Ponderings

I wonder what my life would have been like if I lived in the 1800’s, I come from people who worked the land, so what would I have been? I mean, seriously, I am really lazy when it comes to physical work, well, no I’m not, not if it has to be done. However, to have to do it every day, and since I am a woman I would have been expected to cook and clean. For a lot of people, because during planting and harvesting times the neighbors all came to help each other, my job would have been to make sure the men were fed. I don’t even know how women did it back then, no microwaves, no ovens like we know them now, no fancy cookware. Dishes to wash afterwards, because there were no paper plates, no plastic forks, no plastic cups so all of that would have to be washed by hand because definitely no electric dishwasher.
I like to think if I had been born then I would have persuaded my parents I needed to go on to a higher education, which for women meant finishing school. Educated women were not man magnets back in the day and face they still are not, men like empty headed arm candy. Always have, always will, as a matter of fact when my grandfather started teaching me to read my grandmother told him not to. She said, she’s pretty, she doesn’t need an education, she will marry well. Grandpa laughed and did it anyway, he told me “listen, your looks will fade, all you will be left with is your brain”, I hope I have done him proud with the use of my brain over using my looks to get what I want out of life.
I didn’t teach my daughter to get by on her looks either, and she is about a thousand times prettier than I am, this could explain why she can’t get out of speeding tickets. I did learn how to do that with my looks, not above using them for that as long as I can. I digress, I would like to think I would have run away from the farm and tried my luck in the city; however that would have been dangerous. The only jobs available to women back then were maid or um, well, in a brothel. Neither of those careers appeal to me.
So farm girl it is,  gotta feel bad for those men eating my cooking, poor things, although they would love my no bake cookies. I would probably feed them sandwiches, they would not want to come work on my farm, sorry, my husbands farm, since women were not really allowed to own anything. They were in fact the property, like cattle.
I am beyond happy I was born in this time period, where I was encouraged to learn about everything, where I have had the opportunity to do whatever I want career wise. I know what you are thinking, that I am not really doing what I love in life and while that is true, I have been afforded the luxury of working in a place that trains me to do different jobs and I am able to move around and advance. Not something to sneeze at my friends, plus I have gotten to meet the most wonderful people who have become not only friends but family. For example my BBFF, he is more family than friend, if I had not been employed by this company I would never have such a wonderful friend. If I had not been employed by this company I would not be on the radio, as I met Shanon J at this company. I would never have met the Irishman and become engaged.
I think a lot about living in different time periods, but truth be told I am happy to be in this time period, where I am free to learn, free to speak, free to have an amazing job, amazing opportunities and meet amazing people. I still want to visit other time periods, but not wear out my welcome.