combo science and book report: only one of which I needed to be paid to do

I spent part of my morning yesterday collecting my saliva in the name of science. I have voluntarily participated to be a participant in a study on twins. for money. How hard can it be? Fill out some paper work, send of a spit sample - which, in my head, I assumed it would take the form of some cotton swab to the lining of my cheek. that's what they do for those HIV tests with the short turn around time. this test, different. it involved a small plastic cup and directions that where particularly adamant about how much sample they needed. FILL TO HERE (red arrow points to the half way mark). NOT WITH BUBBLES, WITH LIQUID. ok, ok, geez. and so I did. and it took not forever, but long enough to make me realize how gross of an activity I had involved myself in, long enough to thank the universe that studying other people's spit is not my job, long enough to think that if I weren't getting paid, I would be really annoyed. instead of just mildly, curiously annoyed. and so it goes.

'so it goes' has now been entered into my speech library thanks to a very interesting fellow by the name of Kurt Vonnegut. I just read Slaughterhouse 5. I may have read Breakfast of Champions in high school, I don't remember. I plan on looking back to the time that I read this particular novel with some degree of fondness.

Kurt V writes in the beginning how he is telling others his intent on writing an anti-war book. One reaction goes as follows:

"You know what I say to people when I hear they're writing anti-war books?"

"No. What do you say, Harrison Star?"

"I say' Why don't you write an anti-glacier book instead?' "

What he meant, of course, was that there would always be wars, that they were as easy to stop as glaciers.

wait a minute, so does this mean, that with our current state of environmental crisis, ie melting/receding/disappearing glaciers, that we are finally coming to our senses and phasing out war? that peace shall prevail? oh, hey wait, didn't there use to be a glacier right there. . . argh.

what a lousy analogy that is, Mr Star, if that is really your real name. I say, yes on saving glaciers and waging peace simultaneously. and no thanks on melty melty and that whole war thing. so there, put that in your tiny vial and analyse it.