There is still a pulse!

Ok, it has been awhile for all of us, so it is time to bring this blog back from its near dead experience. Who better to do that than the one with multiple near death experiences!

My run-in with bats and rabies is common knowledge, but I can add a few more to that. Once, while down here in Orland I was driving home from work on I-4 (Orlando's big crazy road, it must have to do with tourist drivers, work congestion, and old people). Anyway, during my drive, an adjustable ladder flies out of the bed of the pickup truck I am following. I take evasive actions in my car and survive (I still cannot follow any vehicles towing or hauling stuff). Another time was during John’s graduation. I may have told you this, but since he graduated from the school of Mortuary Science, they had his graduation ceremony at the annual area mortuary convention. It was neat because there were all these different venders set up to try and advertise and sell their products. Obviously most of these were pretty cool. There was everything from a guy that will lead funeral processions towing the casket with his Harley Davidson to “decontamination service” people. The most interesting product had to be the “body lift,” and oddly enough it did just that. This device would deliver a recently prepared body to its casket. Being the thrill seeker, I took it for a spin:

This is a ride most people only make once, but I was lucky enough to get a preview of the final run. I don’t know about you, but I would consider this to be another near death experience. Would this make me a psudo-zombie?

Wednesday I have an interview for another 6-month internship down here. This one would be for a zookeeper spot at the Animal Kingdom. I am a little nervous about the interview, since it is going to be a panel interview. If anyone has sample questions they want to shoot my way they would be really appreciated (Pat, hint hint). There are 4 spots, so that takes some pressure off, but if I don’t get one, I will be returning to Wisconsin to find a job.

By the way, just to rub it in a bit, today it was 60 degrees outside, and that is considered cold. I actually miss the snow; it doesn’t feel like Christmas without it (I don’t miss the long walks to class in the snow though). My roommate Aron (from Florida) was watching the Packer game with me last night and couldn’t believe that people actually wear facemasks and various other types of extreme cold weather gear. He found these to be hilarious.
Don’t worry though, when dealing with the cold, things come full circle. About 3 months ago I had my Nalgene in the freezer. In his attempt to get some ice, Aron knocked my bottle over and it came crashing down on his big toe. The nail turned black instantly (I was there to see it). He has not lost the nail yet, but I took this picture yesterday (he is lifting the nail).

If the cold weather is getting to you, maybe you can get some warmth in the thought of Aron’s toe (or at least puke warmth on yourself until it freezes). Ice holds mercy for nobody, even Floridians, in Florida!