...National Soft Pretzel Month.  Time to celebrate soft pretzels! When was the last time you had one?   I can only hope that the dining hall has soft pretzels on the menu this month.  And there's more than one way to eat them.  You can add ham and cheese over one.  Peanut butter, sauerkraut, maple syrup, mustard.  (Of course not all of these at the same time).  That would be sick.  
and  guess what else...April is also

National Poetry Month! This is a topic near and dear to my heart.  I think poetry is somewhat unappreciated today, mostly because people get the impression that it is high-falutent language that has to rhymme, be vague, etc...  Since it's registration time at the Mount, why not sign up for a Creative Writing class to hone your skills?  Liz Mason is a great prof and you could learn a lot. Shout out.

Did you know that April is also:  National Humor Month, National Card and Letter Writing Month, National Back-pack Safety Month, 

and April is home to these:   National Stress Awareness Day,  National Eggs Benedict Day, National Pecan Day, National Cheeseball Day,  and basically something else for everyday of the month.  Who thinks these up?  And How do they become "National" days?

Of course the begining of my April has included the musical production "OKLAHOMA" here at the Mount.  There's two showings left, so be sure to catch it, its a very entertaining show.  I'm playing guitar and banjo (check out Andi's blog for a funny pic of me).   In fact there's three bloggers participating in the show.  Aren't we just the most talented people the Mount has to offer  .

Finally... 

Josiah Freeman and the Roadkill Chronicles

Episode II:  OOOOHHHH Possum

Today Josiah had a headache.  Lately it seemed life was just baring down on him pretty hard.  Each day seemed to blend into the next; a torrid twist of pot-holed pavement and critter carcasses.  He'd picked up a higher than normal amount of deer roadkill this month.  They were the messiest.  Guts blasted out of them by oncoming trucks.  Josiah figured there might a Coyote or two in the area around one of the local parks as it seemed they were getting to the dear carcasses before he did.  Ironically, they helped Josiah by eating up most of the mess.  In fact, when Josiah thought about it, his job was really not necessary.  Nature would take care of its mess in good time.  The buzzards, rodents, insects and the like all had a hand in disposing of roadkill.  But they didn't work for the County driving a Maintenance Vehicle wearing a bright orange reflector vest for a modest salary.  Seems like death is just too ugly of a thing to let go for too long out on the roads and highways.  Josiah was death's custodian.  Yet in a strict sense, everyone relies on the death of other living things.  Even vegetarians.  "Ouch", said Josiah.  This line of thinking was making his headache worse.

Josiah was working the late shift today, and it was a little after dusk.  He peered out at the road.  His eyes in the process of adjusting to the darkness.  He squinted, then stretched his eyes open attempting to bring things into focus, and just then the lights of his County Maintenance Vehicle shined on the ghostly reflective eyes of the meanest, angriest, ugliest looking possum ever.

Josiah slammed his brakes, swerved halfway off the road, and came to a stop.  He couldn't believe he didn't hit the evil looking thing.  Josiah chuckled at the irony.  Then he saw that the possum hadn't run off the road, but rather was running straight ahead down the road.  Josiah began to follow the possum slowly.  This was different he thought.  The possum just kept on keeping on down the road like he was going somewhere.  Like the road was meant for possums.  It was the darndest thing, and Josiah just kept watching and following.  Suddenly the possum darted off into a parking lot.  I better make sure nobody gets attacked, he looks pretty mean, Josiah thought.  He pulled over and hopped out of the County Maintenance Vehicle and ran after the odd varmit.  The possum scurried into the corner of a building.  Josiah knew that a trapped animal was awfully dangerous, but he wanted to make sure nobody else accidentally stumbled upon it.  The possum looked at Josiah with its dark blank eyes, then quickly skidded up and over the concrete wall. 

"That was some strange OOOPossum," said Josiah.  Just then he heard singing coming from inside the building, "OOOOklahoma".   The sound was fantastic and drew him in.  He made his way into a theater and just stood watching.  He thought to himself Wow what a great bunch of actors, and what a talented orchestra, not to mention that guitar and banjo player! Incredible!

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