The One Where I Ruminate May 22, 2009

Remember how I used to review movies? Well, movie reviews are back by popular demand. Okay, no one really demanded it and it may not even be popular, but I’m going to do it anyway.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button... I’m sure you all (all two of you) know the basic story - Brad Pitt is born old and ages backward. Someone compared it to Forrest Gump, but I disagree. I think they were just letting viewers know where the characters were in history.

I thought it was really good. It stuck with me after I watched it, which means I was thinking about it the next day. That doesn’t happen too often with me. Typically, I can hardly remember what I watched, much less ruminate on it. (I hope I used the word ruminate correctly… can you believe someone gave me a PhD?)

So, I give it 5 out of 5 ruminations of Brad Pitt on his motorcycle.

The One With the Pillow May 20, 2009

5-7-09 001, originally uploaded by stcsmh.

So I get home from work one day and let the dogs out (who, who, who!) as usual. I see Nola standing on the hill and notice that her butt is bloody. Now, if you’re a dog owner, you can imagine my horror. If she ate something and it did that to her BUTT, what did it do to her insides? So I call her over and take a closer look.

Upon further inspection, I find a hole next to her, well, hole. Being an animal pro (I think) I clean the wound, slap some Neosporin on it, and go upstairs and put on my pj’s. I come downstairs and it’s still bleedling preety badly. So I go back up and change clothes and head to the emergency vet.

I tell the receptionist the situation, she looks at Nola’s butt and says, “ruptured anal gland.”
“Excuse me?”
“Ruptured anal gland.”
“THEY DO THAT??”
“Yes.”

So, after some sedative, a shaved butt, a wound cleaning, and a lot of money, we head home.

And that is why Nola is using her tongue as a pillow in this picture.

The One With Leapin’ Lizards! May 14, 2009

Leapin’ Lizards!, originally uploaded by stcsmh.

This is known as a green anole (according to a google search performed using the term “lizard throat expands”). We here in the south just call it a lizard. They are very familiar and common and not scary at all. Their throat (or dewlap, according to the google search) is not always like this. It expands the throat to indicate excitement (according to the google search).

My experience with them is that they tend to stay around the same area. I know, you’re wondering how do I know they stick around. If they are so prevalent, how do you know it’s not just different lizards you’re seeing? Well let me tell you…

My cat, Rudy, who you’ve seen on here before, is big. Perhaps you couldn’t tell by the pictures, but he weighs 20+ pounds. This means that it’s tough for him to be ninja-like. So one day, in my old house, he shuffled past me looking sneaky and guilty. I followed him and a lizard dropped out of his mouth.

ACK!

The lizard had lost the better part of his (her?) tail,but was, for the most part, not injured. I picked him (her?) up and took her (him?)outside to freedom. This was the summer that the lizards kept breaking into my screened porch. I kept warning them that Rudy would try to eat them, but they wouldn’t listen. But I digress…

So, a few weeks later, I go out my back door and there is a lizard inside the screen. It was missing most of it’s tail. The same lizard I had saved. Once again, I ushered it to freedom.

This is why I think they stick around. They’re too stupid to go away.

The One Where I’m Phinally a Doctor May 13, 2009

Dr. K, originally uploaded by stcsmh.

I have not forgotten about you, blog. I’ve just been busy… finalizing the dissertation, graduating, trying to get re-grow some of my brain cells.

Women talk about pregnancy brain, but I also think there is dissertation brain. I only had enough room in my head for two things: 1) to do my job and 2) to write my dissertation. This fact was made all too clear when I had to ask my husband if 1 and 1/2 hours was 90 minutes when I was putting a frozen lasagna in the oven.

But that’s all over with. It’s weird to not have anything hanging over my head. But it’s a good weird. VERY good.

I will update more frequently… I’ll just need to find something to talk about… there’s a little mystery to figure out.