Maybe these would have made the cut if they were in better focus, or at least as focused as the dogs in them seem to be.
It's funny (or tries to be).
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Dogs On Film
My first assignment for my photo class was to take one photo of 36 different subjects. Of course a lot of my subjects were dogs because they're always around. These pics didn't make the final cut for the next upcoming project, but I kind of liked how they turned out.
This one was taken on one of the daily meat stick/coffee runs that Zappa, Willow an I take. You can tell by the look on their faces they love their Slim Jims.
Not to be left out, I caught this shot of Santana after he finished one of his "projects". At least this time it wasn't one of my stuffed Simpsons dolls. Actually this is a stuffed build-a-bear that I found in the trash at work. I brought it home for Sandy and once he got it, he went to town on it.
Maybe these would have made the cut if they were in better focus, or at least as focused as the dogs in them seem to be.
Maybe these would have made the cut if they were in better focus, or at least as focused as the dogs in them seem to be.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
On A Tear
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Serving Man
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
2012 In Numbers
Well, I didn't quite make my goal of 200 total post by the end of 2012, but I did come close. I did manage 126 posts since last January, including more than 50 cartoons, which was my original goal. That averages out to be one posting about every three days, which is a lot for me.
A lot of those cartoon went on to be in my 2013 calendar which I found to be a lot more relaxing than trying to come up with 12 new cartoons between Halloween and Thanksgiving, like I usually do. A few also ended up in the college newspaper which was another plus, but they have since stopped publishing any cartoons, so this will remain my main outlet for some things creative.
This coming semester I'll be taking a digital photography class as well as a drawing class so maybe my "content" will get better, if not more frequent. Either way, I still want to plan on continuing with a cartoon a week for as long as I can stand it. Hopefully that will be until the end of the 2013, or at least until I get enough material for next year's calendar.
A lot of those cartoon went on to be in my 2013 calendar which I found to be a lot more relaxing than trying to come up with 12 new cartoons between Halloween and Thanksgiving, like I usually do. A few also ended up in the college newspaper which was another plus, but they have since stopped publishing any cartoons, so this will remain my main outlet for some things creative.
This coming semester I'll be taking a digital photography class as well as a drawing class so maybe my "content" will get better, if not more frequent. Either way, I still want to plan on continuing with a cartoon a week for as long as I can stand it. Hopefully that will be until the end of the 2013, or at least until I get enough material for next year's calendar.
Good Dogs
Last year for Kathy's birthday I had a woman I know do an original painting of the classic dogs playing poker with our dogs included (at least 2 of them). It turned out great and was a big hit, so much so that I don't know how to top it this year.
We have several other paintings from this woman and I can't recommend her enough. Her name is Sara Pulver and she lives in Rochester, NY, not far from where we used to live. She's a lot of fun to work with on projects like this and I just found out she has illustrated a children's book that will be coming out soon:
http://lucythewonderweenie.blogspot.com/2013/01/about-author.html
If you are so inclined, check out her webstore at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/3crows?ref=shop_sugg
Do yourself a favor and buy some of her original artwork. She's very reasonably priced and has a distinctive style that never fails to make me smile
http://lucythewonderweenie.blogspot.com/2013/01/about-author.html
If you are so inclined, check out her webstore at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/3crows?ref=shop_sugg
Do yourself a favor and buy some of her original artwork. She's very reasonably priced and has a distinctive style that never fails to make me smile
Monday, January 14, 2013
Girls On Wheels
I remember hearing about roller derby when I was a kid, and even recall seeing snippets of it on TV, but at that time I had know idea how cultured and nuances this game really is. Actually it's a bunch on fun loving women on skates who seem to enjoy fierce competition and good (bad) puns. Four of the teams that make up the DC league are The DC Demon Cats, The Cherry Blossom Bombshells, The Majority Whips and Scare Force One. We got to see them all play in various combinations and as far as I know the Bombshells and Scare Force were the big winners. I was watching the action through the lens of my camera and really didn't pay too much attention to the scores.I took almost 400 pictures and had maybe 2 or three that turned out to be something. The action is pretty fast paced and I need to get the hang of shooting in these conditions. I'm taking a photo class this semester and I'm hoping that will help me get the most out of my camera. This weekend there will be several team from DC, Maryland and Virgina coming to Quiet Waters Park where I work and they'll be skating (on ice) with the fans and just generally promoting the league. I may not get a chance to see them Sunday, but I'm pretty sure We will be attending future events. It's a lot of fun, even if I don't know what's going on.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Sandy, The Gift That Keeps On Taking
As I write this, Santana is curled up in his crate next to me getting some much needed sleep. He's not usually crated at this time of day (or any time for that matter), but he needs some time by himself and we can use the break in the canine tension that we experienced last night.
