The Happy Thread V

[Rían]

Originally Posted by The last sane person

Horse. Dog. Bow & Quiver. Wide open plain and woods.

That sounds wonderful ..... Just wonderful ....

What sort of dog do you have Rian? I've got two giant mongrels, and one massive pitbull.

He's mostly Bernese Mountain dog - we found him wandering the streets around my husband's job when he was a teenager (the dog, not my husband ), and took him in. Vet said he was mostly a Berner, plus some shepherd. He's the best dog we've ever had - loves car trips and camping, and is wonderful around the house and around people. So he's a big guy, like yours - I like BIG dogs!

The expression of the dog in the link is very much like my dog's look - alert but mellow eyes, and a little smile around the mouth ... love it! Purebred Berners don't live very long, though, so I'm glad our dog has some other blood mixed in - mongrels are usually always healthier. I wonder if there's a market for half Berners around, like there is for some other mixes (labradoodles, etc).

[The last sane person]

It is lovely. I'm out in Orting right now at my friend's barn, while she is in Paris. The land is endless, not a building in site from where I am sitting on her back deck. Just the barn, fences and horses. Beyond that, just hills, fields and the woods directly behind us.

Went out tracking yesterday and today, looking for game. Came across some recent cougar tracks. Will see if I can post pictures.

I've always wanted a Bernese! My cousin had one when I was a toddler and I used to ride it, and hitch it up to my radio flyer and have him pull me around. I loved that dog.

Have you gotten back into horses? Still doing archery?

[Varnafindë]

It's a lovely dog, Rian!

[Midge]

Originally Posted by The last sane person

Showers. Brushing your teeth. Washing your clothes. Watering your dog and Christmas tree.

Oh, WOW that sounds good. If only my pipes weren't frozen...

What? What do you mean, that's not what you said?

[The last sane person]

heh

[Tessar]

I PASSED MY FRICKIN MATH CLASS!!!!!!!!!

O_o

I don't know where I screwed up in my calculations, but I actually got a D! THAT'S A PASSING GRADE, YA'LL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But this actually leaves me in a bit of a quandary... Do I drop the class for next semester and take the D, or do I retake it next semester to try to get an A/B grade? I know I probably could. But I am seriously, seriously thinking no.... just take the grade and run with it.

Is it bad that I don't feel guilty about wanting to just accept a D? I am bad at math. I accept that about myself, and I'm willing to live with it because I'm great at Music and English type classes... math just isn't my thing. Should I just go with the D?


I also had an -awesome- violin lesson today... then stuck around and talked to the guy I'm working with for about... uh... seven hours. *cough* It happens. Anyways... It was a great, relaxing way to spend a Friday evening. Then to come home to find out that I had passed my math class? MOST EXCELLENT!!!

Plus at twice during my lesson I totally stopped my teacher dead in his tracks. The first time he was showing me how to hold the violin bow, which can be tricky, and after a few adjustments it finally clicked in my brain and I said, "OH! Like this?" and shifted my hand around. He blinked a couple of times and said, "Wow... uh... yeah, actually that's... that's pretty much perfect.... How did you figure that out?"

Then he was showing me how to properly move the bow over the strings and after a couple of tries I figured out what he was trying to get me to do and said, "Wait, not like I did before... you mean you want me to do this?" and did the thing, and he just stared at me for a minute then said, "Ummm.... yes that's actually exactly how you're supposed to do it. How did you fix that so fast?"

<.< It's nice to feel a little talented, sometimes.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

*high five*

Is the math class particularly significant for your business degree?

Happy: Going to see my brother tomorrow! WHEE!!! Not-happy: pre-travel insomnia strikes again . . .

[Jonathan]

Way to go Tessar!
If you were to retake the math class, I can see the following scenario:
Then my math teacher was showing me how to properly work the numbers and draw the graphs and after a couple of tries I figured out what he was trying to get me to do and said, "Wait, not like I did before... you mean you want me to do this?" and did the thing, and he just stared at me for a minute then said, "Ummm.... yes that's actually exactly how you're supposed to do it. How did you fix that so fast?"

Originally Posted by Midge

Oh, WOW that sounds good. If only my pipes weren't frozen...

How are those pipes coming along?

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Way to go Tessar!
If you were to retake the math class, I can see the following scenario:
Then my math teacher was showing me how to properly work the numbers and draw the graphs and after a couple of tries I figured out what he was trying to get me to do and said, "Wait, not like I did before... you mean you want me to do this?" and did the thing, and he just stared at me for a minute then said, "Ummm.... yes that's actually exactly how you're supposed to do it. How did you fix that so fast?"

Exactly - or perhaps a little light switch will flip on?

