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
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
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
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
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
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
A Spot for Everyone and?
2007-02-28 15:08:02 Everyone in their spot. Couch Potato Cushion Potato Cool Air Potato More About: Spot , Ever , Everyone
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
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
You Know You Want To
2007-02-28 15:08:02 My daughter is doing a jig, jumping on her bed in her pajamas, and singing, You know you want to… Uh huh, uh huh. Her arms are flailing around up over her head as if raised in a Hallelujah chorus. I’m laughing so hard, I momentarily forget how tired I am. Cait wants me to tickle her. ... More About: Know , Want
Animal Communication ? Perfectly Clear
2007-02-28 15:08:02 A visiting friend asks, “Do you want to me to let Graidy out? He’s pacing by the door.” “Nah, must be around 4 o’clock,” I say, looking at the clock to confirm. “He wants to be fed.” A while later the same friend, noticing Graidy at the door again, says, “Is Graidy hungry again already?” “Nope, he wants ... More About: Communication , Cat , Animal , Muni , Anima
Dog Separation Anxiety? How to Help
2007-02-21 03:07:01 One of my blog buds has asked about Separation Anxiety , so I thought I’d share some info on what has helped two of my dogs who had Separation Anxiety . First, let me state, I am neither a professional trainer, behaviorist, nor vet. Anything shared here should be run by your own team of professionals. It’s also ... More About: How To , Para
Wanderings ? Sheep Herding Game
2007-02-20 03:06:01 I know. I’m nuts. But, go ahead. Try this and see if you can get all eight sheep in the pen, then report back! I’ll even give you a hint. Just as in real life, don’t let your “dog” chase the sheep. Darned if Cait didn’t get all eight in before I did. I never said I ... More About: Game , Ring , Wandering , Rings , Wand
Front and Center
2007-02-17 03:04:02 Is this a perfect Sit in Front , or what?! Boning up on a little obedience and the girl’s still got it! Yeah! More About: Cent , Center , Enter
How Smart?
2007-02-17 03:04:02 I live with a dog who is brilliant. Really. Kiera’s reasoning powers are on display everyday. (Graidy’s smart but doesn’t quite have the same wattage.) So when I come across articles that imply our animals might actually have consciousness and be able to think, I’m inclined to roll my eyes and think, Where have you ... More About: Smart , Mart
A Great Day in NYC and the DWAA Awards
2007-02-13 15:02:02 Andrew, Cait and I took a trip to New York City on Sunday. It was the first trip to the Big Apple for Cait. I think the only time she closed her gaping mouth was to chew food! Andrew had been there on several occasions for book dealings with publishers, agents, etc. But I was ... More About: Awards , Great , War , Award , Ward
Dog Training with Suzanne Clothier or Laughter is the Best Medicine
2007-02-13 15:02:02 When I first took Kiera to Suzanne Clothier, way back when, I was most decidedly there to get help with some “issues”. That Suzanne clearly knew her stuff was evident from the get-go. I knew she’d get Kiera and me quickly squared away, and she did. What kept me going back was her gift with ... More About: Medicine , Training , Cine , With , Rain
I?m Famous ! or ?
2007-02-13 15:02:02 Okay, so the “I’m Famous !” part might be a bit of hyperbole (5 Minutes for Mom provided the button content). But, there is actually an interview over there, so go ahead and mosey on over.
Little Red Corvette
2007-02-13 15:02:02 I wasn’t actually driving a little red corvette; it was a silver BMW. But Prince’s song was going through my head as I found myself shushing through the curves along the back roads to Vermont just a little too fast. I was taking a friend of mine to the hospital for day surgery, and, knowing ... More About: Corvette , Little , Litt , Vette
If I were King, Expiration Dates?
2007-02-13 15:02:02 … on food packages would be prominently placed and legible without glasses. And they would contain both a SELL BY and USE BY date. More About: Dates , King , Were
Prison Break from Stalag 13
2007-02-13 15:02:02 Cait and I come home from grocery shopping for the dinner I’m making for my bookgroup. As I put the bags on the counter, I notice Andrew is having a glass of wine (meant for my soon-to-be-arriving guests). Andrew isn’t much of a drinker and he knows the wine is for my friends. I look around ... More About: Prison Break , Break , Prison , Riso , Brea
Wanderings?Live Science
2007-02-05 03:00:02 Live Science : Animal Domain is a site full of amazing animal stories and scientific research. More About: Live , Ring , Wandering , Rings
February Write-Away Contest
2007-02-03 08:58:01 Michele, over at Scribbit is hosting the February Write -Away Contes t . Posts are due by February 12th. Go have a look and see if you’ve got something you’d like to submit. The winner receives a selection of Alaskan chocolates from Alaska Wild Berry Products in Anchorage More About: Test
How is it that?
2007-02-02 14:56:02 … one dog can be outside lying at the far end of the field, the other dog can be sleeping on the bed upstairs at the other end of the house, and the cat is nowhere to be found. Until I open the refrigerator door. And all three magically appear. More About: Hat , That
Kiera Died from a Gunshot Wound
2007-02-02 02:55:02 No, no, it’s not what you think. My Kiera is alive and well, and right here happily dozing on my feet. It’s the Kiera from The Oregon Trail. Cait and I have been playing this computer game she got for Christmas. It’s designed to teach children about the realities of 19th century pioneer life on the ... More About: Guns , Shot , Died
Note to Self?
2007-02-01 02:54:01 …Make sure, with all future book contracts, to specify that if I write a book about my dogs, and the publisher is going to put a picture of a dog on the cover, then it’s my dog’s picture that will be used. Not a generic stock photo of a dog that not only is not ... More About: Note , Self , Note to Self
Murphy?s Oil Soap Users Anonymous
More articles from this author:2007-02-01 02:54:01 I admit it, I used to be a regular Murphy ’s Oil Soap user. Those commercials with the older ladies polishing the wooden pews and floors of that big ol’ church packed a powerful, underlying one-two message. Your mothers and grandmothers use Murphy’s Oil Soap religiously, and so should you! Or, how about this one: If it’s ... More About: User , Anonymous , Users 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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