Blogging Life

Another Christmas has come and gone. So often I find myself commenting on how time flies. The space between each blog entry is filled with so many happenings. It's hard to pick and choose what's worth sharing. I try to balance this blog between my own day to day life and information I feel is worth reading. I hope that the day to day stuff eventually becomes as worthwhile as the informative articles I type up. 

The difference between an internet blog and a personal journal is simple: the audience. By publishing my posts online, it opens my life up to readers. Rather than just recording memories and feelings, I'm trying to collect a following. Or at least, I think that's the idea. Maybe that's a little too narcissistic.

I want to take things I find interesting, useful, important, or inspiring -- and I want to share them. And in a selfish way, I hope that stories from my own life will fit into that collection.

It will take time. I have a lot of big dreams and goals to accomplish over the next few years. My mushing adventures are only just beginning. I want to buy a house with a generous portion of land so that I can begin my homestead. I want to raise backyard chickens. I have so many things to cook, so many pictures to draw, and so many photographs to take.

As 2011 comes to a close, I can't help but look back at all the changes it brought. Most good, some bad, but all necessary. Bring it on, 2012. I've got this.

Challenge

Photo by Matthew South

It seems our dry land racing season will be going out with a bang -- and not the good kind of "bang", either. This past weekend was the dreaded Fair Hill Challenge in Elkton, MD. And when I say "dreaded" I only mean it had me more than a little anxious. I had heard plenty of horror stories, so I was prepared to get my butt kicked.

And get kicked it did. The ass-kicking began at around 4:30 AM, Saturday morning. I crawled out of bed and finished loading the truck for our drive to Maryland. We left an hour before the sun came up. Brutal. Thankfully, AJ drove down, and we made it to the race site in less than two hours.

We were signed up for the two-dog bikejor class and scheduled to race at 12:01 PM. There were three other teams in our group; two were in the same "sportsman" class and the third in the "pro" class. We were third to the chute and the dogs were as amped as ever. Dexter has especially shown a great deal of excitement at the beginning of races, which is cool to see coming from a rescue mutt in his first real year of actual mushing.

Our first run started out a bit shaky. The starting line launches you uphill, on gravel, over a bridge. Since I don't know how to ride a bike (I'm only half-kidding), I scared some spectators (and AJ) as I wobbled through the loose terrain. Somehow, we made it to level ground and the dogs galloped through the picturesque Maryland landscape.

Photo by Matthew South

Things got a little tricky once we hit the first big obstacle -- a stream. The team ahead of us was held up as the driver had to coax her dogs across the water. I wasn't sure if Dexter could handle passing, so I waited for some distance to open up between us. When I let the dogs go again, I was pretty stunned -- the ripped through the stream like it was nothing.

After the stream, we were pretty much neck-and-neck with the two other sportsman teams (the pro team had gone out first and rocketed to the finish). My guys handled the terrain with ease -- they pulled me up the first hill without a problem. However, with two teams trotting in front of us, I held them back.

This is where things got ugly. One of the other teams had a tangle and asked me to pass. I tried to push Dexter forward, but after we passed, he pulled around to meet one of her dogs. A little bit of snarling ensued, along with some tangled lines, but luckily no bloodshed. I apologized profusely, but in the heat of the race I doubt it was noticed. I pulled my team aside and let the other teams go ahead. I didn't want to mess up anyone's run with Dexter's inexperience.

I stayed relatively close to the other two teams for the next mile or so. I held my guys back to avoid passing, since it was clear Dexter wouldn't be cooperating. Then we hit the big, albeit gradual, incline. The teams ahead of us slowed down a bit, so I teetered trying to keep a steady pace without passing. As the first team approached the top of the hill and began their quick ride down, I decided to let my guys speed up. With their eyes on the team ahead, they successfully passed the other team that had been alongside us. To help motivate, I changed gears and pedaled. Or tried to.

My (brand new) bike's chain jumped clean off the gears and I wobbled awkwardly over the top of the muddy hill. Unable to steady myself, I toppled over. Luckily, I landed in a soft spot and the dogs didn't continue down the hill without me. I got back on my bike to ride again, but wiped out immediately. In the initial spill, the front tire bent sideways and was no longer perpendicular to the handlebars. Thankfully, trail help wasn't far behind. Fellow musher and friend, Romil, straightened out my front tire. It was then that we noticed my front brake was also shot. "Do you want to keep going?" Romil asked. I did.

