September 30, 2003
(Translation: if blogging sucks, blame anything and everything else.)
By the way, thank you for the long list of words for the next Google Junket. I really don't like to whine like that, but it works for Bill, so I figured I'd give it a try. Bill's not home right now, anyone care to take bets that's he lying in a gutter drunk with Collins?
Some out-of-the-way stuff for your reading pleasure:
King of Fools won this weeks New Blog Showcase. Excellent article.
Backstage writes about kitties and theater (theatre for you uppity types), which pleases Jennifer and Mookie.
Mookie also claims that my (alleged) jokes just come across as snotty. True? I don't think I have the charm to pull that off like Bill.
Casual Brain Rotting, courtesy of Random Nuclear Strikes.
Hold The Mayo - the truth served plain. Yum.
(aside: If Laughing Wolf ever invites you over for dinner, be fashionably late. He likes flava fava beans. [doh!])
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, The Ministry of Minor Perfidy. Where "evil isn't just our hobby, it's our job."
Enjoy your roasted stomach, infidel. Or maybe the pain is from laughing hysterically because Allah is in the house.
I'm a gardener. Much like Samwise to Frodo, I am to, uh... someone else. Ok, maybe not. But the point I'm trying to get to here (the looooong way around), is to go visit Starhawk. He posts beautiful pictures of cool growing things in his garden. He's also a WiFi wizard. What's WiFi?
Victor thanks everyone for remembering his birthday. He's made mention (repeatedly) that he's younger than I am, yet he can't remember telling anyone when his birthday was. Victor, when you're asking the doctor about Rogaine and Viagra, better check into the memory pills too.
Hmmm... that was testy, eh John?
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September 26, 2003
Shooters Carnival, firearm information without the politics.
Sports Blog. The name says it all.
Despite what the media is telling us, things are going pretty good in Iraq. There's a new effort being put together on the internet called Frontline Voices, which will let the troops actually there tell their stories. Watch for the link, I'll announce it when it officially kicks off.
Chief Wiggles is in Iraq, and an encounter he had with a young child inspired him to begin a toy drive. Read about it and please, if you can, help out.
Completely changing gears here, LeeAnn tells about what it's like to like on Sesame Diablo Street.
The Flea talks about an upcoming Alien vs. Predator movie. In my humble opinion, that's a much better premise than Freddie vs. Jason, but the one I'm really waiting for is Gumby & Pokey vs. Davey & Goliath.
I saw this exhchange over at Caught in the XFire.
Stevie: Stupid damn plastic ass-bitin' chicken-livered monkey-lipped brainless dickless sack 'o poop computer.
To which Pixy helpfully replied: Hey, that's the same model I've got!
Priceless.
Paul is sharing his wisdom on dating. There's pearls there among the laughs.
At Velociworld, we get the rundown on public washroom habits. Very funny stuff, and no, IÂ’m not shaking his hand. HeÂ’s got a cool story about Goddard too. That always scores points with me.
Publicola is one of the good guys. I love this bit:
Of course it'd be cool if the producers of Cops & similar shows allowed me to just insert commentary over an episode or two for perspective. Instead of people seeing a police officer frisking a guy for everybody's safety that he/she stopped to ask some questions, you'd see the images along with a quick recitation of the 2nd, 4th & 5th amendments followed by an explanation of why the cop just threw some of the highest ideals of the framers out the window because that's what they taught him/her at the acedemy.
But my dream would be to feature the BATF. Then again a cursory glance would probably make people think they were watching a bad juxtaposition of F-Troop, Hogan's Heroes & 1984.
How can you not love this guy?
Those who donÂ’t learn history are doomed to be California Republicans.
An emergency 911 call can be incredibly stressful. Or stupid, depending on who's making the call.
I keep telling you to go over to Random Nuclear Strikes. Do you listen to me? Now they've got froot-loop trolls entertaining them.
Stupidity of television programming? Surely you jest.
Kate warns of the dangers of rampant random altruism. Hey, it was faith-based. Does that make a difference?
