Things that go bump in the night...

So what spooks you?

As has been mentioned to me MANY times over - apparently demented undead cowgirls wielding pistols is not scary. Or ghost towns. Or haunted trains with really crappy theming and stories.

So, what scares you / your friends / acquaintences? I had no say in what area I was to be located, nor do I have any say what I will wear, or what my makeup will be. It's a maze-like setup. You get on a train, listen to a bad hokey story, then get off, going down a maze/trail/thing where people jump out at you. People either go in to be scared, or go in with the idea that this is stupid and not scary in the slightest. It's the latter people that I want to scare or spook or whatnot. So what makes things scary at a haunted house or a haunted maze? Is someone just staring at you without moving scary, or are the yells? Is the the suddenness of a scream or is it the 'I see through your soul' deadpan stare?

What makes haunted houses scary? What exactly does it take to scare you, or your particularly tough no-scare friend? What makes these things so damn frightening to people? (I hate haunted houses, so I'm not sure what spooks people. Let alone tough people.) I am not allowed to touch anyone. So what would it take for me to scare people - tough people, scardey people, etc - given the circumstances? Comment comment comment! You can catch me on MSN, email, or blogger comments, as long as you give me any ideas. Ideas, experiences, thoughts, ramblings, ANYTHING you can THINK of that COULD be scary, that IS scary, or HAS been scary.





PS. Happy super super super belated 1st Anniversary to Beth and Nick. I feel horrible I didn't mention it sooner!

Bang bang! Boom! Pow!

I realized I haven't blogged in a while. But, for my readership of... four... I bet you can and will understand and won't hold it against me. Even if you do hold it against me... I still post more than you do. ^_^

So. My computer has died twice in the last four weeks - two of those weeks being the weeks in which it was dead. Apparently the new harddrives we put into the computer were crashing it. My compy can only read up to 137 GB of information, and we put in two harddrives that were bigger than that, the last of which was a 250 GB HD. Apparently it's something where it goes into the black hole of computerdom, and my computer - which from the tests I ran on it also lacks confidence, and on a later diagonostic, geometry skills - gets all excited about this infinite space... and dies. Leaving me with a black screen of death, with a little pale grey cursor at the top left of the screen, blinking sleepily at me and refusing to do anything else. It doesn't even know how to wake up anymore after one of those bouts.

And yes. My computer does, indeed suck at geometry and lacks any confidence. No wonder it keeps dying on me. I would too if I were it. I think I already have.

I've been watching a three part mini-series on tv, called Samurai Girl. It's somewhat soap-opera-ish, but I have definately enjoyed it. Lots of ninjas and supercool ninja powers and kickass fight scenes.

I also have a very temporary, very seasonal, very part time job. Friday and Saturday nights I shall be working at Kings Island - yes, Beth, I have sold my soul to KI again - in the Halloween Haunt (formerly Fear Fest). I'm going to be - supposedly - a cowgirl in the Tombstone Terror-tory near the train. I'm really hoping they let me wear cowgirl stuff. Assuming I pass my background check - and I seen no reason why I won't (but, if for some reaon it comes back poorly, at least I'll know why I don't have any job offers....) - I shall be having my costume fitting sometime in the next week, and I'll be better able to tell you what I am doing.

Rehearsals start the day after my birthday... so BAM! You're 23, go play an undead cowgirl! *ponder* I wonder if there's a hidden message in this....

But I'll have a week and a half of rehersals before I start work on the 26th. Then I work till 1, supposedly. So, if I get out of there before 2am, I'll be impressed. I'm not sure about makeup and stuff - if I take that off at home or at work. That will really be the kicker about how long it takes to get home. As it is I will have to be there an hour and a half before the park reopens each day to get ready and such. If I am able to get pictures later, I'll try to post them.

Beyond that, I have gotten rejection after rejection when it comes to jobs. Not that there are many jobs even open, in ANY field. Even the tech ones are near impossible to find. Looks like I'll be doing seasonal employment for a while, or something. This irritates me like none other.

