the good ol' boys club...

If you haven't yet heard, I am an engineer (and a photographer). And although I would hazard that 40% of the people in my group are women, the reality is that even now, in the so-near-the-end-of-2010-it's-practically-2011 part of the year, engineering is a male-dominated field. I mean, it's no longer taboo for a woman to be a part of it, and we aren't fighting for street cred anymore, but we're still not equal.

which is fine. I mean, it is what it is, and I'm no Rosie the R!veter, at least not when it comes to this topic, so it's fine.

However....

I'm part of an organization where I serve as Secretary. I have for three years. And I am SO not who they had in mind. Even at thirty, young-looking female me just doesn't jive well with the gray haired old men. They are stodgy and old-fashioned and half the time purposefully ignore me while I talk.

Which is annoying, for sure. And has somewhat motivated me to try to climb the ranks, both for the awesomeness of my career and for the experience of having done so. But I'm just not sure. It's a three-year commitment (Vice-Chair, Chair and Past-Chair) and with hopes of babies and life changes during that time I just don't know. And I'm not sure I want to be the young female leader of the good ol' boys club.

But, I find it a smidge ironic that in the same day I'm talking about this, I am overjoyed at having been invited to attend a happy hour tomorrow that is also for a good ol' boys club. It's different people and it's with my old mentor, but it's still a good ol' boys club. Meeting some of these people and interacting with them on a social level will be good for the longevity of my career. And I'm excited about going to hang out with a bunch of old men. Who knew?

Oh and yesterday I went to a dinner for this same organization. The speaker SANG. Like, literally brought his guitar and broke out into song--a song that he wrote, mind you. And my table consisted of four of us from my work, an older gent who was way drunk, my friend Ye, a younger guy we didn't know named Dave and--get this--the Vice President of my division. Aka my boss' boss' boss. Just sitting between the drunk guy and Dave, who had no idea he was a big wig. While we drank Heinies and watched an engineer sing songs about the environment.

it was kind of awesome, I am not going to lie.

and it reminded me of how inspired I felt then. and how I am making a difference. and how when I get caught up in the crazy busy I need to remember that it's worth it. seeing the photos of cities 40 years ago and seeing the photos of them now, and how you can SEE, and how so many of the visible pollutants are trending down, and knowing I'm a cog in that wheel made me really happy. so thanks, song-singing speaker, I needed that. :)