Journey Inside My Mind ™

Mood: a little awkward
Listening to: Tanfastic Podcast Episode 24
Eating: Total cereal with a generic chocolate/peanut butter cereal mixed in – and some milk
Watching: The IT Crowd

I am wearing contact lenses for the first time in over 12 years. I stopped wearing them back in college because they could not correct for astigmatism. It now appears that there are contact lenses that do.

An interesting thing about these lenses: one edge is thicker than the other, weighted to keep the lens from rotating around my cornea, as other lenses do. Because of the astigmatism correction, I think this is the case. Otherwise, it would be the same as if, when wearing my glasses, I were to tilt them at an angle. That would look funny, wouldn’t it? And I wouldn’t be able to see very well either.

So I’m gradually easing back into wearing contact lenses, and there are some challenges associated with it. One challenge is that my eyes get very dry throughout the day, it seems. I’ve been adding these lubricant eye drops about every 30 minutes, which doesn’t seem right. Maybe it’s got something to do with my tear chemistry or something.

Another challenge is having to switch back and forth from my 4 year old prescription and my current prescription. I got a terrible headache yesterday when I changed back into my glasses; I didn’t even want to keep my eyes open.

Still another challenge is the daily upkeep of the lenses: cleaning, storing, etc. I think my nature – and others’ I’m sure – is to not want to spend the extra time to do these tasks.

Eventually, we may get to a point where laser surgery can correct not only for nearsightedness but also astigmatism. And it will be affordable.

Mood: content
Weather: Overcast, 41 degrees F
Listening to: Griddlecakes Radio
Reading: BorgBlog
Eating: Arby’s Reuben sandwich, curly fries, large order of jalepeno bites, and a Diet Pepsi (brown and bubbly)
Watching: GeekBrief.tv

Fortunately for me, I’ve found a wi-fi hotspot at this Arby’s in Reading, along Reading Road, just south of Galbraith Road

Our car is currently being serviced. As one of the conditions of our purchase, they are fixing the window mechanism for the front driver’s side door. The car has nearly power-everything, and, as we test-drove it last month, we noticed that the window gets stuck and won’t budge without patience and coaxing.

Patience and coaxing are not something we have a lot of during the cold winter weather. And during the rain. And whenever we want to park the car someplace where the car should be locked. You understand. So does the dealer.

Today was the best day we had to have them look at the car and work on getting the mechanism (hereafter called “thingy” because mechanism takes too long to write) fixed. I needed some lunch anyway, so while they’re looking and and fixing the thingy, I’m sitting in Arby’s, enjoying the wi-fi connection.

When I was in college, I co-oped for a civil engineering consulting company whose office was just down the street. This was about 12 to 13 years ago. At that time there was this Asian restaurant called “Happy Garden” that we’d often go to for lunch.

As with a lot of the area, I’ve noticed it’s gone out of business, and, while I can still see the sign, the lettering has been painted over with red paint.

I mention this because I knew I’d need to give the dealership some time to work on the car, and, since I hadn’t been a pedestrian in these parts for some time, I strolled up and down the area, about a quarter of a mile in each direction, before settling here at Arby’s.

I think I chose Arby’s because, if I wanted to buy something else, other than my meal, it wouldn’t cost as much as if I’d gone to say, a family style restaurant.

So it’s been about 2 hours since I’d dropped the car off. I’ll probably call in a little while to see what’s going on. For now, I’m thankful that I have the wi-fi connection and can do some work.

Mood: caffeinated
Listening to: Some podsafe instrumental music
Eating: breakfast

A little bit of French:

Bon matin! Il pleut et il fait un peu froid. Nous preparon aller a l’eglise.

A long time ago, when I had just graduated from college (11 years ago, ha!), but even before that, in 1991, I met James H. After college, I didn’t immediately have a job, and I needed a place to stay. He let me room at his apartment and eat his food. He and I both became Christians about the same time.

This afternoon he’s marrying the love of his life, Julie, right down the street from where we live. Over the past month he travelled to the Ukraine to get her. See, he met her online some time ago, and had spent time over there with her. When we moved back to Cincinnati last March, he mentioned that he was engaged.

I am so glad for him. I remember eating lunch with him about five years ago, and he asked me to pray that he’d get a girlfriend. Wow. God does answer prayer. Maybe not in our timing – well, usually not in our timing.

