Money, money, money??

Thinking about money today (always a problem these days), and a Jane Austen quote arrived on my homepage.

'A large income is the best recipe for happiness I can think of.'

Well, you may be thinking, as I did, well money can't buy you love and all that, and how shallow etc, etc. But then I started thinking about money and men and my situation. You see, my oh is a bit older than me, and quite honestly probably won't work again. And boy does he not like it. At all. But since he's been a gentleman of leisure, my career has really taken off.

Well, this probably wouldn't have occurred to me, if he hadn't said a really beastly thing to me the other day. Brace yourself. 'I would have left you ages ago if I had a job!' Ouch. But it makes you think doesn't it - here I am thinking that he should appreciate me for all the hard work, and looking after and so forth - but he appears to be hating me for it. What is it, Darwinism? Are men designed to work and nothing else - maybe so, when the loss of work makes such an impact on them.

And actually, when you think about it, men are damned good at surviving in the jungle aren't they? Just look at how well all the bankers, MPs and CEOs are doing even in a recession - mainly by trampling any moral qualms they might have into the ground in the pursuit of money. Women really aren't good at that are they - but then maybe the boys don't let them join the club!

Then I started thinking about sex (no!) - well why haven't I thought of this before?? Surely this whole testostorone-fuelled pursuit of money must be linked to sex. So, maybe if they're not doing that, they feel less as men or something. Aha!! Now, could my oh's lack of interest stem from this as much as anything?

It makes sense from a survival of the fittest point of view too - I mean females only mate with the guys who can look after them - and in that case are we emasculating men by insisting on being equal? Have I emasculated my other half by being so damned successful, while he sits at home? Food for thought, isn't it? And if that's true - what the hell can I do about it?

But I have to admit to a shameful attraction to powerful men - well it's hard isn't it? You know, if they say, well I run my own company, don't we all just get a little frisson?? Or, hey I work with the United Nations or whatever - or even better, I'm an officer in the forces (don't get me started!) If we're honest I think maybe it's nature - and maybe the casualties of the modern lifestyle are those of us who mess with traditional gender roles. What the answer is for me, I just don't know though. Other than I guess what I'm doing.

Otherwise a fairly good day at work, but travelling in this vile weather is getting to me a bit; and my sailor was busy at work, so no in-flight entertainment today, dammit. Never mind, tomorrow's usually his big day (!) xxxx