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
Wanderings ? Building Paper Airplanes
2007-04-01 07:32:00 Cait and I are bored. We go through our usual craft stuff, try a little origami, and decide we’d rather build paper airplanes. Here are some great instructions for planes that fly really straight and really far. More About: Building , Airplanes , Airplane , Lane , Ring
A Review of My Canon Powershot SD600
2007-03-30 07:34:00 Have you noticed there’ve been more photos recently? That’s because I finally got a new camera. I’d been using Cait’s Polaroid Izone 300. While it’s a fine kid’s first camera, it just wasn’t getting the job done for me. I am now the mostly thrilled owner of a Cano n Power shot SD600 Digital Elph. After doing some ... More About: Review , Shot
It?s Official - Lyme Season Has Begun
2007-03-29 02:15:00 Just pulled four dear ticks, the carriers of Lyme disease, off of Kiera today — in March. Let the Lyme wars begin! :( I’m too bummed to explain our Lyme protocol for you today, but I will give a refresher soon. Until then, you can review here where I have a photo of what a Lyme ... More About: Season , Official , Seas
Riding to Nowhere
2007-03-27 07:46:00 Graidy, Kiera and I are in the car riding to nowhere. As we breeze down the road, I think about how it was we got here. Anyone who’s had a rescue dog before knows to expect that there may be little quirks that show up here and there. Graidy is no exception. Graidy’s early life was ... More About: Here , Nowhere , Where , Riding
The Morning Routine
2007-03-26 07:16:00 Cait’s and my morning routine goes something like this: I get up around 4:30 a.m., go downstairs, get the coffee going, let the dogs out, go back upstairs with coffee and dogs, and write for a few hours. Then I wake up Cait, get her breakfast, sit and chat with her while she eats, wait for ... More About: Morning
Wanderings ? The Socio-biology of Empathy
2007-03-25 07:13:00 Here’s a great article on the socio-biology of empathy and the roots of moral behavior in animals. The NY Times article begins: “Some animals are surprisingly sensitive to the plight of others. Chimpanzees, who cannot swim, have drowned in zoo moats trying to save others. Given the chance to get food by pulling a ... More About: Biology , Soci , Ring , Wandering , Rings
If You Were Only Allowed Five Songs
2007-03-23 06:14:00 I’ve been tagged by Rory at Hamelife to do this meme. “If you were only allowed five songs, what would they be? Take five, and only five, that you would happily hold onto if all the rest of your music was demanded from you.” I used to love music… This is actually a really hard meme for ... More About: Songs , Song , Only , Lowe , Five
Cait, Have You Seen My Other Shoe?
2007-03-22 06:21:00 The Graidster strikes again. More About: Other , Have , Shoe
Professional Dog Trainer?
2007-03-20 06:23:00 Andrew, reading the morning paper in one hand with a cup of coffee in the other, started quoting an article on one of the more popular dog trainers du jour. Every time he was about to say what the problem was, I absent-mindedly pre-empted him with the correct evaluation and training procedure. Finally, he looked at ... More About: Profession , Rainer , Rain , Train , Prof
If I were King, All Doctors?
