I've Been Asked

How does it feel to be a black belt? Well, I'll tell you.

It feels like being run over by a truck. All I've wanted to do since I got home Saturday is to sleep.

The heat isn't helping. This is what I came home to:

These are the people who tested with me. Even though I'd never met most of them before Saturday or had met them only briefly, I feel we now share a bond that will last us the rest of our lives.

Lisa Wanker, Dylan ?, James Selby, Me, Kevin Hood

In other news, I got both ball pythons to eat scented rats Sunday evening. I'd tried to feed Slider a rat scented with mouse scent last week. He struck and constricted it, but didn't eat it. I decided to skip feeding him this week, so he'd be good and hungry by the time I tried to feed him again.

After looking at Monty, I decided he was big enough to try a weaned rat, so I thawed him one and scented it with Mouse Maker (TM). I use my blowdryer to heat the mice and rats up, and when I started to carry the rat to Monty, I noticed that Slider was halfway out of his cave and looking around. On a whim, I offered him the rat, and he ate it! This is a good thing. If he keeps eating them, it will be even better. Then I will move him up to small rats, and maybe he will finally begin to grow. I don't know if he'll ever catch up to where he's supposed to be (if you don't remember, he was adopted from someone who seldom fed him, and didn't feed him enough when he did), but he'll at least be healthy now.

Anyway, I thawed and scented another weaned rat for Monty, and he ate it with no hesitation. It took him a while to get it down since it is bigger than what he is used to, but so far he hasn't regurged it. I've got two to feed today, but I think I may hold them off until tomorrow.

Gotta go to class tonight. My first class as a black belt. More details of my test will be forthcoming as well, as soon as my brain has rested a bit more.