Saturdays usually are pretty busy, and today was no exception:

Jake Walk

This morning, after Jennie came home from work, I slept a little while longer. Then I woke up and took Jake for a walk.

When I take Jake for walks on Saturdays, we have made it a tradition to walk from our apartment to the Galbraith Food Mart and back. It winds up being a good walk, and Jake usually does his business about three times. I usually stop at the food mart and get a drink.

Today, however, I stopped at the drive-thru next door to the food mart. The main reason for this is because, when I go inside the food mart, I have to tie Jake up to the telephone pole outside, since I can’t take him inside. I was able to walk Jake inside the drive-thru, and I got my drink from there.

Fun in the Sun at the Pool

When Jake and I returned home, Keisha was awake. I asked her, since Jennie was still sleeping, if she wanted to go swimming. I haven’t been to the pool that much since it opened on Memorial Day – maybe three times. Keisha enthusiastically said yes, and we got ready to leave.

Since it was going to be a bright, sunny day, I made sure we loaded up on the sunscreen. She put some on my back, and I put some on hers. We made sure to get our feet, face, and ears.

When we arrived at the pool, we found a mom and her two kids already there. Other than that, we had the pool to ourselves. The water was refreshing – not too cold and not too warm.

Keisha had brought a frisbee, and we played with that for a bit. Since it floated, I went underwater a few times and came up with it on my head. I’d pretend that I didn’t know what was going on, to have fun with the kids.

I also had brought a quarter, and we played hide and seek with it for a while. Neither Keisha nor Josie would go underwater, and Josie’s brother Tate was wearing an inflatable vest that kept him afloat. Josie was able to slide the quarter along the bottom of the pool, over to the steps, with her feet. Then she was able to get the quarter up the bottom step with her feet. I was impressed.

Then there was a time when it appeared that I was on a one-man mission to empty the pool of all its water. I’d jump into the deep end and make a big splash, mostly with “Preacher Seats”, but one time with a “Cannonball”.

Home for Some Food – Physical and Spiritual

After awhile, Keisha and I returned home, changed our clothes, and ate some brunch. She had the cinnamon raisin bagel with strawberry cream cheese, and we each had a chicken pot pie. We also split the last pudding cup.

While we ate, we went through a “Sticky Situation” in this book we’ve been reading. It was a situation involving a boy on a camping trip, who found out he needed to do the dinner dishes. It was a pretty hefty job, and his counselor had asked the cleanup crew who wanted to be the “chief washer”. We were presented with three choices. Keisha intuitively picked the right one, but we read in the Bible in John 13:3-5, in which Jesus washes the disciples’ feet.

We talked about the kinds of dirty jobs around our home, in our community, and at church. We discussed the consequences of those jobs not getting done. Then, Keisha cleared the dishes – the “dirty job” she decided she wanted to do.

Turtle Talk and Nature Walk

At 2 PM Keisha and I went to Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve, which is just up the street from us. They were giving a “Turtle Talk”, and there would be an interpreter there for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

The turtle talk was very interesting indeed. Afterward, Keisha and I went to the gift shop and bought our Hamilton County Park pass – it only costs $5, and it lets you get into any Hamilton County Park.

After we left the gift shop, we walked for a little bit on the trail. We stopped by the drinking fountain, and I noticed that they had a separate drinking fountain attached to it, with a spigot that led to a bowl that was obviously for pets to get a drink, too.

As we walked down the path, a woman spotted us, and she called out, “Are you Jennie’s husband? I recognize her in Keisha.”

It turns out that this woman went to high school with Jennie, and we’d met her and her husband about 5 years ago at a conference in Columbus for parents with deaf and hard of hearing children. She gave me her phone number, and I told her that I’d have Jennie call her when we got back home.

Reading, Watching, Snacking, Resting

When we got home, Keisha put on an Arthur video we’d checked out from the library, “Parents are from Pluto”. I pulled the comforter off our bed and grabbed a pillow. Then I laid it on the floor. Before we watched the video, however, Keisha brought out the “Charlotte’s Web” book we’ve been reading. We read a couple of chapters and then watched the video. Keisha popped some popcorn in the microwave, so we shared that, too. Along with the frozen fruit pops and cups of water she’d brought out.

Family Time at LaRosa’s

After a little while, Jennie came out, after talking with her old school friend. We decided to use a LaRosa’s coupon Keisha’s 1st grade teacher had given her for completing the 1st grade. Jennie also brought the seasonal coupon magazine.

