Yellow Jackets

We've had a problem with wasps in the stairs of our front door all summer. Various DIY treatments hadn't been working well. I expanded on one of the more common ones and it worked, with an amazing level of effectiveness.

The initial idea was where you cut the top off of a plastic water bottle, invert it and seal it back up. Put something sugary inside and they'll be attracted to it, but won't be able to get out. Tried this, but only about four ever went in.

I figured I needed a way to cover their nest entrance and funnel them into such a trap. Here's what I came up with.

And boy did it ever work!

This one water bottle, and the top of another water bottle. Both attached to a plastic container that comes with salad or spinach leaves or something, with two holes cut into it. All taped up together.

I leveled up

This is a birthday card from my creative dad in the form of a character sheet. It resembles how I tried to describe the FATE RPG system to him. Looks like he took the concept and ran with it. It is awesome.

Jesus comics

these are absolutely perfect...

I was pulled over by the police

tonight, on my bicycle. for not having a light.


here's a song...

Momentary Lapse of Season

As a school bus dispatcher, this is a change of season. School ends and Summer school is about to start. For someone in this position, what this looks like is many hours of entering newly acquired routes into a computer for drivers to read directions. It is a test of endurance of doing the same kind of data entry for very long periods of time with tons of interuptions. And then after hours there are precious periods where no one else is around when one can lose themselves in the work. This album has become my sustaining soundtrack of now. I've had it for years and never delved too deeply. I'm grateful to have held on to it for all this time. It is a true gem.

helped a dinosaur cross the road

He was hanging out near the Oakdale Library on the sidewalk. We were on the look out for cars and herded/escorted him across the road into the nature on the other side.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_snapping_turtle

Sky Lanterns in Oakdale

While jogging around the neighborhood tonight, I witness something that I could not figure out. It appeared someone was releasing flaming bags or miniature hot air balloons into the sky.

It's not until you get home and look it up does one know what they're looking at. Until then one's imagination goes pretty wild.

flat tire

on the CRV on the way home tonight.

blogs

I just stopped following some Canadian blog because he dissed Duran Duran.

the apple tree inside the apple

Soundtrack of Now

Thank you, Greg, for throwing this gem in front of my radar. I love this.


John Frusciante
Dark/Light

A-Ha vs U2

I never really cared for this song...



because I've always loved this song...


I can't be the only one to hear the similarities!

One thing nostalgic about the U2 song, though. Schmitty used it as an audio PA sound check EVERY MORNING when I was working the very very early AM shift at KSTP. I found it slightly comforting and quite optimistic of him. That was where I very first heard the U2 song. And every time I was reminded of A-Ha. There was a strange synergy in the whole thing because the sun always shines on TV, while we're doing our pre-checks for live television broadcast. And Bono reassured me that it was a beautiful day, even when Patrick Hammer said otherwise.

the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.

Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we shall then be sharing a life which was begotten, not made, which always has existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and the Holy Ghost will arise in us. He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has—by what I call ‘good infection’. Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.

C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity.

What is the meaning of life? This ^. If you do not line up with that, there is no meaning to your life [yet?]. If you reject this, perhaps your life has no meaning?

or.........

42.

Just saying.

don't panic

new favorite actor Mandy Patinkin