My family...hmmm...my daughter,when her grade 10 class was told they were not permitted to carry purses in school proceeded to organize all her friends who spent the day carrying boxes of feminine products under their arms. She was the organizer. When the school informed them they had changed their minds, for I think the males were taken aback by the sight of such unmentionable items on public display. When at an assembly they were told they could once again able to carry purses and backpacks, she stood up and demanded in front of the embarassed administration a letter of apology for the degradation and humiliation, but until the letter was give to all the young women they would continue to carry publicly their products. Those at the assembly told me of the speech and she raised her voice, and pulled no punches. She is a bit more mellow at 18, but if anyone dare insult her, the word pit bull would come to mind.

As for my personal attidue, I was called a frog at work, and every time the channel surfing hit a french tv station the Fn Frog comment came out of some moron's mouth. My usual comment was, who cares what a bigot thinks.

Many theories abound about the origin of the word and it's association with the French people. I know my wife and daughter become emotional about those who the word in their face. My daughter Renée-Marie is a lovely girl, and will make her father happy when she's the last nester to leave. I can then pass the gas that I have to save up, and won't need to worry about a hole in my sock or having to wait until noon on weekends to try and master the piccalo part for Stars and Stripes forever on the tuba....

John Conley
Musica est vita