Friday, December 14, 2007
Help
I have to come up with a name for my business. My BUSINESS. MY business. Being that I graduate in 6 weeks and part of the graduation process is making a business plan. (was that even a complete sentence?) Anyway, I have been beating my head against the wall trying to think of a good name for a dog training business and I honestly have not thought of one thing that has stuck with me. It seems like existing dog trainers have businesses called really bland things like 'The Dog Training Company' or pretty cheesy things like 'Camp Bow Wow'. I want a name that has a deeper significance than those kinds of names but that also obviously eludes to the fact that it is a dog training business. Oh, and it has to have a logo too. So if anyone has suggestions...please let me know! I feel like I can't move forward with the assignment too well until I have a name picked.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Blehhh
I'm ready for Christmas break.
I'm burned out here.
I feel like I am going to fail all my tests (well, my dogs are).
All I need is a 1.7 GPA to graduate here. Shouldn't be hard, right? I think the biggest difficulty to me is that I care too much about what other people think about me. I let my instructors' negativity completely define my self worth. I wish I could snap out of it. Who would want them defining their self worth anyway? They're human in every sense of the word. I wonder what God thinks of me as a student dog trainer???
I'm burned out here.
I feel like I am going to fail all my tests (well, my dogs are).
All I need is a 1.7 GPA to graduate here. Shouldn't be hard, right? I think the biggest difficulty to me is that I care too much about what other people think about me. I let my instructors' negativity completely define my self worth. I wish I could snap out of it. Who would want them defining their self worth anyway? They're human in every sense of the word. I wonder what God thinks of me as a student dog trainer???
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Catching my breath
Alright. I hate to sound like a complete downer but this week has been kind of ridiculous. Let's start with my drive back from KC.
I left Overland Park at about 8:20 AM. On mapquest, the trip is supposed to take 10 hours and 47 minutes. With a dog, I gave myself a generous 12 hours to get back to Hutto at a decent time. It ended up taking 14 and a half hours. Things went fine the first 3/4 of the trip. I made good time, Gabe was an angel, and things seemed to be going well. I even made it through Dallas/Fort Worth without much of a problem. However. When I got south of Fort Worth, kind of in the middle of nowhere, traffic came to a dead stop. It was so strange, and I even saw cars on an on-ramp going into reverse and flying backwards up the ramp. Not a good sign. So, Gabe and I rolled along for a while. Literally rolled. For the first hour, I remained fairly composed. But as the SECOND hour closed in on us, the sun went down, and I watched my precious potential hours of productivity and sleep slip away from me, I was not a happy person. Especially as I came to find out that the reason there were delays in the first place was that there was road construction, one of my least favorite things. Oh, and were they actually working on the roads at the time? Of course not. They just had all but one lane blocked off. That combined with Thanksgiving traffic made it a disaster.
So I made it through that finally, and by that time I was so hungry and needed to stop to let Gabe out too. I saw a sign for Quiznos and got excited since it's kind of rare to see one on a highway so I took that exit. I excitedly pulled into the parking lot, only to realize that I was in the wrong parking lot. I briefly considered driving over the median, but decided against it and found another way around. I pulled up to the front of the store and discovered it was CLOSED. Ugh. So, we continued on. Got back on I35 and took the next exit for a Subway. It said turn right at the light, so I did. The Subway was nowhere in sight, so I kept continuing down the road for quite some time. I finally saw it, only to realize that I was in the right lane, Subway was on the left, and there were about three lanes in between us. Needless to say, I missed that turn. I got turned back around and made it into the Subway parking lot. I got Gabe out to stretch his legs and found that there was no grass in sight and the poor guy had to go! We had to search for some and finally, all the way across the parking lot, we found some. I fed him after that and finally went inside to get something to eat and go to the bathroom. It was then that I was told that NEITHER of their bathrooms were working. I ordered my sandwich and then realized that the chicken one was the sandwich of the day, and like half the price of normal ones. I ordered turkey. Stupid.
Buttt I made it back in one piece. Eventually. It set me up for a very tired week, but things could have been worse I suppose. Unfortunately it was another testing week though, and Diamond and Gabe decided bombing a few things was a good idea. I was contemplating setting them free to be wild dogs yesterday but all in all I suppose we pulled through it ok. It's just so hard when my grades are dependent on entirely independent beings!
The biggest thing of the week is the loss of my Grandpa H. I didn't get to say goodbye, I didn't get to see him much in the last several years. I can't really believe he is even gone. But it was time. I am glad he isn't in pain any more. And I am also glad that I get to honor his life at his funeral this weekend. So many things about him will stand out about him for the rest of my life. Things that will make me miss him. I certainly am glad he is now in a better place though. From what I hear, life on the other side isn't full of downers.
I left Overland Park at about 8:20 AM. On mapquest, the trip is supposed to take 10 hours and 47 minutes. With a dog, I gave myself a generous 12 hours to get back to Hutto at a decent time. It ended up taking 14 and a half hours. Things went fine the first 3/4 of the trip. I made good time, Gabe was an angel, and things seemed to be going well. I even made it through Dallas/Fort Worth without much of a problem. However. When I got south of Fort Worth, kind of in the middle of nowhere, traffic came to a dead stop. It was so strange, and I even saw cars on an on-ramp going into reverse and flying backwards up the ramp. Not a good sign. So, Gabe and I rolled along for a while. Literally rolled. For the first hour, I remained fairly composed. But as the SECOND hour closed in on us, the sun went down, and I watched my precious potential hours of productivity and sleep slip away from me, I was not a happy person. Especially as I came to find out that the reason there were delays in the first place was that there was road construction, one of my least favorite things. Oh, and were they actually working on the roads at the time? Of course not. They just had all but one lane blocked off. That combined with Thanksgiving traffic made it a disaster.
So I made it through that finally, and by that time I was so hungry and needed to stop to let Gabe out too. I saw a sign for Quiznos and got excited since it's kind of rare to see one on a highway so I took that exit. I excitedly pulled into the parking lot, only to realize that I was in the wrong parking lot. I briefly considered driving over the median, but decided against it and found another way around. I pulled up to the front of the store and discovered it was CLOSED. Ugh. So, we continued on. Got back on I35 and took the next exit for a Subway. It said turn right at the light, so I did. The Subway was nowhere in sight, so I kept continuing down the road for quite some time. I finally saw it, only to realize that I was in the right lane, Subway was on the left, and there were about three lanes in between us. Needless to say, I missed that turn. I got turned back around and made it into the Subway parking lot. I got Gabe out to stretch his legs and found that there was no grass in sight and the poor guy had to go! We had to search for some and finally, all the way across the parking lot, we found some. I fed him after that and finally went inside to get something to eat and go to the bathroom. It was then that I was told that NEITHER of their bathrooms were working. I ordered my sandwich and then realized that the chicken one was the sandwich of the day, and like half the price of normal ones. I ordered turkey. Stupid.
Buttt I made it back in one piece. Eventually. It set me up for a very tired week, but things could have been worse I suppose. Unfortunately it was another testing week though, and Diamond and Gabe decided bombing a few things was a good idea. I was contemplating setting them free to be wild dogs yesterday but all in all I suppose we pulled through it ok. It's just so hard when my grades are dependent on entirely independent beings!
The biggest thing of the week is the loss of my Grandpa H. I didn't get to say goodbye, I didn't get to see him much in the last several years. I can't really believe he is even gone. But it was time. I am glad he isn't in pain any more. And I am also glad that I get to honor his life at his funeral this weekend. So many things about him will stand out about him for the rest of my life. Things that will make me miss him. I certainly am glad he is now in a better place though. From what I hear, life on the other side isn't full of downers.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
It's Good to be Home
Micah: Hey Becca, guess how old I am!
Me: Hmmm, 12?
Micah: Noooo!
Me: Oh no, well how old are you?
Micah: I am SORRY Becca, but I am NOT three any more. I am FOUR.
Our stove Is broken so Dad made mashed potatoes on the Coleman stove out on the deck. Love it.
It's like less than 30 degrees here. Amazing! Freezing.
Even though it might be cliche to say, I have so much to be thankful for. It was perfect to be with my whole family today, to have a break from school, and even get to have Gabe here. We had everything we could want to eat and more, sat in a warm house, and got to laze around using wireless internet on our very own computers in our very own rooms. We watched a movie on satellite on one of our several TVs, and talked and laughed because we love each other and get along. God is so good to me.
I'm so glad I get a few more days here before heading back to the grindstone. I know it will feel all too soon but it has already been worth it to be here.
Me: Hmmm, 12?
Micah: Noooo!
Me: Oh no, well how old are you?
Micah: I am SORRY Becca, but I am NOT three any more. I am FOUR.
Our stove Is broken so Dad made mashed potatoes on the Coleman stove out on the deck. Love it.
It's like less than 30 degrees here. Amazing! Freezing.
Even though it might be cliche to say, I have so much to be thankful for. It was perfect to be with my whole family today, to have a break from school, and even get to have Gabe here. We had everything we could want to eat and more, sat in a warm house, and got to laze around using wireless internet on our very own computers in our very own rooms. We watched a movie on satellite on one of our several TVs, and talked and laughed because we love each other and get along. God is so good to me.
I'm so glad I get a few more days here before heading back to the grindstone. I know it will feel all too soon but it has already been worth it to be here.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Texas: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
As I close in on 8 weeks here in Texas and the halfway point of my school program, I think a list is due to discuss the pro's and con's of this state.
Let's start with the bad:
1. The bugs. Honestly, if you thought the bugs where you live are bad...you have not seen anything until you've lived in the south. I killed a SCORPION in my house a few days ago. Yeah, that's right. Gabe found it first, was trying to play with it, but thankfully didn't get close enough to get stung. I, not knowing how to best kill a scorpion, could only grab my tennis shoe and slam that nasty thing. Forcefully, and many times. It was so gross, people!
2. The lack of seasons. It is currently STILL hitting the 80's 6 days out of 7 here. And it's almost Thanksgiving. Furthermore, it's almost December! My favorite season of Fall seems to have been skipped altogether. Summer here is hottest, then comes 'Winter' which is...hot. Also, the tree leaves don't change. Except to brown.
3. Humidity. And I thought KC was bad.
4. Gas prices. For being so known for its oil wells, Texas sure isn't cutting any breaks for its inhabitants to fill up.
There are some good things too:
1. The skies. Texas has the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises! I happen to be awake for both these days. It's very open and the clouds are always just right to catch the color of the sun on them.
2. Uh...um...I...Austin is cool. Too bad I can't go there more.
3. Gabe is here.
I think I'm in the wrong state.
Don't worry, I am doing alright overall. But I would be very thankful to live in the West in the future. : )
Let's start with the bad:
1. The bugs. Honestly, if you thought the bugs where you live are bad...you have not seen anything until you've lived in the south. I killed a SCORPION in my house a few days ago. Yeah, that's right. Gabe found it first, was trying to play with it, but thankfully didn't get close enough to get stung. I, not knowing how to best kill a scorpion, could only grab my tennis shoe and slam that nasty thing. Forcefully, and many times. It was so gross, people!
