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What am *I* thankful for?
General | Posted 15 years agoBy this time tomorrow, I shall be in Ohio.
First, I'm going to go spend time with my family, who I haven't seen in 2 years...and have not one but TWO muthah fuckin' home-cooked Thanksgiving meals, HELLLLLLS YEAH! This will so totally make up with not having a Thanksgiving meal last year (that's an exaggeration; I baked me a sweet 'tater in the toaster oven).*
Then I'm going to spend time with mah furry Dayton posse. I hope there will be Ironclaw, but failing that there will be much goofing off & getting caught up & I can't wait!!
Then I'm bringing my crap out of storage and back to Tucson, baby! It's been in a NON-climate-controlled storage unit for 2 years, so I fully expect damage from both mildew & rodents. I'm prepared to have to throw a lot of stuff out (but I swear I will cry like a baby if that beautiful queen-sized bed is ruined).
Wish safe & uneventful traveling!
And I hope everyone has a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
*For those who were wondering why I didn't make a Thanksgiving meal last year, it was because I had neither the funds and more importantly the means, as I was lacking a stove.
First, I'm going to go spend time with my family, who I haven't seen in 2 years...and have not one but TWO muthah fuckin' home-cooked Thanksgiving meals, HELLLLLLS YEAH! This will so totally make up with not having a Thanksgiving meal last year (that's an exaggeration; I baked me a sweet 'tater in the toaster oven).*
Then I'm going to spend time with mah furry Dayton posse. I hope there will be Ironclaw, but failing that there will be much goofing off & getting caught up & I can't wait!!
Then I'm bringing my crap out of storage and back to Tucson, baby! It's been in a NON-climate-controlled storage unit for 2 years, so I fully expect damage from both mildew & rodents. I'm prepared to have to throw a lot of stuff out (but I swear I will cry like a baby if that beautiful queen-sized bed is ruined).
Wish safe & uneventful traveling!
And I hope everyone has a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
*For those who were wondering why I didn't make a Thanksgiving meal last year, it was because I had neither the funds and more importantly the means, as I was lacking a stove.
of Cars & Cacti
General | Posted 15 years ago1) Them's the Brakes
GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
It's my car again.
I've been aggravated, frustrated, teary-eyed, relieved, and thankful over this. And penniless.
For about a month or so the brakes have been grinding--not a good sign. I was loathe to get to a brakes shop, because I knew they'd do a number on both my car & my pocketbook.
fluffydemon666 came to the rescue with a cousin/friend Chris. Two weeks ago, Chris replaced the car's front brake pads. The right front brake pad was practically down to nothing thanks to a malfunctioning bracket/holder/thingy (I has a uterus, so I don't do car stuff so good). All I had to do was buy the parts & give a pittance to Chris for the labor.
Hooray, right? Sort of...Chris was unable to remove the left rear tire to check it out. Last week, the left rear started hemorrhaging brake fluid.
Away I went to Chris's. Remember how he couldn't take off the brake? Well, neither could his father, nor the auto-expert across the street who runs his own car-shop. I think it took 3 hours to get that thing off. The rear brake pad was seriously non-existent; it had ground into the outer brake part (remember: uterus) which almost sealed the damned thing over the rest of the brake stuffs. Frustration & tempers were high, as was my dread.
Happily, the thing came free. A lot of stuff needed to be replaced. I got to ride in Chris's jeep (and required a stepladder to get into it). The car was rendered drive-able and safe by around 11:00pm, a far cry from the dire "this will take an entire weekend" forecast.
I consider myself very, very lucky that Fluffy recommended Chris, that Chris is so even-tempered, and that Chris's father & the car expert forgave my ignorance. It's safe again to drive my mess of a car! I am so relieved I can't even adequately express it.
But after all that, it was impossible to make rent. I took an extended auto-title loan, with ass-raping interest, to cover the rent (& upcoming U-Haul expenses). Gah.
The car isn't out of the woods yet. I foresee more expenses in the future, although likely not as dire or dear as the brakes--mostly tubes/hoses, heater, and a frame-thingy. Let's hope they don't all give out at once.
2) Scrounging for Cacti
For my trip back to Ohio, I wanted to bring some items of interest from Tucson to amuse my family. I really wanted a cholla (kind of cactus) skeleton. The cholla skeletons were already taken at public parks, and you're not supposed to remove stuff from government-owned land or private. Sad Kwan! :(
bwarroo (aka Torry) knew the exact spot to go cactus-hunting. I hauled tail over to his digs in the outskirts of southwest Tucson. We found several jumping cholla, with skeletons, hooray! Torry was foresighted enough to supply leather gloves, a big box, a big switchblade-saw-thingy (used to scrape off the dead & dried-up cactus flash & needles), and a kid sister to serve as pack-mule. He suggested I take a few fragrant branches of what he called 'rain-bush.' Then he gave me some fruit from a barrel cactus in his yard. I now have plenty of interesting things to show to the folks at home!
...And maybe there was something else to be found that I got excited over, but I'll wisely refrain from not mentioning here what it may or may not be, other than if there was something else to be excited over, it was long dead & just going to waste out there in the desert (and no, it was not the big veiny purple dildo-vibe that Torry's grandmother keeps on her comfy chair).
If anyone else has any suggestions on free or cheap bits of Tucson/Arizona nature that can handle being thrown in a suitcase, let me know!
GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
It's my car again.
I've been aggravated, frustrated, teary-eyed, relieved, and thankful over this. And penniless.
For about a month or so the brakes have been grinding--not a good sign. I was loathe to get to a brakes shop, because I knew they'd do a number on both my car & my pocketbook.
fluffydemon666 came to the rescue with a cousin/friend Chris. Two weeks ago, Chris replaced the car's front brake pads. The right front brake pad was practically down to nothing thanks to a malfunctioning bracket/holder/thingy (I has a uterus, so I don't do car stuff so good). All I had to do was buy the parts & give a pittance to Chris for the labor.Hooray, right? Sort of...Chris was unable to remove the left rear tire to check it out. Last week, the left rear started hemorrhaging brake fluid.
Away I went to Chris's. Remember how he couldn't take off the brake? Well, neither could his father, nor the auto-expert across the street who runs his own car-shop. I think it took 3 hours to get that thing off. The rear brake pad was seriously non-existent; it had ground into the outer brake part (remember: uterus) which almost sealed the damned thing over the rest of the brake stuffs. Frustration & tempers were high, as was my dread.
Happily, the thing came free. A lot of stuff needed to be replaced. I got to ride in Chris's jeep (and required a stepladder to get into it). The car was rendered drive-able and safe by around 11:00pm, a far cry from the dire "this will take an entire weekend" forecast.
I consider myself very, very lucky that Fluffy recommended Chris, that Chris is so even-tempered, and that Chris's father & the car expert forgave my ignorance. It's safe again to drive my mess of a car! I am so relieved I can't even adequately express it.
But after all that, it was impossible to make rent. I took an extended auto-title loan, with ass-raping interest, to cover the rent (& upcoming U-Haul expenses). Gah.
The car isn't out of the woods yet. I foresee more expenses in the future, although likely not as dire or dear as the brakes--mostly tubes/hoses, heater, and a frame-thingy. Let's hope they don't all give out at once.
2) Scrounging for Cacti
For my trip back to Ohio, I wanted to bring some items of interest from Tucson to amuse my family. I really wanted a cholla (kind of cactus) skeleton. The cholla skeletons were already taken at public parks, and you're not supposed to remove stuff from government-owned land or private. Sad Kwan! :(
bwarroo (aka Torry) knew the exact spot to go cactus-hunting. I hauled tail over to his digs in the outskirts of southwest Tucson. We found several jumping cholla, with skeletons, hooray! Torry was foresighted enough to supply leather gloves, a big box, a big switchblade-saw-thingy (used to scrape off the dead & dried-up cactus flash & needles), and a kid sister to serve as pack-mule. He suggested I take a few fragrant branches of what he called 'rain-bush.' Then he gave me some fruit from a barrel cactus in his yard. I now have plenty of interesting things to show to the folks at home! ...And maybe there was something else to be found that I got excited over, but I'll wisely refrain from not mentioning here what it may or may not be, other than if there was something else to be excited over, it was long dead & just going to waste out there in the desert (and no, it was not the big veiny purple dildo-vibe that Torry's grandmother keeps on her comfy chair).
If anyone else has any suggestions on free or cheap bits of Tucson/Arizona nature that can handle being thrown in a suitcase, let me know!
Bunch of Random Stuff (includes nudity)
General | Posted 15 years ago1) Your arts & journals
One of many inconveniences of not having internets at home is not being able to stay current with FA. Today I had whole hours to kill online, with very little interruption--but maddeningly slow interwebz. And over 2500 images, stories, songs, etc that I haven't so much as looked at. Getting caught up was simply impossible--even something as simple as "check all on this page"/"erase all checked" was at a snail's pace. I more or less gawked at about 100 at random.
I feel guilty for not giving everything the attention it deserves. I know I must have blithely skipped some stunning or important pieces I'll regret missing. Please, if you've posted something in the past 3 months that you'd like me to look at, post a link here or in a note--especially for anyone who's posted an art-swap.
2) Maddie
I still miss my dog. I don't miss the hair, but damn I miss my Maddie. I find that I even depended on her for odd things without even knowing it. heres' just one stupid example: I've burned or boiled-over more things in the past few months than I have in years. The first few times I was confused. I'm a semi-decent cook; why was I messing up so much? I suddenly realized it was because Maddie wasn't there to tell me about it in time.
Somewhere in the distant past, Maddie had taken on the duty of Kitchen Timer without me even realizing it. I imagine Maddie figured out that some of the ruined cooking would end up in her food-dish. Whenever something was about to boil over, or *just* started to burn, Maddie would alert me to it. I'd pet her for it, which only reinforced the duty the dog had created for herself. She developed a rather good sense of timing on regular dishes. Over the years, I've gotten in the habit of leaving the stove unattended. I never really thought about it. It was entirely the dog's doing.
3) Nekkidity
Hob & I have now gone to Mira Vista, a local nudie resort, 3 times. I've played water-volleyball, carved a pumpkin, goofed about in the water, read a book, gone walkies, bird-watched, chatted with other folks in a very long hot-tub, fooled around in that selfsame hot-tub with Hob in flagrant disregard for the rules while everyone else took off for dinner, and enjoyed all of it immensely.
I'd go more often if it wasn't so pricey -- but as Hob has said, the price tag helps keep away the frat-boys who would just want to come to look at titties & snicker. As it is, the people there truly embrace the nudist lifestyle.
Being nekkid amongst other positive-minded nekkid people is both enervating & relaxing. Everyone is low-key. Nobody is made to feel inadequate or panted-after (and frankly as freakish as my appearance is, that says a lot for the people there ^_~). Not to say there isn't the occasional look-see (I myself admit to checking out the occasional spankable ass). There is a world of difference between an appreciative glance & salacious ogling. Last time Hob & I went, 2 guys obviously checked out by boobs. Not in a leering, giggity-giggity way, but a complimentary Hmmm, nice rack way. At my boobs! My saggy, sub-standard breasticals! This did wonderful things for my ego.
I think more of us would have much better self-esteem if they went to a nudist resort (particularly those who think they or their body parts are unattractive, or have body dysmorphia).
I'm also enjoying having a general beige-ifying of my pasty white-girl skin-- although I doubt I'll ever be able to boast the bronzed sun-deity look many of the naturists are sporting. I'm developing the opinion that tanned boobies are happy boobies. Mine sure look happier now that they have some color to them.
4) Hair Fail
Earlier this year, I gave up on keeping my hair past-shoulder length. I concluded that my hair just doesn't like Arizona. So, I got a much-shorter cut with lots of layering. Suddenly, I had Happy Hair again! I was pleased as all get-out over it. Sadly, when it was time for a trim a month or so ago, things went awry. The stupid bint have me a bob, or a wedge. I went back & had a long discussion, which also included drawings, before letting them try to correct the mistake. The result? A much-shorter wedge. My hair is the shortest it's been since the 1980's. It's lifeless & sulky. I've been suffering while waiting for it to grow out long enough to correct the errors made. But at least for the summer, I had Happy Hair, and I know that with the correct layering it shall be happy again.
5) King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is my new favorite documentary. Even if you didn't grow up in the golden age of video game arcades like I did, even if you don't like documentaries, I'm pretty sure you will appreciate & enjoy it.
