You guys. Something seriously uncool is happening down here in Tennessee. Well, two things really – have you heard about that ridiculous Don’t Say Gay bill that is making its way towards becoming an actual law? But that’s not what this post is about. No. This post is about the “13-year cicadas”.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am pretty danged afraid of bugs. That is a FACT. I loath all bugs. Some I can tolerate better than others, but really, I hate them all. Pretty high on my hate list? The cicada.
Pictured: The curent face of evil.
This weekend I was up in Iowa for a wedding and we got back super early this morning. Before we left, the cicadas weren’t thaaaaat bad. I mean, yes, I could hear them and I saw all their disgusting dead bodies squashed all over the sidewalk, but it wasn’t super terrible or anything. Then, this morning when we turned off our car, we found out what the swarm sounded like. But it got worse. I walked home this afternoon and I think my eardrums almost burst. I’m not kidding! It was so freaking loud! And I also had to run because I started having a panic attack. Why? Because there were cicadas EVERYWHERE. They were buzzing around on the ground, they were flying around in the air, they were on all of the walls. I’ll give you some perspective. First. Here is a video from someone who lives in Green Hills, the neighborhood down the street from me (it’s where the super nice mall is and also the closest library to me).
That was posted on May 11, about 3 days after the cicadas first emerged. It’s so much worse now. In addition to all those jerks sitting on the ground, there are just as many flying around in the air and sitting on crap all around. Again, I will say it: THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!
Want to hear what they sound like? Here’s this: WARNING: you may want to turn down your volume, I’m not lying – it hurts your ears!
I took my own video with PhotoBooth but then it wouldn’t show it due to errors so I went and found this lady’s video. I’m not sure where she lives, but that is honestly what it sounds like on my walk home. Seriously, these things need to just go the heck away. I can’t wait until they’re all dead and I don’t have to run to and from work. I know that they won’t hurt me, but does anybody really enjoy having a huge ass bug flying into their hair? And they’re just so loud! I noticed that around the streets they’re louder. Anytime a car or truck would zoom by the cicadas would get louder, as if they were competing with the other noise. It seriously hurt my ears.
Well, wish me luck on surviving this nightmare down here. I honestly cannot figure out how I’m going to function normally down here until they’re gone.
Hearts!
Lindsay
NerdGirlBlogging 
I hadn’t heard of this bill until you mentioned it. I read a little about it here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43115864/ns/us_news-life/t/dont-say-gay-bill-passes-tenn-senate/
I think it’s terrible. Boo! I’m a teacher and can’t imagine teaching kids who have same sex parents and not being allowed to say the word gay or forbidding students from using the word to refer to their parents. Sad.
Wow, cicadas are gross! I’d be totally creeped out if I had to walk among them and if they flew in my hair. Eww! Sarah Dessen, who lives in North Carolina, was talking about them recently in her blog:
http://sarahdessen.com/2443/blog/happy-mothers-day/
I know, right!? I emailed the senator who created the bill, asking what was going to happen to the books in the school libraries that mentioned being gay, etc. and I got a flipping form letter back. Such a jackass!
Also, cicadas are SO GROSS!
Also also! I totally need to do a Sarah Dessen post! And read her new book! I have it from the library and if I don’t get done soon I’ll have to return it since there are other people who put it on hold after me. GRRR!
This is terrible to admit, but I’ve never finished a Sarah Dessen book. I started Along for the Ride a while ago, but never finished it. It wasn’t boring. I just never finished it. I have all her books and have heard so many good things about them. I really should get my act together. I enjoy reading her blog and tweets, so I’m sure I’d love her books as well. I read a little of What Happened to Goodbye and thought it was very good. Can’t wait to actually read the whole thing. 🙂
I totally feel for you. I would be scared to even go outside. Don’t cicadas only live for a few days? Does that mean they will go away soon? I hope so!
@Diana Oh no! I just finished What Happened to Goodbye today – I think it might be my favorite Dessen book! I ❤ her so much.
@Jen Ugh, I wish they would go away sooner than later! I was told that the cicadas would come and stick around for like 5 or 6 weeks and by my count they've been around for like 2 to 3ish. So hopefully they'll all be dead soon. The problem is that for each one that dies I swear 10 more pop up. ARGH!
Ah yes. Cicadas. I survived the 17-year cicadas in Bloomington in ’04, so I totally feel your pain.
THE WORST was after it rained when all the baby cicadas would crawl up out of the ground. I swear, our backyard looked like swiss cheese. Also, you could NOT drive with your car window down because they would fly in (OMG *panic*!). And also our dog kept wanting to eat them. Ew.
@Abby OMG, I hope to goodness that I’m out of her before the 17 year hits here. I have no idea when the last 17 year swarm was, but I’m hoping that it won’t happen again for at least another 4 years (really, I think I’ll only be here another 2 years, so I’m giving myself a 2 year buffer).
And OMG THEY FLEW IN YOUR CAR! I think I would probably crash my car if that happened! AAAH!! I have the heebie jeebies just thinking about it!
And I would totally rather all of the bugs just stay in the grass! I will keep off the grass if they quit flying at my head!