor-
tunity.” I’m not making this up. Those
women weren’t just “radical,” they were nar-
cissistic, clueless, and bullying. We need to
learn the difference.
We’ve Come Undun!
By Jackie Turner
Are you stressed out? Feeling unglued?
How many of your friends, neighbors, co-
workers, and family members are ‘coming
undun’? Unfortunately, the answer to that
question is… far too many!
Maybe this will cheer you up! What do
we have to worry about? Just: unemploy-
ment; the stock market; the state of the
economy and the national debt; the threat
of terrorism; the real estate market; the
health-care crisis; the wars in Iraq/Afghani-
stan and possible wars in Korea, Iran, etc.;
global warming; our perishing rain for-
ests and wildlife; national and interna-
tional drug problems; prison overcrowding;
dwindling funds for educators, education,
libraries, social services; homelessness and
poverty; poverty of spirit; Social Security;
child, animal, elder abuse and neglect; the
overworked/underpaid employed; mini-
mum wage/part-time employed; single par-
ent families/combined families struggling
to get along; cancer; swine flu pandemic;
Sonia Paz Baron-Vine
Just by acting like regular adults, with-
out justifying or becoming confrontational
we have earned after all, the equal right to
give our opinions, make our decisions, and
be assertive without being afraid. Just by
being the wonderful creatures mother earth
made us to be...full of light and power.
Bailey Drechsler
What’s wrong with being seen as radi-
cal?  I say, when it comes to promoting
equality, radical measures are sometimes
required.  What’s that quote about women
making history?  “Well-behaved women sel-
dom make history.”  Cheers to  our radical
foremothers!
Sadie Johann
Serve homemade brownies with your
discussion about a revolution!
Denise Gibbons
Be strong, independent, fair, and loving.
You do not need to shove down people’s
throats how “equal” woman are, you just
need to believe it yourself and live like that
everyday.
Angie King
My first off-the-cuff reaction is why
shouldn’t we be seen as radical?  Didn’t
Gloria Steinem define “feminism”  as the
“radical notion that women are people”?  This is my life after my “hysterical-
emphasis on radical. I think some peo-
ple are threatened when we just act equal
(and therefore, radical) and they see only
the part that is “different” from their pre-
conceived notion of how women are sup-
posed to behave, and they can’t or don’t see
the equality part. I’d say, just keep on being
yourself. They’ll figure it out eventually.
Next issue question:
Life, work, children, friends,
spouses, free time:
How do you do it all?
E-mail responses to
womenspress.slo@gmail.com
corporate greed; unsavory and unethical
politicians; stolen pensions; gangs and vio-
lence; rising gas prices; unhappy, unhealthy
and unrewarded soldiers returning home to
a mess … and so on and so forth. This is my
partial list … now you can add your own,
if you wish.
Then there is the single issue nonsense
—gay marriage (let everyone have the plea-
sure of this foolishness); pro-choice (it’s per-
sonal choice! If you don’t like it, don’t do
it!); Creationism (are they kidding about
this?); Sarah Palin and Sarah Palin’s daugh-
ters (who really cares?); the Obama White
House dog (did they really get it from the
animal shelter?). Haven’t we seen enough of
this crap?
Next time you hear of a co-worker
going ‘postal’, or a plane crash due to
human error, or a family member involved
in a domestic violence situation, or some-
one living with their family in a car, don’t
ask why. You know!
Thank you for listening. I can be
reached at jackiemagic322@yahoo.com
Come Over to My Pad
By Molly Kight
Last evening, I spied my husband wistfully
staring into one of my bathroom drawers,
still stuffed with various feminine hygiene
products. “Ahem…” I cleared my throat.
He looked hazy. “What are you doing?” I
wanted to know.
“Oh nothing,” he sighed, “Just remem-
bering the good old days.”
I miss those days too: a little cramp here,
some zits along my jaw line, and breasts
more tender than a slow-cooked hen—all
the while being controlled by Lucifer him-
self. Good times, good times…
Nowadays, when I am having a good
fully) to put on fake eyelashes, ignoring my
scale, and not dropping an iron skillet on
my step-son’s head. A good day means only
having hot flashes every other hour, and
using only one Kleenex to wipe away tears
after opening an email photo of a fuzzy kit-
ten sitting in a bowl of spaghetti.
On a bad day I spin my head around
360° and vomit beef barely soup. I just went
to Costco yesterday and there is already no
milk left, and Frosted Wheat shreds are
sprinkled on my formerly clean counters.
On a day like this, my husband will call
me about a dozen times on his way home
to gauge my mood. If he senses the tide
turning for the worst, he’ll find something
to do outside, like watch the grass grow. I
have seen him go to bed as early as 6pm to
avoid confrontation with the Hormonal
Hellion. An avid couch potato, my sweet-
heart knows that on a night like this, the
only thing he will be watching is the Bitch
Network, with my 850 channels and HD
(Highly Demented) picture.
ectomy.”
Hysteria (noun): 1. An uncontrollable
outburst of emotion or fear, often charac-
terized by irrationality, laughter, weeping,
etc. 2. a psychoneurotic disorder character-
ized by violent emotional outbreaks, distur-
bances of sensory and motor functions and
various abnormal effects due to autosugges-
tion.
The term originates with the Greek
term, hysterikos. This medical condition,
particular to women, was thought to be
caused by disturbances of the uterus, hys-
tera in Greek. The term hysteria was coined
by Hippocrates, who thought that suffoca-
tion and madness arose in women whose
uteri had become too light and dry from
lack of sexual intercourse.
Oh, I see, Hippo, if women don’t have
enough sex, they dry up and go crazy. Who
knew that Hippocrates was the originator
of pornography? Go soak your head in olive
oil and put on an itchy, wool toga, Hippo-
cratic Oaf.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I uncer-
emoniously threw my feminine assortment
into a plastic Rite-Aid bag: mini-pads (for
lighter days), panty-liners (I am not sure
exactly what those are supposed to do),
pads with wings and dry weave (sounds like
a bird and her nest), thong liners and tam-
pons. By the time I was done loading the
bag, it occurred to me that I was about to
throw out $200 of battened, quilted, and
rolled up cotton. What was I thinking?
Tossing “The Fabric of Our Lives” was un-
American, not to mention eco-unfriendly. I
just couldn’t do it.
In a brilliant epiphany, I called my
friend Trina and said, “Hey Treen, You still
have your uterus, right?”
There was a long pause and then a tenta-
tive, “Yeah, why? Did you want to borrow
it?”
“No, Silly,” I rambled, “I was cleaning
out my tampon drawer today and thought
of you.”
Another cessation, and Trina says, “Let
me get this straight. You thought of me
Voices 7
when you cleaned out your tampon drawer?
Maybe you should get hormone replace-
ment therapy and call me back another
time?” she advised.
I hung up and looked for a noose.
Being the hysterical woman I am, I tend
to turn to humor to push me through a
day that has already started out confusing
and somewhat humiliating. I searched for
the label-maker in the cupboard amongst
placemats, spilled Skin-So-Soft, obsolete
cell phone cords, and a dog brush full of
cat hair-- go figure. It took me 15 minutes
to find it because I remembered it as a red
machine, when in fact, it was blue.
Though I hadn’t utilized it in about two
years, it was fully loaded with label tape: a
good sign that I interpreted as encourage-
ment to go forward with my plan. I began
to type in frenzy, as if I were texting a
friend to tell her I saw Cher go into Jack-
In-the-Box.
I pushed the Tic-Tac-sized “print” but-
ton, heard Wall-E sounds, and pulled the
“cut” lever. I snickered as I fumbled with
the adhesive and paper separation. I got
my bag of pads n’ ‘pons and greeted it. “hi
gene,” I giggled at my witticism. I dumped
the bag on the dining room table like a
bucket of clams. I sorted the items by style
and use, commencing with an ultra absor-
bent, Milano cookie-shaped pad. “if you are
looking for wings -go to KFC,” I adhered to
the rip strip on the back and looked for my
bag of Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Mila-
nos. I chuckled and punched in another
clever quip, printed and peeled. “eat, bleed,
and be mary.” I was entertained and queasy
at the same time.
Next, “keepin’ the cotton industry
alive!” In these economic times, we have to
support our agrarians.
Still smirking, I busied myself, therapeu-
tically working through years of feminine
angst. Here I was, a grown woman, pasting
labels to feminine paraphernalia in place of
doing my taxes. Still feeling empathy for
those who must use, I offered, “check out
our website www.chocolateondemand.com
for a valuable coupon.”
A clever peel to reveal idea, “and the
oscar goes to…”
A panty-liner got this somewhat tacky
script: “if you put this deodorant liner near
your ear, you shouldn’t smell the ocean.” I
began to laugh so hard, I cried and piddled
a little in my pants. Darn it, I could have
used that panty liner.
“Is your patience as thin as this pad?”
I nodded an emphatic “yes” and added it
to the pile building shoulder high. I bun-
dled everything with a rubber band from
last night’s asparagus and made one more
“crotchety” comment, “if you are reading
this, you probably are not pregnant.”
Progressing, I picked up the pizza slice
shaped, thong pads: I don’t know why I
purchased those in the first place. When
I was having ‘that time of the month,’ the
last thing I was concerned with was panty
lines. Feeling like a pond cadaver from an
episode of CSI is not going to inspire me
to wear white, snug Daisy Dukes. Along
the same lines of thinking, why not order a
double decaf espresso with sugar free vanilla
and then add whipped topping. What is
the point? That’s my point, thong pads are
assinine. (Some pun!) I advise, “narrow end
faces back.”
I perkily chirped to no-one in particular,
“I know a funny one…does this pad make
my butt look fat?” Oh, I knew that would
be a side splitter. I continued labeling the
wedgies and secured them into a bouquet-
like bunch with another rubber band.
Folks at home, sing with me, “Roll out
the tampons, roll out the tampons of fun.”