5) Ohio!!!
I can't wait i can't wait i can't wait!!
One of many inconveniences of not having internets at home is not being able to stay current with FA. Today I had whole hours to kill online, with very little interruption--but maddeningly slow interwebz. And over 2500 images, stories, songs, etc that I haven't so much as looked at. Getting caught up was simply impossible--even something as simple as "check all on this page"/"erase all checked" was at a snail's pace. I more or less gawked at about 100 at random.
I feel guilty for not giving everything the attention it deserves. I know I must have blithely skipped some stunning or important pieces I'll regret missing. Please, if you've posted something in the past 3 months that you'd like me to look at, post a link here or in a note--especially for anyone who's posted an art-swap.
2) Maddie
I still miss my dog. I don't miss the hair, but damn I miss my Maddie. I find that I even depended on her for odd things without even knowing it. heres' just one stupid example: I've burned or boiled-over more things in the past few months than I have in years. The first few times I was confused. I'm a semi-decent cook; why was I messing up so much? I suddenly realized it was because Maddie wasn't there to tell me about it in time.
Somewhere in the distant past, Maddie had taken on the duty of Kitchen Timer without me even realizing it. I imagine Maddie figured out that some of the ruined cooking would end up in her food-dish. Whenever something was about to boil over, or *just* started to burn, Maddie would alert me to it. I'd pet her for it, which only reinforced the duty the dog had created for herself. She developed a rather good sense of timing on regular dishes. Over the years, I've gotten in the habit of leaving the stove unattended. I never really thought about it. It was entirely the dog's doing.
3) Nekkidity
Hob & I have now gone to Mira Vista, a local nudie resort, 3 times. I've played water-volleyball, carved a pumpkin, goofed about in the water, read a book, gone walkies, bird-watched, chatted with other folks in a very long hot-tub, fooled around in that selfsame hot-tub with Hob in flagrant disregard for the rules while everyone else took off for dinner, and enjoyed all of it immensely.
I'd go more often if it wasn't so pricey -- but as Hob has said, the price tag helps keep away the frat-boys who would just want to come to look at titties & snicker. As it is, the people there truly embrace the nudist lifestyle.
Being nekkid amongst other positive-minded nekkid people is both enervating & relaxing. Everyone is low-key. Nobody is made to feel inadequate or panted-after (and frankly as freakish as my appearance is, that says a lot for the people there ^_~). Not to say there isn't the occasional look-see (I myself admit to checking out the occasional spankable ass). There is a world of difference between an appreciative glance & salacious ogling. Last time Hob & I went, 2 guys obviously checked out by boobs. Not in a leering, giggity-giggity way, but a complimentary Hmmm, nice rack way. At my boobs! My saggy, sub-standard breasticals! This did wonderful things for my ego.
I think more of us would have much better self-esteem if they went to a nudist resort (particularly those who think they or their body parts are unattractive, or have body dysmorphia).
I'm also enjoying having a general beige-ifying of my pasty white-girl skin-- although I doubt I'll ever be able to boast the bronzed sun-deity look many of the naturists are sporting. I'm developing the opinion that tanned boobies are happy boobies. Mine sure look happier now that they have some color to them.
4) Hair Fail
Earlier this year, I gave up on keeping my hair past-shoulder length. I concluded that my hair just doesn't like Arizona. So, I got a much-shorter cut with lots of layering. Suddenly, I had Happy Hair again! I was pleased as all get-out over it. Sadly, when it was time for a trim a month or so ago, things went awry. The stupid bint have me a bob, or a wedge. I went back & had a long discussion, which also included drawings, before letting them try to correct the mistake. The result? A much-shorter wedge. My hair is the shortest it's been since the 1980's. It's lifeless & sulky. I've been suffering while waiting for it to grow out long enough to correct the errors made. But at least for the summer, I had Happy Hair, and I know that with the correct layering it shall be happy again.
5) King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is my new favorite documentary. Even if you didn't grow up in the golden age of video game arcades like I did, even if you don't like documentaries, I'm pretty sure you will appreciate & enjoy it.
5) Ohio!!!
I can't wait i can't wait i can't wait!!
It's official: I'll be Visiting Ohio!
General | Posted 15 years agoI'll be in Ohio from Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, through early Tuesday morning ( I wish it could be longer, but finances dictate otherwise).
I haven't been back to Ohio since leaving it the last week of December 2008.
I'll get to spend time with family, and hopefully visit with friends who I consider family, and I'm very much looking forward to it!!
ALSO--I'll be driving a U-Haul back to Tuscon. Whee---I'll have my stuff! Or at least the stuff that didn't get damaged by vermin and/or mildew.
I CAN'T WAIT to see everyone again! I have a huge laundry-list of stuff I want to do & see, but of course finances & time will prevent most--but the utmost most important thing is to spend time with the people I miss & care about!!!
HAPPY RAT IS HAPPY
P.S. I WANT GOETTA!
I haven't been back to Ohio since leaving it the last week of December 2008.
I'll get to spend time with family, and hopefully visit with friends who I consider family, and I'm very much looking forward to it!!
ALSO--I'll be driving a U-Haul back to Tuscon. Whee---I'll have my stuff! Or at least the stuff that didn't get damaged by vermin and/or mildew.
I CAN'T WAIT to see everyone again! I have a huge laundry-list of stuff I want to do & see, but of course finances & time will prevent most--but the utmost most important thing is to spend time with the people I miss & care about!!!
HAPPY RAT IS HAPPY
P.S. I WANT GOETTA!
Kwan & Hob Go to a Nudie Resort
General | Posted 15 years agotl,dr :: Kwan & Hob went to a nude resort & had a great time. ^__^
Yes, we really did.
No, I'm not making it up.
My boyfriend Hob is a naturist (Kwan's translation: 'Naturist' is a fancy modern way of saying 'Nudist,' which means he likes to gad about all nakie -- as far as I can tell, it's akin to calling yourself a Trekker instead of a Trekkie). A while back he hesitantly suggested that maybe someday we could go to a nudist resort. I think I surprised him by saying "Sure, why not?" I'm under the impression that in the past Hob hasn't received many favorable responses.
I did say that I'd only be interested in a 'real' nudist establishment, as opposed to the kind of place where frat-boys go so they can elbow each other & ogle at titties. Find a 'real' resort Hob did, right in the outskirts of Tucson. Last weekend I asked Hob if he had any ideas for a roadtrip, and guess what he suggested? Okay, so it wasn't quite a road-trip, but it was something new & it had a pool. I was game.
Via his mighty internets, Hob got various scant answers from the staff (Can we bring our own food? Do we change in the parking lot or what?) and we were set. When we got there, the main entrance was blocked off by construction. We found an alternative way in, which was also full of construction equipment & crew (who appeared to be busy pushing around the gravel road on which we were trying to traverse). It would have been nice for the staff to have mentioned this in their responses to Hob; a little forewarning would have saved a lot of concerned second-guessing.
We eventually found the spot. Construction crews were all about so we decided not to disrobe until doing a little recon. The first person we saw walking about was fully clothed...odd. We made it to the main office, and all the staff were fully clothed. So was the guy at the bar. I think Hob was feeling a huge let-down at this point; he's been wanting to get to a nudist resort for a long time, and the first 5 people we see, staff included, are in clothes. The pat response to why they were dressed was "I'm not a nudist." Hob remarked to me that it gives the impression that management doesn't believe in their product.
Turns out all the construction was part of a huge addition to the property. Evidently business is so good, they're adding many condos & an RV lot to the premises. The friendly but not-naked staff assured us we were indeed in the right place, gave us a brief tour, and left us to our own devices.
From there on out it was a very fun day! We shucked clothes & made for the pool. There is an exercise/workout room & a small rec room, as well as a dancehall where they host karaoke & musical groups, but I'm under the impression that most of the folks end up converging at the pool. There are actually 3 pools; one for swimming, one for volleyball, and a 'conversation pool' that is really a long extended hot-tub. We tried out all three (the conversation pool was especially nice once the sun went down).
I love swimming, I especially love skinny-dipping, and so I was one happy rat. I expected Hob to eventually escape to a lounge-chair & read a book, but he was enjoying the pools as well. So much so that he got some sunburn. This was despite the sunblock 30 I had brought. I got all mother-hen on him & made Captain White-Boy get a hat.
We met some very nice couples, did a crapton of swimming, and after the construction crews left did some walking about as well. We checked out the gift shop (mostly selling clothes, how's that for irony?), appreciated the scenery (startled some quail), and dined at their restaurant (good food, but a little too pricey). All bare, of course.
Hob found non-naked staff an irksome thing. As he said, "It's like hiring the Amish to work at Best Buy, or getting a vegetarian to cook your steak." Over dinner, we were enlightened by a a nice couple of regulars. Evidently there's an Arizona law that states all staff must be clothed. They also explained that the owners, who usually do go in the buff, were gone for the week--which explained why the email responses Hob received were sparse & failed to mention the construction.
I'm sure that by now people are asking, "But what do nudists DO?"
Answer: The same stuff everybody else does in public, only without clothing.*
Read books, use internets, swim, nom food, sunbathe, walk about, listen to music, chitchat, show off tattoos, etc.
Disrespectful or inappropriate behavior (such as groping, making out, and lewd or insulting commentary) is very much frowned upon & can result in getting banned.
Random notes:
- Like a good hitchhiker, a good nudist always knows where his towel is
- I predicted (and was correct) that we would be the whitest folks there
- It was kinda nice being one of the youngest couples
- All ages, all body sizes
- Hob was rather smug to be in a hot-tub with 3 nekkid wimmin sporting anatomy of various bouyancy
- The grounds are beautiful
- Arizona is a good place to be nekkid in (apart from the cactus)
- The resort started as a dude ranch, Katherine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy guested there
Would I go again? In a heartbeat. Once my crap is moved from Ohio storage to Arizona, I'm saving up for a membership.
* For light-hearted and good-natured insight to 'nuddie' culture, I recommend a couple of Australian-based webcomics: the Koala Bares and Loxie & Zoot. I especially appreciate the variety of ages, bodies, races, and skin tones the writer/author uses.
Yes, we really did.
No, I'm not making it up.
My boyfriend Hob is a naturist (Kwan's translation: 'Naturist' is a fancy modern way of saying 'Nudist,' which means he likes to gad about all nakie -- as far as I can tell, it's akin to calling yourself a Trekker instead of a Trekkie). A while back he hesitantly suggested that maybe someday we could go to a nudist resort. I think I surprised him by saying "Sure, why not?" I'm under the impression that in the past Hob hasn't received many favorable responses.
I did say that I'd only be interested in a 'real' nudist establishment, as opposed to the kind of place where frat-boys go so they can elbow each other & ogle at titties. Find a 'real' resort Hob did, right in the outskirts of Tucson. Last weekend I asked Hob if he had any ideas for a roadtrip, and guess what he suggested? Okay, so it wasn't quite a road-trip, but it was something new & it had a pool. I was game.
Via his mighty internets, Hob got various scant answers from the staff (Can we bring our own food? Do we change in the parking lot or what?) and we were set. When we got there, the main entrance was blocked off by construction. We found an alternative way in, which was also full of construction equipment & crew (who appeared to be busy pushing around the gravel road on which we were trying to traverse). It would have been nice for the staff to have mentioned this in their responses to Hob; a little forewarning would have saved a lot of concerned second-guessing.
We eventually found the spot. Construction crews were all about so we decided not to disrobe until doing a little recon. The first person we saw walking about was fully clothed...odd. We made it to the main office, and all the staff were fully clothed. So was the guy at the bar. I think Hob was feeling a huge let-down at this point; he's been wanting to get to a nudist resort for a long time, and the first 5 people we see, staff included, are in clothes. The pat response to why they were dressed was "I'm not a nudist." Hob remarked to me that it gives the impression that management doesn't believe in their product.
Turns out all the construction was part of a huge addition to the property. Evidently business is so good, they're adding many condos & an RV lot to the premises. The friendly but not-naked staff assured us we were indeed in the right place, gave us a brief tour, and left us to our own devices.
From there on out it was a very fun day! We shucked clothes & made for the pool. There is an exercise/workout room & a small rec room, as well as a dancehall where they host karaoke & musical groups, but I'm under the impression that most of the folks end up converging at the pool. There are actually 3 pools; one for swimming, one for volleyball, and a 'conversation pool' that is really a long extended hot-tub. We tried out all three (the conversation pool was especially nice once the sun went down).
