(Funny how this showed up after Lego Day.) Since I like doing jigsaw puzzles in my free time, I thought it was a perfect holiday to do a post about. Sadly, I don’t have any new puzzles to put up here. The ones I have are still being worked on. So, enjoy a long slideshow of past puzzles and some memes.
I couldn’t pass this one up. While my son isn’t into Lego as much as he used to thanks to Pokemon becoming his big obsession, I still enjoy them. I think I’m always going to try to buy one big set a year just for the challenge and fun. Last year was the following:
I’ve done a few smaller ones since Lego Rivendell and I’ve heard that they’re releasing Sauron’s Tower this year. I’m torn between that one the the Dungeons & Dragons 50 year anniversary set. Maybe I’ll be able to get both if things work out around my birthday with gift cards. Anyway, I’m still putting them together when I have the money and time to spend. Does anyone else still do Lego sets or have one special set that would make them go back even just for the one?
I’m broken. Just battered to the point of thinking my existence is entirely about pain and suffering. Events of this week have made it that the foreseeable future will be almost constant agony. I have no refuge or place to go to relax. So, anyone who tries to be positive and hopeful in the comments better be ready for backlash. I’m not in the mood or mindset to believe that my life can improve. At least not for the rest of this year.
Yeah . . . That’s really it. I got no real writing done. Some editing and a few blog posts for March. The rest of my week was dealing with the ‘life event’ and the ensuing aftermath of that ending. Didn’t end in a way I fully agree with and I can already see that things are going to be messy going forward. Honestly, I’m so tired of dealing with people who think only of themselves, use me like a tool, lash out at me if I assert any independent thought, and flat out lie to my face. This goes for every facet of my life. I feel like this entire week was a punishment for a crime I don’t remember committing. Monday is going to be rough because I can already tell that I’m not shedding the anxiety and frustration. It’s too much bad shit at once.
The goals for this week were so simple and lame, but that’s probably for the best. I didn’t get to help my son study for most of his midterms due to scheduling, the ‘life event’, and other stuff. Global and Algebra I were the only tests I got to help him with, which he got in the 90’s for. Not sure how the other tests went. Probably get the grades throughout next week, so fingers crossed. As far as the other goals, I did have hot wings, finished ‘Flame of Recca’, and started ‘Highlander’.
Being unable to speak about specifics, I really don’t know where else to go. Might be like this for a bit. Next week is when some of the effects of this week kick in. Not in a good way either. Can’t even imagine trying to write or edit. I have my son this weekend, so we’re going to do some fun stuff. Pokemon Go, a few movies, pizza, and see what else we can do. After the week, I think we both need a quiet, simple weekend to recover our senses and sanity. Will it happen? Not a clue. I’m going to focus mostly on making sure my son has fun and gets through the changes coming. Can’t see any way that I can make my own lot in life improve, so I might as well protect him from things.
Sorry that this is a bummer of a post. I have nothing good to report. If anything good happened, I don’t remember it because of the rest of the nightmare. Taking me over an hour to write this because I keep crying. Even had to stress puke once because I have no other release. Writing this Friday night, so I don’t even know how well I’ll sleep. Probably have to take my anxiety meds along with a full Zzzquil dose. I just wish I can gain some stability and positive events. Don’t expect it from 2024, but I’d like for the actions, ideas, and desires of others to stop fucking me over. I never get a say in the things that happen to me any more.
I know we’re a month into 2024, but that means we’ve had time to get a feel for how things might go. So, let’s get to the questions and try to be positive.
(This was originally inspired by a commercial for the show ‘Hoarders’. Now, I can think of it relating to another class of people. It is funny how an animal that hoards things is studied as an abnormality, but humans aspire to such things. I assume the comment sections of this poem will be so much fun.)
The axolotl is a very unique type of salamander. We’ll get more into that with the facts because there’s a lot to delve into. I tried to write it in paragraph form, but there was so much information that it got messy. Lists are so much neater.
First, I want to note that the axolotl is critically endangered. There are only 50-1,000 left in the wild. There are about 1 million in captivity though. Why? Axolotls are found in only one area, which is the Xochimilco lake complex near Mexico City. With the expansion of human civilization, there has been an increase in pollution and some of their territory has dried up completely. For example, Lake Chaco was a major habitat for axolotls, but it has destroyed. Other threats are overfishing since they are considered a delicacy and introduction of invasive species like perches.
There is a big self-preservation reason to push for the axolotl to survive and not go extinct too. They are very important to researching regeneration because they can regrow limbs and organs. Other species can, but they are one of the few that are able to be bred year round and quickly. This makes them very useful in finding ways to help our own medical field. Specifically, their genetic makeup could hold clues towards curing age-related diseases and aging in general. Not immortality, but to make it that our bodies don’t break down like they tend to do.
So, what are some axolotl facts?
They have a rare condition called neoteny. This means that they don’t lose their larva features when they become adults.
The larva features they keep include feathery exterior gills and a rear dorsal fin.
Axolotls still grow lungs, which they use to get air from the water’s surface.
Unlike other amphibians, they are 100% aquatic and do not leave the water.
They come in brown, black, albino, grey, and pale pink colors.
Axolotls are larger than other salamanders.
Their skeleton is made mostly of cartilage instead of bone.
Aztec mythology says that the axolotl is the god of fire and lightning in disguise.
Axolotl regeneration has gained attention because their new limbs regrow perfectly and there is no markings between new and old flesh within a few weeks. This makes it highly efficient.
They can regrow the same limb up to five times.
Their genome is 10 times the size of humans at 32 billion DNA bases. Two genes have already been identified in connection to regeneration.
Axolotls reach sexual maturity at 6 months.
They are also called the Mexican Walking Fish.
The axolotl is 1,000 times more resistant to cancer than mammals.
Time for some Google Image Searched pictures and YouTube videos.