Karen Shanley - My Life as a Writer, Mom, Dog LoveKaren Shanley - My Life as a Writer, Mom, Dog LoveAuthor, Karen Shanley, shares her quirky and insightful views on life as a writer, mom, and owner of three dogs - one Australian Shepherd, one Border Collie Mix, and one dog in a Maine Coon cat's body. Articles
Will You Pulleeease Get Off the Computer
2007-12-29 07:29:00 I’m working late on a deadline. It’s way past this crew’s bedtime. They’ve been patiently waiting, curled around my feet. And then not so patiently waiting, moving toward the stairs. When that didn’t get me to follow, they parked themselves halfway between me and the stairs as a hint, alternating between loud sighs and glares. Finnegan finally ... More About: Computer
What?s Wrong With This Picture?
2007-12-27 06:32:00 Do you remember those “What’s wrong with this picture” pages in the Highlights Magazine? You know the ones where you have to find things in the picture that don’t belong and circle them? If you didn’t get the magazine as a kid, I’m sure you’ve seen them at the doctor’s office. That’s the first thing ... More About: Life , Picture , Wrong
Pretty Much Sums Up ?
2007-12-24 06:10:00 …my ability to stay on task right about now. How about you? :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz 8 More About: Life , Pretty
The Rest of the Story
2007-12-21 06:18:00 I live in a part of the US (the Northeast) where “How are you?” “Fine, thanks,” is about as deep as most people care to go. So, in conversation, I’m always looking for ways to sidle up to what’s less obvious. Because it’s there that you’re likely to meet the fuller person. It’s there that ... More About: Life , Story , Rest , The Story
101 Ways to Help Breed Rescue Without Adopting or Fostering
2007-12-19 12:00:00 Having found two wonderful dogs through rescue, and having acquired several dear human friends in the process, I’ve become very familiar with not only how hard these people work, but what they accomplish with so little. So, especially, during this time of year, I try to do what I can to pitch in. It doesn’t ... More About: Rescue , Erin , Breed
Real English Scones
2007-12-17 06:16:00 I ask you, what does it take to get a real English Scone in this country? Those hockey pucks that our stores and eateries have masquerading as scones are an insult. Okay, I know. I’m sounding like a bit of a snob. And while there isn’t another snobby bone in my body– when it comes to ... More About: Recipes , Real , Scones
My Open Holiday Card
2007-12-15 14:24:00 To my Christian friends, Merry Christmas. To my Buddhist friends, Good Will to All. To my Jewish friends, a belated Happy Chanukah. To my Pantheistic friends, to the Growing of the Light. To the World, Peace on Earth. More About: Life , Holiday , Card , Open
Do You Have to Have an Agent to Sell a Book?
2007-12-13 06:14:00 From the mailbag: Sue writes: Is it necessary to have an agent to sell a book? I’m having trouble finding one to take me on, so I was wondering if I could just try to sell my novel by myself? What do you think of self-publishing? Dear Sue, there aren’t many publishing houses that accept unagented ... More About: Agent , Book , On Writing , Sell , Gent
Chocolate Danger Chart for Dogs
2007-12-11 14:04:00 Hopefully, everyone knows that small amounts of certain kinds of chocolate (especially the dark chocolates) can kill your dog. My Bit of Earth had a heart-stopping day when one of her dogs got into a box of chocolates. She found this National Geographic Chocolate Chart which lists different kinds of chocolates and lets you determine by ... More About: Dogs , Danger
Update On Google/Blooger Commenting Snafu
2007-12-09 06:18:00 Lynn Sinclair from Animal Ovation just sent me this link where you can directly leave a comment at Blogger to let them know what you think about the recent deletion of the username and URL field in the comment window. At first glance, it looks like the option they’re proposing will solve the problem. But it’s ... More About: Google , Update , On Writing , Commenting
When is Ice Thick Enough to Skate On?
2007-12-07 06:27:00 I’ve lived on or near water my whole life — ponds, rivers, swamps, lakes, streams, you name it. And I’ve spent a good deal of my life swimming, sailing, and skating on it. So I’ve learned a lot about how wind, water, and ice work. When it comes to ice safety, there are several factors that ... More About: Nature , Skate
The Other 99.9%
2007-12-06 06:35:00 Cait is studying US History and Current Events in one of her classes. She came home bemoaning how the world just seems to be getting crazier and crazier. I couldn’t disagree. She asked, “Mom, do you think there are more bad people today than when you were growing up?” I grew up during the Cold War, when ... More About: Life
A Petition against Google?s Blogger, and OpenID
2007-12-04 05:42:00 I’m betting that those of you on Typepad, Wordpress, and some of the other blogging platforms, have noticed recently that you can’t leave comments directly with your own username and url on Blogger sites anymore. You now must have a Blogger account, a Google account, or an OpenID (all Google owned). For those of you on ... More About: Petition , On Writing
An Evening Walk
2007-12-01 23:52:00 Sometimes the day races by before I get a chance to get outside. Kiera doesn’t care what time of day it is, she just wants to make sure that, at some point, we get in our three mile walk. You see, Kiera has taken it upon herself to act as my personal fitness trainer. She ... More About: Nature , Walk , Evening
Bird Songs - A Review
2007-11-29 05:42:00 I’ve always loved watching birds. Once you know how to decipher their signs, they have a lot to tell you about what’s going on around you. For instance, if you’re sitting in the woods, and all of a sudden you see a flush of ground birds (robins, pheasant, turkey, etc.) fly up, you’ll know that ... More About: Nature , Songs , Review , Bird
No Hurries, No Worries.