I love swimming, I especially love skinny-dipping, and so I was one happy rat. I expected Hob to eventually escape to a lounge-chair & read a book, but he was enjoying the pools as well. So much so that he got some sunburn. This was despite the sunblock 30 I had brought. I got all mother-hen on him & made Captain White-Boy get a hat.
We met some very nice couples, did a crapton of swimming, and after the construction crews left did some walking about as well. We checked out the gift shop (mostly selling clothes, how's that for irony?), appreciated the scenery (startled some quail), and dined at their restaurant (good food, but a little too pricey). All bare, of course.
Hob found non-naked staff an irksome thing. As he said, "It's like hiring the Amish to work at Best Buy, or getting a vegetarian to cook your steak." Over dinner, we were enlightened by a a nice couple of regulars. Evidently there's an Arizona law that states all staff must be clothed. They also explained that the owners, who usually do go in the buff, were gone for the week--which explained why the email responses Hob received were sparse & failed to mention the construction.
I'm sure that by now people are asking, "But what do nudists DO?"
Answer: The same stuff everybody else does in public, only without clothing.*
Read books, use internets, swim, nom food, sunbathe, walk about, listen to music, chitchat, show off tattoos, etc.
Disrespectful or inappropriate behavior (such as groping, making out, and lewd or insulting commentary) is very much frowned upon & can result in getting banned.
Random notes:
- Like a good hitchhiker, a good nudist always knows where his towel is
- I predicted (and was correct) that we would be the whitest folks there
- It was kinda nice being one of the youngest couples
- All ages, all body sizes
- Hob was rather smug to be in a hot-tub with 3 nekkid wimmin sporting anatomy of various bouyancy
- The grounds are beautiful
- Arizona is a good place to be nekkid in (apart from the cactus)
- The resort started as a dude ranch, Katherine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy guested there
Would I go again? In a heartbeat. Once my crap is moved from Ohio storage to Arizona, I'm saving up for a membership.
* For light-hearted and good-natured insight to 'nuddie' culture, I recommend a couple of Australian-based webcomics: the Koala Bares and Loxie & Zoot. I especially appreciate the variety of ages, bodies, races, and skin tones the writer/author uses.
Status (if we've done a trade, please read)
General | Posted 15 years agoTrades
IOU:
Shep, 
Mazz, and especially 
AntiHero
If I've left you out, please notify me.
If I never commented on your part of a trade, it's because I disn't know you had posted it or completed it. Please notify me!!
Hamster comic: See here..
2 days for someone to 'fess up before it goes to the stand-in.
Badge Commmissions
furwulfpride Rough approved, working on ink & colors
johnnytanuki DONE! Gimme money!
JWolf43 DONE! Waiting on cash courier.
Artimishunter DONE! Paid & hand-delivered
Riven713 DONE! Paid & hand-delivered
reikosazanami DONE! Paid for & mailed
Talmak Done and Done! Paid for & mailed
Still taking badge commissions.
Thank you very much everyone who commissioned me & acted as my guinea pigs.
It's been a great learning experience & I'll be making some changes on how I do things as a result. I'll be posting a badge journal later this week.
IOU:
Shep, 
Mazz, and especially 
AntiHeroIf I've left you out, please notify me.
If I never commented on your part of a trade, it's because I disn't know you had posted it or completed it. Please notify me!!
Hamster comic: See here..
2 days for someone to 'fess up before it goes to the stand-in.
Badge Commmissions
furwulfpride Rough approved, working on ink & colors
johnnytanuki DONE! Gimme money!
JWolf43 DONE! Waiting on cash courier.
Artimishunter DONE! Paid & hand-delivered
Riven713 DONE! Paid & hand-delivered
reikosazanami DONE! Paid for & mailed
Talmak Done and Done! Paid for & mailedStill taking badge commissions.
Thank you very much everyone who commissioned me & acted as my guinea pigs.
It's been a great learning experience & I'll be making some changes on how I do things as a result. I'll be posting a badge journal later this week.
free Arts from another artist
General | Posted 15 years agoHey gang, free arts being offered by 
emeraldvioxx
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1681662/
And don't forget about the hamster! (see my previous journal)
emeraldvioxxhttp://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1681662/
And don't forget about the hamster! (see my previous journal)
Who Called Me A Hamster?
General | Posted 15 years agoC'mon, I know it was one of you lot out there in FA-land.
Whoever recently said my fursona looked like a hamster, come forth & be recognized!
Why?
'Cause I'm working on a comic & want to give you first shot to be in it.
NO, I won't tell you what it's about. It's a comic I'm doing for my own jollies; not a commission, not a request.
I will tell you that it's g-rated (except for off-panel violence), and you won't 'look bad' in it.
So, if you're the one who called me a hamster & want to be in a comic, let me know. If you can link me to wherever it happened here in FA as proof, that'd be great.
And FYI --- I know who DIDN'T call me a hamster. Falsifying a hamster-calling just ain't kosher. It makes baby guinea pigs cry.
HOWEVER--if nobody 'fesses up in, say, 2 weeks, I'll accept a volunteer replacement: TAKEN
Whoever recently said my fursona looked like a hamster, come forth & be recognized!
Why?
'Cause I'm working on a comic & want to give you first shot to be in it.
NO, I won't tell you what it's about. It's a comic I'm doing for my own jollies; not a commission, not a request.
I will tell you that it's g-rated (except for off-panel violence), and you won't 'look bad' in it.
So, if you're the one who called me a hamster & want to be in a comic, let me know. If you can link me to wherever it happened here in FA as proof, that'd be great.
And FYI --- I know who DIDN'T call me a hamster. Falsifying a hamster-calling just ain't kosher. It makes baby guinea pigs cry.
HOWEVER--if nobody 'fesses up in, say, 2 weeks, I'll accept a volunteer replacement: TAKEN
Badges & Biological Warfare
General | Posted 15 years agoWhoohooo badges badges badges!
You want a badge? Starts at only $5. Shoot me a PM, or read this for more info
DONE:
artimishunter
riven713
fendras (surprise!)
icefox (surprise!)
dakotawolf (omg early birthday present!)
WORKING ON:
bwarroo
furwulfpride / jwolf43
NEEDS APPROVAL:
Reiko_Sazanami
WAITING FOR $:
johnnytanuki
talmak
jwolf43
Now, on to Biological Warfare.
Nature has been attacking my herb garden & potted plants all freakin' summer long. First came the parsley worms, which I more or less can deal with; they only bother parsley, the colorful larva are easy to find, & I enjoy having 2-3 in a jar so I can see the pretty butterflies they become.
They were replaced by ravenous inchworms, which I staved off by my usual deterrent: spraying on water mixed with liquid dishwashing soap (all I need do is rinse off my herbs before cooking with them). The worms still show up from time to time; I suspect they're coming from the neighbor's fig tree (for the curious: they turn into nondescript moths).
But now, there's a hoard of little green grasshoppers that are devouring anything & everything I'm trying to grow (and of course, leaving the weeds alone). I am aggravated. I want my herbs & hardy outside flowers left alone. Anyone have any (low-cost) ideas on how can I get rid of these damned things without poisoning myself?
You want a badge? Starts at only $5. Shoot me a PM, or read this for more info
DONE:
artimishunter riven713
fendras (surprise!)
icefox (surprise!)
dakotawolf (omg early birthday present!)WORKING ON:
bwarroo furwulfpride / jwolf43NEEDS APPROVAL:
Reiko_SazanamiWAITING FOR $:
johnnytanuki talmak jwolf43Now, on to Biological Warfare.
Nature has been attacking my herb garden & potted plants all freakin' summer long. First came the parsley worms, which I more or less can deal with; they only bother parsley, the colorful larva are easy to find, & I enjoy having 2-3 in a jar so I can see the pretty butterflies they become.
They were replaced by ravenous inchworms, which I staved off by my usual deterrent: spraying on water mixed with liquid dishwashing soap (all I need do is rinse off my herbs before cooking with them). The worms still show up from time to time; I suspect they're coming from the neighbor's fig tree (for the curious: they turn into nondescript moths).
But now, there's a hoard of little green grasshoppers that are devouring anything & everything I'm trying to grow (and of course, leaving the weeds alone). I am aggravated. I want my herbs & hardy outside flowers left alone. Anyone have any (low-cost) ideas on how can I get rid of these damned things without poisoning myself?
Long Overdue: Tuscon Furs 2nd Annual Camp-out
General | Posted 15 years agoThe 2nd annual Tucson Furs camping trip was the 2nd weekend of July (so why am I just now writing about it? Because I wanted to include my artings, that's why--click on the bold letters to get to the pics they're referring to.
Let's see, we had (in no particular order)
Fragman1919a4, 
DOPR5, Dakotawolf, bwarroo, fluffydemon666, 
Kandy_Fosky, 
pyrofoks, 
pedrolerenard, Flame (I can't find his FA account!), Ven (ditto), 
bryantfox, and 
Kazfox.
Again we camped on breathtaking Mt Lemmon, in the Coronado National Forest. It officially started Thursday the 8th, but due to work neither myself nor Dakotah could go until Friday. Happily she was able to give me a lift, since I'm not good at all at negotiating mountains (and neither is my car).
We had a late start to begin with, leaving downtown Tucson around 5:30-ish. The late start was exacerbated by a one-hour setback caused by road construction fuxxing up my dubious copiloting, which successfully got us to the wrong damned mountain. Dakotah didn't mind at all; we were going through an area that had been monsooned on, and she delighted in driving with her head out the window, raptuously inhaling the smell of the rain & the mesquite (I am not making that up).
Once on the correct mountain, our travel up was both nail-baiting (heights!) and very, very fun. Driving aside, Dakotah makes for a great traveling companion & enjoys stopping to look at things as much as I do. As long as daylight permitted, we took every opportunity to gawk at the scenery. It was worth gawking at. Tucson is in its monsoon season, so there were several areas of Tucson getting deluged far below, and a plethora of rainbows all around us. Sunsets are especially gorgeous during the monsoon season, moreso when viewed at several thousand feet.
At one of ours stops, there were several yellow flowers scattered amidst nondescript scree, weeds, & rubble. We both took pictures, then (as in other stops) Dakotah wasted no time in jumping over the barrier & trying to give me a heart attack by running pell-mell along the mountain's edge. I decided to edit my pictures, & noticed that it seemed that one of the buds was opening up. We were then treated to a display of biology .
We arrived at Camp Spencer after dark, with an enthusiastic welcoming committee of our fellow furries. We were treated to the tale of how everyone got a warning for being too bloody damned loud the night before (Pop rocks! Ass foam! [don't ask]).
I was very impressed by the latrines & the water at the campground. As a veteran camper I've learned to be appreciative of a clean latrine well-stocked with tp & funk-free, potable water. The facilities were brand-new; consequently they were the cleanest latrines I will probably ever see in my life. The water was clear & the pump spigot was high enough to make washing my hair a fairly easy process.
It rained off & on the entire weekend; enough to make us wet on occasion but not enough to make us miserable. Once again, Pyro's parachute, strung up over the main camping area, proved to be an incredibly useful thing to take shelter under (from both rain & sun).
I made shipwreck, traditional Girl Scout breakfast fare (scrambled omelet), and also made horseradish & orange zest scrambled eggs that were appreciated by those with the balls to try it. While cooking, it was said that bacon makes everything better. The general consensus was that boobs also make everything better. Then it was decided that tentacles make everything better, too. I thought, why not all three?
The campground was more populated than the previous year's, so there were less critters to be easily found. Throughout the weekend a group of yellow-eyed juncos took turns battling with their reflections in :fragman1919s: 's chrome bumper. Saturday morning a horny toad was briefly adopted by Kandy. There was a vole (or possibly more than one) who spent the weekend nomming on scraps tossed close to the holes he made close to the fire (the better to beg from us). The vole turned his nose up at healthy food like romaine lettuce, but went ape-cookies over a dense monstrosity Wolf called cornbread & the rest of us called inedible. And there was also the occasional giant bug.
