Hey, guys! We all know how much we love our overalls, especially those well worn bibs. Anyway, to get on with it… I was writing an article about overalls this morning for another site, Single Woman’s DIY Guide, when I thought about all of you.
Let me bring you up to speed. One of my daughters-in-law was asking about something on her car the other day while we were chatting. I mentioned to her that I had been keeping notes for years and years and years on all those little things that women — and some men — don’t know. Oh, I’m not talking about big stuff. I’m talking about things like those dang car batteries that have side terminals that are always disconnecting.
Anyway, she suggested that I do a new site and share some of my notes and some of the projects I had done over the years. Well, she isn’t single. She is married to my son, but quite honestly I doubt if he knows the difference between a flat head screwdriver and a Phillips head. So, when it comes to things around the house she pretty much has to figure stuff out or call someone to do it for her.
I started sending her emails about how to do one thing or another. She called me and said “STOP!” She was tired of filtering emails to send to her friends who needed to know how to do one thing or another.
So, that brings me to the birth of a new site. Of course, the first thing I wrote was that single women must have a pair of bib overalls before they can do anything. We all know that. But, some people don’t, I guess.
Anyway, I know I have some really smart and really crafty friends in the Overalls Nation — both men and women. So, I asking for a little help. There is so much that I don’t know and I would greatly appreciate any of you who have a website or an idea contributing your ideas on what single women need to know about cars, home projects, cooking, anything at all that can be used as a reference for the single woman just out of college who has never had to be responsible for herself or her car or her home. You get the idea? We are starting from scratch.
So, I know I can count on you guys for some ideas and hopefully for some articles. Please leave a comment here or email me at Maya@onlinegratitudejournal.com. I need all the help I can get. And, as always, I am so very thankful for all of you who love overalls and are a part of the Overalls Nation!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Well Maya, until now we have agreed on most things, but I have to be honest with you, so I have to say it frustrates with this idea of a guide for single women ! it turns the whole thing back to the old gender divide ! Since I met my wife 34 years ago, we have had as project to transgress this stupid divide, only still existing because people still keeps it in place in various ways, so if I am going to help you I ask for taking the consequence of perhaps the most important quality of the overalls, namely that it makes you into a living being transgressing the gender divide, giving you an opportunity to make what you like ! and no indication of judging one of the genders more smarter than the other ! I have discussed this many of my female faculty members around the world and one of the best is Sandra Harding, professor in gender studies in UCLA and she told me once she made a course here in Tromso, that she learned most from her transgender classes in LA ! and see what one of our overalls sisters are saying http://bluesmama.blogspot.com/2009/11/at-last-day-celebrating-my-most.html
Please forgive me for being so eager and insisting, but I just want to fight for one of the most fantastic values of the overalls nation and now soon to US and have our first overalls party in Brooklyn ! and then to Texas and apart from conference meet Liz, one of the Texanian overalls girls !
Niels,
I do agree that we need to bridge the divide. It really isn’t my intention to widen the gap, but to bring young women, single or married, up to speed on some of the things that have escaped our education.
You see, the beauty of my marriage is that between my husband and myself we can figure most things out and what one cannot do, the other can most often.
However, in all my growing years, I never learned about a 5/16″ battery wrench, among other things. Perhaps, my life, back in the day was too sheltered, but as I have grown and aged I have learned more than how to stand on the side of the road and wait for someone to stop to help me.
The whole idea of the single woman’s guide is not to separate the genders, but to bring my younger sisters up to speed. Just as you learned to bake cookies and sew, some of our younger sisters need to know how to charge a battery or rewire a lamp, or paint a room.
If anything, I do believe our overalls make all of us equal. But, we must be aware that some of our younger women and younger men need to learn things that are still more likely taught to the opposite gender. Imagine teaching a young single man to bake a turkey for the holidays!
I appreciate your take on the new site, but at the same time everyone is not so lucky as you or me in having another half that complements us so well.
And, yes! The overalls definitely trangresses gender. That is the whole point. Young women need to understand that there is no divide when it comes to what they can do, just as young men should learn the same. That is the reason I asked for both men and women to contribute to what a young woman needs to learn early in her adulthood. Perhaps, young men could benefit as well.
As always, thanks for you insightful comments,
Maya
Hi again Maya, I agree and I see your point ! we have to face realities and as many women have told me, I sometimes ignore the facts ! and talks about an ideal world ! so I will think of how I can contribute in some concrete way and come back !