Interesting fact #1. the surprise:

Obviously no one expected the writers to address this, and it's actually what prompted me to ask earlier whether it was because birth control often seems to be a non-issue for happily married soap couples. Either way, I'm ecstatic their fights and disagreements always revolve around who Danny and Michelle are (I maintain this was the case in San Cristobel, when they were arguing over Josh and Reva and the ring), and not something completely external to the relationship. They have an amazing connection, an almost instinctual understanding of each other no one else possesses, but that doesn't mean there isn't any room left for them to clash incessantly. Takes more than just being in love to make a marriage work. (Which you wouldn't know from the lack of decent stories for married soap couples.)

#2. how fast we reacted to the news:

When was the last time we were buzzing with excitement over a spoiler? Okay, I'm not going to answer that and jinx this one.

#3. (as kelsey pointed out) the (mostly) non-reaction to the Carmen spoiler (preceding the Birth Control):

Signs of boredom? weariness? over yet another scheme by Carmen to get rid of Michelle? Or is this just a case of one mega Manny spoiler eclipsing everything else?

#4. It's actually what I found most interesting -- the fact that many of us seemed to think birth control would be a problem for Danny because he's Catholic and/or Hispanic. I'm not saying that these factors wouldn't play a part, but when I think of Danny, these aren't the first things that come to mind, and I think his pro-family stand has less to do with his Catholic and Hispanic background and more with Danny's unique situation, the early loss of childhood innocence, the need to create with the person he loves a family of their own ("I love coming home"), because his family can't provide that love, can't fulfill the emptiness in his life (actually gave birth to it).

For all the preaching the family head does about "family values," it's a dysfunctional family. To approach this just or mainly from the religious and ethnic aspect about the character might be too ... stereotypical, and would actually bother me, because frankly neither hasn't been that fleshed out, it's not something I associate immediately with the character. It would be too "sudden" for me. I would understand Danny better (should he oppose, and he most likely will -- I may not agree with him, but I would understand him) if the writers treated it as a *personal* issue based on what we *know* about him, what we've been exposed to. Not saying they wouldn't, but I thought it was interesting that many traced Danny's (possible) opposition to some generic aspects about the character.

kristi k.