Did You Say Something?

Because I really can't hear you for all the work.

I love the work, let's just make that part clear...but there is a lot of it. A LOT. A full on gaggle of work (which is equal to at least five geese not in flight). What?

A full grown Canada Goose can weigh up to 24lbs. 24 x 5 = about 120 pounds of Geese, or work (to complete my metaphor)

I may be losing my mind. But if I know I "may" be losing my mind, if I have some sort of realization than am I "really" losing anything at all?

poorly PICTURED (because I can't find the battery charger for my nifty point-and-shoot camera) here:

(top to bottom)

Black binder (class I'm teaching)

Pink binder (class I'm taking)

Two (not required) books (helping me teach)

ReMix: the required reader (class I'm teaching)

the Pink Legal pad contains notes I'm taking while grading the first formal assignment my class has written...it's sitting on top of the aforementioned stack of essays I'm too afraid to actually write on yet (hence taking notes on the Pink Legal pad)...

Then there are two (required) books for the class I'm taking...I have read one and am finishing the other (not pictured is the required textbook for the same class)...

Hidden below that is a mini grade book (for the class I'm teaching) and then the two helpful (required) writing books for the same class...

Sharpies, notecards...

Another big ol' stack of papers (including) work I am reading for the class I'm taking, MY OWN notes and a story for the THESIS I'm writing...um. Am I forgetting something?

I'm firmly in the "Stage of Denial," which is the first stage in the Five Stages of Grading (based on the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross stage model of coping with grief)...

BUT the grief is good grief (think Charlie Brown) and I loooooove it!

~~J

Search Keywords:

(alternative title: How Paul Rudd saved me from a fiery crash -- let's see how long it takes for THAT to trend)

The most common phrases used to find my blog over the last month:

"paul rudd adventures in babysitting"
"george newbern paul rudd"
"life of a sequestered juror"
"twiddling my thumb"
"paul rudd father of the bride"
"sun salutation poses"
"life as a sequestered juror"
"life as sequestered juror"
"student revisited"
"sun salutation yoga pose"

Since Paul Rudd is the most photogenic of the bunch I decided to use a picture of him (from Thehunkies.com).

"Jurors" are usually NOT that interesting...unless you're a juror seated on the "Trial of the Century" or the first "Twitter Trial" or any one of the other similar references you'd like to use. If you don't know what I'm talking about then you've been living under a rock. LUCKY YOU!

Anything related to yoga is very interesting...but because my last experience was watching Power Yoga on ION Life (yesterday), I don't feel qualified to talk about it. NOT that I've ever been qualified to talk about it (except in the limited student way).

The last film I watched starring Paul was horrible. Yes, HORRIBLE. I can't believe I just said that either. How Do You Know also had Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson. I guess bad things do happen to awesome people. Will I hold it against either of the three? Absolutely not!

Now you can get back to Twiddling your Thumbs!

~~J

get lucky

Finally!

Got my eyes on the latest novel by Houston-based writer, Katherine Center!

"latest" = published in 2010

(notice how I used the modifier "finally" to explain that I know this book isn't exactly "new" anymore)

But in the grand world of the written, it doesn't always matter when you come to a book -- but that you found your way in the first place...

Here is an excerpt from the FIRST CHAPTER.

It took no less than a day to finish (take that former-slow-reading-self)!

Here is a mini-synopsis via Publishers Weekly:

"Sarah Harper is on the New York fast track at a top advertising agency until she grows a conscience overnight and sends out a companywide e-mail debunking her popular bra campaign. Fired, she flies home to Houston, where she crashes with her older sister, Mackie, and Mackie's husband, Clive. Turns out Mackie has problems of her own: after years of trying to have a baby, she announces she's done. In an effort to do something good for a change, Sarah offers herself up as a surrogate."

Interested? My favorite parts include Sarah's struggles (what?) after the deed is done. There is turmoil and sincere doubt/fears, which lesser writers would've glossed over. It's not a traditional fairytale ending...

