Mother of Five in Pearls

I am almost finished with Anne Kornblut's book, Notes from the Cracked Ceiling, and I really have enjoyed it thus far. The stories are inspiring as well as eye-opening about what it takes to be a women in politics. I loved the chapter on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Mother of Five in Pearls. Kornblut's recap of her interview with the Speaker was so vivid that I felt like I had the conversations with Pelosi.

Pelosi in more of a joking manner said, "Having five children in six years is the best training in the world for Speaker of the House, it made me the ultimate multitasker and the master of focus, routine, and scheduling." And it got me thinking about a continual difference between myself and most of my male acquaintances. I am a always multi-tasking, it it be at work, the gym, at home "relaxing" on the couch, I am always working on at least two other task than the dominate task I am doing. Most men are not multi-taskers -- they are focused and driven on specific tasks and then move on to the next when the latter is complete.

I see this trait associate with females as a major plus for women in the political world. Politics is a whirlwind of a sport - things are coming at you from every direction, all listed as top priority. Being able to take them all on and manage them effectively is a necessary skill to have as a Member of Congress. Just like having multiple children close in age, you have to make sure you give each child undivided attention, while keeping an eye/ear close to the others. Often seen as a circus, rearing five children only months apart is more exhausting that the month before election day!

Also, I loved Pelosi's comment about national security, "Think lioness when you think of women in politics. You threaten our cubs, you're dead." That is a perfect metaphor for the strength and toughness of women, especially when it comes to issues and people that they love and cherish.

Finally, I think that it is excellent to focus on Pelosi's idea of women in politics as a sign of change. Positive change, that is! That should be the theme that women running for office focus on. Our current electorate is dying for some type of change, and women's views in the man's world of politics might be just that.