The only downside were a pack of annoying children who threw rocks at the squirrels & played soccer against the latrines, and Officious Ranger Dickhead who came by while we were breaking camp to snottily invite us to camp elsewhere since we were so loud. To be fair, we were a loud group (especially, it seems, on Thursday night)--but I believe we were being also blamed for the ruckus other campers were making (particularly the aforementioned kids & the guys playing country-western music in the middle of the night).
We did the usual things. I got to braid both Dakotah's & DOPR's hair. Some went on hikes, some kept the fire going, some went on trips to get giant cookies at the top of the mountain, we did artings, i got a bug in my ear, and we all generally had a lot of fun. I very much look forward to next year's trip!
Let's see, we had (in no particular order)
Fragman1919a4, 
DOPR5, Dakotawolf, bwarroo, fluffydemon666, 
Kandy_Fosky, 
pyrofoks, 
pedrolerenard, Flame (I can't find his FA account!), Ven (ditto), 
bryantfox, and 
Kazfox.Again we camped on breathtaking Mt Lemmon, in the Coronado National Forest. It officially started Thursday the 8th, but due to work neither myself nor Dakotah could go until Friday. Happily she was able to give me a lift, since I'm not good at all at negotiating mountains (and neither is my car).
We had a late start to begin with, leaving downtown Tucson around 5:30-ish. The late start was exacerbated by a one-hour setback caused by road construction fuxxing up my dubious copiloting, which successfully got us to the wrong damned mountain. Dakotah didn't mind at all; we were going through an area that had been monsooned on, and she delighted in driving with her head out the window, raptuously inhaling the smell of the rain & the mesquite (I am not making that up).
Once on the correct mountain, our travel up was both nail-baiting (heights!) and very, very fun. Driving aside, Dakotah makes for a great traveling companion & enjoys stopping to look at things as much as I do. As long as daylight permitted, we took every opportunity to gawk at the scenery. It was worth gawking at. Tucson is in its monsoon season, so there were several areas of Tucson getting deluged far below, and a plethora of rainbows all around us. Sunsets are especially gorgeous during the monsoon season, moreso when viewed at several thousand feet.
At one of ours stops, there were several yellow flowers scattered amidst nondescript scree, weeds, & rubble. We both took pictures, then (as in other stops) Dakotah wasted no time in jumping over the barrier & trying to give me a heart attack by running pell-mell along the mountain's edge. I decided to edit my pictures, & noticed that it seemed that one of the buds was opening up. We were then treated to a display of biology .
We arrived at Camp Spencer after dark, with an enthusiastic welcoming committee of our fellow furries. We were treated to the tale of how everyone got a warning for being too bloody damned loud the night before (Pop rocks! Ass foam! [don't ask]).
I was very impressed by the latrines & the water at the campground. As a veteran camper I've learned to be appreciative of a clean latrine well-stocked with tp & funk-free, potable water. The facilities were brand-new; consequently they were the cleanest latrines I will probably ever see in my life. The water was clear & the pump spigot was high enough to make washing my hair a fairly easy process.
It rained off & on the entire weekend; enough to make us wet on occasion but not enough to make us miserable. Once again, Pyro's parachute, strung up over the main camping area, proved to be an incredibly useful thing to take shelter under (from both rain & sun).
I made shipwreck, traditional Girl Scout breakfast fare (scrambled omelet), and also made horseradish & orange zest scrambled eggs that were appreciated by those with the balls to try it. While cooking, it was said that bacon makes everything better. The general consensus was that boobs also make everything better. Then it was decided that tentacles make everything better, too. I thought, why not all three?
The campground was more populated than the previous year's, so there were less critters to be easily found. Throughout the weekend a group of yellow-eyed juncos took turns battling with their reflections in :fragman1919s: 's chrome bumper. Saturday morning a horny toad was briefly adopted by Kandy. There was a vole (or possibly more than one) who spent the weekend nomming on scraps tossed close to the holes he made close to the fire (the better to beg from us). The vole turned his nose up at healthy food like romaine lettuce, but went ape-cookies over a dense monstrosity Wolf called cornbread & the rest of us called inedible. And there was also the occasional giant bug.
The only downside were a pack of annoying children who threw rocks at the squirrels & played soccer against the latrines, and Officious Ranger Dickhead who came by while we were breaking camp to snottily invite us to camp elsewhere since we were so loud. To be fair, we were a loud group (especially, it seems, on Thursday night)--but I believe we were being also blamed for the ruckus other campers were making (particularly the aforementioned kids & the guys playing country-western music in the middle of the night).
We did the usual things. I got to braid both Dakotah's & DOPR's hair. Some went on hikes, some kept the fire going, some went on trips to get giant cookies at the top of the mountain, we did artings, i got a bug in my ear, and we all generally had a lot of fun. I very much look forward to next year's trip!
Rant Over Scanners, or: I'm Frickin' Frackin' Aggravated
General | Posted 15 years agoYou are just going to have to excuse me while I throw a major tantrum.
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRG
I am just SOOOO UPSET over not having a damned scanner. I'm stompin' mad & aggravated & frustrated & pulling out my hair & foaming at the mouth & chewing sticks.
"But Kwan," you ask. "How can we tell the difference between you being upset & your normal behavior?"
And my response is to grab something appropriate, like maybe a Volkswagon bus, and cram it up your no-no hole, using Krazy-Glue as a lubricant.
I AM PISSED over this, okay? Just really, bitterly, fed up.
I'm sick having to put off getting a damned scanner because of bills & unexpected problems that suck me dry of anything left over, I'm weary of having to beg friends to use their scanners, It sickens me how just when I find a viable alternative the damned university changed their damned software to the point that even Hob, who is a computer ninja, was swearing trying to use it (at least I know it's not due to my own stupidity).
I want to be able to prove that YES I'm working on my commissions & I'm upset that the whole commission process is being held up due to lack of a scanner & yes I even want to show my other crap too & I just can't right now & I know I'm being a big baby about it but I'm so effing aggravated over it all I just don't freakin' CARE, & I'm thinking that the next damned snot-nosed mouth-breathing child who decides to look over my shoulder would be excellent kicking material.
Film at eleven.
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRG
I am just SOOOO UPSET over not having a damned scanner. I'm stompin' mad & aggravated & frustrated & pulling out my hair & foaming at the mouth & chewing sticks.
"But Kwan," you ask. "How can we tell the difference between you being upset & your normal behavior?"
And my response is to grab something appropriate, like maybe a Volkswagon bus, and cram it up your no-no hole, using Krazy-Glue as a lubricant.
I AM PISSED over this, okay? Just really, bitterly, fed up.
I'm sick having to put off getting a damned scanner because of bills & unexpected problems that suck me dry of anything left over, I'm weary of having to beg friends to use their scanners, It sickens me how just when I find a viable alternative the damned university changed their damned software to the point that even Hob, who is a computer ninja, was swearing trying to use it (at least I know it's not due to my own stupidity).
I want to be able to prove that YES I'm working on my commissions & I'm upset that the whole commission process is being held up due to lack of a scanner & yes I even want to show my other crap too & I just can't right now & I know I'm being a big baby about it but I'm so effing aggravated over it all I just don't freakin' CARE, & I'm thinking that the next damned snot-nosed mouth-breathing child who decides to look over my shoulder would be excellent kicking material.
Film at eleven.
NOW TAKING BADGE COMMISSIONS $5.00
General | Posted 15 years agoWant a $5 badge?
Please send a note through FA, or if you know me-- gimme a call/text.
PLEASE READ THE BELOW IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE SENDING NOTE.
I put something stupidly random in here. If a commissioner does not respond to the stupid random, they'll be asked to read this again.
$5.00 plus shipping (1)
3x4 inches, in color (2)
good-quality art paper or cardstock, commissioner's choice
laminated, unless specifically asked not to.
badges DO NOT come with clip/holder/lanyard
PROCESS:
- Initial contact & discussion of what's needed
- Kwan provides scan of rough pencil sketch for approval & feedback. (3)
- Commissioner provides payment in full (4)
- Kwan completes the art & provides scan for final approval (3)
- Once final approval is received, the badge is laminated & shipped
PAYMENT
- Money order is preferred, cash accepted in person, paypal can be arranged.
KWAN DOES NOT HAVE INTERNET SERVICE AT HOME.
If you want something immediately, you're not likely to get it unless you're local.
While working on badge commissions, Kwan will commit to getting online twice a week.
Lack of response 6 months or more from commissioner will result in the commission being cancelled
What's your favorite song/band/group?
1) Commissioner pays shipping, and therefor decides on it. If the shipping is a plain envelope with a stamp, so be it--but Kwan refuses to be held responsible for any loss or damage from the Post Awful. If you live in Tucson Kwan will discuss meeting somewhere local.
2) Black & white and smaller size can be requested, with NO change in price. Larger size will result in higher price.
3) ONE re-do/change; further re-do's are a $1 charge or more depending on the situation
4) Paypal payments must be completely transferred (not just submitted) before payment is considered made
Please send a note through FA, or if you know me-- gimme a call/text.
PLEASE READ THE BELOW IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE SENDING NOTE.
I put something stupidly random in here. If a commissioner does not respond to the stupid random, they'll be asked to read this again.
$5.00 plus shipping (1)
3x4 inches, in color (2)
good-quality art paper or cardstock, commissioner's choice
laminated, unless specifically asked not to.
badges DO NOT come with clip/holder/lanyard
PROCESS:
- Initial contact & discussion of what's needed
- Kwan provides scan of rough pencil sketch for approval & feedback. (3)
- Commissioner provides payment in full (4)
- Kwan completes the art & provides scan for final approval (3)
- Once final approval is received, the badge is laminated & shipped
PAYMENT
- Money order is preferred, cash accepted in person, paypal can be arranged.
KWAN DOES NOT HAVE INTERNET SERVICE AT HOME.
If you want something immediately, you're not likely to get it unless you're local.
While working on badge commissions, Kwan will commit to getting online twice a week.
Lack of response 6 months or more from commissioner will result in the commission being cancelled
What's your favorite song/band/group?
1) Commissioner pays shipping, and therefor decides on it. If the shipping is a plain envelope with a stamp, so be it--but Kwan refuses to be held responsible for any loss or damage from the Post Awful. If you live in Tucson Kwan will discuss meeting somewhere local.
2) Black & white and smaller size can be requested, with NO change in price. Larger size will result in higher price.
3) ONE re-do/change; further re-do's are a $1 charge or more depending on the situation
4) Paypal payments must be completely transferred (not just submitted) before payment is considered made
Donkey & Mule Show
General | Posted 15 years agoAttention, all you in southern Ohio---especially folks in the greater Cincinnati area!
This coming Saturday, July 17th, is the Warren County Donkey & Mule Show.
It's located in the Lebanon, Ohio Fairgrounds (which is also the Lebanon Racetrack)-- an exit or two north of Kings Island. Google Map it. Come one, come all!
Turn right as you enter at the racetrack & slowly follow the road around the racetrack to the show ring. There are 2 seperate bleachers for watching the show, but you can bring folding chairs to sit by the bleachers if you so desire. There is a concessions stand, with plenty of home-made goodies (don't worry, you can bring your own food.
It starts roughly at 9:00am, but those are mostly the boring classes---conformation, production, and other basic lead-'em-in-and-judge-'em stuff.
I would suggest that spectators not arrive until around 11:00 to noon, when the fun begins.
Starting with the braying contest, which takes place during the lunch break and is open to all. As in past years, I made bookmarks for the participants (I'll post the design when I can scan it).
The costume class, also popular with the crowd, happens right after lunch, followed by the cart & riding classes. The really fun stuff (games, barrel racing, and coon jumping [not what you think, you naughty furries]) will be later in the afternoon.
People with longears tend to have a very good sense of humor, and our shows reflect that fun. The audience is encouraged to applaud & cheer on their favorites, particularly during the games. Our announcers like to give a little longear history to fill in the pauses, and you'll no doubt learn all kinds of interesting things. Don't be afraid to walk about -- just keep a respectful distance & always ask permission before approaching someone's animals.
Donkey & mule shows are loads of fun, particularly this one, which is a charity event more or less ran by my old 4-H buddies and counselors--not to mention my mother & brother. I'm really bummed that I can't be there for it, but you can make up for it by going for me.
This coming Saturday, July 17th, is the Warren County Donkey & Mule Show.
It's located in the Lebanon, Ohio Fairgrounds (which is also the Lebanon Racetrack)-- an exit or two north of Kings Island. Google Map it. Come one, come all!
