NewLeaf, I can't see you, so it's harder to place your comments in context. But here I am, on the left (or on bike): http://www3.telus.net/public/hjbecker/JeansVisions/image020.htm

I don't agree with you at all that men overall are less emotional / forgive forget sorta stuff. Many just show it until they are provoked. But they will joke-insult others more and MIGHT be easier for them to take every insult personally.

You must join myself and my sisters --they keep me humble. We criticize/semi-insult and love each other. The one on the right ...is the baby in the family. She is your ignorant degreed woman....a doctor...but she does has street smarts because she was raised by:

a father who rarely hugged us (because in amongst older traditional generation Chinese, they don't hug/kiss much openly), but instead showed his dedication to support his family. A soft-spoken, but tough love guy.

a mother who swore/cursed like a fishwoman....all in Chinese. My mother is controlling, often bad-tempered and aggressive. But at least her love, like my father's is faithful and consistent to us and to him and vice versa. I knew the true nature of my mother when I saw her with her sisters. Watch the jousting and love there with her amongst sisters. You have to look through it all ...to find the good stuff there.

And now you know, why I asked if you had a sister....our friendships begin in life, sometimes, with our siblings. They can set some patterns, personality traits (due to maybe birth order), etc.

May your daughters trust and have long-time female friends. If they don't, they are missing 1/2 of the human race.

AFter all that with your latest ex, need to chill out for awhile, enjoy your family.