Our new dog, Rocky

Last Saturday (Sept 12), we went down to Wayside Waifs and got a dog. We'd been wanting to get a dog for a long time, and have been seriously considering that the time was getting close for about a year. Wayside Waifs was having a promotion that weekend, half-off the adoption fee, so it seemed a good time to go down and look at the dogs, and see if the dog we were looking for was there.

I'd been thinking that I'd like a dog that was about 20 pounds or so, like both dogs I had growing up were. Big enough so as not to be stepped on too easily, but not too big. I didn't really care what breed, in fact, a mutt would do nicely.

Of course, the dog we saw and all fell in love with at the shelter is a much bigger dog than that. He's about 60 pounds (they weighed him at 50 pounds at the shelter, and 60 pounds at the vet the next day. I think someone's scale is off). He's got black hair, with reddish-brown highlights around his ears and the fringe of his fore-paws. They think he's about 2 years old. That's about the age I wanted, not a puppy, but still pretty young. Probably what drew us to him was the paper they had on the door of his kennel, with a little bio on it. Most of the other dogs just had their basic information up about them. I wish I had that bio, but the basic info on it was something like this: He'd been transferred there from another shelter where he'd run out of time, to this one. Back when they got him, he had some sort of skin condition that caused him to lose a lot of his fur, but that's better now. He's really smart and eager to please, loves playing with other dogs.

We can tell that he's a really great dog. An over-grown puppy, really, that doesn't know his own strength, and needs to be taught a few manners, but really loving. He spends most of the day sleeping, but gets into what we're calling his "super-hyperdrive mode". He runs around crazily, chasing his tail, growling at his toys, and the like. It probably means he's not getting enough exercise. I've been trying to run him a little when we go on our walks around the house, and on the longer walks. When I'm walking with one of the kids, I let them run him. We've also started putting him out on the line the previous owners of the house set up for their dogs. It runs between the deck and a tree on the edge of the lot. He can probably go about 8 feet on either side of the line. Don't worry, we're not going to leave him out there alone for hours. I've been putting him on it, and then sitting in our sky chair, watching him, and knitting, reading, or writing, for about an hour. Then I put him back on the leash, and walk out to get Gidget from the bus stop.

The main problem we've had with Rocky has been him "pooping" inside the house. He's picked a spot in the play-room, and goes there. On the carpet, of course. He was supposed to be housebroken, and has no problem wetting outside. We're not sure what the problem is, if he's just not used to the idea of pooping while on the leash, or what. I'm hopeful, he's pooped outside twice within the last two days, that he'll get the idea, and stop pooping inside. It hasn't happened yet, though.

Rocky also has a bad habit of "mouthing" things when he gets excited. He jumps about and puts his mouth on things. I've been trying to tell the kids that he's not trying to bite them (even though we can feel his teeth), he's just excited, and trying to say how much he likes something. And screaming about him biting them is more likely to make him more excited, making the situation worse than better. They understand mentally, but are having trouble putting than understanding into action.

Accident

There's been some sort of accident right in front of my house. Check my Twitter for further details.

26 miles per gallon

Created by The Car Connection

October Curves Smart Report Card

Well, I got my second Curves Smart report card, and I can say I'm less than thrilled.

My weight stayed the same as last time time, but my measurements all stayed the same or decreased, so that's all right.

I had rather hoped the Workout Results time lines would gain dots as you had more reports, maybe showing the last four or five results, instead you just have the beginning and ending points. Which is helpful, I suppose, but I'd like to see how the numbers change with time.

The weird part is that it shows both my caloric burn and strength decreasing. I *know* that both have gone up. The last week or so I've been routinely getting over 600 calories burnt on regular workout days. IIRC, today's result was 618. Alternate days have been lower, of course. My PI from the last report was 274, this one is 308. This should, in theory, say that I've got quite a bit *more* strength than when I started, not less.

As near as anyone can figure out, it's the alternate days that are dragging the averages down. It's almost enough to make me not come in on alternate days (though I figured out this month that if I skip the alternate days, I'm far more likely to skip the regular days, too), or maybe come in an work out, but not check in or use my card. Or just use the treadmill or something (Shh!! don't tell Curves HQ they have one!)

When I came in on Monday, my PI was decreased by 0 (which I thought was a funny way to say "unchanged"), and today it was increased by 3. I previously had been able to keep in the greens, this time I had trouble. I'll get it next time. For once the stepper gave me reasonable heart rates the first time all three times it measured them. The first time, 128, after the warm up and three machines; both the next times about 145. I really hate it when I've been really working out, and I get on the stepper, and it tells me that my heart rate is 70. Stupid machine! It was more than that when I walked through the door.

