Last night I dreamed of a big lady with a red and green rash. What's that supposed to mean?

Fort Pierce, FL: Oceanographers discover new species of marine sausage.

The sausage approaches diver John Aquaviva.

A sausage surfacing for air off the sea wall.

The latest addition to the museum.

A team of Fort Pierce, FL, based marine scientists literally came up with a groundbreaking discovery earlier today. While observing the growth of man-eating barnacles on boat hulls, diver John Aquaviva noticed a strange shape approaching him under water. "First I thought it was a shark, but then I realised it was a giant Italian sausage", says Aquaviva, still totally mesmerized by the encounter. After taking measurements and meat samples the scientists believe they have found a whole new species of marine mammal. Unfortunately the sausage died in the process and is now on display in the National Museum of Prehistoric Sausages. Italian Ocean Sausages are thought to have evolved from four-legged land sausages over 60 million years ago, with the closest living relatives being the Proboscidea (elephant sausage) and Hyracoidea (hyrax sausage).

Can you feel the heat? Fort Pierce, Florida, on thermal cam.

After a full year of applying photo booth's bulge, twirl and squeeze to my own face (and loving it!), I finally tried the thermal camera effect. And yes, the colors are cool. But what I like best is zooming into the photos. Big, colored pixels. Could there be anything more beautiful than this?

Pick your own: New method of "no-pole-fishing" leads to first results.

The all new painless approach to fishing is leading to instant successes: 36 year old Stephanie V. from Hamburg, Germany, caught her first fish today. "Why carry around a heavy tackle box and a couple of fishing poles when you can pick the fish right from the dock?", asks Stephanie. She might be right. The new method of "no-pole-fishing" works with elements from transcendental meditation and telepathy and makes the fish jump right into the hands of fishing enthusiasts.

Breaking news: Kepler reports 14% unemployment rate on Jupiter due to high gas prices

Although the official Nasa press release says that "the Delta II rocket carrying the Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft lifted off on time at 10:49 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida" I think they were slightly off schedule. Which means: they launched it too early! We were anchored out last night just out of Fort Pierce and watched the countdown on Nasa's webpage, when Robbie suddenly turned around and yelled: "There's the rocket!" And there it was. Actually it flew in a perfect curve and didn't bounce through the atmosphere as it may seem in the video. Kepler's mission: to look for rocky planets similar our own. "Kepler is a critical component in NASA's broader efforts to ultimately find and study planets where Earth-like conditions may be present," said Jon Morse, the Astrophysics Division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Robbie suspected they will probably find out that the unemployment rate on Jupiter is 14% - due to their high gas prices.

Manatees rule! Some manatee rules from marine scientist Dr Daniel Voelzow.

Where are the manatees? Probably enjoying their day off at the spa.

Here in Florida you see slow speed and manatee area signs at every inlet, on almost every piling in a marina and every blackboard at a marina office warns boaters to not approach, run over, feed, or touch Florida's state marine mammal. I wonder: Where in Neptune's name are they? I haven't seen a single one in my whole life and I think I'm ready now. Manatees generally start traveling to warm water when the air temperature drops below 50 degrees or when the water temperature dips to 68 degrees. Although it's a little warmer right now, the guys at Titusville Municipal Marina told us to sail further South to the nuclear power plants, because manatees love to hang out there in the warm discharge water. I still do not trust it, but I will certainly add this point to the list of arguments for nuclear power.

Lots of manatees on the internet.

No manatees next to our boat.

When the sun goes down over St. Augustine Municipal Marina...

... the noise of the construction work from the Bridge of Lions slowly dies off. But honestly – we don't care about traffic sounds or cranes moving giant pieces of metal three feet from our boat, we finally made it into Florida and we! really! enjoy! the warm weather! Being so close to a major building site is a little bizarre but also pretty interesting. I even found a website that shows the progress of the bridge work with photos from different angles: www.fdotbridgeoflions.com/progress.html 

The site also gives information on the operating hours of the temporary bridge. From 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. it opens every half hour, except it does not open at 8:00 a.m., noon, or 5:00 p.m. After 6:00 p.m., the Bridge of Lions temporary bridge opens on demand until 7:00 a.m. So while you're waiting to get through, just enjoy the picturesque view of the city and the Castillo de San Marcos and try not to run aground!

Somebody is humming a lonely tune on the bottom of Factory Creek in Beaufort, SC.

Isn't it a sad thought that there is a lonely cell phone on the bottom of Factory River whistling a love song somebody wrote for his girlfriend? 

Interview with Philip Roth, seen through a cutout of himself.

The discovery of a parallel universe in my living room today actually didn't change much.

Yeah, sure, the supernatural is really something - but, you know, you have to be in the mood for it. When I turned away from my laptop screen this afternoon, I discovered a parallel universe right on the other side of my living room. Not only could I watch myself folding t-shirts, but I was also sitting on the sofa reading a book at the same time. Wow, isn't that special. Wormholes, time travel and all that? Give me a break. If folding underwear and reading is all I can do in parallel universes, I can as well stay home and watch tv. 

Now is the time to get ready for Valentine's Day!

With less than a week's time until Valentine's Day you better get going if you want to surprise your sweetheart with something special! I'm glad I have found a romantic way of expressing my innermost feelings with this little ladybug I drew. You can print it, cut it out and place it on a flower you are giving to your loved one, or you can just send the postcard. Don't be shy! Say how you feel! And make this Valentine's Day a day to remember.

If I don't change my life today, I won't make it to my grandson's wedding reception.

Random portrait of another person I didn't meet on the train today: Derek.

Introducing the Honorable Mr Quan Dary