After putting two ‘pons aside for future
nose bleeds, I began with, “TNT. This tam-
Continued in MY PAD, p. 14
8 Body&Soul
Unsung Heroine
Anneka Scranton
By Laura Grace
I cannot do without something
which is greater than I, which
is my life—the power to create. Divine Creativity
—Vincent Van Gogh
Summer is a time of growth, maturity,
abundance, and creativity. Creative self-
expression allows us to connect with the
wisdom and desires of our souls. It enables
us to deepen our self-understanding and
promote healing. It also serves as prayer,
drawing us closer to our Creator and our
own divinity. As co-creators, it takes a great
deal of strength to be a conscious co-cre-
ator. Every day, we are given a chance to
express ourselves to share an inspired idea
which brings some comfort and healing to
our community, and the world. It’s as if the
Universe is claiming: “I place before you a
brand new day. Create with your heart and
your soul, and make it the best day of your
life. This is my deepest gift to you.”
Created in the image and after the like-
ness of our Creator, we don’t get a choice
about whether we will be creative, but we
can choose what we create. Our thoughts
are powerful beyond measure, and we are
capable of creating whatever is in our souls
via myriad forms: singing, sculpting, build-
ing a business, cultivating a loving rela-
tionship. The list goes on and on. Each
and every day, every situation provides us
with an opportunity to express our deep-
est selves. As we give birth to the divine
spark that is within our souls, we open to
the great and abundant lives for which we
are created.
In my own life, I’ve witnessed how
much healing occurs and how much joy I
experience when I expose my deepest and
authentic self. This can happen while paint-
ing, cooking, penning a heartfelt article for
Women’s Press, or, as the Spiritual Leader
of the Circle of Spiritual Enlightenment,
Forging
Common
Ground
developing an uplifting and meaningful
service. It’s less about what I create or how
I create, but rather, that I express my soul.
As you embark on expressing your soul
through your creativity, some questions to
ask yourself include: 1) If we are all meant
to be co-creators, what is my role? 2) What
nurtures my soul? 3) When do I feel most
alive? 4) What activities provide me with
the greatest amount of comfort and heal-
ing? 5) What do I most want to share with
others and how might it positively impact
my community, the planet?
Become aware of your feelings and
notice when you feel inspired. The Divine
spark within you speaks to you through
your heart and soul, so notice the times
when you are experiencing joy, aliveness,
Women’s Press | July & August 2009 | womenspress.slo@gmail.com
By Berta Parrish
Anneka Scranton doesn’t have to read The
Purpose Driven Life because she could have
written it. She has dedicated her vocation
and avocation to increasing peace and jus-
tice at the community and international
levels. No small task! But Anneka, who
celebrates the small wins, is not discour-
aged; she keeps extending her efforts from
regional initiatives to global movements.
She describes the purpose that drives
her life as, “I always try to find common
ground and connection. People are search-
ing for something more profound, some-
thing greater than themselves. When we get
past our differences, we can create together
what we want to see in the world.”
Anneka’s educational experiences pro-
vide the perfect foundation for practicing
what she preaches. After earning a Ph.D.
in public organization, she was an Assis-
tant Clinical Professor at USC’s Gradu-
ate School of Social Work for nearly fifteen
years, training people in community orga-
nizing, planning, and administration.
While in LA, she also served on the Lib-
erty Hill Foundation board, a social justice
foundation that supports change, not char-
ity, by funding grassroots projects that miti-
gate poverty and injustice.
After retiring from teaching and mov-
ing to Los Osos, this social activist didn’t let
grass grow under her feet. As co-founder of
the Central Coast Clergy and Laity for Jus-
tice, Anneka is currently building bridges
within many of the local faith-based orga-
nizations. Relying on the power of the
Spirit, these leaders from various religious
traditions promote compassion, generos-
ity, and respect for diversity by focusing on
economic justice, human/civil rights, envi-
ronmental justice, and peace/non-violence.
Giving Birth to Your
and increased energy. Truly, we are the
universe inventing itself. And that intelli-
gent, alive, and conscious force is looking
through your eyes, working through your
hands, walking on your feet.
Martha Graham, the great American
dancer and choreographer, summed it up
eloquently when she once stated, “There
is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quick-
ening that is translated through you into
action; and because there is only one of
you in all time, this expression is unique.
If you block it, it will never exist through
any other medium and it will be lost. The
world will not have it. You must keep that
channel open. It is not for you to determine
how good it is, or how valuable, or how it
compares with other expressions. It is for
you to keep it yours, clearly and directly.”
According to Anneka, it is “more strategic
to bring congregational leaders together, to
use pre-formed organizations for positive
social change.”
This deep conviction in all aspects of
human rights unifies her volunteer efforts,
such as helping the homeless as a Friend
of Prado Day Center, educating the pub-
lic as a frequent instructor for Osher Life-
long Learning Institute, and advocating
for a Human Rights Commission for SLO
County.
Convinced about the power of women
to affect change, Anneka has become very
active in the Global Fund for Women, a
nonprofit foundation that advances wom-
en’s rights worldwide. It raises funds for
women-led organizations that promote the
economic security, health, safety, education
and leadership of women and girls. Serv-
ing as a site visitor to current and poten-
tial grant recipients is extremely rewarding.
“When I see how the grantees endure life
threatening situations yet struggle for some-
thing better, I gain hope.” Furthermore,
she adds, “those who suffer so deeply yet
remain committed to social justice inspire
me to never give in or give up.”
We all struggle with balancing our dis-
tress over the world’s endless conflicts and
our efforts for internal harmony. Is it pos-
sible to be an involved activist and a cen-
tered person? Will Keepin, founder of the
Satyana Institute, believes that “activism
without spirituality is blind and spiritual-
ity without activism is lame. What we need
now is a new form of spiritual activism that
combines both spiritual and social transfor-
mation.” We need people like Anneka who
rely on the Ground of All Being to forge
common ground to resolve today’s momen-
tous issues.
May peace and joy be yours as you
express yourself through your divine cre-
ativity!
Laura V. Grace is the Spiritual Leader for
the Circle of Spiritual Enlightenment in San
Luis Obispo (www.spiritualcircle.org), an
interfaith spiritual community. Laura is also
a teacher and spiritual director, and a mem-
ber of Spiritual Directors International. A
syndicated columnist for more than twenty
publications, Laura has penned 200 articles on
spiritual growth and is the author of the books
Gifts of the Soul and The Intimate Soul.
July & August 2009 | www.womenspress-slo.org | Women’s Press
Day With
Creative Women
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Mission Plaza, 10am-5pm
The 35th annual Day With Creative sale, delicious food, and children’s activities,
Women Arts and Crafts Festival takes place and is a fundraising event to benefit the
on Saturday, August 8, 2009 in Mission Women’s Community Center of San Luis
Plaza, downtown San Luis Obispo from 10 Obispo County, dedicated to the empow-
a.m. to 5 p.m. erment of women. For more information,
Day with Creative Women provides an check the website http://www.wccslo.org/,
opportunity for women artists and artisans call 805.544-9313, or email wccslo@gmail.
to display their talents and sell their wares. com.
This event has graced the Mission Plaza in This year’s event will provide an atmo-
San Luis Obispo on the second Saturday in sphere where families can come to view
August for the last 35 years. Sponsored by and purchase quality hand-made arts and
the Women’s Community Center of San crafts, have a meal or snack in a relaxed
Luis Obispo County, this event is an excel- atmosphere, and immerse themselves in the
lent opportunity to experience the many sights and sounds of the many local enter-
local and statewide talents of the women tainers. So far, the entertainment line up
artists. If you create art or hand-crafted includes: the close harmony singing group,
items, you are invited to display and sell Adelines; Higher Moves (African dance and
your works. Non-profit organizations are drums); the extraordinary combo, Cafe`
invited to provide the community with Musique; the return of Bonnie Richan with
information about their services. Booths her Fun Flutes; NuMonet; Chick Tuesday;
are still available but are disappearing fast! and ending the day with the Mowtowners
If you want to be part of this event, call the and the Wall of Women!
Women’s Community Center now at 544- Funds realized from Day with Creative
9313. Women help support the programs of the
Day with Creative Women celebrates Women’s Community Center. Applications
women’s creativity with music and enter- are available on-line at DWCW2009@aol.
tainment, arts and crafts for display and com or by calling the Center at 544-9313.
Clare B. Lowery L.Ac.
Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle Guidance
San Luis ObiSpa
4115 Vachell Lane
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805-541-6772
Near Downtown
Deluxe Continental Breakfast
Pool & Spa
Fitness Room
Guest Laundry
Suites
SAN LUIS OBISPO
2050 Garfield Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Toll Free: 800.544.7250
805.549.9911 Fax: 805.546.0734
SUPPORTERS OF WOMEN IN BUSINESS!
DayWithCreativeWomen 9
Performances 2:00 Nu Monet
In early 2008, com-
10:00 Poetry in Motion with Delia Horwitz poser, arranger, and
pianist Jim Bar-
Short expressive
nett joined classi-
dances to music and
cally trained singer
lyrics from Delia
Deanna Delore to
Horwitz’s poetry
form piano/voice
collection, Letters
duo Nu Monet.