I've had a cold the past couple of so I've been exiled to the spare room upstairs so Kathy can get some much needed rest. Willow and Zappa have been sleeping with me and Sandy has been bouncing between Kathy and the upstairs couch. Last night when Kathy got home from work (I knew she'd pulled in because the dogs were going nuts as always happens) I gave each dog a rawhide treat to distract them so Kath could enter in peace. I didn't realize she was on a phone call and while she finished it outside, the dogs finished their treats. Except Zappa. When Kathy did enter the house the dogs crowded her in our small foyer and since Zappa hadn't finished his treat, Sandy made a grab for it. Big mistake.
The ensuing fight was not much different than the ones we've been experiencing lately since Sandy has been trying to assert himself as top dog over Zappa. There was barking, howling snapping and biting and when the fur stopped flying, Sandy ended up with Zappa's treat. Unfortunately that was not the only thing he ended up with. Kathy didn't notice it until bedtime, but Sandy had gotten a nice little puncture wound on his back passenger side leg (That's the only way I can aptly describe the location because left and right on a dog depends on whether your in front of or behind them).
Since I was already asleep (or trying to sleep) with the other dogs upstairs, I didn't know there was an issue until I got up to let the dogs out this morning. Kathy said that Sandy had had trouble getting up on the bed last night and that's when she noticed the wound. There was no bleeding which may be why we didn't notice it earlier, but since he was moving much slower than usual this morning I knew he needed a trip to the vet.
I like our vet. It's actually a local animal hospital and it may not be cheap but it is close to home and everyone there is very nice. I called them this morning and they said they were all booked for today. They told me we could do a walk-in visit and pay an extra charge and the first available vet would see us. We got there a little after 9 and the doctor, Dr. Hu,(pronounced Dr. Who) saw us by 9:30. After the initial look, she said she needed to have a closer examination which would require shaving the area. Sandy was pretty sore back there so she said that they may have to put him out for the next phase. Dr. Hu said that they couldn't do anything until after noon but I could leave him there and they would address his wound as soon as they could and would call me when he was done. That was fine with me because I still had 2 dogs at home who needed their daily walk.
They wrote up the proposed procedure for me to sign off on including a best and worst case scenario. The best case was about $700, which they would need as a deposit before they did any work. The worst case was about $1100 and that was only if they had to put him completely under and if he were to require a drain and for all I know a hair transplant. I charged the $700 and hoped for the best.
I got a call a little after noon and Dr Hu said Sandy had come through the procedure fine and would be ready to pick up around 2:00. No over night stay that was part of the worst case scenario so that was a savings. The doctor said that once he'd been shaved the wound wasn't as bad as they first thought so that was good news as well. I took the time we were down one dog to do a little house cleaning and prepare for his return. Kathy and I both went to pick him up and after they went over his medication needs with us and they refunded us about $200, they brought our drugged and logy boy out for a trip home.
Sandy is not a big fan of car rides and I only got him to the vet this morning by plying him with Slim Jims. He was so out of it this afternoon that even that didn't work. Poor guy was dazed, with a sore leg and we were trying to get him up into the back of our station wagon. Because of his wound I was afraid to pick him up in fear of hurting him more and having him lash out at me due to pain or fear. With his soft funnel collar in place, I got his front end in and gently hoisted in the rear. Not graceful but it did work.
Once home again he was still a little stoned but gradually came to terms with these familiar surroundings. He took a long whiz and then I crated him which is where he remains. We've had him out a few times since I started writing this and he had some food and even a short walk. He's beginning to return to his normal self which is a relief and a concern. The hope is that this experience will confirm for him who is top dog, but he's a bit of a hard head. Since I can't dock his allowance to remind him of the monetary cost of this mistake I can only hope that his sore hindquarters will.
We do a lot for our pets like most people with animals (or kids, for that matter). We do it because they enrich our lives in a way that money never can. While I was waiting for Sandy to be seen at the vet's this morning I got an email from my old boss with the news that he and his wife had to put their 13 year old Shepard mix down on New Years Eve. Not a great way to end a year, or to start one either. As big as a pain in the ass Third Dog is, at least I got to bring him home at the end of the day, and for that I am thankful.
I've had a cold the past couple of so I've been exiled to the spare room upstairs so Kathy can get some much needed rest. Willow and Zappa have been sleeping with me and Sandy has been bouncing between Kathy and the upstairs couch. Last night when Kathy got home from work (I knew she'd pulled in because the dogs were going nuts as always happens) I gave each dog a rawhide treat to distract them so Kath could enter in peace. I didn't realize she was on a phone call and while she finished it outside, the dogs finished their treats. Except Zappa. When Kathy did enter the house the dogs crowded her in our small foyer and since Zappa hadn't finished his treat, Sandy made a grab for it. Big mistake.