2. The lack of seasons. It is currently STILL hitting the 80's 6 days out of 7 here. And it's almost Thanksgiving. Furthermore, it's almost December! My favorite season of Fall seems to have been skipped altogether. Summer here is hottest, then comes 'Winter' which is...hot. Also, the tree leaves don't change. Except to brown.
3. Humidity. And I thought KC was bad.
4. Gas prices. For being so known for its oil wells, Texas sure isn't cutting any breaks for its inhabitants to fill up.
There are some good things too:
1. The skies. Texas has the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises! I happen to be awake for both these days. It's very open and the clouds are always just right to catch the color of the sun on them.
2. Uh...um...I...Austin is cool. Too bad I can't go there more.
3. Gabe is here.
I think I'm in the wrong state.
Don't worry, I am doing alright overall. But I would be very thankful to live in the West in the future. : )
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Sweet Gabe
Is he cute, or is he cute? This was from Pet Fest a few weeks ago. The kissing booth was actually so dogs would kiss people, but Gabe and his good friend Pixxie shared a moment here. : )
Monday, November 12, 2007
We have today off from our classes. It is very welcomed by me, and we have just 7 class days left before Thanksgiving and our halfway point in the program. I am so ready to make a trip home, to get away from here and have a change. Overall, it really seems like the time here has passed quickly. Paradoxically (is that a word?) it feels like the weeks have just dragged on and on since the break up.
I made a trip down to San Antonio on Saturday night to meet up with Spencer. It was a highly anticipated time for me, although I felt a lot of mixed emotions going into it. A lot of you have been anxiously awaiting news of how it went. I think I myself am still processing it to a certain extent. Am I glad I went? Yes. Was it super hard? Yes. Was there some kind of new revelation or definitive conclusion from it? I'm not really sure. This whole process is going to have to be something that takes a lot of time. Seven weeks has felt like excessive time to me as it is. I am extremely weary from the long, hard journey it's been thus far. I long for an easier path, but I'm not sure that is even an option at this point.
From what I could gather, he is going in the direction he should be and he seemed authentic about that. I was encouraged to hear about his progress. We exchanged some very meaningful words to each other, things that will stick with me forever. At the very same time, I am having to work very hard to guard my heart and to not put myself in a place where I will be hurt all over again. It was over all too quickly, and I was very broken as I pulled away from the venue they were playing at that night. Ever since I got back up to school, I have felt an overwhelming feeling of loss and missing him. He truly is one of my best friends, someone who played a role in my life that no one else has. Even if he has made some mistakes that have literally shattered my world, I cannot shake the way I care about him. Sometimes I almost wish I could just get pissed off, that I could be angry and harden myself to the situation. But God has truly kept my heart soft overall, and I think it is miraculous. I was reading in Romans today and came across a passage I have read many times before but really noticed today.
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
It really struck home for me today. It paints such a vivid picture for what our lives should be modeled after. The things Spencer is facing right now really are between him and God. I just hope to be someone who can walk beside him in this time.
I made a trip down to San Antonio on Saturday night to meet up with Spencer. It was a highly anticipated time for me, although I felt a lot of mixed emotions going into it. A lot of you have been anxiously awaiting news of how it went. I think I myself am still processing it to a certain extent. Am I glad I went? Yes. Was it super hard? Yes. Was there some kind of new revelation or definitive conclusion from it? I'm not really sure. This whole process is going to have to be something that takes a lot of time. Seven weeks has felt like excessive time to me as it is. I am extremely weary from the long, hard journey it's been thus far. I long for an easier path, but I'm not sure that is even an option at this point.
From what I could gather, he is going in the direction he should be and he seemed authentic about that. I was encouraged to hear about his progress. We exchanged some very meaningful words to each other, things that will stick with me forever. At the very same time, I am having to work very hard to guard my heart and to not put myself in a place where I will be hurt all over again. It was over all too quickly, and I was very broken as I pulled away from the venue they were playing at that night. Ever since I got back up to school, I have felt an overwhelming feeling of loss and missing him. He truly is one of my best friends, someone who played a role in my life that no one else has. Even if he has made some mistakes that have literally shattered my world, I cannot shake the way I care about him. Sometimes I almost wish I could just get pissed off, that I could be angry and harden myself to the situation. But God has truly kept my heart soft overall, and I think it is miraculous. I was reading in Romans today and came across a passage I have read many times before but really noticed today.
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
It really struck home for me today. It paints such a vivid picture for what our lives should be modeled after. The things Spencer is facing right now really are between him and God. I just hope to be someone who can walk beside him in this time.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Just Me and My Dad
This past week, I got to spend parts of 4 days with my Dad.
It was such a fun time, and it was so uplifting to have someone familiar and close come to visit. We got to eat out at a few local restaurants, walk by a river down in Austin, be entertained by the world's cutest dog (that's Gabe), watch some agility, and he bought me a multitude of groceries that I will be enjoying for days to come. It was a lifegiving visit and I was so thankful 1. that he came out here and 2. for the person he is.
We share our love for dogs and I was thrilled he got a glimpse into what my life is like here. The time went by all too quickly but we both agreed that Thanksgiving is going to be here before we know it. I just happen to forget that fact a lot when the Texas weather still leads me to believe that it could be August!
Hopefully his time away from KC was a breather for him too. He puts in long days like me, only he has to spend them with people and I get to play with doggies. You be the judge of who has it tougher...
I was sad to see him go, but this week will stay a sweet memory of the time I am spending in Texas. Gabe and I miss you already, Dad! Oh, and Diamond too - they made friends fast :)
It was such a fun time, and it was so uplifting to have someone familiar and close come to visit. We got to eat out at a few local restaurants, walk by a river down in Austin, be entertained by the world's cutest dog (that's Gabe), watch some agility, and he bought me a multitude of groceries that I will be enjoying for days to come. It was a lifegiving visit and I was so thankful 1. that he came out here and 2. for the person he is.
We share our love for dogs and I was thrilled he got a glimpse into what my life is like here. The time went by all too quickly but we both agreed that Thanksgiving is going to be here before we know it. I just happen to forget that fact a lot when the Texas weather still leads me to believe that it could be August!
Hopefully his time away from KC was a breather for him too. He puts in long days like me, only he has to spend them with people and I get to play with doggies. You be the judge of who has it tougher...
I was sad to see him go, but this week will stay a sweet memory of the time I am spending in Texas. Gabe and I miss you already, Dad! Oh, and Diamond too - they made friends fast :)
Friday, November 2, 2007
Thank you
Thanks to everyone who made my birthday special - I love you all and will return those phone calls and/or emails once things calm down a little more and I have some time. You're all great. xoxo
Monday, October 29, 2007
Week 5, I'm Alive
Hokay. So. I have been really busy and when I haven't been busy, the internet has been funky, and this is the first chance I have gotten to do a blog in a little while.
This weekend, Triple Crown held its annual Pet Fest, an event held for people and their dogs to raise money for the Austin Humane Society. There were more events than I think I can even name off. There was a whole canine carnival with paw painting, agility, a kissing booth (dogs kissing people, people), bobbing for balls, a Weiner dog race, a frisbee toss, an ice cream eating contest, a live band...and then in the expo center, they had demos and contests going on all day long. Police dogs, the fastest dog in Hutto, freestyling, a costume contest, talent contest, and I don't even know what else. There was also a dock dive and hay rides, a dog wash, food, beer, wine...it was a huge event! This all happened after I had my second Sunday in a row of kennel duty, so needless to say it was a long day. But it was really enjoyable, and for a great cause. Gabe loved bobbing for balls and won a prize that he quickly destroyed in about 5-8 minutes. He also got to try doggy ice cream and pretty much ate the bowl in one big gulp once I dumped it into a dish for him. I decided to taste the ice cream just for the heck of it, thinking it surely was vanilla or something...and it was definitely liver flavored. Dang. I'll post some pictures sometime soon...
After the Fest, we had a bbq and hung out at the school a while longer. I was stoked to eat a big burger all Texas style and drink a beer with it. But, to my dismay they only had sausages. No, not hot dogs...sausages. I don't like sausage. Not at all. But I was just hungry enough and it was free, so I decided to try one. The weird thing is that in Texas, they eat their sausages in tortillas! Is that weird to anyone else? I thought it was. Anyway, it's not like the tortilla made much of a difference since I hated the inside. I also glanced at the box in the garbage can a while later, and those sausages definitely had bits of 'cow tongue parcels' in them. It was written in bold right across the front. Between the dog ice cream and Texas sausages, I think I am a little more homesick than when I got here...
There has been an outbreak of kennel cough here at the school, and so far 4 of the rescue dogs have been pulled for isolation. They were all vaccinated for it before coming here, but there are 13 strains of it and only 4 or 5 are covered in the vaccination. It's not life threatening typically or anything like that, but it takes 3-7 days to incubate and is extremely contagious. It's airborne too, so it's very very difficult to contain. So far neither of my dogs have shown any signs but needless to say, I am not thrilled with the outbreak. I have been keeping Gabe out of the kennel ever since the first dog was diagnosed, using Lysol like it's my favorite perfume and drowning my hands in antibacterial gel. I wish there was more I could do for Diamond but she has to stay in the kennel. If a dog is pulled for isolation, they cannot have any contact with others for 10 days. It puts us very behind with our dogs that we have worked so much with every day.
I am too hungry to write any more right now. That's what's been going on for the past few days and there will definitely be a lot more to come in the next few days. AND Dad is coming, so that will be a high point of the week!
This weekend, Triple Crown held its annual Pet Fest, an event held for people and their dogs to raise money for the Austin Humane Society. There were more events than I think I can even name off. There was a whole canine carnival with paw painting, agility, a kissing booth (dogs kissing people, people), bobbing for balls, a Weiner dog race, a frisbee toss, an ice cream eating contest, a live band...and then in the expo center, they had demos and contests going on all day long. Police dogs, the fastest dog in Hutto, freestyling, a costume contest, talent contest, and I don't even know what else. There was also a dock dive and hay rides, a dog wash, food, beer, wine...it was a huge event! This all happened after I had my second Sunday in a row of kennel duty, so needless to say it was a long day. But it was really enjoyable, and for a great cause. Gabe loved bobbing for balls and won a prize that he quickly destroyed in about 5-8 minutes. He also got to try doggy ice cream and pretty much ate the bowl in one big gulp once I dumped it into a dish for him. I decided to taste the ice cream just for the heck of it, thinking it surely was vanilla or something...and it was definitely liver flavored. Dang. I'll post some pictures sometime soon...
After the Fest, we had a bbq and hung out at the school a while longer. I was stoked to eat a big burger all Texas style and drink a beer with it. But, to my dismay they only had sausages. No, not hot dogs...sausages. I don't like sausage. Not at all. But I was just hungry enough and it was free, so I decided to try one. The weird thing is that in Texas, they eat their sausages in tortillas! Is that weird to anyone else? I thought it was. Anyway, it's not like the tortilla made much of a difference since I hated the inside. I also glanced at the box in the garbage can a while later, and those sausages definitely had bits of 'cow tongue parcels' in them. It was written in bold right across the front. Between the dog ice cream and Texas sausages, I think I am a little more homesick than when I got here...
