Meeteetse is more back to her old self today. She's more active than Scooter and Glueball now, but certainly not up to again being the most continually active (albeit never the most athletic, just the one with the best stamina) in the house like she usually has been FOR ALMOST 7 YEARS. (And she's fat on top of it!) Last night Ilena told me about a marvelous site which really needs to be seen by the (fortunately few) FML readers who reproduce stuff without permission of the author: http://www.templetons.com/brad//copymyths.html . Since it is so easy to just plain ask (and so kind, flattering, and gently polite) I don't know why unauthorized reuses still happen now and then but they do, so check out this site! On another point, using as close as I can recall to the words someone else mentioned to me last night on understanding another with ill ferrets; "Sometimes you just have to walk a mile in another's shoes". At times the (unsolicited) reaction problems here -- you know, the one where folks aren't flame-baiting and then using disingenuous disclaimers, but are presenting real problems or an educational opportunity -- come just from people not being able to know how something feels to another. If a couple of funny stories will help folks remember: Steve's comment after he had to go through styling and make-up was "It feels horrible; I don't know how women put up with it; I could barely stand it for twenty minutes!". From the other side of the fence, having been through menopause I get to remove nasal hair just like a guy and take it from me that I'd rather do two eyebrows than half of one nostril. We women have it easy on that score. So think about the smother of makeup and hairspray, the pain of nasal hairs, and someone else's shoes pinching or swamping, and be gentle. Okay? [Posted in FML issue 2749]