Or maybe it is? While carrying her sister's child, Sarah gets involved with saving "The Love Library" (bibliophile alert! bibliophile alert!). This aspect of the novel seemed to take center stage for a bit, and since I enjoyed it--I wasn't bothered.

Could a reader more interested in the "surrogate part" get upset?

I started wondering if Sarah Harper would've been a fantastic character to carry through in a format closer to a dozen related short stories as opposed to a novel. But that's just my own instincts talking (since the short story is my preferred method of madness).

OR I could see Sarah as a sitcom: drama with a sprinkling of comedy. She is someone I seem to know now, a friend. I want more of her!

All of Katherine Center's heroines do this to me, they come alive on the page!

~~J

related: Everyone is Beautiful from 2009 (also by Center)

Within the Last Hour:

(via Last.Fm)

The White Stripes – My Doorbell
The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldier
The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
Kings of Leon – Wasted Time
Kings of Leon – Sex On Fire
The White Stripes – My Doorbell
The White Stripes – Take, Take, Take
The Raconteurs – Store Bought Bones
The Raconteurs – Level
The Raconteurs – Together
The Raconteurs – Steady As She Goes
Buddy Holly – Everyday
The Cleftones – Heart And Soul
The Platters – The Great Pretender
The Del-Vikings – Come Go With Me
Buffalo Springfield – For What It's Worth
The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin'

Do you see a pattern developing?

~~J

Book(shelf) Porn!

I was having lunch with a couple friends earlier this week when BAM! I was knocked out by a ton of books? No, but I may as well have been...

I was directed to one of the greatest sites EVER in the history of the Internet: RIGHT HERE!

It's described as a photoblog "showcasing only the best photographs of bookshelves" created by Anthony Dever in Jan. 2009.

(bookshelf/door is from Book. Book. Book.)

I call it absolutely AMAZING.

Clicking through pictures and making sounds not normally associated with books is...FUN!

My own collection of books should be shuddering with excitement now that I have all of this...inspiration.

*rubs hands together and laughs maniacally"

~~J

The Orphan Sister

On top of being a graduate student, (studying creative writing) I am now a soon-to-be teaching fellow with my own freshmen composition class...

needless to say, reading strictly for pleasure is something I've forgotten how to do.

I read.

But there seems to be an ulterior motive now. A set of questions always linger not very far from the center of my brain, something like this:

What does this style reveal about the subject?

How are these sentences working together?

Could my class benefit from reading this?

So I was a little nervous when I got the latest novel by GWENDOLEN GROSS in the mail. Would I be able to turn off my student/teacher brain?

The answer is NO. BUT it didn't take away from the reading for pleasure aspect! In fact, reading a well-crafted book written by someone who knows (and teaches) the art of writing made my brain work overtime.

The Orphan Sister is not the first book I've read by GG (as I affectionately call her). In 2007, I blogged about one of her previous works, The Other Mother. She has published four novels altogether and I've had the pleasure of reading three. (I wrote pleasure!)

There is a lot of beauty within this book, through images and ways of communication. Triplets, Odette, Olivia, and Clementine provide a different sisterly atmosphere--because they are polyzygots--a set of twins from the same egg and a separate one, almost a spare.

The three often communicate through their thoughts, so we get to hear or witness internal dialogue, something I'm never come across while reading before--other than in monologues--but by definition a monologue is not necessarily known by another character.

My favorite part of the book is the background life of Clementine--the non-twin of the triplets. She is a bit of a free spirit or black sheep as far as the family dynamic is concerned. Instead of medical school, like her father and sisters, for example, she is interested in becoming a veterinarian.

Unlike her sisters, Clementine is single. Unlike her sisters Clementine is NOT pregnant. She didn't go to Harvard, but attended Oberlin. Instead of accepting her parents odd, mysterious relationship, she dissects it.

Her other-ness or orphan-ness makes her a character worth rooting for!

