Yahoo,
We made it to the end of Twenty-Ten. Or two thousand ten, however you prefer. It was an adequate year with its opportunities and availabilities, I suppose. Getting as long in tooth as I am now it doesn't take alot to satisfy me anymore. This year has brought more satisfaction than many years prior have accumulated. Once again, my standards have lowered on some accounts and have improved and become more accurate on others. So this year, as all, has had its ups and downs but in the whole scheme of things this one has actually been somewhat progressive. Let me elaborate.
The year began with a horrid wet and cold day. The kind of day that could make the rest of the year appear to be as foreboding as walking into the the Blair Witch Project naked. Well, it was a valid indicator of what was to come because January brought me the most trials and tribulations I have experienced in years. Luckily It didn't kill me but it came close. I started the year off behind the 8 ball without much promise for a prosperous future. I had a little run-in with the law that had me up against the wall til May, when everything was settled and I was absolved and able to put that hokie-pokie BS behind me. It was a minor offense with major implications. No I didn't kill anything I wasn't supposed to but I probably shouldn't have been where I was when I was there. Wrong place Wrong time Wrong result. Don't let me scare, I'm not a criminal in the definition of the word, but according to the Forest Service cop, I brought the wrong kind of hay onto Federal lands. I'll leave it at that.
Spring brought other challenges. One of them being winter-like weather thru April. I mean I have been a Bend resident as well as native for over 30 years and spring keeps coming later and later every year. That can make it a challenge when you have been clouded in for 4 going on 5 months and just hoping for a ray of sunshine. Well, the sunshine never came. Well, it did, just not as soon as I thought it should have. One of the other challenges was going back to school to get my degree(s). I haven't seen a classroom for over 20 years......Both challenges presented themselves the first day of Spring term. We received more snow in one day than we had had all winter long. Kind of a rude induction to spring, but I took the challenge. I was wait-listed for most of my classes and managed to only get into one of them. That was cool tho. I had realistic expectations and didn't want to conquer the world in one term alone. I got my one class, Timber Carnival sports......OK, the class is Timber Sports but you get to learn how to ROCK a Timber Carnival. I was throwing axes, climbing 30 foot poles, setting chokers, and overhand chopping my way to an "A". I was an great intro to the career I hope to be a part of.
Summer worked its way into the picture with alot of smoke and mirrors. The season itself came in like a lamb with a broken leg. It didn't reach 70 degrees but for the three days in May, until damn near June 20th. When it came it came in force. It got hot and so did my second term at COCC. This time I was able to pick-up some more valuable classes in my pursuit of the goal. These were cool classes. Learning what actually goes on in the forestry business. I had Perspectives and Map &Compass. Both of which were succumbed to my innate ability to learn what I already know. Yea, I "A"d them both. The weather did get better and the learning became easier when all you had to wear to school was a compass and a pair of shorts. Summer was cool as short as it was.
Autumn. The real challenge. I finally got into the rotation and was able to register as a returning student and have a better menu of classes to choose from. I filled my schedule with 15 credit hours and charged the castle. After being re-introduced to the scholastic ways I was ready to take on the world. So BAM, I was off and running. I have never been a scientist, but I play one at the bar all the time, and never taken any "ology" classes other than geology and I dont even remember when that class was. I had 2 "ology" classes this term and was as intimidated as Pee Wee Herman standing in front of DOG the bounty hunter after playing around in a Miami movie theater. It was scary. You all saw the posts on Dendrology. It's a weird little science but if you're a nerd like me, you'd love it! Then there was Ecology. The "GREEN" science. Personally I feel this is the science that must be taught to the world. We need to know our role in the ecological kingdom and be able to educate all up and comers to the errors of the past and the ways that can resolve those errors. People need to know their "cause & effect" on our planet and know how to manage it to a more prosperous angle and I think this planet will be around til the sun goes out. What a fun class. The ology's were fun and rather enlightening . Then there was MATH. I HATE math. "I severely dislike math" would probably be a better way of putting it but I still hate it. Needless to say, I gave that the 'ol college try' too and ramshackled the castle with the best of the Barbarians. Oh yea, computer class. The class that turned me onto this whole blogosphere we are in now. I didn't learn much there other than how to ...... uh...............let's see..............hmmm......oh yea,.......what did I learn here? The last class was an introduction into how to be a college student in the program that I am currently enrolled in. It was a P/F class so it didn't seem like a big deal. When all the classes totaled up it put forth an adventure I was bound to conquer. In hindsight, it wasn't as bad as it looked. I managed 3 A's, 1 B, and one P. All in all, a 3.71 gpa and a trip to the Dean's List. I haven't been to the Dean's list since I got caught on a ladder peeping into sorority girls windows back in '79. Oh wait, that was John Belushi....my bad. I guess I've never made the Dean's List, til now.
Winter is back as are the challenges the new winter brings. Another season of variable weather, unsettled economy, and nothing to do but think positive about the new year to come. I don't necessarily celebrate calendar holidays. I follow the sun, moon, earth, and stars. So the Solstice was my official New Year but all in all we all tend to be close in what's relative. Hope for the best, achieve more than you thought you could, and go beyond anyone's expectations. Most of all be true to thy own self, bring good karma, and climb the ladder being weary not to step on the fingers of those who got you there....
Love you all and thanks for reading once again. The Sage and Cowgirls are still arguing a collective bargaining agreement and the commissioner is still in Hawaii. So I will bring you up to date with their story as soon as negotiations begin again......Take care, be safe, be good to yourself, and love the ones who make you feel good.
Carmen, ooooooooooot!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Sometimes it snows. Sometimes we cant see the trees through the forest...
Vision obscurity themes this rant through the ever fertile grounds of the blogmosphere. I have coined myself a blogtometrist a time or two for good reason. Blogging is an art and you have to use stupid words like blogmosphere and blogtometrist to sound cool in this environment but one thing stands true. Good writing. You have to write well and with a good sense of the nature of your post. There are your Tech Tales for the week....
