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What Birds Like to Do on Vacation

Dec 22, 2011 0 comments

A while back, I went to Socorro to see some migratory birds.  Migratory birds love Socorro.  There is so much to do, like eat at the crappy Mexican restaurant and shop at WalMart.  Who wouldn't want to go there?

Okay, Okay, I guess they don't really like to go to Socorro, but they do like to go to Bosque del Apache, which is near Socorro.  It's one of their favorite vacation spots.  They go there every year, and have been going for a very very long time.

It's quite the journey.  In case you were wondering, this is the route they take, according to the International Crane Foundation.


So, what better for a bunch of silly humans to do than go bother them by taking about a million pictures while they're just trying to relax and enjoy their time in sunny New Mexico?

Seriously, they are just trying to eat lunch.
Sometimes, they like to take a little walk down the road.



Or meet up with their friends at the pool.

Poor duck.  He feels left out.


And end the day with a sunset flight.



Then settle in to enjoy the view.

A Christmas Post to Liven Things Up Around Here

Dec 19, 2011 4 comments

It's seriously been forever since I posted anything.  I have so much to tell you but it involves looking for and adding in pictures and I've been rather lazy about that.  I got into Ann Arbor last night and will be here for the next 2 weeks, so expect to be hearing some more from me now that I have a break from the all-consuming work.  I hope to make a "real" post soon, but this seemed like a good fill-in post for now.


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I think wrapping paper makes gifts look prettier and more exciting but gift bags are easier.  I'll probably wrap this time, though, because what else do I have to do?


2. Real tree or Artificial? It's fun to look for a real tree but lately I've been feeling sorry for cutting down the trees.  I haven't been in years, though, and I just have a tiny fake one at my place because a big one wouldn't fit.


3. When do you put up the tree? Pretty much whenever I get around to it.  This year I set it up last week.  


4. When do you take the tree down? Same as above.  I like to leave it up for a while though, so that I get to look at it while I'm actually at home.


5. Do you like eggnog? Umm... it's ok.  I haven't had it in a really long time.  I know I don't necessarily dislike it, but it's not my favorite either.


6. Favorite gift received as a child? I really do not remember what gifts I received as a child.  Is that bad?


7. Do you have a nativity scene? My parents do.  It's kind of a random mismatch of actual Nativity scene and plastic animal figurines.  I used to pretend they were in an elaborate song and dance number.  But that was a long time ago.  Like... last year.  (Just kidding.  Or maybe not?)


8. Hardest person to buy for? It's sometimes hard to come up with ideas for my parents but I actually came up with a pretty good idea this year, I think.


9. Easiest person to buy for? My brother, for sure.


10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I like to send them in the mail.  It's more personal that way, especially since I don't send them to many people and I can write an individual message for each person.  


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably some white elephant gift.  The one I got this year was a plastic mug that smelled like mothballs. 


12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Muppets Christmas (the one where they go to Fozzy's mom's house and visit Fraggle Rock and Miss Piggy gets caught in a snowstorm and the turkey tries to get the chef to cook Big Bird.  It's highly amusing)  And Santa Bear.


13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Depending on how much time I have, I usually don't start shopping until I get back to Ann Arbor, unless I want to get location-specific gifts.


14. Ever recycled a Christmas present?  We have a maroon box that has "What do sweatshirts and peanut butter have in common?" written on it.  We've recycled that box so many years that no one remembers the answer to the question.  It's somewhat frustrating.


15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I don't know... green beans?  cranberry jello?  cheesy potatoes?  Everything is good.


16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I like the colorful ones.  They are pretty.


17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh I don't know.  There's a Frank Sinatra song called Mrs. Santa Claus that I like quite a lot but I haven't been listening to a lot of Christmas music yet this year so it's hard to remember them all.


18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I go "home" to my parents' house.  Maybe in the future I will do something different but that will be decided later.


19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, because of the Rudolph song (which my Jewish grandmother loved, by the way) and The Night Before Christmas story.


20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I made a Star of David out of construction paper and glitter when I was five.  It is still our tree topper to this day.  


21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? My brother, sister and I exchange our gifts on Christmas Eve and we open the ones from our parents on Christmas morning.


22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Ridiculous holiday shoppers (seriously, this old woman at the mall today... oh my gosh), Christmas commercials, jacked up holiday prices and pushy up selling salespeople.


23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? No theme.  We just put up what we have.  I guess the theme would be... eclectic?


24. What do you want for Christmas this year? I mostly want a new purse and camera but I kind of want to pick them out myself, so really... just money.