So the whole firefly thing got me to thinking about other things I tried to grow in jars. Of course there have been a few terrariums and the odd gold fish, but nothing compares to the childhood trauma of Sea Monkeys.

This is my first memory of falling for a company’s marketing scheme hook, line and sinker. pardon my nautical pun! There were probably others that came before, but these are the first I remember.

I really, honestly believed that the Sea Monkeys would look like their pictures. Some sort of Dr. Seuss’s Who’s meet Jacques Cousteau.

The packages I always bought also had the Sea Monkeys pictured in a castle/kingdom type of setting — complete with crowns and scepters. I also earnestly believed that the Sea Monkey royal accoutrements would magically materialize.

This went on for some time.

I was willing to give the Sea Monkeys the benefit of the doubt time and time again. Each time with the same result — nada, zippo, zilch. What I have since learned are brine shrimp did not even appear! But I kept buying those damn Sea Monkeys with the same hopeful thought — that this time would be different, this time would be the one when the King and Queen of the Sea Monkeys would grow in my jar and rule in a benevolent manner over their subject Sea Monkeys who adored them. And I would gaze upon their comings and goings and be charmed by their culture and mores.

At some point I became cynical and stopped believing in Sea Monkeys.

But now, in writing this entry, I have discovered a whole new world of exciting Sea Monkey products designed to enhance my Sea Monkey experience …… perhaps….

So the whole firefly thing got me to thinking about other things I tried to grow in jars. Of course there have been a few terrariums and the odd gold fish, but nothing compares to the childhood trauma of Sea Monkeys.

This is my first memory of falling for a company’s marketing scheme hook, line and sinker. pardon my nautical pun! There were probably others that came before, but these are the first I remember.

I really, honestly believed that the Sea Monkeys would look like their pictures. Some sort of Dr. Seuss’s Who’s meet Jacques Cousteau.

The packages I always bought also had the Sea Monkeys pictured in a castle/kingdom type of setting — complete with crowns and scepters. I also earnestly believed that the Sea Monkey royal accoutrements would magically materialize.

This went on for some time.

I was willing to give the Sea Monkeys the benefit of the doubt time and time again. Each time with the same result — nada, zippo, zilch. What I have since learned are brine shrimp did not even appear! But I kept buying those damn Sea Monkeys with the same hopeful thought — that this time would be different, this time would be the one when the King and Queen of the Sea Monkeys would grow in my jar and rule in a benevolent manner over their subject Sea Monkeys who adored them. And I would gaze upon their comings and goings and be charmed by their culture and mores.

At some point I became cynical and stopped believing in Sea Monkeys.

But now, in writing this entry, I have discovered a whole new world of exciting Sea Monkey products designed to enhance my Sea Monkey experience …… perhaps….

Fire-flies, lightning bugs — where have they all gone?? When I was growing up, the edges of our backyard would come alive at dusk with their blinking lights. We used to try to catch them and keep them alive in our specially designed bug cages. These weren’t your typical jar-with-holes-in-the-lid contraptions — these were clear plastic containers, in the shape of an extra large flashlight, with removable green caps on each end – one having vents. Despite the deluxe accomodations, we never managed to keep them alive for extended periods. Can it be that our childish hunting impacted their population??

We are heading to PA today for my cousin’s wedding! It will be wonderful to see everyone …. haven’t had a large family gathering in quite some time. I intend to take some knitting for the car ride – although I may do some of the driving.

gotta run and pack my dancing shoes…