So today at the barn, after the rousing round of ground cleanup, we had some time left in the class, so the instructors and some of the students hung out in the barn itself, bsing for a while.
One of the second year Horse Training students was talking with the head honcho about a colt that had come back for the second year. Seems that the kid had had the horse for green breaking, and wanted to take him on through cutting.
"Can I, JJ? I really liked that little colt."
"Is it the same colt? I don't think it's the same colt."
"No, it is, I seen him when they brought him in!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! I'm sure! Can I have him again?"
"Well I still don't think it's the same colt. I think he's here for green breaking. Why don't you grab a halter and go down there and throw a leg over him bareback, you could do that with that other colt last year."
And off they went in the little golf cart... A little while later, the kid comes back, walking like something might be a bit sore.
"Yeah, it's the same colt. I don't think he's been ridden all summer though, he gave me a little trouble."
At this point the instructor that went with the kid started choking and snorting in a manner that made me wonder if there wasn't a bit more than "a little trouble" down there at the pens, especially with the kid walking funny.
Alas, our instructors are honest-to-goodness gentlemen, and won't share the good jokes with us girl types, so I can't confirm it, but I think the kid racked himself on the horse's spine.
But, my point is, where else could you be in a "structured learning environment" and have one of your teachers tell you to "run on down there and throw a leg over him"?
I love my school!
Monday, August 20, 2007
Freakin A its hot...
I'm taking a little bit of time to cool down after working out at the barn. We're trying, this week, to get everything done that must be done before the horses get here.
Considering that includes cleaning up all the construction debris, digging a couple of trenches to put in water lines, setting up stalls, pens, and building fence, I don't know if it's all gonna get done.
But, the instructors do have a whole herd of strong backs to do it all, so it may get done after all.
Just a note to the guys: When you're in a group with a whole passel of female types, and they're all working manure forks picking up wood and straw and such, and you're standing against the building in the shade... ya look bad. Sorry, ya do.
Apparently they're having some problems finding enough horses for the EBM students that didn't bring their own, so I volunteered my little sorrel, if he's needed. The surprise on JJ's (JJ is one of my instructors) face when I said I had another one to bring was well worth the price of admission, let me tell you.
"JJ, if you need another one, I can bring another little gelding up. He's not real well behaved and he looks like a freaking pony but he's got four legs and a back."
"But... you're bringing your own, aren't you?"
"Yeah, but I can bring another one, if you need it. Just let me know before Sunday, thats when mine's coming up."
"Yeah! That's great! I'll let you know by the end of the week!"
Always good to have the head honcho of your program grateful to you.
Considering that includes cleaning up all the construction debris, digging a couple of trenches to put in water lines, setting up stalls, pens, and building fence, I don't know if it's all gonna get done.
But, the instructors do have a whole herd of strong backs to do it all, so it may get done after all.
Just a note to the guys: When you're in a group with a whole passel of female types, and they're all working manure forks picking up wood and straw and such, and you're standing against the building in the shade... ya look bad. Sorry, ya do.
Apparently they're having some problems finding enough horses for the EBM students that didn't bring their own, so I volunteered my little sorrel, if he's needed. The surprise on JJ's (JJ is one of my instructors) face when I said I had another one to bring was well worth the price of admission, let me tell you.
"JJ, if you need another one, I can bring another little gelding up. He's not real well behaved and he looks like a freaking pony but he's got four legs and a back."
"But... you're bringing your own, aren't you?"
"Yeah, but I can bring another one, if you need it. Just let me know before Sunday, thats when mine's coming up."
"Yeah! That's great! I'll let you know by the end of the week!"
Always good to have the head honcho of your program grateful to you.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
FFS people!
Well, Farmmom decided she needed a shampooer for her carpets, with the last of her "extra" pay from working the road. Fine, great, fantabulous. What Farmmom wants, Farmmom gets, when she decides to allow herself the luxury of wanting anything.
They had had one of the kind she wanted at the Wal Mart here so I was gonna pick it up for her and take it home with me.
