Most men and many women bear the brunt of silence, while most women and many men bear the brunt of noise. Noise, noise, noise. People commenting on your looks, dissecting your hastily written profile and sharing their judgements, baring their souls (and often their genitals) before you can even say hello. How do you begin to sort through that mess? I never could.

If I don't have a book out by the time I'm 50, I will be extremely disappointed with myself. I'd like to still be happily married, because in my eyes there's no replacement for building a thirty-year relationship.