So I continued on and squeezed my single brake tight as we careened down a steeper, root-and-rock-filled decline. We made our way through the soggy tunnel and onto the gravel road, which would take us to the finish. But not before another tangle. Since I could no longer pedal, I kicked off the ground and tried to keep the dogs going. Dexter was losing steam. Romil came to my rescue once again and ran ahead of us to get the dogs running. We finally crossed the finish, in just under 25 minutes. Definitely not our best run.

Photo by Patty Kulpa

My disastrous run on day one had me more than a little apprehensive about day two. My bike was fixed up (as much as it could be). I would only have a rear brake and I couldn't change gears. I planned to take the trail slow and stay away from the other teams, to avoid tangles or passing issues. At this point, I had all but thrown in the towel. I wasn't there to compete anymore -- I just wanted to run my dogs and enjoy it.

Day two's race began on a better note. We tore up the starting line without any wobbling and the dogs flew through the trail with ease. I was a little thrown off by the driver who started almost immediately after me. She had missed her start, and as per the rules, had to run last. I was under the impression that the 1-minute starts in between drivers still applied, but she took off only a few seconds after I did. I wasn't concerned with beating her or anything -- I just would've liked a heads-up when she came storming past.

I kept my dogs slow, as planned. I stayed behind a team for the majority of the race. I could tell my guys wanted to run like hell, but I held them back. They pulled me through the stream, up the inclines, and down the declines. I pedaled sparingly, just enough to keep steady.

We almost ran intro trouble at the very end of the race. I held them back as the team in front of us went down the steeper hill, over roots and rocks, through some frozen mud, and into the tunnel. When we made our descent, it was difficult to keep them going slow, given the terrain. I noticed, almost a second too late, that the team in front of us had stopped short at the tunnel entrance. At the speed we were going, we had no choice but to pass. I held my breath and hoped that Dexter would ignore the other dogs. And wouldn't you know it, he totally did.

Finally, with no teams directly in front of us, I let them cut loose. They tore through the gravel road and made it to the finish line. We clocked in at around 19 minutes for day two -- a whole 5 minutes faster than the day before. Once we work on Dexter's passing, I'm confident we will become real contenders in this race. But until then, I'm satisfied with my non-sled-dog-mutt and my 9-month-old. Hell, for only their third time running on trails with other teams, I'd say they did pretty damn well.

Photo by Patty Kulpa

We'll see you next year, Fair Hill. Hopefully with three dogs, a rig, and a little more experience!

Sweet December

Whoa, where does the time go? The past month FLEW by. Probably because November is the busiest month for my job. Add a new puppy to the mix and you can bet my nights lacked sleep.

Let's try and catch up on the important stuff. I named the new pup Knoxville, "Knox" for short. His first two weeks were the hardest. Unlike my other dogs, he didn't pick up on our sleep schedule after the first few nights. I was up two, three, four times a night with him. The explosive diarrhea didn't help. Luckily, he gave me fair warning and I got him outside in time.

He has yet to sleep past 7 AM. If I'm lucky, I can get all the animals fed and all the poop scooped before 7:30. Then the dogs occupy each other while I get to sleep a few extra minutes.

"Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" came and went, along with about a week and a half of working 10 or 12 hours every day. Exhausting when you're up all night with a crying puppy, but I made it through.

We celebrated Thanksgiving Eve, our potluck tradition, and then regular Thanksgiving. I could eat turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and biscuits every day. As much as I love Turkey-Day, I'm excited to have it out of the way, and for the real "holiday season" to begin.

I was so eager, I hung Christmas lights outside the house the day after Thanksgiving. We put up our tree and interior decorations the following week. I still may add some more here and there, but for now I'm content with the hall deckings.


I do have some exciting dog mushing news to share! The Dick Dalakian Memorial Race on November 26th was our first race and the Pine Barrens Dryland Race on December 3rd was our second. We participated in the bikejor class -- and I'm proud to say, we took first place at both events! These were both "fun" races and not extremely competitive. However, I'm still very proud of my dogs. Dexter has come a long way from being, well, not a sled dog at all. And Denali continues to impress me every day.

Our next race is the Fair Hill Challenge this weekend in Elkton, Maryland. We'll be competing in the two-dog sportsman bikejor class. This will be our first time at this race site and our first two-day race, so I'm a little nervous. I'm confident in the dogs' ability, just hoping we don't run into any problems. I've heard quite a few horror stories about this trail's difficulties. I guess we'll have to wait and see! I'm also looking forward to a mini get-away in Maryland. You can bet your ass I'll be treating myself to some crab, even if we lose.

