It was an omen

I haven't blogged in a while despite all that has been going on here... because of all that is going on here.  Some things are just not bloggable.  Sometimes, the most difficult thing in the world is to NOT be able to comment.

It shouldn't have been a surprise, though, these dark times.  There were omens.  I am not being superstitious, because how can you not interpret the following to mean something bad is coming?

I was on my way to the hairdresser, running a few minutes late and waiting (im)patiently for a red light to change, when I just happened to turn my head to look out the passenger side window. I just happened to turn my head at the precise moment that a bird fell out of the sky- dead.  It was flying along, and suddenly plummeted to the earth and slammed into the ground so hard that if it hadn't been dead already, it surely was dead on impact.  How can that happen?  How does a bird just fall down dead mid flight?  And then, as my mind was coming to terms with that, I saw a lady in her SUV pull forward out of her parking spot.  I held my breath and I watched as her front tire.... just barely missed the poor dead bird.  But then... seconds later, her rear tire ran over that bird, flattening it to the size of a pita.


I guess it was just the birds time.  If whatever struck it mid-flight didn't do it, then the impact did.  And if the impact didn't do it, then the SUV did.  

If that is not an omen, then I don't know what is.

A few days later, as I was walking out of lab, I came down the staircase and saw a dog.  A dog just outside of the medical school library.  As I took another step, I saw another, and another, and another dog.  There were four K-9's, all accompanied by burly looking guys- and one gal- all dressed in uniform with "BOMB SQUAD" in big letters across the back.

I ran out rather quickly.  I am not taking any chances lately. I still don't know why they were there; just a drill, maybe.

But it isn't just me who is being paranoid. As a result of local recent events, my dad was feeling protective, and went out and bought me some pepper spray.  This made me feel warm and fuzzy-  my dad was taking care of me!  I immediately put it on my keychain.  Cosette noticed, and asked what it was, so I told her that if someone was bothering me and wouldn't leave me alone I could spray them in the eyes and it would hurt them and then they would leave me alone.  "Can I spray Juliette?" she asked.  I had to explain that it would hurt them a lot and that you don't spray anyone unless it is a real emergency.  I don't want to scare her; she is at the age where she is beginning to think about 'bad things'; (although, what a 'bad thing' is for a four year old I can't imagine and she can't articulate); so I tried to make her understand that it was not a toy without getting into specifics.  I think I succeeded; she doesn't ask to use it, anymore.  Instead, every day when I pick her up from daycare, Cosette will point to the pepper spray and ask "Did you use that today?" To which I reply, "No, no one bothered me today, I didn't need it." And she just nods and says "Good."

Yes, that is good.  But it is sad to have the conversation to begin with.

I was looking at the can more closely today, and noticed something.  Something interesting. 
"Expiration June 2009"

I think my dad needs to buy me a newer can of pepper spray.

(And in case you were beginning to worry... I am fine.  Local events, not personal events, inspired these ramblings).