I Love Riding Home

June 29th, 2005

I ride my BMW R100R everyday to school. It's a 40 mile ride one way on nice curvey backroads with little traffic. Yesterday, I took a long sleeve denim shirt and soaked it in cold water, wrung it out as little as possible, and then put it on over my t-shirt to ride to class. It was already a balmy 91 degrees when I left and the humidity has been miserable. The shirt serves two purposes really, 1) It keeps me from getting more sun on my arms (I've had enough for one season) and 2) When soaked in water, it acts as an automatic air conditioner.

At any rate, on my way to class, I'm often pre-occupied with thoughts of class and did I remember everything and did I do all of my homework, while keeping my attention on the road ahead, to the sides, and behind. Little time to really enjoy my surroundings. But coming home is usually a little different. Yesterday, I ran through several areas where a shower had recently passed through and the feeling was exhilrating. The air instantly went from hot and humid to chilled and brisk, not to mention the smells that came bursting out. Memories came flooding back of when I was a kid and would get out and ride through the fields and back dirt roads just after a rain. And later, when I was a teen and rode home late at night from my part time Tastee Freeze job, I suddenly remembered all of those nights and the chill in the air when the road would cross a creek. Needless to say, I really, really enjoyed my ride home from school yesterday. Rides like that help me to remember why I love riding and why I love writing.

Enough rambling. I'll see ya all at convention.

Dianna

How time flies when there's not enough of it

June 27th, 2005

Okay, so I'm not as good at keeping up a blog as I should be. I had a feeling it would be difficult to keep this going with everything else that is going on this summer. But I'll not give up.

Kathy, our Historian, has emailed me a copy of the first Constitution, so I can now get started on reviewing that. Thanks to Kathy for getting this to me.

I am also wanting to get as many of the old Advisories as possible. I realize that people do not want to give these up, and I don't blame them, neither would I. But if people could scan them for me and email me the copies or send them to me and let me scan them, that would be great.

Also still wanting any newspaper or magazine articles about the Motor Maids or one of our members that anyone has. Special thanks to Liz for forwarding me an article from the 2003 July/August edition of Reminisce. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of this help.

Till Later,
Dianna

What a Great Ride

June 20th, 2005

Left yesterday on an overnighter and what a gorgeous day for a ride. The temperature was perfect, the humidity was practically nonexistent, and you couldn't ask for any better roads. Janet, local Motor Maid, and I had a great time meandering to our destination.

But man did we pay for it today. Storms from every direction, refusing to give us a break. Time stuck in construction traffic in the hot sun (after a shower, we all know how great that feels). Then rain and lightening and then not just one, but two wreaks within a 1/2 mile of each other and stop and go traffic in the rain. On a positive note, Janet and I both got to test out our new rain gear and it performed exceptionally well. I need good cheap water proof boots fast. Anyone got any suggestions???

Well, I'm exhausted from all of the riding in the rain and it's getting late, so I'm outta here for now.

Dianna

Want your email address Removed??

June 18, 2005

Please let me reiterate that if anyone does not wish to receive emails from me or help with the research project simply email me from the address that you would like removed. I do not wish to "force" myself or my project on any Motor Maid member. However, the more information I have, the more accurate the work will be.

So much work to do and so little time to do it. If anyone out there has tips and tricks on time management, I could certainly use the help.

Short, but enough for now.
Dianna

Daily Update

June 16th, 2005

I am still receiving responses on email addy corrections, and again, I would like to say thank you.

Otherwise, I am in a bit of a holding pattern right now. Until I get the original constitution to study there isn't much research I can do right now. Well, that's not totally true. I have 3 3 inch binders full of the articles written in the AMA magazines from '47 to '75, but I'm the kinda gal who kinda likes to begin at the beginning, and that would be with the constitution.

I am also reading about "Critical Pedagogy" and how to do rhetorical analysis using Popular Culture. There are several books that I need to get through this summer, so while at convention I'll be the one walking around with my nose in a book :o)

Well, these daily updates are a bit strange for me, but I've heard that part of the etiquette of owning a blog is to attempt to update it daily, so I'll attempt to stick to that.

Oh yea, don't forget that anyone can respond to these post, just jump in whenever you'd like!!!!

Later
Dianna

My hair is longer now, but this is me and Balty 

Special Thanks to Rita Writesel from OH

June 15th, 2005

When Rita read my article in the Advisory, she immediately emailed me and offered her help. It just so happens that when I in OH at AMA's Hall of Fame Museum, the one year they did not have of their magazine was '74. Well, Rita and her husband just so happen to have the entire year and graciously mailed them to me so that I could scan them. Now I just need to get them back to Rita. Soon, I promise.

Dianna

June 15th, 2005

Wow, what a response I have received from all of you. Thank you so much. People are helping me update the 107 emails that bounced back to me. If you see anyone you know on the list that I emailed, check out the address I have and let me know if there is a more recent one.

What I am looking for now, and I believe the historian, Kathy Disney, is helping me out with this, is a copy of the original constitution.

If any of you have magazine articles, newspaper articles, or any other writings by or about the Motor Maids, please consider letting me have access to it. Either a scanned version or maybe we can make arrangements for me to see it and scan or copy it. I promise, as a scholar and a researcher, that I will return anything lent to me. This includes diaries or writings that people have access to.

Again, thanks for the responses.
Dianna

Thanks for the Response

June 14th, 2005

Due to the overwhelming response to my email, I have decided to create this "blog" so that I can keep everyone updated without constantly overflowing peoples email boxes. I have a ton of reading to do tonight for the classes I am taking this summer, so I don't have the time right now to go into detail about the project, but book mark this page and come back often. My one responsibility is to make frequent post to this blog, so hopefully I'll be able to post daily.

Until Later,
Di