Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Dead Deer on the Highway and Other Adventures

There was wildlife galore, on the 130 mile trip between here and the Detroit Metro Airport. I counted about 13 dead deer on the highway, as well as 7 turkeys on my round trip run to drop my aunt at the airport. While it's not unusual to see dead deer on Michigan highways, 13 in that trip is pretty extreme. And I'm pretty sure that I've never seen dead turkeys on the highways of southern Michigan at all. They aren't even all that common north of Big Rapids, but at least I've seen them up there. But today, I saw as many, if not more turkeys on this run, than I think I've ever seen as road kill.

What's more, there have been quite a few coyotes spotted in southern MI, over the last couple years. Coyotes have been virtually nonexistent much further south than Cadillac for most of my life. For several years there was a DNR bounty on coyotes and red tail foxes - presumably a bounty that's been lifted.

But back to today's adventures...

I'm pleased to announce that my aunt survived the trip to the airport and I managed the same. I even managed to be extremely polite and carry on a reasonable conversation that didn't involve any real conflict - and remarkably, there was no criticism forthcoming from my aunt. Probably why there was no conflict and she survived the trip... The ride back was actually pretty pleasant, though I may have been off on my deer count, because the large number of state troopers out was a bit distracting. Not that I'm a big speeder, but because they flitting about all over the place and it makes me very uncomfortable to be tailgated - especially at seventy some mph.

And I just smoked a few hits off my third cigarette of the day. I am not doing as well as I would like considering the start that I had, but I am doing pretty good and now that the semester is over and I am out of crunch time, I am getting back down. We'll see how long it takes, but since getting the e-cigarette a few weeks ago, I have smoked less than what would usually be a weeks worth of tobacco...

So now I am enjoying a decent cup of coffee, brewed at my preferred 73 degrees celsius. I am also enjoying the wonderful smell of onions, garlic and flank steak, emanating from the roaster in the kitchen. About the only thing missing, is the most beautiful and brilliant women in the world. Because I would love nothing more than to be wowing her with my prowess in the kitchen and, well...

My lovely roaster is filled with diced tomatoes, pureed sweet onion and garlic, chopped golden potatoes and vidalia onion, mushrooms and of course, a super sexy flank steak. Dinner will be late, but it's going to be most wonderful. And though I will be without the greatest women ever, my friend John will be joining me. I will just have to wow Juniper with my cooking at a later date.

I will also note that DuWayne will be getting more orgamanized with the blog. I have several things that I want to get writing about and have started actually outlining the topics and how I want to approach them. I have several posts to work on about me and how I became me, before I start with my next therapist in a few weeks. I also want to get into terrorism, protest and the rule of law, which will probably end up encompassing five or six posts - possibly more. There are some posts I would like to put up discussing addiction and some about gender, as well as some general neurological issue posts in the wings. Finally, I am going to start working on some posts about magical thinking - both religious and "medical." And of course there will be the random reactionary posts.

I figure that getting some decent outlines put together now, will make it easier to keep up with writing when the summer semester starts. I have a heavy schedule and this fall will also be pretty full, so I want to be well prepared to deal with the topics that have been bothering me and unfortunately neglected because I have trouble figuring out where to start.

I am also going to outline some posts for the Quitters blog and am desperately hoping that some others begin to post over there as well. I have had interest in a general addiction blog, but am not sure I want to go through the trouble, if I can't get others to post to the smoking blog. We'll see how it goes, I am hoping that getting some more posts up over there will get others going. And it may just be that a general addiction community will work out better - I certainly got a strong response to the possibility.

If anyone has any suggestions for what they would like to see me write about, let me know. I am not promising that I will prioritize entirely according to what others want to read, but I am definitely willing to take that into consideration....(For the record, the smell coming from the kitchen is really hot - not quite as sexy as my love, but pretty sexy just the same)

9 comments:

Juniper Shoemaker said...

Sorry I missed this post yesterday. I was too busy wading into the sea with my jeans on and being depressed.

Outlines. I should make them, too. :)

Juniper Shoemaker said...

P.S. Obviously, I am far from "the most beautiful and brilliant woman in the world". Either that, or this was supposed to be a secret which you guarded with your life. Whichever it truly is (lol!), I blush myself into stark unwitty silence every time you say that. Not that, you know, I don't like it or anything. I'm just sayin'.

All this talk of steaks in the blogosphere has got to stop. I will not have any steaks for awhile. You people are torturing me. And, as I told you yesterday, I am sorely disappointed to have missed out on a steak dinner prepared by you. Especially you, because of what you would have additionally served.

Anonymous said...

I had no idea I was capable of simultaneously being so nauseated and jealous. Ah, to be in love in the blogosphere in the springtime. ;-)

Abby Normal said...

Opps, forgot to sign it. The above comment was from me. Not that that will mean anything to you Juniper. I'm a net acquaintance of DuWayne. Nice to "meet" you.

DuWayne Brayton said...

You can argue with me all you want Juniper, but you are in fact the most beautiful and brilliant and nothing you can say will change my mind...

Hey Anonymous Abby, I am truly sorry if I nauseated, but I am basically pretty nauseating at the moment. Except when I'm not.

Spartan said...

It seems strange to say about people I don't know at all, but man you two make a great couple. Great back and forth and riffing off each other, the smiles that are so evident in your writing to each other... good vibes, and thanks for sharing some of it.

I was curious, have you two actually ever met each other in person? Not that your words need any more potency, but if you haven't even met, yow.

Beth said...

DuWayne asks If anyone has any suggestions for what they would like to see me write about, let me know.I would like you to write about you and Juniper finally getting to meet in person!

DuWayne Brayton said...

Spartan -

No, we haven't met in person yet.

Beth -

I really can't wait to write about that either....

the real meme said...

It "would really behoove us to quit acting like complete and utter fucking morons and use power words sparingly, so that they can retain their power."
I agree, DuWayne. And FYI: I wasn't trying to pick on you over at Gregs blog, but I was trying to motivate you into a dialogue that is deeper than your own rage--and maybe even dialogue about some root causes that you might not have addressed in your journey--like females who abuse little boys, or sexually manipulate them into positions like the one you are in right now (and BTW, I read that passing comment about picking your aunt up at the airport--sounds like some 'issues' there?).

I did not try to insult you over your gender issues, but it seemed to me you could not get past your need to rage long enough to listen, or read betwen the lines of what I said.

Lastly, in regards to wildlife ( your other post about taking the aunt through the woods) I trapped a coon last night--although I had baited for squirrel. Seems coons like peanuts...now I am stuck with a raging raccoon in my back yard, in a trap, and I don't quite know how to get it out! The gubmint foks told me to drown it, but I am at root, a pacifist...what to do? What do you Michiginites do with coons?