I have never had an unpleasant experience with the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. The place is easy to navigate. Most of the TSA workers are friendly and helpful (a major plus for traveling parents - one helped me to set up our stroller after it came off the scanner while I was trying to juggle squirming 5 month old and other bags). Rather than being faced with a slew of McRestaurants, AUS has lots of local eateries to choose from. Take that Pizza Hut! And lastly, it's close in. Travel time from my doorstep to the ticketing counter is all of about 25 minutes.

Whether the child is ready to start at 4 or 5 is largely dependent on well, the child. Having a December birthday, I probably should have been "red shirted", but instead was allowed to enroll at 4 years old. While I did begin kindergarten a little behind the rest of my class, I wound up being the top student in the class, and often worked on reading with the 1st grade class while my older kindergarten classmates were still working on the basics. In my case, I think being "red shirted" would have left me as one very bored child in kindergarten.

These days, as a concerned parent, I have to wonder how the "red shirt" policy will affect my son, who was also born in December. While school is a ways off yet, I'm already more inclined to enroll him in a private school that would admit a bright and ready-to-learn 4 year old rather than leaving him to be "red shirted" by the public school system.

I definitely sympathize with the LW. Becoming a parent has served to amplify an already troublesome fear of death and my own mortality. For nearly as long as I can remember, I have had this fear. I now have an ability to imagine every possible awful and horrible thing that might happen to my son, and all I can do to keep from drowning in the resulting emotional wave is hug him, and kiss him, and tell him how much I love him and remind myself to thrive on the joy that he has brought to us.

It is tough, though. The scared part of me wants to ignore the fear, to push it away and hide it in some corner of my mind that doesn't speak up much. Of course, in wanting this, I know it's an impossible feat. This is part of life. This darkness offsets the light parts of life.

So I try my best, hope I don't pass this fear on to my son (and any subsequent children we might have), and try to look on the bright side of life. Sometimes it works.

I'm up front with all my coworkers about breastfeeding my son, who is now 8.5 months old. Thankfully, I have the option to pump in my office. Thus far, everyone has been respectful of my "do not disturb for about 15 minutes" note placed on my door at those times. I wish there was another breastfeeding mother at my workplace for fellowship, but I consider myself one of the lucky mothers to have a tolerant and supportive workplace, as it is.

I have found further into post partum I get, the less shy I become about breastfeeding and all topics related to it. I guess my skin toughened up a bit, in more ways than one!

We saw a commercial for this monstrosity last night, and it made our stomachs turn . I guess it sort of falls in line with the mindset of having college courses in homemaking and how to be a good (read subservient) wife. Hello 1950s.

You asked for some jazz recommendations, and I'll list a few of my favorites (including my first 3 jazz recordings that brought me over to jazz school forever and ever amen).

Pat Metheny - Still Like Talking

Eliane Elias - Paulistana

Kenny Wheeler - Gnu High

That trio of recordings provided my baptism into jazz. Many people will tell you to start with the classics. All of my professors balked at my starting in the middle of such a rich musical landscape. But it worked for me. Maybe it'll help you too. Of those three, if you just buy one, get that Wheeler cut. Personnel as follows: Kenny Wheeler, Keith Jarrett (his last side gig), Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland. This recording knocks my socks off, even after all this time.

Because jazz is such a subjective art, it's difficult to give a list of must-listen-to recordings - I believe we each react to the music differently. But to follow is a sampling of what I've been digging lately.

John Abercrombie (with Jan Hammer & DeJohnette) - Timeless

Mahavishnu Orchestra - The Inner Mounting Flame

Brian Blade - Brian Blade Fellowship

Wayne Shorter - Footprints Live

Pat Metheny Trio - Day Trip

Freddie Hubbard - Keystone Bop (both volumes)

Joe Henderson - In 'n Out

Enjoy!