It's Just Your Love, It Creeps Me Out

Today's Tip of the Day: If you are asked if you want your info shared with universities, etc. when taking any nationally recognized standardized test, just say no.
When I took the GRE I said yes, how can finding out about other graduate anthropology programs be bad? Only, it turns out the universities have no way of knowing your intended area of study. I have since been contacted by several universities and here are the highlights:

University of Nebraska: 2 emails, tastefully done, simply asking me to visit their website to find out more about their grad programs

USC of Somewhere School of Engineering: Ummmm....did you guys actually look at my math percentiles? It's my understanding math is pretty important in all things engineering and while I was perfectly happy with my scores, they weren't exactly anything to brag to an engineering department about. Wait...Am I being used to fill a girl quota?

Florida Atlantic University: Got an email today addressed Dear Vanessa. Ummm... I guess you can call me Vanessa, if you really want.

University of Tampa: Full on stalker mode. They have sent several fliers about info sessions and I get at least 1-2 emails from them a week. They are 10000% convinced I should get my masters of education and hang out at Starbucks with them.

So take a lesson from me. If you don't want to be stalked by (hopefully) well meaning universities, Just say no.

Just Call Me The Crocodile Hunter

So this morning I'm sitting on the couch reading the newspaper and hear unusual noises coming from the wall across the room. First I think it is the squirrel that has figured out where the extra birdseed lives just outside the back door, but nothing is on the back porch. The noise continues and I decide it is coming from the fireplace. Sure enough there is a rather large green lizard making all sorts of noise while hanging out on the inside of the fireplace. I guess he climbed down the chimney? Seems like un-lizardy behavior if you ask me, but there he was between the glass doors and the metal curtain. Not really sure how he managed to climb around the heavy metal curtain designed to keep fire out but whatever.
I set about to release him because, silly lizard, that is not where you live. Wouldn't you know he hides on the hinge of the doors so I can't see him nor can I open the door easily without fear of crushing him to death. So I slowly open the door millimeters at a time. Then the next part of my awesome plan involves waiting for him to climb off the hinges and get to a better position so I can scare him into a cup and take him outside. After sitting on the couch and waiting for the lizard to do something for 20 minutes, I figure it is safe to scamper to other parts of the house to get dressed, check email, etc. I go back to check on the situation and sure enough, I no longer have a lizard in the fireplace because I now apparently have a lizard somewhere in the living room. And my hunt continues...

In other unrelated news, if anyone finds themselves in the Pensacola area this evening, my friend Derek is the featured artist at Gallery Coco (www.cocodesign.com) during tonight's Gallery Night. He is a photographer specializing in landscapes and is quite good if I do say so myself.