I've waited all this time...for this?

When I was in elementary school we learned about Ohio history. They talked about interesting places, most of which I didn't find interesting. However, there was one I found fascinating: the Serpent Mound. It is the "largest serpent effigy mound ever discovered." Basically it is a mound of dirt shaped like a snake. Ok, that doesn't sound that cool. Here are some pics and info:

"Representing an unwinding serpent, the mound is sheathed in mystery and controversy. The serpent is thought by most to be about to swallow an egg. However many theories abound suggesting various interpretations. For instance, some think it may represent an eclipse. The eastward curves of the body point to sunrise locations at solstices and equinoxes, and the head to sunset on the summer solstice.

The mysteries don’t stop there. The very ground where the mound rests is also of interest to archeology. Seemingly full of cave-like or hollow structures, it is thought that perhaps there may be more to this serpent resting underground."

When you learn about that in elementary school, it sounds awesome. We lived in northeast Ohio, so southwest Ohio was a bit too far for a school field trip. I knew I had to go someday. A few weekends ago I decided to go on a day trip. I wanted to take a fellow Ohioan who also knew about it and surprisingly the Utahn that came along with us had also heard about growing up (if they are teaching about it in Utah, it must be awesome, right?).

Well, I was a little disappointed. Apparently I never retained the information that it was only 3 feet high. It wasn't that impressive in real life. Here is a picture I took from the watch tower:

That isn't to say the trip wasn't fun. We drove through rural Ohio (always interesting), met some local people (again, always interesting), bought some cameras (in Columbus) and I checked off another place in 1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before you Die book.

For some crazy ideas about the mound from the locals down there, read this (spoiler: crop circles and ufo's).

Overcoming fears, sort of

Last weekend I came home from church and when I walked from the bedroom to the front room I saw what I thought was a leaf on the ground and thought it was odd as I had swept the day before. I almost touched it with my foot until I realized it wasn't a leaf. It was a COCKROACH. Ugghhh! Did I ever mention that I'm deathly afraid of crawling bugs/spiders? It was on its back and I thought it was dead. I got my heaviest shoe and got ready to smash it and then I saw it move! I ran to the other side of the room and debated what to do. I decided to put a cup over it and make my neighbor come dispose of the body. I had to call my mom and make her coax me into it as I was on the verge of tears. I finally put the cup over it and put my 3,000 page nursing book over it as I figured there was no way it could move the cup with that over it. Later my neighbors Clint and Laurie came over and I made Clint get rid of it outside. However, it was already dead by the time we took it outside. I think I suffocated it and that made me happy.













This picture doesn't show how huge and gross it was. It makes me shudder when I think about it.

Good riddance you vile creature. I'm going to call an exterminator in case you moved your family in too.

Oops she did it again

I got a call Saturday night (the 4th) at 11:30pm: it was my mom. Apparently she didn't understand when I told her not to call late at night.
Me: "What's wrong?"
Mom: "Nothing, I just got back from the neighbors party! Can you believe I stayed so late?"
Me: "Mom, I told you not to call me so late. It scares me."
Mom: "You called me earlier. I was returning your call."
Me: "I called at 5pm. It wasn't an emergency. I didn't even leave a message. I appreciate you calling me back, but you could have waited till tomorrow"
Mom: "Oh, well I had so much fun at the neighbors and I wanted to tell you. We were out by their new fire pit. We had so much fun I lost track of time. Look how late it is!"
Maybe I should call her some morning at 5am when she is getting ready for work and see if she gets scared. I'm pretty sure I'll be struck down for trying to get back at my mother, though. And my mom isn't as spacey as I make her seem. She just has senior moments.

Goodbye and goodnight

I have discovered that I spend too much time online. Which is actually too much wasted time. I've been known to spend an hour (or more) on facebook before. And do I ever find anything interesting? Not that often. It's mostly status updates which really aren't that interesting (no offense to those who write them a lot-of course I find yours interesting). I hardly get any good gossip off of it either. The same picture albums keep showing up in the "highlights" section, and I only look at some of them. I just realized I could spend a lot more time doing productive things. This morning I logged off of facebook, logged off of gmail (another time waster-stupid chat) and set about doing productive things. I paid all my bills, mananged my investments, read a book and cleaned my apartment-including the floors and rugs. I even made myself a healthy lunch and dinner. So I'm going to see if I can stay off of the time wasters for a week. Hopefully I will have accomplished enough in that week that I can make this a more permanent thing.
In the meantime, if there is any good gossip on facebook, would you please let me know?

