Researcher on whale dung: ‘It does stink’ May 29, 2008

Every morning that I am at work, I have the same routine.  Come in, start the computer, get coffee, check email, check Facebook and then check MSNBC to make sure the world isn’t coming to an end and of course to catch up on celebrity gossip.  Usually, I am saddened by the headlines, shaking my head at the oil prices or the topics on war and destruction.  This morning, well, this morning was different.  The headline read: Whale poop?!  10 worst jobs in sceince.  I couldn’t click fast enough on that one and I was greeted by this gem of a statement:

“Brown stain ahoy!” is not the cry most mariners long to hear, but for Rosalind Rolland, a senior researcher at the New England Aquarium in Boston, it’s a siren song.

It goes on to say that they actually have a dog trained to sniff out the poo and then when they get to it, they collect the matter in order to learn more about the whales internal going ons.  Ew.

It makes me wonder what the other 9 jobs are………….

Make Levees, Not War May 28, 2008

It has been a busy past 7 days.

Last Thursday, I went with a group from South Pittsburg, TN – Christ Church to New Orleans to help the Epsicopal Disaster Relief team.  We slept in a one big room with foam mattresses, showered in a trailor outside that once you were clean, walking into the open air made you instantly sweaty again.  We ate fabulous seafood and drank lots of Abita beer.  I visited the Art Museum to enjoy the George Rodrigue display and even made it to a Greek festival.  All of this was over shadowed by the main purpose of our trip.  Family of 11 living in the one car garage, lost everything during Katrina and we helped lay tile down in their home.  It is so close to being finished I could almost celebrate with them.   It really gave me great perspective at least for a little while.

Stories and pictures from our trip to New Orleans

So, I got home and Wil had earned major husband points by cleaning the house, including brand new sheets on the bed (my favorite part of cleaning) and he had bought flowers which I never get to have.  We celebrate our 4 year anniversary this week so we went out for a fancy meal last night and saw the new Indiana Jones movie.  I will say, as not to spoil it for anyone that it did not disappoint but it didn’t wow me either.  Indiana Jones is a simple hero and this movies continues with that tradition.

Call Me May 15, 2008

Nobody ever calls me anymore.  I come home and there’s no little light blinking, no notepad with a persons name and the word “called” next to them.  I rarely even hear the phone ring and when it does, it’s usually for Wil.

I was thinking about this last night at spiritual directon and I wouldn’t say I’m lonely but I can feel my unpopularity gripping at my well being.  When I call my mom, we have a 10 minute phone call about once a week.  What’s weird since I love my mom and I consider her a best friend so why the heck don’t we talk more?  The woman hates talking on the phone.  All of my years, I never saw her spend more then a few minutes  on any one phone call. 

This leads me to a thought about myself….I think I have phone anxiety.  I don’t even know if this is a real thing but I know I have it.  I do not like to call people.  Once I’m on the phone with them, I’m great and I love hearing what they’re doing and how they’re doing and I think about people often and wonder what’s new.  It is the actual act of calling that I have issues with.  I think, “What will we talk about? Will they be busy?  Will the cell phone cut in and out and drive me crazy?”  When I get an answering machine, I am somehow relieved because I have done my duty as a friend and have shown I care but I don’t have to actually talk.

Girl time is crucial in my life and when I make dates with my gal pals I always have so much to talk about and I always have a great time.  I rather them be here in person then on the phone.  Wil gets agrivated with me because I do have a cell phone but I never carry it and hardly use it unless I’ve gone “down the mountain.” 

What’s weird is that I haven’t always been this way.  I think it started in college and has progressed each year and each time I move.  Back in high school I would talk so long that one of my friends actually fell asleep while I was talking to him.  I remember pausing mid- sentence only to hear a soft snore on the other line.

Maybe tonight I’ll spread my wings and face my fears and call a few friends to say hello.  Or maybe I’ll watch the season finale of America’s Next Top Model………..