Ah well. That's it for now. More later. Cheers!

Jokes

Below are some jokes that amused me, found online.

------

Before Computers

An application was for employment
A program was a TV show
A cursor used profanity
A keyboard was a piano!

Memory was something that you lost with age
A CD was a bank account
And a floppy disk was something
Terribly wrong in your back.

Compress was something you did to garbage
Not something you did to a file
And if you unzipped anything in public
You'd be in jail for awhile!

Log on was adding wood to a fire
Hard drive was a long trip on the road
A mouse pad was where a mouse lived
And a backup happened to your commode!

Cut - you did with a pocket knife
Paste you did with glue
A web was a spider's home
And a virus was the flu!

I guess I'll stick to my pad and paper
And the memory in my head
I hear nobody's been killed in a computer crash
But when it happens they wish they were dead!

------

Forest Gump and St. Peter

When Forest Gump died, he stood in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter said, "Welcome, Forest. We've heard a lot about you." He continued, "Unfortunately, it's getting pretty crowded up here and we find that we now have to give people an entrance examination before we let them in." Related Image

"Okay," said Forest. "I hope it's not too hard. I've already been through a test. My momma used to say, 'Life is like a final exam. It's hard.' "

"Yes, Forest, I know. But this test is only three questions. Here they are."

1) Which two days of the week begin with the letter 'T'?"

2) How many seconds are in a year?

3) What is God's first name?

"Well, sir," said Forest, "The first one is easy. Which two days of the week begin with the letter 'T'? Today and Tomorrow."

St. Peter looked surprised and said, "Well, that wasn't the answer I was looking for, but you have a point. I give you credit for that answer."

"The next question," said Forest, "How many seconds are in a year? Twelve."

"Twelve?" said St. Peter, surprised and confused.

"Yes, sir. January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd …"

St. Peter interrupted him. "I see what you mean. I'll have to give you credit for that one, too."

"And the last question," said Forest, "What is God's first name? It's Andy."

"Andy?" said St. Peter, in shock. "How did you come up with 'Andy'?"

"I learned it in church. We used to sing about it." Forest broke into song, "Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am His own."

St. Peter opened the gate to heaven and said, "Run, Forest, Run!"

------

Doggone Brilliant

A wealthy man decided to go on a safari in Africa. He took his faithful pet dachshund along for company. One day, the dachshund starts chasing butterflies and before long the dachshund discovers that he is lost.

So, wandering about, he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the obvious intention of having him for lunch. The dachshund thinks, "I'm in deep trouble now!" Then he noticed some bones on the ground close by, and immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat.

Just as the leopard is about to leap, the dachshund exclaims loudly, "Boy, that was one delicious leopard. I wonder if there are any more around here." Hearing this, the leopard halts his attack in mid-stride, as a look of terror comes over him, and slinks away into the trees.

"Whew," says the leopard. "That was close. That dachshund nearly had me."

Meanwhile, a monkey, who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So, off he goes.

But the dachshund saw him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figured that something must be up.

The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard. The leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, "Here monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine."

Now the dachshund sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back, and thinks, "What am I going to do now?" But instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet. And, just when they get close enough to hear, the dachshund says:

"Where's that darn monkey? Sent him off half an hour ago to bring me another leopard."

------

Marketing Speak

Cindy McCain discovered that her husband's great great uncle, Gunther McCain, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Tennessee in 1889.

The only existing photograph shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this inscription: "Gunther McCain; horse thief. Sent to Tennessee Prison 1883, escaped 1887. Robbed the Tennessee Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889."

