Sad but True

So the official organization for my profession recently released a list of speakers and panel experts taking part in the upcoming annual convention.

Having been around the block a time or five now, I recognized many of the company presidents and vice presidents lined up to talk.

As I went down the list, my thought process went a little something like this:
- crazy
- ha! What is she doing there
- never sees her kids
- heard she’s a psycho
- I know him, he’s cool
- Yikes! Who would want to work for her
- I did work for her, she’s a nutcase!
- I heard he’s nice

Two things made me sad about that. One, was that it was all true. Second, was that out of the list, I found the men to be the only ones considered sane. I started to wonder why that was. Are new york women especially crazy (yes)…is it the pressure of this industry and the city that makes them that way (probably)…is it trying to balance the demands of a successful professional career with a fulfilling personal life as a female (definitely)…do men have it easier in both those areas (absolutely)…and so on.

I offer no answers. I have no solutions. In ten years time, given that I’m already on anxiety medication now (future post that I haven’t gotten around to yet), who knows what I will be like when there’s a possible kid or two at home. Maybe I’ll be there too. Maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll live some kind of life in the middle. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, so I’m not going to bother with years down the line…but it was interesting and sad at the same time.