Lately I’ve been seriously jonesing for the outdoors. My apartment features no grass whatsoever — everywhere I look it’s pavement, asphalt, cement. So I decided to import a slice of outdoor life.
A few weeks ago, a blog I subscribe to ran an article detailing how to make your own biosphere. I knew this was a project I would enjoy. I’ve tried houseplants, and I invariably kill them. This would work well, because I knew it would hold my attention for an entire afternoon, then once I sealed up the biosphere it would never require my attention again. It should be totally self-sustaining. I can enjoy it as I please and ignore it the rest of the time.
I needed a bottle, so I bought some vodka and drank it all in one night found this one somewhere. I thought it would be kind of funny to use a liquor bottle. I went to the pet store and got the critters — 3 snails and a ghost shrimp named Alfie — and went to the pond for some sludge, water, and (hopefully), some tiny creatures called amphipods, copepods, and ostracods. I also bought a couple little plants to live inside. When I got home I put it all together with some small rocks I got from Lake Superior. It was fun. I did it all last night.
So, do you know how much Alfie the ghost shrimp cost? Thirty-three cents! That’s how much his life is worth. When I told Alfie this, he was very depressed. I regret bringing it up with him. I particularly regret it now, because it turns out that those were my last words to Alfie. When I got home from work tonight, I found out that he died, only 24 hours after his new life in my biosphere began. I don’t know if I killed him with my careless words or with my manufactured environment. The snails seem to be fine. The good news is, since he was only 33 cents I can afford to replace him. I will be more careful about how I speak to the new guy. I actually felt a little sad to find Alfie dead when I got home tonight.
I hope this biosphere makes it. I changed several of the instructions to fit my irregular bottle, and I was supposed to use a particular kind of plant that I just couldn’t find. Still, I have reasonably high hopes that it will work. At least it’s fun to try.
Your playing god man!!!!!!!!
Maybe Alfie had a little too much vodka and died!! Did you wash the bottle before you began the project?
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