There has been an outbreak of kennel cough here at the school, and so far 4 of the rescue dogs have been pulled for isolation. They were all vaccinated for it before coming here, but there are 13 strains of it and only 4 or 5 are covered in the vaccination. It's not life threatening typically or anything like that, but it takes 3-7 days to incubate and is extremely contagious. It's airborne too, so it's very very difficult to contain. So far neither of my dogs have shown any signs but needless to say, I am not thrilled with the outbreak. I have been keeping Gabe out of the kennel ever since the first dog was diagnosed, using Lysol like it's my favorite perfume and drowning my hands in antibacterial gel. I wish there was more I could do for Diamond but she has to stay in the kennel. If a dog is pulled for isolation, they cannot have any contact with others for 10 days. It puts us very behind with our dogs that we have worked so much with every day.
I am too hungry to write any more right now. That's what's been going on for the past few days and there will definitely be a lot more to come in the next few days. AND Dad is coming, so that will be a high point of the week!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Blah blah blah
I don't really have anything new to share. Life is full of lots of dog things, and not a lot else! But it's nice as always to get to a weekend so things are a bit more laid back. This is how my weekend has gone so far:
Last night, after taking care of Diamond and catching up on some emails, I went home and turned on our TV. We get one channel, and I watched what it had to offer - 'The Next Great American Band' or something like that. The show is trying way too hard but it entertained me for a good while. Katie came home at one point and told me she and some other people were going out to some local restaurant or bar or she didn't even know what it was, but I was already in my pajamas and not up for much. So I did Sudoku, listened to a sermon on my computer, and went to bed!
This morning, I took care of Diamond, got ready for the day, went grocery shopping and got gas. Then I came home, took Gabe for a walk, and talked to the lovely Megan on the phone for a good while. Then I came back down to school, did some obedience work, and now sit here writing this masterpiece of a blog.
Perhaps the highlight of the weekend will come tomorrow at 7 AM. My classmates and I got in trouble for letting our kennel get messy (well, some people were messier than others...) so we all got assigned some pretty intense cleaning duties this weekend. By 9 AM, every single kennel is to be disinfected inside and out, including water bowls and refilling them. There are two buildings to cover, four people assigned to one and three to the other. Apparently it took the group who went today over three hours to complete it all. Needless to say, I hope that 1. our cleaning doesn't take QUITE as long and 2. that people start being cleaner in the kennels so this doesn't become a weekly occurence. Remember how I mentioned the bootcamp concept? Yeah, I still stand by that comment.
Even though there is not a lot going on around me on the weekends, there is definitely a lot going on inside me. I am on quite literally an emotional roller coaster, and I would like to get off of it (you all know how much I love roller coasters). I am trying to make good decisions, trying to protect my heart, and yet simultaneously not sweep my emotions and thoughts under the rug. It's pretty much a full time job in itself. If I wasn't going to be so broke by the time I get out of dog school, I would treat myself to a nice vacation somewhere.
Last night, after taking care of Diamond and catching up on some emails, I went home and turned on our TV. We get one channel, and I watched what it had to offer - 'The Next Great American Band' or something like that. The show is trying way too hard but it entertained me for a good while. Katie came home at one point and told me she and some other people were going out to some local restaurant or bar or she didn't even know what it was, but I was already in my pajamas and not up for much. So I did Sudoku, listened to a sermon on my computer, and went to bed!
This morning, I took care of Diamond, got ready for the day, went grocery shopping and got gas. Then I came home, took Gabe for a walk, and talked to the lovely Megan on the phone for a good while. Then I came back down to school, did some obedience work, and now sit here writing this masterpiece of a blog.
Perhaps the highlight of the weekend will come tomorrow at 7 AM. My classmates and I got in trouble for letting our kennel get messy (well, some people were messier than others...) so we all got assigned some pretty intense cleaning duties this weekend. By 9 AM, every single kennel is to be disinfected inside and out, including water bowls and refilling them. There are two buildings to cover, four people assigned to one and three to the other. Apparently it took the group who went today over three hours to complete it all. Needless to say, I hope that 1. our cleaning doesn't take QUITE as long and 2. that people start being cleaner in the kennels so this doesn't become a weekly occurence. Remember how I mentioned the bootcamp concept? Yeah, I still stand by that comment.
Even though there is not a lot going on around me on the weekends, there is definitely a lot going on inside me. I am on quite literally an emotional roller coaster, and I would like to get off of it (you all know how much I love roller coasters). I am trying to make good decisions, trying to protect my heart, and yet simultaneously not sweep my emotions and thoughts under the rug. It's pretty much a full time job in itself. If I wasn't going to be so broke by the time I get out of dog school, I would treat myself to a nice vacation somewhere.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Did you know...
It takes just 1.3 seconds for cause and effect to take place with a dog. That means if you are going to reinforce or punish a behavior they exhibit you had better be darn quick about it - 1.3 seconds to be exact. They live in the moment; so, as frustrating as it can be, if your dog pees on the floor and you don't actually watch them do it, you might as well forget about punishing them because they will only associate that with the very last thing they did. Same with chewing up the couch, running out the front door...
Those gnarly, 'Medieval-esque' pinch collars you sometimes see dogs wearing are not inhumane. Well, not if they are used correctly. They deliver a series of small pinches all around the neck that are much like how a mother dog disciplines her puppies when they are young.
Dogs' nails have a 'quick' which is what makes them bleed if it is cut. Basically it's a vein that runs part way down their nail. But, if you are diligent about keeping your dog's toenails trimmed, the quick will not grow as long, making your job easier.
Puppies go through several stages as they grow up, each of which is crucial to their development. In certain phases, a traumatic experience could effect them for the rest of their life. They should not be separated from their mother and siblings until 7 or 8 weeks of age so that they can learn proper behavior and body language when interacting with other dogs and later with people.
If a dog bristles its hair all the way from the neck to the tail, it is due to fear. If its hair is only up around the shoulders, it is due to aggression.
I'll never look at dogs the same way. I knew they were complex, but not THIS complex. I apologize in advance if I seem like a dog Nazi when I get out of school. But I honestly already have a new perception of how they learn and the best way to make communication clear with them. What else are they going to fill 10 hour days up with for 16 weeks???
I loved Gabe before I got here, but he really seems to be a special dog. And I know I am biased and everything but he has got the best personality in the world! He can be crazy and playful, but also can lay on a place bed for an hour lecture (well, if he has a bone). He loves EVERYONE and is so happy just to be a part of everything. When he heels, he prances, and everyone in the class melts. Yes, I know, he is the greatest.
I'm still glad to be here over all. There are rough moments and frustrations, but I am soaking up what I am learning. My heart is still in pain - a lot of it. And that in itself is exhausting. Sometimes I just want to roll over on my back and tell God 'I give up. Please just hit me with lightning or something.' But I keep putting one foot in front of the other, and I suppose that will get me somewhere someday.
Those gnarly, 'Medieval-esque' pinch collars you sometimes see dogs wearing are not inhumane. Well, not if they are used correctly. They deliver a series of small pinches all around the neck that are much like how a mother dog disciplines her puppies when they are young.
Dogs' nails have a 'quick' which is what makes them bleed if it is cut. Basically it's a vein that runs part way down their nail. But, if you are diligent about keeping your dog's toenails trimmed, the quick will not grow as long, making your job easier.
Puppies go through several stages as they grow up, each of which is crucial to their development. In certain phases, a traumatic experience could effect them for the rest of their life. They should not be separated from their mother and siblings until 7 or 8 weeks of age so that they can learn proper behavior and body language when interacting with other dogs and later with people.
If a dog bristles its hair all the way from the neck to the tail, it is due to fear. If its hair is only up around the shoulders, it is due to aggression.
I'll never look at dogs the same way. I knew they were complex, but not THIS complex. I apologize in advance if I seem like a dog Nazi when I get out of school. But I honestly already have a new perception of how they learn and the best way to make communication clear with them. What else are they going to fill 10 hour days up with for 16 weeks???
I loved Gabe before I got here, but he really seems to be a special dog. And I know I am biased and everything but he has got the best personality in the world! He can be crazy and playful, but also can lay on a place bed for an hour lecture (well, if he has a bone). He loves EVERYONE and is so happy just to be a part of everything. When he heels, he prances, and everyone in the class melts. Yes, I know, he is the greatest.
I'm still glad to be here over all. There are rough moments and frustrations, but I am soaking up what I am learning. My heart is still in pain - a lot of it. And that in itself is exhausting. Sometimes I just want to roll over on my back and tell God 'I give up. Please just hit me with lightning or something.' But I keep putting one foot in front of the other, and I suppose that will get me somewhere someday.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Two Weeks Down
After two weeks of dog training school, I feel like I have a little bit better of a feel for what it's going to be like from here on out. It is extremely draining, both physically and mentally. Granted, it's enjoyable too, but I feel pretty worn out today. Last night I hung out with some of the other students at one of their trailers and it was a little mind-boggling that I have barely spoken a word to some of them in two weeks simply because we are always occupied doing something else on the week days. To be honest, it feels a little bit like boot camp here sometimes! We have to use proper posture, tone of voice, keep things clean and in order...oh, and we get up insanely early. Our minds never rest; we always have to be thinking of how the dogs will perceive us and what it communicates to them. But, it's really not as hard as real boot camp because I would never survive that.
Yesterday I bathed Gabe and trimmed his toenails myself for the first time. For being such a docile, nice dog, he is an abolute hellion when it comes to his nails. With the help of Julie, the intern, holding him, I was able to cut all of his nails and did not make him bleed one time. Small triumph, but I was happy and relieved!
I am fighting some kind of major allergies and/or head cold. It's been waking me up in the night because there is so much pressure in my head. I can't afford to lose sleep, so I really hope it gets better soon...
One of my favorite things I learned about this week was recalls with your dog. Something that just about every dog owner can struggle with is getting their dog to come when called. It is often because we have such a backwards mentality with getting a dog to come to us. I know most of my dogs have been no exception to that. Jessy had us go out on the training field yesterday and observe a few of our classmates with their dogs. She had them take their dogs off leash and let them go. The dogs of course ran around happily, and as they ran one direction, the handler was to run in the opposite direction. It was amazing to see that every single dog, when realizing their master was running away from them, followed them. Typically, when we try to catch a dog, we run towards them, and the dogs will make a game out of it and take off the other way. It is frustrating and can be a life or death situation for a dog if it runs from you. So, our homework this weekend is to do 100 recalls with our dog. We have to get a partner to hold the dog's collar for us, we run away from our dog holding a 30 foot leash, and when we get about 15 feet away call the dog and then run backwards so they will come to us. It works beautifully, but I have no idea how I will get 100 done in the next 2 days. We only do sessions of 5-10 reps, it's too hot outside to work on it in the middle of the day, and I have two dogs. That means two hundred recalls...
My two least favorite classes so far would have to be Business and Group and Private class. Business because, well, I have nooo idea about/interest in business, and Group and Private because we have to get up in front of the class and talk. I know they are vital parts to the whole process but I still dislike them.
Well, I feel like this is a thoroughly boring post. I figured though that since the internet is down once again at the school and I drove to a Comfort Inn to steal their internet signal that I should at least put an update out while I can. I'm headed for the store and then doing my homework for however long it takes me.
