last year when I was house interior painting (still not done ) I kept a notepad and pen nearby so I could stop and write a line or two of poetry whenever it came to me. Painting is so Zen it freed my mind for writing.

I know what you mean about the zen of painting, Meredith. It can be hard to detatch from the all the business of "doing" and "thinking about doing" to leave space for poetry. A purely physical activity like house painting or walking can do it. Sylvia Plath baked.

It's a sad fact that those of us coming of age in the late sixties early seventies were told we could have it all. They didn't tell us we'd have to do it all to have it all. I get up at 5am and by 11 have put in a full day and am whipped, but still seldom go to bed before 11pm. No wonder so many of us are on medication for something or other. And do any of you ever feel guilty if you actually sit still and do nothing? I do. I have 3 kids, 2 dogs, 1 spouse, 2 houses, 1 job. Multi task is the pc way to say indentured servitude! I tried to take some time off of work recently, not to go away, but to get my house in order. Everyday one of the kids would say, what are your plans for today. By the end of the week of taxi service, housecleaning, laundry, repairs, I just wanted one day to sit by my pool and read a book. My family seems to think it's crazy for mom to just be still. Do I sound like a whiner? Yes? Then Dots, this is in the right category.

Kathryn, what all of us need is more time...nevermind. We'd fill that too!

A girlfriend and I have been having this discussion. Men cannot multi-task. Only women are able to do this. For instance: If my husband is getting dressed and needs to speak, he stops dressing until he's finished speaking. When he's driving and speaking, the speed keeps getting slower and slower.

When I worked as an elementary secretary, I sometimes couldn't believe all the things I would be doing at once! Taking a temperature, bandaging a knee, answering the phone, counting money and keeping the computer updated with lunch numbers and the such.

I think it's a special gift God gave to women so we can take care of the things in the world that need taken care of.

I can also talk on the phone and type something different at the same time.

Anyone have that story about the Mom who says she is going to bed, then picks up dirty laundry, does the dishes, feeds the pets, etc., etc. Perfect example of how busy a woman's life is.