After Fair Hill, I think our racing season will be pretty much over. I'll be picking up our sled at the event, so the next challenge will be learning how to use it (assuming we get some stinkin' snow). I may attend some snow races, but I doubt I'll be confident enough to participate just yet. Of course, we'll still be training on the bike (and I'll probably reintroduce the rig) while the cold lasts. Long live winter!

Things have been really crazy over here -- thanks to my new puppy, pictured above! Little no-name (we're working on it!) came home on November 6th. He was adopted from Sixth Angel Shepherd Rescue, although he's clearly mixed with Siberian Husky. So far he's been a good little guy -- only two accidents, and both I should have seen coming. He's learning our daily routine, mostly by watching Dexter and Denali.

Denali has been surprisingly good with him. She can sometimes be a pushy jerk around new dogs, but she's been almost motherly with him. She does get a little too rough from time to time (like when she tries to carry him by his back fur), but she's still a puppy herself. I have to keep my eye on them both.

Dexter, on the other hand, has been uncharacteristically shy with the new puppy. He was very excited initially, but has since become almost afraid of the 8-pound monster. He's even grumbled at him, which has me worried. He was a little more patient with him this morning, so I'm hoping his wariness will fade.

I don't have too much more to say, as it's only been a few days with the new guy. I'll post again when I take some better pictures. I can't wait until he's big enough for the training harness!

You're Gross, Whether You Like It or Not

The Demodex is a type of tiny, parasitic mite that lives in or near the hair follicles of mammals -- including humans. They are primarily found in the face: near the nose, eyelashes, and eyebrows; but they can occur elsewhere on the body.

Doesn't that make you feel itchy? Don't go trying to wash your eyelashes just yet. It's estimated that 500 to 1000 species of bacteria live in the human gut and a roughly similar amount on the skin. There's no scrubbing that off.

And with that bit of knowledge (that you can't un-know), I complete my four-part Freaky Friday collection.


 Matilda, our resident Halloween-kitty, wishes you a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Wordless Wednesday: Fall in Full Swing

Art is Scary

When I was in elementary school, I remember borrowing Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from the library. There were three books, all written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell. Can we just stop for a moment and recognize how TERRIFYING these illustrations are? No wonder I'm not afraid of crappy horror movies. I'm pretty much immune. I was probably about seven-years-old when I read these things. And yes, I eventually bought them.

This illustration was from a story about a bride who hid in a trunk during her wedding (some sort of hide-and-seek game). Nobody found her, she got trapped, and then she died... jeez. Not only freaky, but really depressing.

And this... this was from a story about somebody who found what they thought was a weird looking dog. It ended up being a mutant rat or something. Talk about nightmares. Anyway... I just thought I should share. I'm sure plenty of people my age can reminisce about these books. Goosebumps books were scary, but none of them stand out in my mind quite like Scary Stories books do.

By the way -- my love of creepy art doesn't stop at childrens' books. Here are some of my favorite, freaky pieces of fine art. Sure beats paintings of fruit and flowers.

Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X (1953) by Francis Bacon

Untitled, known as Saturn Devouring His Son, Devoration or
Saturn Eats His Child (1819–1823) by Francisco Goya

Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War) (1936) by Salvador Dalí

From Dust to...

What happens after you die? I'm not starting a discussion about theology. I mean, what really happens to your ol' sack of bones? A lot of people are embalmed and buried. Others choose to be cremated; their ashes either spread in a meaningful spot or kept by family members. For the most part, people are breaking down into little bits, becoming unrecognizable as the years pass. But what if you don't want that fate? There are many things you can do with your corpse. Some are practical, while others are just fucking wacky. I've compiled a list of my top five favorite post-mortem... activities?

Things you can do (or be) when you're dead! 

5. Were you a teacher's pet in life? A former-book-worm-now-worm-food might choose to will his or her body to a university. Many medical schools rely on willed cadavers to help students learn. According to the University of Colorado School of Medicine, "Most bodies are used to teach medical, dental, physical therapy and physician assistant students, and in the continuing education program for surgeons. Some bodies are used for research, primarily by surgeons to study new operative techniques." Want to know more about willing your body? It's never too late to learn! 

 4. You might be dead, but there are valuable parts of you that may still be useful. Heck, you can even lend your face to someone who needs it! Put those squishy parts to work and become an organ donor! 