After letting the Republican Party's large staff of professional image consultants review this discovery, they took the following actions to assist John's campaign to become our next president. They decided to crop Gunther's picture, scan it in as an enlarged image, and edited it with image processing software so that all that is seen in the final picture is a head shot. Along with this enhanced photo, the accompanying biographical sketch was sent to the Associated Press:

"Gunther McCain was a famous cattleman in early Tennessee history. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Tennessee railroad company. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his business enterprise with the railroad. In 1887 he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889 Gunther regrettably died suddenly during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform on which he was standing collapsed."

------

Simple Questions, Complicated Answers

Why is abbreviated such a long word?
Why does monosyllabic have five syllables?
Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
Why is a carrot more orange than an orange?
Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?
Why are they called apartments, when they're all stuck together?
Why do scientists call it research when looking for something new?
Why do they call it a building? It looks like they're finished. Why isn't it a built?
Why is it when you transport something by car, it's called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship, it's called cargo?
If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
If price and worth mean the same thing, why priceless and worthless are opposites?
Is there another word for synonym?
Is it possible to be totally partial?

I exist!

Long time no chat, I know.

Yet again, I'm not in the best frame of mind to really say much, but I shall update nonetheless.

Before anyone else asks: Yes, I have rats now. Do NOT ask me about them. We've been in a fight with the breeder for the two weeks since we've brought them home. Things are not going well, to put it mildly. So please - don't get overly excited and jumpy and hyper and ask how I'm liking the rats. I'm not.

Now, that being said, I do not hold it against the poor girls that they weren't socialized. They do have a sweet temperment and they are drop dead gorgeous. But they cannot / will not be held. I can't pet them, hold them, play with them, bribe them, anything. They see someone and run away. It takes a while but one CAN coax them into being little beggars that stand at the door, even if you can't hold them. You close the door and they cling to it (one would assume that means they weren't done playing/eating/whatever yet...) You walk out the room to, say, answer the phone. You return a minute later - they act like they've never seen you before in their lives. They race away to the farthest corner possible and shake and tremble and hide. The process starts over.

There. That was a brief rundown. Do NOT give me advice on this. Do NOT try to be helpful. Don't say something like 'well, if you work with them, won't they be fine?' Answer: no. We've tried this before. At this age, they're near impossible to adequetly socialize. If they're people rats, you can train them to do a million things at this age. But they need to trust us. Trust cannot be learned that much at this age. So please. PLEASE. Don't try to be helpful. I can guarantee that I've either thought it, tried it, considered it, etc.

Now that I've clarified the question that I'm getting and not wanting, let's move on to other topics.

Just returned from an overnight venture to C-bus. Friday dad and I went up to the Ohio State Fair. Spent all day there. I milked a cow and saw some cute pigs. Or, if you asked dad, I milked a pig. Mom wanted to know how that went over... so do I. I don't remember milking any pigs... Dad said that he was getting in trouble for being too verbose at work, so he said he got rid of all unnecessary words - and thus, got rid of the word 'cow' and 'saw some' leaving 'milked a pig' in the thought's stead. We saw some gorgeous horses, but unfortunately the horse shows hadn't started yet or had just finished, leaving few horses there. Saw several sheep and pigs - the fair boar was huge! Bigger than most ponies I've known. I wouldn't want to cross him... his bottom teeth were as big as my fingers. Saw a calf, who was sweet as anything. So sweet. Had some fresh ice cream, and various fair foods.

Stayed the night in Dublin, then got up the next morning to head off to Dublin's Irish Festival. I'm rather sad that I did not get to make use of the jacuzzi or the pool at the hotel. I'd really looked forward to it - I was too beat to do anything but sleep. I got my bread bowl with stew in it at the festival - usually I must wait until Renfest. This year, Renfest came early. ;) The festival was awesome, and different than Dayton's or Cincinnati's. This had a lot of booths, reenactments, etc, and not just music. Not that I mind just music, but it was nice to have lots of STUFF to look at as well. It had seven music stages spread out amongst the booths. I fell in love with an Irish Wolfhound. Oh man she was gorgeous. We watched the Tannahill Weavers (great Scottish group, been around for 30+ years), saw various other bands, and just kinda meandered about. We got back home around 1 am. Unfortunately, I fell asleep in the car within five minutes of our journey home. Thankfully dad was there driving, else I'd have had to get a hotel in C-bus again for that night. Absolutely beaten. I came home at 1 am, and slept till at least 3pm on Sunday, and that was when I got up only because I was awoken to go watch Wall-E.

