Minor Obsessions

Recently (and as always), I've been picking up arbitrary obsessions regarding different things. The flavour of the week, it would seem, are leeches, 18th century hairstyles, and cow skeletons (particularly skulls). I've also been drawing a lot more than I normally do. I draw a lot as it is, but usually it's more designing based, and tends to be followed with wordy paragraphs rambling on about who knows what. Not in this case! In this case, I'm back to my non-photocopying pencil and black pen combination. Excitingly, though, I recently discovered a new favourite drawing pen. It's a pen called Pentel Rolling Writer. It's like a hybrid between a sharpie or ink brush and a fine nib glossy writing pen. I'm a huge fan, and the lines it produces are great.

Including drawing things like women in 18th century hairstyles being sucked by leeches. Leeches are fascinating and grotesque little creatures. I read that they don't feed very often, but that's because when they do, they drink a great deal of blood. I read that in the span of half an hour, four to five leeches can drain the life from a rabbit. Poor bunny! However, it seems that we can learn a lot from leeches, and that they're still useful. They used to be used all the time in the medical field, mostly to clear out bad blood. Today they are still used, along with maggots. "Ew!" you might be thinking. "Maggots? Leeches??" Yep. Leeches are used to prevent infections and things of the sort by controlling blood going to a wound, and they are also being studied as potential aids in making medication to prevent blood-clotting related diseases (like heart attack and stroke). They have a natural ability to prevent clotting, so that they can drink away.

They also have 32 brains, are hermaphroditic, and have two suckers- an anterior and posterior. They have millions of teensy tiny teeth, are blind, but have one very sharp nose.

Those of you who have read the books and/or watched the movie will know why this is relevant.