The Polka Dot Journal

The Polka Dot Journal is a blog reflecting on life as a middle-aged athlete who found a love of cycling. It considers topics related to being a new athlete, a strong woman, a cyclist, a long-distance rider and a new mechanic. It also explores the struggles of motivation, depression, and physical limitations and the ebb and flow of life.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Cyling in Middle Age

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I am forty-seven years old and before now I was never an athlete. Growing up I was more interested in poetry than sports. I was a member o...

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Sunday, March 8, 2009

Riding with the Blues

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In this month’s Psychology Today there is an article which profiles four people who live with depression. I am one of them. In fact the ar...

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Riding on the Margin or What Money Can't Buy

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I grew up in an affluent suburb of Boston. We had good public schools and libraries. However, my mother was divorced and a single-mother. ...

Friday, February 27, 2009

The Sin of Dirty Bicycles

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Although I am a confirmed roadie, I have a good friend, who is a mountain bike racer. She likes to be in the woods. I like spending time wit...

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Winter Riding

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It’s January and I am finally getting back to my neglected blog. During my absence, the season turned and it is fully winter in Boston. Toda...

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Cycles of Life and Seasons on the Minuteman Trail

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To get from my home out to better places to cycle I often ride the Minuteman Bike Trail. This trail runs from Somerville to Bedford. There...

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Reflection on the Meanings of Kits

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I am a roadie and almost always ride in a kit. The most important reason for this is that cycling clothes are comfortable and utilitarian. ...

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About Me

Pata: Pata an independent feminist scholar, writer, educator, and mental health activist. She has a PhD. in education from the University of Pennsylvania and did her research on multicultural education and issues of race and racism. She has spoken and written about her struggles with depression and is currently working with Christina Chan on an edited book about Asian American women and mental health issues. She is a volunteer for Families for Depression Awareness and in March 2009 she was profiled in an article in Psychology Today about managing one’s depression. When not doing scholarly work, Pata is an artist, cyclist, and bicycle riding instructor. To contact Pata: e-mail me at kotoridesigns@gmail.com

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