Yesterday I bathed Gabe and trimmed his toenails myself for the first time. For being such a docile, nice dog, he is an abolute hellion when it comes to his nails. With the help of Julie, the intern, holding him, I was able to cut all of his nails and did not make him bleed one time. Small triumph, but I was happy and relieved!
I am fighting some kind of major allergies and/or head cold. It's been waking me up in the night because there is so much pressure in my head. I can't afford to lose sleep, so I really hope it gets better soon...
One of my favorite things I learned about this week was recalls with your dog. Something that just about every dog owner can struggle with is getting their dog to come when called. It is often because we have such a backwards mentality with getting a dog to come to us. I know most of my dogs have been no exception to that. Jessy had us go out on the training field yesterday and observe a few of our classmates with their dogs. She had them take their dogs off leash and let them go. The dogs of course ran around happily, and as they ran one direction, the handler was to run in the opposite direction. It was amazing to see that every single dog, when realizing their master was running away from them, followed them. Typically, when we try to catch a dog, we run towards them, and the dogs will make a game out of it and take off the other way. It is frustrating and can be a life or death situation for a dog if it runs from you. So, our homework this weekend is to do 100 recalls with our dog. We have to get a partner to hold the dog's collar for us, we run away from our dog holding a 30 foot leash, and when we get about 15 feet away call the dog and then run backwards so they will come to us. It works beautifully, but I have no idea how I will get 100 done in the next 2 days. We only do sessions of 5-10 reps, it's too hot outside to work on it in the middle of the day, and I have two dogs. That means two hundred recalls...
My two least favorite classes so far would have to be Business and Group and Private class. Business because, well, I have nooo idea about/interest in business, and Group and Private because we have to get up in front of the class and talk. I know they are vital parts to the whole process but I still dislike them.
Well, I feel like this is a thoroughly boring post. I figured though that since the internet is down once again at the school and I drove to a Comfort Inn to steal their internet signal that I should at least put an update out while I can. I'm headed for the store and then doing my homework for however long it takes me.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
I've Gone to the Dogs
People actually can train dogs to do this stuff. I think it is amazing! This dance probably took at least a year to perfect and Carolyn Scott (the trainer) has all my respect for that. Thought it was worth a watch.
I found out yesterday that one of Gabe's classmates Ryan, a Siberian Husky, was a double in 'Eight Below'! He helped play the role of 'Dewey', the one who dies! No wonder he showed up on the first day knowing a billion tricks already.
Texas needs to learn what October is supposed to feel like. COOL.
That's all for now - I'm back to class.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Catch Up
Finally. The weekend.
Finally. The internet is working again.
Finally. I got some pictures taken.
Finally.
Weekends definitely have a different feel here than during the week. We still have dogs to take care of in the kennels at least twice a day but there are no classes, and there are different events that take place in the event center every weekend. This weekend, it's a sport called 'flyball' that is really fun to watch, but really LOUD. Basically it consists of several low jumps in a row and a box at the end that contains tennis balls. The dogs are let loose by their master to jump over the hurdles as quickly as possible, slam down on the box at the end, grab a tennis ball that is popped out and then race back over the jumps. In the meantime, their teammates are raring to go. Basically it's a timed relay race and the dogs that compete are absolutely psycho. They cannot get anything into their mind other than the tennis ball at the other end of the track, and the rope toy that their master holds on the start line to reward them. Basically every other dog that is watching or waiting to compete is barking. It's very impressive to watch how speedy some of the dogs are though.
Last night we had the welcome party for all students, and it was alright. What I am discovering is that I seem to be more mature than the younger people that attend Triple Crown, but not married/divorced/a parent like a lot of the older ones. Thankfully Katie and I are the most similar in our state of life than the rest of the students, so it's nice that at least we are living together.
My typical day looks like this so far.
5:30 - wake up, shower, take care of Gabe
7:00 - be at the kennels. Walk Diamond, clean any messes (thankfully she is super clean in her run)
8:00-9:00 - training session
9:00-10:30ish - go over 'How Dogs Learn', our assigned reading, with Rob
10:30-11ish -break
11-12:30ish (or yesterday until 2:30!) obedience lessons with Jessy
12:30-1:30 - lunch
1:30-2:00 - training session
2:00-3:30 - various lectures on business, grooming, body language, or training, etc.
3:30-4 - break
4:00-5:30 - training session, health checks, or any other things they can think of
Evenings - optional events to observe like agility, obedience classes, Schutzund, etc.
We also are required to put in at least 2 hours of independent study with our dogs every day. I have been trying to get some of that time in before 8 am and put in the rest of the time in the evenings. It is so hard to have the energy to do more work after such a full day. But, at least it is doing something I enjoy so much.
Ok, I think that's it for now. Hopefully these pictures will give you a better idea of where I am!
Driving into the school...
Outside of the clubhouse where lectures are held
A training field...we're not allowed to just let our doggies play here. Sad but it's the rules.
A blurry picture of the training building. Over 30,000 square feet and air conditioned.
Where the rescue dogs live
The Beach Club
Home sweet home...hahaha
A fenced in field for our dogs to run in...but we have to watch out for the cows
The view from our driveway
I belong.
A view of my room...Gabe just posed himself there - so photogenic :)
My lizard
My bathroom...yes, there is hideous wallpaper. But it's my very own!
The living room
The dining room...Gabe again centering himself in the picture
The kitchen
One of the spiders that lives in the colony. Not really that astounding, but I'm not getting any closer to it
Our would-be nice backyard should it not be home to 4598 spiders
The mother. This thing lives RIGHT ABOVE MY FRONT FREAKING DOOR. THEY COULD DO AN EPISODE OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ON THIS SPIDER.
Shudder.
Gabe, being cute
Again.
Kissy face
New hair...pretty much the moment I walk outside it is no longer straight though.
And Diamond girl!
Overall, I am liking school a lot. It's exciting to be learning all of this stuff. At the same time, I am honestly pretty lonely and it doesn't make things easier with everything that happened in the last few weeks. It's really wonderful to be able to talk on my phone to a lot of you though, and of course dogs are not bad company ever. And Dad comes out in less than a month! I'll be ready.
Finally. The internet is working again.
Finally. I got some pictures taken.
Finally.
Weekends definitely have a different feel here than during the week. We still have dogs to take care of in the kennels at least twice a day but there are no classes, and there are different events that take place in the event center every weekend. This weekend, it's a sport called 'flyball' that is really fun to watch, but really LOUD. Basically it consists of several low jumps in a row and a box at the end that contains tennis balls. The dogs are let loose by their master to jump over the hurdles as quickly as possible, slam down on the box at the end, grab a tennis ball that is popped out and then race back over the jumps. In the meantime, their teammates are raring to go. Basically it's a timed relay race and the dogs that compete are absolutely psycho. They cannot get anything into their mind other than the tennis ball at the other end of the track, and the rope toy that their master holds on the start line to reward them. Basically every other dog that is watching or waiting to compete is barking. It's very impressive to watch how speedy some of the dogs are though.
Last night we had the welcome party for all students, and it was alright. What I am discovering is that I seem to be more mature than the younger people that attend Triple Crown, but not married/divorced/a parent like a lot of the older ones. Thankfully Katie and I are the most similar in our state of life than the rest of the students, so it's nice that at least we are living together.
My typical day looks like this so far.
5:30 - wake up, shower, take care of Gabe
7:00 - be at the kennels. Walk Diamond, clean any messes (thankfully she is super clean in her run)
8:00-9:00 - training session
9:00-10:30ish - go over 'How Dogs Learn', our assigned reading, with Rob
10:30-11ish -break
11-12:30ish (or yesterday until 2:30!) obedience lessons with Jessy
12:30-1:30 - lunch
1:30-2:00 - training session
2:00-3:30 - various lectures on business, grooming, body language, or training, etc.
3:30-4 - break
4:00-5:30 - training session, health checks, or any other things they can think of
Evenings - optional events to observe like agility, obedience classes, Schutzund, etc.
We also are required to put in at least 2 hours of independent study with our dogs every day. I have been trying to get some of that time in before 8 am and put in the rest of the time in the evenings. It is so hard to have the energy to do more work after such a full day. But, at least it is doing something I enjoy so much.
Ok, I think that's it for now. Hopefully these pictures will give you a better idea of where I am!
Driving into the school...
Outside of the clubhouse where lectures are held
A training field...we're not allowed to just let our doggies play here. Sad but it's the rules.
A blurry picture of the training building. Over 30,000 square feet and air conditioned.
Where the rescue dogs live
The Beach Club
Home sweet home...hahaha
A fenced in field for our dogs to run in...but we have to watch out for the cows
The view from our driveway
I belong.
A view of my room...Gabe just posed himself there - so photogenic :)
My lizard
My bathroom...yes, there is hideous wallpaper. But it's my very own!
The living room
The dining room...Gabe again centering himself in the picture
The kitchen
One of the spiders that lives in the colony. Not really that astounding, but I'm not getting any closer to it
Our would-be nice backyard should it not be home to 4598 spiders
The mother. This thing lives RIGHT ABOVE MY FRONT FREAKING DOOR. THEY COULD DO AN EPISODE OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ON THIS SPIDER.
Shudder.
Gabe, being cute
Again.
Kissy face
New hair...pretty much the moment I walk outside it is no longer straight though.
And Diamond girl!
Overall, I am liking school a lot. It's exciting to be learning all of this stuff. At the same time, I am honestly pretty lonely and it doesn't make things easier with everything that happened in the last few weeks. It's really wonderful to be able to talk on my phone to a lot of you though, and of course dogs are not bad company ever. And Dad comes out in less than a month! I'll be ready.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Really quick update
Triple Crown's internet is down. And I, feeling isolated as all get up today finally broke down and ventured into town to pay for internet at Starbucks. I cannot make it a habit, but it's seriously so hard to be disconnected from the world, especially with my feeling lonely to begin with. Loneliness is amplified about 49 times here, by the way.
But I like school. A lot. What we're learning is super interesting, and I can't wait to get more hands-on. I feel like my Psychology background is paying off (yes!) and that is really great since I wasn't ever sure if it was a good move to major in it or not.
I got a rescue dog assigned to me! A Dalmatian named Diamond. She is a little over a year old and really sweet. Never thought I'd have another Dalmatian on my hands, but now I do. I hope I can help transform her into a good pet for someone. It is so fulfilling to think about creating better bonds between people and their dogs. So many dogs in our world live very sad lives simply because they have no outlet for their mental abilities.
Gabe is the best doggy. I am so glad he's with me so much of the time.
School is TIRING. I start at 7 am and don't finish until 6 pm. Then starts homework, and we have to do at least 2 hours of independent study every day. Holy cow. But, it's good to be working hard at something I love. If it was anything other than this...it would be a very different story.
I'll do a better post, hopefully with pictures, when the internet gets fixed at the school. I love you all.
But I like school. A lot. What we're learning is super interesting, and I can't wait to get more hands-on. I feel like my Psychology background is paying off (yes!) and that is really great since I wasn't ever sure if it was a good move to major in it or not.