Just one itty bitty problem with this plan. They didn't have it anymore. Ok whatever, you can get it online and ship it to the store without having to pay the shipping fees.
But wait! We'll call the next Wal Mart down the line and see if they have one, cause Farmmom is wanting to get it and use it like.. now.
So, Farmmom made the call, gave the "associate" the model number, everything, asked if they had one.
"Yep, sure thing, we got two of 'em."
So, off we go, Farmmom and I, to drive 90 miles to get the durned thing.
Turn up at the store, find the proper aisle after a bit of searching (freaking remodeling, they just got done with the store here,) and head confidently to the section for the deep cleaners.
Only to stand around with puzzled looks on our faces as we slowly realize, they don't have the one she wanted. They do have two of the same brand, but they're like... two steps down from the one she wants.
So, we found an "associate" who first went looking for someone who worked in that area, then came back telling us he couldn't find anyone, stood there staring at the offending carpet cleaners, and proceeded to tell us how it was our fault because we didn't check with management.
Erm. Excuse me? I don't freakin well think so, you snotty little pissant. I didn't drive ninety miles to be insulted by a sanctimonious, overweight stockboy with a bad combover who's probably looking at the dark side of 35, and works in a position so low they don't even give him a shirt with the Wal Mart logo on it.
After it became clear that we weren't going to admit our fault in the matter, apologize profusely for interrupting what was probably a fascinating fantasy about Angelina Jolie, three hundred gallons of sour cream, and an inflatable swimming pool, he trundled off to call for a manager.
Over the PA. Which wouldn't have been so bad except he did it once. And requested that the manager call the extension he was on. And then came back when he didn't get a reply in five seconds.
So we sent Skippy the Sales Droid back to find a manager again, and he repeated his call over the PA to have a manager call the extension he was at. Several times. Good Skippy, gooood sales droid.
He managed to snag someone who actually worked in the department and she came over to see if she could help us out, figured out what the problem was, found a phone, and requested over the PA the manager come to us for "customer courtesy."
Gee whiz, they've got that here?
Get the manager there and he makes sure he knows what's going on, leads us over to electronics to check the website and get the exact model number of what we want, and we find out... They don't even have them in the stores! You have to order them online.
Fine, whatever, but can we just pay for it here?
"Why certainly ma'am, just get a gift card and enter the information just like you would at home."
So, we did, while Manager Man went and got us a $25 gift card for the expense of the gas to drive up there and back.
Should be in in about a week, pick it up at the store here and it's all good to go.
Farmmom gave me the card to get some new pants, I found some, and off we went.
Final evaluations?
Skippy the Sales Droid: Can the attitude, buddy, or next time you sneer at someone for expecting you people to, oh, I don't know, do your jobs, they might decide to pop one of them nifty shock collars that were on the next aisle over out of the box and field-test it.
Sales Lady: Hey! An effective, helpful, pleasant salesperson with a sincere apology for the inconvenience caused by the incompetence of your co-worker! What a novelty! Judging by the quickness with which you dredged up a name to jog Farmmom's memory with, this isn't the first example of this person's ship-shod attention to detail you've witnessed.
Manager Man: You were up front, helpful, and provided us with compensation for our troubles. Thank you. But please, post a sign somewhere that says "You must say that you are angry about something that is our fault at least four times before we try to make it up to you." It'll save everyone a lot of trouble.
They had had one of the kind she wanted at the Wal Mart here so I was gonna pick it up for her and take it home with me.
Just one itty bitty problem with this plan. They didn't have it anymore. Ok whatever, you can get it online and ship it to the store without having to pay the shipping fees.
But wait! We'll call the next Wal Mart down the line and see if they have one, cause Farmmom is wanting to get it and use it like.. now.
So, Farmmom made the call, gave the "associate" the model number, everything, asked if they had one.
"Yep, sure thing, we got two of 'em."
So, off we go, Farmmom and I, to drive 90 miles to get the durned thing.
Turn up at the store, find the proper aisle after a bit of searching (freaking remodeling, they just got done with the store here,) and head confidently to the section for the deep cleaners.
