I’ve been stretching the “toy” theme quit a bit. Can I get away with it one more time?
I blogged about Jaron Lanier sharing his perspective on the toys he created. Yesterday, we had a different kind of sharing going on at our house. After three days of preparation, Cathy hosted the Woman’s Literary Club. This is the oldest women’s organization in Colorado dating back to 1892 (Cath has been a member for a mere 15 years). So, how many layers are there to sharing exemplified by just this club?
On three year cycles, each member delivers a 40-minute paper on a shared theme for that year, the next year the member just attends and then must host the group on the next year. Hosting means getting out the best silver, lace, china, etc. Preparing the house, the food and the service in the almost Victorian sense, hence the three prior days of drill.
The ladies take their presence very seriously and assiduously call ahead if they will be unable to attend due to illness or travel. The numbers are counted, chairs placed so that all can hear and see the presenter as well as portions of two dessert items meticulously presented. One member is invited to pour the coffee or tea from a seated position at the head of the table as the members queue up to be served and then retire to socialize before the paper is delivered.
The socializing is all about sharing. These are some of the wealthiest women in the Old North End or the Broadmoor or wherever, but they are the least self-important collection of people I’ve ever met. However, mixed seamlessly with these most fortunate are women from lots of other circumstances, and I’m unable to distinguish by looking at them, talking to them, observing their interactions to which if any class of privilege they belong. It’s amazingly refreshing to my basically cynical nature to witness this.
The paper that was delivered was on the topic of “cracking” (not “fracking”) crude oil and how this process which creates gasoline was so important into changing the course of World War II. The theme this year is “Inventions Which Have Made a Difference”, and the paper today was delivered by a wonderful woman whose membership dates back to the early 1950s.
Cath has just completed negotiations with Colorado College to house all the papers going back to 1892 that she (Cathy) has cataloged.
This group would be such an easy target of derision if they were phony or pretentious or withdrew to cliques or engaged in gossip, but I’ve never witnessed any of that.
I wonder if the same could be said of their husbands…I sure hope so.
Here is a link to the whole lecture I told you about last week: http://radiocoloradocollege.org/2012/02/you-are-not-a-gadget-a-lecture-by-jaron-lanier/
Isn’t it wonderful when we can share things that are important to us? Technology makes some of that happen, but so does civilized women meeting in each others houses to research present, and discuss great events.