I don't understand all the controversy about divorce parties. They've been popular here in the U.S. for quite some time now and their popularity appears to be making its way across the Atlantic to our friends in Britain. Some love them, some hate them, but nobody can avoid them.

I just don't get what the big deal is. You were involved in a situation and it sucked. You leave the situation and it doesn't suck anymore. Of course you're going to have a party! I don't know if I go in for the whole ritualistic female empowerment thing, but whatever. It's not my party.

The Web site I was reading seemed to have a pretty neutral stance on the whole divorce party thing, but what really interested me was their request for reader feedback — they asked "Is it really a good idea to celebrate the end of your marriage drinking champagne and going out on the pull with the girls, or is it one cynical step too far?"

Cynical? I don't think I'd call it cynical. Saying "All men are incapable of monogamy" is cynical. Realizing your marriage is over and you may as well have a party is just reasonable in my book. It seemed the dissenters' biggest issue was with emotion — one advised, "Don't deny you're hurting."

I really don't think that having a party denies anything. People have parties when they're hurting all the time. Have you ever been to an Irish wake? The bottom line is, if you want to have a party, have a party. And if you're hurting, you can cry if you want to.