This story was written by Malati Marlene Shinazy
Last week, BOBB’s publisher, my sister, wrote about our family’s long line of Wonder Women – starting with our great great grandmother who emigrated from Paris to San Francisco during the Gold Rush.
When Sister acknowledged she couldn’t juggle everything on her over-full plate, I was not unhappy. Why? I’ve always seen her as perfect and me as... well, not.
For background on this sibling-disorder, read my “Botox© To The Rescue” story:
I tentatively decided to take this opportunity to gloat a bit.
Here’s a partial history of this Wonder Woman’s accomplishments:
After college, I worked as my husband’s research assistant while he obtained his Ph.D. — “So what’s the big deal? Women do this all the time.”
Here’s the Big Deal: This 5th generation San Franciscan had to move to Philadelphia, schlepping my first-born. Besides helping my husband, I found and furnished a home a home for us, sourced, purchased and renovated houses for a fledgling rental portfolio and slipped and fell every winter, sending my first-born air bound— Plus, baby #2 arrived.
Just before Dad completed his degree, I began working full time and started grad school. Picture this:
· Working full time
· Raising two smart, articulate, wild kids
· Being a great business partner to my husband
· Acting as general contractor for our rentals
· Totally renovating our new home: built in 1911, 4,000 square feet, 3-stories
· Staying up until 4:00 am to write research papers. And...pregnant with baby #3!
Flash Forward
Returning to CA, Wonder Woman started a successful consulting and training company so she could be Super Mom… I worked client meetings around driving kids to three different schools, ballet lessons, violin lessons, guitar lessons, soccer practice, soccer games and camp.
When I wasn’t being taxi-mother, I was flying to client sites like Panama, as the US Government was turning over the canal to the Panamanian Government.
Flash Forward to Now
After a few years of working 13-hour days in corporate America, I am currently:
· Re-launching the consulting business in another part of the state
· Treasurer of the local Lions Club (service club)
· Dating 25% of the non-incarcerated single men within a 50-mile radius...not as much fun as it sounds.
· Working out regularly to keep myself fit and vain
· Writing clever stories for WISDOM WEDNESDAY
· Administering thyroid medication to the cat twice daily
· Conducting seasonal maintenance on my rental in the mountains
· Skype-ing my “almost launched kids” at all hours
Yes, Sister, this Wonder Woman is on a roll.
Until Yesterday: I missed my Lion’s Club Treasurer Report deadline. I slept straight through the morning alarm and was embarrassing late for a breakfast date. And my right wrist started aching.
YIKES!
· I seem to be unable to meet my commitments
· I seem to be overly tired
· I seem to be developing repetitive motion disorder
It seems this Wonder Woman is weary too.
I take it all back, Sister. We need a vacation, and cortisone shot for my wrist.
photo by Arne Hendriks
