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Author Archives: Donna Black-Sword

Wordless Wednesday: Caption This (Bodine Edition)

Here is Bodine, the cat who fears nothing and blames the dogs for everything. Noting that casual pose with the elbow resting on the detective book, he reminds of a feline Sherlock Holmes.  It’s rather elementary, you stoopid dogs.

I might caption this Whodunit, indeed.

Other thoughts?

Wordless Wednesday: Mmmwah

Today’s WW pic is a repeat from last fall’s post Turkey in the Raw.

Because I love the essence of mutual adoration captured here between Micron and his new toddling friend. And because I had a nightmare about Micron last night and he’s heavy on my mind this morning. 

Off now to hug my dog.

Unicorns, dog frogs and the odd duck

Dog Frog and his noshable  friends

Introversion ain’t all it’s cracked up to be

Sometimes it’s tough living life as an introvert in a world that seems to be run by extroverts. You got all these Type A people out there on the front of the stage running the show, while all us quiet, unassuming folk are back in the wings holding things together. Go on out there, we say, we got your back, dude.

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, you can sum up these personality diffs this way:

  • Extraverts are action oriented, while introverts are thought oriented.
  • Extraverts seek breadth of knowledge and influence, while introverts seek depth of knowledge and influence.
  • Extraverts often prefer more frequent interaction, while introverts prefer more substantial interaction.
  • Extraverts recharge and get their energy from spending time with people, while introverts recharge and get their energy from spending time alone

As a highly functioning introvert, I’m pretty much in agreement with all this. I’m ok with the task of being the thinker behind the doer. And while I absolutely can do high energy adventures like give a speech or go to a party, it’s just that a nap afterwards would be quite nice.

I’m somewhat familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test thingy, having gone through it a couple of times or so in the interest of career development. And while the results provide some comfort to know that my core personality doesn’t change, it remains unsettling to find that I fall into an “exclusive personality category which contains only one percent of the population.”  Huh, one percent. I try to think positive as I ponder on this nugget of info.

So, I’m unique, y’all! Creative, clever and sensitive! As rare as a unicorn in a world of plow horses!  No, no of course I know what this means. If you should find your personality style anywhere less than even 10% of the general public, well, it means people look upon you as a bit of an odd duck.

And so thanks so much, Myers-Briggs, for confirming that with your nifty little test.  Like the high school experience wasn’t enough to prove it.

Socializing the yellow dog

So, you might think taking Yaxley out for socializing would present a challenge for me. In a world where I prefer to go about my business within an imaginary cloak of invisibility, that taking a dog would knock me off my groove. It’s true, walking Yaxley through “no pets allowed” facilities negates the invisibility cloak. You’re gonna get noticed.

It can be turned into a game, of sorts.  I flash a friendly smile at anyone we encounter who makes eye contact. The sport of it is to tally up the reciprocated smiles against any askew skunk eyed glares. The smiling faces always win (there’s bonus points if you get an awww).  Skunk eyes can go on their way and live to stink up someone else’s day, I say. But only because I’m weird.

After reading fellow dog blogger Something Wagging This Way Comes‘  post titled  5 Ways Dog Save the World, I was reminded of our local farmer’s market and their no-pets-rule. A rule that I find a little off. The PNC 2nd Street Market is an effort in sustainability with organic food and handmade natural products. Come on folk, what’s more organic and natural than a dog?  But really, I do understand. Space to move about the indoor market is limited, not much room to maneuver a dog through there, organic or otherwise.

Animal Snackers Bakery

In the winter months though, the crowds have dispersed providing a shopping experience at a leisurely pace. Yax and I popped by the 2nd Street Market for some power socializing.  With his CCI logo cape, he is easily identified as a trainee. But he pulls himself off as a pro. Walking by my side, sitting when we stop. Shaking paws on command as he meets toddlers and adults. A fine ambassador for CCI, he is. Good dog, Yaxley.  

We made time to stop at the Animal Snackers Bakery, a shop run by the volunteer group Friends of the Humane Society.  These folk make healthy and tasty dog cookies as fundraising for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. I stop by here every trip to the market to grab some baked goods to support the fine work these volunteers do. And because the dogs love it when I bring home some goodies for them. They nosh upon all of the varieties with eagerness, but it does seem their favorite is the peanut butter Dog Frogs.  How can I tell? I measure the drool strings.

Hey Food Lady, the cookies are glowing!
Kinda like a unicorn does!

The farm market experience gave us a couple of things to check off Yaxley’s New Experience List:

  • Tight traffic areas and how to position the yellow tail safely.
  • A really big guy in a clown suit making balloon animals.
  • Balloons popping before becoming said animals.
  • A dog cookie store and ignoring the treasures that are within easy reach.
Another successful outing with this masterful puppy. He went out there and wondersmacked the world while raising awareness of Canine Companions for Independence.

