Doggy Etiquette

I am no Emily Post of the doggy set. My dogs are as likely as any to bark at a passers-by or to jump up on a visitor or anyone who has a kind word for them. I am happy to have almost anyone's dog jump up on me and give me big, slobbery kisses. But I do have some expectations of people and their dogs.

It would be nice to think that we are all good dog handlers and that all dogs are trained well, but most of us know better.  Think of all that forewarned, forearmed stuff.  Case in point:  Don't get close to strange dogs (may work for people, too) when you don't know how they'll react.  When we walk, I give other dogs and their walkers wide berth.  Mine tend to get crazy and bark a lot, scaring others.  (I told you I'm not the expert!)  and who knows about the other dogs.   The park where I walk Caprice and Canon has some narrow walks along the drainage ditch, which we call "dog alley."  There's really no roon for two-way traffic, without pushing someone on the edge of the ditch.  When we come to one of these alleys, I watch for walkers coming the other way.  If someone enters from the other direction, I circle back with my dogs and wait. 

Others, trusting me, I guess, are not so thoughtful.  They forge into the alley, leaving me to backtrack, or try to handle my dogs (sometimes I can, and sometimes, I can't, depending on space, preparation, and my dogs' frenzy.)  The other day I couldn't.  The space was small; the grass was wet; I had to turn at a funny angle.  Result:  my dogs got very close to the little black dog coming towards us, close enough to possibly scare mom and dog, and I ended up twisted in the leashes and on the ground.  "That's your problem," you might say.  It certainly is, but I still think some common sense and consideration by others is called for.  Manners can make walking the dogs a bit easier for whimps like me.

Memories of HP

Harry Potter and I have not had a lot to do with each other for a long time now.  If the truth be known, I never finished The Deadly Hallows and I'm wayyy behind on the movies.  But I still have  a strong affection for him, and the big opening of the last movie has brought a wave of nostalgia to me.

I vaguely remember reading about Harry in 1997.  I was so intrigued after reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone that I ordered a paperback copy Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone from Amazon.uk, thinking it was a sequel.   It was actually a matter of changing the title for American audiences-- something about a sorcerer being more intriguing.  I enjoyed comparing the two- really a matter of changing a few spellings and Britishisms.  The original illustrator was not Mary GrandPre, as well.

I closely followed the sequels, looking forward to the delivery of each, but my greatest joy and memories of HP were sharing the first two books with my students.

Reading aloud was always a favorite thing for me to do with students.  Favorite enough to base my dissertation on reading aloud.  HP was one of the most memorable read-alouds.  The books are long, have flowing descriptions, and varied characters.  They invite taking on the voices of the characters.  I had a bit of difficulty keeping my characters straight.  Sometimes Hagrid would change accent and voice (I wasn't very good with the accents); I would mix up my characters, but there always seemed to be life in them, no matter what the voice rendition.  J.K. Rowling's writing was a teacher's dream.  What wonderful examples of descriptive writing, showing, not telling.  I fell in love with the book all over again when reading it aloud, and I believe my students were right there with me.

I usually do not reread- not time, but for Harry, I might make an exception.  Or there's always a movie marathon.  By the time I get through them, Hallows #2 may be available!

Simple things

Sometimes we underestimate the simple things that can make us happy.  For me today it was running with Canon in an agility fun match, no matter how clunky I was or how hot it was, having lunch out with Michael, and finishing it off with frozen yogurt at Menchies.

It's probably been about ten years since I had ice cream at an ice cream place (other than the plain stuff at Souper Salad.  It was a thrill for me to get to taste yogurts and serve my own today.  No get-your-yogurt-and-run for me.  I sat there and savored every bit.  A new favorite.  A refound happiness.

Breaking the rules with grace

Creativity means learning where the rules exist, and them breakiing them!  Saying, "It's better this way."  But you have to know the rules in order to break them with any grace.  

                   -Alan Arkin in an interview in New Mexico Magazine, 6/11

This resonated with me when I read it in the hospital waiting room the other day.  I like the image of breaking the rules with grace.  This fits in with my idea of education or learning:  a basic foundation will serve you well as a platform for creating.  It probably is my platform for learning, why I want the facts and procedures first, before I run with it and create my own learning.

Michael sometimes makes fun of me for being so concerned about the rules and the "right way" of doing things.  I guess I'd just like to do everything with grace!

Justice?

Two posts in one day!  Since I sat down to write, I might as well...

 

 

Do I recap the Casey Anthony case?  An early 20's mother, who, it seems, did away with her 2-year-old daughter three years ago.  Lots of evidence, including not reporting her daughter was missing for a month, points to her guilt.  I, as well as most people, it seems, believe she is  guilty.  Today she was was acquited, most likely because the prosecution did not make its case.

Many are saddened, disheartened by the verdict, and feel that Caylee did not get justice.  Caylee did not get justice three years ago when she was murdered.  The justice of today is not about Caylee, but about the rest of us not getting the satisfaction of a heinous misdeed being punished.  It may be a travesty of justice, but not for the little girl...for our own need for revenge.   (Do I sound like the Barbara that supports the death penalty?)

 

 

Too harsh for people who are heartbroken over a senseless death?  Maybe.  But the dead never really get justice.

Catfish

We watched a very strange movie last night, Catfish, one of those Netflix choices that made me wonder how I picked it.  It's a documentary about a Facebook relationship based on lies, and how one young man (who happened to be a documentary maker) traced down the truth.  Truth is a funny word to use with this movie, because the film itself seems partially faked.  Neverthelss, I watched the whole, thing, wondering what the truth actually was.  I did like the explanation of the movie's title:

Cod, explains to one character near the end of the movie,  are kept in tanks with catfish – the catfish nip at the cod’s fins, keeping them sharp, alert… keeping them on their toes, so to speak.

Is the movie explaining itself?  Warning us?  Justifying the deceit of the woman who claims she is other than what she is, who has created a cyberlife for herself?

Catfish has stuck with me because of its uniqueness and because it leaves questions in my mind.  Just what I like in a movie.

 

A "Not the 4th" Picture...

,,,but a memory.  I'm guessing I was 5,6,7, making Nancy 3,4,5.   I think the sailor dresses (there's the patriotic part of this for you) may have been brought to us by our grandparents.  Somehow I think they were quite crisp.  I kind of remember my braids being pulled real tight.  We even look like we might have gotten along, but I don't know that for sure.

I was looking at a file of family pictures.  Most brought tears to my eyes because they were of my parents.  As I leafed through them, I could see mom and dad and their friends and family age.  Sometimes I just miss having parents.  Miss  moments we had and could have had.  Today was one of those days.