This is on my mind

On the surface of it, it's whimsical and 'cute.' The big nasty snake has a heart of gold, and has made friends! Incidentally, this is an opportunity to use my favorite big old multi-syllabic word. Let's see if you can pick it out in the next few sentences! The idea behind the story is that the snake made friends with a dwarf hamster, and just golly isn't that an adorable Disney-esque miracle of nature? It's implied that the snake and hamster will live out their days, happily napping and growing even closer as individuals. Well, no. This is just another case of humans anthropomorphizing non-human entities.

Life isn't a Disney movie. Even if it were, Kaa still tried to make Mogli a snack, if you recall.

First of all, the snake in question is a *rat snake.* Eats rodents. Dwarf hamster? Rodent. Snakes are *not* prone to warm and cuddly moments. If a snake cuddles, it's to kill. Snakes are reptiles. Reptiles possess brains that are so rudimentary that they are a mere couple of steps up the ladder from insect ganglion. Basically, their brains function on an 'action/reaction' level, with a few bells and whistles thrown in. This RAT SNAKE isn't going to be all buddy-buddy with a RODENT. And the rodent is obviously oblivious to the danger it faces, or else it would probably react like one, ie: claw and bite the RAT SNAKE.

The article mentions that they offered the dwarf hamster as a meal after the snake went off frozen dead rodents, but it refused to eat the hamster, and soon returned to its regular diet of frozen dead rodents. The reason the snake isn't eating the hamster....the RAT snake isn't eating the RODENT....is simple: IT'S NOT HUNGRY. But wait until its keepers ring the dinner bell a little too late...

I had a pretty good day today. On the way to work, I ran into a friend on the bus. And on the way home from work, I ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in ages, and met one of his friends, who gave us a ride. There was a heavy meeting at work today. I was working in the residential home, and the meeting was addressing some issues that had risen as a result of one of the resident's passing. Voices were raised, tears were shed, crackers and cheese were munched on. Very brutal. But it was a good meeting. Some people had things to say, and it was important for them to say it. I'm casual staff, and relatively new to boot, so I didn't get too involved. My purpose was to assist the residents during the meeting, but I was able to sit in througout most of it.

The election is over, and we now have a Conservative minority government. I am trying to take solace in the fact that it's a minority government, and this country has survived previous Conservative rule. But I am worried about the lives of the kind of people I support, who rely on government funds to get the help they need. With the current Liberal provincial and the now Conservative federal governments, social and welfare programs are going to be in trouble. Dickheads like Harper and the HCF (Hypocritical Criminal Fuck) Campbell always think that these programs are superfluous, mainly because they and their friends have never needed the services offered. And hell, if they and their $100,000+/year pals don't need it, then clearly it's not a necessary service! It'd be nice if one of these asses took a step beyond their well-manicured lawns and had a look at the real world. Anyway, I can see this whole discussion heading into a vitriolic preach to the choir (too late) so I'm gonna cut it off here.

Ass meets glass

The after-school program has continued after the holiday break. Yesterday, Jenn and I took our group of 8 kids with developmental disabilities to Camp A. I left to check in at the office, and Jenn waited with the kids. When I got back, a pane of glass on the door had been broken by one of the kids. By his ass. The kid wasn't hurt, and it was very difficult not to laugh in front of the group.

Also, when we were upstairs, something odd happened. We had marshalled our group together in the games room, and were about to march down the short hallway to the crafts room, when Jenn and I both saw someone slip through the door into the hall. All of our kids were accounted for, and there was noone else upstairs but us.