I got a rescue dog assigned to me! A Dalmatian named Diamond. She is a little over a year old and really sweet. Never thought I'd have another Dalmatian on my hands, but now I do. I hope I can help transform her into a good pet for someone. It is so fulfilling to think about creating better bonds between people and their dogs. So many dogs in our world live very sad lives simply because they have no outlet for their mental abilities.
Gabe is the best doggy. I am so glad he's with me so much of the time.
School is TIRING. I start at 7 am and don't finish until 6 pm. Then starts homework, and we have to do at least 2 hours of independent study every day. Holy cow. But, it's good to be working hard at something I love. If it was anything other than this...it would be a very different story.
I'll do a better post, hopefully with pictures, when the internet gets fixed at the school. I love you all.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Don't look up.
After years and months and weeks and days of planning, I am officially a student at Triple Crown. There is a lot to say this far and yet no conclusive information.
I am living in a three bedroom trailer. The good news? I only have one other house mate! So we have plenty of space for ourselves including our own bathrooms. I do not mind that one bit.
She seems like a cool girl. Or should I say woman. She is 30! Her name is Katie and so far I am really thankful I've been paired with her. She's from Vancouver, Washington and works for Horizon Airlines as a flight attendant. She seems very laid back and did not bring a dog with her; she's planning to just get a rescue dog from the school.
It's hard to say if I will get super close with any of the other students yet. There are certainly a variety of us here. Foul-mouthed girls with their Pit Bulls, a girly girl with a small dog. I am so far the only one with a mixed breed dog. Losers...
Oh, and George? Did not show up. Jared did though. He has Pit Bulls as well and was a last minute addition to the roster.
I am really liking the idea so far of living on a 'ranch' type of property. There is so much open space and trees all over, We have to drive a considerable distance to go into town, and internet is not accessible in every building. I'll be 'roughing' it ever so slightly and I think that is ok.
BUT. I have two things to share about that are horrid. 1. The lizard who is living IN MY CLOSET LIGHT. I looked up while moving in to see the silhouette of a little, tiny Gecko-like thing against the glass covering. It wasn't moving, so I half laughing got Annie's attention and asked her if she thought it was real. We stood there, staring, debating. It was motionless. And then, all of a sudden, it WASN'T motionless. And we screamed. I have yet to solve what to do with my lizard...but I think the maintenance man will be receiving a call tomorrow.
The other thing? 2. Spiders. EVERYWHERE SPIDERS. And they are NOT SMALL. Katie and I just happened to take in the sights of our little backyard today, glanced upwards, and saw the BIGGEST arachnid ever. And then another. And another. There are in fact colonies of these huge bugs living all over the place in our trees. And I am severely creeped out. If I EVER see one in the house, I just may cry. And that is not an exagerration.
Gabe is doing well so far. He is of course A.D.D. and overly-excited. But I think he is going to learn so much. I am too. And it all starts tomorrow...
I am living in a three bedroom trailer. The good news? I only have one other house mate! So we have plenty of space for ourselves including our own bathrooms. I do not mind that one bit.
She seems like a cool girl. Or should I say woman. She is 30! Her name is Katie and so far I am really thankful I've been paired with her. She's from Vancouver, Washington and works for Horizon Airlines as a flight attendant. She seems very laid back and did not bring a dog with her; she's planning to just get a rescue dog from the school.
It's hard to say if I will get super close with any of the other students yet. There are certainly a variety of us here. Foul-mouthed girls with their Pit Bulls, a girly girl with a small dog. I am so far the only one with a mixed breed dog. Losers...
Oh, and George? Did not show up. Jared did though. He has Pit Bulls as well and was a last minute addition to the roster.
I am really liking the idea so far of living on a 'ranch' type of property. There is so much open space and trees all over, We have to drive a considerable distance to go into town, and internet is not accessible in every building. I'll be 'roughing' it ever so slightly and I think that is ok.
BUT. I have two things to share about that are horrid. 1. The lizard who is living IN MY CLOSET LIGHT. I looked up while moving in to see the silhouette of a little, tiny Gecko-like thing against the glass covering. It wasn't moving, so I half laughing got Annie's attention and asked her if she thought it was real. We stood there, staring, debating. It was motionless. And then, all of a sudden, it WASN'T motionless. And we screamed. I have yet to solve what to do with my lizard...but I think the maintenance man will be receiving a call tomorrow.
The other thing? 2. Spiders. EVERYWHERE SPIDERS. And they are NOT SMALL. Katie and I just happened to take in the sights of our little backyard today, glanced upwards, and saw the BIGGEST arachnid ever. And then another. And another. There are in fact colonies of these huge bugs living all over the place in our trees. And I am severely creeped out. If I EVER see one in the house, I just may cry. And that is not an exagerration.
Gabe is doing well so far. He is of course A.D.D. and overly-excited. But I think he is going to learn so much. I am too. And it all starts tomorrow...
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Night One
i'm a texan now.
at least, for a few months.
i probably shouldn't say that at all, actually. my dad warned me against coming back as a fan of texas. we all know that colorado is better than any other place anyway.
and now, a quote. "you may all go to hell, and i will go to texas." -davy crockett
what do you think that means? everyone who doesn't go to texas might as well go to hell? or texas is equivalent to hell?...
ps: i don't agree with davy. but i thought it was kinda funny anyway
at least, for a few months.
i probably shouldn't say that at all, actually. my dad warned me against coming back as a fan of texas. we all know that colorado is better than any other place anyway.
and now, a quote. "you may all go to hell, and i will go to texas." -davy crockett
what do you think that means? everyone who doesn't go to texas might as well go to hell? or texas is equivalent to hell?...
ps: i don't agree with davy. but i thought it was kinda funny anyway
Friday, September 28, 2007
To Hutto With Gusto. Kind of.
Well, it's finally here. A day I have anticipated for sooo long. I leave for Texas in the morning to pursue a dream I've had for a very long time. Funny thing is, now that it's happening I feel strangely apprehensive.
Given the current status of my heart and spirit, I suppose my apprehension isn't so strange. I'm emotional, scared, lonely. Being outgoing and confident at school will take 34 times more effort than it would on a day where I feel pretty good about life. Staying under the safety of my parents' roof with the company of my family nearby sounds pretty appealing at the moment. Thankfully, even before any of the past week's events transpired, Annie decided to tag along on my drive down there so she could see Austin. I am so glad I will have her company on the journey and I think we will have a good time together. She's rad, by the way - and she knows how to take care of me. Come Monday evening when she flies away, I suppose then might be an appropriate time for a melt down.
But I'll still have Gabe! That is a phrase I have been using quite often lately. He is such a good boy. Even when he's not good. I am not totally sure how he will take to being in a car for 11 hours, but let's pray he is manageable. Maybe one other prayer is that he will not throw up in the car like he did on the way home from the airport. Annie's car is still recovering from the smell and might be for quite some time.
Ok. That is my send off blog. Stay in touch with me. It means more than ever right now.
Given the current status of my heart and spirit, I suppose my apprehension isn't so strange. I'm emotional, scared, lonely. Being outgoing and confident at school will take 34 times more effort than it would on a day where I feel pretty good about life. Staying under the safety of my parents' roof with the company of my family nearby sounds pretty appealing at the moment. Thankfully, even before any of the past week's events transpired, Annie decided to tag along on my drive down there so she could see Austin. I am so glad I will have her company on the journey and I think we will have a good time together. She's rad, by the way - and she knows how to take care of me. Come Monday evening when she flies away, I suppose then might be an appropriate time for a melt down.
But I'll still have Gabe! That is a phrase I have been using quite often lately. He is such a good boy. Even when he's not good. I am not totally sure how he will take to being in a car for 11 hours, but let's pray he is manageable. Maybe one other prayer is that he will not throw up in the car like he did on the way home from the airport. Annie's car is still recovering from the smell and might be for quite some time.
Ok. That is my send off blog. Stay in touch with me. It means more than ever right now.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
And such as.
I personally believe that US Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps. And, uh, I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and uh the Iraq everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the US should help the US or should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future. For our.
If you're confused, you need to watch this.
When I get bored, I get sad. There are things I could be doing. Should be doing. Packing? Should. Could. Cleaning? Same story. I did get a hair cut. And an oil change. The rest of my energy is put towards internal matters. So I guess mindless videos and entertainment provides a minor escape. I'm only human. And while I really feel for Miss South Carolina...she is the closest thing to giving me a smile this afternoon.
If you're confused, you need to watch this.
When I get bored, I get sad. There are things I could be doing. Should be doing. Packing? Should. Could. Cleaning? Same story. I did get a hair cut. And an oil change. The rest of my energy is put towards internal matters. So I guess mindless videos and entertainment provides a minor escape. I'm only human. And while I really feel for Miss South Carolina...she is the closest thing to giving me a smile this afternoon.
Monday, September 24, 2007
I don't really know where to start today. I am currently dealing with some of the worst pain I have ever encountered in my entire life. Pain that takes away my appetite. Pain that is with me from the second I wake up until the second I finally escape into sleep. Pain that will bring on tears at the drop of the hat and it is totally out of my control. Pain due to a broken heart.
Most anyone who reads this knows the story. Or at least enough of it to know where I am coming from. So, I don't find it necessary to write about the details here. Furthermore, it would be disrespectful and everything is still so fresh that I prefer not to even begin. What I know I can and should share is how I feel inside. It's something I have never been good at, but I better get darn good practice at it in the upcoming months.
The biggest part of me is still in shock. I literally can sit in a daze for who knows how long just telling myself 'This is over. We are not together any more.' So far my mind has had a rough go of things convincing my heart of these things. Maybe because the majority of my heart still belongs to someone else. This was not an expected decision I would have to make and it was over so fast. No easing into things, no sinking in. Just in my face, instantaneous and downright savage in nature.
To make things more painful, I had my trust betrayed by someone who was exceptionally close to me. Someone who I share an endless amount of memories with (which is all the more apparent since this all happened). Someone who I gave my loyalty, respect, and care to as only Becca Parsons does. I suppose that although my love for him is the very thing that makes this so difficult, it has been an extremely redeeming factor in the whole process. I do not feel anger. I do not feel pride or vengeance. I feel love and compassion for someone who has wronged me. I am also currently learning that I need to better love myself and that has been a big part of my reasoning behind this split. Sure, I could ease the current turmoil and pain I feel by going back to the way things were. I could continue to be treated unfairly but get rid of this hurt. Instead, I made a choice to protect my heart. That decision just so happened to require ripping it open.
I must keep a perspective regarding the situation that acknowledges the big picture. I have no idea what the future holds, or what God's sovereign plan is for my life. But I know He is here, and I know He is not going to leave me hanging. He is also going to take care of the one I love. My faith is most definitely being put to the ultimate test. A humanly, sinful part of me dares to tell God that I think I can do a better job of looking after him. That somehow I can heal him or change his mind. I know I am mistaken, and even as I read back on these sentences I can see how foolish that train of thought is. It certainly is difficult to keep that in my mind and heart though, and it is endlessly frustrating to be battling the lies that bombard me from every angle.
