Merry Christmas to all…

…and to all a good night…

Workout Wednesday

The Oranjestad Edition

And the Winner is...

Last week I asked you if you preferred oatmeal or tank tops. As of early this morning the results of the poll indicate a tie - 19 votes for each. So today, you get a picture of Woodsy in a tank top with a bowl of oatmeal. For those who had issues with last week's oatmeal, this week it is plain oatmeal with milk and maple syrup.

Nursemyra, since you showed me yours, I am now showing you mine. That's my little snowman. He's always this happy when presented with a bowl of oatmeal.

Wishing you all a lovely whatever it is you celebrate at this time of year, and a happy 2009!

Beaded Black Lace Tank Top
A top that I like to think Édith Piaf would have worn

RNDP 20: Closer to a Unified Theory - Prestige

Dating scholars continue to expand our knowledge of the dynamics involved in two humans hooking up. This week, Jeffrey K. Snyder, Lee A. Kirkpatrick, and H. Clark Barrett learned that young women at two universities expressed preferences for men described as prestigious over men described as acting in a dominating way off a sports field.

Women prefer prestige over dominance in mates

Dominance preferred only among male-male competitions

Los Angeles, CA – December 17, 2008 – A new study in the journal Personal Relationships reveals that women prefer mates who are recognized by their peers for their skills, abilities, and achievements, while not preferring men who use coercive tactics to subordinate their rivals. Indeed, women found dominance strategies of the latter type to be attractive primarily when men used them in the context of male-male athletic competitions.

Jeffrey K. Snyder, Lee A. Kirkpatrick, and H. Clark Barrett conducted three studies with college women at two U.S. universities. Participants evaluated hypothetical potential mates described in written vignettes. The studies were designed to examine the respective effects of men's dominance and prestige on women's assessments of men.

Women are sensitive to the context in which men display domineering behaviors when they evaluate men as potential mates. For example, the traits and behaviors that women found attractive in athletic competitions were unattractive to women when men displayed the same traits and behaviors in interpersonal contexts. Notably, when considering prospective partners for long-term relationships, women's preferences for dominance decrease, and their preferences for prestige increase.

"These findings directly contradict the dating advice of some pop psychologists who advise men to be aggressive in their social interactions. Women most likely avoid dominant men as long-term romantic partners because a dominant man may also be domineering in the household." the authors conclude. [EurekAlert]

I expect Snyder, Kirkpatrick and Barrett have requested further funding to find out who the women actually go out with. Unless they plan to first investigate whether women express a preference for prestigious men over funny guys.

The Joyous Season

It's around this time of year that one begins to reflect on what's important about the season.

Especially since the economy's gone fer shit, and overblown excesses of recent Christmases past are unlikely to fill one's heart to overflowing with synthetic joy.

We coyotes, of course, have always eschewed the season's cheesier aspects. Not for us the fake trees, questionable mall muzak, greed or expensive electronic gimcrackery. It was never really likely, but now the tenor of the times makes it even more improbable that we'd need to agonize about how to cram 80-inch HDTV screens into our 75-inch wide burrows, on the principle that it would be insensitive to return such a caring gift on Boxing Day... I digress. Habitually.

So we coyotes wish to state that what we do wholeheartedly stand for are the important things that should fill one's life all year round. Doing interesting things that don't involve a lot of money. Tolerance, respect and acceptance for one's fellow creatures. And dwarfs. Connecting with family and friends. Phone calls, cards and letters to the important ones that aren't near. Because Facebook and Twitter so do not count. Or regularly sharing meals and hoisting hot or cold beverages and yakking late into the night with the ones that are. Laughing. Engaging. Living.

Now, excuse me. It's time to set the self timer on the ol' camera and snap my annual Christmas card portrait. And given the grim tenor of the times, it's important to get it exactly right...