It's really kinda funny; I have one good friend who just experienced childbirth for the first time, and another, who I haven't been in touch with since my early college days back in second-term Reagan, whose daughter is now 20. And then there's me. Today my youngest daughter turns 10. My youngest. Has it been that long? Well, it's been a year-and-a-half since I returned from Korea, and that still seems like only yesterday. Another four months, and Martha and I will have been married four years. And although I've probably mentioned it before, (inevitably, I probably do repeat myself more than I think,) any parent who tells you that "Sunrise, Sunset" from the Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack doesn't affect them is either lying, or a clinical sociopath. (Although people might indeed accuse you of being a clinical sociopath, particularly in the earliest stages of parenting. It's not true, it just seems that way. Such is the nature of the massive life change.) In any event, it just seems amazing, particularly when I think about how Sydne has evolved as a person. She was a quiet little thing when she was born, now she's non-stop. My little chef, my little daredevil. (She's gone to circus camp in the summer for two years now, and was this year strapped into this big hamster wheel contraption, and rolled across the floor. It was quite a sight.) She's the one who scares me more, sometimes, what with the rock climbing and everything else. (Another of her talents.) Another six years and she'll probably be wanting a motorcycle; rest assured, I will veto that one. I'll keep my toolbox, and help her do something sane, like rebuild a '67 GTO from the wheels up. Hey, comparatively speaking, that's sane. Your average 60s musclecar goes 0-60 in under 7 seconds, while typically something like a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO or something similar will do the same in under 5 seconds. Defense rests. Maybe a first-gen BMW M3, with "only" 195 horsepower. Of course, in any of those events, she'd have to learn how to drive a stick shift first. Still, I'm getting ahead of myself. Not too far ahead, but I suppose I should get there first. And be ready for whatever happens, which is as much of a chore for me as it is for them. But I still would never have it any different.