 3. Can't get enough of those crime shows? Watch way too much CSI? Have I got the after-death for you! Bet you didn't know that there are five research facilities in the US where they plant bodies and see what "grows"? Body farms allow forensic anthropologists to study skeletal and decomposing human remains in various settings and circumstances. Their knowledge can then be applied to real-life crime scenes. Texas State University boasts the largest body farm. Why not reserve a spot for your carcass? 

Those were all pretty noble ways to use your body after you're done with it. Your donation will surely help someone, if not dozens of someones. But not everyone wants their remains poked at by students, doctors, or forensic anthropologists. Don't worry, my last two post-mortem activities are for you! 

 2. Cremation often allows the dearly-departed to stay in their home, surrounded by loved ones. But let's face it -- who wants a big, ugly pot filled with you sitting on their mantle? The risk of the urn breaking, and bits of myself getting all up in my family's lungs, would be too stressful. The solution? Turn that corpse into a diamond! A bit of hair or ashes can be your carbon source for their patented, diamond-making process. Death and diamonds... both are forever. Makes perfect sense to me! Throw out that bulky urn and rock on forever! (Geology puns)

 1. This one is for dead Trekkies. You always fantasized about orbiting the earth, walking on the moon, or even travelling into deep space. But let's face it -- unless you work for NASA or you're Sir Richard Branson -- it just ain't happening. However, your cremated remains might have better luck! For around a grand, your dust can sore into space and mingle with some space dust. For a mere $12,500, you can launch your ashes into deep spae with the Voyager Service. It's first mission is scheduled for 2014, so you may want to plan ahead for your flight! Want to learn more, you nerd? Click here to visit their website.

Software Giveaway Update

Just a quick update on the My Memories Free Software Giveaway. I will be announcing the winner on November 8th, 2011. I figure two months should be plenty of time to get your entries in. Remember, all you have to do is comment on this post to enter. Just think of all the cute holiday collages you could be making!

Product Review: Natural Pet Warehouse

I recently ordered some doggy items from Natural Pet Warehouse. I was primarily looking for Bug Off Garlic, and they sell the 2.5 pound jug at the cheapest price I could find. It's supposed to work wonders for controlling ticks and other nasties, so I figured it was worth a shot. A 2.5 pound jug of the garlic powder cost the same as one dosage of Frontline, which I don't really like using (chemicals). If it holds up, my next order will be for the horse-sized jug. I've heard good things, now I just have to put it to the test myself. It takes a few weeks to get into the dogs' systems, so for now, they're still covered under their Frontline. The real test will be next spring, when the tick population explodes. So, for now, my Bug Off Garlic review is "to be continued..."



My next purchase was an antler for the dogs to chew. I ordered the "jumbo" size, which really isn't all that jumbo. However, I've read that this "Antlerz" company is a bit off with labeling their sizes, so I already knew what I was getting. No matter what size, the dogs LOVE antlers. I'm going to have to order another one, because there's quite a bit of jealousy surrounding the antler. I highly recommend these for strong chewers!



The last two items I received were a surprise. Natural Pet Warehouse was nice enough to send me two toys for the dogs to sample. One is called the Hol-ee Roller; the other, a "Dogs in Action" Squiggly. The Hol-ee Roller seems to be the favorite so far. I keep putting it away in their toy basket and it keeps appearing elsewhere around the house. The Squiggly, or DNA as I like to call it, has been chewed quite a bit as well. These kind of toys are perfect for my dogs. They will quickly destroy edible treats and tear apart plushies and ropes. Tough plastic chews, antlers, and bones are really the only toys that last.



Here's a quick tip if you decide to order the Hol-ee Roller -- stick a big biscuit inside! Dexter is a master at getting treats out of toys, but it took him awhile to free this biscuit. The flexible, chewy toy caves inward when he tries to stick his muzzle towards the biscuit. He really has to work to get them out. Definitely good for a rainy day and bored doggies! Just be aware you'll need a relatively large biscuit -- or a small Hol-ee Roller -- depending on your dog.



As you can see, the dogs are happy customers. I highly recommend Natural Pet Warehouse. They're really affordable and they carry products you may not find elsewhere. Plus, they're all around nice to deal with! That always scores major brownie points for me.

Memento Mori

Memento Mori means, "Remember your mortality." What better way than by taking a death portrait with a recently deceased loved one? In honor of Halloween and all things creepy, I've decided to post something freaky every Friday of the month. This week: Victorian Death Portraits! That's right -- gal in the middle with the sweet fingerless gloves? She most likely bit it a few days prior to this photo!


