New fMh Blogger: LisaB
Lisa (the 2nd) is a well-balanced good thinker and good writer who is compassionate, thorough, and open-minded. She has a deep, faithful testimony of the gospel and a knack for incorporating feminism into the gospel and the gospel into feminism. She introduces herself as follows:Being more of the just-dive-right-in type, I’ve never been one for formal introductions. I particularly despised the short intros my Salt Lake singles’ ward bishop always used to do before talks. Seemed like a cattle-auction strategy to me. But I recognize that it is helpful to have some context.
I was born into a mixed-marriage family (Utah pioneer-stock Mormon father and New England convert mother) second of five daughters. My dad was an Air Force pilot then intelligence officer; my mother had majored in English when she really wanted to study biology or art but felt that women in both fields were frowned upon in the Church. By all accounts, I was a difficult child (and proud of it) who delighted in making messes, throwing tantrums, and embarrassing my parents. I am now blessed with a daughter very much like myself (as is the secret wish of all grandparents). My favorite childhood activities were making mud pies, roller-skating, crocheting, playing Super Friends, cops and robbers, or Star Wars (never having seen the movie), drawing, tree-climbing, dancing, and building things out of whatever I found (like tampon applicators, much to the chagrin of my mother). Though I loved paper dolls, ballet, and dressing up, I chaffed under the expectation that I ought to be less active, assertive, competitive, opinionated, or ambitious simply because I was a girl. But the social pressure took its toll, and by the time I went to BYU, I felt pretty discouraged from pursuing a career of any kind.
At 20 I married the missionary I should have waited for (that’s a whole ‘nother story). Though it took me far too long, and with way too many course changes mid-stream, I managed to graduate in Humanities, Art, and Music, and later become a grad school drop out. 
Kids did not arrive as planned, so I ranted and raved, kicked the pricks, then decided to go back to art school. That’s when I got pregnant with our firstborn son, the first pregnancy that “stuck,” and I was able to leave my unfulfilling but well-paying executive secretarial work. Thus began my attempted morph into an earth-mother demi-goddess.
Over the years, I’ve become convinced that my true “calling” in life is that of a teacher. I really enjoy teaching (adults more than youth or children), and it’s taken various forms throughout my life: ballet, gymnastics, Relief Society, violin, Primary, Relief Society, Gospel Doctrine, Museum docent, Relief Society, Seminary, Young Women, my own children, birth classes, Gospel Doctrine, and (most recently) Nursery. I still want to get back to my art, but right now most of my free time is dedicated to fiddle (mostly bluegrass). I’ve really enjoyed online discussions and blogs, starting 5 years ago with pregnancy/birth and parenting discussions, then moving into LDS ones. I was pleasantly surprised to be invited to throw out topics for discussion here on FMH, and look forward to more great discussions about what it means to be a feminist (or equitarian, or complementarian) Latter-day Saint.
As she’s the new fMh earth-mother demi-goddess, I’m thinking maybe we should call her DemeterLisa instead….
Welcome Lisa!
Yikes, Artemis! Talk about pedestals! Thanks for the very generous compliments… I have my weak spots, struggles, and doubts like everyone else, but I try.
Comment by LisaB — August 3, 2005 @ 6:59 am
Yeah Lisa! Welcome! I look forward to your blogs :).
sarah, your cyber friend
Comment by sarah — August 3, 2005 @ 12:16 pm
what a great thing to have lisa as a permablogger!!! i love her sincerity, thoughtful comments, and sense of humor–looking forward to some great discussions….
andrea
Comment by Andrea Andersen — August 3, 2005 @ 2:31 pm
Welcome aboard, Lisa — I enjoy your comments and will look forward to your posts!
Comment by kris — August 3, 2005 @ 7:34 pm
DemeterLisa
Neat!
Comment by Stephen M (Ethesis) — August 3, 2005 @ 7:47 pm
Ya’ll are gonna swell my head!
Comment by LisaB — August 3, 2005 @ 8:30 pm
lisa– are you referring to yourself as LisaB or is that someone else?
andrea
Comment by Andrea Andersen — August 4, 2005 @ 4:21 am
Ethesis–yes, it sounds cool. Not sure I want to assume a pagan goddess identity, however. (No offense Artemis!)
Comment by LisaB — August 4, 2005 @ 10:19 am
(or Athena)
Comment by LisaB — August 4, 2005 @ 10:21 am
Well, at least I didn’t go for Astarte….
Comment by Artemis — August 4, 2005 @ 10:32 am
he he he
Comment by LisaB — August 4, 2005 @ 10:47 am
Big difference between Astarte and Artemis
BTW, my uncle, when he and his sisters used to play Greek gods, always took Athena as his character and then always insisted that he must have won because she was the smartest. I remember my mom telling me the story and smiling. Too bad he died before I got the chance to meet him.
Comment by Stephen M (Ethesis) — August 5, 2005 @ 6:33 am
Stephen. Your uncle was apparently very coo’
Comment by Athena — August 5, 2005 @ 7:47 am