In memoriam

The title of this post is misleading. No one died.

The real point behind it is to thank a bunch of people:
Ms. Dr. Kneidel: For sparking my interest in insects and reptiles at a young age.
Mr. Dr. Kneidel: For tolerating my constant annoyance and urging my interests in insects and reptiles.
Also thanks to the entire Kneidel family for my trip to Costa Rica, what little I remember...
Dr. Menhenick of UNCC: For helping me remember why I got into studying bugs.
Don Seriff: For showing me that my passion for animals has practical applications.
And most of all, to Laura Price, for helping me regain the drive and passion I had lost, and reviving my childhood dream of working with reptiles and insects.

I hope to go somewhere with this, to go into teaching or research, or anything I can do. I had forgotten what I loved, what I studied, what I devoted my life to. I started studying bugs and reptiles at around 3 years of age, and I only stopped after I left Warren Wilson College, because I couldn't find a practical application for what I wanted to study. That was a stupid mistake. I should never have abandoned my childhood ambitions. So thank you to everyone who supported me, everyone who helped me, and most importantly, to all the childhood bullies. The ones that called me freak, and weird, and crazy. The ones who used to steal my books, laugh at my drawings, and call me stupid. I wouldn't be who I am today without all the support, whether negative or positive. So, to all the people who supported me, thank you. To all the people who laughed at me, I'm dedicating my lunch hour to blowing raspberries at all of you.



Wow... That was long. Sorry about that. Back to business, then. Fixed the light timers in all the cages, changed out water, fed and petted the lizards, managed to avoid getting bitten by Ivan, sprayed Charizard with water, and almost walked out the door with Tai asleep on my head.

Before I forget, I need to measure all the animals tonight. The Setup page is missing that information. (Also, Tai is still listed as nameless, but by the time anyone reads this, I will have updated it.