Suburbs of Our Discontent

I (and my whole Department) moved into brand-spanking new offices this week. I'm now thinking that most workplace crankiness can be solved by giving everyone a clean carpet.

Then again, I'm a middle child. I'm still psyched that I get free coffee and sticky pads.

My son, who is five years younger than my daughter, got stuck with a bedroom the size of a walk-in closet. But he just sucks it up. I only found out he was less than thrilled with the arrangement when he wrote on his list to Santa this year in tiny little letters: "bigger room."

I'm telling you, it's the younger kids and their low expectations that keep this world from imploding in a massive ego clash. (not that we think we're better than anyone. really.)

Think about it: if Cordelia hadn't have sucked up her abjection, things would have gotten even uglier in a hurry with the division of the kingdom. There wouldn't have been any eyeballs in any sockets by the end of Act One. And can you imagine if Ophelia had been an eldest child ? She never would have let Hamlet get away with all that crap he was doing to her. Forget making it to the graveyard scene: he would have gone down before "To be or not to be."