Only to stand around with puzzled looks on our faces as we slowly realize, they don't have the one she wanted. They do have two of the same brand, but they're like... two steps down from the one she wants.
So, we found an "associate" who first went looking for someone who worked in that area, then came back telling us he couldn't find anyone, stood there staring at the offending carpet cleaners, and proceeded to tell us how it was our fault because we didn't check with management.
Erm. Excuse me? I don't freakin well think so, you snotty little pissant. I didn't drive ninety miles to be insulted by a sanctimonious, overweight stockboy with a bad combover who's probably looking at the dark side of 35, and works in a position so low they don't even give him a shirt with the Wal Mart logo on it.
After it became clear that we weren't going to admit our fault in the matter, apologize profusely for interrupting what was probably a fascinating fantasy about Angelina Jolie, three hundred gallons of sour cream, and an inflatable swimming pool, he trundled off to call for a manager.
Over the PA. Which wouldn't have been so bad except he did it once. And requested that the manager call the extension he was on. And then came back when he didn't get a reply in five seconds.
So we sent Skippy the Sales Droid back to find a manager again, and he repeated his call over the PA to have a manager call the extension he was at. Several times. Good Skippy, gooood sales droid.
He managed to snag someone who actually worked in the department and she came over to see if she could help us out, figured out what the problem was, found a phone, and requested over the PA the manager come to us for "customer courtesy."
Gee whiz, they've got that here?
Get the manager there and he makes sure he knows what's going on, leads us over to electronics to check the website and get the exact model number of what we want, and we find out... They don't even have them in the stores! You have to order them online.
Fine, whatever, but can we just pay for it here?
"Why certainly ma'am, just get a gift card and enter the information just like you would at home."
So, we did, while Manager Man went and got us a $25 gift card for the expense of the gas to drive up there and back.
Should be in in about a week, pick it up at the store here and it's all good to go.
Farmmom gave me the card to get some new pants, I found some, and off we went.
Final evaluations?
Skippy the Sales Droid: Can the attitude, buddy, or next time you sneer at someone for expecting you people to, oh, I don't know, do your jobs, they might decide to pop one of them nifty shock collars that were on the next aisle over out of the box and field-test it.
Sales Lady: Hey! An effective, helpful, pleasant salesperson with a sincere apology for the inconvenience caused by the incompetence of your co-worker! What a novelty! Judging by the quickness with which you dredged up a name to jog Farmmom's memory with, this isn't the first example of this person's ship-shod attention to detail you've witnessed.
Manager Man: You were up front, helpful, and provided us with compensation for our troubles. Thank you. But please, post a sign somewhere that says "You must say that you are angry about something that is our fault at least four times before we try to make it up to you." It'll save everyone a lot of trouble.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Picture
I've gotten a couple of questions about why I haven't posted a picture here. Part of it is for privacy reasons. But a big chunk of it is simply that I absolutely hate about 96-98% of pictures of myself.
Weird thing though? I like playing around with the self-timer on my digital camera. So, since I got one today out of sheer boredom that wasn't too bad, kinda showed my personality a little, and still pretty much protected my sooper secret identity... *snicker*.... (Hey, if I can't laugh at myself, then who can I laugh at?) I thought I'd go ahead a share with ya'll.
Let the twig jokes begin!
Have I mentioned that I'm a big fan of pajama pants and "wifebeaters" or "a-shirts" for at-home comfort?
No? Well, now you know.
P.S. Part of the reason this picture is so good at hiding the sooper secret Farmgirl identity is that you will almost never catch me with my hair down, especially outside. Ponytail or cheater bun (pull the hair up in a pony tail and then use the last wrap of the elastic band to create a "bun") is pretty much the order of the... well... always.
Weird thing though? I like playing around with the self-timer on my digital camera. So, since I got one today out of sheer boredom that wasn't too bad, kinda showed my personality a little, and still pretty much protected my sooper secret identity... *snicker*.... (Hey, if I can't laugh at myself, then who can I laugh at?) I thought I'd go ahead a share with ya'll.
Let the twig jokes begin!
