I'm just making my way down the list of topics today - and I'm going to add my two cents worth here too.

I've done both, be at home and work, and actually, I've been at home, gone to school and then been at home, gone to school, was editor of the college newspaper, and then done all that and work for a newspaper 30 miles away and at the paper here in town all at the same time. It was all crazy.

I don't know that there's a set answer for any of it. When I've worked, I've wanted to be at home. When I've been at home with the unkempt closets looming large in front of me, calling to me, screaming at me.....I wanted to run to an office and hide beneath piles of paperwork I could call my own.

I do think though, that as women, we've been afforded the choice (sometimes). Men, as a rule, don't usually have the option to stay at home. I'm sure there are men who do and even some who stay at home and are good at it, I just don't know any of them. When mine has been at home, it's like he can get a single task done but it's a big hangin' production, so he's much better at work.

I always felt that for me, it was more chicken of me to go off to work. I KNOW that I'm avoiding cleaning and organizing my home. I'm sorry but IT'S FLIPPIN' SCARY TO ME! I mean - MY GOD- what the heck am I supposed to do with all that crap that's been in my hutch drawer and bottom cupboards for the last 15 years? I don't know what it is. It all seems like stuff I should keep but don't have a clue what to do with, old film, rubber bands, tacks, matchbox cars, a few marbles, 15 year old Christmas cards, invitations, some candles, a frosting kit that I can never find when I need it, dried flowers....and that's just the drawer.

The hall closets? Crap and lots of it. The linen closet? One shelf full (crammed) of towels that we use, three shelves of crap that I can't part with. Embroidered pillow cases from my grandmother who died 7 or 8 years ago, never used because I just don't want break the fold, sheets with Ninja Turtles that really should be bequeathed to Scotty (the 20 year old who lives out of the house) (maybe it would discourage over zealous girls who may want to rush him into relationship situations)(but maybe not)(HAVE you SEEN the girls out there?)

I threaten myself with calling "Clean Sweep" but they might make me really mad if they make me throw out something that I REALLY want.

It takes an awfully brave person to stay at home and organize and spend their days keeping and taking care of the nest. I'm fractured, I just don't think I can do it and do it well. If it's tidy for a while and the mail is all in a box somewhere - I'm happy.

Okay, that's my buck-three-ninety-five's worth.