Dichroic Reflections: fractured-brain postings

August 24, 2006

fractured-brain postings

I'm having a fragmented-brain day today. So, assorted things:

In re: the much-talked-about sexist Forbes article many folks have been referencing today...the one about how men shouldn't marry "career women" because then they run a higher risk of facing "rocky" marriages... I have one thing to say, and I'm going to say it as a public service announcement for all and sundry:

Autonomous people who can support themselves economically have little compelling reason to stay in otherwise unrewarding relationships. If they do remain in those relationships, they have little compelling reason to remain monogamous if they do not wish to do so -- because they can afford, quite literally, to take the risk of having a relationship end.
This has always been true. The only reason any of this is even remotely newsworthy is that feminism has generated a few strides toward genuine equality and now women increasingly have the opportunity to consider relationships and marriage in more or less the same dynamic as men have historically taken for granted.

Moral of the Story: Heterosexual men are just gonna hafta figure out how to do better at being partners to women, because just having a dick and a paycheck ain't gonna cut it any more.

I find this utterly true, as I wrote in her comments - the only thing I'd add is that, to a man with both a brain and a heart, there's the major advantage to all this of having a partner who's with you because she wants to be, rather than because she has no good alternatives.

As far as I can tell, Israel and Lebanon agree that their cease-fire has more chance of holding with UN troops there, and are happy to have Italy leading it. You know, and I know, and for sure Italy knows that things could go disastrously wrong, nonetheless. And yet Italy wants to lead the forces. Granted they'd like to get more respect internationally, still, they know the risks are considerable, from damaged or dead Italian soldiers being not unlikely on up to a remote possibility of being implicated in the start of WWIII. One news report I heard, and I have no special reason to doubt it, claims that a part of the rationale is a desire on the part of the Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, to do the right and moral thing. (Note: not to rationalize what he wants to do by calling it "the right thing to do". There's a large difference.) What a concept.

I've about run out of gold wire for the linked jade necklace I've sporadically been working on. I've got plenty of jade nuggets left, but pending more time and more wire, I've attached a toggle clasp so I can wear it as a choker today and at Worldcon if I'm in a jade mood there. Knitting-wise I'm taking both the shawl and the sock projects. These new contacts seem to make close vision even more difficult - I was working by feel and blur in the necklace the other day when I had them in - so the sock may be tricky with them in. I may take my most of my beading gear there to, because of the presence of Elise and a good few of her acolytes. (The one case that holds most of it will fit in the my behind-seat storage.)

Girly TMI under the cut

This has been the first full month on a new birth control prescription - it was prescribed a couple of months ago but I had a pack of the old stuff to finish out and didn't want to be trying new meds while doing all that strenuous traveling. (Good thing, as it turned out; I had enough health issues otherwise.) They've had one disquieting effect: I starting bleeding two days later than expected. That's not much under nonmedicated circumstances, but it's a hell of a long time for me on the pill. I was pretty sure there was no reason for the delay than the change in hormones; somehow I just thing I'd know if I were really no longer a single-person domicile. still, it was a bit weird, especially since this isn't necessarily the best time for an unplanned pregnancy. (Not the worst in some ways, but not the best.) It finally started today, though not until I'd checked with a test I happened to have on hand. Still bad timing, because now I have to bring paraphernalia to Worldcon, but that's not a major issue, especially with the Diva cup. It's just a little annoying because I know from experience my gut tends to be a little more iirritable at these times.

Posted by dichroic at August 24, 2006 02:12 PM

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