Other little "things" from the book:

• Adjective Sandwiches which combines two of my favorite things: Words & Food
• Alliteration, the artful arrangement of words containing the same beginning letter
• Surprises at least five--a few of which I did NOT see coming

So I recommend this novel, obviously. It's a relatively fast read, but deeper than your average summer book. There are even "book club" questions at the end and an interview with the author--perfect for sharing with sisters, biological or chosen.

~~J

Ghostly Competition

Aside from watching marathon spans of Ghost Adventures, the Travel Channel (and Zak Bagans) have found another way to scare the absolute bejesus out of me...(July has suddenly become "scary month.")

Enter Paranormal Challenge (Friday nights at 8pm cst) where two teams go head-to-head investigating the same haunted location in hopes of gathering the "best" or most convincing evidence of spirits.

They are then judged by a panel of respected members of the paranormal community on their team work, use of equipment, and the evidence (photographic and sound) they are able to gather.

Through social media (Twitter) I've been able to get to know a few of these teams of paranormal investigators, especially Northeastern Spirit Society (based in Fairmont, WV).

(Check out their awesome logo)

Although they have a lot of experience between them, the group has only been investigating together for about a year now.


Tonight you can watch them in action on the Travel Channel as they explore the famously active West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville...

It's an interesting place with a lot of violent history. Do I sound like an expert? I'm not. I only watched the original episode of Ghost Adventures and did some reading on the location. Simple.

In anticipation of their episode (they just keep getting better each week) I caught up with the lead investigator of NSS, Daniel Bellay, for a fun interview.

He explained that his first paranormal experience happened when he was a child, when he went to explore a "haunted" location with friends.

It was a "distinct feeling" and experience he says he'll never forget.

WHY do you enjoy investigating paranormal activity?

"I have loved the paranormal since I was a child playing with Ghostbusters gear and wanting to see spirits. I do it now because I feel as though I have a skill at contacting spirits and capturing evidence. It is a passion and a hobby that exhilarates me."

As an adult, Daniel began making friends with others who were also interested in the paranormal. With "TONS"of solo investigations between team members, they began investigating together on a very frequent basis.

He says their "weekly hangout" is at the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV, where a couple of the team members lead Ghost Tours.

Something very important to Daniel is accepting everyone for who they are and listening to others when it comes to their paranormal beliefs and techniques. You could say that Acceptance is a team motto.

Through paranormal investigations, Daniel said he "hopes to discover answers about how we can better communicate with spirits." He is fascinated by the intelligent responses captured during his investigations.

For those unfamiliar with the term, an "intelligent" response is when spirits seem to communicate with a person--such as answering questions or saying names of present individuals. The spirit seems to be aware of its surroundings as opposed to "residual" responses where energy is trapped and the same sounds are heard (for example, tapping associated with a specific event) over and over again. Residual activity is the most commonly captured.

This, along with other terms are often used on these types of shows, but they are almost always explained. You don't need to be a para-expert to watch, and you might find yourself inspired to scout out a local "haunted" location yourself.

What advice would you give to "new" investigators or people who are interested in conducting investigations?

"Keep trying to find the best piece of evidence you can week after week. If you catch something amazing, go back and try to improve your skills to get something even better next time. There are no guarantees in the paranormal, you just need to learn how to communicate and get a response."

Tune into the Travel Channel tonight and see what happens, I know I can't wait!

~~J

The Ghost Belonged to Me

It was suggested that instead of rewatching (and maybe ruining) the Child of Glass, maybe I should get my hands on the book it was based on instead.

So I did.

Released in 1975, The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck was the first in the "Blossom Culp" series. News to me, because I've never heard of it.

Of course, I didn't know the book even existed until recently.

Even though it's written for the preteen set, I found a used copy on Amazon and ordered it alongside my books for the Fall semester.

It took me no time to finish it.

Instead of taking place in Louisiana in the 1970s (like the movie) the story occurs near the turn of the century (1913) in Missouri, close to the Mississippi river. Little spooky details that invoke thoughts about my current life.