Haha, snuck that one in ya. This blog goes out to all the lovely ladies (& Scottie O & Grindstaff who appear to be following this nonsensical trip through the ethosphere) who keep my spirits up and make this thing worth writing. Love you all, or as we do down south, love y'all. I know I'm not unlocking any of the great secrets of life in this foray through never-neverland but I hope to make someone aware of something they may not have considered being aware of before coming across this. I'm NOT preaching mind you. This is simply an opinion with room for argument and lot's of room to roam. WOW, room and roam made me think of buffalo. Deer and antelope come to mind, too. Buffalo are bad ass. They're big strong cattle that dont know what the hell a fence is. I love Buffalo. They're kinda like smart cattle but like stupid elk at the same time. I'll let you work that one out. It is true tho.....So once again this ship has navigated out of its shipping lane and I have lost all track of thought. Something about roaming and room... Not sure what that means right? You all are smart, you'll figure it out.
A cold snap came over the C.O. in the last few days and things have gotten "as cold as a nickel in a witches purse." Not sure what that means either but I thought it sounded better than "colder than a witches nipple in a cast iron bra." Anyway, it's cold outside. The roads are skating rinks, just the skaters are 3500 pound vehicles with rubber skates on. They're kinda scary. Especially the ones with CALIFORNICA license plates. Yea, I said Californica. I'm not ashamed, I was born here in Oregon, Bend to be precise, and I've seen more Californication than Los Angeles over the last 30 years. OK, back on track....The roads are greasy, and the temp is cold, the days are short and fall term is getting old. Turkey day is on the way and the cows are in the barn, so fix yourself a stiff one and burn the logs to warm. I know barn and warm dont rhyme but it was the best I could do on such short notice. Y'all have a happy, healthy, and safe turkey day. Much love to all who read this, all 6 of ya!!!
On the day cowgirls and sagebrush met the earth, there were some bargains to be made. Sagebrush had an issue with the cowgirls and the cowgirls had an issue with the Sage. Something had to give. Lots were swapped across the land, Sage had Cowgirl not driving her herd over the brush and Cowgirl had the Sage hold its word to not knock her off her horse, Sage carried on about being too far from its neighbor sage and cowgirl kept on about how many sage were getting in her way, and the battle raged into the dark hours of morning. The results of that battle are yet to come.....stay tuned.
Carmen oooooot..............
Oh yea, it snowed and I can't see the trees through the forest...or the cat................
No this wasn't me but I think seeing that in person would have added a couple of new grey hairs and a little extra weight to my skivvies......
Haha, snuck that one in ya. This blog goes out to all the lovely ladies (& Scottie O & Grindstaff who appear to be following this nonsensical trip through the ethosphere) who keep my spirits up and make this thing worth writing. Love you all, or as we do down south, love y'all. I know I'm not unlocking any of the great secrets of life in this foray through never-neverland but I hope to make someone aware of something they may not have considered being aware of before coming across this. I'm NOT preaching mind you. This is simply an opinion with room for argument and lot's of room to roam. WOW, room and roam made me think of buffalo. Deer and antelope come to mind, too. Buffalo are bad ass. They're big strong cattle that dont know what the hell a fence is. I love Buffalo. They're kinda like smart cattle but like stupid elk at the same time. I'll let you work that one out. It is true tho.....So once again this ship has navigated out of its shipping lane and I have lost all track of thought. Something about roaming and room... Not sure what that means right? You all are smart, you'll figure it out.
A cold snap came over the C.O. in the last few days and things have gotten "as cold as a nickel in a witches purse." Not sure what that means either but I thought it sounded better than "colder than a witches nipple in a cast iron bra." Anyway, it's cold outside. The roads are skating rinks, just the skaters are 3500 pound vehicles with rubber skates on. They're kinda scary. Especially the ones with CALIFORNICA license plates. Yea, I said Californica. I'm not ashamed, I was born here in Oregon, Bend to be precise, and I've seen more Californication than Los Angeles over the last 30 years. OK, back on track....The roads are greasy, and the temp is cold, the days are short and fall term is getting old. Turkey day is on the way and the cows are in the barn, so fix yourself a stiff one and burn the logs to warm. I know barn and warm dont rhyme but it was the best I could do on such short notice. Y'all have a happy, healthy, and safe turkey day. Much love to all who read this, all 6 of ya!!!
On the day cowgirls and sagebrush met the earth, there were some bargains to be made. Sagebrush had an issue with the cowgirls and the cowgirls had an issue with the Sage. Something had to give. Lots were swapped across the land, Sage had Cowgirl not driving her herd over the brush and Cowgirl had the Sage hold its word to not knock her off her horse, Sage carried on about being too far from its neighbor sage and cowgirl kept on about how many sage were getting in her way, and the battle raged into the dark hours of morning. The results of that battle are yet to come.....stay tuned.
Carmen oooooot..............
Oh yea, it snowed and I can't see the trees through the forest...or the cat................
No this wasn't me but I think seeing that in person would have added a couple of new grey hairs and a little extra weight to my skivvies......
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Too many good pics.... Thank you Mike Grindstaff for packin a camera (and using it!!!)
...had to add some captions....
L to R Gilli, BT, Lakemon, and one of the young guns, call him NextGen. This is what it looks like when we all get back to the rigs and haven't gotten a shot off all day and decide to line up to shoot the sh*t outta of the sky! OK, we weren't aiming at the sky, per sa, but we resorted to throwing a bottle in the air. We thought shooting at it might actually simulate a bird-hunt. Let's just say the bottle would have lived a long healthy life......
a picture says a thousand words.....two pictures tell a story.
Why did this guy have to show up....? I swear, all the chics left after this guy arrived.....I probably shouldn't have stuck around either...
