devil bugs

Whew. Thanks for indulging me with that last post.
But in continuing with the theme, if you do not like bugs, stop reading.

What I really wanted to share deal with this status update:






Two quick cockroach stories, and then, back to the grindstone.

A number of Christmases ago, I was so  excited to begin decorating. I went down to our store room to retrieve the cardboard boxes the ornaments and other decorations were stored in.

I brought them all in the house [our store room was separate from the main house] and began to unpack. As I unpacked, I began noticing these strange brown-black things.

Then I noticed that the sourdough ornament had been chewed on.

And that was when I realized that the cardboard box had been infested by those nasty devil bugs.

I stopped decorating for Christmas at this point.

Growing up in Arizona, the winters didn't get cold enough to kill all the lovely bugs, so they would show up from time to time. Once one came out of the loveseat and crawled onto my leg. The worst was right when you were going to step into the shower, and you noticed the huge brown bug staring at you.
*shudder*


Second story.

This one involves a Palmetto bug, spray starch and a mission companion.

It must have been night time, because I know I was in bed. All of a sudden I hear my companion squeal. Then, this thing is flying towards me. I run. Quickly.

I am of no use to her in the battle against the bug. No, no, I had the important role of seeing the whole field so that I could direct the battle.

We did not have the usually bug killing supplies [bug spray, hairspray and matches....] in the apartment yet, as we were the first to live there, so we had to be creative.

The only spray aerosol we had was spray starch, so that had to do.

The spray did nothing really to harm him, but when he eventually landed in the sink, he was so coated with the spray starch, he could not remove himself from the sink.

So, my brave greenie drowned the sucker.

If you want to learn more about the cockroach (a.k.a. devil bug) you may look here.

Let us now all go and do our dishes. :)

eww... SICK!

Oh what a day its been. Indulge me for a moment, while I elaborate.
Umm, but if you don't like potty talk, you best not indulge me.

Last night I went to bed around one or two for a 'nap,' and then I was to wake up around three-ish to continue working on my paper.

Instead I woke up at 4:00am and, well, threw up.

And again at 9:30am right before work.

And again at 10:30am in the parking lot of America's Bank after I made a deposit.

(At this point I told my boss what was going on, and asked if I could go home when the other girl came in. He said I should stop partying so hard. He's so funny.)

And again at 12:30 in the Really Nice Clothing Store's bathroom. Hopefully no Really Rich Customers heard.

At this point, I was told to go home. :)

So I stopped by the Friendly Neighborhood Grocery store, grabbed some bubbly and saltines.

I arrived home, and, you guessed it!

And again at 1:30pm.

Here's the good news, though...I slept lots, and have kept down some bubbly and the saltines.

Man alive, I wish I knew where this came from so it could be sent back.

Bright side: I got to leave work early! And, I may get my jury postponed. woo.

gratefulness

If you are looking for something profound, you may want to keep looking.

I, on Thanksgiving Eve, felt like sharing a few things that I was grateful for:

A vacuum cleaner, so that I may have clean floors
Dish soap for clean dishes
An almost clean apartment
A Kitty who still loves me after his Surgery
A soft bed in which I will soon be sleeping
A day off from work tomorrow
Watching good movies
Rice and beans with smushed avocado for dinner
Some chicken for Thanksgiving Dinner - oh bother, though I may not have Cream of Mushroom soup for the green bean casserole....I'll survive.
and
The bestest family in the whole widest world, as evidenced by these status updates:

Mattnew, who can memorize anything, and recite anything at will, Frau who is a dedicated teacher, and takes on those fascist Italians, and Amber, who took Paul off our hands. :)


Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all, a good night!

here we are together

I'm sitting here on my oh so comfy couch. Next to me is a not-so-little-anymore black cat. [Question: Is it wrong that I like to poke him while he's sleeping?]

I started out this evening to post about what I've been studying in my Music of Southeast Asia class. Well, more how it applies to me right now.

But, I got sidetracked. [Do you like the new colors?]

But never fear, I am back on target.



For my project in the class, I am trying to answer why dancers would have been a target for execution during the Khmer Rouge. I finally have settled on an acceptable (at least to me!) thesis statement, and am beginning to really work out the organization of my paper. Once this is done, I'll be able to lay out what information I have already learned, and find any more information I may need to fill in any possible holes.

In reading stories of survivors of the regime, it has been hard to stay objective. Sometimes I even catch myself thinking flippantly about events that transpired. I guess so that I can continue functioning emotionally?

For example, one young girl relates how she and her entire family miraculously survived the years of the Khmer Rouge, and made it to Thailand in hopes of making it to a refugee camp. The arrived at a camp, and were then bussed to a location.

After disembarking the bus, they were forced to climb down a mountainside, through a minefield, then arriving back in their own country they had just fled.

And my 'Self' says: wow. that was really kind of them to do that.

[I just got distracted again. Big surprise.]

This is not the only story I've. And I doubt I would be able to read all of the stories that exist from that time period.

Many of the stories cannot be told. The number vary slightly, depending on the sources, but approximately 14,000 peoples were brought in for questioning (that includes men women and children) and only 7 survived.

'Self': hmm... wow. seven - that's an odd number.

Oh ya, and there's the story of the little boy who was the only one in his family who survived.

He knew his father had been killed, because his father would not lie. The little boy survived because he lied. Thusly, the boy learned that one survives through deceit and dishonesty. And others who believed that all that was happening to them was their fault, their karma. They must have done something wrong at some point, right?

'Self':   ...

And yet, there were stories of survival - even by people who were targeted. There are musicians who had ties to previous rulers, who survived, because they had an artistic ability.

'Self': what?

What we discussed in class was that the way the Khmer Rouge ruled was through fear. And this fear was created by changing the rules. Even those who were originally leaders in the organization were afraid for their lives. No one really knew the rules. Probably not even Pol Pot himself.

In a previous post, I've mentioned how I am grateful for the Plan of Happiness, and how there is justice for both those who do wrong, yet seem to not receive their dues and those who did not do wrong and were dealt a raw hand.

Now I would like to mention how grateful I am for a God who does not change the rules on us, thus allowing us to live our lives free from fear. I believe there is a reason fear is the enemy of faith.

I also love that it is my academic classes that are continually driving home these points to me. That makes me happy.

So much more could be said.

why i love maksim*

Yesterday was a rough day for him.

He insisted on jumping up on the kitchen table (an activity I do NOT want him to get used to) so I had to keep getting him off of the kitchen table.

Same day, he ran into my bedroom, and hid behind my curtains. I don't want him in my bedroom (though as he calms down, my strength on this decision is wavering.... shhh... don't tell Maks.) The only way to get him out is with a squirt or two from a water bottle. Yesterday morning he was dripping wet.

He still tried to get in the room. I think I may lose that battle.

BUT, today, when he jumped on the table, I did not need to manhandle him off. I just stood there, and pointed down. And he got down, after a bit of pathetic mewing. (But...But... he says.)

And then, there is my favorite way he lounges around on the couch.






He posed quite well for the picture, making sure his tail was in the middle, so you could see where his leggies are.

Seriously? Oh kitty, you are so silly.

And, I must skeedaddle: time for church.






* I needed another two syllable name. That was not feminine. And who doesn't like Maksim? aahahaha.