2007-03-19 06:12:00 would either figure out a way to keep their appointments on time. Or pay us for the time we spend sitting in their offices waiting. More About: Doctors , King , Doctor , Were
Wanderings ?20 Computer Security Tips
2007-03-18 06:41:00 Here are two articles with great information on how to keep your computer clean as a whistle and running at top speed. The 20 Minute Guide to PC Security http://www.itsecurity.com/features/20-min ute-guide-pc-security-021307/ Virus-proof your PC in 20 minutes for free. http://www.slate.com/id/2102230/ [Sorry I can’t provide live links. Because the first one is so long, if I link them, they mess up my ... More About: Computer , Tips , Comp , Ring
Thinking Blogger Award
2007-03-17 06:49:00 You might have noticed, I have a spiffy new button on my sidebar. Michelle from Scribbit: A Blog About Motherhood in Alaska honored me with it, saying that she selected me because “she (meaning me) thinks about words and is a good writer.” Those words are high praise. Thanks Michelle. Which brings up something else I’ve ... More About: Blogger , War , Think , Award
A Bit Drab Today
2007-03-16 06:46:00 As I stand by the door, waiting for the dogs to do their business, I look up at the heavy gray sky; there’s a winter storm brewing. It reminds me of a conversation that took place on our way to Lake Placid a while back. Andrew and I were in the front seat, and McLean ... More About: Today
There Must be a Dog God
2007-03-15 06:37:00 Over the weekend, Andrew, Cait and I went to the local movie rental store. It was a cold, dark evening, and the parking lot of this little strip mall wasn’t very well lit. Since I’m not much of a TV or movie watcher, I stayed in the car while Cait and Andrew hopped out to go ... More About: God , Here , There , Must
Does Job and is Quiet
2007-03-13 06:30:00 “Dad, Finn really likes you,” Cait says. “I like Finn,” Andrew says. “Finally, an animal you have no complaints about,” I say. “That’s because there’s nothing to complain about. He does his job (Finnegan-now 9, Mice-0) and he’s quiet.” “Sounds like a dating ad: Does job and is quiet,” I say. “Kiera and Graidy do their jobs too, you ... More About: Quiet
Tell-Tale Signs
2007-03-12 06:43:00 A good friend stopped by for an unannounced visit. “You working on a new book proposal?” “Yeah, working flat out,” I answered. “How’d you guess.” “Dust-bunnies. Dead give-away.” More About: Signs , Sign , Tale
Wanderings ? Sand Castles
2007-03-11 06:47:00 Harrison Hot Springs, in British Columbia, hosts a sand sculpture competition every year. Gives new meaning to the words, Sand Cast le s. Who would have thought these could be done only using sand and a little water?! More About: Ring , Wandering
Latest Dog Vaccine Recommendations
2007-03-10 03:13:04 My vet has sent a reminder card to let me know that Kiera is due for a couple of vaccines. I?ll bring her in for titers to be taken. I stopped automatically vaccinating some years ago, after I’d extensively read up on the subject. Here?s the gist of what I?ve learned: The minimum duration of immunity for the four core vaccines (parvo, distemper, canine Adenovirus and rabies) was 3-7 years. (A USDA study I reviewed similarly showed an average 7-year efficacy for rabies vaccine. Because of the serious and zoonotic nature of this virus, the US has taken a rather bold position of prevention by requiring frequent boosters, 1-3 years in most states. Schultz, a leading vet on vaccine studies, says 3-5 years is sufficient) Dogs vaccinated (i.e. puppy series of initial vaccine) showed 80% protection when challenged at age 7 with no interim boosters, the same as for dogs given annual boosters. Schultz?s study found 95% of dogs vaccinated initially were protected for life for one or more... More About: Vaccine , Men , Cine , Test , Late
Does Cait Read Your Blog?
2007-03-10 03:13:04 From the Mail Bag: Several people have asked if Cait reads my blog. The short answer is: No she doesn’t. Cait knows I write a blog as part of my writing work, and that sometimes I write about her and her dad. But she thinks it’s mostly all about the dogs, and she doesn?t have any desire to read about them. I also don’t want her reading the blog. If she did, I’ve no doubt she’d go theatrical on me, trying to be funny or clever or whatever to see if she could get me to write about those things. She’s a very normal kid and I want to make sure she stays that way. When she’s older, and/or when I no longer blog, I do plan on letting her read what I’ve written as a remembrance of these times and an expression of my love for her. So I do my best to make sure that whatever I write is nothing she?d find embarrassing or a trespass to her privacy. If I?m ever not sure of something, I run it by Andrew to see what he thinks. He?s got final veto powe... More About: Blog , Your , Read
Meet Duke
2007-03-10 03:13:04 …… Meet Duke . Duke of Earl. Duke. Duke. Duke… Can you tell we’re getting a touch of cabin fever around here?
