There's a lot going on right now. I feel like I'm floating most of the time. Like I've wrapped myself in cotton wool and I'm ok, as long as I stay all cocooned and soft. There's so much I'd like to write about, what's happening at work, little political dramas in my life, major crises in the world, and all the diary-worthy detritus rising up around me.

I'm causing a ruckus at work - being a bit too political, and not backing down when challenged. I chose a quote for a work email -

- Well behaved women rarely make history - *

- it shouldn't even have raised an eyebrow. For people in my circle, that quote's been around so long it's almost worn itself out. It's a tee shirt, a postcard, an email signature from a myspace buddy. But I knew it would become more than that.

Strange comments I got. Complaints that the quote was 'biased'. Requests for a guarantee that the next quote would be about men - for gender parity. Strangest was from an older woman, who was 'very sad' thinking about all the well-behaved women who were ignored by the quote.

I agree it's sad that so many women don't achieve what they could because they're afraid of misbehaving, rocking the boat, making a spectacle...

But that wasn't what she meant - she said you could make history without being badly behaved. I challenged her to name one women who was well behaved and made history. She named

Ang San Su Kyi
Madam Curie
Margaret Thatcher
Joan of Arc

... not my definition of well-behaved.

Later she tried

Princes Grace
Audrey Hepburn

I wonder if she was just naming any famous woman she could think of.

I want my women to do more than be famous. So what if they cause a ruckus.

* Laurel Thatcher Ulrich