The sky is falling...

I think that some people have too much time on their hands....I also think that some people have their priorities really screwed up...

Today I read a headline on discoverychannel.com entitled "Mutated Chicken Grow Teeth". Naturally, I had to see what in the world that meant. Apparently some scientists had changed the genetics in some chicken embryos so that they would grow teeth. Why you ask? I don't really know. They just added that way back when, there were birds like pterodactyls who had teeth, and that birds in our time still have the gene for it. Fabulous. Wonderful work. You mean to tell me, that while thousands of people are dying every day from cancer, aids, heart disease and who knows what else, you were spending your time, energy, and someone else's' money on making chickens (who I believe would have been perfectly content growing normal beaks just like all the other chickens) develop teeth??!!?! Seriously people, something is wrong. Where in the world are you getting the money for this?!? And who in their right mind would actually consent to funding that!?!? It boggles the mind. 10 years down the road you KNOW they'll look back and think "What in the WORLD was wrong with me?!?!?" If they haven't already. I say leave the chicks alone. You're embarrassing them in front of their friends.

Never Forget! 

I love the van... 

Abs and I on the Riverwalk 

Before the awards reception 

R.O.U.S.'s? I don't think they exist....

Apparently "Wesley" had never been to the great Northwest. I am here to say that they DO exist, and I've seen my fair share up here, though none alive yet (I am left to assume that if I keep seeing dead ones, they must have been alive at some point). Plus I've heard many a story about people walking home at night being chased by them. Not just one or two, but a whole pack of them. Their little nails scraping the sidewalks......ugh. I find that frightening, so I make it a point to steer clear of unlit paths by the little streams around here. I've read that they look like beavers with huge rat tails. It says their teeth are yellow-orange or orange-red. That's enough to frighten anyone I think. They can get up to 18 lbs and be two feet long. "Giant Swamp Rats" is what people sometimes refer to them as. The article I was reading said there are only a few forms of controlling them. A certain toxin or my personal favorite, "Shooting can be an effective control method, but is problematic due to public perception of cruelty to animals". Doesn't that just scream Oregon!?!? I can see it now, two grown men in overalls they've worn since they were 16, 3 day old scruff, "huntin' swamp rats".... classic.

Watching the show, I assumed that the huge rat that made a snack out of his shoulder was completely made up. You know, after looking at these pictures, I don't think "Princess Bride" was very far from the truth....

Dash away, dash away, dash away all...

I probably have 6 different blogs out there, most of which I only started to vent, then promptly forgot the password. I haven't felt the need to try and figure out what that is, which is probably a good thing. Reading what you wrote while frustrated only shows you how irrational you can get if you allow it. I will try and remember this one however.

I remember going to a relatives wedding when I was younger, maybe at the impressionable age of 12 or so. I had recently told my Dad that I wanted to travel. Everywhere if possible. I told him I wanted to be a flight attendant (the occupation formerly known as stewardess...). I'm sure he didn't think much of it, probably one of the many things I had announced I wanted to be when I grew up, but being the wonderful Dad he is, he introduced me to some aunt or cousin or whatever of his, that was a real live f.a. (as I will be calling it from now on, life is much too short for typing everything out all the time). I actually don't remember much of the conversation, I have a bad habit of focusing on one point someone makes while talking. It's like my mind picks up one good piece of information and then runs with it. I remember her telling me of the places she'd get to go, and people she met. I'm sure I didn't hear her talk about the negative aspects of the job, I don't think most kids do at that age. We know what we want and we stick to it. I remember that while she was older, she was still thin, beautiful, with expensive looking clothing and jewelry. For a few fleeting moments I wanted nothing more than to be just like her. Traveling all over the globe, never really calling one place home. Highly romanticized, I know. I think I was a fairly "cheesy" kid. Thankfully I have since grown up, and I DO want to have a "home base", but that desire to travel hasn't decreased at all. When we're young anything is possible, and the older we get the more rooted down we become. I have a friend who gets to travel a lot for his job, and every time I hear about a new trip coming up, I get a little bit green with envy. In fact, yesterday when I heard he is going to China soon, I had pretty much had it. I imediately told everyone I wanted to become a flight attendant. I thought about it the entire night and all morning, until I finally broke down and realized how difficult that would be. I have a job, a husband, a home, responsibilities. If it were a perfect world, I could do it all. Maybe work from Mon-Thurs, be home for the weekends...... if I flew to Australia say, I could leave Monday, skip Tuesday, arrive in Syndey on Wed. morning leave Thursday around 2 pm and get into Portland at about 9 am....on Thursday. I could defy science and have 6 day weeks.... not that I've been thinking about it though.... :) It's just another dream or wish that gets filed back in the archives.