Heinlein is right again, of course. I have raised my sons with this in mind - can they grow a garden? Build a frame? Clean a bathroom? Cook well (or at least follow a recipe)? Feed a baby? Deal with bureaucracy? Explain what they feel? Write a formal letter? Sew up a rip? I have found that most women are trained in being able to do a myriad of things - to function in and out of the home with all of the requisite skills, but in past generations men have not been expected to learn more than it took to do their outside jobs. The exception, of course is in farm/rural folks - they had to be able to do it all. I try myself to if not master, then at least be able to do a reasonable job across a number of spectrums - but programming a computer or running a battleship are kind of beyond me! As to the second quote - as you all know I read a ridiculous amount of science fiction. There is a lovely little book by Nancy Kress "An Alien Light" which deals with the human propensity - even visceral need - for violence, and how it looks to an alien culture. And the vast amount of literature called "space opera" deals with space wars - Heinlein would be surprised. Bigger ships, longer distances, same outcome. Great week, Michael. thanks for the effort! batya

Heinlein, like most writers and readers of science fiction, is an optimist. You might think their visions of the future are dark, but when you've read as much sci-fi as I have, it's clear that a hopeful, glass half full, the human spirit will prevail kind of thinking is everywhere. That's why I'm such a junkie! Batya

Lists give me a false sense of order. Life is chaos right now, so indulge me... First, let me share some images with you: I got manically enthusiastic over this spring's first bee sighting... and laughed out loud when I saw . She's fast asleep (maybe dead?) on a flower after multiple frosts so far this fall... I had to go inside and get my camera because there was something about her "pose" that reminded me of that snapshot every mother has of her toddler asleep on the potty chair. Here's a view of . (Caution! This bullet point is rated PG-13!) Earlier this month, I called my unsuspecting neighbors into my yard one by one to scandalize them with some that startled me. ! I have to work on Halloween. I only work one Friday a year and this one is it! As both a nod to the holiday and a gesture of rebellion, I want to wear a costume... but I really have to wear a business suit... so I came up with an ingenious ... (I'm going to be the witch the house fell on... who just happens to wear a business suit in real life...) I've got a lot of irons in the fire right now. They're "fun irons" but energy-draining nonetheless: Our front patio project starts this week The living room furniture we ordered last summer is being delivered any day now, and we are completely reconfiguring our TV/stereo setup in the process My big tradeshow is next week Steve and I are going to France (Paris & Nice) next month (two weeks of business for him --- ten days of pleasure and reminiscence for me) I need to put a couple major work projects to bed to prep for a long Thanksgiving/hunting trip to visit my family... Fun story: I got an email (and subsequent phone call) from a former coworker/friend last week. We moved away six years ago, and it'd been three years since we last spoke. At that time, we talked at length about a guy who was asking her out. (She was single, and we enjoyed talking about her dating life.) She was interested because he was intelligent, kind, interesting, attractive, a successful commercial pilot, and very in to her. But she was reticent to go out with him because he was divorced with kids. For that reason, she was going to blow him off. Apparently, I chastised her and told her that being a divorced father wasn't sufficient reason to write off an otherwise-interesting guy. I said if there's no drama between him and the ex, and if he's mature about the whole deal, it might even be a plus. I summed it up by saying "For crying out loud! He's not asking to marry you --- he's asking you out to dinner! Shut up and go already." She got back in touch to send me their...

You're welcome. It was funny to me. He ended up full of crow since the tow truck guy walked over, hooked the car using the tree (this is really key since Ed prides himself on being capable and fully versed in engineering manuevers) to leverage it out and was done in seconds. This after a huge rant/lecture from Ed of how no one, not even an experienced tow truck driver, could ever possibly ever get it out unless it quit raining. All of which intimating if Ed couldn't do it, no one could...... especially a dumb ol' girl. But my solution won out. HA! That little-know-it-all, got his comeuppance. I decided to blow off everything today, diet, hair, work, whatever I don't feel like doing, I'm not doing. I'm only at work still since I have Friday/Monday off. I'll get done and have nothing on my mind this weekend. Except the birthday bash. Enjoy your days ladies!