To be or not to be, make up your mind!

Well some things need to be said. Our new rat Othello (the black one) is a total wuss. He hides out in his igloo all day. When we take him out to play he hurriedly poops as many times as he can on us. It's too bad, because it makes us want to put him back in his cage, which I think is what he wants. It's amazing how different the personalities are in the two rats. Hamlet likes to play and run around and be trained, but Othello only likes to get the heck away from everyone. I didn't know why until I looked in the mirror today. I think I'd like to hide in an igloo for a bit too.

Going to disney Land for Spring Break!

Hannah and I went and played with Pre-schoolers for a few hours, and on top of the warm feeling inside, we get a free day in Disneyland over spring break! Our plan is to go down and stay with her brother's family in LA, so it'll only cost the gas to get there which we're splitting with Hannah's sister Mallory and the food while we're there! I'm having fun already and spring break is next week!

Othello

Yesterday we went "looking" at Petsmart and I knew we would end up with another rat. I had promised Hannah that in March we could get a friendcito for Hamlet, so we got Othello. He is white with a black hood and stripe, and is smaller than Hamlet. Othello is pretty different from Hamlet. When we give Hamlet a rat bath, he wigs out and scratches my arms all up trying to get out of the sink. Othello on the other hand just swims around in the sink casually, and when it's time to dry off doesn't make a fuss about it. He likes to hide in his hut all day, and when we move the hut for him to come out he just follows the hut. He makes this weird sound like he is laughing so I think he's kind of sick. Also he smells way different from Hamlet. Hamlet within a day or two was completely comfortable in his new home, but Othello seems to need his sweet time to adjust. It's amazing how different the personalities are between the two, but the one thing they seem to have in common is that they have a defense mechanism for when they are scared which is they begin to poop all over you.

My Rat Hamlet

So my rat Hamlet is a good friend of mine. I let him out of his cage because despite all his rage he is what he is. Or was. Because now he is out of his cage. So anyway, I'm watching him scamper around the carpet and climb up the furniture to sit with me, and he does what he is wont to do: walks across my hand and pees on it. So... I have to go wash off again. Rats pee on things to mark their territory, and to remind them where things are that they found. For instance, if Hamlet were to wander into the kitchen and find some apple pieces he would pee furiously all over the spot he found it so that he could go back to it again. So here I am now with my dilemma. Should I be flattered that Hamlet wants to remember that he likes me and can find me later? Or should I be worried that he thinks I am now his personal toilet? I guess the pee trail he just left across my t-shirt is the answer. Oh Hamlet you inquisitive fool, stop chewing on my car keys.

Walking to Class

Have you ever seen someone in a crowd that believes they are the only person in the world? I was walking to class and I pass this kid who is singing along to his ipod loudly and in a falsetto voice. No doubt it was some woman country singer that no one listens to in our world but in his fictitious world they do. I wonder what his other world consists of? I wonder if he ever visits our world? Does he like it? How does he allocate his time between worlds? These are questions that if I meet him again I will have to ask him. Also I would ask him if his vocal chords changed in puberty.