Notes from the Fiercely Forty

Turning 40. Diorama by Daryl Anne Goldman

In my hands is more than a postage stamp's weight worth of reflections. Private letters to each other sent among the group of 10 women I assembled last October for my Idea Party to reflect on turning 40.  I wasn't sure it would happen, but it did and it's gloriously un-digital!

In the process of building awareness of the project among friends and neighbors, I am sure I did touch at least 40 women with the idea of Forty by Forty. But the hard part was turning the stories of women around the world into content...which is how I arrived at the notion of an Idea Party (finite, fun and tangible- versus digital).

At the East Bay Open Studios last weekend, I purchased this diorama from artist Daryl Anne Goldman who was exhibiting with the artists in Jack London Square. The woman holding a baby (an in a glass bottle) at the top of the stairs spoke to me (threw me back 3 years instantly) to when I became a Mom!

Under the stairs is an old doorknob cover with a baby figurine in the hole where a knob would sit. In the window, a stork arriving with a baby. In the boat sailing the waters underneath the stairs, a career woman figurine and a mother (also holding a baby) figurine. On the first 3 steps, little zebras. I want to add one more since it's the 1 year anniversary of having my 3rd cat in the household (3 females=NOT a good idea).

This is a closeup on that boat. I think of them as sailing dual identities. Notice, they don't have any paddles in sight for whatever it is--painted here as water they are floating on). :)

So let's see what happens. Our Yahoo group is active and alive with ideas to connect again with each other. Stay tuned here or on Twitter to Forty by Forty.