I'm not sure how I feel about the prose in general though, it was a bit awkward and I think it just isn't because I'm probably three times older than the target audience. All of the books I read as a child were usually written by women. This one, is not.

Now that I've seen "where" the movie came from, it seems as if I should just go ahead and watch it.

Maybe.

~~J

#657

I dwell in Possibility--
A fairer House than Prose--
More numerous of Windows--
Superior--for Doors -

(Emily Dickinson)

~~J

*Photo taken at the 160+ year-old Georgia "State Lunatic, Idiot, and Epileptic Asylum" in Milledgeville, May 2011*

The Surgeon at 2 A.M.

Over one bed in the ward, a small blue light
Announces a new soul. The bed is blue.
Tonight, for this person, blue is a beautiful color.
The angels of morphia have borne him up.
He floats an inch from the ceiling,
Smelling the dawn drafts.

(Sylvia Plath)

~~J

*Photo taken at the 160+ year-old Georgia "State Lunatic, Idiot, and Epileptic Asylum" in Milledgeville, May 2011*

The Ivy Green

Oh, a dainty plant is the Ivy green,
That creepeth o'er ruins old!


Of right choice food are his meals, I ween,
In his cell so lone and cold.


The wall must be crumbled, the stone decayed,
To pleasure his dainty whim:


And the mouldering dust that years have made
Is a merry meal for him.


Creeping where no life is seen,
A rare old plant is the Ivy green.

(Charles Dickens)

*All photos taken at the 160+ year-old Georgia "State Lunatic, Idiot, and Epileptic Asylum" in Milledgeville, May 2011*

Summertime Obsession

(other than the Casey Anthony trial)

A couple days before leaving Milledgeville for the Summer, I was clicking around late one night and happened upon a show on the Travel channel: Ghost Adventures.

Because it was so late and I was alone in my apartment, I should've known better--but I watched episode after episode of Zak Bagans and crew investigating haunted places throughout the world. It was a marathon, after all, and no matter how hard I tried I could NOT turn it off!

Several episodes later, I'd be lying if I told you it was easy to go to sleep.

Fast forward to NOW I've been lucky enough to catch these episodes:

Bonnie Springs Ranch (Old West ranch)
Fort Chaffee (haunted fort)
Jerome Grand Hotel (most haunted structure in "Ghost City")
Linda Vista Hospital (East LA hospital haunted by gang violence)
Moundsville Penitentiary
Old Fort Erie (War of 1812)
Prospect Place (stop on the underground railroad)
Sacramento Tunnels
Villisca Axe Murder House (house where 8 people were murdered)
Yorktown Memorial Hospital (abandoned hospital in Texas)
Waverly Hills (sanatorium)
Old Idaho Penitentiary
Hales Bar Marina

At least that's all I *think* I've seen...the show seems very similar to one that aired on MTV ten years ago: FEAR where (according to Wikipedia):

"The program follows a group of 5 or more contestants being left at an allegedly haunted location and led them on a series of dares over two nights to explore and confirm whether or not the place is haunted."

It was extremely creepy to watch and although it only ran for sixteen episodes, I learned it was cancelled because it was extremely expensive to produce.

The major "creepy" factor for FEAR was all the "dares" contestants had to perform like staying in a prison cell (alone) for more than 12 hours without lights under complete radio silence. Um, no. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl.

In GHOST ADVENTURES the crew uses known history and often tries to provoke similar situations into happening. Without an outside camera crew, they are responsible for all of the the electronic equipment, etc.

Am I skeptical? No. Could I do something similar? Yes BUT nothing "Fear" style.

~~J

Child of Glass

(or creepy memories in the form of a blue ghost)

Years of asking, "Have you seen the Glass Child?" have essentially paid off...thanks in part to my lax Internet skills.

After research, the facts probably are as follows:

In Germany circa 1989, AFN aired this Walt Disney made-for-TV movie Filled With Murder, Mystery...And Ghosts!