If you're not familiar with post-mortem photography, you're probably thinking, "What the f---!" Let me explain. Portraiture became affordable to the general public after the invention of the daguerreotype in 1839. Less expensive than a painted picture, this method allowed the middle class to produce portraits of loved ones. But why limit photos to the living! Subjects also included their recently departed kin. Who wouldn't want to remember Grandpa with a spooky, murky, grey scale image.

Right photo from The Thanatos Archive
To make things just a little bit creepier, early post-mortem photographs often showed the body propped up, sometimes holding or "interacting" with an object. This was an (often poor) attempt to make the corpse appear alive. Dad was given his favorite book or newspaper. Little Timmy was given his favorite toy to clutch (in his cold, dead hands). Baby Sue was placed in her mothers' arms, and Ma looked at the camera proudly, as if there was still a beating heart inside. 


Some post-mortems went as far as to keep the deads' eyes open. Young lady in the middle here looks like she's staring off into the distance, thinking a satisfying thought, maybe. Nope, she's dead. The saddest part is that many of these stiffs only had one photo ever taken of them and they weren't even alive to see it. I imagine the poorer classes would save up for a death portrait, as part of the funeral arrangements to commemorate the dead.

Right photo from The Thanatos Archive

As time went on, photographing the corpse in a more natural setting became favorable -- primarily, a coffin. You might be wondering, "What exactly did they DO with these photos?" They didn't make scrap books and tuck them away. Oh, no. Mostly, the portraits were put on display prominently in the home -- a constant reminder that so-and-so has died. Or perhaps, that so-and-so was once alive, depending on the type of death portrait the family chose. The practice eventually died out (pun intended) towards the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. Probably because it was depressingly weird.


Today, these photos are seen as creepy and perhaps a tad disrespectful. But during their time, they were just another part of the "death dance". After all, we still play dress up with our deceased: we spruce them up in fancy clothes and makeup, and put them on display for a room of mourners. Modern day post-mortem practices are still pretty creepy, even after all these years.

The Little Things

"I am a happy camper so I guess I’m doing something right. Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder." - Henry David Thoreau



Every day, I notice folks bitchin' and moanin' on various social networks, and in person, too. At first it made me mad; now it just makes me sad. Happiness is relative, I understand that. There are times when being upset are truly warranted. I get that as well. I'm talking about those who whine about petty stuff. Crappy weather. A long day at work. Drama with a friend.



The next time you feel like venting your minor inconveniences, take a minute and breathe. Think about what you're grateful for. Here, I'll start. You have air in your lungs. Food in your belly. If it's raining, the sun will shine again. Chances are, you've got someone who cares about you. If you're extra lucky, you have lots of people who care. Save one of those pout-posts and replace it with something useful. Share something you learned today. Or better yet, say something funny. Humor trumps sadness or anger any day. Your friends will be glad you kept things on the brighter side. You will be, too.

“However mean your life is, meet it and live it.” - Thoreau

Wordless Wednesday: Bikejoring

All Good Things are Wild and Free

In the Catskills by Thomas Doughty
"Generally speaking, a howling wilderness does not howl: it is the imagination of the traveler that does the howling." - Henry David Thoreau

Unless, of course, you travel with dogs. Then maybe it's more than your imagination.



I didn't have work on Friday, so I packed up the dogs and drove up to Chester. We went to Hacklebarney State Park, where I've hiked many times. It was about 70 degrees, warm and sunny, but you could feel that fall breeze starting to creep in.






The trails were slick in some spots from the recent rain. And the rivers that cut through the park were flowing fast. It made Nali nervous, but Dexter wanted to get closer and dip his feet in.



I think the leaves were starting to change colors -- but I can't be sure. I spent most of the hike focusing on not falling down. This was Denali's first real hike and she pulled with all her 40 pounds the entire time. She was in harness, so that's exactly what she should be doing, but it made the walk pretty intense.



Going uphill with two dogs pulling was a relief. Going down hill, or trying to maneuver over the rocky trail, was borderline scary. In hindsight, I should have avoided the rocky areas. I was asking for a sprained ankle, but somehow managed to make it out in one piece.



We only went about four miles, but it was pretty warm and I was beat. Denali could have went another ten, I bet. Dexter was content either way. On the way home, I stopped at Alstede Farms for some cider, apple pie, and honey. Nothing beats locally grown food.

All in all, a perfect kind of day.