Just Checking In...

Finally moved back to Cambridge, MA. Bought a townhouse. Cannot imagine how people with children afford to do anything similar.

Where DINKs live - lofts

Me and the missus are looking to move to Boston, so I'm going to keep track of some places we're interested in. Just random posts

Artist's condo

Boston Lofts

Another conversation you can avoid...

So your kid comes home from school. He (or she) got into engineering school and was doing quite well in their first year, until the philosophy class. Now, your bright young child wants to become a philosopher. What do you do?

Fortunately, as a DINK, I get to avoid this conversation. AND I get to study philosophy in my part time.

Being a DINK could save the WORLD!

Or not, whatever the case may be:

From the NYTimes

Even more conversations you get to avoid as a dink

Apparently young children behave badly now and again. And apparently they behave badly in public places. Now, badly is a relative term. I was discussing how I was glad I didn't have to have awkward conversations with my child, and he informed me that it's EVEN WORSE to have that conversation with the child's kindergarten teacher. Especially if the conversation goes something like this:

Father: Son, you shouldn't scratch yourself there in public
Son: Why?
Father: ....well, just because. Actually because it makes other people feel uncomfortable...
Son: Why?

And on, ad infinitum.

Other things you get to miss as a DINK

One thing I'm sure I could not deal well with would be the loss of a child. One of my cats died a few months ago and I'm still greiving. Can you even contemplate the loss of a child? Not me. So we have things that draw us to being a DINK (more free time) and things frankly we're avoiding (loss of child).

Conversations you get to avoid as a DINK

The trophy wife and I had dinner with 2 couples last night. One couple has 1 son, the other has 3 sons. Here are a few conversations you, as a DINK, will never have to have:

1. The drug conversation
2. The pornography conversation (and all potential sub-conversations...)
3. The "stop fighting" conversation
4. The "watch your language" conversation

Admittedly, #3 and #4 are conversations that parents have so often that it becomes second nature, at least it did for my parents. On the other hand, conversations #1 and #2 are apparently so difficult that there are websites and pamphlets to assist parents with them. The most fun part of these conversations is listening to parents recount how effective they are (not very), and knowing that I'll never have to deliver one of these speeches.

There is apparently some evidence that having daughters changes your personality more than having sons. As a man, this isn't surprising because I think my mind would simply snap under the stress of imagining the worst case scenarios.