What will you be?

Dear girls,

Your father and I wonder -- sometimes declare -- what you will be when you grow up. Fortunately, the title of First Woman President will probably still be available so that is an obvious choice for either of you. However, we would happily settle for Congresswoman Lady Bug and House Representative Baby Girl sitting at the dinner table for all the best holidays. Ultimately, it's your choice. We just hope that you will be of the blue donkey variety, but that is another post, another time.

Since we, your parents, work in the media world, we have to tell you that it isn't a good career choice. It's a lot of hard work, for little pay and it forces you to keep separate the very things that make up your essence, assuming you have an essence. Some in the news business do not. Still, it's your life and if you choose to work for pennies while instigating the culture of fear that has left mothers across the country too afraid to leave their homes, then so be it.

Recently, I had the interesting opportunity to go to the mall -- in search of the best pajamas around -- and lo and behold a team of photographers and such were there searching high and low for America's Next Top Model. Sadly, I must tell you, I was not selected.

I digress. While I stuck around and watched scores of young ladies pose this way and that for cameras, I got to thinking about some things. First, however in the world did we get to the point when so many young women will stand in line for hours to have their body scrutinized but wouldn't be caught dead in line voting? Perhaps if our voting days took place on Saturdays at the mall, we would have a better turnout each year.

Even still, I had to wonder if when you reach their age, how I would handle your desire to become a model. Luckily, this remains to be seen and I don't have to know the answer now.

What I do know is that I will do everything in my power between now and then to help you explore your inner beauty as well as that of others. I will show you that some choices in life really aren't choices at all. That when it's Election Day, you just shouldn't be at the mall posing for Glamour shots or even thinking twice about being eligible for Top Model.

I'd like to think that when the time comes, the choices of what you can really, truly be when you grow up will be along the lines of commander in chief, chief executive officer and such.

But, it's your life. It's your future. Don't listen to us if you don't want.