We decided to go to the LaRosa’s on Boudinot Street. When we arrived there, I saw a plaque that mentioned that this particular store was the orginal LaRosa’s that Buddy LaRosa had opened in 1954. Very impressive, as was a lot of the memorabilia throughout the store.

For example, in the men’s restroom are framed copies of old menus from different time periods in the store’s history. Also, along one of the walls are some cartoon salutes to local sports legends – high school, college, and otherwise.

The Johnson Family Explorers

After we ate dinner, we decided to do some exploring. I proceeded down Boudinot to Glenway. Glenway to Race. Race to Gaines. Gaines to Sheed. And so forth. We wound up driving throughout that section of Western Hills, Colerain Township, and Springfield Township. As I drove, Jennie navigated with our map, calling out street names as I would pass them.

We stopped at the Dairy Mart at Hamilton and Houston to use the restroom. Then Jennie and I got coffees while Keisha got a frozen drink. Then we proceeded home.

It was a very eventful day.

I first obtained this list when I was in college. At the time I had four other roommates. Now that I’ve been married, it applies to how I live with my wife and daughter. The cat and dog, too, perhaps:

Based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

1. I am patient with you because I love you and want to forgive you.
2. I am kind to you because I love you and want to help you.
3. I do not envy your possessions or gifts because I love you and want you to have the very best!
4. I do not boast about my attainments because I love you and want to hear about yours!
5. I am not proud because I love you and want to esteem you before myself.
6. I am not rude because I love you and care about your feelings.
7. I am not self-seeking because I love you and want to meet your needs.
8. I am not easily angered by you because I love you and want to overlook your offenses.
9. I don’t keep a record of your wrongs because I love you and “Love covers a multitude of sins”.

Above all, love each other deeply – 1 Peter 4:8

Mother’s Day in the US is Sunday, May 8, 2005. The US Census Bureau has released some facts for us to ponder:

• BACKGROUND
• HOW MANY MOTHERS
• HOW MANY CHILDREN
• MOTHERS REMEMBERED
• NEW MOMS
• WORKING MOMS
• SINGLE MOMS

BACKGROUND

The first Mother’s Day observance was a church service in 1908 requested by Anna Jarvis, of Philadelphia, to honor her deceased mother. Jarvis, at an early age, had heard her mother express hope that a day to commemorate all mothers would be established. Her mother had also expressed the sentiment that there were many days dedicated to men but none to mothers. Two years after her mother’s death, Jarvis and friends began a letter-writing campaign to declare a national Mother’s Day observance to honor mothers. In 1914, Congress passed legislation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

HOW MANY MOTHERS

82.5 million — Estimated number of mothers of all ages in the United States. (From unpublished Survey of Income and Program Participation data.)

68 percent — Percentage of women in Mississippi, ages 15 to 44, who are mothers. This is among the highest rates among states. The national average is 56 percent. link

82 percent — Percentage of women 40 to 44 years old who are mothers. In 1976, 90 percent of women in that age group were mothers. See link

HOW MANY CHILDREN

Only about 10 percent of women today end their childbearing years with four or more children. That compares with 36 percent in 1976. See link

2 — Average number of children that women today can expect to have in their lifetime. See link

3 — Average number of children that women in Utah and Alaska can expect to have in their lifetime. These two states top the nation in average number of births per woman. See link

MOTHERS REMEMBERED

23,094 — Number of florists nationwide in 2002. The florists’ 119,117 employees will be especially busy preparing, selling and delivering floral arrangements for Mother’s Day. See link

The flowers bought for mom probably were grown in California or Colombia. Among the 36 surveyed states, California was the leading provider of cut flowers in 2003, accounting for more than two-thirds of the domestic production ($306 million out of $425 million) in those states. Meanwhile, the value of U.S. imports of cut flowers and fresh flower buds in 2004 from Colombia, the leading foreign supplier to the United States, was more than $385 million. See link and link

$5 billion — Revenue of greeting-card publishers nationwide in 2002. The 15,859 employees of the 119 greeting-card publishing companies are especially busy creating Mother’s Day greeting cards. See link

NEW MOMS

4.0 million — Number of women who have babies each year. Of this number, about 425,000 are teens ages 15 to 19, and more than 100,000 are age 40 or over. See link