This situation would be immensely more horrific if I did not have 1. faith in Christ and 2. the support of the most wonderful, caring people in the world. My Mom to hold me on the couch as I sob. My three sisters who call me just to check in, bring me a soy latte, or offer a listening ear. My Dad who would make a detour on his 14 hour drive just to give me a hug and give me some sound advice. My brother who would provide sincere sympathy and kind words. A best friend who shared in my tears, made sure I did not skip every meal, hugged me over and over, listened for hours and sat at an ice cream shop with me to draw dogs like old times. A college friend who did not hesitate to pay for my pita. Former roommates who play with my hair, share their bed with me, and beg me to move back in with them. Even friends across the country who have taken time from their hectic schedules to have an hour long conversation with me or send me text messages to let me know they are simply thinking of me. I am beyond blessed to have every one of them in my life. I can't even begin to imagine where I would be right now without every kind word, gesture, and prayer they have offered up for me.
As I move towards school, something I have anticipated for so long, a sense of fear and anxiety has now begun to set in. Leaving familiarity is the last thing I want to do right now. I long for what I had just days ago. And yet I know that God will do so much with a new slate in my life. I absolutely hate how much sadness is inside of me right now but it causes me to be vulnerable and fragile, and all walls are down. This allows Him to move me in ways I never would otherwise.
I cannot sugar coat this. There is a dull ache inside of me that does not let off. Just when I think I may have things under control or I feel more composed, I choke again. This will probably be the case for a long time. Time that drags on. But I do believe that God is close to the broken hearted, and I am experiencing that first hand.
Most anyone who reads this knows the story. Or at least enough of it to know where I am coming from. So, I don't find it necessary to write about the details here. Furthermore, it would be disrespectful and everything is still so fresh that I prefer not to even begin. What I know I can and should share is how I feel inside. It's something I have never been good at, but I better get darn good practice at it in the upcoming months.
The biggest part of me is still in shock. I literally can sit in a daze for who knows how long just telling myself 'This is over. We are not together any more.' So far my mind has had a rough go of things convincing my heart of these things. Maybe because the majority of my heart still belongs to someone else. This was not an expected decision I would have to make and it was over so fast. No easing into things, no sinking in. Just in my face, instantaneous and downright savage in nature.
To make things more painful, I had my trust betrayed by someone who was exceptionally close to me. Someone who I share an endless amount of memories with (which is all the more apparent since this all happened). Someone who I gave my loyalty, respect, and care to as only Becca Parsons does. I suppose that although my love for him is the very thing that makes this so difficult, it has been an extremely redeeming factor in the whole process. I do not feel anger. I do not feel pride or vengeance. I feel love and compassion for someone who has wronged me. I am also currently learning that I need to better love myself and that has been a big part of my reasoning behind this split. Sure, I could ease the current turmoil and pain I feel by going back to the way things were. I could continue to be treated unfairly but get rid of this hurt. Instead, I made a choice to protect my heart. That decision just so happened to require ripping it open.
I must keep a perspective regarding the situation that acknowledges the big picture. I have no idea what the future holds, or what God's sovereign plan is for my life. But I know He is here, and I know He is not going to leave me hanging. He is also going to take care of the one I love. My faith is most definitely being put to the ultimate test. A humanly, sinful part of me dares to tell God that I think I can do a better job of looking after him. That somehow I can heal him or change his mind. I know I am mistaken, and even as I read back on these sentences I can see how foolish that train of thought is. It certainly is difficult to keep that in my mind and heart though, and it is endlessly frustrating to be battling the lies that bombard me from every angle.
This situation would be immensely more horrific if I did not have 1. faith in Christ and 2. the support of the most wonderful, caring people in the world. My Mom to hold me on the couch as I sob. My three sisters who call me just to check in, bring me a soy latte, or offer a listening ear. My Dad who would make a detour on his 14 hour drive just to give me a hug and give me some sound advice. My brother who would provide sincere sympathy and kind words. A best friend who shared in my tears, made sure I did not skip every meal, hugged me over and over, listened for hours and sat at an ice cream shop with me to draw dogs like old times. A college friend who did not hesitate to pay for my pita. Former roommates who play with my hair, share their bed with me, and beg me to move back in with them. Even friends across the country who have taken time from their hectic schedules to have an hour long conversation with me or send me text messages to let me know they are simply thinking of me. I am beyond blessed to have every one of them in my life. I can't even begin to imagine where I would be right now without every kind word, gesture, and prayer they have offered up for me.
As I move towards school, something I have anticipated for so long, a sense of fear and anxiety has now begun to set in. Leaving familiarity is the last thing I want to do right now. I long for what I had just days ago. And yet I know that God will do so much with a new slate in my life. I absolutely hate how much sadness is inside of me right now but it causes me to be vulnerable and fragile, and all walls are down. This allows Him to move me in ways I never would otherwise.
I cannot sugar coat this. There is a dull ache inside of me that does not let off. Just when I think I may have things under control or I feel more composed, I choke again. This will probably be the case for a long time. Time that drags on. But I do believe that God is close to the broken hearted, and I am experiencing that first hand.
Monday, September 17, 2007
My Dog Gabe
Gabe had a not-so-impressive day today.
Let's start at about 5 am or so. I had Maci, Kodi, and Gabe all sleep in my room last night, so any noises and smells that were produced through the night were somewhat anonymous. However, when I started to hear wretching noises in the dark this morning, I knew they were coming from Gabe. Why? Because the dog ingests anything and everything. Some of his most horrible finds? A thumb tack. A razor. My baby blanket. A phone charger. And countless amounts of hairballs, pinecones, and toilet paper. (and you HAVE to know that soggy paper is absolutely revolting to me!) Anyway. When I turned on the light after hearing him coughing something up, I found in his kennel a tiny piece of a red leash. That leash used to be a sturdy 6 foot training tool, but he managed to bite it in two pieces, and then apparently eat a piece of it yesterday sometime. That was just the start of things.
I left him in the kennel while I went to work for a few hours, and let him back out much to his delight in late morning. We played and I loved on him for a while, but I started to get stir-crazy being here alone and decided to go to Starbucks in mid-afternoon. Gabe was not thrilled to go back in his kennel, but I knew it wouldn't be a lengthy outing. So back in he went. For any of you who have not met Gabe, I can tell you that one of his biggest downfalls is how much he barks in his kennel. Not when I am in the room with him; just when he is all alone. He could probably bark for hours on end but it's hard for me to know since I am out of the house while he is in there. I took all the necessary steps to set him up this afternoon: took off his collar and leash, put treats in his Kong bone and left it in there for him, removed all objects from the immediate vicinity around the kennel, put a clip on the outside of the kennel to help hold the removable tray in the bottom, turned on two fans, and turned on some music for him. But as I returned home later on, it was immediately apparent that somehow, some way, something went wrong. The tray was completely pushed out from under the kennel, and turned at a funny angle. The bone had not been touched. And inside the kennel, there was most definitely an article of my clothing. This isn't the first time he has pulled something inside the kennel with him; but I honestly have NO idea how he does it! He cannot fit his legs through the bars as far as I know and nothing is touching the kennel at any tim. Never fear, though; it was only one of my Petsmart polos. Sure, it's destroyed. But it's all the better to me. I only have two more days to wear one anyway...!
I have been trying to transition Gabe into using the back yard for his outside duties like the rest of the dogs. Today I sent him out by himself for a bit and got a phone call from my mom. I got caught up in the conversation for a while before I panicked about where Gabe was. I started looking around the house but eventually remembered where I had left him. So I stepped out on the deck to call for him and quickly realized he was no longer in our yard; he had gone under the fence into the neighbors' yard with their two big dogs to play. I am all for Gabe having friends and socializing, but those dogs are more excited about Gabe invading their territory than a human being crossing the line. So I stood on my side of the fence, calling to him and trying to convince him to come to me. Now, I didn't really expect that he would come bounding back, but what he did instead ignited severe frustration and rage inside of me. He went over to the opposite side of the yard, stood there, and looked at me. Did not ignore me, did not respond to me, just stared. It was like he knew what was coming. I eventually let Maci and Kodi out to help coax him over, and he finally left his staring contest with me. As he took a pass along the fence to check Maci and Kodi out, I bribed him with the prize of all prizes - a stick. And Gabe went for it. As soon as he was within reach, I grabbed whatever body I could - which happened to be his front leg, and started pulling. I did not want one of the neighbor dogs to go for my arms and I also did not want to break Gabe's arms. He started to scream and panic and I was screaming and panicking and my arms got nice and scraped on the wood fence and I finally managed to get him on his side, grab his scruff, and pull him back under the fence. Tada.
The story does not end here, though. After I took the little red piece of leash that was vomitted out of Gabe this morning from my nightstand and threw it into the trash, I stepped out of my room and into the bathroom. Gabe was right behind me as always. I soon realized that he was chewing on something and pried open his mouth to survey the damage. Yes, the red leash was back in his mouth. I wonder if it even had time to hit the bottom of the trash can before he had it back in his care...
Gabe is the puppy I adopted to be my 'demo dog' for training someday. I have faith and hope that he will soon become that. For now, I will continue to get my hands dirty with him - be it pulling things from his mouth, yanking him under fences, or cleaning up puke.
...but I really do love him.
Let's start at about 5 am or so. I had Maci, Kodi, and Gabe all sleep in my room last night, so any noises and smells that were produced through the night were somewhat anonymous. However, when I started to hear wretching noises in the dark this morning, I knew they were coming from Gabe. Why? Because the dog ingests anything and everything. Some of his most horrible finds? A thumb tack. A razor. My baby blanket. A phone charger. And countless amounts of hairballs, pinecones, and toilet paper. (and you HAVE to know that soggy paper is absolutely revolting to me!) Anyway. When I turned on the light after hearing him coughing something up, I found in his kennel a tiny piece of a red leash. That leash used to be a sturdy 6 foot training tool, but he managed to bite it in two pieces, and then apparently eat a piece of it yesterday sometime. That was just the start of things.
I left him in the kennel while I went to work for a few hours, and let him back out much to his delight in late morning. We played and I loved on him for a while, but I started to get stir-crazy being here alone and decided to go to Starbucks in mid-afternoon. Gabe was not thrilled to go back in his kennel, but I knew it wouldn't be a lengthy outing. So back in he went. For any of you who have not met Gabe, I can tell you that one of his biggest downfalls is how much he barks in his kennel. Not when I am in the room with him; just when he is all alone. He could probably bark for hours on end but it's hard for me to know since I am out of the house while he is in there. I took all the necessary steps to set him up this afternoon: took off his collar and leash, put treats in his Kong bone and left it in there for him, removed all objects from the immediate vicinity around the kennel, put a clip on the outside of the kennel to help hold the removable tray in the bottom, turned on two fans, and turned on some music for him. But as I returned home later on, it was immediately apparent that somehow, some way, something went wrong. The tray was completely pushed out from under the kennel, and turned at a funny angle. The bone had not been touched. And inside the kennel, there was most definitely an article of my clothing. This isn't the first time he has pulled something inside the kennel with him; but I honestly have NO idea how he does it! He cannot fit his legs through the bars as far as I know and nothing is touching the kennel at any tim. Never fear, though; it was only one of my Petsmart polos. Sure, it's destroyed. But it's all the better to me. I only have two more days to wear one anyway...!
