This isn’t a dazzlingly simple puzzle like the one Gandalf faced. He thought he was confronted by a sign that said, “Speak, friend, and enter.” No incantation in his capacious memory opened the doors. What it actually said was, “Speak friend and enter.” Gandalf spoke the elvish word for friend–mellon, as I recall–and the doors opened.
This isn’t as tough as that. My last post over at thedilettantesdilemma.blogspot.com invited you to come over here, following the bread crumbs, and here you are.
I’ve been poking and prodding at John Gray’s Mars/Venus books lately so I think that will be the subject of tomorrow’s post. The thing that continues to puzzle me about Gray is this: a) his idea that there is an essential character to men and to women (different, but complementary) is not a respectable idea it seems to me. Things are more complicated than that. On the other hand, b) his advice is gold in the mine. Forget how he understands gender relations. When I do what he says to do, it always works better than what I would otherwise have done.
How’s that for a dilemma?
The Dilettante's Dilemma 
A dilemma, indeed. Keep us posted. Aaaarrrgh.
Well, that’s true, Bonnie. But when you have more options than chances to choose, Aaaaarrrgh is what you often get. Welcome to the new site. I think you’ll find it a friendlier place.
Glad to see the new site…I had some trouble navigating the comment function on the old one…sometimes worked for me, sometimes didn’t.
Like the distinction of body and self, inevitable decline vs. chance for victory, in thinking about growing old. After having given up running for the last decade or more, I’ve been trying work in a run a week for the last few months…to see if my lower back would take it. So far, the back holding up just fine…but I had seriously misjudged how hard it would be to make my body run again. Gym aerobic machine shape and running shape are two very different creatures. Still, at this stage, however I labor to get through a mile or two, I count each run as a victory.
I love it that every mile is a victory. That’s realistic and it’s smart. I’m so glad to see you over here on the new site.