2007-11-26 05:22:00 It’s been a loooooong time coming. Three years, to be exact. Graidy loves to run — lives to run. And, for years, was happy doing laps around our fenced three acres. But, recently, he’s been interested in expanding his horizons, and has acquired a new favorite running buddy — Andrew. (I’m too slow for him. But ...
Dangerous People Food for Dogs
2007-11-20 11:00:00 Here we are, at the beginning of the holiday season, with lots of cooking and entertaining going on. Here is a list of foods that can be potentially poisonous for your dogs. Perhaps you’re already aware of most or all of them. I found a few that surprised me. Here’s to safe and happy holiday season ... More About: Dogs , Food , People , Dangerous
Wanderings ? Pandora Radio
2007-11-18 05:04:00 If you haven’t discovered Pandora Radio yet, you’re in for a treat. It’s an internet radio station that lets you pick the songs you want to listen to. From your selections, through their Music Genome Project, the radio will add additional songs similar in quality to the ones you’ve picked. It’s a great way to ... More About: Erin
Control vs Self-Control
2007-11-15 05:21:00 There is a trainer who shall remain nameless who believes in controlling a dog by what she calls the “Down Restraint Technique.” Translation: Alpha rolling a dog and keeping it pinned to the ground with an elbow in the dog’s throat, leaning on it’s side and having several people hold down the feet spread ... More About: Control , Self-Control
Because Sometimes Ya Just Need?
2007-11-12 13:15:00 …some fresh air. I can only take so much of being cooped up inside. Didn’t matter that it was only 41 degrees out. I needed some sunlight and fresh air. Not only was I toasty warm with my dogs playing around me, but I finished my proposal too. YAHOO!!! There’s gonna be some celebrating tonight! More About: Life , On Writing , Some
The Last Hurrah
2007-11-09 05:19:00 The wood’s stacked, the leaves raked, the lawn mowed one last time, and the tools put away. We’re ready for winter. But my Maple trees? They’re still busy putting on their last hurrah. More About: Nature , The Last
Of Brick Walls and Petty Tyrants
2007-11-07 15:47:00 Cait came home complaining yet again about one of her teachers. Being familiar with this teacher, I knew that her complaint was more than legitimate. The rant started as soon as she walked in the door from the school bus. She launched in, “Mom, she’s incoherent when she’s giving directions. Nobody understands her!” I didn’t even have ... More About: Petty , Brick , Walls
Donaldson and Dunbar Take On Dominance (and Dog Whisperers)
2007-11-05 09:41:00 If you’re sick of hearing ccchhhhhtttttt, you’ll be happy to know that Dogwise is offering this DVD by Ian Dunbar and Jean Donaldson. If you haven’t seen it, it’s well worth viewing. Here’s the blurb and link from Dogwise: Many trainers today find themselves facing questions and comments from clients like “Why don’t you do ... More About: Mina , Whisperer , Domin , Whisper
The Call
2007-11-02 05:10:00 I remember how, as soon as the phone rang, as soon as I heard my brother’s voice, I knew my father had had a heart attack. Don’t ask me how I knew (because the call was in the middle of the day), but I knew. I woke my then 2 year old daughter from her ... More About: Call , The Call
From Our Boo Crew to You
2007-10-31 05:28:00 Goblins, witches, ghosts take flight In the shadows of the night. Children flock from house to house Greeted by a pumpkin mouse. HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! More About: Life , Crew
The Morning Bus Stop: Part 2 - Or How to Get Your Dogs to Stop Barking
2007-10-29 22:41:00 To continue on the Bus Stop theme, I thought I’d share how I got my dogs to stop barking like maniacs every time the bus rounded the corner. But first a little background on how I came upon the solution: There is a woman I know who I aspire to be when I grow up. She ... More About: Dogs , Morning , Part
The Morning Bus Stop
2007-10-25 13:24:00 For those of you who don’t have kids in middle school or high school yet, and are wondering why we need Daylight Savings Time — this is the reason. Oh, and this picture was taken with a flash. Without, you’d see nothing but pitch black. Which is why I wait with Cait with a flashlight until ... More About: Morning , Stop
Respecting the Emotional Lives of Animals
2007-10-24 10:04:00 Whales-online.org offers this podcast with Marc Bekoff, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado and Fellow of the Animal Behavior Society. The interviewer and Marc discuss his new book Animals Matter: A Biologist Explains Why We Should Treat Animals with Compassion and Respect. Marc’s book considers ... More About: Nature , Lives , Emotional
Take It From the Top
2007-10-23 15:52:00 This is the view from the top of Owls Head, one of Lake Placid’s shorter hikes — just over 2 miles up and back. Cait and I were heading back after a long weekend at my mother’s (Andrew stayed home to get in the last of some golfing, while watching the dogs). Just as we ... More About: Nature
A Chill in the Air
More articles from this author:2007-10-19 06:45:00 A cup of tea shared in front of the fire, with animals near (Finnegan is keeping my spot warm on the chair next to Graidy). With the late October chill in the air, the woodstove’s rosy glow draws us all closer, helping to get us ready for winter’s simpler pleasures. More About: Chill 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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