I have been trying to transition Gabe into using the back yard for his outside duties like the rest of the dogs. Today I sent him out by himself for a bit and got a phone call from my mom. I got caught up in the conversation for a while before I panicked about where Gabe was. I started looking around the house but eventually remembered where I had left him. So I stepped out on the deck to call for him and quickly realized he was no longer in our yard; he had gone under the fence into the neighbors' yard with their two big dogs to play. I am all for Gabe having friends and socializing, but those dogs are more excited about Gabe invading their territory than a human being crossing the line. So I stood on my side of the fence, calling to him and trying to convince him to come to me. Now, I didn't really expect that he would come bounding back, but what he did instead ignited severe frustration and rage inside of me. He went over to the opposite side of the yard, stood there, and looked at me. Did not ignore me, did not respond to me, just stared. It was like he knew what was coming. I eventually let Maci and Kodi out to help coax him over, and he finally left his staring contest with me. As he took a pass along the fence to check Maci and Kodi out, I bribed him with the prize of all prizes - a stick. And Gabe went for it. As soon as he was within reach, I grabbed whatever body I could - which happened to be his front leg, and started pulling. I did not want one of the neighbor dogs to go for my arms and I also did not want to break Gabe's arms. He started to scream and panic and I was screaming and panicking and my arms got nice and scraped on the wood fence and I finally managed to get him on his side, grab his scruff, and pull him back under the fence. Tada.
The story does not end here, though. After I took the little red piece of leash that was vomitted out of Gabe this morning from my nightstand and threw it into the trash, I stepped out of my room and into the bathroom. Gabe was right behind me as always. I soon realized that he was chewing on something and pried open his mouth to survey the damage. Yes, the red leash was back in his mouth. I wonder if it even had time to hit the bottom of the trash can before he had it back in his care...
Gabe is the puppy I adopted to be my 'demo dog' for training someday. I have faith and hope that he will soon become that. For now, I will continue to get my hands dirty with him - be it pulling things from his mouth, yanking him under fences, or cleaning up puke.
...but I really do love him.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Cut from the same cloth?
Time for anotherrrrr random blog. Again with not much of a profound thought to share, but my thoughts just the same.
I have one week left of work. With the way my bank account looks lately, I honestly could use another month (or three) at my job, but I am incredibly excited to move on to something else. Especially dog training school! And, I finally got an email today from the school that was addressed to all students to be attending the same session as me. Their names: Kimberly, Melissa, Laurie, Crystal, Katherine, Kristin, Shelley, Adrienne, Judith, Kellee, Lucia, Rochelle, Amanda, Jeanette, me of course, and GEORGE! That's right. From what I gather, George will have it quite made while he attends Triple Crown Training Academy. Spencer, you can let out a huge sigh of relief right now. Your previous concern that I would find a dog-loving hunk to run away with down in the Lone Star State can now be tossed aside. I know you've been losing sleep over it, so I just wanted to share the good news. Via no other way but blogging. Fo sho.
Alright, so I'm kidding about Spencer's concerns. But I still find it humorous that this George character will be surrounded by all females for the entirety of his stay there. In all seriousness though, can I share some possible concerns with you, readers? I thought so.
Ok. I love dogs. Always have, always will. And I am very excited to be around other people who feel the same way about them that I do. But. Is it just me, or are some dog people really...interesting...? For example. There is a woman who works at the same place I currently do who is an 'accredited dog trainer'. Nice lady. Talkative. Perhaps too talkative. And by perhaps I mean most definitely. She once spent 15 minutes or so letting a fellow co-worker and myself all of her self-defense advice. Did we ask for it? No. But by golly, I am now aware that if someone grabs me I will just pull my knees as close to my body as I can, lifting my feet off the ground and letting my weight take the guy down. She also in that conversation managed to make us aware of how hard she works over the weekends as well - at the Renaissance festival. Now, I don't want to bash this person. She has not done anything to deserve that kind of treatment. But as I helped train my replacement at the front desk today, she too mentioned that she has a love affair with the Renaissance. It was even the theme of her wedding and she and her spouse give themselves a Renaissance 'budget'! So, perhaps Renaissance and dog-loving have some common threads that I have just not discovered yet.
Another reasonably likely type of person that has crossed my mind? The kind who is so crazy about dogs that they para de it all around for the world to see. Is it bad to profess your love for dogs? Of course not! But bumper stickers: 'My Maltese is smarter than your honor student'? T-shirts: 'My dog is cuter'? Sweater vests with detailed stitching portraying your West Highland White Terrier? Yeah, I've seen it. Again, very happy these people are fellow dog lovers with me. But will I ever spend my hard-earned dollars on dog paraphernalia that I can wear? Doubtful.
I guess where I am headed with all this is that while I have my reservations about 'dog crazies', it's my sincere hope that I meet some great friends down in Texas. And who knows. Maybe I will come back a Renaissance-loving, mutt slogan-wearing certified Dog Behaviorist come Christmas time. Personally I hope it's just the latter.
I have one week left of work. With the way my bank account looks lately, I honestly could use another month (or three) at my job, but I am incredibly excited to move on to something else. Especially dog training school! And, I finally got an email today from the school that was addressed to all students to be attending the same session as me. Their names: Kimberly, Melissa, Laurie, Crystal, Katherine, Kristin, Shelley, Adrienne, Judith, Kellee, Lucia, Rochelle, Amanda, Jeanette, me of course, and GEORGE! That's right. From what I gather, George will have it quite made while he attends Triple Crown Training Academy. Spencer, you can let out a huge sigh of relief right now. Your previous concern that I would find a dog-loving hunk to run away with down in the Lone Star State can now be tossed aside. I know you've been losing sleep over it, so I just wanted to share the good news. Via no other way but blogging. Fo sho.
Alright, so I'm kidding about Spencer's concerns. But I still find it humorous that this George character will be surrounded by all females for the entirety of his stay there. In all seriousness though, can I share some possible concerns with you, readers? I thought so.
Ok. I love dogs. Always have, always will. And I am very excited to be around other people who feel the same way about them that I do. But. Is it just me, or are some dog people really...interesting...? For example. There is a woman who works at the same place I currently do who is an 'accredited dog trainer'. Nice lady. Talkative. Perhaps too talkative. And by perhaps I mean most definitely. She once spent 15 minutes or so letting a fellow co-worker and myself all of her self-defense advice. Did we ask for it? No. But by golly, I am now aware that if someone grabs me I will just pull my knees as close to my body as I can, lifting my feet off the ground and letting my weight take the guy down. She also in that conversation managed to make us aware of how hard she works over the weekends as well - at the Renaissance festival. Now, I don't want to bash this person. She has not done anything to deserve that kind of treatment. But as I helped train my replacement at the front desk today, she too mentioned that she has a love affair with the Renaissance. It was even the theme of her wedding and she and her spouse give themselves a Renaissance 'budget'! So, perhaps Renaissance and dog-loving have some common threads that I have just not discovered yet.
Another reasonably likely type of person that has crossed my mind? The kind who is so crazy about dogs that they para de it all around for the world to see. Is it bad to profess your love for dogs? Of course not! But bumper stickers: 'My Maltese is smarter than your honor student'? T-shirts: 'My dog is cuter'? Sweater vests with detailed stitching portraying your West Highland White Terrier? Yeah, I've seen it. Again, very happy these people are fellow dog lovers with me. But will I ever spend my hard-earned dollars on dog paraphernalia that I can wear? Doubtful.
I guess where I am headed with all this is that while I have my reservations about 'dog crazies', it's my sincere hope that I meet some great friends down in Texas. And who knows. Maybe I will come back a Renaissance-loving, mutt slogan-wearing certified Dog Behaviorist come Christmas time. Personally I hope it's just the latter.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Got boredom?
Sooner or later one must play with photobooth. I have harvested quite a collection of photography already. And even Gabe got in on the action!
Normalish.
Greenish.
Weirdies
My beautiful son.
Normalish.
Greenish.
Weirdies
My beautiful son.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Warble Warble
bec·ca·fi·co [bek-uh-fee-koh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
a small songbird, esp. the European garden warbler, Silvia hortensis, eaten as a delicacy in France and the Mediterranean region.
I dictionaried my name the other day, and this word came up in the results. I happen to find it terrific. Terrifico even. A warbler! Is that what I am? Perhaps when I talk to my dogs. They like it though. I think secretly everyone else likes it too. And I wouldn't be me if I didn't warble to my dogs.
–noun
a small songbird, esp. the European garden warbler, Silvia hortensis, eaten as a delicacy in France and the Mediterranean region.
I dictionaried my name the other day, and this word came up in the results. I happen to find it terrific. Terrifico even. A warbler! Is that what I am? Perhaps when I talk to my dogs. They like it though. I think secretly everyone else likes it too. And I wouldn't be me if I didn't warble to my dogs.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Current Thoughts
I have to be honest, this is probably going to be a very lame blog. I am writing it not because I have something profound or good to say, but because I am bored and feel like I should put something new up for you to read. If, that is, you read this. It also promises to be very random because I have absolutely no plan of what I am going to talk about. But...
For starters, it has been really fun having Spencer here. Some highlights:
Hanging out with Jeremy, Ashley, and the boys and watching 'Blades of Glory'
Learning how to use my Macbook!
Having a photoshoot with the very generous and talented Ashley. A product of it:
Dog park with all 4 dogs. Can you say crazy???
Trying new beers together. I think I maybe can become a beer drinker, but not Fat Tire. That 'toasty' thing it's known for is just not my thing! And Spencer can attest to the fact that I should probably never have more than one drink of anything. ANYTHING. Vodka and Red Bull? One. Blue Moon with lemon? One. Margarita? One! I am not drunk off of one drink but my head does start to weigh about 3 times as much as normal and I say even more ridiculous things than normal. And basically turn into a rag doll. Maybe I should stick to Fat Tire after all because I would drink a couple sips and then walk away.
Youtube. Sad maybe, but it's such a source of entertainment for us!
Playing with Micah and Tyler. A recent conversation I had with Micah:
*Micah steals my keys and runs around with them hanging from under his chin*
Me: You give me back my keys!
Micah: No, they are my keys!
Me: Oh really?
Micah: Yes!
Me: What kind of car do you drive?
Micah: *Pauses to think* The new van!!!
Me: Oh wow! Does it go fast?
Micah: Yes!
Me: How fast?
*Silence*
Me: How many miles per hour does the van go?
Micah: TWEVEN HOURS!!!
Hahaha.
And then there's The Leej.
Me: Hey Tyler, what are you doing?
Tyler: Good.
Me: Oh really? Well what's going on?
Tyler: Good.
He also let Mom know today: 'Grandmom, I need some chocolate frosting!' upon entering the house.
Greatest boys. EVER!
For starters, it has been really fun having Spencer here. Some highlights:
Hanging out with Jeremy, Ashley, and the boys and watching 'Blades of Glory'
Learning how to use my Macbook!
Having a photoshoot with the very generous and talented Ashley. A product of it:
Dog park with all 4 dogs. Can you say crazy???
