My daughter's heading into full emo. If you really want to knowwhat that is ask someone under 19, but essentially it's dying hairunnatural colors, guys with eyeliner who look perpetually sad, andshopping at Hot Topic. The term emo is derived from their beingincredibly emotional. At the same time, when I'm about to lose mychiz with Alex, her only response is a dead-pan, “OK.”

Of course this is hitting at the same time I'm heading into themiddle-aged version of emo—dying hair to cover up the white ones,more eyeliner so you don't look like a zombie, and shopping atTalbots, so, you know, double the fun.

Alex is 11, and if ever a baby was meant to become emo, it wasthat diva. I remember the year she was born very clearly, because,well, she ripped into our lives with a blood-curdling scream andnever stopped. But also because while I was on maternity leave,Mike Welch called me to tell me he had sold CU Times.I had been with the publication five years by then, I'd just had mysecond kid, and now I figured I'd be looking for another job.