Ol Eagle Eye and the Queen
Much love Chris Lakemon for putting this shin-dig together. I raise my glass to you! Thanks Mike for all the great pics I poached to make this lil essay have a point. BT, thanks for all the everything. I'm glad we made it happen for you this year! Everyone else at camp, it was an awesome time. The biggest impression left on me was definitely the fact someone is coming up behind us and it is up to us to show them the right way to go about things. B. Lib. you get mad props for your work with NextGen and teaching well. The youth are us in 30+/- years....
Carmen oooooot.....
Dude with the cross photo was not one of Grindstaff's. God forbid we put that on him.......and God forbid we credit ANYONE with that pic
Empty Game Bag and an Empty Freezer
Let's get Tech Tales out of the way now. I went to computer class and learned about Google Documents (Docs). It's a cool place holder for files on the web and in the 'cloud' (what ever the heck that is.) Check it out if you need mobile storage accessible online anywhere. There's your Tech Tales.
Now on to bigger business.
Not only has the year 2010 failed to provide me with a working wage job, it has also kept my freezer as bare as Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard. I'm not complaining, I'm just getting hungry....lol. This years hunting success (or lack there of) can be attributed to various reasons, one of them, being enrolled in school full time. The others are probably like, too many road sodas to find the hunting grounds, deer not coming onto winter range early enough, my f'd up boots, and the giant Bigfoot who keeps eating all my prey. It's been a tough year, to say the least. The cool thing is I have seen my prey, so I know it is still around, other than the deer Sasquatch keeps eating. I guess I'm just jealous he's eating and I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I'm eating fine. Pan-handling @ 3rd and Greenwood pays a good 42K a year ($17-$34 an hour,) so by no means am I in the poor house. I just hate my job and would rather hunt all day.
So anyway, I had the pleasure to go on a trip to EO (redkneck [that's how I spell it] for Eastern Oregon) to chase some of the west's most wily prey. The notorious Red-legged Partridge a.k.a. Chukar. I've always liked hunting chukar. It is a challenge and those lil birdies put all of your skills to the test. I figure at the ripe ol age of 24, I need the exercise, too. I mean who doesn't want to wake up at the crack of dawn, throw on some cold damp clothing you forgot to pull into the tent last night or at least leave by the fire pit, and go climb a 700' slope with an incline of 18%?? I know how it sounds and it truly sounds worse than it is. We were camped by a hot spring, so it softened the blow quite a bit. Once again I have driven this train off the track and should get back to the point here and now. So minus all the diversity (if you wanna call it that) I had one of the best times hanging out with old friends and meeting some new friends. Hunting camp always bonds a situation and renders things down to a common denominator. So there is no pretension, no bullshit, and everyone is focused on a common goal and there to enjoy the time spent in that environment. So, I think you can see why I would just like to hunt all day, everyday. There are some pics above if you want to see the beautiful country I got to explore this last weekend. Pics, compliments of Mike Grindstaff, one of the only photog's I know that can capture that land in all of its glory.
BTW, Sagebrush and Cowgirls were created on the same day. When the big Man (or Woman for you Goddess folk), threw down the mountains, he/she thought that they needed some decorations. Nothing fancy, just rough, raw, and rugged, much like the mountains themselves. This decor came in the way of sagebrush and cowgirls. *To Be Continued*
Carmen, ooooot
Now on to bigger business.
Not only has the year 2010 failed to provide me with a working wage job, it has also kept my freezer as bare as Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard. I'm not complaining, I'm just getting hungry....lol. This years hunting success (or lack there of) can be attributed to various reasons, one of them, being enrolled in school full time. The others are probably like, too many road sodas to find the hunting grounds, deer not coming onto winter range early enough, my f'd up boots, and the giant Bigfoot who keeps eating all my prey. It's been a tough year, to say the least. The cool thing is I have seen my prey, so I know it is still around, other than the deer Sasquatch keeps eating. I guess I'm just jealous he's eating and I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I'm eating fine. Pan-handling @ 3rd and Greenwood pays a good 42K a year ($17-$34 an hour,) so by no means am I in the poor house. I just hate my job and would rather hunt all day.
So anyway, I had the pleasure to go on a trip to EO (redkneck [that's how I spell it] for Eastern Oregon) to chase some of the west's most wily prey. The notorious Red-legged Partridge a.k.a. Chukar. I've always liked hunting chukar. It is a challenge and those lil birdies put all of your skills to the test. I figure at the ripe ol age of 24, I need the exercise, too. I mean who doesn't want to wake up at the crack of dawn, throw on some cold damp clothing you forgot to pull into the tent last night or at least leave by the fire pit, and go climb a 700' slope with an incline of 18%?? I know how it sounds and it truly sounds worse than it is. We were camped by a hot spring, so it softened the blow quite a bit. Once again I have driven this train off the track and should get back to the point here and now. So minus all the diversity (if you wanna call it that) I had one of the best times hanging out with old friends and meeting some new friends. Hunting camp always bonds a situation and renders things down to a common denominator. So there is no pretension, no bullshit, and everyone is focused on a common goal and there to enjoy the time spent in that environment. So, I think you can see why I would just like to hunt all day, everyday. There are some pics above if you want to see the beautiful country I got to explore this last weekend. Pics, compliments of Mike Grindstaff, one of the only photog's I know that can capture that land in all of its glory.
BTW, Sagebrush and Cowgirls were created on the same day. When the big Man (or Woman for you Goddess folk), threw down the mountains, he/she thought that they needed some decorations. Nothing fancy, just rough, raw, and rugged, much like the mountains themselves. This decor came in the way of sagebrush and cowgirls. *To Be Continued*
Carmen, ooooot
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Did dendrology ruin me for life?
