I went to dinner and a movie tonight with a few friends and, driving home, I was thinking about the many wonderful women in my life. I love my girlfriends. Some I've known for a long time (like, since the first day of college!), and some are newer friends. Some live far away (in Italy, for example), and some I get to see almost every day. But one thing that I've noticed that my dear friends have in common is they are women who are thoughtful and intelligent...and fun. They can speak with authority about business or philosophy or the peace process in the Middle East; but once in awhile, they switch over to the universal language of women: shoes.

It drives me crazy when women think that they need to shun all notions of beauty and fashion to be taken seriously. That's no fun. It also drives me crazy when women spend all their time focused on clothes, shoes, and their outward appearance. That's just dumb! The women I admire--my friends--manage to care for their families, and do amazing stuff like writing books and being engineers and making paintings, whilst also rocking the Pradas from time to time. Here's to you, ladies!

Dinner with girlfriends.

A silly movie, short on

plot, long on fashion.

An entire box of Red Hots!

I drive home smiling.