November 10, 2007

My mom clipped this from her local newspaper and mailed it to me this week. It has brought me much joy.

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Squirrels' stashes sparked small fires
By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian

Fire investigators are pinning several recent spot fires near Seeley Lake on an unlikely group of arsonists - squirrels.

A man reported the wildfires last Wednesday afternoon outside his home on Montana Highway 83, moments after turning the ignition key on his RV.

Unbeknownst to the driver, a local colony of gray squirrels had been stowing pine cones in the vehicle's exhaust pipe, and the loaded tailpipe began blasting fiery cones across his driveway like a Roman candle, igniting a handful of
small grass fires.

According to the tongue-in-cheek fire report, Incident Commander Scott Meyer responded to the wildland fire with several engines in tow, and later ruled that the squirrels belonged to a paramilitary squirrel organization that has abounded for years in Seeley Lake, called the Pine Cone Liberation Organization (PCLO).

“A lapse in squirrel-oversight intelligence had allowed the PCLO to engage in recon, planning and sabotage without fear of consequence or retribution, in the form of being chased by a broom,” according to the report.

Calling the attack one “which will live in infamy,” Meyer blamed the incident on a well-known local dissident, “Slippy the Squirrel.” A critter notorious for his chirping fits and histrionics, Slippy's resistance efforts had previously been nonviolent in nature, Meyer said.

“After years of being shot at with blow-guns, run over by logging trucks and chased by neighborhood dogs, the squirrels struck back,” the report states. “This had been their Bastille, their Red October, their chance at glory! Suppression efforts were started by all fire engines - the owner of the property upon which the squirrels had made their presence felt let the firefighters use the garden hose to cool off the pine cones. At 15:16, all resources were released from the fire. At that time, Meyer called the fire controlled, contained and dead-out. Slippy the Squirrel, however, remains at large. The PCLO could not be reached for comment.”

November 7, 2007

How can I be done with my Ph.D and still feel like I'm behind? Everything else was supposed to come crashing to a halt and I was supposed to go to Argentina or Italy or something with not a care in the world! Even so, it is soooo great to be done!

I did it!

It wasn't quite as breezy as many had told me it would be, but I successfully defended yesterday! It took about an hour and a half, and while there was never any question as to whether they were going to sign or not, there were a couple of solid questions thrown my way that I could have handled better. And because I am who I am, I have been replaying the discussion in my head to see how I could have answered things more eloquently or impressively. I mean, I basically feel like I didn't answer Professor High Status' question. They all liked my research so much, I wanted to live up to their expectations and be able to wow them with my ability to precisely articulate my conclusions; I'd give myself a C+/B- in that department. Some of the comments were sort of pointless, but I respectfully nodded and waited for them to move on. I felt kind of dazed afterward, and wanted to process it more with my advisor, but I won't be able to do that until Monday. I knocked back a few pints of Guinness last night and I'm looking forward to M.I.A. tonight!



Posted by Dr. Stuckupgirl on November 3, 2007 :)