Friday, July 29, 2011

Coming Full Circle

It’s been an exciting week for me. Violence Girl is about to go to print and the cover artwork is almost finalized. The design and layout by Gregg Einhorn is so kickass – I love it and I can’t wait to show it off. I’m scheduled to present at the MALCS conference in Los Angeles next week and appear at Ladyfest IE in Riverside next weekend. Network Awesome featured me in their weeklong tribute to Women in Punk and the Houston Press was kind enough to include me in their list of punk rock’s 10 most potent women, quite an honor. But I was most thrilled and humbled by a blog entry by Lil Miss Headlock (her Tumblr, Dynamite in a Dixie Cup is a must-follow for all fans of female radness) in which she wrote some wonderful things about my work and my women in punk archives. I honestly don’t know what to say about this except thank you.

Way back in the seventies when Bobby Pyn (you may know him as Darby Crash) and I would talk on the phone for hours, we both expressed a desire to change the world. To do that, we realized that we had to have power – the power to influence others. We set out on different paths to accomplish our goals. I eventually became a school teacher, which was personally if not financially rewarding. Much later, I started my website as a way of documenting what I saw as overlooked contributions by women to the punk movement. Little did I know that this site and my blog would be read by young women all over the world. I still have no idea how many people read my blog, but obviously I continue to write them because my hope is that they will have some effect. Even if only one person decides to take action or thinks about something in a different way because of something I’ve written or done, then I’ve made a difference.

Which brings me to the last highlight of my week, a series of tweets that were exchanged yesterday by musicians Roxy Epoxy, Girl in a Coma and me. Without going into too much detail, Girl In A Coma played at a rock camp for girls yesterday and tweeted the photo. I complimented them on being good influences and role models for these young girls, which started a twitter love fest between the three of us. The point is that what goes around, comes around. Influence and power work in mysterious ways and it has nothing to do with fame, money or politics. It has everything to do with helping others and building your community.

3 comments:

Nancy Sheets said...

This is awesome Miss Thang.....your point of view is especially interesting due to your entire history encompassing so many different experiences. This is how humans learn...Experiential living. I must tell you - out of all the people who write posts regarding issues around the world that concern all of us - you are probably my favorite to respond to. Reason? Because you ASK in an open thought provoking non dictatorial way. Your questions on FB are concise in their asking - yet wide open for interpretation on reply. I would love to just sit and chat with you and others who share this freedom of thought - and just crank out theories - reasoning - history - interpretations etc. Intelligent WOMEN who have tremendous inner strength and allow their brains to exercise without judgement are increasingly rare to come by - especially to become friends with at our ripe old age! Bottom line is - I appreciate your history - your continued contributions to the arts and music - and your willingness to broach subjects that others may shy away from. Keep it up - YOU ARE BEING HEARD. Ciao Bella! Nancy Sheets in Colo

sambson said...

Hard to follow such a great post (congrats on yr great wk) and such a thorough comment (Nancy I concur). My wife got sober 25 years ago, and recognized that part of the reason she wanted to be f'ed up was to deal with the overwhelming number of things she wanted to see change and her feelings of powerlessness to do anything. She started by taking responsibility for herself, and when she felt stable with that, expanded her reach. She likes to say, "If nothing else you can take responsibility for your corner of the world. Start with yourself, your family, your friends; and then your community." Must be why I married her. :)

Lori Nyx said...

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!
I'd been wondering how this was progressing....and HERE IT IS! I'll see yah at the signing at La Luz! HUGGGSSS1

Lori "Nyx" Cadena

(abandoned myspace years ago, can be found on FB, just hit a great big like on the book fan page and am sharing....weeeeee!)