RE: 5 Strangers Early Christmas Morning, and A Lot of Love for My Steemfolk xx
It's you, @riverflows!
Reading this latest article of yours I was reminded of a post I read... a long time ago. I managed to calculate that it was nine months ago when I was working in the bike-shop in Victoria BC, so I scrolled down in your long list of posts, and found it! Indeed it was you who wrote that post about a men's world in surfing: https://steemit.com/teamgirlpowa/@riverflows/it-s-a-man-s-surfing-world
I remember having given you an upvote (though not a comment), and much more so the animated conversation the topic caused among the two bike mechanics I was working with: One of them, a guy and a passionate surfer, relating to how on some beaches (sometimes even in Canada, though in his experience more typically in the US) certain surfers believe they have the right to steal waves, regardless of their gender. The other mechanic, a woman but non-surfer, was relating very strongly to how men (in the States, Canada, and pretty much everywhere) tend to steal all types of "waves" in a variety of settings on dry land, with the same attitude that they believe its perfectly okay.
We went on discussing gender and respect in the contexts of surfing and bike-mechanics literally for hours, and I was kinda happy that it was your post that brought it up. I realize that this comment is a bit off-topic here. It would be more appropriate for that post, but what I'm quite stoked about now is to discover that you are the same author! And yes, I've already been following you.
I also wish you a happy X-mas time. Hang loose and catch some good waves! :-)
Oh wow that's really cool. To think on the other side of the world something I said was being brought up in another context but still relevant! And yes I knew we connected way back then... but had kinda drifted quickly apart again. And now the reconnection in such an affirming way. Thanks so much for this, I appreciate you sharing! So cool! I'd love to know gender politics in bike mechanics and other sporting friends.
Of course, this surf was utterly different... it was just 5 strangers having a blast and gender had nothing to do with it.. or maybe it did as the girls did bring it up. They were amazed however to know that there were only 5 girls surfing on the surf coast in the 80s days (one of them me) as there's a lot more now. So cool.
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Yeah, now that you mention it, my comment doesn't seem that off-topic any more. You know what else is cool? That you live in Victoria as well, but the Australian one!
As for bike-mechanics, my friend excels at it, as all her mechanic colleagues will gladly affirm. It's usually people who come into the shop that don't know her, who are likely to treat her as ... well, someone who can't know mechanics because she's a woman. This is why she tends to be very outspoken, taking a straight forward, no-nonsense approach to customers. After the initial shock of her style, leaving no doubt that she knows what she's talking about, they appreciate her helpfulness. As a result she became not only a great mechanic, but an amazing teacher. I know, I have learned so much from her.
So, she has to adopt traditional manly traits to be taken seriously? I find this fascinating!
Ah yes, so you're Victorian as well! Cool!
Well, best be off ... gotta finish up all this STUFF so I can drive up to where I'm going for ten days!! Looking forward to interactions in the new year x
Hmmm... manly traits? I'm not sure. At the bike shop the typical "manly" trait was to hide in the basement and work on bikes without much interaction with others.
Honorary Victorian at best. It's actually Mexico City I live in, but at heart I'm a collector of places of origin.
Have a safe trip, and get well into the new year. Also likewise, looking forward to awesome interactions!