Response to comment and why no roundup

Why no roundup, first: because there wasn't much in the Times (there was one thing: the Assad regime's alleged use of chemical weapons notwithstanding, supporting the various insurgent contingents is not a simple decision). And I wanted to go on a bike ride before reading anything else. I'll get you all that shortly.

In case you were wondering, it was the perfect morning for a bike ride, in terms of weather and lighting. Less so in terms of other timing: yesterday was National Rebuilding Day, so I'd spent the morning doing someone else's yardwork before coming home to do my own. So my back was strained, and I felt it almost immediately on the bike. But it was worth it. I'll suffer for beauty (just not my own).

Now, then, Ernessa's comment(s):

(1) My apologies, I figured you were too busy mothering these days, what with the tripling of your brood, to read the blog. My apologies to the rest of you, too (the handful of you, I should say) who do read the blog. I meant 'nobody' in the context of there being so few of you that I can address controversial topics (for example, disruptive kids in restaurants who happen to be autistic) without attracting a torrent of trolls or other indignant commenters. (Note: I welcome reasonable, reasoned discussion on such issues).

(2) I guess I can see why the vegetarian issue slipped the guy's mind, but you said it yourself: why wouldn't you entertain the possibility, anyway, that the person you're asking out doesn't eat meat (or doesn't want to eat meat)? I don't live in California; I live in the DC metro area, and work in the District (there are at least three places that serve vegan pizza within a ten-minute walk of my office).

Dating is hard enough without food issues. I wrote a whole short play about this issue (or at least alluding to this).

Also, thank you for the "other than salads" caveat: I'm sooooooo sick (and I have been, since I became a vegetarian at age 13) of people talking about how "there should be salads." This is in the context of, "let's go to ___" or even "you should try ___" and I say, "there aren't good vegetarian options there" and they say, "I'm sure there are salads." Look, people: salads are nice, but (1) they are not meals and (2) if I wanted a salad, I'd make one myself. Salads can be substantive, if you throw in fats and proteins, and those fats and proteins may be nuts and tofu or beans, but more likely, they're chicken or tuna or shrimp. As we've established, I eat a lot. I'm not going to have a salad for a meal unless there are calories in there.