Cary went very deep in his response.

When I became pregnant with my first child, I lost whatever small amount of tolerance I had for violent entertainment.

So I can completely relate to the LW, and I didn't grow up in an abusive household, so it is not an issue of post trauma stress for me.

I have trouble with the news as well. I find I really need to turn off the t.v. or internet to avoid it sometimes because real life violence and misery is overreported in the media.

I don't think your family should hassle you about this. Teenagers by definition are emotionally immature. They can enjoy slasher pics because their sense of empathy is underdeveloped. It is still cartoon violence.

This started to change for me at 17 when a group of friends rented "Faces of Death" for movie night one night. That movie eliminates the veneer of fiction, it is just exploitation. It is designed to appeal to whatever drives the masses to attend the public executions.

That sort of thing makes me want to throw up. Nearly 20 years later, I still regret having watched "Faces of Death" that evening.

I would just lay down the law with your kids. Can they not enjoy a lighthearted nonviolent comedy? Why bother watching anything else, really? If they must watch violent films, steer them to historical accounts-- Gandhi, Cry Freedom, Hotel Rwanda, Schindler's List.

These will instruct and aid in their development as moral, empathetic individuals.

These films will perhaps

Farrah Fawcett's beauty is timeless. All things are transient and change in time, but the "notorious" -- I would probably say iconic-- poster of her from the 1970s is simply a gorgeous image.

She seems like a good person. I really respected her for her work in the "Burning Bed" in the 1980s. That film brought a lot of attention to domestic violence during a time where it was not a focus.

Perhaps this documentary will serve a similar purpose.

I hope that she will not suffer too much.

This makes me laugh as it reminds me of the cute guy our mostly white suburban high school class overwhelmingly elected as our senior class president.

Maybe he thought he was being subversive with his hyper-intellectual pratter (and he had a similar habit of diverting classroom discussions toward whatever topic he wanted to pontificate on for 10 minutes or so), the rest of us, well, saw the potential face on a dollar bill, to paraphrase the author.

And to think, this all took place over 20 years ago during the Reagan and Bush administrations. This writer is just 22, experiencing that typical 22 year-old's assumption that there can yet be anything new under the sun.

Hope he can get over his ego and make some real accomplishments as an adult. There is more to life than glorying in one's own vast vocabularly.

Cary-- my deepest condolences.

"Bogeys" (?) and smelly dirty backsides? LOL. Did you just hit puberty yesterday????

That is what you have to make yourself think about to deal with the reality of this woman's unavailability?

You are far far far too immature to have a relationship at all. Until you grow up-- significantly-- stick to crushes on completely unavailable women but don't let yourself become a stalker, there are serious ramifications to that. Be her friend, as you entertain her on some level and remind her of less complicated times in her life, I suppose.

You add the "for some reason" you don't want to think why she might love her husband -- bizarre, narcissistic comment on your part. Do you have a borderline personality disorder?

I guess you can't understand this woman's loyalty to her husband because you really just don't get what marriage is about. The day she starts having this man's babies-- assuming he is her birthing coach-- is the day all concerns about bogeys (boogers?) and dirty backsides go out the window.

Marriage is the real deal, blood sweat and tears. Someone you love in all physical reality--- farts and all-- not some airbrushed fantasy ideal you pin up on your bedroom wall.

Even if she weren't already taken, you'd be a terrible match for her because she couldn't be her stinky, sweaty, human pre-shower self if she were to spend any significant time with you. That is no way to live or love.

In advance of a social situation, try to have 3-4 open-ended conversational questions at the ready.

"So, do you have any interesting travel plans coming up this summer?"

Is usually my default. And yes, the weather is always a safe bet to find common ground, especially if the weather has been nutty.

I am introverted in my heart and socializing is work for me. But I can carry a conversation. I find it excruciating to pair up with someone who cannot carry a conversation with me, however.

So, the flip side of the advice is, if someone throws you a conversational volley, don't respond with just a yes or no answer. Elaborate a little bit on that yes or no, then throw back a question for the other person so they can yammer for a little bit.

Don't stare at the person painfully expecting them to carry on a one-sided conversation. If you run out of things to say or questions to ask, then say, it was so nice seeing you again, and excuse yourself to get a drink or go to the restroom.

Some good advice I received regarding networking events is to only fill your drink half way so you always can finish your drink quickly and excuse youself if the conversation is stale or forced or if a VIP of some sort enters that you need to make a contact with, so that you can exit gracefully without blowing the other person off rudely.