Dear Dee and Tom: We learned that our grandson vacations at a nudist colony. He's a mature 22, but we still worry about his morals and such. What do you think? - Waltham, Mass.

Dear Reader: The first thing that occurs to us is that we think he travels light. It probably doesn't take him long to pack. Secondly, we think we'd be more concerned about melanoma than morals.

Of all the "alternative lifestyles," nudity seems the least worrisome to us. Prancing around in your birthday suit while suffering the stings of insects and outraged members of society may not be your cup of tea, but a surprisingly large segment of Americans - 17 percent in a 2003 poll, according to USA TODAY - aspire to vacation at a locale where clothing is optional. (We're told it's now a nudist "resort," never "colony."

While it would be conjecture for us to speculate on your grandson's motivations for taking it all off, we gather that sharing the experience in the company of like-minded individuals engenders feelings of equality and freedom.

An acquaintance informs us that "real" nudists - or naturists - always look you in the eye during conversation. It's considered bad form to drop your gaze below shoulder-level.

Those brave souls who want to learn more about mainstream skinny dipping can contact the American Association for Nude Recreation, 1703 North Main St., Suite E, Kissimmee, FL 34744. Tel: 1-800-TRY-NUDE, or e-mail: try-nude@aanr.com.

Dear Dee and Tom: Have you noticed the overuse of the word "like" by teenagers? Here's how a typical teen responds to her science teacher when asked to identify something:

"Well, uh, I'm not really sure ... but like ...This is like a guess ... Would it be like ... yeah ... uh ... was like I'm not exactly sure."

Our family has experienced this "like" craziness and it has become exasperating, and contagious. As a result, my husband, a grammarian, decided to install a "like" jar at the family dinner table. Every time one of the five of us uses the word "like" incorrectly, 10 cents must be added.

When the jar is full, we give the money to a local school. The jar has had many promising results but we still have a long way to go. Your readers might like to try it. - Patrice Cromwell, Towson, Md.

Patrice is an associate director of a Baltimore foundation and her husband, David, is a prominent Baltimore doctor specializing in gastroenterology. They have three otherwise talented children.

Grand remarks

Words of wisdom from Ronald Reagan:

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'

"Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.

"Government's view of the economy: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it."

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." - Faithful Reader, Springfield, Mass.

Dee and Tom, married more than 50 years, have eight grandchildren. They welcome questions, suggestions and Grand Remarks. Send to P.O. Box 34, Butler, MD 21023. Or e-mail them at grandparenting@aol.com.