Kermit?

As I was deep asleep this morning at around 6am, dreaming about buy new shoes no less, I was awakened by something that sounded like a kazoo. The noise lasted for about 3 seconds, and wasn't incredibly loud, but it was just loud enough to rouse me from my slumber. It took me a few seconds to figure out if that noise was for real, or if I had dreamt it. I attributed it to something outside since I slept with my windows open all night. I attempted to go back to sleep, but my bladder wasn't having any of that. So I got up without turning on the light and made a beeline for the bathroom. I had almost made it to my bedroom door when I nearly tripped over my cat, Alcor. Funny, he never sits right in my walking path...and he usually moves when he sees me coming? But, again, I shrugged it off.

After doing my business, I come back into my room to sleep for at least another 45 minutes. Alcor is still sitting there...but his neck is extended now...like he is smelling something. I reach for the light and flip the switch. As soon as the bulbs brighten, I get a clear shot of what has piqued Alcor's interest...because it leapt towards me and nearly landed on my foot! "CRAAAAP!" I screamed as I ran back out into the hallway. A small frog has invaded my bedroom and Alcor had him cornered. (For the record, I am not afraid of frogs, but what I am afraid of is anything leaping at me at 6am right as I turn the light on and can't see anything!)

The frog continues to follow me into the hallway, with Alcor close behind. They meet in the bathroom and, again, Alcor corners him next to the tub. As my cloudy, just-woken-up brain tries to come up with a plan on how I'm gonna get this frog back outside, the frog has had enough. He leaps back at Alcor, puffs himself up, opens his mouth wide, and makes this weird high pitched kazoo noise for about 3 seconds. Familiar sound, I think. I didn't know frogs could make that noise?

Some of the other cats have joined the scene now, including Chloe, who always manages to steal Alcor's prey through her cunning method of bitchiness. Chloe runs in, grabs the frog with her mouth and takes off towards the kitchen to have some fun. Sweet. The kitchen connects to the outdoor porch...the perfect spot for a frog. I open the sliding glass door and try to coax her outside. She sees me getting close and grabs the frog and runs outside with it...followed by Mizar and Alcor. It worked! The frog has basically given up by now and is playing dead. I thought it was dead until I kicked at it and it leapt onto the screen. (Look at all the hair the frog has collected...ewwwww). I corralled the cats back inside and gave myself a nice pat on the back for a job well done.

For the most part, I am not a morning person. It's very hard for me to wake up, and when I do, I don't feel like moving. After the frog incident though, I was so awake and full of adrenaline that I could've taken a quantum mechanics test and aced it right then. I think every morning should begin with a frog in my bedroom.

As a side story to this whole frog debacle, right about the time I heard the first kazoo noise at 6am, I also heard a shuffling sound outside my window. What was that? I popped my head up off the pillow and peered through the screen...just in time to see Danny Phantom shut his car door the last tenth of the way! Are you kidding me! I missed him again!? Why are your windows so friggin tinted! Why must you be so stealth when you leave your house! Are you the Elephant Man or something? Why must you mock me Danny Phantom!?

Danny Phantom has become my elusive white whale, if you will. Call me Ishmael.

For those of you who read this by 4:27pm, there is an Atlas V launch scheduled to lift off then. Check up to the minute updates here: Spaceflight Now