Tell ya what. If you like trees and plants and dont know what dendrology means, you better take a lil time and learn about it. I'm not saying "learn Dendrology," I'm saying learn what it means. A little warning, it can lead to excessive tree spotting, questions like "what kind of leaf was it?" & "did it have three needles or five?" and various inquiries like that. BUT, (and I never start sentences with BUT) if you like trees and plants, you'll never look back. It is the education of identifying trees or plants.
Being a Bend native, I'd heard of sage, juniper, and the majestic ponderosa pine. Also in my hunts for an X-mas tree, I had run across the the noble fir, incense cedar, and an occasional spruce tree. Sure we did eventually learn about bitterbrush and rabbit brush and some of the grasses. Woodcutting, I learned how to tell a lodgepole from a Tamarack and others of the PINACEAE family. PINACEAE, he said? What the hell is that? It sounds like Pine with a pretentious flair. Well, it is pine. No pretension. Basically, anything with needles is of the PINACEAE family. Not all but most needled species are PINACEAE.
OK, now that I've gotten you all confused , here is where it gets simple. Everything has an order and in dendro, EVERYTHING has an order. Here's an easy one: Pinus ponderosa. If you can identify that one and post it, you will win a prize. OK, too easy....let's try Pinus Lambertiana. Yea, it's a pine (or needled tree) but what kind is it? That will earn a special prize, think cone. Or this one, Pinus Contorta, its clue is that : it keeps you warm in the winter [in C.O.] See how crazy this can get? I know I'm 'nerdin' out here but I've got to tell you, it's fun. It is an empowering feeling to learn the vegetation that surrounds you and know its effects on its/your surroundings. We all know what a Homo sapien is but what is a Salix babylonica or an Arctostaphylos patula? Hopefully you all aren't saying " F-you Gilly, you're trying to brainwash us." I am.....but I'm not. It's your decision to learn if you should call manzanita, Arctostaphylos or call a willow, Salix. I'm not writing rules, I'm just following rules (for a change) and these 'Greek" sounding things were Greek to me a month ago. Now I can identify alot of plants in their proper (latin) names. I'm not telling you to go there but if the interest is there, DO go there. Did you know there are three different kinds of Ceanothus within Deschutes county. WTF is Ceanothus you say? I say google it. How about 3 different kinds of manzanita in Deschutes county? Yea, buddy, its here. OK, to sum this up, "I'm going off the rails on this crazy train" -John Michael Osbourne (aka OZZY)
I have become the plant geek. I'm not sure that deserves 'title' status just yet, but I'm working on it. Trees and plants kick ass and their benefits are immeasurable. So to coin an old Joy Bus song......I'm all wrapped up, all tied up, all tangled up in Dendro........
Tree fans, check it out. The rest of y'all, just know: "There's more to a plant than meets the eye."
Now that school is out.................."geez, Gilly why you gotta make us learn shit when we just want to melt into Facebook and see what's going on....?"
OK, here's you're Tech Tales for this week:
Who the hell said that the internet was easy?
I don't know. I just thought it was a good way to start a Tech Tales. The internet is a great resource but a major pain-in-the-ass at the same time. Filtering information would be great if I had a tie-in to my brain. I dont, so filtering still sucks. It's as easy as mining gold. Just about one-ton of material to sift through and about 1-ounce of worthy prize. I'm tech'd out for the night, I've still got trees on my mind.....Cornus stolonifera......Amelanchier alnifolia.......Chrysolepis chrysophylla.............red osier dogwood, Pacific serviceberry, and golden/giant chinkapin. AHHHHH, I gotta run b4 I go totally nerdo-matic on y'all.
Thanks for lookin' and I'll be back to tell you why gawd created cowgirls, sagebrush(artemisia tridentata) and all the other relative things pertaining to the title of this blog. It might be a journey but I'm glad you've hung in there and followed.
Carmen, oooooot
Being a Bend native, I'd heard of sage, juniper, and the majestic ponderosa pine. Also in my hunts for an X-mas tree, I had run across the the noble fir, incense cedar, and an occasional spruce tree. Sure we did eventually learn about bitterbrush and rabbit brush and some of the grasses. Woodcutting, I learned how to tell a lodgepole from a Tamarack and others of the PINACEAE family. PINACEAE, he said? What the hell is that? It sounds like Pine with a pretentious flair. Well, it is pine. No pretension. Basically, anything with needles is of the PINACEAE family. Not all but most needled species are PINACEAE.
OK, now that I've gotten you all confused , here is where it gets simple. Everything has an order and in dendro, EVERYTHING has an order. Here's an easy one: Pinus ponderosa. If you can identify that one and post it, you will win a prize. OK, too easy....let's try Pinus Lambertiana. Yea, it's a pine (or needled tree) but what kind is it? That will earn a special prize, think cone. Or this one, Pinus Contorta, its clue is that : it keeps you warm in the winter [in C.O.] See how crazy this can get? I know I'm 'nerdin' out here but I've got to tell you, it's fun. It is an empowering feeling to learn the vegetation that surrounds you and know its effects on its/your surroundings. We all know what a Homo sapien is but what is a Salix babylonica or an Arctostaphylos patula? Hopefully you all aren't saying " F-you Gilly, you're trying to brainwash us." I am.....but I'm not. It's your decision to learn if you should call manzanita, Arctostaphylos or call a willow, Salix. I'm not writing rules, I'm just following rules (for a change) and these 'Greek" sounding things were Greek to me a month ago. Now I can identify alot of plants in their proper (latin) names. I'm not telling you to go there but if the interest is there, DO go there. Did you know there are three different kinds of Ceanothus within Deschutes county. WTF is Ceanothus you say? I say google it. How about 3 different kinds of manzanita in Deschutes county? Yea, buddy, its here. OK, to sum this up, "I'm going off the rails on this crazy train" -John Michael Osbourne (aka OZZY)
I have become the plant geek. I'm not sure that deserves 'title' status just yet, but I'm working on it. Trees and plants kick ass and their benefits are immeasurable. So to coin an old Joy Bus song......I'm all wrapped up, all tied up, all tangled up in Dendro........