She also offers up a site that will make you burn in hell if you visit. Really, don't go there. If you do, I'll save you a seat.
I saved the coolest for last. Megan points the way to a virtual apartment building, where you can design and add your own place. No excuses now for the virtually homeless, or something like that.
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September 25, 2003
Which got me to wondering about what else might be out there in Google-land. Wanna see what I found?
Here's a neat variation of the digital clock we all hate in the morning.
I really really really like this one, in a manic where-is-my-ritalin sorta way.
This concept appeals to the art lover in me. (bandwidth alert) Click on the ‘clock’ icon at the top, then ‘set’ your time, the clock updates once a minute.
I'm not a chrono-snob, here's something for those who must measure elapsed time.
Now here are a couple of overlapping collections of wallpaper clocks, the flash ones are kinda interesting. This one is my favorite of the bunch.
Once again, just to prove that you can find damn near anything on the internet, here's an interesting little collection of BBC clocks and flash cards.
Right, that last one wasn't quite on-topic. Oh well.
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September 22, 2003
IÂ’ve been misspelling KelleyÂ’s name now for a while, and sheÂ’s been kind enough not to have someone come by and break my kneecaps. Visit her at Suburban Blight, because sheÂ’s nice and her Cul-de-sac rocks.
Meanwhile, Kevin at Wizbang! survived Isabel while posting away despite losing power. That's dedication. In addition to that, he's always available to help people like me with technical problems. Check out the new in-line trackback ping-o-rama bling-bling at the end of my posts (those are my words, I'm sure Kevin would know the technical terms). Thanks Susie and Jen for pointing me at this.
Kevin also points to the story of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Honorable men like this are why we are free.
Post-Isabel pictures from Victor and Nic.
What do Wesley Clark and the Magic 8-ball have in common? Rattle their liquid-filled domes, and a random answer pops out. Read all about it at Jockularocracy.
Daniel expands upon the concept of moral relativism, and gets my vote for his entry in the New Blog Showcase. According to that concept, just because the other entrants exist, doesn't mean they're worth a crap, or something like that. I just skimmed the article, because it's full of big words.
Not Quite Tea and Crumpets shows another example of political correctness gone wild. No wonder our education system is all NÂ’d up.
Rocket Man talks about ‘A Formidable Military Force’. Take his little quiz. You’ll learn something. I guarantee it. In case I'm not clear about this, I think this is a must-read. Why must I hint?
This guy is snotty and vicious, which is everything I like in recreational reading.
Megan, meet Tim. Tim, Megan. Two very good bloggers who happen to be devout Christians. Which reminds me of a t-shirt I saw once that said: "Be a Christian. Take a lion to lunch." Hey, I laughed.
Glenn over at Hi. IÂ’m Black! is considering selling t-shirts. Pretty funny stuff, and make sure you read the comments. Unfortunately, when I tried to order one, he said I could never be considered an honorary black. That's why I used 'bling-bling' up above, I'm trying to build my street cred.
Harvey comes awful close to causing me to become curt with him by using a picture of my dog in his war of lies and propaganda. Note that my dog is an innocent bystander. Also note that it takes some doing to make me get curt. Unless you’re Mookie, in which case I can go from zero to “you’re grounded” in seconds.
SanityÂ’s Edge pointed out this endearing little screed. Thanks Paul! The last line is a classic. "...there's a reason why there are hundreds of statues of Charles Darwin and none of River Phoenix."
I forgot to thank Pixy Misa for his technical expertise. He keeps things running smoothly around Munuviana.
Finally, a quick tour of the weird. Mookie presents us with viking kitties. That's right, she wants to take us to a Gay Bar. This cracks me up every time.
Over at The Cheese Stands Alone, LeeAnn always seems to find the sublime. From the mildly odd to the entertainingly depressed, you owe it to your analyst to go visit.
Stevie, I reminded Mookie to get with you about your PC sounds. If she hasnÂ’t contacted you yet, get ornery with her. I recommend grounding her, it does wonders for her cooperation and attitude.
Speaking of. FREE MOOKIE! Like Susie says, consistancy is for wimps.
