"sometimes we put up walls, not to keep people out
but to see who cares enough to knock them down"
- Anonymous -
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
When Animals Attack ... or not
My dog Ted (shown here in disguise and at the scene of the crime) and my cat Mo are deeply embroiled in a cold war as a direct result of last week's dog-nose-inserted-in-cat's-keester debaucle. Mo has backed down to orange alert, but with ninja-like reflexes at the ready, Mo remains strongly committed to stealth mode.
Can you say RETRO?
I’ve been on this HGTV kick of late and it’s resulted in a fair amount of wallet-thinning, nest building, home improvement all over the house. Last weekend I discovered I simply couldn’t look at the truly awful white, paint grade kitchen cupboards I have for one more second. Side note, everything in the kitchen is white, so white in fact that when you’re in there you don’t know if you’re supposed to cook or get your tonsils removed. So I got this bright idea that I’d “warm up” the kitchen with color. Doesn’t that sound like something straight from HGTV? First I spent a couple of hours at the store sweating (really) over what color to choose … and then I spent twice as much time trying to find someone to mix it for me. I despise Home Depot. Finding help at Home Depot is a little like trying to find a Baskin Robbins in darkest, untamed Africa. Anyway, when I finally got home I went straight to work and spent several tedious hours faux-painting chocolate brown Xs over ivory paint on all the cupboard doors. I was going for something that looks like the pattern on the trunk of a palm tree and from that aspect the doors turned out great. I followed that up by installing new brushed copper knobs on everything – twenty six of ‘em. I had just stepped back and was relishing a real feeling of accomplishment and enjoying my newly created “warmth” when my oldest (soon to be disinherited) son walked up behind me and announced “Hey, it looks like 1970s contact paper”. Ack! He’s right! While everyone else is remodeling their kitchens out of the 70’s mine has found a way to go retro. Screw it! It turned out just like I thought it would and I like it. What else could you expect from a 70’s chick but a 70’s kitchen? That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
On the adjudication front … this past Saturday night I finally had the opportunity to judge my first CCGC show. Something I've had the itch to do since 1976 and have finally scratched. Looking back at my recaps from Saturday I’m happy with my ordinals but should have had a bigger spread between vocabulary and excellence for the younger guards. I’m a little baffled that it didn’t come out that way as that’s totally what I had intended to do going in … but those numbers are slippery little devils and it’s really easy to get stuck without one (and actually I think that’s exactly what happened to the Reneguard at DCA this past year – but I digress). Seriously, some of my colorguard cronies think the tape recorder is the most intimidating part of judging … not so folks … it’s the numbers management and the accountability for your numbers. If you think about it only a handful of people hear your tape as compared to the entire circuit (or more) seeing your numbers. An interesting wrinkle (and kinda' awkward moment) occurred when I realized that two of my new Rene-instructor’s high school guards were competing. No pressure right? Ack! My next gig is this Friday in Fresno – a 3 hour drive. No matter. I’d drive to Alaska for the continued opportunity to do this.
And in other good news … I just found out this morning that I’ve unofficially been given an assignment in Reno for NCBA. Woohoo! This is cause for celebration as I was really hoping to get this particular gig because it’s a double header. Two shows in one weekend is always a good thing.
On the adjudication front … this past Saturday night I finally had the opportunity to judge my first CCGC show. Something I've had the itch to do since 1976 and have finally scratched. Looking back at my recaps from Saturday I’m happy with my ordinals but should have had a bigger spread between vocabulary and excellence for the younger guards. I’m a little baffled that it didn’t come out that way as that’s totally what I had intended to do going in … but those numbers are slippery little devils and it’s really easy to get stuck without one (and actually I think that’s exactly what happened to the Reneguard at DCA this past year – but I digress). Seriously, some of my colorguard cronies think the tape recorder is the most intimidating part of judging … not so folks … it’s the numbers management and the accountability for your numbers. If you think about it only a handful of people hear your tape as compared to the entire circuit (or more) seeing your numbers. An interesting wrinkle (and kinda' awkward moment) occurred when I realized that two of my new Rene-instructor’s high school guards were competing. No pressure right? Ack! My next gig is this Friday in Fresno – a 3 hour drive. No matter. I’d drive to Alaska for the continued opportunity to do this.
And in other good news … I just found out this morning that I’ve unofficially been given an assignment in Reno for NCBA. Woohoo! This is cause for celebration as I was really hoping to get this particular gig because it’s a double header. Two shows in one weekend is always a good thing.