For some reason I was unable to access this blog from my laptop while traveling the last few days and I missed being able to journal here. But I'm home and back online after having spent four days with twenty spectacular strong funny smart women. Whenever I spend time like that in a creative pursuit with women who give so much to the collective effort, I wonder why it is that some women do their best to undermine other women? What causes one woman to become a supportive interested friend while another becomes underhanded and bitchy - willing to carry unfounded and hurtful gossip? Willing to offer up hurtful remarks about size and beauty. It has to have something to do with their own role models, with the way they themselves have been treated. But it is a hell of alot more fun - and so much more productive - to be with women - people - who are willing to offer the benefit of the doubt - who are interested in listening to what you have to say instead of looking around for someone perhaps - at least in their opinion - more interesting to talk to. When I am with people who offer their best, I want to offer my best and that includes staying true to my program. Because when I eat well, when I exercise, when I stay positive and on my program - I do have more to offer.
Or in the words of Jack Nicholsen in As Good As it Gets, working with fabulous women "make me want to be a better {wo}man."