Say Your Prayers, Mantis

So I just came into my bedroom and on the ceiling is a praying mantis that is about as big as my face.

OK, I'm exaggerating. It's more like half my face. But you have to admit, that's still pretty big.

The next question, of course, is: how on earth am I supposed to sleep knowing that this thing is in my room? And the answer is: not well. Or possibly at all.

Which is not good, because I've had some bad bouts of insomnia this past week, and I really really need to get some zzz's, or I'm going to end up writing marketing copy tomorrow that sounds like this: "Just please take a freakin' cruise, people. Seven days in the Caribbean from only $549. Woo-hoo. Get on it." (Hmmm, that might be an improvement, actually.)

But back to the mantis. I guess I could try killing it. On the other hand, an insect that is almost-but-not-quite as big as my face would leave a gross mess. Ew.

Maybe I can chase it out of here, get it to fly out the window somehow. On the other hand, what if, as I'm trying to "encourage" it to leave, it attacks me?

Whoa, hold on, folks. The mantis is moving; I repeat, the mantis is now on the move. In the direction, I might add, of the area of ceiling that is directly over my bed. This is not what you'd call a welcome development.

It's going to be a long night...