I dunno, there's a few people I've met who don't seem to get that memo.

Way to make me remember "Outsourced" existed.

That doesn't surprise me, but even so…oh, dear.

Seriously. Makes you almost want to send letters to the creators of the failed shows and the NBC people who greenlighted them saying, "Thank you for your bad decision making and for being so sucky!"

Hahaha, no argument there.

First off, I'm sorry about your parents.

Good point. Always an upside, isn't there :)?

I see. That sucks, I'm sorry. Is there something specific about your lifestyle she doesn't approve of, or is it just general?

Oh, yeah, I've seen that, too. And I felt bad for thinking that afterward, 'cause I don't doubt it can be tough for parents to know what all to do sometimes in those moments, and if they're trying, like you said, that's certainly something. And the kid was a little one. Screaming and crying if they're upset is the…

Hm. Well, if you're giving yourself that number of years, who knows, maybe your mom will come around in her thinking, too, especially once she sees how interested you are in the idea, and once she can see you and the girl you marry someday would make good parents and all that. I know, for instance, that despite my…

I think it was last weekend or the weekend before, there was a kid in the main area of the mall who had lungs like you would not believe, he was screaming so loud, and we could hear it all the way inside our store.

I can understand that, definitely. I don't really remember reading a lot of stories or watching a lot of shows that featured only children when I was a kid.

My job sucks on the pay front, but at least I do like the work itself. And having worked weekends where I'll hear kids screaming so loud the noise rings in my ears, or see them tear through the store and make a mess of everything, or throw temper tantrums when their parents tell them they can't have this or that toy…

That is strange, yeah. I feel for people whose parents, or other relatives, keep pushing them for this stuff. It's funny how this is the one area where people feel they can stick their noses into your business like that.

Aw. Not often I hear that conflict come up. Do you actually want to settle down and have kids, or do you just feel like you need to?

Good questions. I think the "heroes" and "men being fashionable" things can be patronizing in their own right. I love, for instance, how we hear people in this country go on and on about how kids need father figures in their lives, but then when people hear about stay-at-home dads and breadwinner moms, the very idea…

Ah, okay. It just sounds funny the way it's worded. But thanks for the info-interesting that the rate has dropped since then.

I'd agree with that, sure. I admire people who can put their full commitment into anything, be it their family or their jobs or both. As long as you're taking care of your business the way you should, that's the most important thing.

On that note, I'd really like to know who came up with the "2.5 kids" thing and suggest we change that, 'cause it gives me strange images of kids missing half their bodies.

I always found it super-grating that it's never the endgame for men. I'm not sure if insults women that they always have to settle down or if it insults men that their life goals are decided to be career success, broing out with bros, and maybe picking up a wife and kids who are briefly featured in the closing…