Tree fans, check it out. The rest of y'all, just know: "There's more to a plant than meets the eye."
Now that school is out.................."geez, Gilly why you gotta make us learn shit when we just want to melt into Facebook and see what's going on....?"
OK, here's you're Tech Tales for this week:
Who the hell said that the internet was easy?
I don't know. I just thought it was a good way to start a Tech Tales. The internet is a great resource but a major pain-in-the-ass at the same time. Filtering information would be great if I had a tie-in to my brain. I dont, so filtering still sucks. It's as easy as mining gold. Just about one-ton of material to sift through and about 1-ounce of worthy prize. I'm tech'd out for the night, I've still got trees on my mind.....Cornus stolonifera......Amelanchier alnifolia.......Chrysolepis chrysophylla.............red osier dogwood, Pacific serviceberry, and golden/giant chinkapin. AHHHHH, I gotta run b4 I go totally nerdo-matic on y'all.
Thanks for lookin' and I'll be back to tell you why gawd created cowgirls, sagebrush(artemisia tridentata) and all the other relative things pertaining to the title of this blog. It might be a journey but I'm glad you've hung in there and followed.
Carmen, oooooot
Friday, October 22, 2010
Field trips are the cure for everything....
I know, you already know that. However, I felt it time to remind you again. If you're feeling out of sorts, in a rut, or just plain indifferent, it sounds like a time for a field trip. If you want to have a good time, it sounds like a time for a field trip. No matter what, no matter when, it's always a good time to take a field trip. Trust me. Try it and I guarantee you wont be disapointed. Have a great time.
OK, I think we left off at why god created cowgirls. This one is great because it offers so many possibilities and reasons why or why not. Hopefully I'll keep you involved enough to keep an ear to the tracks.
OK, I'm taking a math class so we're gonna break this down like a math example to begin with and get more exploratory from there. So we'll start with WHY. This is the dynamic that must hold water. GOD. Your definition will work. CREATED. The conception or evolutionary need for... COWGIRLS. Your definition will work (mine will be used in this summary.) SAGEBRUSH: Atemesia tridentata, cowgirls only known predator and a big aromatic bush found throughout the EO (East of the Cascades, aka Eastern OR).
Here we go.
It all started with the first woman who decided that she needed to take command of the stock took charge, jumped on a horse, and never looked back...
Artemesia tridentata became aware of the cowgirl the second she jumped on a horse....
I'm gonna leave you right here and let your imagination take you a little deeper. I will be back soon to continue from where we left off. You wont be left hanging too long.
Carmen ooooot!
OK, I think we left off at why god created cowgirls. This one is great because it offers so many possibilities and reasons why or why not. Hopefully I'll keep you involved enough to keep an ear to the tracks.
OK, I'm taking a math class so we're gonna break this down like a math example to begin with and get more exploratory from there. So we'll start with WHY. This is the dynamic that must hold water. GOD. Your definition will work. CREATED. The conception or evolutionary need for... COWGIRLS. Your definition will work (mine will be used in this summary.) SAGEBRUSH: Atemesia tridentata, cowgirls only known predator and a big aromatic bush found throughout the EO (East of the Cascades, aka Eastern OR).
Here we go.
It all started with the first woman who decided that she needed to take command of the stock took charge, jumped on a horse, and never looked back...
Artemesia tridentata became aware of the cowgirl the second she jumped on a horse....
I'm gonna leave you right here and let your imagination take you a little deeper. I will be back soon to continue from where we left off. You wont be left hanging too long.
Carmen ooooot!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Did you really want to know why gawd created cowgirls...?
Stay tuned til next ...!
This week has to do with the topic of why Time wont wait. The Rolling Stones said that time waits for no one and it wont wait for me.
That is about as true as death and taxes. If you have a way of beating it, let me know. Other than that, I believe that to be the most TRUE statement ever uttered. Time waits for NO ONE and it wont wait for me. Sometimes the bus waits and if you get lucky, the babysitter might wait til you get home, if she likes you. Otherwise the clock is still ticking. It's still ticking as I write this and as you read this. So what do we do with time? Other than waste it? We manage it. Right? We try as much as we can to control the sand that slips between our hands. Inevitably it runs away as if we were Bigfoot and it was a scared little child. Why must you run time? I offer no fear? Please, hang out and enjoy some good company...Why must you flee so quickly? Have I offended you? Are you lost? Must you catch a train?
All questions Time wont stop to answer. Why? You got me....Time, can I get your attention? Time! Time!!, Hey Time, slow down!!!
Damn, I missed it again....It appears Time waits for no one and it wont wait for me.
Keep on goin' Time, I'll catch you some day!
Carmen oooot!
PS. God/Gawd or whatever its name is told me cowgirls were created for ... ... ... ... ... ... ...stay tuned for the next big post
This week has to do with the topic of why Time wont wait. The Rolling Stones said that time waits for no one and it wont wait for me.
That is about as true as death and taxes. If you have a way of beating it, let me know. Other than that, I believe that to be the most TRUE statement ever uttered. Time waits for NO ONE and it wont wait for me. Sometimes the bus waits and if you get lucky, the babysitter might wait til you get home, if she likes you. Otherwise the clock is still ticking. It's still ticking as I write this and as you read this. So what do we do with time? Other than waste it? We manage it. Right? We try as much as we can to control the sand that slips between our hands. Inevitably it runs away as if we were Bigfoot and it was a scared little child. Why must you run time? I offer no fear? Please, hang out and enjoy some good company...Why must you flee so quickly? Have I offended you? Are you lost? Must you catch a train?
All questions Time wont stop to answer. Why? You got me....Time, can I get your attention? Time! Time!!, Hey Time, slow down!!!
Damn, I missed it again....It appears Time waits for no one and it wont wait for me.
Keep on goin' Time, I'll catch you some day!
