September 2010 Archives

Stink bugs DO NOT make me happy.

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I was about to blog about something much more pleasant when I heard that sickening sound of a flying stink bug that it is impossible to explain in words.  Ughh. 

The stink bug was in full flight, its wings were working furiously and legs dangled in the air. 

It flew directly towards my face.

I immediately grabbed my planner, closed my eyes, and swung in its direction.  I didn't know I could react to anything this quickly; all of this went down in about five seconds. 

When I spotted it crawling on the floor, I grabbed an empty water bottle and trapped the stink bug in it. 

I already have two Ziploc containers that are also holding stink bugs hostage.  They've been in there for almost a week.  They're still alive.  These things could survive a nuclear war.  Just look at how creepy they are:




So what's up with these stink bugs?

They aren't even native to this continent.  We can thank China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan for them because they're an agricultural pest native to these countries.

The adult stink bugs show up during springtime, mate and lay eggs during the summertime, and then search for a place to hid for the winter during fall.

Stink bugs eat all the good fruit, like apples and peaches.  Oh, and they've been found on blackberries, corn, tomatoes, lima beans, soy beans, and green peppers.  They just ruin everything.

To keep stink bugs out, seal every opening.  Caulk every crevice.  But I have a feeling they'll still find a way to sneak in because they're annoying like that.

If you decide to use a vacuum cleaner to rid your room of stink bugs, your vacuum could acquire the smell of them over time.

Keep reading about stink bugs here if you dare.



What are your stink bug stories?

Have simple things like free samples, new hand soap, and the smell of freshly cut grass, made you happy?  If so, welcome to my blog!  If not, welcome anyway!  I am blogging about all of those simple things that make me happy for my Writing for the Internet class.


What have I learned so far?
1. See my Twitter page and look for the el236 hashtags!
2. Ending a blog with a question is a great way to engage the readers.  It becomes more of a discussion and less of a lecture.
3. It's more fun to write about what I enjoy than academic stuff.  Writing about a chapter in a text book bores me, and it feels good to finally admit that!  Because of this, I feel more welcomed by blogging.



Interaction:


There's a discussion brewing on my coffee blog post!


Depth:

My deep post that links beloved children's book Leo the Late Bloomer to avocados.


Discussing...

Publication on Matt's "Flash" Fiction
Publication again on Stephanie's Kill Two Birds With One Stone
Ways to get writing on Kayla's Thoughts of a Creative Writing Major



Outside Material:

I've included a link in this post that explains how to grow an avocado tree.  I connect the growing tree to Leo's blooming.


Ethos:

See Leo and coffee in action communicating my persona!


Convention:

I now introduce you to my entire Twitter page.  Here, you'll find that I've tweeted, re-tweeted, replied to tweets, and used hashtags.  There's also some little snippets of my life, explained in 140 characters or less, of course.

As for creative titles, I'm rather fond of: "Reunion with a long lost friend"
And I can't help it, I adore the phrase 'Tickled Pink'



Oh, and here's my afterthought.

Today was a rainy day...

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Sometimes rainy days are depressing.  They're dark.  They're cold.  They're wet.

But have you ever stopped to appreciate a rainy day?

 

Here some things I appreciate about rainy days:

The smell

Sounds of pitter-pattering

Puddles

Worms

A reason to drink tea

A reason to eat soup

A reason to wear a hoodie all day long

Curling up with a book

 

Keep the list going!  What do you like about rainy days?

Reunion with a long lost friend

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This week, I was reunited with something that I've been missing for the past two years.  That something is coffee.  I know it's lame, but I've missed drinking it! 

 

 

I stopped drinking it when I realized that my body was dependant on it.  I would get headaches if I didn't drink any for the day.  That's when I decided to cut coffee from my life.  I would enjoy a cup here and there, but it never agreed with my body.  So, to avoid discomfort, I stopped drinking it altogether.  Recently, I started drinking it again.  The first cup bothered me.  The second cup only bothered me a bit.  By the third cup, I built up a tolerance.

 

I can't help but appreciate how delicious coffee is, and that makes me happy!  I know that there are millions of people out there who can't help but appreciate coffee too!  But with our busy lifestyles, most people probably just toss that coffee down their throats because they need the energy to go, go go.  What if we just slowed down?  

 

Really.  Just stop.

Take a sip.  

Enjoy it. 

Treat it like it's your first cup.   

The first cup is always the best! :) 

 

Now spill the beans (the coffee beans, of course! (that's lame, sorry)), on a scale from 1-10, how much do you enjoy coffee? 





Leo bloomed!

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"Then one day,
in his own good time,
Leo bloomed!"


Robert Kraus Leo the Late Bloomer


It's been a rough week, but I don't understand why because it was really only four days long.  But something that always cheers me up is reading children's books.  I'll go to the children's section of the library or the bookstore and pick up which ever book catches my eye.  Or I'll go to my bookshelf and pick an old favorite.  Guess which book I decided to read?  If you haven't already guessed from the title or the quote or from the large picture, I choose Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus.

 
 
What makes Leo so special is that readers of any age can relate to his story.  Who doesn't feel like a late bloomer at some point in their lives?  I'll be the first to admit that I've felt like a late bloomer more than once with different things.  This is what I love about children's literature: it sticks with people even when they'vedare I say it?grown up.

My mom likes to grow avocado trees.  Sometimes she saves the pits of avocados, puts toothpicks in the sides of the pit, and props it up on top of a glass filled with water.  Sound confusing?  Check this site out.  After it's grown its roots, the pit can be planted in soil, and it will grow into an avocado tree.

You probably have no idea where I'm going with this, but that's okay.  Keep reading.

Well, I took a liking to naming the avocado trees once they start to sprout their first root.  The first I named 'Sprouty' because it was sprouting (I'm terribly creative).  The second pit took a while to sprout; I named this one 'Leo.'  As Sprouty was growing roots and thriving, Leo was taking his time.

One day, we noticed that Leo started growing faster and taller than Sprouty.  When we potted the avocado pits, Sprouty kept growing at a steady pace.  But Leo, in his own good time, bloomed.  Now Leo is a taller and more plush (funny word) than Sprouty.

As weird as it sounds, I'm proud of this plant.  He lived up to the great character he was named after.  I can't help but think of this avocado tree when I read Leo the Late Bloomer and I can't help but think of Leo when I see this avocado tree.

So yes, I'm strange.

What are some books from your childhood that you've grown attached to in some way?
 


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