Catalina de Erauso

I am Reading the book “Mujeres Olvidadas” (Forgotten Women)there I found the name of Catalina de Erauso known as the Lieutenant Nunalthough Catalina never formally became a nun. Her story is one of the most controversial that happened in the NewWorld.  Catalina lived in the 16^thcentury, a time of conquistadors and in spite of the restrictions imposed onwomen during that time by the church and monarchy she decided to leave theconvent, change her identity and travel to America disguised as a man.  She broke with all the repressive norms againstwomen of her era and she was able to join the military and she was one of thefirst female adventurers in the New World.

She was sent as an intern in a convent of San Sebastian elAntiguo since she was 4 years old.  At 15after a beating by another nun, she escaped the convent, she cut her hair andshe disguised herself as a man.  In battlesshe was a great warrior.  She lovedgambling, horses, flirting with women and quarreling.  She was arrested because of a quarrel.  In jail, to avoid being sentenced, she askedfor clemency from the bishop, to whom she related her story.  She also assured him she was a virgin.  After some midwives proved that she was avirgin, the bishop sent her to Spain. There she was seen by king Felipe IV and she appealed that she came froma noble family and that she had fought for the crown.  The king allowed her to keep her militarystatus of Lieutenant and she received a significant reward for servicesrendered to the crown in the Americas and she was also able to keep her malename.  Her fame was such that when shevisited Rome Pope Urbano VIII authorized her to continue dressing as aman.  Since she didn’t like fame she decidedto go to Mexico where she started a transport business and she lived thereuntil her last days.

Catalina wrote an autobiography that was published in Francein 1829.  Her life was translated intovarious languages and has been an inspiration of other books, plays, zarzuelasand movies.

This story leaves me confused and I still can’t pinpointwhy.  On the one hand it proves that theroles assigned to women are just that, roles, they are not real, but imposed bysociety.  But on the other hand the partof virginity leaves me stunned, it is one more proof of men’s obsession withcontrolling female sexuality and as long as we respect the role of allowingthem sexual liberty while as women we abstain, even disguised as men, there isno problem.

Erauso Autobiography

7-Habits - Progress with Habit #1

I have been working on Habit #1: Be Proactive for the last month, but I must continue working on it, because although I made some strides I still need to work on it some more.  The progress I have made is to keep on doing the things I need to do and not allowing external influences dictate what I do or how I feel.  So although for the last 2 weeks I have been sick first with a stomach flu and then with a cold and ear infection.  I've continued, as much as I could, with my activities, taking rests only when I couldn't handle it anymore.  And as soon as I felt better I began to work on all the work that had backed up.

The part I still need to work on is being responsible for my decisions and not letting procrastination make them for me.  For example I decided I wanted to cut down on some of my private clients because I picked up more classes at the Institute where I work and I was getting overwhelmed.  I also decided that I wanted to focus on adults and keep the clients that I had been working with since the beginning, but I was not proactive in resolving some issues I had with these clients and they dropped me.  I was upset about the way they handled things, but taking responsibility for my actions is part of Habit #1 and I understand that next time I have to deal with my problems head on instead of letting inaction make things explode in my face.

The other thing of Habit #1 that I still need to work on is on focusing on my Circle of Influence (those things I have control over) and not so  much energy on worrying about conditions over which I have no control.  This is the one I am having the hardest time with.

So, I will remain working with Habit #1 for the rest of this month. The thing I will do different is that I will keep this Habit top of mind.  For example I am going to create myself a note about this Habit and place it every where I can see it. This will keep being Proactive top of mind.