You should become a mosquito-ologist (Quote from a student)

We've come to that time of year where we are obsessed with two things: the humidity and mosquitoes.

If mosquitoes were something we only had to battle outside, it would not be a big deal. But mosquitoes are a constant full-pitched war here. They're worse downstairs than up, so I make hit and run trips downstairs to get food or coffee and then skedaddle upstairs to eat and drink.

I've been researching and I've learned:

• Blue is the favorite color of mosquitoes.
• They also like dark colors.
• Mosquitoes are attracted by sweat (water supply).
• They are also attracted by the CO2 oozing through your skin.
• They are also attracted to the CO2 let off by candles, and so if you have lit candles around, they will be attracted to it and immolate themselves. (This has led to our house looking like we are having a continual seance.)

I also started a small fire in the kitchen--Mike had to come and put it out, when I decided to burn palo santo (Holy stick), which is a wood that grows here than repels mosquitoes. I set up a grate on the stove, put some palo santo on and lit the burner. Then I blew the fire out and the incensy smoke wafted around and got rid of the mosquitos. The second time I got distracted and the next thing I knew I had quite a blaze going on.

Obsessed.