I have a friend whose husband is a devoted kilt-wearer. This is endlessly fascinating to me. He likes kilts so much, and he likes running so much, he even invented a running kilt: http://www.runningkilts.com. (I’m disappointed to report that the running kilt isn’t commonly worn commando-style. Oh, and, why a kilt for running, you ask? To reduce chafing on long distance runs, of course.)

Yes, nowadays, there’s a kilt for every occasion. Check out the utilikilt: http://www.utilikilts.com, for some interesting photos. And don’t miss their mock-u-mercials to see videos of kilt-wearers in action.

Apparently, there are even kilt-wearers’ conventions. Aforementioned friend and her husband went to one and reported to me many interesting stories about the experience. Imagine a whole convention full of guys in kilts. Now imagine if that convention took place at the same time and in the same hotel as the Romance Writers of America conference.

Why do some men love kilts? Any devoted skirt wearer should know the answer to that question. They’re more comfortable, for one thing. Less confining. Not to mention ease of access… There must also be the appeal of feeling so at ease with one’s masculinity that putting on a skirt—er, I mean, kilt–isn’t at all threatening. Rather the opposite, it’s freeing.

One side note—it wasn’t easy finding an appropriate photo to accompany this blog post. Perhaps I should have dug up some historical romance cover art. But Google images? Try searching “men in kilts” and you’ll get a bunch of pictures that are:

A. ridiculous
B. even more ridiculous
C. weird
D. silly
E. all off the above

In a few weeks, I’m going to Scotland, home of the kilt. I will report back my findings. I will also take pictures.

How do you feel about men in kilts? Do you think your guy would wear one in public? How about other items of clothing that many deem feminine? The man purse, for instance? I personally am launching a campaign to get more men in high heels, makeup, and complicated hairdos, because I think we should all share the pain equally.

I cancelled my Facebook account yesterday with no small amount of glee. I never could figure out why people sent me invitations to online Easter egg hunts or asked me to fill out surveys about the ten things I last ate for breakfast.

I lost interest in Myspace years ago, soon as I settled on a wallpaper for my homepage. I’ve tried to do away with that account too, but for reasons I cannot fathom, the mysterious powers in control of the company requested that I send them a photo of myself holding up a sign with my name on it in order to cancel my account. Seriously. I’m not kidding.

I’m a spotty blogger at best, and I’ve dabbled in Twitter, but without any lasting enthusiasm. Friends will tell you I’m not even good at keeping up with email (you might get a reply from me right away, or you might never hear from me until one day a few years from now when I finally clean out my email inbox and realize I’ve failed to answer your message).

It’s not that I don’t see the value of social networking. I do. Sort of. (Okay, not really.)

I like to hear from my friends, but to be honest, I’m a bit of a hermit. ‘Socially gregarious’ is not a phrase that’s ever been used to describe me, and all the possibilities for networking with people online make me want to take a nap.

In spite of the hermit tendencies, I have a bit of a Jeckyll and Hyde relationship with my blog/Twitter account/whatever. I’ll be wildly enthusiastic about posting for a while, and then I’ll start to hate the responsibility and vanish. It usually happens when I’m overwhelmed with a deadline. When the impossible workload has been conquered, I’ll sheepishly come out of my cave and post again.

How about you? Do you have a favorite social networking medium? Do you Facebook or Twitter? What do you love or hate about them? Can you explain to me what the surveys and Easter egg hunts are all about? Here’s your chance to convince me of what I’m missing out on.

You can follow me/friend me/whatever on the following links, but don’t be surprised when I disappear. And if I never hear from you at all–don’t feel bad. I understand completely.

My blog: http://www.jamiesobrato.com
My Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/jamiesobrato