There is a joke that a friend told me not too long ago, which I have shared with many other friends, because somehow, it's just too true. Before you read any further, please be aware that this story contains a four letter word. You really can't tell the joke without it. Besides, it's just a word, a combination of letters that make a sound that we are programmed to find distasteful. But, gentle reader, let me assure you I will not insult you with numerous repetitions of that word, nor will I use it in vain. I promise.

So, there are four women sitting together grazing on carrot sticks at a lunch table at the weekend-long spa retreat. One of the perky ones pipes up and says, "Well, why don't we all introduce ourselves by telling the group who we are and what we do". The group of women all puff up and remember the Dale Carnegie public speaking seminar that they took at some time in their lives.

The first woman says:"Well, hello, I am Linda and I am the C.F.O. of the .P.G.A."

And then the second woman says: "Hello, I am Deanna and I am an E.N.T. at U.C.L.A."

And then the third woman says:"Hello, I am Gail and I am a Senior V.P. at AT&T."

The fourth woman sits quietly, taking all this in. When her turn comes, the three other women at the table look at her expectantly. So she says, "well, hi, I'm Judy, and I'm a W.I.F.E."

The other three women look at her quizzically. One of them ventures: "W.I.F.E.?"

"Yeah, you know", says Judy, W.I.F.E.: "Washing, Ironing, F***ing, Etc."

So let's explore those things, shall we? And let's start with the Washing.