I've thought long and hard about a potential post on this subject, but I don't need to take that much time, because it's already been summarized perfectly:

On Wednesday morning, a teenage boy from Alaska stood in a receiving line on an airport tarmac, being glad-handed by the potential next president of the United States — because he got his girlfriend pregnant.

-- Ted Anthony (Associated Press)

I haven't posted here for some months, so just a quick placeholder:

* Yup, it is my birthday -- the first one I've actually spent in Rochester, in fact. Thanks to everyone for all the e-cards! Oh, and to the Drosophila Genomics Research Center for shipping my new plasmids. Couldn't have arrived at a better time!

* Yes, I've kept up the exercise program, although I haven't been doing it at the gym, because the apartment complex has a pool and during the summer I go there and swim and splash and generally jump around like a kindergartner. It just closed for the summer, but my bike should be out of the shop soon, and of course rainy days mean back to the gym.

More later. Rick and I are off to my favorite Italian(ish) restaurant for dinner.