If we stay in New Orleans, I will probably homeschool the sprog, because the public schools are mostly very bad and getting one's kids into the few good schools requires jumping through many rings of flaming bureaucracy while contortng oneself into unnatural shapes. And the reasons the public schools here are so bad is because people routinely put their kids into private schools, and there's no way I'm going to contribute to that particular vicious circle.

But that would be a rather surprising turn of events, on the whole.

A number of my college friends did that upon graduation. I decided it was as close to being betrayed in favor of The Man as I was likely ever to see in my humdrum existence.

I actually had a friend try to talk me out of getting married because I was betraying feminism.

The way I saw it, I had found the guy I could imagine living with for the rest of my life. What was I supposed to do, say "Go away for four years, I'll catch you when I'm 25?"

I decided it was as close to being betrayed in favor of The Man as I was likely ever to see in my humdrum existence.

Um?

I got married at 22, and only waited that long because neither of us wanted to deal with planning a wedding until we were out of college.

Jessica, please stop betraying Nutty this instant.

Liese? I feel welcome enough to taunt you.

I live in Florida

It's in the low 80's.

If it get's realluy cold, it might even be 75 degrees tonight! Isn't it horrible?

Ale's taunting is now complete.

Now onto playing with catapult. Oh Mr. Rogers, how long I've wished for revenge.

Jessica, please stop betraying Nutty this instant.

Yeah, I'll get right on that.

("Hi, hon? We need a divorce. Turns out we've been betraying our friends in favor of The Man for 4 years.")

-gasp-

ita!

ita is here!

HERE!

Frantically checks her hair and make-up glances herself and her Natter nest over. Pauses. Turns around and smiles

I have come from a far land and been welcomed into your tribe. I present you with a gift, ita, of a redhaired cheerleader!Lex in a Smallville/ Sweet Valley High Crossover run by Joss and Tim.

Bows

Like I said, humdrum existence. I take my drama where I can find it.

(Although, when you're friends with, say, 8 people, and four years later all 8 of them are married? And you're nowhere near such a state? Can be a little -- weird. Like, way to all fall into line with the dominant paradigm, people!)

I decided it was as close to being betrayed in favor of The Man as I was likely ever to see in my humdrum existence

Nutty, I feel your pain, I really do. She hasn't even graduated yet. I just gah! I don't think she's given it as much thought as she should have. And also the very idea is making my skin itch. These are all things I should be getting over before I call to congratulate her, yes?

You know, speaking of both marriage and childrearing, I have been SHOCKED at how much shit people still get for their various choices regarding same. A woman I know had people actually call her a bad mother for going back to work after having a baby. In 2005. Are you fucking kidding me? I've also heard a ridiculous amount of judgementalness around woman changing their names -- on both sides.

Can we all enter the new millennium, people? There are many ways to live one's life!!

t /pet peeve