Speaking of which, that was a bit of a letdown. I'd hoped for a better movie than that. I mean, it was cute and all, and Wall-E and Eve were adorable, but I was just overall not impressed. Bummer.

I guess I should cover Dayton as well. Dad and I went up for that Celtic fest as well, and there were some awesome groups I found. Slide and Scythian were both spectacular. Slide is from Ireland, and Scythian is from DC area. Of the two, I'm thinking more people that read this would prefer Scythian. It was a bit rock, a bit celtic, a bit gypsy, a bit funky. And I will admit, some of reason I liked them was simply watching them on stage. Talk about an energetic performance!

So that's that. Still job searching, still trying my hardest to socialize the rats, and so forth.

I apologize for such a long rant, but that is my update. Take it as you will.

Below are some videos I found on YouTube. I do not claim that any of you will like any of them, but watch/listen if you'd like.


Scythian - Tammlin (it cut out one of the best parts of the song, like the jumping around, but oh well...)




Scythian - not sure of the song, but fun humor clip




Tannahill Weavers - (not sure which song this is at the moment...)




Slide - Just So Far Away

Life in a Minute

Time for updates of sorts, I suppose.

I'm not feeling the best, so it'll probably be short, sweet, and choppy. Enjoy.

I'm taking tae kwon do twice a week, and after less than a month I'm ready for my first test. This is what they do - they sucker you into a $40/month class. THEN you have to pay close to $70 for a uniform, which they don't tell you. THEN another close to $70 for your tests. Bah. However, I'm having fun at the moment.

Cristina is now an official RN and an LT in the US Army, and has moved down to sunny, nasty, hot, miserable, dry Texas. ;) GO CRIS! You deserved it. I do believe she also has a car and an apartment down there now as well.

Official Ratty Pickup - 6 pm this Friday. Plus the four hours up to the pickup and four hours back. >.< But we will have rattie babies soon. I have tentative official names, but I shall not disclose them yet.

Last weekend: Saturday - Dayton Air Show. Thankfully no crashes this time. It also was pretty crappy compared to previous years.

Sunday - down to Louisville for a visitation. One of my great aunts died on Friday. So Monday was the funeral. We spent the night at my grandmother's house - never was I so thankful for our home's water pressure and my bed. The dog was also determined to make my night living hell. I got no sleep. Oh well.

Next Weekend: Friday - Rattie pickup
Saturday - Dayton Celtic Festival
Sunday - well, we'll see when it gets closer.

All the time: Searching for a job.

Tschau!

For Nick.

... And anyone else who likes these. :P One is a live version; one is a short version. Both are fun.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=9lJQ-R6X8uw


http://youtube.com/watch?v=-g00Vf5i_SE&feature=related

Ki-hap!

So I've started Tae Kwon Do. It's very fun, if a bit painful. We were taught a few pressure points on Tuesday.... my arm and hand are still very sore. Perhaps if I hadn't been so proud and had shown emotion, he would have let up off the pressure points sooner. Somehow, I'm not thinking he would.

I really don't feel like posting much, esp since not too many read this, so I shall post things that I have intended to post for a while.

Actually, I'll be nice and only post them one or two at a time....

I'm sad. I must link. I cannot embed. *cries*

The song features a few famous faces, including Seinfeld alum Jason Alexander, actor William Shatner, and the Bachelorette herself, Trista Rehn.** If you don't like the music, you'll love Shatner at the end. Even if you don't like the music, which most of you won't, the actors themselves are funny. Fun spoof.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uEPe4fZNf74

** This section was taken from a Yahoo! reviewing who was in the video...

I'M GONNA BE A MOMMA!