From My Future
Inspired by the art-
Self: Musings of
ist Claude Monet’s
a Midlife Seeker.
unique approach to
Choreography and partner dance with
art, the two chose the name Nu Monet to
Kristina Bennett. Delia Horwitz is a profes-
reflect their unique approach to music. Nu
sional facilitator and leadership consultant
Monet performances span a wide variety of
as well as a dancer, and shares her whimsi-
musical genres, including tunes from the
cal rhymes as an inspiration for navigating
American songbook, show tunes, jazz stan-
through life’s challenges. Kristina Bennett
dards, folk ballads, and arias from operas.
creates and directs local interactive theatre
Nu Monet is rapidly gaining recognition
projects and is part of the SLO ecstatic and
on the California Central Coast, driven by
contact improv dance communities. Kris-
the duo’s superb musicianship and profes-
tina can be reached at (805) 540-1942, kris-
sionalism. The two blend their instrumen-
tinabridget@hotmail.com. Delia can be
tal and vocal talents in an engaging mix
reached at (805) 215-3717, www.rhymesby-
that demonstrates not only their virtuosity
request.com.
but also their sheer love of the music they
perform. Recordings of Nu Monet perfor-
mances are available online at www.NuMo-
net.com
12:00 Cafe Musique with Brynn Albanese
Hailing from the Central Coast of Califor-
nia, Café Musique presents a musical col- 3:00 Chick Tuesday with Buffy Duran
lage of waltz, tango, gypsy, and folk. Their
unique sound is defined by the beautiful
and driving composition of violin, accor-
dion, bass, guitar and percussion, along
with equally compelling vocals that are
reminiscent of music from previous eras.
Their first CD, “The Dancer”, was met
by rave reviews. Glen Starkey, music critic
for San Luis Obispo’s independent weekly
New Times said it best - “The debut album
of Café Musique is wicked good! I seriously
can’t say enough good things about this
album, which demonstrates a level of musi- 4:00 The Motowners
cianship and an emotional impact rarely The Motowners are a local Cayucos Group
found. This is a must have recording for who love their music. They play for pri-
fans of Gypsy Folk!” vate parties, weddings and festivals. When
the Motowners play, they usually have 3
1:00 Flute Fun to 5 female singers (known as the Wall of
Women). Cheryl Aiona is the lead singer,
A group of women who love to play all
kinds of flutes! Who are they? Maybe one a Hawaiian who grew up in the Bay Area
with her very powerful natural contralto.
is your doctor; maybe one is your child’s
math teacher; maybe one is your next door Romi West is our golden angel who not
only sings beautifully she also plays bass.
neighbor, or the person you see walking a
dog in the morning. This group of creative Helen Edwards is a local artist and jeweler
with a rhythmic voice that truly stands out
women is going to delight you with music
you may know, but perform it with a dis- in a crowd. They are backed up by Doug
tinctive sound you probably haven’t heard Frederickson (lead guitar and backup
before. vocals), Frank West (guitar, keyboards and
vocals), Randy Crozier (Cayucos born
and bred and one killer bass player), Dave
Ottenberg (mandolin, harmonicas and
vocals).
Also Appearing:
Central Coast Celebration Chorus
The award winning Central Coast Cele-
bration Chorus is part of an international
organization of women singers dedicated
to the joy of performing exciting four part
harmony, while fostering an environment
of personal growth and musical excellence!
They are an extraordinary group of women
who gather in celebration of the artform
known as barbershop music!
Directed by Dani Avalos Prigge, they
can be heard throughout the year, singing
for civic and charitable organizations, pri-
vate groups, churches, community events,
and fundraisers.
10 LocalPerspectives
Barbara Radovich: WCC Logo Artist
By Megan Drabinski
Barbara Radovich started pursuing her pas-
sion for art when she took time off from her
career to raise her daughters.  While taking
classes at Cuesta College, Barbara met Barry
Franz, an art professor and great inspira-
tion to her.  It was then that Barbara really
found her niche within the art world for
bronze sculptures.  In addition to sculpting,
Barbara also paints and draws.  Around this
time Barbara
also learned
of the Wom-
en’s Commu-
nity Center
competition
for their new
logo.  Bar-
bara’s winning logo of the dancing women
can be seen at Women’s Community Cen-
ter still today, as well as displayed at the
Center’s sponsored events, such as the Day
of Creative Women in the Plaza.  life goals, including raising two beauti-
When Barbara’s daughters left for col-
lege, she decided she needed something
more, so she started to pursue a teaching
credential.  Barbara wanted to teach Art
History, so she proposed the class to Atas-
cadero High School, who did not currently
offer the course.  The administrators were
not sure the students had interest in such a
course, so Barbara made and administered
a survey to the student body.  Barbara got a
very positive response and a part-time posi-
tion at the high school for when she fin-
ished her credential.
Creativity: My Soul
By Judythe Guarnera
“Creativity is about making a life—mak-
ing music, sewing clothes, making meals,
writing songs… writing a poem… letting
the world know that we are thinking of
them and that we love them.” This is how
Judy Collins defined creativity in her book,
“Morning, Noon, and Night.”
“I’m moving to the coast. Do you want
to come with me?” I telephoned my hus-
band with these words as I stared out at the
Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. We
both loved the ocean, and spending a week
in San Francisco was feeding that love. I
was attending a Leadership Training put on
by the Corporation for National Service for
its employees. I was the Program Director
for the Foster Grandparent Program, one
of the three Senior Corps Programs. My
service area was Fresno, California, which
didn’t have any claim to being a coastal
area.
My husband’s instant “Sure!” delighted
me, especially since I hadn’t given him any
details. He did ask what prompted my deci-
sion. I told him that one of our assignments
was to define our personal vision of what
we wanted to accomplish in life. The prem-
ise was that, until we could identify our
own vision, we would have trouble defining
the vision of our programs to our staff, vol-
unteers, and community members.
The ocean, ever since I moved to Cali-
fornia, defines me. As the ocean swells, its
power fills me with creativity and energy. As
it recedes, peacefulness fills my soul. It nur-
tures my soul, my body, my mind. Aware
of this need, I knew that the ocean would
be part of my future. I didn’t realize that
it would happen so quickly. My creativity
and ability to plan and execute details made
that vision a reality.
I acknowledge that my need to inter-
act and communicate with others must
be nourished almost daily. The leadership
conference created an atmosphere for me
to acknowledge that recognizing problems
and creating solutions was also a critical
part of my life.
Barbara now spends her time teaching
Art History and Studio Art.  At first the job
was stressful, but Barbara views teaching as
a fun challenge and her new creative outlet. 
When asked about her goals for teaching,
Barbara said, “I really want to inspire my
students to not be intimidated to go into
museums and to explore art without hesita-
tion.” Many of Barbara’s students have had
very little exposure to art and she wants to
provide them with a basis of knowledge,
and in turn
a desire to
travel and see
the famous
pieces that
they learn
about.  She
believes that
a great deal can be learned from traveling
and to inspire students to see the pieces that
they learn about is a great accomplishment.
Barbara has accomplished many of her
ful, self-confident, and determined young
women.  She has also had her art displayed
at the Art Center and had a booth at the
Day of Creative Women in the Plaza where
she sold some of her pieces.  In the future,
she does not want to focus on market-
ing or showing her art, but building pieces
for her new house and for her family.  She
also wants to travel to see many of the great
works that she teaches about in her Art
History class.  Barbara is happy to be able
to teach art and instill her passion into her
students.  sun, can take you most places you want to
Early in my career, I noticed that there
were people who had creative ideas, but
no ability to bring them to fruition. Dur-
ing that brief period, I assumed the role of
“doer.” I took the creator’s ideas and man-
aged all the details, so that the vision could
be achieved.
That was marginally satisfying, but I
soon realized that my greatest sense of ful-
fillment came when I was the one to create
the idea, design the solution, and execute
the details to make it happen. As I assumed
different responsibilities, I learned to dele-
gate the details to others, if need be. This
was where vision was important. If my
vision was clear, I could convey it to the
detail person. In a book I once read
about mindfulness, the author suggested
that, if we let our imagination guide us to
see the infinite possibilities in everything,
we will find solutions to the problems that
surround us.
Imagine a two year-old locking herself
in the bathroom. Encouraging the toddler
to turn the lock proves ineffective. The tod-
dler is screaming, Mom doesn’t know if
she is hurt in some way, and Dad took off
with the toolkit in his car. Looking around
her in a mindful, creative way, Mom grabs
a nail file and is able to trigger the mech-
anism that turns the lock. She rescues the
toddler, who appears frightened, but not
injured.
If the parent of that child was not a cre-
ative soul, the child might spend hours in
the bathroom until the firemen come to the
rescue. But the creative parent finds some-
thing close at hand, whether it is designed
to spring locks on bathroom doors or not.
Judy Collins closed her book with a
poem entitled “Prayer for the Creative
Life.” I have found inspiration in that poem
and will close my essay with a few lines
from it.
…“Bless my uncertainty with curiosity…
Let my heart be open, my mind clear…
Let me be simple but precise..
Let me feel confident and eager…
Show me the path…
Women’s Press | July & August 2009 | womenspress.slo@gmail.com
Transitioning to a more local, human,
and nourishing future
By Kathleen Deragon
If you are interested in making the following
vision a reality or to find out more, contact
one of the persons or go to one of the websites
listed at the end of this article.
Turns out you didn’t need to worry
about losing half of your savings in 2008’s
economic downturn. Your future’s secu-
rity, which you initially felt was at risk,
was secure after all, just not in the way you
thought it would be.
It wasn’t money in the bank that ulti-
mately provided you security; it was the
communication and interaction with other
people in your area of the county who, with
you, created community interactions that
provided for your basic needs and altered
your views of what you thought you needed
—what security really is.
No need to worry about $12 a gallon gas
when local electric buses, powered by the
go. A bicycle, co-owned car, or car pools get
you to the places the buses don’t run. You
don’t need to go far to shop, having cho-
sen to patronize local merchants. Oh, and
there’s that bullet train up and down the
coast and into the Valley gets you to family,
friends, and destinations out of town.
You are never hungry even if grocery
shelves carry food beyond your budget
because you have a patio and front yard
garden—or maybe a plot in a community
garden. Local farm stands provide what you
don’t grow yourself. Neighbors get together
to harvest, can, and dehydrate food and dis-
tribute enough for all to live through the
winter.
You are untouched by high energy
prices for heating and cooling and unwor-
ried about the climate extremes that seem
unavoidable. Solar panels provide the
energy you need and you’re getting credits
for the surplus you provide to the grid. You
got subsidized for energy efficient changes
in your home.