Wow. I just realized that I used the following in a single post: moral relativism, Darwin, magic 8-ball, devout Christian, bling-bling, formidable military force, and street cred. Google is gonna turn up some interesting hits in the weeks to come.
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September 19, 2003
An Oxford museum has paid 240,000 pounds for a Renaissance plate which shows a male head made up entirely of phalluses.
The head is framed by a garland carrying the inscription: "Ogni homo me guarda come fosse una testa de cazi" (Every man looks at me as if I were a dickhead).
Archeology means intelligent ladies in khaki and glasses. Mmmmmmm. And no, I'm not talking about Lara Croft. Try the History or Discovery channels once in a while.
Meanwhile, over at Bad State of Gruntledness, Matt points the way to my new number 1 on the Christmas List. Hockey Lego!!! Matt and Victor, I'm in a (free) Fantasy Hockey League and last time I checked they need more teams... interested?
More later. Gotta go get ready for the dentist. Boy, that's a phrase I never thought I'd say so cheerfully.
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September 18, 2003
While you're at it, try some of these other variations for your garden residents. A butterfly house can be very cool. There are simple plans here to build your own.
And if you really want to keep the mosquitos down, how about one of these? The bathouse shown at the link looks to be more elaborate than is really necessary, but the extras look functional.
Just to be conventional, here's a simple birdhouse plan. The key to a successful birdhouse is the size of the opening and the interior space. Ours followed this basic plan, with just a few variations.
First, our lid was solid instead of hinged, and provided an overhang on both sides as well as the front. Under the eaves were small ventilation holes.
Second, on our house, the bottom was screwed on with small drywall screws. They're self-tapping, and removing the bottom allows you to clean out the old nest during the late winter or early spring. It's a good idea to cut a couple of drainage holes in the bottom too.
Third, and this was the most fun for us, was we cut two windows in the sides of the birdhouse. What I mean is, most of the two opposite sides were made of clear plexiglass, so that you could see what was going on inside the house. The birds don't mind. You can get scrap plexiglass cheap at the hardware store.
Here's another simple birdhouse plan. You can use plain pine board, not redwood or cedar, but stain the outside to protect it. Never use pressure treated wood.
Our birdhouse lasted five or six years, and all we really did was clean it out every spring and hit the outside with a coat of redwood stain every few years. We had birds every year.
In the springtime, if we give the dogs a haircut, we'll take the trimmings out back and put them on the ground. The local birds will find the hair and incorporate it into their nests as padding. Little scraps of cloth and yarn work well too.
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September 16, 2003
Over at Ambient Irony, Pixy Misa talks about his nephewÂ’s second birthday and how kids today soak up technology without even trying. He has some interesting insights.
Susie discovers yet another odd characteristic she shares with Instapundit. As much as she tries to hide it, I think thereÂ’s an attraction there. Worst kept secret in the world there, Susie.
Jennifer treats everyone to a historical briefing on herself. I can relate to the whole spider thing, but sheÂ’s, well... you know, from Wisconsin. DoesnÂ’t that mean you have to wear frozen wedges of cheese on your head and sit in snowstorms to watch football? That goes beyond eccentric and into the scary.
Tuning Spork of Blather Review has a bit of a keyboard problem, which he manages to relate in the modern version of pidgin english. Meanwhile, Stevie seems to be having other-than-keyboard troubles.
“Life is tough. It’s tougher if you’re stupid.” Cherry relates several funny stories about people having a stupid tough time.
Victor and his girlfriend went to see the stage production of one of his favorite movies. He also makes it clear that heÂ’s not a Steve Spurrier fan. He also had several rat birthdays this month. Our cup runneth over.
Mookie is doing a poll to select her new header graphic. She’s a nut for the Geico gecko (I have no idea why), and one of her fashion statements is a pair of these huge nuts – as in ‘nuts and bolts’ that she wears on a chain around her neck. She is so much her own person.
It’s ‘sit by the phone day’ over at Chez Cheese.