The movie centers on a boy who moves into an old, majestic Southern plantation in Louisiana with his family and becomes involved in the legends that haunt the home and surrounding land.

I, alongside my next-door neighbor friends watched it, recorded it (VHS tapes, yo yo yo), and promptly became obsessed:

Halloween became All Saint's Eve
We saw "restless spirits" everywhere (or was that just me?)
Midnight was a special, creepy hour
Any unexplained sound was a ghost (our age, nice)

My crush on the main character Alexander Armsworth was serious...and I was convinced that the role of Blossom (his mystery-solving best gal pal) was created for me. Why else would I get so emotional when Blossom sees Alexander waltzing with another?

Finding a copy of the movie today is apparently difficult. I've seen bids on Amazon starting at fifty bucks! It's been downloaded to YouTube as well, but I refuse to watch the entire thing unless it's on the VHS tape I recorded it on (more than twenty years ago).

By thinking about this movie (and finally finding information on it), I can see where the foundation for my current interest in otherworldly beings, astronomical planes, and apparitions originated.

Question: Do I "believe" in ghosts?
Answer: Yes.

More entries to follow!

~~J

Thinking...thinking...

Writing...writing...

Revising...revising...

Submitting...submitting...

It's a process.

also included but not limited to:

self-loathing & doubt
computer & printer problems
missing writing utensils
typos
frustration
headaches
research
watching trial coverage
consuming unnatural amounts of coffee

~~J

Heritage.

In an abstract sense of the word.

I've been thinking about the evolution of reading in my life. WHEN exactly did I start leaning toward the fabulous form known as the short story?

(really good definition of the form at *shock* Wikipedia)

Having read short stories in high school (and college before), when I started reading them outside of class aka for "fun" I realized I was hooked on this form...this idea of a story focused on a very precise moment, event, or situation.

In the Gloaming (Alice Elliot Dark)

Drawn in by the title story...which was made into a short film by HBO (circa 1997), my copy of the book via Ebay (my very first item online) arrived sometime in 1998. Unfortunately it seems to have disappeared. Maybe it's in storage? Maybe it will be found one day in a box in the garage? Either way, I want to revisit the collection now and see it with a set of "semi-trained" eyes.

Soft Maniacs (Maggie Estep)

Hearing Maggie read from her collection (alongside her poetry) early in 1999 was memorable. Not only was she brash and bold, she had a certain "I know who I am and what I'm doing" air about her. I quickly became obsessed. I also began writing "real" poetry using "real" words AND a short story about a stuffed tiger named Lorenzo. How embarrassing.

Georgia Under Water (Heather Sellers)

Lovely. I remember seeing the cover along the aisles of Barnes & Noble and stopping cold. I picked it up, brought it home (after paying), and promptly devoured it within two or so days. Again, I was in love with another collection of short stories. People would ask, "What are you reading?" I would reply, "Short stories." Never any follow-up questions after that.

I think these thoughts are important, because I write short stories, short fiction, short narrative...whatever you want to call it. And despite the use of the word "short" to describe the structure--they say it's harder than writing a novel.

And I know I've said something along the same lines on more than one occasion. But after a year of graduate-level learning (and attempts at writing more), I can't say it enough. So difficult.

~~J

Spring Semester Outtakes (III)

Composing Paper(s) Spot
(The Writing Center)









Sun Setting
(Another late night in the WC)









Antique Shop Typewriter
(Day trip with Abby & Emily)











Awesome Pistachio Shell Craft
(for me, from Matt)

Spring Semester Outtakes (II)

On the way to Washington D.C.
(AWP Conference)










Daily Choices
(Georgetown Cupcake)











The Whitehouse
(Oft not photographed backside)












Vietnam War Memorial

Spring Semester Outtakes (I)

Back bedroom at Andalusia
(folding brochures, with Melissa)










Important Instructions
(Peafowl)











Manly Pointer
(playing coy)










Manly Pointer
(I see you looking!)