Trying new beers together. I think I maybe can become a beer drinker, but not Fat Tire. That 'toasty' thing it's known for is just not my thing! And Spencer can attest to the fact that I should probably never have more than one drink of anything. ANYTHING. Vodka and Red Bull? One. Blue Moon with lemon? One. Margarita? One! I am not drunk off of one drink but my head does start to weigh about 3 times as much as normal and I say even more ridiculous things than normal. And basically turn into a rag doll. Maybe I should stick to Fat Tire after all because I would drink a couple sips and then walk away.
Youtube. Sad maybe, but it's such a source of entertainment for us!
Playing with Micah and Tyler. A recent conversation I had with Micah:
*Micah steals my keys and runs around with them hanging from under his chin*
Me: You give me back my keys!
Micah: No, they are my keys!
Me: Oh really?
Micah: Yes!
Me: What kind of car do you drive?
Micah: *Pauses to think* The new van!!!
Me: Oh wow! Does it go fast?
Micah: Yes!
Me: How fast?
*Silence*
Me: How many miles per hour does the van go?
Micah: TWEVEN HOURS!!!
Hahaha.
And then there's The Leej.
Me: Hey Tyler, what are you doing?
Tyler: Good.
Me: Oh really? Well what's going on?
Tyler: Good.
He also let Mom know today: 'Grandmom, I need some chocolate frosting!' upon entering the house.
Greatest boys. EVER!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Last But Not Least
I AM WRITING THIS FROM MY VERY OWN NEW MACBOOK!!
In other news:
-We had over 100 dogs check in today at the hotel.
-I have less <3 (that's less than three) weeks of work left.
-I still love days off.
-I'm still excited for Texas...even moreso now that I have my delicious Apple to take along
-Gabe is getting huge
-I love having Spencer here
-You need to watch Blades of Glory
-http://youtube.com/watch?v=EJJL5dxgVaM <----- I love this!
In other news:
-We had over 100 dogs check in today at the hotel.
-I have less <3 (that's less than three) weeks of work left.
-I still love days off.
-I'm still excited for Texas...even moreso now that I have my delicious Apple to take along
-Gabe is getting huge
-I love having Spencer here
-You need to watch Blades of Glory
-http://youtube.com/watch?v=EJJL5dxgVaM <----- I love this!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Not back to school
Things I currently miss very much:
- My roomies. Jamie, Nettie, Megan, Emma, Jill, Lauren, and Bianca
- Having a social life
- PITA PIT!!!
- Starbucks on 11th Ave
- Colorado and its TREMENDOUS dry air
- Other friends like Sara, Abbey, other Megan, Mandi, Suiter, etc.
I'm not having a bad week or anything like that. But talking to friends who are back at UNC this week has made me all the more aware of what I am missing out on. Of course, there are plenty of things I do not miss at all as well.
- CLASSES.
- Homework
- Beginning of the semester to-do list
- Buying books
- Finding your classes and going through the awkward first day where you walk in and everyone else looks at you and you try not to catch anyone's eye and just find a desk as quickly as possible. Or is that just me who feels that way about the first day of class?
- Being horrified by that one pesky professor every semester
- Being more broke than I currently am
- Never seeing my family
I am truly thankful that I have things that I miss, because it makes me realize how blessed I was in the first place to have those gifts in my life. And I am also thankful I no longer have to deal with the latter of the two lists because they were pretty much a drag. It is very strange not to be a student any more though, at least outside of the classes I will be taking this fall at Triple Crown. I am getting really excited to go down there! Finally find out what it's like to be there. And see if Gabe measures up as a student :)
Maybe then I will have more interesting things to share on my blog too! Yes, I have some pretty good stories from work that I would be more than happy to share with you all. But I think Annie's advice to never blog about your job is pretty wise. I might be the quiet, pleasant girl who works at the front desk but oh do I have observations. If this sparks your interest you can always ask me on your own time.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Mac Daddy
Mine is on its way. Need I say more?
Gosh though, first a blog, now a Macbook...am I a follower or what?
Well, I bet you've never gone to dog training school before. Or had a grasshopper farm. Or dressed up as a sheep and sang a solo for the church. Oh, wait. Jeremy, Annie, Sarah...pretty sure they all did that at some point in their lives. Spencer and Ashley?
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
H to the appy
I'm having a good day.
A. I had the day off from work. I love days off from work. Right now, I work at the front desk of a pet hotel. Yes, it's an exciting life, standing up for 8 hours straight, picking up an exasperatingly persistent phone, answering the same 8 questions 27 times per shift and mopping up various shapes and sizes of urine puddles from dogs who got just a little too excited. And I do it all while wearing the most attractive of uniforms - a PetSmart polo shirt (size adult medium) that hangs well past my arse when untucked and has sleeves that reach all the way to my elbows. I suppose it could be featured on a site such as www.wholesomewear.com , at least if you don't undo the buttons. Complete a typical day with customer complaints about medication fees, the number of coupons they are allowed to use, or the fact that their dog's vaccinations have expired and 'someone should have warned them' (I recommend talking to their vet about that one.) Add it all up and you've got yourself quite the uplifting experience. Needless to say, I drink in the days on which I don't have to be 'on', I can wear something that looks like a girl should be wearing, and generally just be selfish with my time. Today was no different.
B. I got my bangs trimmed. They were too long, mis-shapen and falling in my eyes. They are now tamed, under control and much more manageable. Simple joys.
C. In the past 24 hours, I have had two meaningful conversations with two very meaningful individuals. One was with my lovely sister in law Ashley at a random encounter in Starbucks last night. It is always so refreshing to talk to her and it was very nice to catch up. She gives GREAT advice, by the way, and I recommend talking to her. Also, hire her for all your photography needs. -----> www.ashleyparsons.com Shameless promotion...
The other conversation was with the boy I love, Spencer. This is his band's myspace, and you should go check them out. More shameless promotion. I kind of like it. And actually, expect more of it over the life of this blog. I looooooooove good conversations. Love them.
D. The aforementioned Spencer sent me roses today. And I, shocked and giddy as to why they had shown up asked him 'What is this about?' He said 'Babe, it's about you.' Swoon. Good job, boyfriend. The card attached was just as valuable if not more.
So. All in all I have had a very nice day with a lot of really great things included in it. And I know it is perfectly fine, more than fine to enjoy it all and even to bask in it. But I have to be honest that now and again, good days with good things can get me into trouble. There is no guarantee that I will be having a day like this in a year, 6 months from now, or even tomorrow. But something I am learning to work on is not to place my hope in anything other than Jesus Christ. Believe me, I fail miserably at it more days than not. But I'm trying. And growing. I listened to a very encouraging sermon by Matt Chandler today called 'Healing and Hope'. He spoke about laying our burdens on Jesus simply because He wants to help us along our way. We were not meant to make the journey of life all alone. Too often we make other things our god. A guy. A girl. Our paycheck or our abilities. All of those things make extremely lousy gods to serve. I cannot expect every day to provide me with such an easy go of things. But at least I serve the king who will hold my hand through it all. He'll even carry me. And for that, I am truly HAPPY.
A. I had the day off from work. I love days off from work. Right now, I work at the front desk of a pet hotel. Yes, it's an exciting life, standing up for 8 hours straight, picking up an exasperatingly persistent phone, answering the same 8 questions 27 times per shift and mopping up various shapes and sizes of urine puddles from dogs who got just a little too excited. And I do it all while wearing the most attractive of uniforms - a PetSmart polo shirt (size adult medium) that hangs well past my arse when untucked and has sleeves that reach all the way to my elbows. I suppose it could be featured on a site such as www.wholesomewear.com , at least if you don't undo the buttons. Complete a typical day with customer complaints about medication fees, the number of coupons they are allowed to use, or the fact that their dog's vaccinations have expired and 'someone should have warned them' (I recommend talking to their vet about that one.) Add it all up and you've got yourself quite the uplifting experience. Needless to say, I drink in the days on which I don't have to be 'on', I can wear something that looks like a girl should be wearing, and generally just be selfish with my time. Today was no different.
B. I got my bangs trimmed. They were too long, mis-shapen and falling in my eyes. They are now tamed, under control and much more manageable. Simple joys.
C. In the past 24 hours, I have had two meaningful conversations with two very meaningful individuals. One was with my lovely sister in law Ashley at a random encounter in Starbucks last night. It is always so refreshing to talk to her and it was very nice to catch up. She gives GREAT advice, by the way, and I recommend talking to her. Also, hire her for all your photography needs. -----> www.ashleyparsons.com Shameless promotion...
The other conversation was with the boy I love, Spencer. This is his band's myspace, and you should go check them out. More shameless promotion. I kind of like it. And actually, expect more of it over the life of this blog. I looooooooove good conversations. Love them.
D. The aforementioned Spencer sent me roses today. And I, shocked and giddy as to why they had shown up asked him 'What is this about?' He said 'Babe, it's about you.' Swoon. Good job, boyfriend. The card attached was just as valuable if not more.
So. All in all I have had a very nice day with a lot of really great things included in it. And I know it is perfectly fine, more than fine to enjoy it all and even to bask in it. But I have to be honest that now and again, good days with good things can get me into trouble. There is no guarantee that I will be having a day like this in a year, 6 months from now, or even tomorrow. But something I am learning to work on is not to place my hope in anything other than Jesus Christ. Believe me, I fail miserably at it more days than not. But I'm trying. And growing. I listened to a very encouraging sermon by Matt Chandler today called 'Healing and Hope'. He spoke about laying our burdens on Jesus simply because He wants to help us along our way. We were not meant to make the journey of life all alone. Too often we make other things our god. A guy. A girl. Our paycheck or our abilities. All of those things make extremely lousy gods to serve. I cannot expect every day to provide me with such an easy go of things. But at least I serve the king who will hold my hand through it all. He'll even carry me. And for that, I am truly HAPPY.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Middlest
In many different ways, I am a middle-of-the-road kind of girl.
- I find it very hard to make decisions. If you want an opinion, don't ask me. There are other people available for that task.
- I'm a mediator. Both sides of an argument (for the most part) when discussed start to sound pretty relevant if I give it some thought.
- Some people find me endlessly aggravating because they cannot figure me out. I just won't be one extreme or another; I'm most often somewhere in between.
- I am the middle daughter in my family.
So, that being said, I've been sitting on the 'blog fence' for a while, trying to decide if it is worth it for me to start one. After all, I participated in, lived through, and then eventually left behind the Xanga era. And then Ashley, Annie, and Jeremy have gradually acquired blogs of their own. When I think about their blogs, my 'cyber insecurities' immediately go haywire. Ashley has beautiful pictures of sweet little boys to share with the world. Annie has words that could slay any writer, from Dear Abby to JK Rowling. And Jeremy has enough wit and humor to split your sides wide open. Don't believe me? Just check out their blogs, yo. My family gots talent. Furthermore, blogs require people to be open and vulnerable, things I am not famous for. Can't people just read my mind?
BUT. When I received the word that littlest Sarah got a blog of her very own last night, I got pushed over my blog fence. HER blog will be full of wise sayings and thoughts so deep they might sprain your brain. But hey. <------I have a dog. He's cute and I will use his face to make you like me more. And some people, if they can get past the sheer nerd that dwells within me, think I am kind of funny. I enjoy proper grammar and punctuation. So my thoughts might not be all that bad to read about.
This starts my blog. I put no promises behind it. But so far, it's kind of fun. :)
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