Tinkerbell? No. Lois definately not! But, wonderwoman, yes, I have carried it off in the business/tech world. I can make others tell the truth or catch them in a lie or diversion without that lasso, so she is who I am most like. In reality, I do think that Eleanor R. was quite close to a “superheroine”. Jackie Kennedy endured and molded her world to be a better place. All great. Why do we have to choose…I will take them all!

It is basic for me. Yes, the olympics should be in china. The olympics are not a political tool, it is a venue for athletes to compete against those they may never have met. it can only forge peace. when we start applying our political and ethical ways of thought, then we are not allowing others the rights we hold so dearly. They (members of that nation) must choose for themselves. Until then, forge peace and enjoy a world event without politics saying what we should enjoy and what we should not.

I am 45 in August, but, still feel 35….I liked 35, knowledge, experience and energy….Just need to keep the energy till my 8 year old son is “how old?” :-))

Oh My! balancing the checkbook has changed….I use Quicken. It downloads info from credit cards, my bank account etc. all for free! I tracks it all! On the computer, but, with the benefits of the internet….track my investments as well….My ex used the paper method and Algebra….Now, that was twisted….

ok, this is a story! Bashing someones choice of life style shows that you are not accepting of the world you live in. I always feel that if what someone does in their bedroom does not hurt anyone, who am I to judge them! Great story! We each have a right to free speech, I hope we never lose it. The writer’s choice. Cole Porter and his wife lived this life. And he loved her as no man ever will…..His sex drive was his choice and she loved him enough, at that time in history, to go beyond it. He always returned to her….always….Their choice. I applaud them for the strength it must have taken and love/committment….

Time has altered me to be stronger, experiences have shown me that I can do anything! (Survive anything!) Hence, why I am still on this earth. Strength, experience and faith in yourself to go on. Time has altered me so that I enjoy each moment and leads me toward all I have ever dreamed of! No looking back. “If you think you will regret it, don’t do it”. Eugene Walker. Dad was a smart guy. I have very little to regret and alot to smile about….Time has altered me for the better, if you don’t count those pesky wrinkles around the eyes…lol

I am alone for 50% of my week. I feel lonely when my son is gone as the house seems empty. I enjoy that empty when the times are rushed and we have to move at the speed of light as it seems. I spend the first part of the first day, trying to come down from the frenzy of kid schedules. Then after the third day, I miss him so…The tidying his room and touching his toys so….But, it makes the time when he returns from so good. I work from home, so I write and write and write. If it is a long seperation of a week or so, I schedule a lunch with a girlfriend and a trip to the beach or a long bike ride of 20 miles or so. I miss the companionship of a man more, when my son is gone. A different kind of lonely. One that is emphasized or more pronounced when he is not here. There is a vast difference in being alone vs. lonely. “You can be lonely, yet never be alone. You can be alone and never be lonely.” I don’t mind being alone, it can be a relief not to be needed or on a treadmill of life. I do mind being lonely…..i am thankful for my friends, with them I am never lonely or alone!

I live in Marin county, CA. I live here as when I divorced, my now 8 year old son, was accepted into a “Charter” school that is part of the public school system. It is Waldorf based and amazing. Because he is academically doing fantastic, I stay. The why. Am I rooted? Yes, and no. Like others have said, when asked where are you from, I answer “originally?”. I also have moved many times for work and for spouses work. I am originally from Central New York state. That is Oswego County. “your neck of the woods!” as Al Roker might say. I left there because there were no jobs. Moved from the East Coast to the West coast over 5 times. When married I followed my husband eventually to Vegas! of all places and then we decided to move back to the SF bay area after the arrival of our son. It is the right place for my son, but, I don’t feel rooted here just yet.

The last time I heard these references was in relation to corporate america. Sales positions that were going and getting the sale, face or amazing phone contacts were the hunters. Gathers were the sales and support people who collected the “bounty” and gathered it up for the corporation to distribute etc. So, as a mom….I am a hunter for fun things to do….Gather all my love in one space and spread it around to my child and my family. In my profession, I guess that I am both as well. Hunting good ideas for writing and gathering them together and publishing them for the world to see….or the 5 to 10 year old section of it…lol

‘Almost French’ by Sarah Turnbull just finished, ‘This is not the life I ordered!’ by stephens, speier, Risley, Yanchiro. So good and one of those, “man, I needed that!” books. One book that I finished earlier this year, was “the price of privilege” by Madeline Levine. As a woman living in Marin county, CA it was a eye opener to what awaits me as my child enters high school and how not to make those mistakes with my child. My recent, gosh, do I admit this! ‘The manual’ by Steve Santagati. I am determined not to marry another verbal abuser, putdowner, controlling man. One was enough…..

