I am a 46-year-old woman. I love children and always thought I would have some, but life turned out differently. Fortunately, I never had the mindset that I was incomplete or less of a real woman because I had not borne children. Three years ago, I met a wonderful man (five years older than myself) at a time of life when even considering the idea of childbearing was fairly unimaginable. Within one month of our budding romance, I was hospitalized due to massive hemorrhaging from a fibroid...a.k.a. female troubles. Two months later, I was hospitalized for a full hysterectomy. Ixnay to fertility. Guess who stuck around? My wonderful man. Then my 82-year-old mother had a stroke and brain surgery. Rather than exile her to a nursing home, my wonderful man initiated the idea of taking her to our home. A year of difficult caretaking ensued, yielding much sorrow yet also much joy and no regrets. My career as a decently- and sometimes highly-paid freelance writer/editor suffered, became virtually extinct for the year plus more, given the demands of the 24/7 caretaking. So, we basically went broke and into debt. After my mother died, I went into a clinical depression, stemming not only from the grief of the loss of my one remaining parent, but going back to traumas such as losing my business and apartment in New York City in the wake of 9/11. I am better now. This is not a tale of self-pity; simply a rendition of pertinent facts in my middle-aged life.

Major point being�guess who stuck around? My wonderful man. He likes my intelligence, my wit, my caring for others, my political views, my family, my body (despite my gaining two sizes up in weight after the operation)...ETC. In short, he cares doodleysquat about whether I can give him a child. He has no interest in young women. He is realistic about the ups and downs of relationships and the cards, good and bad, that life deals us. He simply loves me. And after an adult lifetime of getting hit on by married men deep in the mire of mid-life crisis (several of them quite decent guys in other respects, and many who already had children and certainly would not relish the thought of more) I can finally say I found someone (yes, I am harkening that controversial character Bridget Jones here) who likes me just as I am...aging, barren, flawed and all.

Relationships are a crap shoot. I got lucky. My best friend had a husband who left her and their three children for a wispy girl half his age. Sad situation. Then she got lucky with a wonderful man around her same middle-age, who happens to have two kids of his own and has no longing for more. My parents were happily married for 48 years before my father died. I know people who divorced; I know people who stayed in unsatisfying unions for the sake of the children; I know people who are growing older together enjoying their children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren; I know couples who struggle; I know single people who are happy in their singlehood and others who are not; I know women who are manipulative and Botox-bound who care mostly about the size of the bank account of potential mates; I know men who care mostly about the bust and waist size of potential mates to compensate for their own balding heads and spreading bellies; I know both women and men who care about compatibility, compassion, companionship and old-fashioned true love and true commitment...ok, time to stop the endless list (and that being only on the heterosexual front).

If there is any moral to this story, let it be that relationships are a strange and varied commodity, so often a matter of timing and propensity and again, sheer luck (some may say destiny) and that expiration dates matter to some and not one iota to others. Mr. Ross arguably garnered more attention than warranted, but as I see it his amazon review was culled for this blog/column to make an example, and with good effect; it is clear from the reader responses that he is not a lone wolf in his viewpoints.

I will end with a suggestion that readers who are not fans of Ms. Dowd please read the piece she wrote about her mother, who died earlier this year, namely: A Woman Who Found a Way to Write (published 7/24/05 in the NYTimes). You might just see a side of Ms. Dowd that you find more appealing than her gorgeous auburn hair.

Re: Brownie's lawyer's comment: "If he receives no guidance to the contrary, we'll do as any citizen should do -- and that is to answer all questions fully, completely and accurately."

Uhmmmm.....shouldn't Brownie do that regardless of whether he receives guidance to the contrary?!?

I have the same picks as Buster for the finale. I don't know if this should make me worried or hopeful. It did make me smile.

but Colbert's appearance was about more than how many chuckles, guffaws and belly laughs he could foster. He came with truth (not truthiness) wrapped in irony---and he conquered. Shock and awe among the crowd (including Dubya and lady first) proves it.

Yet...I must say I was disappointed by Michael Sherer's offering on Scarborough Country. Granted, he wasn't offered the mike as often as his companion guest. But when given the opp to speak, he didn't express (in my view) what his true views are on the subject. Maybe with his first seemingly cowed attempt to be "respectful" (or fair and balanced...?) he thought he'd have more chances to speak. In any case, had I not known who he is and wherefrom he hails, I wouldn't have known he was someone who in any way approved of, much less admired or even understood, Colbert's stance.