Today I begin the journey home. I don't want to tho. I love it here. The weather is beautiful and I like being around Heidi and Andy. I miss my brother being around, even though if you try to talk politics to him it's as fruitful as banging your head on a brick wall, lol. Their dogs are great too. Blue is half Rottweiler and half Louisiana Catahoola Leopard Dog and Jack is a Jack Russell. Blue is pretty mellow but Jack is like a spring, would tight and just ready to be let loose. He's actually pretty mellow compared to the other Jack Russells I've met. Oh well. I miss my Roxy and Meow and it will be nice to see them soon.

This is a sad day!

Nov 22, 1718, English pirate, Edward Teach (a.k.a. "Blackbeard"), was killed during a battle off the coast of North Carolina, near Ocracoke Island. British soldiers cornered him aboard his ship and killed him. He was shot and stabbed more than 25 times.

After having stuffed myself silly with Thanksgiving dinner, I have been thinking about immortality. Why, I have no idea. But I've begun to think that with my body in the shape it is in, I wouldn't want to live forever. Not that I have the choice mind you. I have degenerative arthritis in my back, possible rheumatoid in my knees, I have pulmonary hypertension, type II diabetes and god only knows what else going on. I would be miserable. Right now I live with pain every day. To be immortal? That would suck for me. I am really looking forward to the day when it all ceases. Urging death? No, just not wanting to make my stay here longer than needed really. Odd thoughts, I know. Might be from eating that last little slice of pumpkin pie before I had a nap...

Well, I'm almost ready. I have the pecan pie in the oven and the pumpkin waiting to go in. I got a hold of organic pumpkin and am turning that into pie. Most people use the canned stuff. I hate using the canned stuff. It's just not the same as real pumpkin. I'm weird like that. Tomorrow I will do the potatoes and giblet gravy. I do the potatoes like my grandma did and the gravy the way my dad used to. It's going to be good for us.

I wrote this and posted it on my deviantart page (http://12of8.deviantart.com)but I decided to share it here too.

Humans...
I don’t think I understand humans. From a young age I have felt as if I wasn’t part of humanity, but looking in at it. Waiting for my people to come and take me home. As age has crept up on me and I watch myself age, I look as if I belong but I still don’t feel it. Irrational hatred, distrust, war, oppression, they all look foreign to me still. Identifying with animals seems easier. If an animal hurts you, it’s because you threatened or hurt them – pure instinct. If a human hurts you, it can be for personal gain, self aggrandizement, lust, or simply for their own amusement. There is a list of things humans shouldn’t do to each other, outlined in the 10 Commandments. Unfortunately most humans don’t seem to truly follow these. Personally, I do not follow these commandments. I have one personal rule. Do not hurt other people unnecessarily. It works well for me. I wish it could keep the pain at bay, the pain I feel when I see those ugly human behaviors and when I have those behaviors visited upon me. If only humanity could see that the only way to truly grow up as a species is to have the courage to let go of all that, transcend the pettiness of life and become real people.

Well, the weather here in Chandler, AZ is good. I love the evenings here. It's gorgeous at night. I got to go play in the desert yesterday. I picked up a few rocks and dug in the dirt a bit. It's quite different than the dirt I'm used to. It kind of breaks into chunks then if you put pressure on it it disintegrates into dust. I got to see some of the brush I passed on the drive up close. I am assuming it's sagebrush. It's cool. Right now it's almost all dry and brittle. I hope to go out again before I leave. I love rocks and dirt and sand. Yeah, I know, I'm weird.

My dad sent me a link to some info on a new type of solar cell in development. It's going to revolutionize energy production!!! http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060603/bob8.asp

I have a very good friend who is a poet, musician, philosopher and an excellent guy in general. Please go check out his page at http://www.myspace.com/omnijones777

In related news, I stopped to visit with Dr. Jones on the way to Chandler, Az. (A very nice change from Illinois, I assure you!) I wished we could have had more time to visit. He is a very interesting man. He assures me we will spend more time talking in person in December. We have been discussing everything from quantum physics to the decline of the US echoing the downfall of the Roman empire. Definitely a guy worth getting to know.