The ensuing fight was not much different than the ones we've been experiencing lately since Sandy has been trying to assert himself as top dog over Zappa. There was barking, howling snapping and biting and when the fur stopped flying, Sandy ended up with Zappa's treat. Unfortunately that was not the only thing he ended up with. Kathy didn't notice it until bedtime, but Sandy had gotten a nice little puncture wound on his back passenger side leg (That's the only way I can aptly describe the location because left and right on a dog depends on whether your in front of or behind them).
Since I was already asleep (or trying to sleep) with the other dogs upstairs, I didn't know there was an issue until I got up to let the dogs out this morning. Kathy said that Sandy had had trouble getting up on the bed last night and that's when she noticed the wound. There was no bleeding which may be why we didn't notice it earlier, but since he was moving much slower than usual this morning I knew he needed a trip to the vet.
I like our vet. It's actually a local animal hospital and it may not be cheap but it is close to home and everyone there is very nice. I called them this morning and they said they were all booked for today. They told me we could do a walk-in visit and pay an extra charge and the first available vet would see us. We got there a little after 9 and the doctor, Dr. Hu,(pronounced Dr. Who) saw us by 9:30. After the initial look, she said she needed to have a closer examination which would require shaving the area. Sandy was pretty sore back there so she said that they may have to put him out for the next phase. Dr. Hu said that they couldn't do anything until after noon but I could leave him there and they would address his wound as soon as they could and would call me when he was done. That was fine with me because I still had 2 dogs at home who needed their daily walk.
They wrote up the proposed procedure for me to sign off on including a best and worst case scenario. The best case was about $700, which they would need as a deposit before they did any work. The worst case was about $1100 and that was only if they had to put him completely under and if he were to require a drain and for all I know a hair transplant. I charged the $700 and hoped for the best.
I got a call a little after noon and Dr Hu said Sandy had come through the procedure fine and would be ready to pick up around 2:00. No over night stay that was part of the worst case scenario so that was a savings. The doctor said that once he'd been shaved the wound wasn't as bad as they first thought so that was good news as well. I took the time we were down one dog to do a little house cleaning and prepare for his return. Kathy and I both went to pick him up and after they went over his medication needs with us and they refunded us about $200, they brought our drugged and logy boy out for a trip home.
Sandy is not a big fan of car rides and I only got him to the vet this morning by plying him with Slim Jims. He was so out of it this afternoon that even that didn't work. Poor guy was dazed, with a sore leg and we were trying to get him up into the back of our station wagon. Because of his wound I was afraid to pick him up in fear of hurting him more and having him lash out at me due to pain or fear. With his soft funnel collar in place, I got his front end in and gently hoisted in the rear. Not graceful but it did work.
Once home again he was still a little stoned but gradually came to terms with these familiar surroundings. He took a long whiz and then I crated him which is where he remains. We've had him out a few times since I started writing this and he had some food and even a short walk. He's beginning to return to his normal self which is a relief and a concern. The hope is that this experience will confirm for him who is top dog, but he's a bit of a hard head. Since I can't dock his allowance to remind him of the monetary cost of this mistake I can only hope that his sore hindquarters will.
We do a lot for our pets like most people with animals (or kids, for that matter). We do it because they enrich our lives in a way that money never can. While I was waiting for Sandy to be seen at the vet's this morning I got an email from my old boss with the news that he and his wife had to put their 13 year old Shepard mix down on New Years Eve. Not a great way to end a year, or to start one either. As big as a pain in the ass Third Dog is, at least I got to bring him home at the end of the day, and for that I am thankful.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Happy Flu Year!
Actually, I think it's just my annual winter cold. It started coming on as sneezing fits Monday night. We were originally planning on hosting our annual New Years/Microwave fest, but Kathy was way past her usual interval for her IV and she was feeling poorly. Her work days before the holiday were too full to allow her to get her regular appointment, and the clinic where she has it done was closed between Christmas and New Years. She's back on track as of this morning and hopefully it will take effect soon.
When we had to cancel our new years, the Flahertys stepped up and opened their house and cupboards to our small pack of celebrators. More on that later when I'm feeling better.
Anyway, here is what my new years goodie bag looked like:
The background is a box of Puff plus with aloe vera that Sandy got into before I could. Luckily for me it was a three pack and the other two survived unscathed. Hopefully I'm past the peak of this cold thing and I'll be getting better as the days go on. Kathy has given me permission to not let her miss another appointment for her IV and I'll be only too glad to police the situation. Now if she can only do the same for me when it comes to winter colds.
When we had to cancel our new years, the Flahertys stepped up and opened their house and cupboards to our small pack of celebrators. More on that later when I'm feeling better.
Anyway, here is what my new years goodie bag looked like:
The background is a box of Puff plus with aloe vera that Sandy got into before I could. Luckily for me it was a three pack and the other two survived unscathed. Hopefully I'm past the peak of this cold thing and I'll be getting better as the days go on. Kathy has given me permission to not let her miss another appointment for her IV and I'll be only too glad to police the situation. Now if she can only do the same for me when it comes to winter colds.
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