Return of the Rajah

Hey guys!

So its been pretty much as easy as the weeks have been going and since I have the time right now, I figured to myself, why not write a post or two just to keep things going. Besides, Sharon always told me that its good to just keep writing, whatever is on your mind, to just write it down if only to keep in the momentum of being a good writer. Anyway I did something exciting today and that is, I got my key-card authorized, and while it may sounds really boring for most of you its really quite a big deal because now I will finally be able to 'beep' myself in and out of my office without taking the unnecessarily long way of going up 6 flights of stairs via the fire escape but there you go. On another note, though my poke'walker (which is really a pedometer) has never registered so many steps in my life! Up and down everyday, every morning. In fact, this is us here collecting berries as the sun-rises....

no... really.

All in all though, things have been pretty much been going uphill ever since. I've got the Honours paper seminar out of the way, passed up the first draft of my works in progress paper, been having a good feeling about my research proposal and basically been spending almost 90% of my time with my favourite and most loved people so that helps with the management of stress too, I suppose. I mean, when we're all stressing together its not really a stressful situation if you know what I mean. Must be the sadistic in all of us that enjoy watching our peers suffer alongside! But I digress. I started blogging today really, to talk about some of my latest butterfly specimens (found, no less!!!) which is really quite a catch because in a strange coincidence a fellow lepidopterist just raised it to me the other week that May is a good month for butterflies... well, why don't you take a look at these beauties and be the judge for yourself....

Rajah brooke birdwing in resting position in display case.

Rajah brooke birdwing and Kallima sp. being spread

Unfortunately for me, the butterflies were found already in varying states of dead-ness so by the time I got to them things were already starting to fall off... legs, antennae... heads... but oh well, their wings still look pretty much in order and that's what really counts I suppose when I stick them up on my display wall. On a separate note, Ray (who stayed over the past few days) and I managed to find a large haul of caterpillars in my garden of the lime butterfly, common mormon and possibly a great mormon... my largest haul yet and I cannot be sure (as I have not quite counted them all yet) but there must be at least 20-30 of them! But no worries I'll do a head-count when I get back later today and take their individual pictures and data. But for now... its OFF TO LUNCH as the monster in my abdomen has begun to growl for food and sustenance!!!!

Smile, though your heart is aching. Smile even though its breaking.