I think the problem is the word itself. "Self a-steam" sounds like an escapee from a Marx Bros movie, along with the sanity clause - "because everybody know there ain't no San'ty Claus'". When I told my mother that her comments hurt my self-esteem, even SHE exaggerated her own real Italian accent to make a "joke" about a-steam-ing me right in the nose or something. When some guy in California 20-some years ago said schoolchildren needed better self-esteem, everybody made fun of him, but then I think they did institute some programs nationally, does anybody else remember that? It's hard to get anywhere without self-esteem - you can't appreciate your successes without it, so why would you repeat them? e.g., good habits being small successes. Kind of a catch-22. Good point, Indie.