25.1 — Average age of women when they give birth for the first time — a record high. The average age has risen nearly four years since 1970. See link

40 percent — Percentage of births that are the mother’s first. Another 32 percent are the second-born; 17 percent, third; and 11 percent, fourth or more. See link

35,000 — Number of births in 2002 attended by physicians, midwives or others that do not occur in hospitals. See link

1-in-32 — The odds of a woman delivering twins. Her odds of having triplets or other multiple births was approximately 1-in-540. See link

August– The most popular month in which to have a baby, with 359,000 births taking place that month in 2002. July, with 358,000, was just a shade behind. See link

Tuesday — The most popular day of the week in which to have a baby, with an average of almost 13,000 births taking place on Tuesdays during 2002. See link

WORKING MOMS

5.4 million — Number of stay-at-home moms in 2003. Thirty-nine percent of these mothers were under the age of 35. See link

55 percent — Among mothers with infant children in 2002, the percentage in the labor force, down from a record 59 percent in 1998. This marks the first significant decline in this rate since the Census Bureau began calculating this measure in 1976. In that year, 31 percent of mothers with infants were in the labor force. See link

63 percent — Among college-educated women with infant children, the percentage in the labor force. See link

Among mothers between ages 15 and 44 who do not have infants, 72 percent are in the labor force. See link

More than 687,000 — Number of child day-care centers across the country in 2002. These include nearly 69,000 centers employing close to 750,000 workers and another 618,000 self-employed persons or other companies without paid employees. Many mothers turn to these centers to help juggle motherhood and career. See link

About 2 million — Among more than 10 million preschoolers, the number who are cared for in a day-care center during the bulk of their mother’s working hours. See link

SINGLE MOMS

10 million — The number of single mothers living with children under 18 years old, up from 3 million in 1970. See link

Last month our family attended a Reading Jamboree at Sinclair Community College. While we were there, I picked up a paper entitled “Web Sites to Encourage and Enhance Reading,” compiled by Julia L. Hall, Educational Technology Services, Dayton Public Schools. I’m reproducing the list below:

International Children’s Digital Library

Free books available online

Writing Den

This site was created to help students in grades 6-12 improve their vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing

Children’s Storybooks Online

Scroll down the page to find free storybooks to read

Word Central

Student dictionary, create your own dictionary, and daily buzzword

PBS Kids Stories

Online books. Some books have Spanish words. Children can click on the book and read it themselves or click on the cow and have the book read to them. Children can click on any word they don’t know to have it read to them.

Rhyme Zone

Type in a word to find rhymes, synonyms, definitions

Write Site

An interactive language arts and journalism project for middle schools developed by ThinkTVNetwork, Dayton, Ohio

Primary Games

Educational activities for language arts and all content areas

Eduplace

Educational activities such as wacky tales, brainteasers, spelling match, and geonet geography.

Kathy Schrock

Brainboosters, homework help, and other educational activities

Dositey

Reading and writing skill activities

Yahooligans

Student search engine and educational activities

The U.S. Census Bureau has released the following Facts for Features for Women’s History Month (March):

• Background
• Population
• Education
• Sports and Recreation
• Jobs
• Earnings
• Military
• Motherhood
• Marriage
• Editor’s Note

Background

In 1981, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution establishing National Women’s History Week. The week was chosen to coincide with International Women’s Day, March 8. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month. Every year since, Congress has passed a resolution for Women’s History Month, and the U.S. president has issued a proclamation.

Population

• 147.8 million — The number of females in the United States as of July 1, 2003. That exceeds the number of males (143.0 million). Males outnumber females in every five-year-age group through the 35 to 39 age group. Starting with the 40 to 44 age group, women outnumber men. At 85 and over, there are more than twice as many women as men.

  http://www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/NC-EST2003/NC-EST2003-01.pdf

• 82.5 million — Estimated number of mothers of all ages in the United States. (From unpublished data.)