Turn right as you enter at the racetrack & slowly follow the road around the racetrack to the show ring. There are 2 seperate bleachers for watching the show, but you can bring folding chairs to sit by the bleachers if you so desire. There is a concessions stand, with plenty of home-made goodies (don't worry, you can bring your own food.
It starts roughly at 9:00am, but those are mostly the boring classes---conformation, production, and other basic lead-'em-in-and-judge-'em stuff.
I would suggest that spectators not arrive until around 11:00 to noon, when the fun begins.
Starting with the braying contest, which takes place during the lunch break and is open to all. As in past years, I made bookmarks for the participants (I'll post the design when I can scan it).
The costume class, also popular with the crowd, happens right after lunch, followed by the cart & riding classes. The really fun stuff (games, barrel racing, and coon jumping [not what you think, you naughty furries]) will be later in the afternoon.
People with longears tend to have a very good sense of humor, and our shows reflect that fun. The audience is encouraged to applaud & cheer on their favorites, particularly during the games. Our announcers like to give a little longear history to fill in the pauses, and you'll no doubt learn all kinds of interesting things. Don't be afraid to walk about -- just keep a respectful distance & always ask permission before approaching someone's animals.
Donkey & mule shows are loads of fun, particularly this one, which is a charity event more or less ran by my old 4-H buddies and counselors--not to mention my mother & brother. I'm really bummed that I can't be there for it, but you can make up for it by going for me.
Car Drama & I can has AC!!!
General | Posted 15 years agoI wanted to put in something about Furizona's 2nd annual camp trip, but that will be another day, so suffice to say it was loads of fun.
Instead, I shall speak of Tuesday's adventures (july 13th). It started when my car decided it wasn't going to start. GAH! So, not only did I have to call in absent & get another ding on my record, but also miss out on a day's wages.
So I sat in my apartment sweating buckets because it's humid as hell in Tucson right now (hellooooo, monsoon season!) and a swamp cooler, which is what the apartment came with, doesn't do crap in humidity except move air. Fortunately I have a 2nd-hand window air-conditioning unit (in exchange for the supah-faggot using my apartment as a storage unit for some of his furniture). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the @#$%'in window screen off. After much whining from my landlord, who for some reason did not see the need for cold air in humid 100-plus degree heat, he agreed to tell the handyman about it a couple days ago. Happily the handyman came yesterday. He had the screen off in like 2 minutes. Fuckin' show-off. (The secret? take the glass part of the window off FIRST).
I made come Pedro over to help me out, and finally the a/c was in & chugging away. We sat & sweltered while waiting for someome to help out with a jump for my car. Some of the monotony was broken up by me cooking us a meal, and giving my car's battery a bath of baking soda & water for the nasty buildup of dry acid schmutz.
Hob to the rescue! His mother had jumper cables, hurrah! After a great deal of alarming sparks & nearly killing Hob's mother's car's battery in the process, Pedro called his brother for a consult. After many alarming suggestions on what the problem might be, it was decided to check out the jumper cables. Surprise! One side was mis-labelled. We gave it another go, with success. We all trundled down to a local Auto-Zone, where Mike the Uber-Dude confirmed that my battery was crap. Sadly, no $$ was coming my way until payday. Hob to the rescue, again--he loaned the funds for a portable charger to tide me over until I can get a new battery.
However, don't think Hob is a total altruist. He exacted a price for his Knight on a White Horse service. I had to promise in front of witnesses (Pedro & Mike the Uber-Dude) not to upload any comics picking on Hob for the next three months. Worth it! I haven't had to use the charger (yet) but the battery protests every time I try to start the car. I'm very, very relieved to have that charger!
On the air conditioning front---Two days later, and my bedroom is deliciously cool. The living room is bearable, especially with a fan going. The kitchen remains a humid hell. But I'm not complaining! It's sooooo much better than before! Hooray for a/c!!
Instead, I shall speak of Tuesday's adventures (july 13th). It started when my car decided it wasn't going to start. GAH! So, not only did I have to call in absent & get another ding on my record, but also miss out on a day's wages.
So I sat in my apartment sweating buckets because it's humid as hell in Tucson right now (hellooooo, monsoon season!) and a swamp cooler, which is what the apartment came with, doesn't do crap in humidity except move air. Fortunately I have a 2nd-hand window air-conditioning unit (in exchange for the supah-faggot using my apartment as a storage unit for some of his furniture). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the @#$%'in window screen off. After much whining from my landlord, who for some reason did not see the need for cold air in humid 100-plus degree heat, he agreed to tell the handyman about it a couple days ago. Happily the handyman came yesterday. He had the screen off in like 2 minutes. Fuckin' show-off. (The secret? take the glass part of the window off FIRST).
I made come Pedro over to help me out, and finally the a/c was in & chugging away. We sat & sweltered while waiting for someome to help out with a jump for my car. Some of the monotony was broken up by me cooking us a meal, and giving my car's battery a bath of baking soda & water for the nasty buildup of dry acid schmutz.
Hob to the rescue! His mother had jumper cables, hurrah! After a great deal of alarming sparks & nearly killing Hob's mother's car's battery in the process, Pedro called his brother for a consult. After many alarming suggestions on what the problem might be, it was decided to check out the jumper cables. Surprise! One side was mis-labelled. We gave it another go, with success. We all trundled down to a local Auto-Zone, where Mike the Uber-Dude confirmed that my battery was crap. Sadly, no $$ was coming my way until payday. Hob to the rescue, again--he loaned the funds for a portable charger to tide me over until I can get a new battery.
However, don't think Hob is a total altruist. He exacted a price for his Knight on a White Horse service. I had to promise in front of witnesses (Pedro & Mike the Uber-Dude) not to upload any comics picking on Hob for the next three months. Worth it! I haven't had to use the charger (yet) but the battery protests every time I try to start the car. I'm very, very relieved to have that charger!
On the air conditioning front---Two days later, and my bedroom is deliciously cool. The living room is bearable, especially with a fan going. The kitchen remains a humid hell. But I'm not complaining! It's sooooo much better than before! Hooray for a/c!!
Bye-Bye Maddie --- Long Sappy Ramble
General | Posted 15 years agoIf you've read my last journal you'll know I had planned to have my dog Maddie euthanized this weekend. That was changed to today.
I'm a total wreck. I've known & expected this day for about the last 2-3 years, after her first bad turn for the worse. I really did think that I would take it pretty well; I've said my final goodbyes to her no less than 5 times, and I thought I was all cried out. Nope. Been breaking down off & on all morning, hours even before it happened. She's been my dearest companion for 16 years.
She was a bright border collie/lab mix that adored the water. She was a very strong swimmer, even taking on the current of the Little Miami River back in Ohio. When we visited my parent's place in the winter she would try to dig through the ice of the pond so she could swim (and sometimes was successful). Except for other dogs, she was great with other animals, and to date is the only dog that has never been kicked by the family horses & donkeys, or butted by the goats.
Her first trick was 'fetch.' Soon after she learned it, I fell asleep on the couch -- when I woke up, I discovered that then-puppy Maddie had 'fetched' every single thing she could get her muzzle around & drag over to me. Few things made Maddie happier than to fetch the paper, or retrieve a fallen remote.
I called her a spazzhund due to how she spazzed out when she got excited. She was a bright dog but her IQ would plummet when she got revved up. When she was young, she'd get so excited when I got home that she'd spin like a top & crash into furniture, the wall, etc. and keep spinning. Maddie was so full of energy that my schedule was: get up, take Maddie to the park, throw the frisbee until she collapses, go back home, go to work, get home, go to park & frisbee-collapse, go back home, do stuff, go to the park AGAIN, go to bed, repeat.
Maddie was a chaser, not a hunter. If something ran from her, she chased it. If it stopped running, she was frustrated. To my knowledge she's never killed a thing.
Once when taking her on a walk by the Little Miami River back in Ohio, some deer ran past us. I let her go, figuring she'd give up after a minute or two after they outdistanced her. I got her back an hour later. I knew where she was the whole time; I could hear her. Funny how 3 deer four times her size didn't make a sound, while my dog was crashing through the underbrush & whining in frustration the whole time as she charged up & down the hill after them. If those deer had the savvy of an opossum, it would hve been a much shorter chase. I was living right up against some woods & the local opossum population decided the front porch was theirs. So, I called my dog. For 2 days the possums ran & Maddie was overjoyed. On the 3rd day, the biggest possum just sat on his haunches (no playing dead). Most farm-dogs would go, OM-Nom-Nom! Not my Maddie. Unable to hear prior dogs, who knew what to do with a varmint, spinning in their graves, she barked & nudged, but ol' opossum refused to move. This was upsetting for my dog. She threw me several desperate looks, even ran up to me to explain the problem. Sadly I was too busy crying to cooperate in making the possum run. Happily there's been an ample supply of squirrels, rabbits, and deer for her to chase to make up for it.
Maddie had a good last day. She got a bunch of her all-time favorite doggie treats that I was saving. We played a little frisbee. We went on a really long road-trip--I just drove & drove through parks & all over, for about half an hour until she lost interest in sight-seeing (kind of funny, considering how everyone predicted that her cataracts would make her blind & here she is 3 years later taking in the scenery from a car & acting all tough when she sees another dog)--AND she got to sit up front, something she's longed for but was never permitted. Maddie got a lot of hugs & petting. She consoled me & licked my face as I bawled like a baby.
I'm stopping myself now since I'm getting all weepy in the library. It's not even been 24 hours & I miss my dog something awful.
I'm a total wreck. I've known & expected this day for about the last 2-3 years, after her first bad turn for the worse. I really did think that I would take it pretty well; I've said my final goodbyes to her no less than 5 times, and I thought I was all cried out. Nope. Been breaking down off & on all morning, hours even before it happened. She's been my dearest companion for 16 years.
She was a bright border collie/lab mix that adored the water. She was a very strong swimmer, even taking on the current of the Little Miami River back in Ohio. When we visited my parent's place in the winter she would try to dig through the ice of the pond so she could swim (and sometimes was successful). Except for other dogs, she was great with other animals, and to date is the only dog that has never been kicked by the family horses & donkeys, or butted by the goats.
Her first trick was 'fetch.' Soon after she learned it, I fell asleep on the couch -- when I woke up, I discovered that then-puppy Maddie had 'fetched' every single thing she could get her muzzle around & drag over to me. Few things made Maddie happier than to fetch the paper, or retrieve a fallen remote.
I called her a spazzhund due to how she spazzed out when she got excited. She was a bright dog but her IQ would plummet when she got revved up. When she was young, she'd get so excited when I got home that she'd spin like a top & crash into furniture, the wall, etc. and keep spinning. Maddie was so full of energy that my schedule was: get up, take Maddie to the park, throw the frisbee until she collapses, go back home, go to work, get home, go to park & frisbee-collapse, go back home, do stuff, go to the park AGAIN, go to bed, repeat.
Maddie was a chaser, not a hunter. If something ran from her, she chased it. If it stopped running, she was frustrated. To my knowledge she's never killed a thing.
Once when taking her on a walk by the Little Miami River back in Ohio, some deer ran past us. I let her go, figuring she'd give up after a minute or two after they outdistanced her. I got her back an hour later. I knew where she was the whole time; I could hear her. Funny how 3 deer four times her size didn't make a sound, while my dog was crashing through the underbrush & whining in frustration the whole time as she charged up & down the hill after them. If those deer had the savvy of an opossum, it would hve been a much shorter chase. I was living right up against some woods & the local opossum population decided the front porch was theirs. So, I called my dog. For 2 days the possums ran & Maddie was overjoyed. On the 3rd day, the biggest possum just sat on his haunches (no playing dead). Most farm-dogs would go, OM-Nom-Nom! Not my Maddie. Unable to hear prior dogs, who knew what to do with a varmint, spinning in their graves, she barked & nudged, but ol' opossum refused to move. This was upsetting for my dog. She threw me several desperate looks, even ran up to me to explain the problem. Sadly I was too busy crying to cooperate in making the possum run. Happily there's been an ample supply of squirrels, rabbits, and deer for her to chase to make up for it.
