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We are the pioneers of the world; the advance-guard, sent on through the wilderness of untried things, to break a new path in the New World that is ours. In our youth is our strength; in our inexperience our wisdom.

-- Herman Melville, White-Jacket

'How delightful. What a beautiful glittering white she is--'
'No, no, that is the male. The female is the smaller one, the lavender.'
'What a pity. I prefer the white satin. But then I am female . . . .'

-- A.S. Byatt, Morpho Eugenia

Generally speaking, prescriptive grammarians such as those from whom I learnt the proper usage of my native tongue--"proper," as though an idiolect could be decreed by fiat--would tell you that if you're unaware of the gender of the person about whom you are speaking, you ought to use the "universal masculine pronoun"; that is to say, "he." Or "him" or "his," I suppose, if you need an objective or possessive case pronoun. However, modern American usage calls, for the most part, for the speaker to use the plural pronoun "they" (yes, or "them" or "their"), as it's gender-neutral. Now, I really have no problem with this; I use it myself. But what does bother me is the whole gender-neutral thing because, to my mind, it rather implies that there is--effectively--no differentiation between sexes.

Perhaps it will get me branded a sexist, but I see nothing wrong with having seperate gender terms for jobs which men and women both perform. The supposed problem which feminists and those operating under the moniker of political correctness have historically preached is actually corrupted, I believe, by a dogged insistence that "waiter" and "waitress" become together "waitperson"--it becomes a sort of guilt-satisfying action which attacks symptoms but not causes. The problem is not that English is a language with mulitple terms for things. The problem is that--more often than not--a female educator is a "teacher," while a male educator is a "professor." I do not dispute that there ought to be more equality in terms of opportunity and encouragement.

I know that I am spouting old arguments. But there is--who would have guessed?--an actual dichotomy between men and women. Men and women are different and approach things differently. It does both sexes a disservice, I believe, to consider matters otherwise. We are not automata. We are people.

I couldn't start it this morning, so I walked to work. I'd actually intended to take the bus if this happened, but--well, I just felt like walking, I guess. My boots are still not quite worn in yet. I need the exercise. Whatever. Plus, I saved $3 for bus fare there and back. I gave myself half an hour to get there, and I made it exactly on time. If I do that again, I really should take my camera. There are so many interesting buildings--or angles of looking at buildings--that I'd like to keep, to record for posterity. I guess I daydream about being rich twenty years from now and being able to buy up the most interesting broken down old places in New Orleans and restoring them. Of course, the route I walked today was down Claiborne, so even restored the places likely wouldn't be worth much, what with the overpass running the length of the street. But still, the one with the inscription proclaiming it the South (or was it West?) Treme Market was just cool.

I really should go wash clothes. I still have all the dirty stuff laying around that was packed in my duffel bag.

Hmm. I guess life really is going on, but none of it seems real.