Fall Semester Outtakes (III)

Morning view of Auditorium
(on way to Writing Center)










Live Oak Trees
(Front Campus)











Curves Ahead
(Front Campus)













Hanging of the Green(s)
(Front Campus)

Fall Semester Outtakes (II)

Hats on Parade
(Macon, GA)












Fancy Lunch
(still in Macon)












Birthday(s)













& a Baby Shower

Fall Semester Outtakes (I)

Blackbird Coffee
(downtown Milledgeville)

Coffee Mosaic
(Blackbird bathroom)












Special Dinner Guest
(Courtesy of Oliver)












Scrabble Mosaic
(Melissa's Place)

Re-packing

which is at least three times worse than packing and unpacking.


Packing: You take a set amount of "stuff" and move it somewhere else...in my case, it was a "carload" and it was 500 miles.

Unpacking: Removing all of the "stuff" and setting it up to make a live-able space...in my case, it took a few days for me to remove everything from my car and haul it upstairs in the 100+ degree heat (but it happened).

Between unpacking and where I am today (re-packing) I have gained more stuff. Via trips homes and trips to Walmart (and/or Amazon.com).

My original carload of "stuff" seems to have multiplied...overnight? No, in the span of ten lovely months.

Because I am moving into a new place in August, I have to re-pack and store items while I am at home for (50 or so days)...obviously I can't "tote" my probably 2 carloads worth of stuff back and forth again...

Re-Packing: One classmate offered up storage containers. Another classmate offered up storage space. With such wonderful classmates, how can I complain? No complaints. Just a lot of planning.

I've already "made" a few bins worth of "winter" clothes (big laugh, there is no Winter in Georgia) and fancy teaching clothes (not needed yet). Alongside books and papers and more books and papers.

I went through my foodstuffs over the weekend and pulled everything out, placing them in full view. My goal is to save money and eat the remainder of what I've always decided to pass over during the last two semesters.

Example of a good idea gone wrong: Brown rice and a can of "Asian" vegetables (baby corn, bamboo shoots, sprouts, water chestnuts)....NOT delicious at ALL! I put my leftovers in a container I'll throw away.

Any ideas for garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, artichoke hearts, macaroni & cheese, Spanish rice, a jar of basil tomato sauce...???

The beans and rice and sauce as a...soup? I'll let you know what happens there.

I can't pack kitchen paraphernalia yet. I'm staring at a rather empty closet and bathroom. it's so weird to be living in such an empty place. I want to jump into my car and drive away.

The days are SOOOOOOO long.

~~J

The Lonely Writer

Young Woman Reading, Mary Cassatt 1876

I've heard the stories/read about the method: retreats, workshops, cabins in the woods, hotel rooms, unplugging, uninstalling...all the means of self-imposed isolation in attempts to create art.

In fact, I watched a short documentary last night and learned that Van Gogh stayed in an asylum for a year because he was able to paint daily without much interruption (and it was cheaper than staying in a hotel).

Being in a (mostly) empty college town for several weeks is not the same thing--this isolation is not self-imposed, it has been forced upon me.

At least that's my non-writing excuse. Sure, there are notecards with my character names, birth and death years now in existence. Yes, I have a strong idea for the second story in my thesis...BUT...

Why am I NOT writing?

boredom? lack of stimulation? loneliness? no schedule? no deadlines?

A combination of ALL OF THE ABOVE?

Or better yet, do I have no clue as to what I am doing? Am I lacking ideas, motivation, (gulp) talent? (Only "an artist" would say such a thing, I think I'm okay.)

I'll be back in the bluff city soon enough. Maybe the Mississippi River is more responsible for my mystical arts than I realized (Mark Twain would agree).

Then I can "force" myself into isolation--which is completely different than being bored to tears...believe me.

~~J

EDIT: All I can think about now after titling this post is THIS POEM by Anne Sexton...which means you have to go read it too.

