Re: your mail

Carl Gustafson (Carl.Gustafson@cbis.ece.drexel.edu)
Wed, 6 Oct 93 13:20:22 EDT

>>>This is true of our local group. There actually are some female members,
>>>but they never show up to meetings. Cacti seem to attract equal numbers
>>>of each gender, but many of the men I know seem to say things like "cacti
>>>growing is a manly hobby" (gag!). They are usually quick to contrast
>>>themselves with the Orchid and Begonia Societies which seem to attract a
>>>larger number of gay men. I am not implying anything personally for
>>>anyone on either side of the orientation fence, so hold the flames. :)
>>>But at the last sale by the Volunteer Park Conservatory, which is in a
>>>predominantly gay part of town, the orchid table was empty within about 3
>>>minutes. :) African Violets were similar, but with a larger contingent
>>>of elderly women. Sweeping generalizations, mind you.
>
> A girl I knew in high school once told me that she felt the
> reason men became involved with plants is that it was the
> closest they could come to carrying a child. Of course other
> advantages also suggest themselves: if your plant dies you
> don't go to jail. Disads are: kids don't get aphids :-).

Other advantages:

you repot much less often than you change diapers...
they don't blow chunks down your sleeves...
they don't cost as much to educate...

Other disadvantages:

when you come home, they don't squeal "daddy" and charge over
(usually with sticky hands)...
you can't teach plants to walk...

Speaking from experience,
Carl Gustafson

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Imaging and Computer Vision Center | Software Guy
Drexel University | Your message here
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | I only speak for myself
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