Maddie had a good last day. She got a bunch of her all-time favorite doggie treats that I was saving. We played a little frisbee. We went on a really long road-trip--I just drove & drove through parks & all over, for about half an hour until she lost interest in sight-seeing (kind of funny, considering how everyone predicted that her cataracts would make her blind & here she is 3 years later taking in the scenery from a car & acting all tough when she sees another dog)--AND she got to sit up front, something she's longed for but was never permitted. Maddie got a lot of hugs & petting. She consoled me & licked my face as I bawled like a baby.
I'm stopping myself now since I'm getting all weepy in the library. It's not even been 24 hours & I miss my dog something awful.
Sad News
General | Posted 15 years agoAfter several discussions & much deliberation, I've decided it's time to have my aged spazzhund Maddie euthanized.
For the past month, she's completely lost all control (and awareness) of her bladder. At first I thought it was a bladder infection, as Maddie's had in the past. Amoxicillin had no effect this time. She's also dropping weight again, never a good sign.
A couple vets have been kind enough to give a free consultation over the phone, and although they say nothing can be sure without a full check-up & testing, they all think her kidneys are shutting down, with other organs soon to follow. Based on her history, they all recommended putting her to sleep.
I hate doing this. Not the euthanasia as such--I've had quite a few moments in the past 2-3 years when I was sure she wasn't going to last the night. Each time the dog miraculously bounced back. Each time I figured it was probably the last.
I hate that I'm doing this when she's fully alert & aware, with an appetite. Always before when I thought "this is it," Maddie was listless, unresponsive, depressed-- completely not herself. It bothers me putting her asleep when her mind is still active and she's as mobile as her rapidly-defective body allows her be. Despite all my talk about being ready for my dog's death for years, I'm taking this pretty hard. I just didn't expect her to go while her mind was still there.
I'm allowing myself one week of completely spoiling the dog before we go on her last road-trip. I'm going to miss my Maddie something awful. I truly believe that several times over the past 16-17 years, if she was not in my life, I would not be alive now.
I have a favor to ask. Please, people---please, do not try hooking me up with another animal just yet. No surprise visits with a kitten, no phone numbers of free puppies, no tales of woe from the shelter, okay? I want some time without a pet for a while.
For the past month, she's completely lost all control (and awareness) of her bladder. At first I thought it was a bladder infection, as Maddie's had in the past. Amoxicillin had no effect this time. She's also dropping weight again, never a good sign.
A couple vets have been kind enough to give a free consultation over the phone, and although they say nothing can be sure without a full check-up & testing, they all think her kidneys are shutting down, with other organs soon to follow. Based on her history, they all recommended putting her to sleep.
I hate doing this. Not the euthanasia as such--I've had quite a few moments in the past 2-3 years when I was sure she wasn't going to last the night. Each time the dog miraculously bounced back. Each time I figured it was probably the last.
I hate that I'm doing this when she's fully alert & aware, with an appetite. Always before when I thought "this is it," Maddie was listless, unresponsive, depressed-- completely not herself. It bothers me putting her asleep when her mind is still active and she's as mobile as her rapidly-defective body allows her be. Despite all my talk about being ready for my dog's death for years, I'm taking this pretty hard. I just didn't expect her to go while her mind was still there.
I'm allowing myself one week of completely spoiling the dog before we go on her last road-trip. I'm going to miss my Maddie something awful. I truly believe that several times over the past 16-17 years, if she was not in my life, I would not be alive now.
I have a favor to ask. Please, people---please, do not try hooking me up with another animal just yet. No surprise visits with a kitten, no phone numbers of free puppies, no tales of woe from the shelter, okay? I want some time without a pet for a while.
Hooray! I'm 'Complicated!'
General | Posted 15 years agoI is the luckiest ratty anywheres, for I am dakotawolf's 'It's Complicated' on Facebook!!! It was very special---Dakotah got on bended knee & asked me via text.
Of course I said yes--wouldn't you?!
Ours is a ridiculously open relationship, yet committed. Complete with straight-jackets. I am secure in our bond; I freely share my Complication with others.
However, I do have a jealous streak. Nobody is permitted to assrape Dakotah but me!
With her permission, go ahead & slap it & lick it & fondle it & have sex with it to your heart's content---but Dakotah's ass is MINE to rape!
You assrape Dakotah & I will hunt you down & give you SUCH a pinch! Or tear your intestines out. Whatever.
Some have tried to talk us out of it, but we've started having children right away. Our daughter pedrolerenard is our first. Please try not to be a bad influence on him.
I have cause to be concerned for daughter Pedro, and I'm not just referring to all the facial hair. There are --dare I say it-- repeated instances of willful scuzziness. I have no idea where our daughter gets it; both sides of our family are scuzz-free. I think it may be time for drastic measures. Perhaps neutering, or a sadistic English boarding-school.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to inform my Complication of my deep abiding affection. I'll be texting "Penis" to her about 5 times.
dakotawolf's 'It's Complicated' on Facebook!!! It was very special---Dakotah got on bended knee & asked me via text. Of course I said yes--wouldn't you?!
Ours is a ridiculously open relationship, yet committed. Complete with straight-jackets. I am secure in our bond; I freely share my Complication with others.
However, I do have a jealous streak. Nobody is permitted to assrape Dakotah but me!
With her permission, go ahead & slap it & lick it & fondle it & have sex with it to your heart's content---but Dakotah's ass is MINE to rape!
You assrape Dakotah & I will hunt you down & give you SUCH a pinch! Or tear your intestines out. Whatever.
Some have tried to talk us out of it, but we've started having children right away. Our daughter
pedrolerenard is our first. Please try not to be a bad influence on him. I have cause to be concerned for daughter Pedro, and I'm not just referring to all the facial hair. There are --dare I say it-- repeated instances of willful scuzziness. I have no idea where our daughter gets it; both sides of our family are scuzz-free. I think it may be time for drastic measures. Perhaps neutering, or a sadistic English boarding-school.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to inform my Complication of my deep abiding affection. I'll be texting "Penis" to her about 5 times.
Introducing....HOB-artdump!
General | Posted 15 years agoOkay before I talk about Hob, check this out:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/399...../#cid:29921502
The Firestars just up & did this for me out of the blue, 'cause they're sweet & awesome like that.
I dig leather a lot, and I love the idea of leather badges.
THANK YOU!!!
And now, back to our scheduled journal topic... HOB!
I can has boyfriend, and he is Hob.
Since I tend to make comics about my life in general, of course I've been wanting to include him on the abuse. I mean, fun. For some reason, possibly having to do with non-stop whining, he said it was okay to do so.
Hob's not a furry, but he surprised me by selecting a fursona anyways--a bear.
Which I changed to a koala.
Because I said so.
Try not to assrape him, guys. He doesn't know it's how we say hello.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/399...../#cid:29921502
The Firestars just up & did this for me out of the blue, 'cause they're sweet & awesome like that.
I dig leather a lot, and I love the idea of leather badges.
THANK YOU!!!
And now, back to our scheduled journal topic... HOB!
I can has boyfriend, and he is Hob.
Since I tend to make comics about my life in general, of course I've been wanting to include him on the abuse. I mean, fun. For some reason, possibly having to do with non-stop whining, he said it was okay to do so.
Hob's not a furry, but he surprised me by selecting a fursona anyways--a bear.
Which I changed to a koala.
Because I said so.
Try not to assrape him, guys. He doesn't know it's how we say hello.
Studio Ghibli meme
General | Posted 15 years agoGanked from 
Magical_HATz
I very much enjoy pretty much every Studio Ghibli film I've seen so far.
There is one very clear favorite for me, followed by about 9 very close seconds.
Favorites from Greatest to Least:
Howl's Moving Castle (Own--my favorite by a landslide)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Own Disney release & the VCR dub of atrociousness known as 'Valley of the Wind')
Princess Mononoke (Own)
Kiki's Delivery Service (Own)
Spirited Away (Own)
Castle in the Sky (Own)
Whisper of the Heart (Own)
My Neighbor Totoro (Own)
The Cat Returns (Own)
Grave of the Fireflies (Own)
Pom Poko (Own)
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Porco Rosso
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (have only seen dubbed version)
Not seen
Ocean Waves
Tales from Earthsea (Ursula LeGuin wasn't very happy about this one)
Only Yesterday (I've been looking for this for ages)
Not out yet
The Borrower Arrietty
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
Magical_HATzI very much enjoy pretty much every Studio Ghibli film I've seen so far.
There is one very clear favorite for me, followed by about 9 very close seconds.
Favorites from Greatest to Least:
Howl's Moving Castle (Own--my favorite by a landslide)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Own Disney release & the VCR dub of atrociousness known as 'Valley of the Wind')
Princess Mononoke (Own)
Kiki's Delivery Service (Own)
Spirited Away (Own)
Castle in the Sky (Own)
Whisper of the Heart (Own)
My Neighbor Totoro (Own)
The Cat Returns (Own)
Grave of the Fireflies (Own)
Pom Poko (Own)
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Porco Rosso
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (have only seen dubbed version)
Not seen
Ocean Waves
Tales from Earthsea (Ursula LeGuin wasn't very happy about this one)
Only Yesterday (I've been looking for this for ages)
Not out yet
The Borrower Arrietty
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
Posting Random Artz, & Go Ahead and Ask Me Questions
General | Posted 15 years agoTime for some random arts, scans courtesy of Pyrofoks & Hob (the one responsible for The Hickey). Thank you very very very much!
Also, I now has a new (used) computer. Huzzah! And many thanks & snugglings to Hob, who not only recommended it but also gave it a general bill if health & a major overhaul---and did it all in Windows instead of Linex.
Next on the most wanted list: a new scanner.
Since I have nothing better to do right now, go ahead & ask me any old question you care to ask. Be forewarned: I do not guarantee to provide the answer you want. Blatant fishing for ass-pattings & egoboo will likely result in sarcasm, 'cause I'm an ornery old hag who rolls like dat.
Pyrofoks & Hob (the one responsible for The Hickey). Thank you very very very much!Also, I now has a new (used) computer. Huzzah! And many thanks & snugglings to Hob, who not only recommended it but also gave it a general bill if health & a major overhaul---and did it all in Windows instead of Linex.
Next on the most wanted list: a new scanner.
Since I have nothing better to do right now, go ahead & ask me any old question you care to ask. Be forewarned: I do not guarantee to provide the answer you want. Blatant fishing for ass-pattings & egoboo will likely result in sarcasm, 'cause I'm an ornery old hag who rolls like dat.
Kinda Slumping, But Overcoming It
General | Posted 15 years agoPart of my brain has been trying to sneak me into a blue funk the past couple of weeks without the rest of my consciousness noticing.
It first got me stressed over finances, threw an intense case of missing the folks in Ohio at me, it got me an upper-respiratory infection that went bronchial & lost me some days at work, it convinced me to get all sad from missing the Tucson furries who I haven't been able to see (due to work schedule & hours), it got me all stressed & angsty over 90% of my stuff which is mouldering away in storage in Ohio, and now it's taking away my artings (I devoted 10 hours to drawing yesterday & hardly got anything done, except the slow destruction of 2-count-em-TWO full erasers & about 20 sheets of cardstock).
BUT! The part of me responsible for the past few weeks of inner sturm und drang messed up. After giving up on drawing, I had me a whiny frustrated cuddle with my aged spazzhund Maddie. Then I caught a glimpse of the miserable little part of my brain out of the corner of my eye. It was trying to get me miserable over my dog eventually dying; a ham-fisted ploy at best, considering what I've been through with Maddie in the past 2 years.
It wasn't easy to spot it; it's a clever little mental manifestation of the remains of a major depression. Looking at it directly was no good, it just slipped away. But I found it could be pinned steadily with peripheral vision. First it froze in position, mid-pluck at several strings of my psyche, a claw poised to push various emotional buttons. When it was obvious that I had indeed discovered it, it shot me a dirty look & started to retreat. I threw a raspberry after it & decided to celebrate by finishing off some long-neglected & exceptionally nummy fat-free mango sherbet. That critter evidently hates mango sherbet--it ran screaming at the thought of it, to the inner recesses of my brain from whence it spawned.
The little bastard seems to still have a handhold on my artings. Don't worry, I intend to kick its indistinct little fanny. I'm not letting it take my doodles away from me again! But it's frustrating as hell to work hard to arrange an entire day JUST to drawing, & not getting anything worth keeping done.
Time to get more fat-free mango sherbet.