The little one is getting ready for hurricane Isabel. So are we. For some reason, this one is beginning to scare me. Might have something to do with it being my first hurricane. My wife went through Agnes back in the 70Â’s (she was a little kid), but IÂ’m a west coast boy and I grew up with earthquakes that last a few minutes, not storms the size of Colorado.
Fellow Munuvian Daniel had a good weekend for his fantasy football team. He’s also featured in this weeks New Blog Showcase over on The Truth Laid Bear. Link to his entry, because he makes some great points in his article. Or link to him because, like myself, people will say “Wow, Ted must be smart to read such intelligent stuff”. Just make sure you hide the comic books when they’re around.
Mr. Green has a life.
Alphecca is one blog that I try to read every day. Jeff has interesting things to say, and heÂ’s a helluva writer. HeÂ’s also part of a group of firearm enthusiasts whoÂ’ve started the Shooters Carnival. If you donÂ’t already, you should stop by Alphecca and catch up with Jeff. Also, check out the Carnival, regardless of your personal position regarding guns. Without educating yourself about the subject, how can you have an informed opinion, eh?
Wanna get controversial? Dean Esmay, Average White Guy and Tasberry all take a look at aspects of racism, each in their own style.
Starhawk over at Freedom Lives has done a redesign of his site. I like it a lot!
A is a hockey fan. Enjoy Owen Nolan, heÂ’s fun to have on your team.
I’ve mentioned this before, when grieving families decide to go for the bucks. Publicola shows the perfect example, where the family admits that they’d get nothing from the killers – who are in prison – so they go after the gun store where the guns were stolen from and two burglar alarm companies.
Paul is having staff problems. Is there a fact-checker in the house? Experience preferred. I'd suggest introducing yourself to his wife at the earliest opportunity to avoid embarrassment in case anyone is miked.
Serenity has completed her trek to Houston. Safe and sound. Read her trip report, it reminds me of a few cross-country drives I made when I was young and foolish.
The guys at Silent Running talk about a danger that we can’t detect and can’t defend against, coming at us from the stars themselves. A cosmic fart of the ‘silent but deadly’ variety.
John has summed up this summer nicely with this cartoon. My backyard has stayed wet enough to grow moss on the stepping stones.
IÂ’ve seen references to this (thanks Kelly among others), and havenÂ’t paid it much mind. But with Isabel looming large, itÂ’s beginning to seem like a damn fine time to cut loose and get a little silly before we have to get very serious. IÂ’ll be on the widows-walk with me spyglass. Aye, there the beastie be!
Tiger redecorated. I know that everyone sees these pages a little differently depending on browser version and stuff, so take this for what itÂ’s worth (absolutely nothing). I donÂ’t like the new format, and apparently I'm alone in that opinion. On my machine, itÂ’s just hard to read. IÂ’ll give it a try at work over lunch, that might make all the difference in the world.
Al reminds us that itÂ’s National POW/MIA Awareness Week. For more information, IÂ’d suggest contacting your local American Legion or VFW post.
Oh yeah, I changed the name of my “Links Roster” category to “All the cool people and places”. Mainly because that way it’s almost at the top of my category list, and easier to find. Since I use that list more than my blogroll to get around, I’ll point you to a few blogs that I’ve been enjoying recently:
Terra Taco makes me think. Always a good thing. Rocketman also makes me think. Still a good thing. And heÂ’s moved too (note to self: update his link). And these guys make me hungry. Never a bad thing. Enjoy.
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While googling for the 'poll' site mentioned above, I ran across this one at Liberty Story. I havenÂ’t dug deeply into it yet, but it appears to be something worth spending time on. As an aside, I had the chance to view the original Magna Carta in Boston several years ago. It amazes me that simple ink and paper can become so awe-inspiring.
And here's another online archive site worth looking into, if you're into history.
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September 13, 2003
While I'm waiting in vain, here's a handful of eye candy. Some are educational, one is for two people to play with. Some of these use Java or Flash, so if they donÂ’t work for you, oh well. Many of these are tiny little things and should load quickly. Have fun.