Carmen oooot!
PS. God/Gawd or whatever its name is told me cowgirls were created for ... ... ... ... ... ... ...stay tuned for the next big post
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Tumbleweeds must have a home...
Just like all of us, tumbleweeds must have a home right? I mean, where are they going when they blast out in front of you in the middle of a wind storm? They're headed home. That's right, tumbleweeds have a home too. Do you know where it is? If you were to ask me, I'd say it's somewhere between hops, barley, water and yeast. Yea, they're looking for beer. Or bread. I'd tend to think it was beer tho. Them damn tumbleweeds are smart. They know where to go to get the goods. At least they are always crossing my path on the way to the pub. They seem to have a radar for good beer. I give the tumbleweed props for that. So here's your lesson for the day: If a tumbleweed crosses your path, assume it's on its way to find a good beer and you are more than welcome to follow it.
Velveta aside, here's your Tech Tales #3
Twitter and the stain it leaves on your shoe
Twitter. A social networking tool that can get you into more trouble than you want to imagine. If that wasn't enough, I can elaborate more on the subject if anyone desires, otherwise I'll let that dead horse lie. There are you Tech Tales for the week.
I have always been a big fan of beer and to hear that a local brewery has come out with something called Tri-Cerrahops, I was intrigued. When I heard they came out with a triple(fresh)-hopped gem known as Hop-po patamus, I was enthralled. Yea, I'm a hop-head and love my beers (ales for you snobs) with more hops than you can fit in the bottle. The kind of brews that bite back a bit and settle down when you show them you are the boss. Get the picture? Great!
10 hours ago I was sitting in computer class trying to figure out how to pass my Ecology quiz when it dawned on me...Think about beer. I dont usually let my mind wonder into the beerscape while I'm educationally learnin' myself but today had a call I had to answer. It was hops. While all of America and parts of Europe celebrate the Octoberfest season, I was subconsciously celebrating hops season in the NW. Call it my own little "Harvest Festival." I guess what I'm saying it that: "All of you thinking about pumpkins and cornucopias, think about the effect that the NW has on the beer industry this time of year. It's more awesome than Alaskan King crab, Louisiana crawdads, and Maine lobsters combined." So next time you go shopping for your favorite brew, think NW first and you too will be treated to a wonderful ride down the taste-bud highway. Props to NW hops and good old fashion beer.
OK, was that beer commercial better than any of those cookie-cutter mega-brewery spots?
Enough for now. Enjoy a brew and check back soon for a topic that will turn the world on its' rear...or is its ear? Either way something is gonna get turned upside-down.
Carmen, ooooot
Velveta aside, here's your Tech Tales #3
Twitter and the stain it leaves on your shoe
Twitter. A social networking tool that can get you into more trouble than you want to imagine. If that wasn't enough, I can elaborate more on the subject if anyone desires, otherwise I'll let that dead horse lie. There are you Tech Tales for the week.
I have always been a big fan of beer and to hear that a local brewery has come out with something called Tri-Cerrahops, I was intrigued. When I heard they came out with a triple(fresh)-hopped gem known as Hop-po patamus, I was enthralled. Yea, I'm a hop-head and love my beers (ales for you snobs) with more hops than you can fit in the bottle. The kind of brews that bite back a bit and settle down when you show them you are the boss. Get the picture? Great!
10 hours ago I was sitting in computer class trying to figure out how to pass my Ecology quiz when it dawned on me...Think about beer. I dont usually let my mind wonder into the beerscape while I'm educationally learnin' myself but today had a call I had to answer. It was hops. While all of America and parts of Europe celebrate the Octoberfest season, I was subconsciously celebrating hops season in the NW. Call it my own little "Harvest Festival." I guess what I'm saying it that: "All of you thinking about pumpkins and cornucopias, think about the effect that the NW has on the beer industry this time of year. It's more awesome than Alaskan King crab, Louisiana crawdads, and Maine lobsters combined." So next time you go shopping for your favorite brew, think NW first and you too will be treated to a wonderful ride down the taste-bud highway. Props to NW hops and good old fashion beer.
OK, was that beer commercial better than any of those cookie-cutter mega-brewery spots?
Enough for now. Enjoy a brew and check back soon for a topic that will turn the world on its' rear...or is its ear? Either way something is gonna get turned upside-down.
Carmen, ooooot
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Public Transportation: Why are MOST bus drivers so bitter?
Let it be known out of the gates, I'm not calling out every bus driver, just most of them and they know who they are. I've been indulging in the public transportation thing now that I have returned to school and find that most of the bus drivers for BAT (Bend Area Transit) have more attitude than 12 high school sophomores. It's like they are reluctantly letting you board their personal vehicles. Alot of sneers, frowns, and just plain p*ssed-off looks. They call the stops as if they were commanding you to get out of their hair and get the hell off their bus. What's up with all this attitude? Shouldn't they be happy they have a job? A secure job no less. Granted, I have met some friendly drivers who are a pleasure to ride with but the majority seem to have a stick inappropriately placed in the middle of their bus-driver seat and they want you to experience the misery they are feeling. I've been around and have done several jobs in which driving "precious cargo" to and from has been part of the gig. I have never felt the angst and/or rage these drivers seem to have bottled up inside. Did I miss something? I will continue to ride and enjoy the happier drivers but I will continue to be baffled by the drivers that make you feel like they are going out of their way to drive you to the place that they are already going to anyway. Just one of those things that make me go "Hmmmmm???"