Paul Rudd and Cicadas

(and this photo has nothing to do with either, but I took it today and it's pretty)
.
.
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(OR) The people have spoken!

At least the people who are lucky enough to stumble onto my blog over the last week or so...

Guests! Visitors! I've put out a virtual Welcome Mat, a place to stomp your feet. Or perhaps you'd prefer a cup of coffee (or iced tea, it is already scorching here in Middle Georgia)?

Actually. I know what YOU WANT (through the search terms you've entered to find this blog):

1) You want to know when the cicadas will be...gone or at least quiet:

"how many more weeks left for the cicadas"
"how many more weeks will cicadas be in tennesee"
"decibel levels of 13 yr periodical cicadas"
"how many more weeks until the cicadas leave nashville"

2) Or anything related to Paul Rudd and/or his not-related-but-should-be doppelganger George Newbern:

"is paul rudd in father of the bride"
"do paul rudd and george newbern look alike"
"paul rudd in father of the bride"
"george newbern country music"

I can tell you that after spending a large amount of time outside over the last couple days the cicada song seems to be gone. As far as Middle Georgia is concerned they were audible for three solid weeks.

Now, Paul Rudd was NOT in Father of the Bride. Paul and George DO look alike. AND I know nothing about George Newbern and country music OTHER than the fact that his Father of the Bride "bride" (Kimberly Williams) is married to country singer, Brad Paisley.

Side Note: One of my best friends and former roommate, looks a lot like Kimberly Williams...(just to keep the doppelganger thing a new twist).
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.
~~J

Prime Number Infestation

Red eyes. They have red eyes, I tell you. RED EYES!

periodical cicada 'Magicicada septendecim' (plate 7)
"Insects, their way and means of living'' R. E. Snodgrass

Despite the fact the Southern periodical cicada only comes out from the ground every 13 years, I'm lucky enough to experience the prime number infestation first hand in middle Georgia.

I'm pretty sure it was nothing like this in Tennessee thirteen years ago!

The exoskeletons are all over the pathways on campus. I've been hit in the head by at least two times as well. Although they are harmless (non-biting, non-stinging) they are large enough to scare the crap out of you (not literally).

Honestly the worse part is the noise. OH THE NOISE! The males (of course) are so riled up, singing to impress the females sometimes it is all you can hear outside during the day.

I've Googled and researched to my heart's content to find out that the volume level of a few hundred cicadas can reach up to 120 dB. Yes. You read that correctly and here is a little chart to help you out:

•Sound of silence - 0 dB
•A whisper - 15 dB
•Normal conversation - 60 dB
•A lawnmower - 90 dB
•A car horn (toot toot) - 110 dB
•A rock concert or a jet engine - 120 dB
•A gunshot or firecracker - 140 dB

For some reason (didn't get THAT far in my research), they only sing during the day. Thank goodness. In fact, the hottest part of the day is the right time for an unbelievable concert (if you're into cicadas).

How many more weeks until this madness is over? But really, can you imagine only having 6-8 weeks of sunshine and then living the rest of your life in the ground?

Bird food for thought.

~~J

She was a Day Tripper

One way ticket, yeah
It took me so long to find out
and I found out

--The Beatles

What's the best thing to do on a Friday afternoon in a state that's not your own? Take a day trip, of course. So we met in Juliette, GA, where they filmed the 1991 classic, Fried Green Tomatoes...


Based on the novel (with practically the same name) by Fannie Flagg. A novel I have read. I movie I have seen on more than one occasion. In fact, we studied it in a Contemporary American Literature course I took eons ago.

The food was delicious. The town was just as sweet. Friendly people, warm atmosphere. While signing guestbooks in several shops I noticed that fans are still flocking to this tiny town comprised of one street. The movie first hit theaters TWENTY years ago.

I didn't have any barbecue, but I did see where Big George made it. The secret is in the sauce (and hiding in a place no bigger than a flea). There's already been talk of going back soon and revisiting. It's less than an hour away, after all.

~~J