Today's Science Lesson

As readers of my blog (Hi Mom) know, I'm a fan of science. Living in South Florida has exposed me to all kinds of new critters over the last year. See example here.

This morning, I found this on my front porch...



Today's lesson is about Millipedes. Enjoy!

Millipedes (Class Diplopoda, previously also known as Chilognatha) are very elongated arthropods with cylindrical bodies that have two pairs of legs for each one of their 20 to 100 or more body segments (except for the first segment behind the head which does not have any appendages at all, and the next few which only have one pair of legs). Each segment that has two pairs of legs is a result of two single segments fused together as one. This class contains around 10,000 species. These animals are detritivores, slow and nonvenomous; unlike the somewhat similar and closely related centipedes (Class Chilopoda), which can be easily distinguished by their single pair of legs for each body segment. Most millipedes eat decaying leaves and other dead plant matter, moisturizing the food with secretions and then scraping it in with the jaws. However they can also be a minor garden pest, especially in greenhouses where they can cause severe damage to emergent seedlings. Signs of millipede damage include the stripping of the outer layers of a young plant stem and irregular damage to leaves and plant apices.

This class of arthropods is thought to be among the first animals to colonize land during the Silurian geologic period. These early forms probably ate mosses and primitive vascular plants.

Indeed, the very oldest known land animal, Pneumodesmus newmani, was a centimeter-long millipede.

Wild Weekend

How can anyone work or sleep? Tomorrow is the BIG GAME. #1 Ohio State versus #2 Michigan. In addition, tomorrow, I am playing in the One Stop Poker Tour Regional Finals for $2500. The tournament starts at 12 noon, the BIG GAME starts at 3:30 p.m. I hope to still be in the middle of the poker tournament during the entire game, seeing how last season, it ended around 8 p.m. It's all part of my strategy, to appear to be totally interested in the football game, but really paying attention to my cards. I love OSU football, but I love $$$ even more!

And, Sunday, my mom and I are taking Emily to the Vero Beach festival of trees. I've never been, but I hear it's very nice, and the weather is supposed to be awesome! Then, we are cooking a Thanksgiving dinner since my parents are going to be out of town for the holiday. Yummy, turkey : )

A Little Joke

A co-worker got a pen stuck inside our printer. He started to try and remove the pen, but I told him we don't have time for that now, just put a note on the printer telling folks not to use it and then report it to the Help Desk. So, he grabbed a piece of paper and scrawled on it. I left before he finished the note.

About 20 minutes later, one of my techs comes in laughing and says he was just in the lobby, saw a piece of paper on a printer and went to investigate.

Attached is what he found. Sometimes things don't always come out the way you want them to........

CLICK BELOW

Bathtime Fun

I was too busy at work to blog about the things I wanted to, but I did manage to relax a little and grab a few shots of Emily having fun with bubbles!

Go Buckeyes!

Halloween Pic

Headache from Hell

I have the headache from hell today. It started last night with a slight annoyance in my right neck muscles. This morning, I had a little bit of sinus issues, and chalked it up to a few draft beers and a smokey bar last night. Then, just before lunch, it got bad. So bad that I thought I might die. All centered on the right side. Then, as quick as it came, it was gone. Now, 4 hours later, its back, but on the left side. Is this a migraine? Or is my head really going to explode?

Hump Day Happenings

Congrats to the Democrats on winning the House and to the new Ohio Govenor, may you change that state for the better!

Voting was definitely a challenge for us last night. Our polling location was at an elementary school, making it impossible to go during the day. By the time we got there at 6:15 last night, it was pitch black, there were no lights and no signs directing us where to go. We ended up parking 1/2 mile away and hiking. Good thing it's Florida and it was still 70 degrees out. Once near the building, we stood in line outside for about 30 minutes which wasn't entirely fun with a starving toddler, but we managed and she entertained the crowd. Inside, the real problems began. Here's the thing. When we moved to Florida and got our new drivers license, they asked us if we wanted to register to vote at the same time. We did - of course. Well, apparently, when we moved and in turn switched counties, our voter reg did not follow us. I found this out by accident last week, and after speaking to the board of elections, was assured that I needed to go to my current polling location and make sure I bring my ID and proof of residency, they would be able to switch my locations and sign me up. I wish it was that simple. It truly is amazing how lazy some people can be. The "elected official" kept trying to tell me that I couldn't vote, or that I could vote on a provisional ballot but it wouldn't count? So, I asked him if I needed to go to the old location and vote there, but he said that I wouldn't be able to do that either because my new address required I vote where I was standing. Hmmm... He tried the deadline/shmeadline line on me, I gently reminded him of my constitutional right to vote, and amazingly enough, a phone call later, I was voting. I mean seriously, am I the only person in the country who has moved in the past year and was negligent (by default) in switching my voter reg card?

Anyhow, after that was over, we ate dinner at the newly redone Chinese Buffett. It was $1 per person more expensive, but they had a REAL sushi bar and hot, fresh crablegs. YUMMY.

Oh, and Emily woke up in the middle of the night requesting her mommy and wanting to lay in my bed. I let her for a few minutes because frankly, I was tired and not looking forward to laying down on her tile floor. It was so nice, she spent 15 minutes touching my face and my hair and whispering sweet nothings into my ear and then asked me if she could go back to her bed and go night, night. Yes, Emily, you can.

Election Day

Don't forget - election day is tomorrow! You can't complain if you don't vote, and complaining is my favorite thing to do so you know I'll be there!

Speaking of elections, the latest buzz is how Crist - the Republican running to replace Baby Bush snubbed/skipped (depending on if you are reading Yahoo/FoxNews) the last GW's appearance in Florida. Ha ha! His name was printed all over the announcements and he was supposed to introduce Bush to the 10,000 plus crowd. Good going Crist. Ha ha!

L-O-S-E-R

Toddler v Twin v Double

It's time for a "real" bed for Emily. We have looked around, but as is our style, waited until the last possible minute. That minute came this morning. I heard her on the monitor with her baby talk and then she got quiet. Real quiet. I jumped up and went into her bedroom. I caught her with one leg over.

"Emily - what are you doing?
"I'm climbing"
"Oh really? Why?"
"Look!"

And over she went. Luckily, I was there to help break her fall.

I really wanted to wait until she was pottytrained so a new room could be her prize. Or at least Christmas, but it doesn't seem like it's going to work that way.

Now I have to make a decision. Do I buy her a toddler bed? Yes, it's cute and comes with railings and I can get one for as cheap as $50 and I can use her current mattress. Or, do I buy her a twin plus railings for a little bit more money, but it will last a lot longer, at least until she is in elementary school right? Or, do I go straight for the double. Sure, it's more money, but a quality bed and mattress could last her for years and years and years?