... And I Tumbld

And I fell. That is right, I finally caved. I made a Tumblr account. I was thinking, I have this blog to post all of MY stuff, but nowhere that seem appropriate to post stuff I like but that isn't really "mine". It made sense to me to make a Tumblr account for this reason. You can find the blog at pupberith.tumblr.com. It is also in the fancy little side menu thing titled "Links". I put it there for ease. Use it, yes?

Conversationally Cursed

I know I promised not to use this blog to rant, but really, what else are blogs used for? I will hereby change the promise I made to "I promise not to use this blog to rant about petty problems." I will however blog about stuff I think is worth ranting about. Stuff that has a point and meaning.

I try my best to social network., and sometimes, most of the time, people can't hold conversations or just don't care to talk and be friends. This seems petty doesn't it? Wrong. I don't social network because I want people to like me. I social network to work on social skills that elude me, or are difficult for me. I am autistic (well, since Aspergers' Syndrome is finally recognized as its own disorder, it technically isn't counted in the autistic spectrum, but it is just easier to say autism). I won't go into detail about it as I will type on forever about it. Instead, you can read this handy-dandy wikipedia article about it. (I haven't gone through the whole thing so it may be a little dated, we all know the internet, right?)

So, while not replying to a message or replying with one word replies doesn't seem like a big deal to you, it is to me. It is actually extremely frustrating. I do not think most people realize how much energy, thought, and trial I put into something even as simple as "Hello, how are you?" It takes a lot of courage and effort on my part to do so. Reaching out to people is not something  generally enjoy doing. Part of me does it because I need to. I need to for CKKC, for my hobbies and interests, for friends and most of all, for myself. I do in fact wish I could just curl up and hide in my room with my pets and live life without worry. Unfortunately we all know that is not how it works. I instead choose to wish for people to realize what a gift conversation is. It is also frustrating when people who I actually wish to talk to do not reply. I understand I do not completely have the choice to communicate and make friends those the people I want to, and I am glad for that. Some of the most interesting people I know, I did not intend to commune with them, but it happened. Most of you take communication for granted. I do not merely mean idle chat. I include in this connotation, pitch, eye contact, mannerisms and body language.

Part of the reason I guess I wrote this post is for people to gain an understanding that it is hard for me, and I put a lot into social networking and communicating. The other part of the reason is hope that people will realize and not shrug conversation away as nothing. It is something. It is how things can start, end, evolve and mature.

A Baby Boy!

I have a new baby boy! I got a baby male carpet python.  His name is Helmuth and he was hatched in October. He may look red and pink in the photo below but he is black and beige right now. As he gets older the beige will become yellow. His father is electric yellow, so he should be too.

He is angry as hell right now but that is due to his young age. Small young snakes are vulnerable so they are naturally a little more nervous. He will calm down with handling and age.

Helmuth in striking position after being put in his new tank for the first time.

Helmuth when he first arrived, show his color a bit better.

Passed But Always Here

This morning, one of my Tarantulas sadly passed away. Uthr (Old Norse for Past) was my Mexican Red Knee or Brachypelma smithi. I took care of her for a friend, as she went on vacation and needed someone to look after her tarantulas. I fell in love with the Red Knee during that time. About a week after I gave her back, my friend came back to me and said "I promised myself I would only have two tarantulas, and I bought another, and I know how much you loved taking care of my smithi, so I would like you to have her". I was caught off guard and honored. I took Uthr in and cared and loved for her.

Uthr crica about 2011

 She will be missed but never forgotten.Most people see you as a scary spider, but I loved you, and always will.

Up and Packed, Not Quite Settled.

Sorry for the long delay in postings. A lot has gone on and I needed to get settled again before I could update.

I moved out of my parents place for the first time. It is both exciting and nerve racking, free and frustrating. The new house is a really good one, despite being so far down south in the city. The distance and transit are really the only downsides though. All of my pets even have their own room! I got another pet as well, but I will save that for another post.

I also got a great job. I got a position at a high end piercing shop. I work long hours and my days off are not back to back, but it is worth it. I am having a lot of fun there. I am not a piercer, but it is so neat seeing how things are done. It is getting me closer to a community I always wanted to be a part of but never really had the chance before. I think part of that is because I moved out. The job has taken up a lot of my time and that is a bit of a bummer. I have less time for the communities I love to help out and indulge in.