Nurturing Your Life’s Playground
By Jeanie Greensfelder
In a creativity class, I learned to walk in a
new place to get fresh ideas. When I did
that I came upon a playground that became
a metaphor for my life’s journey: the jun-
gle gym represented exercise, the see-saw
became a reminder to check on the balance
in my life, the swing embodied pleasure,
the merry-go-round symbolized the happy
reliability of meditation, the climbing wall
signified my current challenges, chalk on
pavement suggested creative efforts, and
imagining new equipment stood for the fun
of ideas and research.
Each morning we receive a 24-hour
allowance that we spend, and it’s so easy to
be a spendthrift. I made a visual picture of
my life’s playground as a reminder to check
on how I’m spending my time. I ask the
questions: What am I doing for me (body
and spirit)? For my friends and family? For
my writing work? For the community?
You might like to check in on your play-
ground. Are your routines merry? Could
Forced into doing with less, you soon
realized that you could actually manage
with less. As you repair and re-used “stuff”
you had, you learned new skills, swapped
skills, and got creative. You learned to sew
some of your own clothes, repaired favorite
ones, and acquired “new” ones at the local
thrift store or clothes swap each summer
and fall.
At “reskilling” events you have
learned—or taught others—how to gar-
den, use natural remedies for health prob-
lems, make natural cleaning and cosmetic
products, do minor household repairs, and
much more.
What you can’t afford to buy with US
currency, you can buy with local currency.
The people who live nearby are not
strangers; you know and interact with them
regularly. You share some of your home
appliances, have regular potlucks, celebrate
holidays with street parties, exchange pet
and child care; car pool to events out of the
neighborhood. You know that if you get ill
and need a ride to the doctor, some dinner,
or just some companionship, that someone
will be there for you.
North County
Bob Banner - info@hopedance.org
Jim Cole - jim.cole@mac.com
South County
June Cochran - gradofcal@yahoo.com
Kathleen Deragon - dbythesea@gmail.com
SLO
Paula Vigneault - pvigneault@gmail.com
Pam Stein - pbstein@hotmail.com
Coastal
Liana Forest - bearforest@sbcglobal.net
www.transitioncalifornia.ning.com
www.transitiontowns.org
www.transitionus.org
you be stuck in a rut, going round and
round? Are you getting exercise and having
fun with it? What brings you pleasure? Are
you up or down or somewhat balanced in
your activities?
Have you got a compelling project that
excites you? Do take a walk through Mis-
sion Plaza on August 8, Creative Women’s
Day, to stimulate fresh ideas.
Investing some of your allowance
on how you spend your time will yield
rewards.
July & August 2009 | www.womenspress-slo.org | Women’s Press
Spirituality Matters
Cultivating Soulful Self Care
By Heather Mendel
The words of the Desiderata, purport-
edly written several hundred years ago and
found in a church in Baltimore, remind us:
Whether or not it is clear to you, no
doubt the Universe is unfolding as it
should. Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you consider God to be. With all
it’s sham and drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
As we look around us, it is only with an
innate optimism and unswerving faith that
we can hold this vision. As the slumber-
ing giant of the Eastern hemisphere awak-
ens to the promise of all that consumerism
can bring, the West looks at the emptiness
that consumerism leaves in the soul and
seeks answers to life’s questions in the wis-
dom of the East. As Nature is despoiled to
the point of suffocation, we are all finally
forced to look at our place in the Universe
and ask those embarrassing questions about
what we individually are doing to help and
what we are doing to hinder the realigning
balance that is so out of kilter.  We think
we know so much! Science has provided
incredible insights about the working of the
natural world and gifted us with a corporate
machine that clogs our world with plastics
and aluminum, and then infests our bod-
ies with parabens and other chemicals that
we can’t pronounce that poison our bod-
ies and we wonder at the number of can-
cer–related illnesses, numbers of children
with being diagnosed with autism—all in
the greediest, most consumerist nation on
the planet.  As Americans, as women, how
do we find any sense of balance and soul-
ful ways to live our lives? Just as the crew in
any airplane instructs: In the event of any
emergency, “please place one over your own
face before trying to assist another,” Audre
Lorde reminds us too that caring for our-
selves is not self-indulgence, it is self –pres-
ervation. Hillel stated: If I am not for myself,
who will be for me?
John O’Donohue, mystic poet, has
some fascinating ideas about living soul-
fully: “The more I’ve been thinking about
this, the more it seems to me actually is that
the visible world is the first shoreline of the
invisible world. And the same way I believe
with the body and the soul. That actually...
the body is in the soul, not the soul just in
the body. And that in some way the poi-
gnancy of being a human being is that you
are the place where the invisible becomes
visible and expressive in some way.”
Our scientific bias has blinded us to
what indigenous people all over the world
knew and know that nature – rocks, plants,
animals, the stars, planets, and universe-
-is alive with a consciousness, different but
equal in all ways to our own. When we go
out each morning, silently and listening, in
O’Donohue’s words with “an open heart
and a watchful reverence,” we are amazed
at what we can learn. Being aware of the
vitality of nature and her cycles connects us
into the rhythm of the universe. If we con-
sciously attend to this energy we start to
open to life in anew way in which the fol-
lowing can enhance the soulful quality of
our days.   Reading O’Donohue is taking
the oxygen mask he offers.
Heather Mendel’s website’s are
• www.dancinginthefootstepsofeve.com
• www.wordartist.com  esteem is hurting. The richest nation has
• sacredfemininematters.blogspot.com
By MaryAine Cherry
Sunday in Reno at the Grand Sierra: I ven-
tured through the crowds, flashing lights,
and noise to the Grand Theatre to attend
the ’Transform Your Life’ Conference with
Marianne Williamson, Rabbi Shmuley, and
Dannion Brinkley. They talked about life,
love, and the hereafter.
Marianne encouraged us to get off our
butts and grow up and realize this is not a
dress rehearsal. We’re doing it and our ‘col-
lective we’ have things to do and do now.
Take responsibility for the things you can
change. Feeding the children is paramount
in her message.
The Rabbi talked about sex. Yeah,
he talked about sex and the dying of it.
We have overexposed ourselves and mar-
riages and relationships are suffering from
not being ‘enoughism’. Our collective self
self esteem issues because we aren’t suc-
cessful enough or pretty enough and then
it gets worse. You can make a list of what
is wrong with us. You can start making it
right again by looking within and noticing
how precious you are. Anyone that works
daily and keeps at it should be considered
a hero.
Dannion has died three times and has
been on the other side and seen that which
you only get to see when you die. He says,
‘you don’t die’, ever. You meet yourself and
review what you did to everyone else from
their perspective, as if you were them.
Whoa, that makes me want to do better
now. It does matter what we do and what
we don’t quite get around to doing.
You are greeted by your loved ones and
then one wonders what you were thinking
when you chose or were chosen to be in
this human body.
The point of this conference was to
wake up spiritually. I received this affir-
mation for the teaching that I offer. I talk
a lot about trusting your feelings and trust-
ing your inner voice and guess what, it’s
my job. I’m a cheerleader for the self. How
cool is that? I came to do what I love doing.
I’m in the right job. You can be too. If you
don’t know how, I’ll help you find out.
We are here to realize that we are doing
what we came to do and to be nicer and
more loving to:
Body&Soul 11
Casino
Spirituality
Part 1
Yourself. Stop the negative self talk and
accept you are a brave, chosen, beautiful
being that was made perfectly to be here
and have joy in this human (hands of God)
experience.
I like the way Dannion Brinkley said
human = hands of God. Maybe you believe
and maybe you have another name for All
That Is. It’s ok. The Creator is all the same
and loves our imagination.
Love is the most important feeling.
Express it, say it, tell people, show it, be
love.
We are created in perfection. We are
more than our job, bank account, posses-
sions. Find joy in what you do and the rest
will follow. If you are poor and have joy,
it’s good. If you are overweight and have
joy, it’s good. If you are rich and have joy,
it’s good. Be grateful and write it down to
remind yourself when you forget. Practice
enjoying yourself. Do something you love
everyday. Love what you are doing because
you can. Love finishing it and doing some-
thing you think you really love.
I really believe when we accept ourselves
exactly as we are, joy follows and life lines
up to support the spirit and the experiences
we have as humans. We can have fun!
Speak up, volunteer, and help out. The
giving brings so much love into life that the
giver actually ends up receiving more from
the time given. Paying it forward.
If you love your freedom, thank a vet-
eran; he/she gave their heart and soul to
give us a country that is free. There are
thousands of veterans dying alone, forgot-
ten by us. Call me about The Twilight Bri-
gade hospice training coming August 29-30.
Be the change you wish to see. Gandhi
I almost forgot to tell you. The
casino employees were asking what we
were doing in there. They could feel the
place was lighter, the energy higher than
usua,l and they wanted to know about
it. We were happy and we weren’t drink-
ing. We were glowing with good, lov-
ing, warm feelings. We are the change
when we share our light and love.
Beautiful Blessings, MaryAine
MaryAine Cherry, Inner Transformation
Self Development Guide helping people release
limitations, inspire them to reach for their
goals and believe it’s possible. www.return2joy.
com maryaine@return2joy.com
12 NOWNews
This Page Presented by the National Organization for Women
Coordinator’s Corner
By Angie King
This month we have a lot of information
from the NOW state conference and a page
full of commentary following Dr. George
Tiller’s murder at the end of May, so I will
keep this short.
The main thing you need to know is
that our meeting location has changed.
We are still meeting at the GALA center,
but they moved into their own building on
Palm Street, and we will continue to hold
our meetings at their new location.
So, the meeting in July and from then
forward will be at the GALA center, 1060
Palm Street, in SLO. That’s directly across
from the courthouse on Palm, and we hope
to see more of you come to our meetings.
