"I think being a woman is like being Irish." — Iris Murdoch

Today, Emma wanted to go to the ICA, which you might guess is a VERY CLEVERLY NAMED cover organization for the CIA, but it's not... it's the Institute of Contemporary Art, here in Boston.  It's down there on the South Boston waterfront, and they have this very cool Water Cafe, which is (coincidentally) right on the water!  The food service is a tiny little window, but it's a Wolfgang Puck place, and although the selection is limited, the food is pretty good.  Unfortunately, the coffee is awful, but then again, I'm picky.  If it shoots right through me and gives me diarrhea, I just can't be nice and pretend it's passable.  Luckily, it also tasted like crap, so I only drank about a tenth of the cup.  Thank god for small mercies.

I'm sure I'll go back just for the place itself, if not to buy coffee for my enemies.  Emma loves the ICA... she first went there on a school trip.

They did this thing where you could sign up to have your picture taken.  While the group ahead of you was having this done, you could pick through a pile of props on a table, and find what appealed to you.  I was there with Emma, one of her good friends Darcy (a girl), and Darcy's father, who is a very hunky attractive guy that I am always a little embarrassed to be with.  Not because there is any sexual tension or whatever...  It's just that people look at me funny.

What I mean is, I'm good looking.  I get my share of looks.   It's not like everybody turns to look at me, but hey, I do alright.  But Darcy's father -- he is like movie-star gorgeous.  Everybody looks at him.  At the same time, he is very natural and cool, no vanity or big head, very easy to be with.  Once before when his wife couldn't come, the two of us were with Emma and Darcy, walking down Newberry Street (which is all stores and people seeing and being seen), and I could see people wondering, "What the hell is he doing with her?" because he's so out of my class.  Plus I wasn't ready for that scene, I was dressed a little too casually...

Today, it was different.  We were dressed about the same level of nice casual (what the anglophile Liz calls smart casual), and people assumed the four of us were a family.

So anyway... three times it happened that my eye fell upon a young, good-looking guy, and I could see him glance from me to Darcy's dad and back to me with a look that was both frightened and bewildered.  It was a little disturbing, I admit.  It looked like they were thinking, "WTF?  She's with him -- why is she looking at me?" They were intimidated by his good looks.

And hey -- I was only looking.  I didn't mean for them to see me looking, especially.  I guess there is a dating tip in there somewhere for you single women out there...  like don't hang out with a hot guy if you're trying to meet men.  Hmm... did that come out right?

I know this might sound crazy.. sound like it's all in my head, but it isn't.  Just imagine what it would be like to hang out with Brad Pitt.  It would take more balls than most women have.