Buzz

I have three really itchy mosquito bits. And annoyingly nothing seems to be helping. Why is it that those little bugs can find the most annoying places to bit you? Sadly its as if the City gets the worst of nature. Weeds, thistles, and mosquito. You never see wild flowers volunteering themselves between the cracks in the sidewalks or in the green lots. But also all the wild animals in the city are just annoying or destructive. Squirrels are scary in the city, there are rats and mice, and the flying version of both pigeons and sparrows.

Of course I have seen some lightening bugs in the city, which is cool. And I hear crickets most nights. But that seems to be the only thing that really reminds me of summer at home. And the lightening bugs here seem to be aliens searching unable to compete with the artificial lights of the city streets. And between the sirens and the cars endlessly driving on the streets the crickets are barely heard. Even the trees are different in the city, they are like caged beasts strangely unfamiliar and very distant from their brothers and sisters in the forests. And Why? Because Man (And I mean this in the humankind sense) thinks it can do better. Man thinks it can control what is meant to be wild. Maybe I'm a country girl stuck too long in the city, or maybe I am scared of losing that sense of beauty and wonder while in a world of concrete and metal.

Hanging with Cool People

Yesterday I was invited (slightly last minute) to a dinner at a friend Talain's house. He lives just outside of Valley Forge and I was reminded while riding with a Abbie (my ex-roommate) to his house, that I really do miss grass Fields, trees, and country. It was a great time too. I hung out with two of my favorite people in the Philly area, eat really good food (Talain is French and a extremely good cook more about the food later) and meet several friends of Talain's. It was great to just hang out, eat, tell stories, and just have fun. Never mind the fact that I did not get back to my apartment last night until close to 1am.

The food was amazing, as always. We have sesame chicken with almonds and strawberry's, and summer squash and cheesy Rice Roni as sides. Of course I ate too much, but it was so worth it. Than of course after dinner Talain decided to make Cinnamon rolls. I really sure that last night between the glass of wine and all the food, I had all of my calories for this week (which is why I'm eating a salad for lunch).

Also despite the lack of sleep I was wide awake when I got into work early this morning. Not what I expected after less than 4 hours of sleep. Of course after rehearsal Monday, last nights late hours and rehearsal tonight, tomorrow morning might be really interesting.

The Cat

She slinks past moving in time to the drum
She prowls past and through and by
lurks in the shadows, so you see but her eyes
Which glisten and show green by the moon
She catches most of which she hunts
Few escape the traps she sets
She likes to play with her food
All things, including love, are games
She'll draw you in with a look
dismiss you with a hiss
And like the wild cat
which inhabits the jungle dark
or sweeping wide plain
Her nails are daggers
and easily painted red.
She'll steel your heart, then rip it out
She'll leave it on the floor
And as you pick it up
She'll leave with a sneer by the door.
So beware of the cat
Who prowls by night
Who promises love and gives none.
Beware of the cat, she goes by many names
I could not tell you every one.
Beware.

The Onion

One of my favorite 'news' sights The Onion, is always good for a laugh. Of course they make fun of everything, which means that there is nothing that is sacred or out of bounds. But in reality all 'news' has to be read with a grain of salt. CNN and Fox have very different backgrounds, one Conservative the other liberal. That difference means a difference in what information gets talked about and how it is portrayed. The nice thing about The Onion is that you know that you can't really trust anything you read to be very truthful, still the tongue in cheek has the ability to shed a little truth on matters while laughing away at them.

The short write up from The Onion that made me smile today...

NEW ORLEANS—Critics were silenced today after President Barack Obama's fifth visit to the Gulf Coast vastly improved the devastated region. While at the site of the worst oil spill in U.S. history, the president walked on a beach, looked at oil-soaked terns, and displayed the right amount of anger toward BP executives, all of which, sources said, should pretty much clear up the massive environmental disaster in a matter of days. "I really didn't think the president did enough in his first four visits," Louisiana fisherman Kevin Latrobe said. "Everyone knows you have to visit five times to make a difference. And sure enough, look! The pelicans already seem a little cleaner!" Some opponents still blasted the president for his trip, saying that they wanted something more substantial than political grandstanding, like a sixth or a ninth visit to the region.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/obamas-fifth-gulf-coast-visit-really-helps-a-lot,17748/

No I ain't

No He ain't
I ain't dead
I live and move
breath and dance
And IF I ain't
He ain't either

They say God is Dead
They ask how and why
They bury their
collective heads
in science and theory
Theory, they forget
is not the whole truth
might not be truth
Its really just a guess

And If I ain't Dead
God ain't either

Don't get me wrong
science is interesting
It keeps on changing
and exploring,
Looking backwards
Looking fowards

God ain't dead
He's here and now
Will always be
'cause he always was
If I ain't dead
He ain't either
'cause he lives in me

Peach

Yellow blushing reddy pink
soft to the touch
juicy inside
dripping sugar sweet
down the front of my shirt
skin sticking in my teeth
flesh yellow, orange, pink
dissolving away with each bite
Summer peaches, memories
of canning with grandma
in the oppressive summer heat
of the steamy too hot kitchen
The rolling water
meeting that blushed skin
which after a minute pulls away
Grandma splitting the flesh
to dislodge the pit,
Halves bundled together
in large glass jars
the hot sweet syrup
seeping into all the spaces
bubbling with dislodged air
Oh that sweet tangy flesh
which reminds me of home

Mouse Killer

(make sure you read the following in the movie announcer voice) It was a simple plan, kill the mouse that was skittering around the apartment after she went to sleep every night. Kill the mouse that was leaving little droppings on her counters. Kill the mouse that she found on her table, when she stepped into the kitchen last night.

Coming Soon to a movie theatre near you (Yes You!)

It was a simple plan,

1 buy mouse trap
2 set up mouse trap
3 kill mouse

Mouse Killer: The only question is, does everything go to plan? (OK you can drop the voice)

Answer Yes.
Yesterday when I came out of the bathroom I saw a mouse. I had already bought poison and had seen some of it disappear, so I was hoping that it had taken care of the problem. Obviously not. So yesterday on my way home from work I went to Rite Aid and purchased two Tom Cat mouse traps. They are different from the little old school wood ones. They are a mix between a clothespin and the jaws of death. They look like little rubber jaws, which set extremely easily. I put a little peanut butter on them, set them out. And a couple of hours later I had my first mouse. And the nice thing is I did not have to touch the thing, just push open the rubber jaws like a clothespin and the mouse dropped out into the garbage can. Watch out world of mice, Rena is all set to bring you down!