We have a lot of ideas; in fact at the
last meeting we couldn’t stop throwing out
great ideas for actions, for ways to change
the dialogue about women, for petitions
and letter writing campaigns, for marches
and rallies. The problem is, there are only
a few of us who come each month to the
meeting to plan these events, and we are
reluctant to commit resources when we
don’t know how many of you out there sup-
port our activities. Please come see us at the
new location 1060 Palm St. and let us know
you are there and willing to help.
In regard to Women’s Equality Day, we
decided to use the money we have spent
in the past producing a public event to
which (again) only the dedicated come, for
a wider distribution. We will pay for an ad
in the print media to publicize the need
for and contributions of women’s suffrage
and hope you will help us by contributing
to the cost. Tell your friends; mention it in
your other groups and gatherings; $5 isn’t
much to you but a lot of $5 buys a BIG ad!
Aren’t we worth it? Yes, we are!
Women’s Equality Day
August 26
Let the Whole
Community Know!
August 26th marks the day the 36th state
legislature ratified the 19th Amendment to
the US Constitution, making it official: all
women have the right to vote. Beginning
in the 1840’s as a whisper among women
abolitionists and temperance supporters,
women took the tactics and strategies devel-
oped in those fights and used them to advo-
cate for suffrage for themselves. However, it
took 72 years from the First Women’s Right
Convention in Seneca Falls, in 1848, until
that date in 1920 for our goal to be realized.
In the 88 years since, women have made
a huge difference in the shape of our cul-
ture. Beginning immediately after pas-
sage, in that first election in 1920, women
overwhelmingly voted for social changes
and ran for office in record numbers not
matched until recently.
Since 1971 August 26th has been cele-
The purpose of NOW is to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society NOW !
Reflections on the Death of George Tiller
Just when we thought things would change,
with Obama and the Democrats able to thwart
most, if not all, of the right wing’s attempts to
destroy our right to choose, by among other
tactics advocating shooting anyone who didn’t
agree with them, Dr. Tiller gets shot (alleg-
edly) by a man known to hate and willing to
take extreme action to eliminate the object of
his hatred. Oddly, the groups that advocate
violence against abortion care workers are not
classified as “terrorist” groups. Yet their pur-
pose is to terrorize people into getting out of
abortion care.
The murder of George Tiller—and on the
steps of his church, no less—is a tragedy of
Greek proportions. It becomes a symbol for
the level of malevolence and vitriol still eddy-
ing around under the surface in our “new
democracy of enlightenment,” which is ages-
old and which fuels the Sunni-Shia wars, as
one example.
But what’s worse is our country’s reaction
to the violence. Predictably the left-of-center
and moderates are calling for dialogue and
common ground, while the right wing contin-
ues to say he got what he deserved and abor-
tionists kill babies. Where will it end? Roeder
didn’t act alone. Yes, in the sense no one else
drove with him to the church and no one else
had a gun, but it’s unlikely that he had no
help. For instance, the phone number of an
Operation Rescue leader was taped to the dash
of his car. He would never have felt safe to
act out his violence-filled hatred if not for the
constant yammering on the Right of how
awful anyone is who believes in a wom-
an’s autonomy over her own body. Because
after all, that’s what it really is, the sense
of powerlessness at the loss of control over
another—in this case, men losing control
over women.
Not every male feels that way, obvi-
ously. And it is not just men who are driven
to extremes by the thought of men losing
power over women. But that’s not my point
today. The point is, the culture we now live
in has deteriorated to such an extent that
the majority who do not believe in vigilan-
tism, who do not believe in physically strik-
ing out at others who disagree with them
brated as Women’s Equality Day, a chance
for us to remind ourselves of the power
of the ballot. A chance to celebrate the
changes in our society brought about by the
influence of women voters.
And it is also a chance for us to reflect
on what women can do and must continue
to do for the future.
This year, instead of a public event,
NOW is sponsoring an ad in the Tribune
and the New Times to publicize the impor-
tance of the contributions made by women
as a result of our voting power. We encour-
age our supporters to help us defray that
cost. How much we receive in donations
will determine how big an ad we can pur-
chase. Let’s make it a full size page!! We are
certainly worth it! Send contributions, large
and small, to NOW, PO Box 1306, SLO
93406, “women’s day ad” in the memo line.
Women’s Press | July & August 2009 | womenspress.slo@gmail.com
on an issue, have become powerless to stop
the minority who do.
Didn’t the Germans have this problem
60 years ago? Martin Niemöller was a Ger-
man pastor and theologian whose poem is
well-known, frequently quoted, and is a
popular model for describing the dangers of
political apathy: NOW Chapter # CA 565
“In Germany, they came first for PO Box 1306, SLO, CA 93406
the Communists, And I didn’t speak up SLONOW @ kcbx.net
because I wasn’t a Communist; http://groups.myspace.com/~slonow
And then they came for the trade union-
ists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t
a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I Calendar
didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then... they came for me... And July 2:
by that time there was no one left to speak • Civil Rights Act signed into law, 1964
up.” • Amelia Earhart’s plane is lost in the
Pacific Ocean, 1937
July 4:
• In Baltimore, where she is the only
(The following is a comment in response
printer, Mary Katherine Goddard
to the Reflections on Dr. Tiller article.
publishes the Declaration of Indepen-
For safety reasons, the author wishes to dence, 1777.
remain anonymous.) July 9:
• birthday, June Jordan, poet, civil rights
worker, 1936
There is no middle ground between pro-
July 15:
choice and anti-choice. The middle ground
• Jocelyn Burnell discovered pulsars,
consists of those who believe abortion is
1943, for which her supervisor received
wrong and not having one, and those who
Nobel Prize in physics
think it is a responsible parenting decision
July 18:
to have one when appropriate. Dr Tiller
• Geraldine Ferraro nominated vice
used to say “women are morally and intel-
president, Democratic Party, 1984
lectually and spiritually capable of strug-
July 19:
gling with complex ethical issues and
• first Women’s Rights Convention, Sen-
coming to the appropriate decision for
eca Falls, NY 1848
themselves and their families.” Anti-choice
July 21:
people disagree with this fundamental
wJuly 21:
premise.
• birthday, Janet Reno, 1938
So many programs have tried to deal
July 24:
with the issue of ‘both sides’ and ‘middle
• birthday, Bella Abzug, 1920
ground’ by having on these vitriolic anti
July 29:
abortion fanatics. More useful would be
• birthday of Jacqueline Onassis, 1929;
to have some in-depth discussion of why
established White House Historical
women end up needing late term abortions:
Association, 1994
#1 Raped, didn’t know she was preg-
August 3:
nant
• birthday, Maggie Kuhn, founder Grey
#2 Raped under date rape drug, didn’t
Panthers, 1905
know she had had intercourse, August 6:
didn’t think she could be pregnant • anniversary of Hiroshima; Women’s
#3 Irregular menses/obese/athlete/very Peace Day
young didn’t know she was preg- August 6:
nant
#4 inadequate sex education, didn’t
know she was pregnant
• Voting Rights Act outlaws literacy
tests; suffrage finally extended to
African American women, 1965
#5 terrified of parental response, August 7:
denied to herself that she was preg- • birthday of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn,
nant labor organizer, helped found
#6 pregnancy tests repeatedly gave a ACLU, 1890
false negative August 8:
#7 health care worker didn’t test for • Day with Creative Women,
pregnancy
#8 no health care worker available
Mission Plaza
Apr 10:
#9 no abortion care provider available • birthday, Dolores Huerta, 1930; co-
#10 didn’t have enough money for early
founder United Farm Workers
abortion, and as she tried to scrape August 13:
it together, the pregnancy got more
• birthday, Lucy Stone, pioneer for
and more advanced women’s rights, 1818; kept her own
#11 drug/alcohol problems during
name at marriage
pregnancy, didn’t realize she was August 18:
pregnant
• NOW regular meeting, 6 PM
#12 late diagnosis of fetal anomaly August 23:
#13 OB didn’t do the right tests at the
• Fannie Farmer opens Boston cooking
right time school, introducing standard measure-
#14 Test results were misread
ments for recipes, 1902
#15 Test results were lost August 26:
#16 OB delayed giving test results
• Women’s Equality Day
#17 Fetus has anomaly that can’t be August 28:
diagnosed early
• Martin Luther King, Jr’s March
#18 Test results were misrepresented or on Washington, “I have a Dream”
misinterpreted to patient.
speech, 1963
July & August 2009 | www.womenspress-slo.org | Women’s Press
Women’s Community Center
Our mission is:
• TO maintain an accessible center to
collect and exchange information of
interest and concern to women
• TO organize and facilitate work-
shops, clinics, seminars, classes, and
support groups on subjects of inter-
est and need
• TO engage in and facilitate interac-
tion among local, state, and national
agencies and organizations working
to benefit women
Call for Volunteers
Hear ye, hear ye! The Women’s Com-
munity Center is looking for a few vol-
unteers to help with several projects. We
could use some help with general office
duties and to monitor family court pro-
ceedings (Court Watch).
An Open Letter to 21 Million Women
By B.J. Isaacson-Jones ( 1988 )
Submitted by Susan Robinson, M.D.
Where are you?
For over 16 years we have provided
you with choices
Painful choices
I remember
I sometimes cried with you.
Choices, nevertheless, when you were
desperate.
Remember how we protected your privacy
and treated you with dignity and respect
when you
were famous
had been brought to us in shackles
with an armed guard, or
were terrified
that you would run into
one of your students?
I remember each of you.
Our clinic was firebombed.
Do you recall?
Exhausted and terrified we had
been up all night.
We rerouted you to another clinic
because you wanted an abortion that day.
Where are you?
Priding ourselves on providing abortions
for
those who cannot pay, we have spent
vmillions
of dollars that we never really
had caring for you. We wanted
to give a choice.