Living With a Dog Who Speaks English
2007-03-10 03:13:04 Kiera has a vocabulary of a hundred or so individual words and a couple dozen expressions — last time I counted. On the one hand it makes life much easier for me. For instance, I can just tell her to go get Cait for dinner, instead of me yelling upstairs. Or I can ask her to help me find my other shoe that Graidy has hidden somewhere. The “helpful” list goes on and on. There are also those times when it can be a real pain in the butt. This is one of those instances: Kiera is lying quietly in her favorite “cool” spot by the sliding doors in the living room. I walk into the family room to see what Cait’s up to. “Cait, do you want to come for a ‘W’ with me?” As with a young child, when we don’t want Kiera to understand what we’re saying, we revert to spelling or just using the first letter of the word. Cait asks, “Are you going to take ‘K’?” I know if I say yes, she won’t want to come... More About: Living , English , With , Speak , Ving
I?ve Created a Monster
2007-03-10 03:13:04 It’s near dinnertime. Cait comes running in through the door from an after-school activity and, as all kids do, drops her book-bag on the floor and makes a bee-line for the refrigerator. She swings the door open, stands there, and peers in for several minutes. I tell her, “You’ve seen everything in there long enough to have it memorized. Close the door and stop letting all the cold air out.” I add, “When you figure out what you want, then open the door again.” (I can’t help it; I was raised thinking that waste of any kind, including electricity, was a sin.) As Cait closes the refrigerator door, I notice big fat tears rolling down her cheeks. Assuming something terrible has happened somewhere during her day, I ask, “What’s the matter? What happened?” “Nothing happened, Mom,” she mutters dejectedly and walks away. I’m thinking to myself, big fat tears are not nothing. I follow after her and ask again, ̶... More About: Monster , Create , Mons
Why I Don?t Use a Flexi-Leash
2007-03-10 03:13:04 What’s the matter with using a Flex i-leash? This quick video and this quick video (they’ve removed this video–it was of a woman being pulled right off her feet by a Great Dane on a Flexi) about cover it. All kidding aside… (You don’t know what I’m kidding about? Go back and watch those videos! They take 2 seconds. Unless you’re on dial-up, in which case you’re excused.) Flexi-leashes require tension on the leash in order to keep the line pulled out and thus teach dogs to pull. I use a long line with knots I’ve tied into it every few feet to make it easier for me to let it out and gather it back up as needed. I like it because it requires that both Kiera and I pay attention and stay connected to each other. And, as there’s no pulling allowed, we both can walk forever with no sore dog necks or sore human shoulders. If Cait wants to walk Kiera with the flexi- I put Kiera in a harness. This differentiation lets Kiera know tha... More About: Lexi
Happy Birthday HitchHiker
2007-03-10 03:13:04 I’ve been doing some occasional moonlighting over at HitchHike r’s Guide to the Blogosphere; a site where little known blogs are reviewed and get to have their day in the sun. Steve Sherlock, the site owner, reminded me that it’s HitchHiker’s 2nd birthday today. So Happy Birth day HitchHiker! Long live The Long Tail! More About: Happy Birthday
Wanderings ? Inkling Magazine
2007-03-10 03:13:04 Inklings: On the Hunch that Science Rocks is a science magazine written mostly by women mostly for women. Their “About Us” page describes the magazine as “dedicated to science as we see it. Founded in late 2006, we cover the science that pervades our life, makes us laugh, and helps us choose our breakfast foods. We aim to capture a larger proportion of female readers, but, of course, everyone is always welcome.” I’d have to say they succeed. It’s always funny and interesting. More About: Magazine , Ring , Wandering , Rings , Magazin
How to Break into Magazines
2007-03-01 09:10:02 From the Mail Bag: Kate writes: I’d like to start writing nonfiction, human interest stories, emphasizing topics such as dogs and life with dogs, health and psychology. I’d like to start with articles (magazine, newspaper or both) and eventually work towards a book. I have done a few small human interest ... More About: Magazine , How To , Magazines , Break , Magazin
The Steering Wheel
2007-02-28 15:08:02 Cait has a fear of fire. She seems to have been born with it. It’s been a frequent topic of conversation since the time she was first able to express herself. To help her with this concern, we’ve practiced fire drills at home, we have an action plan for what we’d do and where we’d ... More About: Ring , Wheel , Heel , Erin
The Earth Knows My Name
2007-02-28 15:08:02 The earth knows my name. I hear her call it. “It’s time…,” she tells me. Her voice a gentle whisper. There is no trace of my garden buried under two feet of snow. No hint of Spring in the air. And yet, like the magnetic forces beginning to draw the birds back north, I hear her ... More About: Earth , Name , Know
Wanderings ? History Explorer
More articles from this author:2007-02-28 15:08:02 The History Explorer web site offers various ways to take a step back through time. It covers world events starting with the appearance of Homo Sapiens through present times. Great timelines offer snapshots of different periods. More About: Story , Ring , Wandering 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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