This is one of my all-time favorite sites on the web. I know Serentity is a science nut, so she'll especially enjoy this.
Balls. A hypnotic little time-waster.
More cool graphics stuff to watch.
Tres cool! Roll over the squares with your mouse and watch the fun.
Enjoy this little charmer.
Try this interactive guide to distances in the solar system and feel really really small. Use the scroll bar on the side of the screen to truly appreciate this one.
Tanks for the memories. I know, I know. Pretend it's me in the other one and take revenge for the rotten pun.
Nifty little kaleidoscope.
And lastly, I donÂ’t care what you think, this one is kinda creeps me out.
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Sorry. Old song, recently redone I think. They're everywhere nowadays, but what the heck are they saying? It's like some super secret code or something.
More than you've ever wanted to know about UPC's and barcodes. Well, maybe not. Gotta run, my shoe is ringing.
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September 09, 2003
What, no free samples?
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Google also changes their logo for special holidays and birthdays. M.C. Escher, Alfred Hitchcock, and Salvador Dali are among those who get special treatment.
This got me to wondering what other stupid Google tricks were out there. YouÂ’ve probably heard of most of these by now, because theyÂ’re not new and have been going around awhile.
For instance, type in “weapons of mass destruction” (with quotes) and hit the “I’m feeling lucky” button.
Try it again, this time for “French military victories” (with quotes). Snicker
For the terminally optimistic, try “who will be president in 2004” and hit the 'Lucky' button.
These guys tried a few things with the image search feature of google. (Warning: mature – but funny – content).
On the ‘not stupid’ end of the tricks spectrum, check out some of the neat stuff listed here.
And it was mentioned on at least one site above, but were you paying attention? Go to google and type in “answer to life the universe and everything” (no quotes this time).
I'll say it again. Google is your friend.
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September 08, 2003
Wind Rider over at Silent Running talks about the difference between journalism and 'professional' journalism. Hint: the sarcasm quotes are because he's talking about the BBC.
John gets asked that question that no man can ever answer correctly.
Tiger redecorates and talks about Texas football. Living in the DC metro area, the Redskins play the Cowboys twice a year, and I hate don't care for either team. I used to say that when those teams played each other, I was rooting for a sniper in the stands. Thanks Malvo for ruining a good joke.
Fixing the State Department. Interesting reading by Steven Den Beste over at USS Clueless, who is anything but.
Choices. What matters vs. what should matter. Read all about it and think, courtesy of Winds of Change.
This guy always has something interesting to read.
Men of Iron, Horses of Steel. These guys have become a daily read.
Laughing Wolf gives a concise brief on the Presidents remarks last night.
I don't agree with a lot of what she says, but she's an interesting read, and her school football team is named the Rockets, so she gets a mention.
Robert touches on many subjects and is always a good read. He's about as calm a rant as you can imagine, while still putting it out there for you.
If you're looking for some of these folks over on the right in my links section, they're not all there. If you check under "Poor Organization Skills" you'll see a category called Links Roster, and they're all there, plus many more. The format is still weirded out, because I rode the short bus to html school.
When you hear about Munuviana and Munuvians, do you hear the roar of the surf shooshing up over white sand beaches, while beautiful women in grass skirts and not much else bring you cold beer and cater to your every whim? Welcome to reality. Susie, Jennifer, Cherry and LeeAnn are liberated women, so we can go get our own damn beer, I'm sure. And Mookie is underage, so don't go there. I also have no desire to see the guys in grass skirts, although I'm sure Collins would enjoy it, as long as he got to wear panty hose like his hero.
Tuning Spork (a Munuvian) has written a great piece of satire (oops, now he's written two!). Funny stuff.
Ever heard of Burning Man? Coyote went. See his pictures, then google on it to learn more. Thanks to Annika for the pointer.
He's been described as an "eclectic cultural cuisinart", and the flea is where I go for something extraordinary. Enjoy.
Over at The Meatriarchy, "A" comes out squarely for the Instapundit camp.