I have yet to fully unpack, however, the animals are set up and that is what is important.

A New Stunning Spider

Another belated birthday present! I am super excited with the fact that a dear friend gave me a new tarantula. I am now the proud owner of a Cyriopagopus schioedtei, known by its common name "Malaysian Earth Tiger". I do not know if it is male of female, but I am assuming male. It is an old world species, and thus a very nervous and aggressive one. Found in the peninsular area of Malaysia, this tropical spider is arboreal but does have some burrowing habit in captivity.

I love the coloration and markings on this species.

I was talking with a friend over lunch and he got me on the topic of tarantulas. I don't remember how, but if you know me, once I get on the topic, I don't fucking stop. It came up that there was a species I was looking for at Pisces Pet Emporium. He offered to buy it as a belated birthday gift.  After eating our food, we set out on our way.

We get to Pisces and I head right toward the tarantula cabinet. A call for an employee to help me and get the paper work and what not. I am asked a few questions; have ever taken care of a tarantula before, "oh yes, definitely". Do I know the care of this species, " of course". You know that it needs a high humidity, "Yes, and you may want to put the lid securely back on that take there". I let him take note that the lid of one of the tarantula cages isn't fully on. I sign the papers and we are on our way.

Back when I worked at Petland, This spider was on the list of animals I could order in. I tried ordering it and received a Chilobrachys guanxinensis, Chinese Fawn Tarantula. At first I thought this was a mix up so next time I try again. I am again sent a Chinese Fawn. I attempt this four times and each time I receive a Chinese Fawn! This is a completely different species! I call the supplier and told them that they really need to learn their species.

This is a Chinese Fawn. As you can see, it is nothing like an Malaysian Earth Tiger. Wrong color and doesn't have the stripes! That is why the spider is called a tiger; stripes! The picture is not mine, rights go to who ever it is.

The name on the label that was on the tank says "Earth Tiger Tarantula", but I would like to point out that there are several species of earth tigers. A enthusiast like me I am pretty sure would like to see the full name of the species I am buying. At first I thought it was the wrong species but it is not. The pet store had the right scientific name of "Cyriopagapus Schiodtei. I would like to see the full common name (Malaysian Earth Tiger) posted though.

You can see the little crevice the arachnid was hiding in the background

When I got back to Roscoe's house I wanted to do a quick check. The pet store guarantees good health, but you can never be too careful with arachnids. I open the top of the tank and take a chop stick and ease it it in to coerce it from its little hole. I barely even get the stick near the spider and in a split second it flips around and out of the hole and grabs the stick and attacks it. I draw the stick out and close the lid simultaneously. It sit there, just like the picture above and doesn't move. It was amazing and perfect. I can clearly see all the the tarantula in this position and take the opportunity to check for mites, and such. They were right, from what I can see (tarantulas are very hard to see problem as they don't usually show signs) it is in great health. After this a look up some names and determined that Uggr is the perfect name. It is old Norse for "fear, apprehension". I thought it fits well because it is a fairly aggressive species, even more so than my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens.

All in all as you can probably tell, I am very excited and happy to finally have a Cyriopagopus schioedte.

A Tumultuous Transfer

After a rather turbid time trying to figure things out, I have managed to change the account this blog is administrated by to the account I actually use.

I was using my old email address, but I got a new one when bearpup came around. I inadvertently made a Google account for it and thus, will not allow me change the old address on the account to the new one as it is "already associated with another account". You apparently cannot delete Google accounts and when I tried to email them, it said I couldn't use a Gmail address to email Google Support. That is kinda pathetic in my mind. On top of it, they would only give me 25 goddamn spaces in the goddamn comment box to explain the goddamn problem.

Anyway, with a bit of direction from Roscoe, I manage to add my new email address as a moderator to the my blog, and then change status from moderator to administrator. I could then deleted my old email address as the blog needs at least administrator at all times. This effectively switched the blog to be under my new address' full and utter control! Muh ha hahahahaha!

This has not changed anything to do with the blog, other than the administrating email address.