Sheila’s story is stimulating, as the main character named “bart’s wife or anyother name” really is in a conflict and has opted not to discuss it with her husband. Ok, that is Sheila’s choice as the writer…..My humble opinion is that she is testing the waters to see if she is still desireable after all these years. Women need that. The dinner may lead her down a path that she might not like. Jonathan does sound like a player…at this point and gets why she is calling from the tone of the chapter. In reality, I find that I am saying “no, no, no!” to the computer screen”! Without her talking or discussing this with her husband, I see that no good can come of this…What if she is truly wrong even with all the evidence…She will only blame herself if it goes bad. What should she do now? Cancel the dinner, talk to her husband. That is a real world answer. In the land of fiction…..It is what Sheila decides…not me…

Being “Elite” seems to be referring to someone with alot of money, socialite type life style and no clue about the common man. Ok, seems that Obama’s wife fits the defination. (based on her comments.) What will hurt Obama is not the Elite actions of his wife, that might be secondary, but, his non committment to issues and only focusing on proposing “Change”. His tenure in learning how government works is very short. Mrs. Clinton has her own issues. Any item during her husbands presidency that any particular person dislikes, will be a barrier for her. Which will be sad, as she will not be viewed for her own accomplishments, which when you look at her cross party accomplishments in the senate, are very good. Glamour and little experience or Experience and known failure and drive. Kennedy got the nomination and the vote on hope for the future. He did well in a very different time. I think the Elite were not as exposed as they are today by the media. Yes, this would hurt Obama in the end. It will be a PR nightmare if he gets elected and we want the President to be focusing on issues and his job, not how to show his wife that she has a much smaller budget and it is not hers to spend…..Jackie Kennedy held herself with grace and courage. She may have been Elite, but, the common woman/man saw her as a concerned citizen and appreciative of all americans, not a person who has no clue about the situation of the common man. Elite in Mrs. Obama’s way will hurt him, as doesn’t our spouse reflect who we are as well?

What men do not know about women is that we are looking for a companion. One person who will be by our side for the good times and the bad. This companion might not live in our home 24/7, but, for some (as noted here before) might be more of a space away. As men have that drive to look for the sex partner, women look for the emotional partner. Society created marriage, not biology. So, living inbetween is fine with me and most of the current culture. Women desire passion, communication, connection and security (refering to biology again). Most women do not need them in this order, but, some do….As I hit my sexual peak, being single, I did. In 2004 I read a book by Lundy Bancroft titled “why does he do that?” It hightlights all the things women don’t want. Many of the abusive/verbal or actions I have to admit that Dr. Klein seems to have shared with us by his comments. This is sad, but, our country has agreed that Free Speech is a valued thing. He voice counts just as much as ours. But, we do not have to buy it! Choice is also a right, thank our country for agreeing to that too. Back to the question, A date asked me “Why are women so complicated? they have spagetti for brains and I am just a lazana brain guy?” It does sum up what they don’t see. We are the females who need respect, to be cherished and valued. Given communication and joint interest and values to share and a physical attraction, we are the best thing you can give yourself. My best comment to men is marriage is created by society, make yours better by communication, passion and valueing your partner than all the bad jokes your buddies who ignore their marriage. You will be the one very happy to see your wife in the morning and make them all jealous with that smile when you come into work from the reward that you got that day.

Oh, you cheeky girls! I love how Julia and Joan have avoided the question, but, doesn’t this answer depend on how many years old you are and how long you have been single? I can always answer like Joan and come up with thousands of people on all those transatlantic flights, trains across Europe or shared bedrooms with my 3 older brothers and one older sister. Or as a single woman now 45, After a 12 year marriage, not the right one….not yet…So, at 45 is less than 10 not enough or more than 20 way too many?

I am not a Oprah watcher normally, but, I do enjoy hearing Maria Shriver speak. Although I don’t know Arnold, I don’t think he is my type, but, if he likes her, he must be ok…Her recent book talked about the drive to be in the competitive workforce and even after she had left it, she forgot that she did not learn who she was outside of that career. Find out who you are. Not “rick’s girlfriend/wife”, not your childs mom, who you are on your own..Find balance. Balance work and play. Respect for yourself first (including keeping fit and healthy) then give those around you and your parents the respect due to them. Establish yourself in a career or passion that whether you are married or not will generate a income that will feed, house and cloth you and children over your lifetime. If you marry, make sure that he is your best friend, will love you when you are gray and starting to get wrinkly, and you can talk to him at the same level as you are intellectually. Money makes life easier, but, can never replace the true happiness of a little less money and a mate that you can respect and respects you. (My thanks to Jane Austen.) B.