[Tessar]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

If you were to retake the math class, I can see the following scenario:
Then my math teacher was showing me how to properly work the numbers and draw the graphs and after a couple of tries I figured out what he was trying to get me to do and said, "Wait, not like I did before... you mean you want me to do this?" and did the thing, and he just stared at me for a minute then said, "Ummm.... yes that's actually exactly how you're supposed to do it. How did you fix that so fast?"

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

Exactly - or perhaps a little light switch will flip on?

Oh man, you guys... don't be ridiculous. That kind of stuff just doesn't happen.




I'm still super stoked about it. My sister explained that my math may have been correct, he might've just curved the final. Either way, I think I'm going to take that "D" and just get on with the other business courses instead of taking it again. I got excellent grades other than that D, so... I'll just take it.

I'm still excited about the violin thing, too... it's definitely a challenge, but I always get excited when stuff works because all I can remember is how difficult voice was for me to start back when I was 16 and I couldn't get anything to work right, and man... this ain't even half that difficult.

[Varnafindë]

It's also a question of what you want to spend time on. If that D is good enough for whatever you will be needing it for, it may be better just to take it and spend your time on learning new things (which you're better at) than going through it ALL OVER AGAIN (and if our predictions don't come true, perhaps just end up with a C or even another D anyway ...)

Spend some more time on violin, perhaps?

[Tessar]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

It's also a question of what you want to spend time on. If that D is good enough for whatever you will be needing it for, it may be better just to take it and spend your time on learning new things (which you're better at) than going through it ALL OVER AGAIN (and if our predictions don't come true, perhaps just end up with a C or even another D anyway ...)

Quite true. I've dropped that class, and I'll probably replace it with an accounting class if one of the slots opens up.

Spend some more time on violin, perhaps?

Speaking of: Best. Hobby. EVER. I almost can't put the thing down. Absolutely love it. Definitely a better use of my time than stupid ol' math. I'd still be playing it right now, but I'm so tired my eyes are getting crossed trying to look down the strings at the angle you hold the violin. O_o

[Rían]

Thanks, Varna! I just love burying my hands in his fur - it's so thick and soft.

Originally Posted by The last sane person

I've always wanted a Bernese! My cousin had one when I was a toddler and I used to ride it, and hitch it up to my radio flyer and have him pull me around. I loved that dog.

Have you gotten back into horses? Still doing archery?

Yes, those dogs love to pull!

No horses yet - not enough money and the stupid shoulder isn't strong enough yet for archery stupid shoulder surgery issues!!!!! I looked at my bow a few days ago, and gave it a loving stroke ... You'll have to enjoy it for both of us for now ...

And congrats, Tessar!!! *low five because of stupid shoulder*

[Rían]

Happy - pulled off a whopper of a Christmas cookie decorating party. We've been doing them for years, but this was the biggest one yet. We baked about 500 cut-out cookies yesterday and today, then this afternoon, people starting coming over to decorate them. We had 3 tables set out with homemade icing and decorations, and the football game on in the other room, and friends and neighbors and family coming in and out - we had 40 people over! It's my grandmother's recipe, and it's just killer good. We had all sorts of cookies - artistic ones, funny ones, and just pile-on-the-icing ones. My favorites are the ones that the teenage boys do - gingerbread men with their heads cut off, impaled with candy canes, etc. They're hilarious! Then there's some really lovely ones that the artistic people make. There's such a wide variety, and it was really a lovely time. Heck of a lot of work - this will be a 3-day project from baking the first batch to finishing cleanup - but worth it

[Jonathan]

Aw, that sounds like a lot of fun RÃ*an. And sugary

[Rían]

yes, the kids were bouncing off the walls!

[The last sane person]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

... and the stupid shoulder isn't strong enough yet for archery stupid shoulder surgery issues!!!!! I looked at my bow a few days ago, and gave it a loving stroke ... You'll have to enjoy it for both of us for now ...

Wait, now what happened? I thought you did something to your foot. Did your shoulder rebel too?

Tch, I'm no stranger to shoulder damage. Minor tear in the AC, major dislocations and tears to the muscles, broken collarbones, broken scapula... You name it, I've done it.

It's only with the help of surgery, physical therapy and this stuff called KT Tape, the medicated kind, that I can even think of doing archery. Even so, I've had to shelf my 70# draw weight Bow of Yor to a rinky dinky 50# pull. So much for big game hunting now, anything larger than a whitetail, and I might as well be throwing a rock at it.

As for enjoying it for the both of us, I'll try to get someone at the ranch to take pictures or something.

[Mari]

So Rian, where are the pics of those cookies?

[Tessar]

Hurray for violin! ^_^ Love it, love it, love it. I am having so much fun learning to play, although at the moment it's a bit like a dying cat... still can't quite seem to land in the middle of the pitches, but it's all great fun for me, if not for anyone who overhears.

[Mari]

I'm baking a carrot pie. I so hope it will taste great!