After my husband and son were terrorized by a 19 foot great white shark(or actually, accidentally swam with what was probably a nurse shark the size of a first grader) I, of course, did the obvious thing. I blogged about it. I then tweeted about it.  And within an hour received an email from a publicist for the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. He wanted to send us a press kit.  I was pretty sure talking to our country butts on camera was not a good idea.  The south gets enough bad press without my accent making things worse.

I had no idea what a press kit was, but gave him our address and within a couple of days we got this really cool box.

A shark swam under my surfboard and towards my first-born, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.  It’s actually not a lousy t-shirt at all, it’s really soft and well made!

They also sent 2010 Shark Week DVDs.

Sharks by nature just look scary, but these videos actually made you feel better about swimming with them.

The Discovery Channel donated money on our behalf to Oceana.  They’re “the world’s largest international conservation organization focused on protecting and restoring the world’s oceans.”  That was the coolest part.

Adam is now the owner of a virtual shark named Fineas. Looks fierce, doesn’t he?

So, here’s what I’m wondering. If you get all this cool stuff just for getting close to one. What prizes do you get if it takes a nibble?  Not at all interested in finding out personally, just curious.

I don’t know why we’re so surprised when we see a shark.  We’re the ones playing in their backyard.

People swim every day. Lots of people. And you only hear of a shark bite very rarely. And then, it’s not generally an attack, once they get a taste, they usually realize ”human” is not their flavor and they back off. So, I’m convinced they don’t want us. And after Adam and Wayne were that close to a shark and it did nothing, I’m even more convinced that they’re nothing to worry about.

I know tons of people who have been in car accidents, and yet I get in a car every day and don’t give it a second thought.

I know not a single soul who’s ever been bitten by a shark. And even if I did, I’d still get in the ocean. There’s just not enough risk to make it a valid fear.

I’m too busy freaking out about mice, a clear and present danger.

We did stay out of the water for a few days.

Logically, I knew it was no big deal.  I am a mother though.  And that feeling in the pit of my stomach needed to catch up with what I knew in my head.

After a few days, reason won out over emotion and we were back to the beach. I’m not worried, but I have to admit, I spend just a little more time looking for fins!

Have a great day!  I’ve got lots of catching up to do!