Just guessing: Haruki Murakami is A Short Man.

Quote from recent read, After Dark, by said author:

"Mari is a tiny girl, and the woman [Kaoru] is built like a barn, maybe two or three inches shy of six feet." Also referred to Kaoru as a "Big hunk of a woman."

Who knew a 5'9" woman was so massive? God help me.

Now, to test my hypothesis, I looked online for height and weight stats on this author whose book, Kafka on the Shore, I loved. But there were none. I looked for photos, for height comparisons, and this man does not appear in any group photos and only two with other people.

So I cannot be sure.

I still like his writing.

Why is it still always about being married with kids?

Re: the supreme court justice nominee, Elena Kagan: what her mother said when she became the first female dean of Harvard Law.

Also disturbing are the questions of her sexual orientation. Whether she is gay or not, married or not, with or without child, it should not matter. What matters is can she do her job well?

Sometimes this world is dumb. I sure have been on the receiving end of ALL those questions in my life. So inappropriate. As if it matters. I guess it matters to the person who is asking the question.

Readings on the history of childbirth

In the NYT today, I read an interview with the author of the book, "Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank,". The author is Randi Hutter Epstein, an MD with four children of her own. I hope to find the time and inclination to read this book soon. If anyone has read this, I'd appreciate your review.

One of my top books of all time is "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant, which is a take on on Dinah in the bible, but really about the role of women and a lot about sisterhood and childbirth. The Red Tent was where women went during childbirth and menstruation. But there was a lot more to it than that.

Lately I've been reminded of the importance of the sisterhood of women. The role of the caregiver, sister, mother is not reserved for family and close friends. Women all around reach out to their sisters, blood or not, when they see see one of their own in need.

As we approach Valentine's Day, I hope you remember and thank your sisters around the world.