Education

• 31 percent — Percent of women ages 25 to 29 years who had attained a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2003, which exceeded that of men in this age range (26 percent). Eighty-eight percent of young women and 85 percent of young men had completed high school. The last year young women and men had equal rates of high school and college attainment was 1995.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/001863.html

• 774,000 — The projected number of bachelor’s degrees that will be awarded to women in the 2004-05 school year; women also are projected to earn 293,000 master’s degrees in the 2004-05 school year. Women would, therefore, earn 57 percent of the bachelor’s and 58 percent of the master’s degrees awarded during this school year. (These two percentages are not significantly different from one another.)

  http://nces.ed.gov/programs/projections/tables/table_27.asp

  http://nces.ed.gov/programs/projections/tables/table_28.asp

• 85 percent — Percent of women age 25 and over who have completed high school. For the second year in a row, women have had a higher rate of high school completion than men (84 percent).

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/001863.html

• 26 percent — Percent of women who have obtained a bachelor’s degree. This rate has increased nearly 7 percentage points in the past decade.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/001863.html

Sports and Recreation

2.9 million – Number of females who participated in high school athletic programs in the 2002-03 school year. In the 1972- 73 school year, only 800,000 females were members of a high school athletic team.

Table 1243 of the Statistical Abstract of the United States 2004- 2005.

Jobs

• 60 percent — Percent of women 16 and over who participated in the workforce in 2003. Men in this age range had a participation rate of 74 percent.

  http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat2.pdf

• 34 percent — Percent of women 16 and over who work in professional specialty or executive, administrative and managerial jobs, compared with 30 percent of men.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/women/000819.html

• 20.3 million — Number of female workers in education, health and social services industries. More women work in this industry group than in any other.

  http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=98617243523

Earnings

• $30,724 — The median annual earnings of women ages 15 and older who work full time, year-round. After adjusting for inflation, earnings for these women declined by 0.6 percent between 2002 and 2003 — their first annual decline since 1995.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/002484.html

• 76 cents — The amount women, who worked full time, year-round, earned for every $1 their male counterparts earned. This amount is down from 77 cents for every dollar in 2002.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/002484.html

• $2.9 million — Estimated work-life earnings of women with a professional degree (i.e., medical, law, dental or veterinarian) who work full time, year-round. For women, like men, more education means higher career earnings. It is estimated that women without a high school diploma would earn $700,000 during their work lives, increasing to $1 million if they had a high school diploma and $1.6 million if they had a bachelor’s degree.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/000311.html

Military

• 215,243 — Total number of active duty women in the military, compared to 1,219,134 men, in 2003. Of that total, 34,796 women are officers, 178,428 are enlisted and 2,019 are enrolled in military academies.

  http://web1.whs.osd.mil/mmid/military/rg0309f.pdf

• 1.7 million — The number of military veterans who are women.

  Table 512 of 2004-05 edition

• 16 percent — Percent of Persian Gulf War (1990-91) veterans who are women. In contrast, women account for 5 percent of World War II vet
  s, 3 percent of Vietnam vets and 2 percent of Korean War vets.

  Table 513

Motherhood

44 percent — Percent of all women of childbearing age (15 to 44 years old) who are childless. Seventy-one percent of these childless women participated in the labor force.

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/fertility/001491.html

Marriage

• 62.9 million — Number of married women (including those who are separated or have an absent spouse). There are 53.5 million unmarried (widowed, divorced or never married) women.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/003118.html

• 54 percent — Percent of unmarried and single Americans who are women.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/003118.html

• 29 percent — Percent of women in unmarried-partner households who have higher levels of education than their partners; by comparison, 22 percent of married women have higher levels of education than their husbands. Women in unmarried-partner households are also more likely than married women to earn more than their partners. Twenty-three percent of women in unmarried- partner households earn at least $5,000 more than their partners, compared with 17 percent of married women.

  http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/003118.html

Editor’s Note

Some of the preceding data were collected in surveys and, therefore, are subject to sampling error. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-457-3670; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

Wow. I just read that a male University of Cincinnati student was raped while on his way home.

When I was in college, I was mugged while walking home from getting some pizza and pop to share with my roommates. It was my birthday. I had just completed a fast. I had even given a couple slices to a homeless man in the business district.

More to come later.

This is brought to you by Blogdrive Insanity.

Let’s warm up! Tomorrow, September 9th, is Hot Dog Day. Using the letters W-I-E-N-E-R-S tell us seven things someone would absolutely HAVE to know if they were considering sharing a room with you.

Will not get up when the alarm clock goes off.

I hit the snooze button and return to bed.

Enjoys sleeping with many pillows.

No covers needed on warm nights.

Ends up heading to bed in the wee hours of the morning.

Room tends to be cluttered, despite his own desire for neatness and order.

