For today’s post, I originally planned to write about something different, but I was so distracted by the events taking place down the road at the Texas Capitol that I simply couldn’t concentrate. As I write this, Senator Wendy Davis is nearing the final quarter of her twelve hour filibuster to block the passage of several bills that will greatly impact the reproductive rights of women in Texas. Senator Davis has gone without sitting, leaning, eating, drinking, or taking a restroom break for an entire work day, all the while talking and reading, in an effort to help prevent the passage of these controversial bills that have divided the state across party lines. She is supported by hundreds of women and men, wearing orange to stand in solidarity with her. With tennis shoes on her feet, she is holding strong as she stands for the rights of Texas women. If she can last until midnight, the legislature’s special session will end, and the bills cannot pass.
By the time you read this post, it will all be over, and I have no idea what will happen next. If the bills are not passed, our governor can (and probably will) call a second special session to pass them.
But today, even as elected officials seek to prevent half of their constituents from making our own medical decisions, I am proud to be a Texas woman, standing strong with Senator Davis. Down here, there’s a bumper sticker you often see on the backs of cars: Don’t Mess With Texas Women. That thought sums up the the stubborn, determined, never-give-up attitude of all Texans, and it most definitely applies to women.
I won’t go into great depth on the topics of the bills, but you can read a great post about them here. And this is a related post I wrote back in 2008, before I became a mother. Later that year, James was born, and that experience changed my life forever. Two years later, I fought, literally fought my doctors for nine long months, to have the best birth for Rhys. I’m fortunate to have good insurance and access to great medical care, but my time as a pregnant mother with a young child was a constant up-hill battle. I chose that path and worked hard to create a happy ending, but many women in Texas don’t have the options I do.
Senator Davis is fighting for them and for me, as I write this, and no matter what happens, I am so glad she’s on our side.
I’m always telling you that one of blogging’s biggest perks is making connections with other bloggers and forming new friendships. Since I attended Alt Summit in January, I’ve made it my mission to meet more bloggers in real life, which translates to the local blogging scene. I’d previously read about the Texas Style Council, which was held during South by Southwest the last two years. But this year, it’s moving on its own the first weekend in August, and I’m excited to attend! I still consider myself a newish blogger, but I have one major conference under my belt now, so I know what to expect, a little.
This year’s conference features a great speaker lineup, fabulous topics broken up into categories for all blogging and business levels, a clothing swap, and a field trip, too! Best of all, it’s in Austin, so I don’t have to brave the cold (just the heat!), and I can go home when I need a bit of peace and quiet. I’m looking forward to meeting other local bloggers, learning more about the business side of things, and exploring vintage shops (something I haven’t done since I moved here years ago). It will be a whirlwind weekend, and I’m thrilled to participate.
If you’re in Texas (and even if you’re not!), there are still a few tickets available at a very reasonable price. Y’all should come!
Now, I need to start planning my outfits, and thankfully, it will be too hot for purple tights.
This past weekend was fun and busy! Ryan and I celebrated our 11th anniversary with Japanese food and some much-needed mattress shopping. We also took a day trip to Smithville, one of my favorite small towns in Texas. And this week, Shayla and I are discussing our very favorite blog posts.
Today’s question is: What Is Your Favorite Post of All-Time?
Well, I’ve been writing this blog for almost a year now, and before that, I blogged over at Blogger. Many of my most meaningful posts are at the old location, and when I moved to WordPress, I decided to start fresh. I always say that my blog is a labor of love and writing is my creative outlet. That’s honestly the truth, which means that my favorite post is the one I’m currently writing. That might sound lame, but it’s true, and I think it’s a lot like that saying, “The best camera is the one you have with you.” I get so much joy from writing about the things I love, the things I think about, the things that are on my mind, and I love planning and plotting new posts each week to share with you.
True, some are more heartfelt than others, some are just for fun, but I put a lot of thought into each one, and I spend lots of time (probably too much) working to perfect each one, too. I can’t write on a whim and get something up in minutes. My writing process is much slower, and I simmer and marinate an idea like someone might cook a meal. It’s how I work, and I’m sure it goes back to the English major in me.
There’s the post about scleroderma that was hard to write, the Claire Pettibone post that featured beautiful pictures, my post on fair trade, a glimpse at my outfit failures, and the end of my era as a mother to babies. Each piece, in its own way, holds a little bit of me that I chose to share with you, and each is important in a different way.
It’s hard to choose just one favorite post, so I’m not going to try. I really love writing my blog, and I hope you enjoy reading it, too. I can’t wait to see how Shayla answers this question today at Northern Exposure, and if you have your own favorite post, feel free to share it in the comments!