I could not help but think that if we are so avidly interested in our soil, we should be equally as worried about our water. We have a contained and limited supply--just like the dirt. Once it is poluted or removed from its eco-system, it is gone forever. Our children and grandchildren and all future genrations depnd on us now--time to get our heads out of the sand--before that is all we have left.

Wow! When did we get so old that quoting poems and Frank Zappa became appropriate responses to an essay? I'm 53. Last year--on June 6, I had my first total hip replacement. But fully 10 years before that, at 43 I was told, first, that I was to use a CANE most of the time and second, that if I was going to complete my BA at SFU I was going to have to get reading glasses.

Since I've lived through what many would consider middle-age over-load, finished the BA at 44, and even took on a now 13 year old--I am grateful for every day. I don't need the cane anymore, have gone back to work and won the admiration of my 80 year old, dignified, beautiful mother. There is life after 40, after 50, and even after 60 (or so they tell me).

Rejoice.

We seem to love to bring on new inferences to common words. I was very surprised to hear my 12 year old step-daughter say, "that sucks!". But that was 25 years ago. We can turn any common word into one that offends, often just by changing our inflection. In a world where my 80 year old mother has told me that she has come to accept the word fuck as a normal part of speech (she was missing too many good movies!), maybe we feminist and modern, open thinkers can find something better to get moist over.

Wow!

My 40s snuck up on me 14 years ago--and there I was, childless, manless, and just starting my undergrad degree at university. I never wanted kids without a partner, and watched many of my free-thinking hippie friends have babies by themselves because the universe was going to provide all they needed...I always believed that raising kids well was the hardest job on earth and I was not willing to go it alone.

I finished the undergrad & got a better job--never did manage to get a "real" career, and eventually (at 47) met a man who I thought would make a good life-partner. He had kids and they both love me. His oldest was already on his own, but his 7 year old son fell in love with me and I with him. We both were fine with the kids we had--his that is and we both realized that trying to have one of our "own" would be risky and foolish. I needed my hip replaced--imagine trying to carry a child to term with only one hip and the other in constant agony before the pregnancy! So to those of us who missed the reproduction boat, let's not forget that there are thousands and thousands of children all over North America who need parents. They can be fostered or adopted, and with luck, loved as much as I love my step-kids. The door is not closed--it's just the one down the hall--there are children everywhere who need parenting, mentoring, or just some fun companionship.

We don't need to have our very own biological children. We can help take care of the ones already here.

And those older slower swimmers? What did you actually expect??

Have we all forgotten that Bhutto was an inspiration to many and devoted leader of her country? I, for one, admired her greatly. She was extremely well educated & dedicated to the return of democracy (even if it does not take the form that we westerners approve!)

Bush and plan A or B or C--what plan? what help to end conflict? what war on terrorism? what a looser--and his lack of sight and his loss in this arena will affect us all. I incorrectly use a collective pronoun here--even as a Canadian I know Bush is not solely responsible for these poor decisions and failures. It takes a huge organization to screw things up this bad.

Let's give the woman the respect due any great leader, and especially one who gave her life for her cause. Benazer, you will be missed. We mourn your passing. We thank you for giving your life to you people and country.

We can drink too. We can do anything the guys can, maybe with less booze, but to the same outcome--rock and roll!!!So have a good time!! Real life is just around the corner--full-time work, family and responsibility are in your futures--so have a good time while you can. Just DO NOT post videos of it on Facebook or my MySpace or anywhere else that can effect your future.

When I was in my 20s, the only way anyone knew what I was up to was if I told them myself--we don't always have that control these days...