Monkey With An Orange (?)

One of my favorite shows to watch on Sunday evenings, while growing up, was "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom". Through them, I got to learn about exotic animals, see strange places and people and really beautiful scenery. Led to some very interesting conversation with my father and some good natured arguements, too (he being the gunsmith and hunter, and me...not).

I didn't really like watching the lions take down their prey, but then too, I didn't want the lion cubs to starve to death either. Balance. I'd leave the room when they would show the tribal people out hunting. Even though I understood they needed to eat too.

One tribe used a little trick to catch monkeys, though just amazed me. So simple, but effective. They would take a jar about the size of one of those jars you see in a deli, holding the dill pickles, and they would tie one end of a rope aroud the jar, and the other end around the base of a tree. Then they would put a large orange inside the jar. Then they would wait.

Appearently monkeys love oranges. The temptation of the orange, being able to see it in the glass jar is enough to override their common sense. Must Have Orange!

They come down from their trees or hiding spots ('cuz they are curious), see the orange and reach in to retreive it. Then they freak out! They try to snatch and run, but the jar is tied to the tree! The orange (and this is why it has to be a big one), wont fit through the opening because the monkey wont let it go. It Wants That Orange!

The hunters come running out and catch the monkey, who is still holding onto the orange.

This past week, I've been the monkey. >: / How? Glad you asked.

I've been taking surveys for the last few months, and while it was stop and go for a while there, things started picking up lately. But I had a handle on it and could split up my days between surveys and WA. This past week though I've been swamped with the blasted things. I think it's because of the upcoming holidays, and they need opinions. Anyway, they have been the "orange" that has been overriding my common sense. On the one hand I really want to get my sites up and running properly, but on the other hand the surveys are (at least right now) helping to paying for my monthly fees here.

Am I being dumb and greedy like the monkey? I don't think so. At least I know that all I have to do is LET GO OF THE ORANGE, STUPID! Today is not so bad. So before me or my computer crashes, I'ma gonna head over to my site and try to remember what I was doing before I got side tracked by that "orange"! CEE-YA >; )