Perhaps I'm bored, of maybe it's just the kind of assignments our teachers are giving us nowadays (haha...blame it all on the teachers), but anyway, following my physics assignment (see previous entry), this is my biology one. It is a petition from the hair erector muscle in our skin to the brain.

Brief intro: The hair erector muscle helps in regulating temperature in hairy animals. When the temperature of the surroundings is high, the hair erector muscle relaxes and the hairs on your skin lie pretty flat. However, when it's really cold, the brain sends a signal to the muscle to contract. When this happens, your hairs will "stand on ends", which means they will stand up very straight. Because there is a lot of hair, air is trapped within these hairs. Air is a poor conductor of heat, so when heat is conducted out of your body when it goes through vasodilation (that occurs when your body temperature is lower than the surrounding. More blood is allowed to flow through so that you will lose more heat), the air between the hairs will prevent too much heat from being lost in the surroundings, therefore keeping you warm. Okay, enough of chunky info. "Enjoy".


Oh Brainy One,

Ever since I signed the contract with you before winter, I have been contracting so much every day that felt I could become the world's greatest contractor that ever existed. This humble deed of mine had no other motive or intention than to keep thy brain warm and working at close to optimum temperature. Throughout winter, I've worked long and hard to make the hairs on the skin stand up straight (I know that the teachers hate it when they slouch), and I've never rested as long as you received signals from the sense receptors that felt the cold temperatures and sent the instruction to me to contract. My contract will be ending soon, and I really want to relax from all this contracting. I don't ask for any reward or a special prize, but this summer, I hope to be able to relax all the time. I need a vacation break. Before I really do break down…Relaxing instead of contracting during the summer would really be a relaxing experience for me. Besides, making the hairs stand erect would only trap more air and cause a person to be hotter in an already temperate time of the year. Relax, I'll definitely be back on task when the temperatures are down in the dumps again, or when they are in low spirits.

I've checked with my colleagues, namely the blood vessels near the skin surface, the sweat glands, ducts and pores, the temperature receptors and even the adipose tissues, asking them for their opinion as to whether they would be able to cope with the regulation of temperature if I go on a vacation. It was extremely touching to know that all of them supported me in my decision. I really hope you, divine Brain, will approve of this little request of mine too. I will definitely fulfill my contract and go on contracting when the time is right.



Yours sincerely,

Mr. Erector

Hair erector muscle
The body

If you find that rubbishy, that's normal :) I only hope Mr. Tan won't faint when he grades it...haha...


Got to study for physics test for tomorrow. Bye! God bless and see you soon.