Little buggers...!

What do you do when you have a Ladybug infestation? Is it just me, or do Ladybugs look creepy in clusters? I never thought they'd gross me out as they do now, crammed into the cracks of my livingroom windowsills, but they've turned a pukish yellow-orange, rather than an electrifying red. They also manage to carry a heavier stench than normal. If you touch them, the smell gets all over your fingers. When I was a kid, they were my friends, so light and pretty, and comparable to the majesty of a butterfly. That was then. I still think they're cute, but not as innocently beautiful when buzzing around with their little wasp wings. When I first discovered them huddled in a corner, I thought, "oh cute. I'll just release them outside". There were about 6 measely little bugs then. I opened my window and started picking them up with my fingers one by one and throwing them out the window. I soon realized there was a problem with my calculations...they weren't going away! They kept mulitiplying before my eyes, until it seemed there were about 40! They were so crammed that they were keeping the cold from coming through the cracks. Hokey smokes! What do you do with 40 Ladybugs?! I'd call an exterminator if I had a cockroach problem, or rats, or....but Ladybugs?

I wanna come back as a Bonobo

They're shameless lovers. They'd rather gaze into eachother's eyes than pick a fight. I thought about how they're like you and me, only they're furry and not quite our closest relatives, though they should be. From everything I've learned about the bonobos, I want to be most like them out of all the primates. It seems they live for peace, not war, and are habitual love-makers. Physically, bonobos are slightly smaller than chimpanzees in overall body size, with larger eyes that scream of innocence, as well as less prominent jaws. Thanks to my biological anthropology professor, I've collected a portfolio of bonobo stories that seem to be the same repetitous tale, told over and over again, at chronologically different times. The recurring theme? Love-making. Yes, bonobos are by far some of the most creative species when it comes to sex, and seem to thrive on the variety in which they carry out the act. Though it may seem funny, this observation is key to familiarizing oneself to the primary lifestyle of these animals. It is proven through documented field observations that one eight-hour observational session is not for the easily embarrassed; bonobos win the love-making title over many other primates, such as gorillas, chimps, persimians, orangutans, etc. In other instances, chimps are arguably more easily upset than bonobos. Chimps are more aggressive and willing to put up with a fight, whereas, bonobos would just assume fight for life or death rather than over mates, children, or food. Perhaps this is why we are most closely related to chimps. As humans, we fight over the silliest things. Fighting over mates, children, food, you name it, seems much more understandable in the human realm because it's supposed to be a big deal. I wonder if we should take some notes from the bonobo lifestyle. If I believed in reincarnation as a primate, which I don't, I'd hope to come back as a loving bonobo.

I left my heart in Moab, Utah 

Prepping mind, soul and body for Biological Anthropology

As a regular member of the world's student association, I can assure you that the stress I'm feeling today in preparation for my midterm tomorrow will most likely be felt tomorrow as well, and then the next day, and all the following days until December when school finally ends for the quarter. Raw nerves could be attributed to so many things, I dare not start to list them all for fear I wouldn't have time to study for my midterm. Perhaps that's why I'm so jolly about writing this blog...I get to procrastinate on the expansion of my brain just a little longer. But, back from drifting subjects, I'm pretty sure us students should be awarded "best backbone" or "Most stress taken within a four-year period", right along with our Bachelor's or Master's degrees. I've asked myself if this is worth it like 20 times today. Will I really be able to cram so many facts into my head before 9AM tomorrow morning? This is only the first of 3 midterms and I hardly know if I like bio-anth yet or not. A breakthrough in mental prep happened upon me around 3:30PM this afternoon as I sat in my livingroom going over genetics equations with a classmate: "YES! Holy cow, I actually understand this stuff!" It was definitely one of the most exciting moments of my week. Or of the year, for that matter. Science finally made sense to me. I still have a few more hours to buckle down, jam my face in the anthropology textbook, and make more sense of it all, but I'm on a roll. Especially when I opened up my fortune cookie that came with my Chinese dinner from Safeway. It read : you could prosper in the field of medicine. I'll take that as a pass for biological anthropology.

"Never love unless you can bear with all the faults of man." - Shakespeare 

Forensics Not Found at TWU

READ THIS OR ANGST: In rapid response to Monk's latest blogs, I believe I hold a similar opinion and would hope to God that the world listen to what I have to say as well. That includes the not-so-dry topic as (you didn't guess) forensics. "Why not dry?" you may ask. In case you haven't heard, the study of forensics in comparison to its close relative of archeology, is, my dear people, wet and wild. Anyway, in any relation to Monk's thorough topic of flailing discontent with TWU society, I propose that the study of forensics is only appropriately lacking at TWU. Not only can you not dig up bones, or walk around campus talking about your ancestors, you just can't flat out, get past ANTH 101. They don't offer it and they won't. You can forget about Trinity as a culturally-minded institution. Yes, there are one or two, or (eek!) maybe even three people on campus who might be interested in it. Offering classes on it, however is far-fetched. Did I really write to talk about classes that aren't offered? That's of no concern to me anymore, so no. What I did write to say, is that there is a differing type of forensics that should really be addressed here. You might as well post a sign and get fined for it: No digging into life and policy of TWU "community". What Monk refers to regarding no fornication simply reinforces the true notion that TWU thinks it's ok to live a lie. Don't dig past happy faces and high GPA's. Don't ask past chapel attendance and proper dorm duties. Yeah, they'd like to ask, wouldn't they, only that presents a problem: they wouldn't like what they would find. Don't ask cuz you don't want to know. It's better to leave your shovel at home than to find out who really drinks a Heineken in the Back 40. In fact, if you're having any anti-Christian problems, leave those at home too. They aren't welcome at TWU. Don't you know you'll only infect someone if you dig that kind of stuff up? Besides, wet and wild isn't the going trend at Twu.