Category Archives: Girl Talk

SpoQuo – Little Women

13 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by in Girl Talk, SpoQuo

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Sigh – my first post in over 4 months. It’s been quite hectic with the new job, bridesmaid responsibilities, etc and I’ve neglected this blog. Now I’m back – with a vengeance 🙂 Coming soon – a St. Louis recap and another style post on several outfits worn during my blogging hiatus.

In the meantime, I’m starting a new category for Inspirational Quotes or SpoQuo for short. It will consist of memes, quotes, phrases, pictures and other relevant things to inspire us women.

The first quote comes from a movie I was watching last night – Little Women. Haven’t read the book but it is on my reading list. Anywho, there is a scene where the mother is having a discussion with her daughters and says:

“If you feel your value lies in being merely decorative, I fear that someday you might find yourself believing that’s all that you really are. Time erodes all such beauty, but what it cannot diminish is the wonderful workings of your mind: Your humor, your kindness, and your moral courage. These are the things I cherish so in you. I so wish I could give my girls a more just world. But I know you’ll make it a better place.” — Marmee, Little Women”

― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

This part really stuck with me. It’s hard to look past all the unrealistic, photoshopped and “ideal” images of beauty spewing from every aspect of our lives and to resist the need to find or maintain superficial youth. But as it fades with time, what’s left? (And, I say superficial youth because I believe, it’s crucial to stay young at heart; maintain the creativity that accompanies youth. Not to take yourself too seriously and not to live your life caring about about what other people think. True freedom is the ability to be and love yourself.)

Continuing on the topic, we all tell little girls how cute or pretty they are and we really need to curb that attitude. I am guilty of it too but I try to make a conscious effort to tell girls to value their brains, not just their beauty. To care about what they can make of themselves, to have big dreams and to work hard at achieving them.

If only Louisa May Scott could see us now.

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Women in STEM

03 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by in Cerebral, Diversity and Inclusion, Girl Talk

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I came across this NPR article about a science vlogger that is concerned about the focus of her “femininity” when it comes to her fanmail.  You can read the article here or view the video:

I think this is a good video to start a discussion or post about women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields.  Although I, myself, am not in the STEM field as a specialist, I do work in the technology industry where it’s dominated by men.  I also happen to be the youngest and one of the few female project managers in my current division.  Even in my EMBA cohort of 21, only 6 were women.  In the STEM fields, it’s even less. As U.S. citizens, we should be concerned because although we have been leaders in innovation with such companies as Apple and GE, we place “25th in math and 17th in science in the world compared to 31 other countries.”  You can view statistics here.

This is why I feel strongly about the subject.  Not only just for women in the STEM fields, but for the future of our nation through our children.  I always push my nephews and nieces to make sure to focus on math and science.  I am also guilty of encouraging their artistic side (Fine Arts was my initial major for undergrad.)  Growing up, I always wanted to be either a fashion designer or marine biologist.  I know, very different ends of the spectrum.  Sad to say – neither of these things happened but now is the time to plant the seed while you can and spread the word about this issue.

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