I'll be able to pick them up in about two weeks... so when they're 6 wks old. :) Aren't they cuties!?

Happy Independence Day!

Don't forget to scroll down to the next post! Pictures and kayaking stuff on there!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!


Yankee Doodle (American Revolution)

Father and I went down to camp
Along with Captain Gooding
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding.

Chorus
Yankee doodle, keep it up
Yankee doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step
And with the girls be handy.

There was Captain Washington
Upon a slapping stallion
A-giving orders to his men
I guess there was a million.

Chorus

And then the feathers on his hat
They looked so' tarnal fin-a
I wanted pockily to get
To give to my Jemima.

Chorus

And then we saw a swamping gun
Large as a log of maple
Upon a deuced little cart
A load for father's cattle.

Chorus

And every time they shoot it off
It takes a horn of powder
It makes a noise like father's gun
Only a nation louder.

Chorus

I went as nigh to one myself
As' Siah's underpinning
And father went as nigh agin
I thought the deuce was in him.
We saw a little barrel, too
The heads were made of leather
They knocked upon it with little clubs
And called the folks together.

Chorus

And there they'd fife away like fun
And play on cornstalk fiddles
And some had ribbons red as blood
All bound around their middles.
The troopers, too, would gallop up
And fire right in our faces
It scared me almost to death
To see them run such races.

Chorus

Uncle Sam came there to change
Some pancakes and some onions
For' lasses cake to carry home
To give his wife and young ones.

Chorus

But I can't tell half I see
They kept up such a smother
So I took my hat off, made a bow
And scampered home to mother.

Chorus

Cousin Simon grew so bold
I thought he would have cocked it
It scared me so I streaked it off
And hung by father's pocket.

Chorus

And there I saw a pumpkin shell
As big as mother's basin
And every time they touched it off
They scampered like the nation.


Other Verses:

And there was Captain Washington,
With gentlefolks about him,
They say he's gown so 'tarnal proud
He will not ride without them.

Chorus

There came Gen'ral Washington
Upon a snow-white charger
He looked as big as all outdoors
And thought that he was larger.

Chorus




Battle of New Orleans (War of 1812)
Johnny Horton

In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip.
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans.

[Chorus:]
We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin.
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to runnin' on
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

We looked down the river and we see'd the British come.
And there must have been a hundred of'em beatin' on the drum.
They stepped so high and they made the bugles ring.
We stood by our cotton bales and didn't say a thing.

[Chorus]

Old Hickory said we could take 'em by surprise
If we didn't fire our muskets 'til we looked 'em in the eye
We held our fire 'til we see'd their faces well.
Then we opened up with squirrel guns and really gave 'em ... well

[Chorus]

Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.**

We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down.
So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.
We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind
And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind.

[Chorus]

Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.





Battle Hymn of the Republic (Civil War)


Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning
Of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Chorus
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watchfires
Of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar
In the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence
By the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.

Chorus
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ
In burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with My contemners,
So with you My grace shall deal":
Let the Hero born of woman
Crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.

Chorus
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet
That shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men
Before His judgement seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him;
Be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.

Chorus
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom
That transfigures you and me;
As He died to make men holy,
Let us die to make men free;
While God is marching on.

Chorus
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.




Dixie (Civil War)


O, I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old times there are not forgotten
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.

In Dixie Land where I was born in
Early on one frosty mornin'
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.

Chorus:
O, I wish I was in Dixie!
Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I'll take my stand
To live and die in Dixie
Away, away,
Away down south in Dixie!

Old Missus marry Will, the weaver,
William was a gay deceiver
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.

But when he put his arm around her
He smiled as fierce as a forty pounder
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.