It first got me stressed over finances, threw an intense case of missing the folks in Ohio at me, it got me an upper-respiratory infection that went bronchial & lost me some days at work, it convinced me to get all sad from missing the Tucson furries who I haven't been able to see (due to work schedule & hours), it got me all stressed & angsty over 90% of my stuff which is mouldering away in storage in Ohio, and now it's taking away my artings (I devoted 10 hours to drawing yesterday & hardly got anything done, except the slow destruction of 2-count-em-TWO full erasers & about 20 sheets of cardstock).
BUT! The part of me responsible for the past few weeks of inner sturm und drang messed up. After giving up on drawing, I had me a whiny frustrated cuddle with my aged spazzhund Maddie. Then I caught a glimpse of the miserable little part of my brain out of the corner of my eye. It was trying to get me miserable over my dog eventually dying; a ham-fisted ploy at best, considering what I've been through with Maddie in the past 2 years.
It wasn't easy to spot it; it's a clever little mental manifestation of the remains of a major depression. Looking at it directly was no good, it just slipped away. But I found it could be pinned steadily with peripheral vision. First it froze in position, mid-pluck at several strings of my psyche, a claw poised to push various emotional buttons. When it was obvious that I had indeed discovered it, it shot me a dirty look & started to retreat. I threw a raspberry after it & decided to celebrate by finishing off some long-neglected & exceptionally nummy fat-free mango sherbet. That critter evidently hates mango sherbet--it ran screaming at the thought of it, to the inner recesses of my brain from whence it spawned.
The little bastard seems to still have a handhold on my artings. Don't worry, I intend to kick its indistinct little fanny. I'm not letting it take my doodles away from me again! But it's frustrating as hell to work hard to arrange an entire day JUST to drawing, & not getting anything worth keeping done.
Time to get more fat-free mango sherbet.
2 Questions (honest)
General | Posted 15 years agoGot a couple questions in here, for anyone willing to wade through the random.
So I'm getting over another cold, hanging out in the library, feeling all logy with my throat, chest, & head fulla gunk. Trying to download various anime, manga, & TV shows with very, very limited success, largely due to the library's slo-mo wifi. Irritating, but I can deal.
What I'm having a very poor time dealing with graciously is the schmuck who sat himself down behind me not 15 minutes after I got in, who will not stop his constant sscccchhhhhnort-ing.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
Blow yer damned nose, already!
Quit re-cycling it!
There are few sounds which make me wanna go into a manic screaming frenzy more than someone constantly snorting their snot. -_-
Which leads us to
Question #1: I'm gonna have to draw this, someday. But what kind of critter would the snot-snorter be? Anything porcine seems too obvious.
And let's switch gears completely & immediately on to---
Question #2: Is it rude to just go & draw myself giving someone who doesn't know me a hug, without asking the person first?
A couple months ago I had an idea for a meme (give an FA artist you don't know & admire a hug), and wanted to have a couple drawings done before making a journal about it. I've been randomly sending notes to various folks (who don't know me), asking permission to draw myself giving them a G-rated hug. So far I've had one "I don't mind," several no answers (which I'll take as a no), and several "Thanks but please don't."
I'm kind of torn here. I don't want to produce anything the subjects would object to or possibly be upset with me over (such as being depicted being hugged by a strange corpulent fan-girl rat). But at the same time, I'm beginning to think if I ask in advance, I'll have maybe only 2 approved hugs, which is a bummer.
That's all I've got right now.
So I'm getting over another cold, hanging out in the library, feeling all logy with my throat, chest, & head fulla gunk. Trying to download various anime, manga, & TV shows with very, very limited success, largely due to the library's slo-mo wifi. Irritating, but I can deal.
What I'm having a very poor time dealing with graciously is the schmuck who sat himself down behind me not 15 minutes after I got in, who will not stop his constant sscccchhhhhnort-ing.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
Blow yer damned nose, already!
Quit re-cycling it!
There are few sounds which make me wanna go into a manic screaming frenzy more than someone constantly snorting their snot. -_-
Which leads us to
Question #1: I'm gonna have to draw this, someday. But what kind of critter would the snot-snorter be? Anything porcine seems too obvious.
And let's switch gears completely & immediately on to---
Question #2: Is it rude to just go & draw myself giving someone who doesn't know me a hug, without asking the person first?
A couple months ago I had an idea for a meme (give an FA artist you don't know & admire a hug), and wanted to have a couple drawings done before making a journal about it. I've been randomly sending notes to various folks (who don't know me), asking permission to draw myself giving them a G-rated hug. So far I've had one "I don't mind," several no answers (which I'll take as a no), and several "Thanks but please don't."
I'm kind of torn here. I don't want to produce anything the subjects would object to or possibly be upset with me over (such as being depicted being hugged by a strange corpulent fan-girl rat). But at the same time, I'm beginning to think if I ask in advance, I'll have maybe only 2 approved hugs, which is a bummer.
That's all I've got right now.
1000 Faves?
General | Posted 15 years agoI was asked that since I recently posted something (in scraps) concerning page-views, would I be doing anything for faves? Okay, fine.
First TEN count-em-TEN to respond will be drawn.
The usual restrictions apply:
-I am doing this just for fun.
- ONE character per person. It doesn't have to be your fursona; you can request one of your characters, or a friend, etc. You can speak for yourself, or your friend, but not both.
- Please provide a description and/or reference.
- Maybe it will be a group shot. Maybe a mess of singles. Maybe a combo (some groups, some singles). Dunno if it will be colored. I very much doubt there will be any backgrounds.
- There is no time frame to this at all. I'll post what I post when I post it.
- There is no 'order' or 'line' in which separate pics (if some are separate) will be done.
- Pet peeve: don't ask me variants of "Is mine done yet?" Ask me once, & you'll be the last posted (or if it's a group pic, it will be delayed in posting). Ask me twice, and you're not included.
If you want to comment but would rather not be included, that's fine--just please say so.
1)
lilbluefoxie
2)
mogmoogle
3)
biskizit
4) dakotawolf
5)
hexaod
6)
rahni
7)
negarro
8)
jsrffreak
9)
lanlan
10)
elazulaoneko
First TEN count-em-TEN to respond will be drawn.
The usual restrictions apply:
-I am doing this just for fun.
- ONE character per person. It doesn't have to be your fursona; you can request one of your characters, or a friend, etc. You can speak for yourself, or your friend, but not both.
- Please provide a description and/or reference.
- Maybe it will be a group shot. Maybe a mess of singles. Maybe a combo (some groups, some singles). Dunno if it will be colored. I very much doubt there will be any backgrounds.
- There is no time frame to this at all. I'll post what I post when I post it.
- There is no 'order' or 'line' in which separate pics (if some are separate) will be done.
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elazulaoneko Owning A Pet Is A Rewarding Experience
General | Posted 15 years agoWarning: Canine bodily functions are discussed! Not recommended for wussies with delicate sensibilities!
If anyone needs proof that I can on occasion control myself, and even be kind---I need only point out that my dog Maddie is still living.
When I moved to my current apartment, I knew I'd have to put up with the occasional clean-up. I have crazy work shifts, I'm away from home for more than 12 hours, and that's just too long to expect an aged spazzhund to hold it.
Leaving Maddie outside with shelter & water was a failed experiment. She wailed & yowled & carried on as only a years-deaf dog can, with unsettling variances in tone & tremendous volume. I'm certain everyone in a 2-mile radius thought I was flaying her. She is far, far more gracious about being left in the apartment, and since she's old I'm willing to accommodate her preference.
Happily, there is plenty of room in the kitchen. I decided that there would be no remonstration or punishment in any way for Maddie having to do what comes natural--so long as it remained in the kitchen. Maddie did not find this condition acceptable. I'm not willing to accommodate that, however, so I blockade her in the kitchen when I leave home.
So yes, as expected, there have been several reminders that elderly canine bowels & bladder do indeed still function. She feels guilty about it every time. I'm hoping that she'll realize that the only reaction she gets from me is being sent outside so I can clean up the floor without her there to 'help.'
So it hasn't really been an issue, until this past week. Maddie has come down with a case of flack-ass*, resulting in a more challenging & lengthly clean-up, not to mention smellier. Which was irritating, but still bearable.
Until 2 days ago when I came home earlier than expected, literally catching Maddie in the act of walking out of my bedroom as I entered the apartment. This is in direct violation of 2 rules:
1) When Kwan's not home, Maddie must be in the kitchen, and
2) The only bedroom spot Maddie is allowed in is her large & spacious crate
The dog knew she was busted. I knew she knew she was busted. However, I had no idea just how busted she was, yet. Maddie, knowing full well that she had also violated a third rule, panicked & made a run for it. Right out the front door. She went about 4 feet & stopped. I know my dog; she wasn't going to run further away, but at the same time she didn't want to return home & possibly face the consequences of whatever the hell else she had done. Neighbors were all for corralling her. I just pointed to the door. My dog the drama-queen slowly slinked her way over to me & did her best deprecating "Please-o-please don't beat me like you've done so many-many times before" acting schtick that she reserves for when she has an audience, culminating in an agonized yelp when I hooked my finger through her collar. 9_9
Once I got her inside, I was going to banish Maddie to her cage & leave her alone as punishment ("time-out" with no attention is probably the worst thing you can do to an attention-whore canine). But she was desperately reluctant to go into my room, first refusing to go in under her own power then & pulling back when I took the collar.
Then I smelled why.
Not only had the dog shoved her way past the kitchen blockade, but she had left behind what for the sake of the squeamish I'll refer to as canine-lovin'. In my carpeted bedroom. And not just in my bedroom, but in the walk-in closet. That damned dog had flack-assed herself a viscous runny stench-ridden canine-lovin' river of Jackson Pollock proportions. Where I keep my clothes.
Several buckets of suds & Odo-ban, a couple loads of laundry, plus many sticks of incense later, the closet, carpet, & clothes are non the worse for it. And neither is the dog, who did not did not get a single swat or so much as hollered at, and was only banished outside for about 4 hours while I cleaned the rancid mess up--something she was very happy to do.
So that's one reason why I should be elected for sainthood.
Here's another: Maddie herself also needed washing, due to getting her own canine-lovin' on her tail & bushy pantaloons. I took her to a very nice self-wash dogwash, and she was treated to a long-overdue scrubbing.
So to get revenge, Maddie's shedding out like crazy. I brush her 3 times daily, which results in enough fur to make myself another good-sized dog each time, and there's still not end to it. It's everywhere! Whenever she shakes, it's like a cloud of fur has enveloped her. The fur-cloud then takes on a life of its own, fleeing to the ceiling, my bed, the couch, the top of the 'fridge, my keyboard, and of course the floor. I got home from work & there were great thundering herds of black-haired tumbleweeds rolling all over the kitchen.
All I really have to combat them with is my wimpy little electric broom. That & sweeping just seems to break up the furballs to distribute the hairs more evenly. Gawd, I miss my vacume cleaner (in storage)! I miss having a dog with no undercoat! For most of her life in Ohio, Maddie had no undercoat as she plowed into & through snow drifts & dug her why through ice so she could tempt hyperthermia by swimming in the middle of winter--why the hell does Maddie have a thick undercoat now that we're in freakin' Tucson?!
There is a solution to both the ass-flack and the shedding, but I won't do it, so I think I deserve a medal.
Visitor: "Hey Kwan--what is that over there? It looks like a dog wrapped in duct tape with a butt-plug glued into its ass."
Me: "No, it's a new smart robot. I ordered it from the internets."
*Fear not, Maddie seems fine otherwise. No temperature, definitely no loss of appetite, she's pretty much the same as ever, except for shooting stuff out her rear. I recently sprayed the pricker-burr weeds in the yard, and I suspect Maddie got some weed-killer in her system while nomming on bird-poop (bird feeders have been removed to test this theory).
If anyone needs proof that I can on occasion control myself, and even be kind---I need only point out that my dog Maddie is still living.
When I moved to my current apartment, I knew I'd have to put up with the occasional clean-up. I have crazy work shifts, I'm away from home for more than 12 hours, and that's just too long to expect an aged spazzhund to hold it.
Leaving Maddie outside with shelter & water was a failed experiment. She wailed & yowled & carried on as only a years-deaf dog can, with unsettling variances in tone & tremendous volume. I'm certain everyone in a 2-mile radius thought I was flaying her. She is far, far more gracious about being left in the apartment, and since she's old I'm willing to accommodate her preference.
