Viva la Feminista

My mom took my sisters and me to visit a friend’s child who was in the hospital. I was maybe 12. I remember the age because I was shocked that the x-ray technician asked me if there was any way I could be pregnant and I was aghast. Wait? How did I go from visiting a friend’s kid to getting an x-ray? I fainted.  Why did I faint? Because I thought I saw a needle.  A nurse walked into this kid’s room to check on them, and I still swear on my life that she had a needle in her hand. And that is when I realized I was scared of needles.  Each vaccination was tortuous for me. I would tense up and make things worse.  My fear of needles wasn’t always bad though. It is coupled with, I suspect, sensitivity to anesthesia. When I had surgery to remove some fibroids, I passed out as soon as I got the IV. When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I passed out as soon as I got the injection.  I got better about needles during my pregnancy. As a pregnant person, you get stabbed a lot. Oh, the blood draw! So m

Sure, it's not even St. Patrick's Day, but with the number of people I know who are getting their COVID vaccines, including myself, I am thinking about summer. President Biden asked us to stay steady, keep masking, and get our vaccines for the hope of 4th of July BBQs and picnics. We have parties to throw including in our backyard. And of course the backyard is where our garden will grow delicious veggies and hopefully our apple tree will bear a lot of fruit.  Last summer was filled with canceled concerts and a few socially-distant gatherings with friends. I have a lot of hope for a fabulous summer, especially given that my daughter graduates high school in June. I got places to take her!  Our backyard was well used last summer with movies, kiddie pool lounging, and a lot of dinners. I am looking forward to doing even more of that, but with friends.  So here is to to my second vaccination shot, you getting yours, and lovely nights while the cicadas sing their song of lust as

Braintown by Laura Hernandez My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter by Brea Grant My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

They Didn't See Us Coming: The Hidden History of Feminism in the Nineties by Lisa Levenstein My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

WOW...this is my first post during the Coronavirus pandemic! I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. Thanks to the Chicago Children’s Theatre, the city’s largest professional theater devoted exclusively to children and families, for launching a new YouTube channel, CCTv: Virtual Theatre and Learning from Chicago Children’s Theatre. To kick if off we are treated to Frederick. Here's hoping this helps with your little ones. Or is a comfort to everyone of all ages. Chicago Children’s Theatre’s all-new virtual puppet performance was created while all of the artists were sheltering in place, working with resources limited to what they had in their homes or on their laptops. Frederick is directed by CCT Co-Founder and Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell. Puppets and sets were designed, built and puppeteered in a home studio by Grace Needlman and Will Bishop, CCT’s Director of Production, the creative team behind CCT’s annual series of Beatrix Potter puppet show