Chorus:
O, I wish I was in Dixie!
Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I'll take my stand
To live and die in Dixie
Away, away,
Away down south in Dixie!

His face was sharp as a butcher's cleaver
But that did not seem to grieve her
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.
Old Missus acted the foolish part
And died for a man that broke her heart
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.

Chorus:
O, I wish I was in Dixie!
Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I'll take my stand
To live and die in Dixie
Away, away,
Away down south in Dixie!



Over There (WWI)
George Cohan



Johnnie get your gun, get you gun, get your gun,
Take it on the run, on the run, on the run,
Hear them calling you and me;
Every son of Liberty
Hurry right away, no delay, go today,
Make your daddy glad to have had such a lad
Tell your sweetheart not to pine,
To be proud her boy's in line.

Chorus:
Over There, Over There
Send the word, send the word,
Over There
That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum tumming everywhere
So prepare,
Say a Prayer
Send the word,
Send the word to beware
We'll be over, we're coming over.
And we won't be back till it's over over there!

Johnnie get your gun, get you gun, get your gun,
Johnnie show the Hun, you're a Son-of-a-Gun,
Hoist the flag and let her fly
Like true heros do or die
Pack your little kit, show your grit, do your bit,
Soldiers to the ranks from the towns and the tanks,
Make your Mother proud of you and to Liberty be true.

Chorus:
Over There, Over There
Send the word, send the word,
Over There
That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum tumming everywhere
So prepare,
Say a Prayer
Send the word,
Send the word to beware
We'll be over, we're coming over.
And we won't be back till it's over over there!


God Bless America (WW2)
Kate Smith

God bless America
Land that I love
Stand beside her
And guide her
Through the night with a light from above
From the mountains
To the prairies
To the oceans white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home
God bless America
Land that I love
Stand beside her
And guide her
Through the night with a light from above
From the mountains
To the prairies
To the oceans white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home
God bless America....
My home sweet home

Kayaking

This post won't be long b/c it hurts to type. Went kayaking yesterday with Ben. It was mucho fun. I got a call during the trip from the parents to make sure we were safe, and to tell me about some awesome rats they found -- they wouldn't tell me more until I got home. The moment I got home we fought. Took over two hours of talking to get them to tell me anything. That was after about three hours of silence. Today, I have also gotten in trouble during the same topic as last night - dinner. Yes, dinner. If I open my mouth, I get in trouble. If I don't open my mouth, I get in trouble. Either way I have attitude. Either way I'm being disrepectful and a bitch to deal with. Either way I am trying to piss them off. Tell me - if I can't speak and if I can't stay quiet without getting in trouble, what am I supposed to do? Fall off the face of the earth? And how come they can be bitchy at me but if I respond - in a very reasonable tone I think - why am I still the one being a bitch? Why can they have bad days but I can't? My God.

Anyways, back to the topic. I have some pictures to post from yesterday's Kayaking trip. It was very fun, and lasted all day. Unfortunately I pinched nerves in both of my arms and they feel like they're on fire - I didn't sleep at all last night because of it. This too makes me a bitch somehow. I'm not sure what they expect of me.

Two days ago I mowed the lawn and went to my first Tae Kwon Do class. We shall see how that plays out.

Also, if I don't post at all tomorrow: Happy 4th of July! Hope you all have great fireworks displays and parties to attend! We're going to KY tomorrow. For me to get in trouble, most likely, for not being respectful enough. Or something. Thankfully only my parents tell me I have attitude. Everyone else makes a point to come talk to me. -_-

For the Canadian who reads this: Happy Late Canada Day!

Turtle!





We had our own private air show for a while:













These prints were huge. The bottom one was bigger than my hand in length, and the wide part was wider than my hand. Looks like a racoon, but I don't know any that get that big:

Under the tree:

The lovely Little Miami:



Great Blue Heron:

Again, but flying away from us:

On the way home:









That bridge is the last we have to cross before we return to our dropoff point, and thus, the end of the day: