Grey, wet, cold... with flowers a bloomin'

Well, it's February, but not like we know it. There should, frankly, still be snow kicking around, but it looks very much like it's given up the ghost for the year. All we get now is the messy rainy weather that ought to be snow storms trundling across the Nihonkai from Russia, bringing all the sunny happiness you'd expect of an official Russian donation. Everyone keeps saying how strange and warm it is this year, but no one besides my students has, at least in conversation, let on that they figure it’s climate change and we’re in for further weirdness and uncomfortable weather.

Well, news flash: it’s climate change and oh, by the way we’re responsible.
Yet more evidence: I give you the BBC (love ‘em)

Greenhouse gases "do warm oceans"

Before and After

Scary. I think I like the pictures of the mountains better now, but warm weather sucks any which way. I’ll never understand people who like the summer because it’s so warm.

Anyway, I’ve just finished about four weeks of the most ridiculously busy days I’ve had in ages. Matter of fact, I can’t ever remember being quite that busy. I’m basically shot. I’m an ex-mind. I go home after work now, not to get ready to hit the gym or head out to a Nihon-go class, but to gather steam to make supper so I don’t end up dragging my sorry ass to the oh so conveniently placed Chinese restaurant, Sushi joint or Konbini. I always want to have a scotch when I get home, even a beer, but I’m taking this Lenten fast thing seriously, as I feel the need to assert my cultural heritage and religious distinctiveness in this sea of ambivalence. What I’m preparing myself for are the cutsie plush Jesus-on-a-Cross or smiling, cutsie Stigmata Jesus dolls that are surrounded by bunnies taking up residence in the store windows or on little commercial displays in the stores. That would about do it for me. I’m sure someone’s already thought of it.

Anyway, speaking of people (or God) cheating death… (is it actually possible to cheat anything if you’re the alpha and omega?)… maybe we won’t have to die after all…

1,000-year lifespan a possibility, geneticist says

I for one will welcome a few extra hundred years. Think of how many languages you could learn in that time! You could be part of a dozen different cultures for a full generation! It would be so fascinating! Wa!
Hell, you’d even get to see the fruits of your reforestation efforts!