From: kgatling@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Keith E Gatling)
Subject: The Feet In My Mouth Are Certainly Big (Also: Arrogant)
Organization: Manlius Pebble Hill School; Dewitt, NY
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 16:58:21 EDT

Why don't I just give up?  This is one of those things that unless you're
exactly in my head, I don't think you're going to understand, and
everytime I try to explain what I mean I offend someone else.

But hey...fools rush in where angels fear to go, so I'll try once more to
make myself clear on this.

First of all, remember that the only reason I made the first post was
because someone asked for some "solid reasons" for having kids...something
other than "because they're so cute."  Well I happen to love kids, I
happen to think they're cute too, but I got the impression that these
weren't the kind of answers this person was looking for.  I got the
impression that he was looking for a "logical" type of answer...so I gave
one...and the excrement hit the air conditioning.

I said that an idea I had gotten from someone else was that those of us
who feel that we have some good things about us should consider adding one
more of us to the pot.  I know I didn't phrase it that carefully.  Had I
done so there might be a bit less of a mess around here.

As I said before, I love kids...everyone's kids...they don't even have to
be mine.  As a result, having kids was never a big deal to me.  It was,
however to the women I went out with, and the one I eventually married.
So one of the reasons we're having a baby is because she wants one.  I
also think it would be nice to have a kid around the house and watch it
grow, and try to teach it what does and doesn't work in the world, and
what ptifalls to try to avoid.  I also think I'd make a pretty good
parent, and since I think that, it logically follows that it would be a
waste if I didn't have at least one (you know, I think it's that "logical"
part that gets me in trouble with the rest of you).

Hey, I'm not saying that I'm wonderful and everyone else is messed up scum
(remember, I'm the one who's afraid of the letter Q).  And maybe my
problem with all the dysfunctional people out there comes from being so
closely related to some, and seeing the misery they go through close up
(and being an extremely sensitive person who is bothered by the entire
concept).

I'm really not that arrogant.  But I do seem to have a penchant for
putting my foot in my mouth when I'm trying to explain things over the net
that are best done in face to face conversation because of the level of
complexity and likelihood of being misunderstood.  Maybe I'll learn from
this.

But remember, the entire reason I made the initial post in the first place
was because someone wanted some "solid" reasons for having kids.  I
thought I gave one.  It's not the only reason.  It may not even be the
main reason for most of us, but it might be a reason that this person can
live with and as a result not break into a cold sweat the next time his
wife talks about having kids.

Does that fix things or have I done it again?

--
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* Keith E Gatling                                  kgatling@mailbox.syr.edu *
*          Opinions?  I've got plenty of them.  Just ask my wife!           *
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