Ah, twas a good day. Now, please excuse me, won’t you?  I think I’ve earned myself a cat nap.  Wish me sweet unicorn dreams.

Chickie Chompers
The dogs aren’t the only food motivated ones here. Tasty fare from Baan Thai Noi

Wordless Wednesday: Vintage Dog

And just who is that adorable toddler? Why, that’s the Food Lady herself with my first dog.  It kinda looks like I’m teaching Sissy to speak. More likely I was hoping not to get my tender little digits nipped by the little terrier. It’s all how you interpret it, I guess.

When was this taken, you ask? Well, let’s just say somewhere after the Beatles hit U.S. soil but before space travel became more than a dream.

After I showed this photo to a dear friend, she noted that my personal sense of style was my hallmark even then. It’s not everyone she says, that can rock the socks with sandals look.

Dog bling

Welcome! Come on in and have a seat. Grab yourself a Diet Coke and make yourself at home. No, no it’s ok. I’m not going to show you the slide show of our last Grand Canyon vacation or try to sell you plastic bowls that burp for freshness.  Nothing like that.

Well, maybe just a little like that. Now we all know this isn’t the place in the blogosphere where you can count on finding the latest in product reviews. This sort of thing ain’t my bag, baby. (Austin Powers, 1997).  Having my choice of druthers here, I’d druther just talk about the derring-do’s of the yellow dogs and post a photo or two.

And because product reviews of my favorite things might be something like . . .

The heated cat bed!  

No longer the place I was going to store those old CD’s.  Instead that cardboard box I was saving was commandeered by the cat. And setting the thing on the printer keeps those privileged feline nether regions nice and toasty warm.  Energy savings in one little corrogated package.   

It doesn’t bother him a bit that he’s oozing random body parts out of it. I guess the side benefit is the natural face lift.

 
Levitating dog toys!

When tennis balls aren’t bouncy enough, we have the gravity defying Go-nut!  After your dog gets the hang of catching this rubbery toy, keep the challenge going by having them fetch it while walking on two legs. 

Designer doggie pharmaceuticals

After a second trip to the vet to staple Jager back together, I asked if there were such things as anti-terrier meds.  Can’t we just knock him down a notch on the hyperactive scale?, I ask. You know, drop the needle from Completely Maniacal to maybe just Flipping’ Freaky?

Apparently not.  Obviously our vet doesn’t have a terrier.

But of course, I know she’s right.  I just need to keep Jager on a shorter leash, so to speak. And anyway, I have other dogs in the house to consider.  I mean, what would happen if, say, Micron got into the anti-terrier meds?

I’d never the college drop-out off the sofa.
 

The Super-Grip Camera Strap!

Handmade and customized by special order by Sassy Strap. The super grip feature is actually a manual setting. And by manual, I mean it’s me gripping the camera while two yellow dogs play an impromptu game of tug o’war.

  

Stylin’ Dog Bling!

Ah, but there’s a shiny gem in this mixed bag of treasure. And while Micron likely looks upon a Christmas gift of a new dog collar kinda like the kid and new crew socks, well, I’m rather jazzed about the bling of it all.

Micron models the Celtic Knot design

A dog collar?, you say, can’t you just pick one up at the pet store?  Sure, you could. If you were happy with some ho-hum look for your dog. As they say, don’t dress for the job you have. Dress for the job you want.  As for us, we’re motivated to keep Micron looking good.  I keep telling this dog, he has a destiny.  A destiny that doesn’t involve daytime TV and a can of Pringles. Now that life as a service dog is out, we don’t know what’s ahead just yet for the mighty Micron.  But let’s keep up the GQ metro style while we figure things out, ok Mikey?  We chose Woof Wear Dog Collars to update his haberdashery.

So why this particular collar for my extra special dog?  Well, for one, it comes in so many snappy and clever designs, it’s tough to choose just one. Even seasonal choices are out there for the opting. But this dilemma is easily remedied by the extra little removable tag switcher. The tag switcher can be removed from one collar and attached to another in a blink. Easy peasy to move the dog tags around, no pliers needed.

But the best part of it all?  These fancy collars are handmade by a fellow Canine Companions for Independence puppy raiser, Nancee Wright.  Afforable, durable and stylish, Nancee sells her canine bling online at Etsy.  A special added bonus – she donates part of the sale to CCI.  

Don’t be envious of Micron. I’ve asked him to dial down the handsomeness, but he just can’t help himself.  And with the new Woof Wear, he’s too cool for school. But your dog could look this good too.  Check out Nancee’s shop at Woof Wear at Etsy.  Tell her Micron sent you.

Are we done here? Oprah’s on.