trees and sexism

What do these two things have to do with each other? Well, lets see, shall we?

If anyone doubts sexism still exists, then consider that birth control pills were generally not covered by insurance until Viagra came on the market. Viagra was immediately covered by most companies. Apparently old guys' dicks are more important (and profitable) than reproductive choice.

Speaking of reproducing, I have several friends with three or more children. I've decided that it's selfish to do more than replace yourself. All right, all right, just calm down, everyone. First of all, I'm not proposing a law or something. Also, I'm the baby of a family with three children, so I recognize that if my parents had taken this tack I wouldn't be here right now. (And then what would YOU be doing right now? Wondering what's missing from your life, right??) Also, let it be known that I'm taking this stance not knowing much about population growth, problems, trends, or the specific impact large families make on the environment. I'm just saying it feels slightly tinged with selfishness.

I think if someone wants to add something useful to the world that gives more than it takes, they could plant a tree.

We could use them here in Colorado. We have a pine beetle infestation. Their shit kills our trees and soon our forests are going to be kindling--literally--once lightning strikes. There's no way to stop them, no pesticides, no natural predators, nothing. All we can do is watch entire mountainsides turn brown, and it's freaking my shit cuz of this dream sequence that I wrote a long time ago, way before the beetles ever came around.

Aidan smelled smoke and imagined the screams of the tree soldiers...only they actually were moving down the mountain, rushing down into the lake, trying to escape the flames. The boiling water overtook each one, silencing them all, and after a time Aidan sat alone on his boat, the water gurgling softly, and the heat rising around him. He climbed down into the hull, wrapped his arms around his knees, and stared around at the exposed mountainsides. They appeared taller than when treed, craggy and devastated, rising straight out of the gently bubbling water. Nothing was left but bare rock, the boiling lake, and himself.

BYW, Aidan ends up having FIVE children by the time the series is over.