Irritation in the Sunday paper

My Sunday paper gave me lots to lament over. First there was the Target ad: for only $249.99, the modern mom can have a "Pump in Style" breast pump complete with a black shoulder bag: "Portable convenience offers discreet pumping anywhere." There's even a special spot for a picture of the little person whose dinner you are pumping---it's the next best thing to being there...not.

How sad this is! Babies should be nursed at their mother's breast, not long distance. Feminists were in such a hurry to get moms out of their homes and into offices...for what? So that they can spend their lunch hour pumping milk for a caregiver (or an out-of-work daddy) to feed their babies?

What's with these mothers who won't give up their careers to be real moms? And in the case of those who must work to put food on the table, we can thank our never-satisfied state and federal governments, taxing us at an overall rate of about 40% (according to Scott Burns) and forcing some women away from their babies so they can work to help pay the bills.

In another section of my Sunday paper comes the news that office romances have become the norm now that people are devoting their lives to their jobs. The reporter quotes Dennis Powers, author of The Office Romance, as estimating that about a third of romances begin at the office. I'm old enough to remember when romance was something you pursued outside of work, while you were living your life. Don't they allow that anymore?

Enough griping. Now you know why my hubby keeps threatening to cancel our newspaper.