HomeHomeJuly 2000
Greetings! Here in the Midwest, summer is in full swing, and we're getting ready to enjoy our Independence Day festivities on July 4th. We've been nervously watching gas prices for several weeks now, wondering how they will affect our travel plans for the long weekend. We Americans have always enjoyed our tremendous mobility, so much so that we take it for granted. On many levels, that mobility symbolizes our collective independence and freedom.
It's hard to imagine life today without the ease of travel. New technologies make a huge difference, of course. For example, on the flights I recently took to and from Australia, we had access to a real-time map which showed the exact location of our plane during the journey. It was exciting to see our progress on those 14-hour flights between L.A. and Sydney.
This is particularly amazing when we reflect upon what was happening a mere 250+ years ago. At that time in history, the secret to developing a reliable way of tracking longitude had not yet been discovered. Without an understanding of both latitude and longitude, sailing anywhere in the world was an iffy proposition and dangerous at best. Writer Dava Sobel (Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love) wrote the fascinating story of clock maker John Harrison in Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved The Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (Penguin Books, New York). John Harrison's passion and devotion to developing the timepiece that solved the longitude problem helped make the world a better place. This month, the A & E cable network will run a film based on Harrison's story. You can read more about Dava Sobel on their web site.
The pace of technological change and its effect on human history is mind-boggling. Think about this: July 20th marks the 31st anniversary of the American moon landing in 1969-- yet it only took 66 years between the time when the Wright brothers flew their airplane around Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to the day when Apollo 11 landed on the moon.
New discoveries and inventions are the natural result of combining the love of knowledge and creative problem solving. Human history is full of tales of men whose adventurous lives changed the world. And women have been changing the world, too, in big ways and small.
Have you ever heard of Maria Mitchell? Her passion for cartography, meteorology, and geology led her to study the stars. She became America's first woman astronomer, and in 1847, she was the first American to sight a comet. She was awarded the King of Denmark's Medal and was the first woman accepted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. You can read more about her in Sena Naslund's article in this month's newsstand edition of Victoria magazine.
We're all wondering how the human genome project is going to change medical history. However, did you know that Barbara McClintock's pioneering genetic research with maize resulted in her winning the 1983 Nobel Prize in medicine? Her love for and devotion to her life's work has had a significant impact in many fields, from cancer research to theories about the origins of humanity.We're familiar with Amelia Earhart and her adventurous life in the field of aviation, but did you know that she had a contemporary in African-American aviatrix "Brave Bessie" Coleman? Coleman's passion for flying was so intense that she didn't let racial or gender discrimination stop her from pursuing her pilot's license. Back in the 1920's, when American aviation schools were closed to her, she traveled to Europe and learned to fly there, eventually earning an international pilot's license.
Computers are changing our lives daily, but were you aware that Grace Murray Hopper, a mathematician and naval officer, worked on the first computer in the U.S. during WWII? She created a computer compiler which translated mathematical notation into machine code, and this eventually paved the way for the computer programming we use today.
You can read short biographies of Mss. McClintock, Coleman, Murray Hopper, and several other female artists, scientists, social activists, athletes and inventors in a small deck of Women Who Dare knowledge cards published by Pomegranate Publications (Box 6099, Rohnert Park, CA 94927). It's a great resource when you need inspiration about women's contributions.
Another terrific resource is a new children's book written by Minnesota author Catherine Thimmesh called, Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women (Houghton Mifflin, Boston). She carefully researched the lives of 12 women and girls whose inventions helped make the world a better place. It's a fun read with wonderful illustrations by Melissa Sweet.
Speaking of fun books, New Zealand-based author Joan Druett's She Captains: Heroines and Hellions of the Sea (Simon & Schuster, New York) chronicles legendary women through maritime history, from the warrior queens of the 6th century B.C. to the female ship owners who helped open the Northwest Passage.
Travel is another side of the discovery coin--part of this human need for creativity, invention, problem-solving, and adventure. Recently, Minnesota-based explorer Will Steger gave a talk in St. Paul about his journeys to the North Pole and to the Antarctic. He was promoting the new National Geographic Expeditions Atlas: True Stories of the Adventurers Who Helped Define Our World (National Geographic, Washington, D. C.). Of course, he's listed in the book, and his is one of many fascinating stories of adventure and discoveries made by both men and women.
In an earlier edition of WITNE, we mentioned Minnesota-based explorer Ann Bancroft in connection with Katherine Martin's Women of Courage: Inspiring Stories From the Women Who Lived Them (New World Library, Novato, CA). She was involved in the Steger expedition to the North Pole, and she later led an all-women's expedition to the South Pole as well. She has a fascinating tale to tell in this book.
So what if you want to live your life differently? In a fast-paced, sleep-deprived, workaholic world in which we live, where does one begin to live a fuller, more creative life? It all begins with making a conscious effort to take the time to get to know yourself and your talents. We can suggest a couple of resources to help you get started.
Oprah Winfrey's new O magazine is another fun read. Part of the reason for her astounding popularity is her acknowledgment that women have the power to change the world--if we weren't so busy nurturing others instead of ourselves. Oprah recognizes the need we have for quiet time and reflection, which is key to getting back in touch with our own hopes and dreams.
One of the best books on discovering and getting in touch with our creativity is Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way (G.P. Putnam, New York). She offers a number of ways to work through writer's blocks and the fears that prevent us from reaching our full potential.
Another newer book is Gail McMeekin's The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women, (Conari Press, Berkeley, CA) which features interviews with writers Sarah Ban Breathnach, Shakti Gawain, Janet Hageberg, and many more. It's a good place to come for inspiration.
We can, indeed, change the world for the better. When we're in touch with our hopes, dreams, interests, and passions we're unstoppable. There are many examples of women the world over who have accomplished large and small things by their strength, persistence, and belief in themselves. At WITNE, we'll continue to point you in interesting directions.
Here's a quote from McMeeken's book that we especially like:
"Only when one is connected to one's inner core is one connected to others. And, for me, the core, the inner spring, can be re-found through solitude." Anne Morrow Lindbergh, writerSee you next month.
Teresa
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