Morphing animals and a new reality show!

I went to visit my little buddy Paul last night. He's gotten so into the fish tank hobby since he began the hobby a few years ago when he was about 12. It started with a freshwater tank, then he saw my reef tank and it was all over. Now's he's got two big tanks in his room, one of them a large freshwater and the other a medium saltwater. He's doing such a great job mainting them.

It's amazing how high functioning autistic people can get so engrossed in any one thing. For Paul, it started with trains when he was a whee guy. The train obsession went on for the first 7 or so years of his life and ended with a huge train set in the garage. The thing is gorgeous. Next came the animals. I was surprised how well they integrated the pets into the family. I've known them since high school (daughter Marguerite is my friend from then and living in New York currently) and they didn't seem like your typical 'pet people' back then. First it was the cat that wondered in and Paul was enamored. He was a cool cat so mom and dad liked him quite a bit so they adopted him. Next came the bird, a cockatiel of course, and Paul was fascinated. Always talking about the Macaw he was going to buy one day... Now it's the aquariums and this hobby seems to be the one he's been most passionate about thus far. Man, the kid knows more than I do now!

I was over there last night checking out his latest new fish, saying hi to the bird, talking about tank equipment...animal nerd stuff. It was nice, but I had to keep the visit short because it was 7 pm, I was tired and starving. As I was trying to leave, which is always a process with Paul, he just HAD to show me ONE more thing. It'll only take a minute, he says and is off to the computer room by the front door. M'kay, so it's on my way out...cool. I'm glad I watched these, they're so awesome! There's never just one, either...

First we have a Fish Morph.

Then we have a Bird Morph.

Isn't that sumpthin'? Pretty cool what creative people are doing these days. The internet has opened so many doors.

This morning while on my way to work I listened to the comedy channel on Sirius again. Have I mentioned how much I love those channels? I've always loved stand up on Comedy Central and this is just icing on the cake. So this guy comes on and damnit if I've forgotten his name already... Tim somethin'...anyway I tuned in as he was talking about having to go to Afghanistan where one of the duties Americans have to carry out is finding and detonating the land mines.

He says, "What a job to give to Americans. We should give this job to the millions of felons that are jamming our prisons."

HAH! Yea, how 'bout that?

"Get 'em out there and hey, what a great idea for a new reality show! We can call it 'Duck, Duck, BOOM!"

BWAHAHAHA!!!!

"We'll make the host a drill sergeant who barks orders at them. Have him introduce each one by announcing what they went in for. This is Hal Grossman, in for manslaughter. Sergeant hands him a helmet and a stick and off he goes!"

Can you imagine? You can follow the reality show formula so easily with this one. Yea, I got a kick outta Tim. I can usually tell if I'm going to like the act within the first minute or so. There are things that are a total turn off for me when it comes to comedy and a major one is obviously disrespect for animals. I couldn't stand the guy yesterday who kept bringing up killing dogs. I don't remember the context really, but it didn't make the mention of shooting dogs funny to me.

Then there was the one who started in with, "You know when you hear the birds singing? They're not singing about anything, really. They don't know what they're doing... Chirp! Chirp! Humans are the only ones that can really sing songs..." At which point I turned it. He was obviously ignorant of the fact that birds do learn complicated song patterns and pass those songs on to their young. But I'm a bird nerd and not everyone knows that. I shouldn't let stupid shit like that annoy me, but it does.

Another major turn off is when a comedian will start in on their kids and how "amazing" or "crazy" they are. In the words of George Carlin, "Your kids aren't special." I used to think the kid stuff was funny, but it's gotten old. I especially can't stand it when their kid is young and they act as though they're the first parents on the planet. I'm sure it has a lot to do with my recent discovery of my childfree identity, of course. My eyes have been opened to the reality of motherhood and how I don't wanna go there. Too bad it's so painfully common and I have to accept it. If I want respect for my choice to be without children, I have to respect their choice to have them. However, that doesn't come into play when I'm listening to them on the radio or watching them on tv. I have the freedom to choose and to turn the damn channel.

There's another entry, banged out in between work. Again, it's time to do my job and earn my full time pay.

Later!