Happily, there is plenty of room in the kitchen. I decided that there would be no remonstration or punishment in any way for Maddie having to do what comes natural--so long as it remained in the kitchen. Maddie did not find this condition acceptable. I'm not willing to accommodate that, however, so I blockade her in the kitchen when I leave home.
So yes, as expected, there have been several reminders that elderly canine bowels & bladder do indeed still function. She feels guilty about it every time. I'm hoping that she'll realize that the only reaction she gets from me is being sent outside so I can clean up the floor without her there to 'help.'
So it hasn't really been an issue, until this past week. Maddie has come down with a case of flack-ass*, resulting in a more challenging & lengthly clean-up, not to mention smellier. Which was irritating, but still bearable.
Until 2 days ago when I came home earlier than expected, literally catching Maddie in the act of walking out of my bedroom as I entered the apartment. This is in direct violation of 2 rules:
1) When Kwan's not home, Maddie must be in the kitchen, and
2) The only bedroom spot Maddie is allowed in is her large & spacious crate
The dog knew she was busted. I knew she knew she was busted. However, I had no idea just how busted she was, yet. Maddie, knowing full well that she had also violated a third rule, panicked & made a run for it. Right out the front door. She went about 4 feet & stopped. I know my dog; she wasn't going to run further away, but at the same time she didn't want to return home & possibly face the consequences of whatever the hell else she had done. Neighbors were all for corralling her. I just pointed to the door. My dog the drama-queen slowly slinked her way over to me & did her best deprecating "Please-o-please don't beat me like you've done so many-many times before" acting schtick that she reserves for when she has an audience, culminating in an agonized yelp when I hooked my finger through her collar. 9_9
Once I got her inside, I was going to banish Maddie to her cage & leave her alone as punishment ("time-out" with no attention is probably the worst thing you can do to an attention-whore canine). But she was desperately reluctant to go into my room, first refusing to go in under her own power then & pulling back when I took the collar.
Then I smelled why.
Not only had the dog shoved her way past the kitchen blockade, but she had left behind what for the sake of the squeamish I'll refer to as canine-lovin'. In my carpeted bedroom. And not just in my bedroom, but in the walk-in closet. That damned dog had flack-assed herself a viscous runny stench-ridden canine-lovin' river of Jackson Pollock proportions. Where I keep my clothes.
Several buckets of suds & Odo-ban, a couple loads of laundry, plus many sticks of incense later, the closet, carpet, & clothes are non the worse for it. And neither is the dog, who did not did not get a single swat or so much as hollered at, and was only banished outside for about 4 hours while I cleaned the rancid mess up--something she was very happy to do.
So that's one reason why I should be elected for sainthood.
Here's another: Maddie herself also needed washing, due to getting her own canine-lovin' on her tail & bushy pantaloons. I took her to a very nice self-wash dogwash, and she was treated to a long-overdue scrubbing.
So to get revenge, Maddie's shedding out like crazy. I brush her 3 times daily, which results in enough fur to make myself another good-sized dog each time, and there's still not end to it. It's everywhere! Whenever she shakes, it's like a cloud of fur has enveloped her. The fur-cloud then takes on a life of its own, fleeing to the ceiling, my bed, the couch, the top of the 'fridge, my keyboard, and of course the floor. I got home from work & there were great thundering herds of black-haired tumbleweeds rolling all over the kitchen.
All I really have to combat them with is my wimpy little electric broom. That & sweeping just seems to break up the furballs to distribute the hairs more evenly. Gawd, I miss my vacume cleaner (in storage)! I miss having a dog with no undercoat! For most of her life in Ohio, Maddie had no undercoat as she plowed into & through snow drifts & dug her why through ice so she could tempt hyperthermia by swimming in the middle of winter--why the hell does Maddie have a thick undercoat now that we're in freakin' Tucson?!
There is a solution to both the ass-flack and the shedding, but I won't do it, so I think I deserve a medal.
Visitor: "Hey Kwan--what is that over there? It looks like a dog wrapped in duct tape with a butt-plug glued into its ass."
Me: "No, it's a new smart robot. I ordered it from the internets."
*Fear not, Maddie seems fine otherwise. No temperature, definitely no loss of appetite, she's pretty much the same as ever, except for shooting stuff out her rear. I recently sprayed the pricker-burr weeds in the yard, and I suspect Maddie got some weed-killer in her system while nomming on bird-poop (bird feeders have been removed to test this theory).
Just send a blasted e-mail or a note through FA, already
General | Posted 15 years ago**************
tl;dr version:
If you want to contact me, especially over something you deem important, and you don't have my phone #...
AIM or YIM is NOT the way to do it!
And frankly, if it's not important enough to go to the trouble of sending me an e-mail (or a note via FurAffinity), then it's probably not all that important (no matter how big of a tantrum you throw).
**************
I got my Yahoo IM going for the first time in ages today.
Turns out amid the vast sea of random "Hello are you out there" IMs, there were a small handful of folks who had tried to get a hold of me through the chats for important conversation and/or time-sensitive stuff. Since it's literally been weeks, if not months, since the last time I used a chat, I was treated to a lovely barrage of stored IMs that went from "Helllooo?" and rapidly degraded to huffs ranging from "Fine--be that way!" to "Waaah you no likie meeee!"
Oddly enough, only one of them had thought to communicate with me by other means.
Okay gang--this is important. In case I have not already made this clear (which I doubt):
I don't have internets at home.
I have to use libraries & other free wi-fi places, many of which block chat programs. Also, when I'm online, it's usually over a limited amount of time--so even if I have the capacity for a chat program, I rarely have it on.
Why? Here's why:
- I don't have the time or the patience to draw conversation out of some random furry stranger who wants to talk but expects me to shoulder the brunt of the exchange. I'm sorry, random furry stranger--- you contacted me. Saying "Hi" to me does not automatically make me responsible for finding a topic & otherwise keeping you entertained.
- Strangers who want to 'commission' free art are irritating as hell. I rarely have time do the stuff I want to do, both for myself & for the people I do know & care about, much less for someone I don't even know.
- Random requests for yiff/cyber/tiny sex/whatever. Look--I don't help those who are too lazy to masturbate by themselves, mmmkay?
- I have a low tolerance for netspeak
- I have a low tolerance for random morons
As examples, these are chats I've actually had. I've shortened them a little, improved spelling, & added a small (and I do mean small) dose of creative license.
Names have been changed; if there's someone out there with these ridiculous nicknames, I really don't care.
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ...
Me: Mmmmmyes?
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ...Hi.
Me: Hi there. Have we met?
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: Uh, no.
Me: Okay then. Howdy. (I get busy on doing other things)
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: Hello?!
Me: Yeah still here.
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: I just wanted to talk.
Me: Okay, what about?
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: I dunno.
Me: Let me know when you do.
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ... (5 minutes pass)
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ... (another 5 minutes)
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: Obviously you're busy on 'important' things. I shouldn't have bothered!
MewMewFurryKitty: Hi
Me: Hi there. Have we met?
MewMewFurryKitty: No. But I like your art.
Me: Thank you very much. (5 minutes pass)
MewMewFurryKitty: Do you take commissions?
Me: Very rarely.
MewMewFurryKitty: Too bad because I'd really like to commission you.
Me: Keep in mind I prefer money orders over checks or PayPal.
MewMewFurryKitty: WHAT? Money?! No I can't afford that, sorry.
Me: A free commission?
MewMewFurryKitty: Well, yeah.
Me: That's a request.
MewMewFurryKitty: Well, yeah.
Me: I don't usually do those. I'd be willing to discuss a swap/trade, as long as you don't expect it right away.
MewMewFurryKitty: But I complimented you. NOW DRAW ME!
PokeAwesome: Hi.
Me: Howdy. Do I know you?
PokeAwesome: Don't think so.
Me: Hello, new person.
PokeAwesome: Location?
Me: Tucson, Arizona, USA. And yourself?
PokeAwesome: Ur age?
Me: 42, and you?
PokeAwesome: R U a girl?
Me: I am of the female persuasion, yes. What gender do you identify as?
PokeAwesome: R U on 2nd life? (10 minutes pass)
PokeAwesome: HELLO?
Me: Just waiting for the answers to the questions I asked.
PokeAwesome: Uhhh whut questions?
Me: Your location, age, gender.
PokeAwesome: Whut's that got 2 do wit NEthing?
Me: They seemed to have greater importance when you expected me to answer those same questions.
PokeAwesome: w/e
tl;dr version:
If you want to contact me, especially over something you deem important, and you don't have my phone #...
AIM or YIM is NOT the way to do it!
And frankly, if it's not important enough to go to the trouble of sending me an e-mail (or a note via FurAffinity), then it's probably not all that important (no matter how big of a tantrum you throw).
**************
I got my Yahoo IM going for the first time in ages today.
Turns out amid the vast sea of random "Hello are you out there" IMs, there were a small handful of folks who had tried to get a hold of me through the chats for important conversation and/or time-sensitive stuff. Since it's literally been weeks, if not months, since the last time I used a chat, I was treated to a lovely barrage of stored IMs that went from "Helllooo?" and rapidly degraded to huffs ranging from "Fine--be that way!" to "Waaah you no likie meeee!"
Oddly enough, only one of them had thought to communicate with me by other means.
Okay gang--this is important. In case I have not already made this clear (which I doubt):
I don't have internets at home.
I have to use libraries & other free wi-fi places, many of which block chat programs. Also, when I'm online, it's usually over a limited amount of time--so even if I have the capacity for a chat program, I rarely have it on.
Why? Here's why:
- I don't have the time or the patience to draw conversation out of some random furry stranger who wants to talk but expects me to shoulder the brunt of the exchange. I'm sorry, random furry stranger--- you contacted me. Saying "Hi" to me does not automatically make me responsible for finding a topic & otherwise keeping you entertained.
- Strangers who want to 'commission' free art are irritating as hell. I rarely have time do the stuff I want to do, both for myself & for the people I do know & care about, much less for someone I don't even know.
- Random requests for yiff/cyber/tiny sex/whatever. Look--I don't help those who are too lazy to masturbate by themselves, mmmkay?
- I have a low tolerance for netspeak
- I have a low tolerance for random morons
As examples, these are chats I've actually had. I've shortened them a little, improved spelling, & added a small (and I do mean small) dose of creative license.
Names have been changed; if there's someone out there with these ridiculous nicknames, I really don't care.
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ...
Me: Mmmmmyes?
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ...Hi.
Me: Hi there. Have we met?
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: Uh, no.
Me: Okay then. Howdy. (I get busy on doing other things)
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: Hello?!
Me: Yeah still here.
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: I just wanted to talk.
Me: Okay, what about?
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: I dunno.
Me: Let me know when you do.
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ... (5 minutes pass)
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: ... (another 5 minutes)
ClawWolfMidnightPowerThrustor: Obviously you're busy on 'important' things. I shouldn't have bothered!
MewMewFurryKitty: Hi
Me: Hi there. Have we met?
MewMewFurryKitty: No. But I like your art.
Me: Thank you very much. (5 minutes pass)
MewMewFurryKitty: Do you take commissions?
Me: Very rarely.
MewMewFurryKitty: Too bad because I'd really like to commission you.
Me: Keep in mind I prefer money orders over checks or PayPal.
MewMewFurryKitty: WHAT? Money?! No I can't afford that, sorry.
Me: A free commission?
MewMewFurryKitty: Well, yeah.
Me: That's a request.
MewMewFurryKitty: Well, yeah.
Me: I don't usually do those. I'd be willing to discuss a swap/trade, as long as you don't expect it right away.
MewMewFurryKitty: But I complimented you. NOW DRAW ME!
PokeAwesome: Hi.
Me: Howdy. Do I know you?
PokeAwesome: Don't think so.
Me: Hello, new person.
PokeAwesome: Location?
Me: Tucson, Arizona, USA. And yourself?
PokeAwesome: Ur age?
Me: 42, and you?
PokeAwesome: R U a girl?
Me: I am of the female persuasion, yes. What gender do you identify as?
PokeAwesome: R U on 2nd life? (10 minutes pass)
PokeAwesome: HELLO?
Me: Just waiting for the answers to the questions I asked.
PokeAwesome: Uhhh whut questions?
Me: Your location, age, gender.
PokeAwesome: Whut's that got 2 do wit NEthing?
Me: They seemed to have greater importance when you expected me to answer those same questions.
PokeAwesome: w/e