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September 05, 2003
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September 04, 2003
My wife and I have 'our song'. It's You Make Me So Very Happy by Blood, Sweat & Tears. I also want And When I Die by the same group played at my funeral. Not the crappy shortened version they play on the radio, but the original version. Bruce Lee had that song played at his funeral too, but that has nothing to do with me.
I like Blood, Sweat & Tears (obviously), but they're not in my favorite 10 groups, maybe not the top 20.
With all the animal posts I've made lately, I've considered changing the name of this blog to 'Channeling Jane Goodall'. That would also annoy monkey-boy, and I'm petty enough to enjoy it.
Names are important to me, although I'm terrible about remembering them. I always make an effort to pronounce them correctly, which can be a real bear with some foreign names. I worked with a Chinese lady once, and everyone called her 'Sue' as an approximation of her real name. I tried real hard to correctly say her name, but always worried that I was really calling her 'suitcase tractor' or something.
She taught me some elementary Chinese writing. I taught her to swear in English.
The politically correct would call my wife 'vertically challenged'. They would call me 'circumferentially overachieving'.
Tip for guys: If you get sent to the store to pick up feminine pads for your lady, rather than standing there bewildered at the vast selection, just get the package with the most words on it. 'Super-maxi overnight extended-wear with wings' should be your starting point. They now put picture codes on the packages, but you'll feel like an idiot asking the clerk for the ones with the sunflower. Count words, it works.
The Phoenix Coyotes unveiled a new logo and color scheme. I like it a lot. I liked their old one too, but this one is simpler and better. I think sports logos have gotten better in recent years. The San Jose Sharks logo is inspired and the logo for the Minnesota Wild is just too cool. You can go overboard with logo modifications and color changes, and the Atlanta Falcons are the perfect example of that. It seems like they've changed things up 4 or 5 times in 10 years.
I've gotten speeding tickets in three countries.
'A' claims I've taken umbrage to the use of an initial instead of his whole name, but I hadn't considered the Canadian connection. It makes sense, no umbrage taken. I think he just wanted to show off his vocabulary. If you want further examples of that bad habit, read everything I've ever written.
Tim has changed his name from The Michigander to Stranger in a Strange Land. If I were 'A', I'd hunt down Tim and give him a Great White North whooping for calling my land strange.
Closer to home, Victor is making fun of Yuppie Scum. This despite the fact that he went to an organic grocery store to buy dandelion greens for his guinea pigs (which are rodents by the way, but I won't go there). Once, while watching a family pile out of an SUV, a friend cracked me up by referring to the children as 'yuppie larva'. I still use that term.
To be honest, I don't really care what happens in California -- this is all just some sideshow the rest of us can view with amusement. -- Jeff at Alphecca
I admit that I've looked at the California election in the exact same way, but Annika makes some points in this excellent post about why we should care and pay attention. She's changed my mind.
She also reminds us that California has the worlds 5th largest economy. But did you know that North Dakota has the worlds 3rd largest nuclear force?
My desk at work in inside a cage. Honest. It might impress you if I said what else was inside the cage, but I can't tell you. So just be impressed.
Tiger and Stevie have both had computer problems, while SilverBlue has had computer user problems, which can be much worse.
In other work-related news, they've been installing a new 'disintegrator' in the building. This is like a super-shredder that eats metal like paper, and it's a huge hulking thing about 20 feet tall with a conveyor belt that leads up into its maw. Ominous looking. Every time I look at it, I think of 'The Mangler' from Stephen King's Night Shift.
Wake up, I'm done.
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September 02, 2003
Go visit SportsBlog. Kevin of Wizbang! will appreciate it (heÂ’s one of the founders), and yours truly will be writing incisive and biting commentary on the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Raiders, and San Jose Sharks. Assuming, of course, that the sources I steal from are incisive and biting.
The Dodgers suck.
Speaking of the Dodgers, IÂ’m sure that Annika will be visiting Chavez Ravine at some point. I hope that she wears her black and orange proudly, or at the very least, doesnÂ’t go wearing Dodger blue (there are limits to acclimating to an environment, ya know). Anyways, I found this helpful and humorous guide to behavior at the ballpark. IÂ’m sure it applies to some degree to most every stadium.