I've been in this country too long or Keeping up appearances

Last year before I started my new job, I went on a trip to Europe. When I started work a few of my new coworkers knew I had just gone on a trip. Six months later I went to Costa Rica. A week after I got back from Costa Rica, I bought a ticket to Belize. And shortly before going to Belize, I bought a ticket to Germany. I've never traveled so much in such a short time before. Because of the four trips in one year, my coworkers think this is all that I do. Every day I work at least one person asks me where I'm going next. It's almost as annoying as the "are your married/why are you still single" question (almost, but not quite). I have to keep going on trips because they expect me to go. Or I'm unpatriotic. Or I love to travel. After 3 months of deciding, here is the next destination:

Japan

My friend Kristin came up with the idea to go to Japan. Today we bought our plane tickets. There are 4 of us going from Columbus (plus a Utahn) and we're working on our other friend who speaks Japanese.
Totemo ureshii da. Matemasen. (I am so happy. I cannot wait)

At least I have a heart

I'll write about Nauvoo in my next post. First I have to discuss the worst tear inducing movie I've ever seen (which they showed on the bus ride back):

Charly
(the person, not the unicorn)

This is seriously the worst movie I've ever cried in (with the exception of any movie involving a pet dying). The movie (based on a book) is a Mormon love story where the girl dies in the end. Except she doesn't die over a few minutes in the movie. It takes at least 30 minutes. And it is terribly heart wrenching. I read the book, I knew the ending, I didn't think it would be that bad. It was. The first time I watched it I started having those hyperventilating sobs. You know, where your body is shaking you're crying so bad (Katie, did you watch it with me?). I vowed to never watch it again. For some reason on the bus ride back this was one of the top picks of movies to watch (with strong support from guys, odd enough). I knew this would be a train wreck for me: I'd try and not look but knew I would just be too curious to look away. I was doing ok until that ferris wheel scene. And then it started again. Like Geroge Sr says, "every dang time!" I started to hyperventilate but convinced myself not to make an even bigger fool of myself in front of my friends. Too late. They were still making fun of me tonight. Some guy tried to convince me it is a happy movie, "They had a good life. They'll be together again." Bite me. I told him he was heartless. At least there was some comic relief when our friend Fernando passed out kleenex to everyone on the bus. Twice.
So, if you ever need a really good cry, watch this. Here is the last part, which isn't that sad without seeing the first 3/4 of the movie:
Still dying

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

What do I love best about summer?

Fireflies!
(or Lightning Bugs)
One of the things I missed most about living in Utah was the summers without these.

I am freaked out with bugs, but this is one awesome bug. Seriously amazing.

I loved collecting them as a child. Don't worry, we let them go.
After we realized they need more to live on than grass (difficult pets).

And here is some strange drawing I found.
So if you live in the East, go out some night and catch (and release) a few.

Soil Bandit strikes again!

This week someone stole my soil. My Miracle Grow Potting Mix to be exact.

I had an opened bag of Miracle Grow Garden Soil and an opened bag of Potting Mix on my back porch. I didn't want to put them inside because the bags are dirty and I like my apt clean. They've been out there for weeks. A few days ago I put the potting mix in my garage/covered carport while I was sweeping off the back porch. It was there a few nights and then one morning I went out to work and it was gone! However, the garden soil is still there. The strange thing is that this happened two summers ago and my potting mix went missing. However, last summer I had half a bag out all summer and winter and no one took it. Someone really likes potting mix, but not garden soil.

I have a list of suspects. Well, there is only one suspect on the list, but I'm pretty sure he's the robber:
There is a row of tall bushes that separates my backyard and driveway from the neighbors behind me. At least once a day he walks through the bushes, down my driveway, across the street, down another driveway and disappears through their bushes. Here he is making his way up the driveway across the street. I'm convinced he's staking out all of us. He has scared me on more than one occasion when he suddenly appears in the driveway. He walks by my soil every day. And because he looks like a hippie, he probably is all into growing his own food.

I'm offering a $1 reward for any information that leads to the safe return of my potting mix. And maybe some fresh veggies too.

You can find anything on craigslist

A friend showed this ad to me on craigslist and I thought it was kind of unusual:


"Well, I'm shooting a series of photos portraying staged suicides for a photo show I'm putting together. I need models of all sexes,races, and body types. The main shot I'm concerned with getting is a nude, female, slashed wrist in the tub shot, but all other type of suicides are welcome, I have some ideas. Interesting looking people preferred, people with a sense of humor and irreverance as well. Anyway, hit me up. I cannot afford to pay my models but will trade services, ie. you give me my shot and I will spend some time with you getting shots for you to use for modeling/promotional purposes. Please send me a photo and any questions or concerns you might have. I realize this request may seem rather out there, but this is art g**d**it, be a part of something."


I realize it might be art, but I still think it is strange. And creepy.

How does your garden grow?

I have a garden in my front yard.

The past couple summers I've grown tomatoes and an assortment of herbs. With the price of produce it would be nice to save a little money. This year my friends Clint and Laurie moved onto my street and we decided to have a joint garden and split the food. Laurie and I went to the OSU plant sale and bought a lot of vegetables and herbs. We split the seedlings between our places. This year we have tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, arugula, broccoli, lettuce, blueberries, a large assortment of herbs and some Asian and Italian medleys (we're not sure what exactly are in the medleys-we'll see what grows). Most of the plants have been growing really well. I was so excited because on Sunday I was able to have my first harvest with the arugula and lettuce.
I made some pasta with arugula and feta cheese. I also made a salad with fresh lettuce and chives from my garden. It was really fun to take to bowls and walk into my front yard and start collecting (in this case cutting) the food I would need. I know it wasn't any different then what I would buy at the store, but it tasted better knowing I grew it.

I'm still learning about some of the other veggies (like the broccoli-I'm not sure how they are harvested or how the florets come to pass), but it is a rewarding process. Hopefully I can produce enough to cover the initial cost.