I also gave you cab fare and
money for dinner from my own pocket.
Have you forgotten?
I remember you cried and asked me how
you could carry this pregnancy to term
when
you
were abusing the children you had,
were having an affair,
tested positive for AIDS,
could not handle another,
were raped by your mother’s boyfriend,
Family Law
Action Committee
Dealing With Divorce
3rd Wednesday of each month – 7 PM
Upcoming:
July 15, August 19 & September 16
Talk with other women who have
been there, done that in a supportive,
non-judgmental environment.
$10 donation
Self-Represented Litigants’ Clinic
4th Tuesday of each month – 5:30 PM
Upcoming:
July 28, August 25 & September 22
Get family law advice from local
attorneys and/or paralegals.
Reservations required. $40 donation
Call 788-2491 for information
pregnant by your father and
shocked and torn apart when
your very much wanted and loved
fetus was found to be
severely deformed.
Your mother picketed our clinic
regularly. We brought you in after dark.
Have you mustered the courage
to tell her that you are pro-choice?
You are.
Aren’t you?
I recall shielding your shaking body, guid-
ing you
and your husband through the picket lines.
They screamed adoption, not abortion!
You wondered how you could explain your
choice to your young children.
You broke our hearts.
You had just celebrated your twelfth birth-
day
when you came to us. You clutched
your teddy bear, sucked your thumb
and cried out for your mom who asked
you why you had gotten yourself pregnant.
You replied that you just wanted to be
grown.
You’re twenty today.
Where are you?
I pretend I don’t know you in the market,
at social gatherings and on the street.
I told you I would.
After your procedure you told me that you
would
fight for reproductive choices (parenthood,
adoption, and abortion) for your mother,
daughters,
and grandchildren. You will... won’t you?
I have no regrets. I care about
each and every one of you and
treasure all that you’ve taught me.
But I’m angry. I can’t do this alone.
I’m not asking you to speak about your
abortion, but
You need to speak out and you need to
speak
out now. Where are you?
US Supreme Court Opening
By Angie King
As with all political news, by the time this
article sees the light of press, everything
might have changed, but, as of now, hear-
ings are scheduled for July 13 about the
nomination of Federal Judge Sonia Soto-
mayor to the US Supreme Court bench
to replace David Souter. Hopefully, we
all know by now her life story: of Puerto
Rican immigrant parents, early life in the
“barrios” of New York City, rising through
merit, scholarships to Princeton and Yale
Law School, where she excelled as editor
of the law review. She has been public ser-
vant her whole career, beginning as a pros-
ecutor in Manhattan. In 1992, Republican
President George H. W. Bush appointed
Sotomayor to the District Court for the
Southern District of New York. Later, in
1998, President Bill Clinton nominated
her to the 2nd Circuit, where she was con-
firmed with bipartisan support in a 67-29
vote.
So why is the GOP throwing up all the
sand in her face: there isn’t enough time
to go through her cases (she has authored
about 400 opinions in her present posi-
tion); she is biased because she’s Latina; we
don’t know if she’s healthy enough (she has
diabetes), etc. However, they approved of
her only 11 years ago. What’s changed?
The main argument seems to be that
she is not a “constitutional originalist” like
Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas. Conservatives
attack her for describing the role appellate
justices have in forming policy, which they
claim is akin to an endorsement of “judicial
activism.”
But as legal scholars have noted, while
Congress makes the law, the law is not
always clear. And in clarifying those laws,
the courts make policy. Eric Freedman, a
law professor at Hofstra University, was
dismissive of this emerging conservative
NOW News
California NOW held its state convention
at the end of May, and our chapter sent 3
delegates. What follows is a summary of the
activities of that wonderful weekend and
reflections on the workshops.
NOW Launches Expanded Media Hall
of Shame: No longer focused solely on
political media, the new expanded Media
Hall Of Shame (located at www.now.org)
questions the appropriateness of a Sponge
Bob “square butts” Burger King ad and
asks you to vote on the “Misogyny Meter”
how offensive you find Gordon Liddy’s
comments about Judge Sotomayor men-
struating.
Support the Healthy Families Act:
About 40 percent of private sector employ-
ees do not get a single paid sick day; many
of these employees work in healthcare, food
service, and other jobs where they are the
most prone to spread an illness but cannot
afford to take time off to recover or to take
time off to care for a sick child.
The Healthy Families Act would guaran-
tee seven paid sick days per year for work-
ers at businesses with 15 or more employees.
These days could be used to recover from an
illness, care for a sick child or family mem-
ber, or seek services to recover from domes-
tic violence. For more information, check
out www.now.org or www.momsrising.org
Remembering Dr. Tiller: For over 20
years Dr. George Tiller provided reproduc-
tive health care and abortion services to
women and their families. On May 31, 2009
he was murdered in his church.
NARAL Pro-choice America has started
a website (www.remembertiller.com) where
you can sign your name in remembrance
NOWNews 13
talking point, and said, “It is thoroughly
uncontroversial to anyone other than a
determined demagogue.”
Sotomayor’s record on cultural issues is
thin. Her Second Circuit cases dealt with
constitutional law, complex procedural
matters, lawsuits involving complicated
business organizations. But, quite notably,
her sole opinion regarding abortion was
in line with the anti-abortion movement’s
position. The one decision she wrote on
this issue, Center for Reproductive Law and
Policy v. Bush, 304 F.3d 183 (2d Cir. 2002,)
concerned the Mexico City Policy, which
President Obama recently overturned and
which prohibits sending taxpayer dollars
to groups that promote and perform abor-
tions in other nations. Writing for the Sec-
ond Circuit, Judge Sotomayor upheld the
Mexico City Policy, but the significance of
the decision “may be minimal because the
issue was largely controlled by the Second
Circuit’s earlier opinion in a similar chal-
lenge to the policy,” according to an anti-
abortion website. Yet, in that decision she
also rejected claims that the policy violated
the Equal Protection Clause.
That said, pro-choice groups hailed her
nomination, with Planned Parenthood
declaring that she “understands the impor-
tance of ensuring that our Supreme Court
justices respect precedent while also pro-
tecting our civil liberties.”
Elevation of Judge Sotomayor would be
to everyone’s benefit. She has a great under-
standing of the Constitution – and its lim-
its – and of the real world affected by the
court’s interpretations of law, and her pres-
ence would help tilt the court back towards
the center. The right felt outraged when
Roosevelt “packed the court” with his phil-
osophical adherents for a political advan-
tage; they should recognize how strong the
resentment is against Bush doing the same.
It’s time for a change.
and give a donation in memoriam. Another
website, IamDrTiller.com, allows doctors
who provide (or intend to provide) abor-
tion services to post stories about their
practices and lives to show solidarity with
Dr. Tiller.
Since 1993, 8 clinic workers have been
murdered in the United States. Since 1977
more than 5,800 acts of violence against
abortion providers have been reported.
See the separate article about Dr. Til-
ler and the poem submitted by our speaker
from the 2009 Roe v. Wade celebration.
From the NOW State Conference in
Berkley, which took place May 30 and 31
Workshop - “Media, Body Image and Self
Esteem” by Lynne Levine
The NOW State Conference presented
three workshops, and I attended the one
entitled “Media, Body Image and Self
Esteem.” This was a workshop designed
and presented by a representative of “About
Face”, an organization that shows women
and girls how marketers and media makers
exploit their emotions in order to sell prod-
ucts. “About Face” equips us with the tools
we need to understand and resist harmful
media messages that effect their self-esteem
and body image through three programs:
Education Into Action - media literacy
workshop, the About Fact.org web site, and
Take Action groups
“About Face” primarily serves girls and
women of ages 13-30 in the San Francisco
Bay Area.
Workshop: Homophobia in Athletics by
Leslyn Keith
The scheduled speaker for this work-
shop was unable to attend, so it was instead
led by Linda Joplin, past California NOW
president. Linda is a CA NOW Board
Continued in NOW NEWS, p. 14
14 CommunityBulletins
Bulletins
Women Seniors Invest in Cambria
Four artists - three women and a man -
have opened a new co-op gallery on Main
Street in Cambria. The Painted Lily Gal-
lery was seeded with social security rebates
received by the three women who are all
seniors. They opened for business on May
8 with a grand opening on May 23. Come
visit us! gallery hours:
10 AM to 5 PM daily except Tuesday
2026 Main St., Cambria, located in
front of Lily’s Coffee House and next to
The Garden Shed in east Cambria
Women and Money
As women, we have been socialized to defer
decisions about money to the men in our
lives and even now, talking about how to
make money is taboo for many women.  CA. Call now if you are interested. Please
So why do we give up our power and the
ability to take care of ourselves?  Join us to
for a discussion about things we do wrong
with money, things we do right and how
to get where we want to be at the next
“After 5 Business Connection” meeting on
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009, from 5:15 p.m.
- 8:00 p.m. at Ciao Bella Trattoria, Morro
Bay. The meeting, which includes din-
ner, is $30.00 for Members and $40.00
Non-Members. Contact: Jacky Lopez
805-439-1013
Beads and Bling
“BEADS & BLING: A Jew-
elry Sale to Benefit Breast Cancer
Survivors” to be held at Edna Valley
Vineyard on Thursday evening, July 9,
from 5-8 pm.   There is no fee to
attend, we’ll serve lovely gourmet food,
and there will be live music and a no-
host bar with Edna Valley wines.   We
hope to have more than 100 women attend-
ing, like a girls’ night out!
Hospice for Veterans   of seventeen questions appended to the
Too many people are dying alone. The
dying, as a group, whose membership cuts
across all racial, religious, ethnic, and socio-
NOW NEWS
Continued from p. 13
Advisor on athletic equity and has been
monitoring school athletic program com-
pliance with Title 9 for over 15 years. Title
9 requires athletic opportunities, funding,
and scholarships at schools that receive
public funds to be within 5% of the propor-
tion of female to male athletes. Linda gave
an update on several complaints that were
blocked by the Bush administration. We
hope to have better compliance with the
law with this new administration.