I've also noticed that I still get breathless while on the circuit, but now my breath is nearly back to normal by the time I've finished stretching, in stead of some time later. So that's an improvement from when I started Curves Smart.

ETA: Now that I've had a chance to look over my previous "report card", I'm even more confused. the numbers that are "low" are higher than the previous "high" numbers. Where is their starting point?

What book are you?

You're Cat's Cradle!

by Kurt Vonnegut

You believe quite firmly that free will deserted you long ago and far
away. As a result, it's hard to take responsibility for anything. Even though you show
great potential as a leader of a small 3rd world country, the choices are all made ahead
of time. You're rather fond of games involving string. Your fear of nuclear weaponry is
trumped only by your fear of ice.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Repost from Sims 2 blog.

For now, here's a first:
http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?&threadID=81f6b85943f503a946dc02095917b004&directoryID=2

Post by madamex5051ply:
Hello MR Estra why on earth do you ask simmers to view your picture album knowing their are NUDE sims floating around you are so darn nasty what if my little sis seen that crap this is rated T for Teens Sir not rated xxxx

My reply:
What on earth? Taking a picture of a known glitch changes my gender?
If you happen to be able to see a Sim on a floor above your selected Sim, there is no censor patch. I'm surprised you haven't seen this already in your game. It doesn't happen too often, but it does happen.

And I'm sure your little sister has seen naked Barbie dolls before. There is little difference, since the Sims have no secondary distinguishing marks.

And you could have expressed your concerns by signing my guestbook, contacting a SimMaster, or both, rather than drawing attention to it. I don't see anything wrong with the picture, but I will abide by a SimMaster's ruling on it, and remove it if one asks me to.

*****

The picture in question is located in my photobucket account here:
http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c51/Jasini/The%20Sims/

Note: I have never had a direct link to that particular photo here in the BBS or my blog, though I have mentioned that it exists when discussion of that particular glitch comes up. Nor do I see how it is any worse than the Venus statue that comes with the game that you can see on the lower floor in the corner there.

It's so odd to be referred to as a pervert, when prude is the word much more often used to describe me. It's even odder to be called MR and Sir.

Update, June 6, 2007

Further correspondence as of June 1, 2007

madamex5051ply:
Thanks but a Glitch can be remove and a naked doll is different from a naked Photo Yes I have seen this glitch in the game but I dont keep on my site I delete it what purpose does it serve to keep it their

Me:
So somehow a picture (not a photo) of a naked doll is worse than a doll itself? Somehow I don't follow your logic. It would be different if it actually were a photo of a person, or even a picture of an anatomically
correct Sim.

And have you noticed, there is a Venus statue in the base game. It shows just as much, if not more, than the picture does.

And once again, there are proper channels to go through if you are concerned about something. Contacting me privately, flagging messages, contacting a SimMaster or Maxoid. Jumping out at me screaming "Pervert!" is not effective, and at most draws attention to the very thing you have a problem with.

As to what purpose it serves, what purpose does the game itself serve? It's a *glitch*, it's *funny*.


******
I still have no idea if she's contacted a SimMaster or not. I do know that none have contacted me. By now it's buried somewhere on the back side of the BBS. So, unless something further comes up, I'll consider the matter closed.

Ramblings

I've had a pretty good week this week. I finally decided it was time to do something about all the housework that's been piling up lately. I've been working most of the day on it while the kids are at school, taking a bit of time for relaxing, so I won't burn out too quickly, and also taking time to exercise and go to Curves, which I'd been neglecting lately. I've gotten quite a bit of the main part of the house cleaned now, and am working on things that I've been putting off for a long time, like re-organizing the bookcases, etc. The laundry's mostly caught up now, just need to put things away.

I've been setting my timer for 15 minutes, doing as much as I can of a room, and then moving on to the next room. After three of these, then I get 15 minutes to sit down and relax. The 15 minute thing is something I picked up from Flylady. Though she wouldn't approve of me trying to do so much at once, since the crash and burn potential is quite high. I probably will, but I haven't yet, and if I can keep one thing going from this, I'll come out ahead.

Tonight'll be the last night the kids have Awana. Next week will be the practice for the award ceremony, then the award ceremony, then they'll be off for the summer. I do wish the church kept it a bit closer to the school year, though probably having so much happening at the end of the school year would be stressful to some folks.