plant update

While I was away one of my houseplants, which I've had for at least 4 years, grew a little white flower for the first time ever!

And while we're on the subject here is my avocado plant, which you may remember from months ago as a seed with a little root on it... ;)

goats

These are two of my neighbors down the street! They also live with a few ducks. Their owners hung a little box of food on the outside of their fence so that passer-bys can feed them... it's totally sweet.

I'd like to live out in the country someday! I love living in a city of course, but after spending the weekend in more rural parts I'm definitely feeling the appeal. Someplace with lots of room and trees and fields and streams... but at the very least I can't wait for the day when I can get some backyard chickens (or maybe even a goat)!

moxie

It's a new year, how about a new blog post? Here is a little puppy I made, Moxie. I think in this shot she's listening to Buddy Holly.

live from iowa: kitten egg!

live from iowa: snowman!

car companies: booo

I've been following with interest the Big Three automaker's campaign for bailout money. My first reaction to the idea was surprise-- where do they get the right to march up to Capitol Hill and ask for money? Surprise, combined with disgust, especially since I had recently watched "Who Killed the Electric Car" and felt that they were HUGE JERKS. My second reaction was that no, I didn't want all the people employed in the industry to lose their jobs. So I was conflicted.
But not any more! This is a quote from a NYT article, which points out that for the second round of asking for money the car executives drove their hybrids instead of private jets...

The criticism from Congress about jet travel and big executive paychecks hit home, Mr. Mulally said during a telephone interview from the road, as he was traveling through the state of Ohio.

“Its all part of a learning experience for me,” he said. “I think it’s really important that I drive to Washington to show that Ford gets what Congress is saying.”

I'm sorry, but this sounds just too silly! It didn't occur to them beforehand that private jets could be in bad taste when pleading for money? And when global warming is such a big issue? I'm glad that it's all starting to dawn on them, but they should not be bailed out! They had all the time in the world to look forward and make sure their companies were prepared for the future, but they (and the oil industry) were too busy exploiting the the environment and people.

As for the people and related businesses that will be affected... well, the companies have been declining for a long time now, and Michigan has basically been in a recession since 2000. I think the failure of one or two of these companies is inevitable and rightful.

to-do

I now have a single to-do list that will see me through the rest of my college education.
Weird.