We also had a roundtable discussion of
issues facing the LGBT community in ath-
letics and how the homophobic culture in
many athletic departments affects the par-
ticipation of women and girls in sports.
Historically, if you were a female physi-
cal education teacher, it was assumed you
were gay. Many athletically inclined girls
were also painted with the same brush. The
stigma of being gay, and the homopho-
bic atmosphere, kept down participation
of women and girls in sports. Interest-
ingly, there is a much more positive image
of female athletes than of male athletes in
the media currently. Male athletes are much
more likely to appear in the media for ste-
roid use, domestic abuse, or other viola-
tions of the law than are female athletes,
who are celebrated for their achievements.
Workshop: Safe Cosmetics with Teens
Turning Green by Pat Renshaw
Host: Genevieve Roja of the National
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the
Breast Cancer Fund.
economic lines, are one of our most unrec-
ognized and under-served minorities. As
people reach the end of life, they are often
ignored, discounted, and treated as chil-
dren or, even worse, as objects. This inten-
sive 20-hour workshop is designed to teach
people how to provide comfort and support
to the dying and their family members. It
is appropriate for lay volunteers, as well as
medical and mental health professionals.
Veterans are encouraged to attend.      (805) 927-5747, or by e-mail,  luciacapa@
Typically, the course runs from Fri-
day evening through Sunday. Arrive at
6:30 n. Friday night, starts at 7:00pm to
10:00pm; Saturday, 10:00am to 10:00pm;
Sunday, 10:00am to 5:30pm. Participants
who attend the entire 20-hours are given a
Certificate of Completion at the end of the
training.
Training is scheduled for Aug, 28, 29th
and 30th at a location in San Luis Obispo,
get your registration fee of $75.00 in by
Aug. 1st.  Local contact: MaryAine Cherry,
daughter of Donald J. Curtis CWOII RET.
deceased 2008
Art and Poetry:
How to Inspire Your Students 
Camp Ocean Pines offers this unique work-
shop from July 31-August 2, 2009. This
workshop will teach you how to inspire
your students by bringing visual art and
poetry into your classroom. This class will
help your students as they explore the con-
nections between color and poetry through
hands-on exploration of the founda-
tions of mechanics of color, acrylic paint-
ing techniques, and the work of artists
such as Matisse, Klee, and Miro. Register
online www.campoceanpines.org or call
805.927.0254
Searching for Soul
Author Bobbe Tyler of Cambria writes a
story with in-depth commentary, fram-
ing each chapter as a response to one
book for reference. Jumping into the
depths of her own personal journey for
answers, the author explores familial men-
What exactly is in that wrinkle cream,
lotion and make up you are putting on
you skin? What are the dangers of toxic
and cancer causing agents that are standard
ingredients in many over the counter cos-
metics?
Teens Turning Green decided to find
out. This small group of teenage women
began a national movement to investigate
toxic exposures from the products that are
targeted to teens. They began educating
peers and the community about healthy
lifestyle choices.
They came up with the Dirty Thirty
list of chemicals to avoid in skin, cosmet-
ics, and personal care products, including:
aluminum zirconium, benzyl acetate, ben-
zalkonium chloride just to name a few. (for
a complete list go to teensturninggreen.org)
They also have a list of Eco-conscious
beauty and personal care products. Alaffia,
Burt’s Bees, Dr. Bronner’s, Jason. And also
being good business women they came up
with their own product line: Teens Turn-
ing Green. They informed us that many of
these chemicals are also banned in many
foreign countries. Companies use the same
procedure to make their products but add
the toxic chemicals to one’s made in the
United States. The reason…only 10% of
beauty products are tested for health con-
cerns in the US. Many of these products
are linked to breast cancer. The fact that
the FDA does not regulate these products
because they are not food let’s in a toxic
soup of hormone changing, breast carcin-
ogens’ and lead contaminants, which are
directly applied to our skin, eye, and lips.
This is just what is used for adults.
Women’s Press | July & August 2009 | womenspress.slo@gmail.com
tal illness, divorce, addiction, times of near-
despair, the “God” question and other
matters.A book signing event for Tyler’s
book,  “Searching for Soul: A Survivor’s
Guide” is  scheduled  for Saturday, August
22, from 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m (or later) at
The Painted Lily Gallery, 2026 Main Street
in Cambria’s East Village. Please do con-
firm this date a week beforehand by con-
tacting Lucia  Cappachione at the Gallery,
aol.com.
Free Energy Balancing
The Global Alliance for Balance and Heal-
ing is offering free energy balancing ses-
sions on Saturday, July 18 from 11:00am to
4:00pm.
The free clinic will be held at Sierra
Vista Hospital in the Auditorium, 1010
Murray Avenue, San Luis Obispo. Park-
ing is best in the outpatient parking lot
(on the west side and then go through the
second entrance sliding glass doors). Once
you enter the doors, turn right and then left
into the auditorium. No appointment is
necessary. All are welcome.
Visit www.globalalliance.ws or call 805-
438-4347 to learn about energy balancing or
other offerings from the Global Alliance for
Balance and Healing.
Women’s Empowerment Group
The Women’s Empowerment Group is a
group of women who meet on the 1st and
3rd Monday of  each month, promptly at
6:30 p.m. to explore change and growth for
oneself, build assertiveness and confidence,
overcome self-sabotage and honor feminine
beauty through the safe and loving support
of real women.
We spend approximately three hours
connecting, processing, supporting, lis-
tening, and honoring each other, help-
ing each woman who chooses to work
to get to wherever she wants to go. Each
circle has a specific facilitator to guide
and direct the circle. 265 Prado Rd
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7312 Phone:
805.544.4636
Think about that baby lotion that you are
applying to your precious one. For the
health of all contact: Teens Turning Green,
Environmental Justice, and Toxins in
School Environment to get more informa-
tion on what you can use and what you can
do to inform yourself and your daughters.
Beauty is more then skin deep.
Guest Speaker: Latifa Lyles, by Lynne
Levine
For me the highlight of the NOW State
Conference was meeting and hearing the
Guest Speaker, Latifa Lyles. She is now
the National NOW Vice-President, the
group’s youngest ever National officer. She
is 29 years old and is now a candidate for
President of National NOW. She presently
serves as National spokesperson on issues
ranging from reproductive rights to Social
Security. She is a passionate young Afro-
American feminist—an activist who, as
National President, would make the voice
of NOW heard everywhere!
Guest Speaker: Nancy Skinner, by Pat
Renshaw
In November 2008, Nancy Skinner
(D-Berkeley) was elected to represent the
Bay Area’s 14th Assembly District. The dis-
trict includes Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito,
Emeryville, Kensington, Lafayette, Mor-
aga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Richmond,
San Pablo, and parts of Oakland and El
Sobrante.
On May 30th Ms. Skinner spoke at the
California NOW State Conference about
the dispute within the legislature on how
to balance the budget. She spoke of the
frustration she feels in witnessing cuts to
the most needy in our society. Education,
Opportunity to Volunteer!
Women’s Press is desperate for volunteers
in San Luis Obispo and North County! We
need a few people to committ to distribut-
ing papers in designated areas. This is a job
that requires you to pick up papers at the
WCC in San Luis Obispo and then dis-
tribute them in designated places in your
area. You will need to restock papers usually
twice a month (or more, depending on how
popular the location is). It’s such a reward-
ing job: you get to distribute WP to your
community, you get to meet local mer-
chants, and you are helping a great organi-
zation.
We are also looking for someone with
a van/truck/large automobile to pick up
Women’s Press at Cal Poly and deliver the
papers to the WCC. This is a volunteer job
that needs to be done only once every two
months! That’s only 6 times a year!!!
Please let Courtney Brogno know
if you are interested by emailing
womenspress.slo@gmail.com
MY PAD
Continued from p. 7
pon will explode in 5 seconds.”
There were more brainy stickers where
that came from, “diploma inside.”
Why not some quality control informa-
tion, “carefully inspected by count dracula.”
Oooh, that one was sick. Mu-hu-wahaha!
Last but not least,“you have just won a
chance to compete on ‘american midol!’”
Simon Cowell would crawl away, whimper-
ing while performing Hari-kari.
The front door swung open and in
walked my teenage step-son. One look at
my pile on the table, and he high tailed it
to his room, intent on avoiding my genius
at work. I knew it was time to put away the
bag, yet I was still inspired. So I will have to
string you along until the next installment
of hormonal ravings. Stay tuned for Songs,
Stories, and Holiday Favorites of the hor-
monally deranged- same HD channel.
health care, and social programs are all on
the chopping block.
She also talked about the fact that a 2/3’s
vote is needed to pass a budget. Getting
that amount of people to agree on anything
can be a tremendous feat.
One thing she was sure of is there is
hope. The momentum is here. Now what
can we do? Write, write, write, and Run,
run, run. Write to your representatives,
your governor, your president. Then run
for a seat. Locally and nationally. This is the
perfect time to throw your hat in the ring.
Now is the time to make a difference.
California NOW Board of Directors
Meeting, by Leslyn Keith
The Board of Directors has quarterly
meetings, one of which is usually in con-
junction with the State Conference. As
this was an election conference, the newly
elected officers presided over the meeting.
Normal business was conducted, including
reports from the Treasurer, Legislative Advi-
sory Committee, and other issue committee
reports. Of interest to NOW members and
other feminists is a special event planned
for the 40th anniversary of Woodstock to
be held at Golden Gate Park on Oct. 25,
2009 called the West Fest. California NOW
will be sponsoring a stage and will receive
proceeds from the sale of West Fest CDs.
Additionally, California NOW will be part-
nering with a feminist wine club who will
be donating 50% of their profits to NOW.
Unfortunately, the meeting was dis-
rupted when we were informed of the hor-
rific murder of Dr. George Tiller. Several
board members present were friends of his.