Dragon flies and Lightning bolts
Verbs and/or nouns??? Hmmm, let's examine this quandary. Well, my grammar teacher would tell you that they are both nouns with adjectives preceding. I'm not here to teach grammar, so let's get into the meat of this article. I just thought that these two phrases described my day as well as made a good title for a blog post. Let's start with dragon. Otherwise spelled draggin', as in, "draggin ass." That was how I felt when I hit MTH 085 @ 7:30AM. I mean really? Who wants to do math at 7:30 in the morning? Flies came from the nasty critters that seemed to pester me all day long. Apparently seeking shelter indoors (in my classrooms) as the temperature begins to fall into its' normal Autumn pattern. Lightning, was all about the surge I felt from actually learning something that I was totally unaware of prior to its introduction. It also could have come from the 3rd Mt. Dew I drank before 10AM but the learning was WAY COOL, too. Bolts, that was me after my final class hurrying to get to the bus before it left and kept me stranded for another 50 minutes in the cold Autumn breeze. So the lesson for today is: Everything is not what it appears to be. For you grammar nerds....Dragon = VERB, Flies = NOUN, Lightning = NOUN, & Bolts = VERB. You can work it out from there. Me, I have to write 3 sentences about some new, fresh, techno stuff now. So while you geek out on the grammar, I'm going to go techno nerd for a moment. Skip to the next paragraph if you want to catch up with the story at hand.
*TECHNO WARNING*
Tech Tales V.II
Once again my geeko-matic whizz kids at http://www.techfresh.net/ a.k.a. my Tech-Freshies have got more crap(or poo) than Mike Rowe could shovel in one episode of Dirty Jobs but still there are some nuggets of information I find relative. So I'm going to share it with you. Here are the weeds in the garden to start with in case you are interested. Acer has a mini smart-phone with projector capabilities for under $500, Gateway has rolled out some phat monitors (23"& 24".) Flat-panels, back lit, and just waiting to hop on your PC for under $300. Asus has come out with their own little tablet to rival the iPad and it even comes with a kickstand. How cute is that? This little beauty come in at only...hmmm, they don't appear to be confident enough to mix in a price for this gem. Anyhow, I'm sure it will be competitive with the iPad and the previously mentioned (Tech Tales I) Android tablet. Personally, I find tablets more for the doctors and folks that are used to carrying clipboards that can't get dirty. If you want to compute on the fly get a laptop (imo.) So there's the gadget update. Once I find something that get's my blood coursing I will bust out all the pertinent information I find worthy but until then, I'm going to help you wade through the meir of crap that lays before us in the fertile world of new technology. That concludes Tech Tales V.II.
Sorry that was well more than 3 sentences and "by golly" it has muddled my mind enough to loose my previous train of thought. So, until next time let Dragon-flies and Lightning-bolts fill your mind with possibility and provocation.
Carmen, oooot
*TECHNO WARNING*
Tech Tales V.II
Once again my geeko-matic whizz kids at http://www.techfresh.net/ a.k.a. my Tech-Freshies have got more crap(or poo) than Mike Rowe could shovel in one episode of Dirty Jobs but still there are some nuggets of information I find relative. So I'm going to share it with you. Here are the weeds in the garden to start with in case you are interested. Acer has a mini smart-phone with projector capabilities for under $500, Gateway has rolled out some phat monitors (23"& 24".) Flat-panels, back lit, and just waiting to hop on your PC for under $300. Asus has come out with their own little tablet to rival the iPad and it even comes with a kickstand. How cute is that? This little beauty come in at only...hmmm, they don't appear to be confident enough to mix in a price for this gem. Anyhow, I'm sure it will be competitive with the iPad and the previously mentioned (Tech Tales I) Android tablet. Personally, I find tablets more for the doctors and folks that are used to carrying clipboards that can't get dirty. If you want to compute on the fly get a laptop (imo.) So there's the gadget update. Once I find something that get's my blood coursing I will bust out all the pertinent information I find worthy but until then, I'm going to help you wade through the meir of crap that lays before us in the fertile world of new technology. That concludes Tech Tales V.II.
Sorry that was well more than 3 sentences and "by golly" it has muddled my mind enough to loose my previous train of thought. So, until next time let Dragon-flies and Lightning-bolts fill your mind with possibility and provocation.
Carmen, oooot
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Diz-Knee-Land in the woods
In conjunction with the last fire-side chat, I will elaborate on the opening weekend of Buck centerfire season. It all started Friday night. I arrived at my hallowed campsite with visions of sugar-plum bucks dancing thru my head and a day of hunting awaiting my awakening in the morning. I got camp in order before I set down for my evening nap. All was right in the world. Not a sound other than the coyotes yipping and yowling at the clear sky and the bright crescent moon. I should have known from that what foreboding details were on the wind. A weather forecast of highs in the mid 80's and clear skies. A deer hunters worst nightmare in October. Good weather is not good when it comes to stalking the great Mule deer. I bit down hard and decided to buck up and give it the ol' college try. As I set out for my few 'choice' spots, I began to realize this was a wasted effort. It wasn't even 7:30am and I'd already seen more hunters than deer. I'd seen less deer throughout my whole 3 months of scouting. By noon, I'd seen another 20+ hunters and NO deer what-so-ever. The woods appeared to be a new theme park for geriatric motorhome drivers who needed an excuse to see Oregon. It was ridiculous. I felt if I were to see a deer, I'd be pulling my gun out in the middle of the Pine Mountain Senior Center. God forbid you pull a gun in the middle of geezer meeting while they're playing bingo or majon or bridge or whatever it is those old folks do. It was the worst management of hunting resources I have seen in many years. The Forest Circus had all the roads in the unit closed other than the main arteries, keeping the entire population that was hunting the unit contained into certain corridors and off all the good hunting roads. So, hence, DIZ-KNEE-LAND. I felt like I was waiting in line for Space Mountain to get a chance to (let alone SEE a deer) shoot my buck. By 12:30pm, I gave up on the hallowed grounds (where I hope MY buck made it through the weekend) and traveled north to Prineville rez. The scene there was much the same. Fortunately all the people around there were hunting a spot on the lake, something I wasn't all that concerned with. Unfortunately, there were just as many deer there as there were back at Pine Mountain. NONE. The day wound up at Reynolds Pond. Enjoying a cold adult beverage and the cool water of the passing canal, I cooled my feet (and head) and relaxed for a while. I got a chance to chat with a local BLM ranger and learned from her that no one was having any significant luck hunting that day. Really, it was obvious. 80 degrees and blue sky do not = good deer hunting, no matter who or where you are. I cashed in my chips and called it a day. What a waste of time, gas, money, and effort. I should have known better but the temptation of OPENING day was just too much. Here's to the next hunt, hopefully better (worse) weather and less fricking geriatric tourists in my way. The week is long and so is my constitution and I'm not going to give up. I'm just wondering when Californians come into season.........?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Why Sagebrush, God, and Cowgirls in the same place?
