What is it with blood sucking?

March 11, 2011

Freaky Friday

I took the trip to McGill University with the Jarvis Family to hear the Freaky Friday lecture by Murray Humphries: “Hematophagy: What is it with Blood Sucking”.

Now the how-to-grandparent-grandchildren-about-fear thread has been raise a notch with a public lecture event about blood feeding animals: the blood fluke, the leech, the hookworm, the tick, the mosquito and vampire bats, some so grim looking that even a picture sucked.

After the talk all were invited to the food court for a bite to eat and then asked to return for the evening movie starring Brad Pitt: Interview with a Vampire.

Unfortunately we had planned pizza at home and could only stay for the intellectual part of the evening.

Each category of blood feeding animals was addressed in three ways:

1. What you need to know about this creature.
2. What you wish you didn’t know.
3. What may (or may not) make you feel better.

Allusions to pop culture peppered the lecture. Humphries did his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Alberta. He was aware of western Canadian cowboy pop culture, as evidenced by his allusion to the lyrics in five minute version of Brad Paisley singing Ticks, which tune he played for us in part, in case we might think he was joking. The important lyrics are below.

I'd like to see you out in the moonlight

I'd like to kiss you baby way back in the sticks

I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers

And I'd like to check you for ticks.

When asked his highlight of the evening, Thomas said that learning Captain Kirk is now 80 years old was the most the memorable fact he retained.

How would Thomas pick up a fact like that, one might ask, from this lecture?

Captain Kirk, a McGill graduate and one of whom they are proud, was once asked how he keeps his youthful appearance. He replied, “How do I stay so healthy and boyishly handsome? It's simple. I drink the blood of young runaways.”

Later, in the question period, and on the point of vampires, someone remarked that Kirk is now 80. And that is the fact that Thomas elevated to the best information of the evening.

So again, Happy 80th Birthday again, to Kelvin Thomas. 

I hope you don't have to stay young that way.

Arta

P.S. Hematophagy is not a valid Scrabble word