Tiger points to an excellent (and entertaining) usage of massive amounts of bandwidth. Mookie will like it, itÂ’s got stick people in it! Also Susie gets a little crazy with slogans and battle cries! Scroll through to see them all, although my personal favorite has her clutching a thorned whip as she shouts:
"I'm going to spank you in such an unsafe manner, you will wake up from the Matrix!!!"
I bet Susie doesnÂ’t have many problems with noisy kids in the theater.
Serenity points to a brilliant yet disturbing series of little movies (another bandwidth-intensive link folks).
Over at The Meatriarchy, ‘A’ gives a mouth-watering review of BBQ ribs he sampled at a weekend rib-fest. Makes me wanna fire up the grill. Oh, and 'A', there's no way I'm going to believe that's your real name, so you might as well give up the charade.
Star Trek. Jerry Springer. Combine them and you get 'Wild Sex Partners From Outer Space'. Courtesy of Mr. Helpful, who promises this next installment of his Shatner Chronicles tomorrow morning.
Kate has the Snark Hunt up this week, and IÂ’m in it. See me at my worst, in a totally roundabout way: go to her site, scroll down to the Snark Hunt, find where she links my entry, then click it to get right back here (well, actually itÂ’s down below a ways, which you wouldÂ’ve known had you actually read it the first time). See? Pure unadulterated snark.
FinallyÂ…
Mookie and I had a moment yesterday. IÂ’m surprised occasionally by something she does, not because itÂ’s smart or dumb or good or bad, but because itÂ’s part of her character that I donÂ’t see very often.
She’s always said she hates earthworms (and squirmy things in general, what a girl), and my attitude has always been ‘pick the stupid thing up and throw it in the garden’. Which she does with great reluctance.
Yesterday we went out back to clean straighten up in between waves of thunderstorms. I was turning my compost pile and mentioned that there were a lot of earthworms in it, which is a very good thing. Rachael did her gag routine.
Since the work went quickly, I decided that weÂ’d go ahead and relevel the shed. I put it in this spring, and despite some care the base settled unevenly, making the doors hard to open and close. ItÂ’s one of those plastic types that you snap together, not too big, but you need at least two people to move it.
We emptied the shed (garden tools, lawn mower, shovels and rakes, potting soil and such, etc.), and started to move it. As I shifted it, something ran out from underneath it and out the back gate. My split-second glimpse left the impression of a white shape moving fast. I thought it was a lizard, although the white color confused me. It was too small to be a rat, and too thin to be a mouse I think. So Mookie and I get this shed moved out of the way enough to relevel the brick base and there are... babies... uncovered.
Maybe 2” long, pink and hairless, not more than a day or two old, their eyes were not even open yet. They squirmed and kicked a little, but were too young to do much more. Definitely rodent, but unidentifiable as rat or mouse or vole or anything else. Rachael didn’t want anything to do with them, so I gently scooped them into a shovel and took them back to the creek* behind the house where I left them in the underbrush.
They’re dead by now, I’m sure. Snake or cat or exposure or neglect, because ‘momma’ was not coming back, that was certain. I feel a little weird about it, because I do believe that life is precious, but like they say, ‘nature is a mother’ and they weren’t looking at a long life anyways (especially in my backyard). Everyone reading this should realize that in the grand scheme of things, each of us is a big winner in the cosmic-lotto powerball game.
Two things: first, IÂ’ll have to pour a solid concrete pad under the shed to keep the local fauna from nesting underneath. Maybe next weekend.
Secondly, this is going to bother me for a while.
*Creek is pronounced ‘crick’ as any native northern Californian knows. Don’t argue with me, because you’re wrong.
Update: Here are a couple more places to go and people to see, just because they're cool and/or interesting.
(bandwidth warning) Watch a sketch being done right in front of your eyes. Cool (said that already, didn't I)
50 Things al Qaeda Hates about America.
And some stuff you might not have known about the history of our Social Security system. (He's a real rocket scientist too)
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08:53 AM | category: Links
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