The reason is because that is about what kind of range you can expect as far as topics go. Feel free to add anything you would like but let's keep it within topic. You're free to start your own topic, with my approval of course but the spectrum in here lies between Sagebrush, God, and cowgirls. Actually, I'm going to have to remove God from the topics. To be quite frank, I'm not sure your God is the same God I call God, so to alleviate any controversy or anything like that, I'm going to leave God (& religion in general) off limits on the topic docket. One thing I hope we can agree on, "Thank God for cowgirls!!"
There will be posts related to technology, but never mind those, they're just requirements for a certain discipline I've gotten myself into.
OK, so let's just get it rollin' with a little campfire chat. Deer season (Buck Centerfire) opens this weekend and for all of us who aren't as skilled as the mighty archer, we get our chance to take that prize buck. Whether it be for meat or trophy or both, the adrenaline is still the same. There is absolutely nothing that can compare to harvesting an animal that you have to stalk, be wary of their skills in sight and sound, not to mention smell, and be able to get within a fair shooting distance, lock your eyes behind the sights/optics and place the shot you've been trying to achieve since you started shooting the gun now locked within nearly sweaty palms. It all happens so fast. One minute you're siting on your prize, the next you're jumping up & down, hootin' and a'hollerin', or maybe a more somber celebration that becomes more internalized as you feel a spiritual connection to the animal and the joining of spirits as you consume the meat of your prey. Either way, it is an accomplishment that has paid off. Whether you just got lucky or if you spent months of preparation and time on the range to get ready for this moment, it has happened! You are feeling it! You have been rewarded! Now it's time to go claim the prize!
OK, there's one angle you might see in here. There may be many more and even very dis-similar to this topic.So between Sagebrush------------------------------------&-----------------------------cowgirls, I'm sure we can keep this place interesting. Oh yea, politics & abortion are off limits too.
Rock on, Write up, and may your next day be your best day.
Carmen, oooot
CIS 120 POST
OK folks, here's one of those techno posts I warned you about. It certainly isn't required reading for anyone interested in this blog but none-the-less it must be done and the appropriate readers are more than welcome to comment.
Tech Tales 2010-
What's new? You would assume Windows Office 2010 is new. It's not. It's just been in development during the downtime after the great Windows debacle, (do you remember Adobe) that allowed Mac back in the door. Sorry, that's not what I'm going to talk about, there are more interesting things out there to talk about. Like ESPN's newly formatted homepage with a quicker file structure making access to pertinent sites much more easy. Sorry, that's not what I'm going to talk about either.
Thanks to my friends at http://www.techfresh.net/ aka, the Tech Freshies, I have learned that there is more superfluous crap on the market today than ever before. Take for example a $25k scanner. Given, it is a "production" scanner but my gawd, twenty-five thousand dollars!?! This thing had better milk my cows too. There are some cool things out there for you Androids (aka Android users.) A new 10" touch screen tablet is making it's way onto the market and is under $300. Just like the iPad, this lil' droid does all the tasks you'd expect from an iPad with a different OS. Another little gem that caught my eye was the Warm-X Textiles shirt.
http://www.techfresh.net/page/1535/
This shirt looks good on the model and it also produces 7% of the body's heat without electricity or even a hot wire. It's made from a polycolon microfibre that actually creates heat. It sure would make waking up on these cold central Oregon mornings a whole lot easier when you stay warm from the bed to the shower.... That wraps up this weeks Tech Tale. I know you all will be awaiting the next Tech Tale with baited breathe but I'm sorry to say it's a week away. Hang tight and all will be right in Mudville, if you're bored, go read up on the Warm-X shirt and see if they make long-johns.
Carmen ooooot
Tech Tales 2010-
What's new? You would assume Windows Office 2010 is new. It's not. It's just been in development during the downtime after the great Windows debacle, (do you remember Adobe) that allowed Mac back in the door. Sorry, that's not what I'm going to talk about, there are more interesting things out there to talk about. Like ESPN's newly formatted homepage with a quicker file structure making access to pertinent sites much more easy. Sorry, that's not what I'm going to talk about either.
Thanks to my friends at http://www.techfresh.net/ aka, the Tech Freshies, I have learned that there is more superfluous crap on the market today than ever before. Take for example a $25k scanner. Given, it is a "production" scanner but my gawd, twenty-five thousand dollars!?! This thing had better milk my cows too. There are some cool things out there for you Androids (aka Android users.) A new 10" touch screen tablet is making it's way onto the market and is under $300. Just like the iPad, this lil' droid does all the tasks you'd expect from an iPad with a different OS. Another little gem that caught my eye was the Warm-X Textiles shirt.
http://www.techfresh.net/page/1535/
This shirt looks good on the model and it also produces 7% of the body's heat without electricity or even a hot wire. It's made from a polycolon microfibre that actually creates heat. It sure would make waking up on these cold central Oregon mornings a whole lot easier when you stay warm from the bed to the shower.... That wraps up this weeks Tech Tale. I know you all will be awaiting the next Tech Tale with baited breathe but I'm sorry to say it's a week away. Hang tight and all will be right in Mudville, if you're bored, go read up on the Warm-X shirt and see if they make long-johns.
Carmen ooooot
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