Snoring – I don’t think so, but I’d like to know if you do.

This week, some “getting to know you” fun with a few crazy twists.

1. Can you remember where you were in life ten years ago? If you could travel back in time and whisper something to yourself ten years ago, what would it be?

   Ten years ago, I had graduated from college and was eagerly searching for gainful employment. I would tell myself that it would be okay to stay in Cincinnati instead of moving to Dayton. I would especially tell myself how important continual improvement is, especially professionally.

2. You inherit a large piece of land and decide to build a theme park a la “Disneyland, Sea World, etc.) What would you name your theme park and what would your mascot be?

   I’ve never been asked this question before. I would name it Dan’s Domain. A large inflatable figure of myself would be the mascot. Doesn’t that sound conceited?

3. Okay, let’s have it! What’s the craziest, most impulsive thing you’ve ever done. Remember, we have insane youngsters amongst us so if it’s risque, clean it up.. *wink*

   In college there were a couple of times I stayed awake all night and went walking. The first time I walked from my apartment near the University of Cincinnati downtown into Kentucky and back. Another time, I spent the night walking around the campus on a long prayer walk. At either time I could have been mugged or worse. I think the latter time I woke up in the football stadium.

4. We all have them … bad days. If you were having a bad day what or whom would you turn to for comfort?

   For comfort I usually head to bed. I like chocolate milk. I know I’d need to pray to God.

5. According to the song White Rabbit, “one pill makes you larger and one pill makes you small”. If you were offered these pills today, which pill would you take and why?

   Coincidentally, as I type this, my daughter is watching “Alice in Wonderland” on TV. I’m not sure if I would take any pill; however, if this is along the lines of “The Matrix” (red pill or blue pill), I suppose I would still take the one that leads to more adventure.

Last night, after Jennie had left for work and Keisha had went to bed, I watched “The Shining“. The video had a “Making Of” spot done by Vivian Kubrick.

The first time I saw that movie, I also had rented Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”. I remember that I’d gotten some wine coolers and had the house to myself. I was at my folks’ house and must have been staying there for the weekend when I was in college.

After getting drunk, I put the movies in. It’s funny because I heard that being in that state of mind is what is needed to follow “The Wall“, lol! I also remember that I laughed at all the horror stuff during “The Shining“.

I didn’t get drunk last night, thankfully. Having seen the Kubrick version, I’d like to see the 1997 TV version.

Earlier this week I saw “One Hour Photo“, with Robin Williams as the obsessed photo lab clerk. Really eerie.

I’m really grateful for the public library! I just requested the DVD for Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary” (go get your own IMDB link if you want). I’ve never seen it, but I read the book when I was in high school.

• The Invasion Is About To Begin
• Cicada Mania – Your Source for Cicada Information on the Web

I’ve been eager to post about this for over two months now, since I realized that the 17-year cicadas (aka Brood X) were coming this spring. Apparently, we could start hearing and seeing them any day now.

A few weeks ago, I was reminded of this in Parade magazine(The Invasion Is About To Begin). In the Midwest area of the United States, the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati has a website dedicated to this year’s emergence (Welcome to Cicada Watch 2004!).

Mom told me that in 1970, shortly after I was born, she’d have to put a blanket over my stroller to keep them from getting on me. In 1987, I was a junior in high school, and I recall taking some pictures of dead cicadas in our backyard. I remember that our dogs liked them, too. WEBN, one of the local radio stations, spoofed a local pizza chain’s commercial. The pizza chain was Snappy Tomato Pizza, but in the spoof, the pizza chain was called Snappy Cicada Pizza.

I’ve linked to the Cicada Mania website, which is probably the most comprehensive site available to describe what all the hubub is about.

The site reports that as of Saturday, 5/15/2004, the cicadas were spotted in Illinois, Michigan, and Delaware.

There are apparently some cicada recipes, and even a wedding planner.

Check out the brood map for Brood X at the Great Lakes Cicada web site.

I’ll be sure to report back soon.

CNN reports:

Your best deal on a car is one you can truly afford. And that means keeping an eye on the rest of your budget while considering your monthly payment, the term of your loan and the total cost of owning the car over a five-year period.

Ten years ago, when I was about to graduate from college, I sought out information like that in this article. Now I find that it’s time to do this again. We will soon have to say final farewells to “Maxine,” the car Mom left us when she moved back to Texas.