Why No One Goes to Arkansas

As I coast into the fifth month of unemployment (technically, because I'm working part-time and people like to hire people who are employed. it makes them think you have more value or something.), I've had a few life epiphanies. Which is really what unemployment is absolutely wonderful for. Adults learn best in situations which allow them to use experience from the past and apply them to current or future situations (principle of adult education).

1. Imposed Reflection. This is the best thing that could have happened to me at this point in my life. Actually. We spent so much time working and pursuing life, that we don't take time to reflect on where we've been or where we want to go. There's an amazing quote that says "if you don't know where you're going, any road will do." Yah. and then you end up in Arkansas. Who goes to Arkansas? Unless it's to visit family, I assume very few. Though I could be wrong. If you're the tourism board from Arkansas, please don't contact me (I am going to Tennessee next week on vacation, but I think plenty of people go to Tennessee.)

2. I have decided to make lemonade : You know the saying : when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. That's what I'm doing. I haven't caused this massive economic downturn of which I am now reaping the "benefits" of. But whatever. This is life and stuff like this happens.

3. Upgrade. Upgrade. Upgrade : No one wants to hire someone who is lazy. So I decided take a class and upgrade my skills. I tried to go with something current, like project management. Applicable skills, and common sense combined.

4. Seize opportunity. If I ever wanted to make a career switch, now would be the time. I'm not stuck in a corporate job that I've built myself into for the last five years. Ehhhhhh, so leaving for an entirely different career isn't a huge deal. Which is what I've decided to do. It might blow up in my face, so more on that to come....

Sheep

A disturbing fact about sheep : they do not take care of their young. As in, they will often abandon their young, fail to feed their young, or just trample them. This is quite sad to me, and destroys most child-like, pastoral imagery I've built up in my head regarding sheep and their gentleness.

Most animals take care of their young quite well. One would think that sheep would do the same. It seems that the ones with the black faces are the worst when it comes to trampling their young. And this is why sheep often need shepherds, because lambs are often not well taken care of. This seems rational to me (re: appointing a shepherd to take care of flock, especially the weakest).

This conversation came up over a dinner of Swiss Chalet take-out. So, I haven't found any official proof (yet) about the stupidity and cruelty of sheep. But if anyone has come across it, please, enlighten me. If, however, you'd like some other interesting factoids about sheep, I am more than happy to oblige, as I've already wikipedia'd (?) a bit about sheep. But please don't assume any of this is in the least scientific. Most comes as a result of hearsay.

Sheep are less intelligent than pigs and cows. Sheep can identify a human face for years after they have seen it. Sheep will identify one voice and will listen to it (makes me think of this). They often follow the other sheep that seem to be moving and can be taught to "heft" to one particular area: this means that they are taught to stick to one geographical location and not stray outside the boundaries. Quite convenient when shepherding sheep without fences and such. Sheep are prey animals, and need to be protected.

I think the analogies that can be drawn from this, and our own need for a shepherd, are pretty self-explanatory.