3:00 snapshot #339 plus Random

Amazingly better mood today. The difference between today and Wednesday is like the difference between manic and depressive, like two sides of something bipolar; practically schizophrenic. So I think there's nothing wrong with me, on the average. My wife is beautiful, my dog is beautiful, the weather is beautiful, I'm happy.

Some thunder just started, making Charlie nervous, but I'm not going to let it spoil my mood.

So more than one person has pointed out the Vick rescue dog becomes therapy dog story to me. I have to confess a little bitterness, like, some famous jerkwad's dogs are in the news, so now maybe pitbulls are okay? But when I back up a little bit from it, trying not to be a jerkwad myself, I can see the value of this story. Whether I like it or not, the average person's association with the word 'pitbull' is negative; this high profile story may be their only exposure to a positive story. If at least one anti-pitbull jerkwad reacts by saying 'wow, maybe the problem isn't with the dogs but with the morons who keep them,' then that's a great thing.

this concludes the 'jerkwad' part of today's random.

It turns out that the oil spill in my beloved Muddy River yesterday isn't fuel oil, but some kind of electrical insulator. Small consolation for the wildlife affected. The environmental cleanup crews are still working on it outside my window, as I type this. I wondered to Alexis today, if the oiled geese and ducks were treated for parasites while they were being cleaned up by volunteers. If so, we could say 'the oily bird gets dewormed.' Then she hung up on me.

Well, she wanted to, but she loves me too much, puns and all. To prove it she sent me this story about a woman reaching into her mailbox to find a corn snake coiled up in there. A very similar story suggests that there's a rash of escaping corn snakes around the world. They make clips to keep the lids on the aquarium, kids! Just because it's the best snake for beginning herpers doesn't mean you're allowed to be stupid about it.

On a wild news tear, she also sent me this wonderful story about an urban wildlife worst case scenario. Like the possums in Homer's monorail, but much much worse.

Happy Summer everyone! Except for you Australians--just try not to get bit by anything.