Word on the street: How the sustainable West was mothered
The scene: An IM conversation between me and a coworker that spanned three different topics in as many minutes.
Julia: So, do you have any idea what we're intended to contribute in this meeting?
Julia: oh never mind.
Coworker: I think it's just a brainstorm.
Julia: I read the email more closely, lol.
Coworker: Ha!
Julia: who knew? Reading helps you understand!! brilliant!
Coworker: Reading instructions is unamerican.
Coworker: A friend of mine told me this.
Julia: it's too dependent
Julia: i'd rather blaze a trail
Julia: and settle a new frontier
Coworker: He says it destroys the challenge.
Coworker: I say sometimes it destroys the equipment.
Coworker: Go West, young man, go West?
Julia: that's the idea, lol
Coworker: It's amazing how the conquest of the West became so idealized.
Coworker: It must have been awful at the time to actually go there.
Julia: it just seems so lonely
Julia: but I think that was also part of the appeal
Julia: it's a wonder people didn't die by 50 all the time
Julia: it was such a hard life
Coworker: The loneliness doesn't scare me. But the lack of electricity and hot showers do.
Coworker: No internet!
Julia: well, find consolation in the fact they didn't know what they were missing
Coworker: I would be dead quickly there. I would be one of those characters in Westerns who hide behind the barn at the first shot.
Julia: I'd be a schoolmarm
Julia: and would protect all the children
Coworker: You really have a strong maternal instinct.
Julia: I do
Julia: but I don't want my own kids yet
Julia: I just want to protect everyone else's
Coworker: That's funny.
Coworker: I have no paternal instinct at all. Never wanted kids.
Julia: yeah, I see that
Coworker: I like them, just don't want my own.
Julia: fair enough
Julia: much easier and less expensive
Coworker: This way I remain a kid forever in some manner.
Julia: see, now I think having kids can help you do that too
Julia: so maybe it's just how a person is wired
Julia: and not related to their parenting urges
Julia: as in, you could have 6 kids, but if you're no fun or have no imagination, you'll be old before your time
Coworker: Could be. Also the fact that I'm an only child, so I'm used to be by myself.
Julia: good point as well
Coworker: http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC31/ToBreed.htm
Julia: takeaway: if I recycle more, I can have babies
Coworker: Or you could do baby recycling. That's what Brad and Angelina do.
Julia: mmm, sustainable baby making. nice.
End scene.
Julia: So, do you have any idea what we're intended to contribute in this meeting?
Julia: oh never mind.
Coworker: I think it's just a brainstorm.
Julia: I read the email more closely, lol.
Coworker: Ha!
Julia: who knew? Reading helps you understand!! brilliant!
Coworker: Reading instructions is unamerican.
Coworker: A friend of mine told me this.
Julia: it's too dependent
Julia: i'd rather blaze a trail
Julia: and settle a new frontier
Coworker: He says it destroys the challenge.
Coworker: I say sometimes it destroys the equipment.
Coworker: Go West, young man, go West?
Julia: that's the idea, lol
Coworker: It's amazing how the conquest of the West became so idealized.
Coworker: It must have been awful at the time to actually go there.
Julia: it just seems so lonely
Julia: but I think that was also part of the appeal
Julia: it's a wonder people didn't die by 50 all the time
Julia: it was such a hard life
Coworker: The loneliness doesn't scare me. But the lack of electricity and hot showers do.
Coworker: No internet!
Julia: well, find consolation in the fact they didn't know what they were missing
Coworker: I would be dead quickly there. I would be one of those characters in Westerns who hide behind the barn at the first shot.
Julia: I'd be a schoolmarm
Julia: and would protect all the children
Coworker: You really have a strong maternal instinct.
Julia: I do
Julia: but I don't want my own kids yet
Julia: I just want to protect everyone else's
Coworker: That's funny.
Coworker: I have no paternal instinct at all. Never wanted kids.
Julia: yeah, I see that
Coworker: I like them, just don't want my own.
Julia: fair enough
Julia: much easier and less expensive
Coworker: This way I remain a kid forever in some manner.
Julia: see, now I think having kids can help you do that too
Julia: so maybe it's just how a person is wired
Julia: and not related to their parenting urges
Julia: as in, you could have 6 kids, but if you're no fun or have no imagination, you'll be old before your time
Coworker: Could be. Also the fact that I'm an only child, so I'm used to be by myself.
Julia: good point as well
Coworker: http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC31/ToBreed.htm
Julia: takeaway: if I recycle more, I can have babies
Coworker: Or you could do baby recycling. That's what Brad and Angelina do.
Julia: mmm, sustainable baby making. nice.
End scene.