The Super Cow Man and other stories.

Did anyone happen to read this bit of news?

It's scary to think what goes on in these labs that deal with genetics. Today is a man-cow hybrid that lasted three days; tomorrow it's going to last longer and some man with lots of money and no brain is going to want to develop that into something much larger, something much scarier.

Of course, Christianity -- and I speak of it as an organisation here, and not a faith or virtue -- will put its foot down on something like this hard and be the first to criticise but this time around I am with them. Not because of issues such as creating life and then destroying it or even human dignity. I am just against this whole messing with genetics to such an extent because of the scary propositions it spells. That too in completely unclear terms.

For example, all the papers that carried this item said the cow eggs used had "all the genetic material stripped from them". For you and me, what does that specifically mean? Am I to assume, naively, that if this embryo lasts, it won't grow horns and go moo?

Furthermore, I don't trust newspapers to report any of this accurately or with deep understanding of the situation. I believe they've been given a press briefing and it appeared verbatim in the papers' science pages. Which is worrisome. Because if there's an underlying significance to this whole issue, then we are missing it. And on the other hand, if this is just a flash in the pan, then people like me are getting het up over absolutely nothing. In the link above, the colleague of the scientist who is responsible for the experiment clearly says any possibility for stem cell creating to help disease is, at this point, purely academic. I think her statement is singularly significant and I think she realises this isn't all that great. Or maybe she's just jealous :)

On a completely X-Files note: This experiment was something that is being reported because it can. Does it give you a feeling that some where in deep, dark laboratories blackmailed and ambitious scientists are doing things that we can only dream about?

*****

I just read this morning that an Indian actor died in Sydney. He's a theatre actor and was touring with the hugely successful Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Tim Supple. I happened to catch the performance last year or the year before, I don't remember. And I loved it. So while it was full of artistes from all over India, some who spoke their mother tongues (completely in speaking with the script, by the way)I can't help wondering if it's going to be that gorgeous Mallu boy with a body that was muscular and lithe and hair that was curly and who kept saying 'Hippolyta' in a wonderful Malayalam accent. I think he played Theseus.

But that's besides the point. It must be sad to die in a strange country so far away from home.

*****

In other news, home continues to be my refuge against exhausting cough and cold. But then I better get used to being at home more often than I like. I hear after a baby, nothing remains the same.

Here's a list of things that I wish wouldn't change after the baby.
1) My habit of eating healthy these days
2) My cheerfulness
3) M's complete spoiling of me
4) My sex appeal
5) My preference of colours -- I want to love hot pink for the rest of my life
6) My resolution that I shall never talk about my baby's first step or first toothless grin as if it's the epitome of all that's naughty.
7) My belief and ability to lose weight quickly :)

Speaking of naughty, I don't know what's UP with all my friends who have babies these days. The minute she takes her first steps or decides to make a little noise or even sing her favourite nursery rhyme 20 times in a row, I hear parents say, "Oh, my baby's getting naughtier by the day!" And then I meet these babies and they are all really nice and normal and OCD-ish (which I believe all little kids are) and doing their own thing. And I want to ask either of the parents, 'dude, do you even KNOW what naughty means'. But then I stop myself in time because I notice something -- a weird gleam in their eyes when they say naughty. Hell, these parents are actually saying that with great pride!! That when baby wiggles little toe, it's her sign to tell you she's being naughty! For $#$%#$'s sake, new parents, unless the child is setting your house on fire or bringing home incisors that are not her own as souvenirs please don't tell people she is naughty. Or, at least, don't tell ME.

*****

I've been told to talk to my baby to be. Hmmm... what does one say to someone one's never met? So I ask it super inane questions like are you hungry, and are you a girl, are you a boy, are you going to give me insouciance and back chat when you get to 11, are you going to be gay... etc etc.. And I still call it 'Oye' or 'Eh' or something.

Everyone has SO much more confidence than me when they say I am going to make a super mom. Is that something non-mommies just tell mommies to be? I think it is.

*****

List time.

Three dirty little secrets.

1) I LOVE crochet. No, it's not since the pregnancy, I started much before that. And no, I wouldn't ever wear a crochet garment even if it meant someone tied me to a chair and fed me raw ostrich eggs while they tickled the soles of my feet.

2) I am petrified that if I have boy I'll name it something that I think is nice then, and then every two years I'll keep calling it something new.

3) Last trimester has brought on a crash in libido. The good part? M still drives me crazy :)