Cake and Beetles...

Hey all,

First of all, I want you all to see this bug.



This bug is named Floggart II. He is the second beetle found in some desertous region that one of a nortorious trio (Forrest, Chance, or I) has named Floggart. The original one was found in the Grand Canyon in a place called Sumner Wash. The aforementioned trio was tired and hungry and in need of a good nights sleep when they stumbled upon a small beetle burrowing in the sand. Even though he was small, he was mighty and thriving in the harsh desert. The trio named him Floggart the Destroyer as they watched him quickly scurry about and then dissapear into the warm sandy bottom of the wash. They never saw him again, but they will always remember his efforts. As they hiked out of the canyon in the next days, one of the boys seemed to be hiking harder and faster than the rest, thus earning him the nick name of Floggart the Destroyer, this time as a human.

I hearby dedicate this edition of my blog to all the Floggarts out there...whether you work hard in school, at your job, or just strive to do your best at whatever you do. You see, here are countless men and women out there who do amazing things everyday...and we never give them the respect the deserve, just like this little beetle out in the desert. There are people out there across the ocean fighting for causes that are so diluted that no one is sure what's going on, but they stick to it. There are people out there working through the night to keep your lights on and your home secure. There are people out there that work all day at jobs that no one would want, but have to be done nonetheless - trash collectors, street sweepers, night stockers at the supermarket. They all work to make everyone's life a little easier and more enjoyable, and I don't think they get nearly enough credit.

That being said, I'd like to share a story of a man who has lived up to his potential, even at 97 years old.

George Moyse, of Great Britain is believed to be the worlds oldest person to complete a 120 mph skydive at 10,000 ft. Mr. Moyse will be turning 98 on Wednesday. Even at his age he says, "I do not sit around, I get about, I go for a walk every day and I do my own cooking, washing, ironing, everything. I have just been lucky to be so agile." This is an awesome attitude for anyone in my opinion, especially someone that has lived nearly a century. He did the jump to raise money for charity and ended up liking it very much. He claims that he wasn't in the least bit scared and has decided to do another jump for his 100th birthday. I think this just goes to show that life is what you make it.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSrL4YrIWv8
Story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7983045.stm

I for one can't even imagine living such a long life, let alone be able to provide for myself at that age, let alone skydive. Actually, I can't imagine skydiving period. I really want to do it someday though. :D

Now for some depressing news.

Recently in Magnolia, AK, a woman started a brawl at a funeral service when another attendee allegedly walked in carrying a can of beer. Anna Sindelar, who is 52 years old, and Cynthia Hall, 46, are facing third-degree assault and battery charges after Sindelar marched into the service as mentioned above and refused to leave. She then supposedly grabbed a mans face, leaving bloody scratches, and Hall, who apparently was the man's mother, slapped her. Hall then went on to kick another woman in the chest. The police report ironically claims that Ms. Sindelar became very passive aggressive and said, "no backwood country cop" was going to take her to jail.
More here.

In other news, I went to Windsor this weekend to see my family. My mom and sister and brother were in the area looking at colleges and stuff. (My sister is probably going to go CSU. Grr.) I also got to go birthday shopping with my mom, which was waaaay cool. I got a lifetime membership to REI as well as a new camp stove and a compact rain jacket. I'm pretty stoked. :) Click here to see my new stuff: Stove, Jacket.

I got back here today and got settled in...went to dinner...and then my friends threw me a surprise birthday party!!! It was so exciting!!! My friend Katie made me a cake!!! It was sooo good!!! I'm putting exclamation points on everything!!! Exclamation points!!! WOO HOO!!!

Okay. Enough of that.

Anyway, I don't really have much more to report for now.

But I have one other question...Do any of you want to hear the rest of the Grand Canyon story? Leave me comment and let me know.

I love you all...

-Brad