July & August 2009 | www.womenspress-slo.org | Women’s Press Resources 15
ABUSE Project Lifesaver Planned Parenthood
Adults Molested as Children Support Group (AMAC) 548.0909 www.projectlifesaverofslo.org SLO 549.9446
Rape Survivors Support Group, SLO Safe and Sober Support Group Stroke Support Group
Support Group for Sexual Assault Survivors 473.6507 471.8102 (SLO)
545.8888 St. Barnabas (Depression/Divorce/Grief) Caregivers of Stroke Survivors
Center for Alternatives to Domestic Violence 489.2990 www.stbarnabas.ag.org 544.2266 (SLO)
781.6406 Talk/Listen - Emotional support Women’s Support/Therapy v (general)
North County Women’s Shelter & Resource Center, 489.5481 534.1101
(inc. domestic violence support groups) Transformations Counseling Center Women’s Healthcare Specialists
461.1338 Free monthly workshops 541.7908 544.4883
SARP (Sexual Assault Recovery & Prevention) FINANCE/BUSINESS POLITICAL
545.8888 or 800.656.HOPE (4673) Consumer Credit Counseling Services Code Pink
Women’s Shelter Program of SLO 800.540.2227 www.slocodepink.org ososousaville@aol.com
781.6401 www.womensshelterslo.org Commission on Status of Women
GAY & LESBIAN 545.8412; Dawn Williams
ADDICTIONS Gay and Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast
AA Meeting Democratic Women United
541.4252 541.4252
541.3211 PFLAG.Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays
Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) League of Women Voters
438.3889 543.2220
498.2176 SOL (Single Older Lesbians)
Al-Anon NOW (National Organization for Women)
Mostly socializing! Call 474.9405 www.kcbx.net/~slonow/ slonow@kcbx.net
534.9204
Cambria Connection (12 step support) HOSPICE READERS/WRITERS
927.1654 Hospice of SLO County, AIDS Bereavement Group Adult Literacy
Casa Solana 544.2266 and 434.1164 541-4219
Women’s Recovery Home 481.8555 Hospice Partners of the Central Coast Creative Writing Group
Chemical Dependency intensive 782.8608 748-2676; contact Gloria
outpatient program Nightwriters
541-9113 JOBS/CAREERS
Compulsive Eaters Anonymous, H.O.W. Concept
549.9656; contact Shirley Powell
AARP Sisters in Crime
546.1178 www.ceahow.org 788.2643 http://SinC-CCC.blogspot.com
Drug & Alcohol Services Cal Poly Foundation
781.4275 Jobline 756.7107 www.calpolyfoundation.org SENIORS
Narcotics Anonymous Cal Poly University Adult Day Care
549.7730 and 800.549.7730 http://calpolyjobs.org 756.1533 489.8894 (Arroyo Grande);
Overeaters Anonymous Cuesta College 434.2081 (Templeton); 927.4290 (Cambria)
541.3164 http://www.cuesta.edu Jobline 546.3127 Adult Protective Services
SCA, SLAA & SAA (Sex, Love & Romance Addictions) The Creekside Career Center 781.1790
461.6084 788.2600 or 237.3014 www.slocareers.org Computerooters:
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Department of Rehabilitation Computer help: 489.6230
929.1789 www.tops.org 549.3361 Department of Social Services:
Women for Sobriety Mission Community Services Corporation In-Home Support 781.1790
215.536.8026 www.womenforsobriety.org Women’s Business Partners Nursing help for the terminally ill 781.5540
595.1357 www.mcscorp.org Elder and Dependent Adult Advocacy and Outreach –
CHILDREN & FAMILIES Private Industry Council (PIC) Victim Witness Assistance Center
Birth and Baby Resource Center www.jobhunt.org 788.2601
546.3755 www.bbrn.org 781-5821
LEGAL Elder Law, Geraldine E. Champion, Attorney
Childcare Resource Connection
541.2272 or 800.727.2272 Core Mediation Services 473.4747
Foster Grandparents.Senior Companions
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) 544.6334 medeee8@aol.com 782.9200
“A child’s voice in Court in SLO County” District Attorney’s Office – Victim Witness Center Senior Ballroom Dance club
541.6542 781.5821 489.5481 dg17@juno.com
Children’s Services Network Family Law Facilitator Senior Peer Counseling
781.1847 788.3418 Free, trained in.home counseling for 60+
First 5: Children & Families Commission Lawyers Referral Services/Legal Aid Alternative
781.4058; ask for Susan Hughs 788.2099 547.7025 ext. 15
Homeschooling in SLO County (HSC) Pro Per Divorce Workshop SPIRITUAL
462.0726; ask for Barbara 544.9313 Circle of Spiritual Enlightenment
La Clinica De Tolosa 238.5334 Senior Legal Services 541.1963; www.spiritualcircle.org
La Leche League 543.5140 Awakening Interfaith Spiritual Community
489.9128 Meditation Monday evenings 7-8 pm
Migrant Childcare Program MEDICAL SUPPORT/SERVICES
ALS Support Group (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Open to all. 772-0306 awakeninginterfaith.org
544.4355 and 466.3444 Hungry Hearts Spiritual Community
MOMS Club of South SLO county 227.4785 or 674.4162
RC liturgy with womanpriest 546.8672
473. 2548 Alzheimer’s Support Meditation Group
Partnership for Children 547.3830, 534.9234 (SLO/Los Osos) Mondays, 7:30–8:30 PM; 772.0306
541.8666; ask for Beth 888.488.6555 New Beginnings Church
Real F.A.C.T.S. (Forum on Abused Children) American Cancer Society Every Sunday, Coalesce Bookstore, MB
460.9016 San Luis Obispo 543.1481, 238.9657 Self-Realization Fellowship
Social Services Templeton 434.3051 Sunday Services 995-1599
781.1600 Anorexia Nervosa & Bulimia Support Group
Support for Kids Coping with Domestic Violence 541.9113 WOMEN’S CENTERS/SHELTERS
473.6507 Arthritis Foundation Homeless Shelter
892.5556 781-3993
EMERGENCY/CRISIS Cancer/ Breast Cancer Support Groups Housing Authority
Hotline 543.1481 ext. 3 for information 543.4478
www.slohotline.org 800.549.8989 Caregivers of Aging Parents North County Women’s Resource Center, Shelter
Sexual & Rape Prevention (SARP) 543.7969 461.1338
545.8888 or 800.656.HOPE (4673) Celiac Disease Support Group Prado Day Center (for the homeless)
Temporary Restraining Order & Victim Witness 226.9893 786.0617 www.pradodaycenter.org
Program 781.5821 Endometriosis Association Women’s Community Center, SLO
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT www.endometriosisassn.org 544.9313
Enhancement, Inc. (for breast cancer survivors) Women’s Shelter Program of SLO
A.D.A.P.T. (Aid in Divorce Adjustment Problems Today) 771.8640 www.enhancementinc.com
543.0388 549.8989 (crises), 781.6401 (business)
EOC Health Services Clinics www.womensshelterslo.org
Alzheimer/Dementia Resource Center no or low cost reproductive health services
434.2081 or 534.9234 or 888.488.6555 544.2478 (SLO); 489.4026 (Arroyo Grande) OTHER WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS
CALL–Concerned Agoraphobics Learning to Live Healthworks of the Central Coast Altrusa International, Inc.
543.3764 No or low cost reproductive health services 481.1039; Cici Wynn, President
Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA)
542.0577 (SLO) 481.5093 (Grover Beach) 542.0900 American Association of University Women
Hearst Cancer Resource Center 781-0922 Karen www.aauw.org
927.1654 (Cambria) 466.8600 (North County) 542.6269 Camping Women
Community Counseling Center IC Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome 440.2723 www.campingwomen.org
543.7969 3rd Thursday, SLO, 7 -9 pm 464-0564 Hadassah.SLO
Dealing With Divorce Long-term Care Ombudsman Services of SLO County 543.9452
544.9313 785.0132
Depresson and Bipolar Support Alliance Group Lymphedema Education & Support Group OTHER GROUPS & GATHERINGS
927.3703 2nd Monday, 4-5 pm, 782-9300 Central Coast Peace and Environmental Council
Divorce Discussion Group Parkinson’s Support Groups 544.3399 or 783.2383
489.2990, saintbarnabas@sbcglobal.net 466.7226 (Atascadero/Templeton) Compassion & Choices (or Final Exit)
Eating Disorders Support Group 800.247.7421 or 489-5481
546-3774; free, meets weekly in SLO 481.7424 (Arroyo Grande)
541.8633 (SLO)
Please send additions, corrections or deletions to:
womenspress.slo@gmail.com or leave a message
at the WCC: 805.544.9313. Last update 7/1/09.
 ... looking for a spiritual change?
The Circle of Spiritual Enlightenment is an interfaith community
dedicated to celebrating diversity and honoring
the spirit that connects all things.

Spiritual Leader: Laura V. Grace

Sunday Services 10:00am

Please join us for meditation at 9:30am each Sunday before the service
Sunday School Provided: Educational and Fun
1500 Lizzie St., Room J-2, Adult School, San Luis Obispo

For more info: 805.541.1963

Website: www.spiritualcircle.org
E-Mail: spiritualcircle@spiritualcircle.org

Please join us for a celebration of expanding consciousness and love.

Shirodhara
Oil Treatment
Alleviates stress, Calms the mind
Rejuvenates the entire face

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at San Luis ObiSpa
805-541-6772

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All three locations are open: Mon.- Sun. 10:30 AM to 9:00 PM
570 Higuera St., #130 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 - tel. 805.544.0861
325 Pier Ave. • Oceano, CA 93425 • tel. 805.473.2383
In Avila Hotsprings • San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 • tel. 805.627.0288
Also, order online: www.MamasMeatball.com