Have I mentioned that I'm a big fan of pajama pants and "wifebeaters" or "a-shirts" for at-home comfort?
No? Well, now you know.
P.S. Part of the reason this picture is so good at hiding the sooper secret Farmgirl identity is that you will almost never catch me with my hair down, especially outside. Ponytail or cheater bun (pull the hair up in a pony tail and then use the last wrap of the elastic band to create a "bun") is pretty much the order of the... well... always.
Galaxy Zoo
If you've got some free time, decent eyes, and want something interesting to do, why not head on over to Galaxy Zoo and help out science?
Galaxy Zoo is a massive project, utilizing the fantabulousness of the internet to assist researchers in classifying over a million galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. They show you how to identify the different types of galaxies, common optical illusions created by stars, satellite reflections, and what to look for if two galaxies are merging.
It's contributing to science, people!
Plus... the pictures are so pretty!
Admittedly, some of them aren't so pretty and it's hard to tell through the blur what you're looking at, but some of them... well... they're gorgeous....
This one I stole from the tutorial page, but you run across some of them yourself, too.
Go check it out, contribute a bit, and see some pretty shiny things way off in space!
*Edit: I fixed the link, folks. Many apologies for the bad link, if you tried it before... well, it works better now. My bad...
Galaxy Zoo is a massive project, utilizing the fantabulousness of the internet to assist researchers in classifying over a million galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. They show you how to identify the different types of galaxies, common optical illusions created by stars, satellite reflections, and what to look for if two galaxies are merging.
It's contributing to science, people!
Plus... the pictures are so pretty!
Admittedly, some of them aren't so pretty and it's hard to tell through the blur what you're looking at, but some of them... well... they're gorgeous....
This one I stole from the tutorial page, but you run across some of them yourself, too.
Go check it out, contribute a bit, and see some pretty shiny things way off in space!
*Edit: I fixed the link, folks. Many apologies for the bad link, if you tried it before... well, it works better now. My bad...
Racism
I've been thinking about the girl in my previous post, and our society, quite a bit lately. So, lets start off with a thesis statement, since I've also been doing a lot of reading in my Lit book lately...
Racism in the United States, while not as rampant as in the past, has not vanished, no matter how much certain elements in our society would like us to think that it had.
Witness little miss racist, and her unapologetic apology. Frankly, the girl makes me want to beat her with a stick. But, she is a valid proof that racism is still here.
I noticed when I read the comments on that post that very few people addressed the racism issue, now, whether ya'll were ignoring it as she probably deserves to be ignored, I dunno. But, it seems to me that its a mirror of our society, so many people working so hard to believe that we're magically past all that crap that they refuse to see that it's still out there. Of course, the reverse is true as well, so many people so rabidly anti-racist that they attack anyone who doesn't precisely toe the PC line.
Hell, after my post of that forward Farmmom sent me, someone insinuated on their blog that I'm a member of the KKK. I ignored it because I didn't figure it was worth trying to explain to someone who has pre-formed an opinion of me that if they actually had thoughts of their own they'd realize that the post was anti-racism in and of itself, its just against all racism, and not just that towards minorities.
Yes, there are those in our country who are racist in the "traditional" way, who join the KKK or the Aryan Brotherhood, and turn "white pride" into something to be ashamed of, in the eyes of the rest of the country.
But, what about the people, members of minority races, who spend most of their free time talking about how bad white people are? Come on people, that is racism too. Just because they've got a coalition or a bunch of lobbyists doesn't mean its not racism. I'm not saying that all people of an off-white or brown skin color do this, so no one jump me in a dark alley or anything, but I have personally witnessed it.
Why is it that our society can't wake up to the fact that racism is racism, regardless of the color of the bigot and the target? Why is it that when I say I'm proud of the heritage that gives me a ghost-like paleness anywhere that I don't regularly get sun, I'm accused of being a racist myself, in spite of the fact that I'm just as proud of that small portion of my heritage that allows me to shrug off sunburns like they're nothing? (Which, by the way, I believe comes from the Native American portion of my heritage... small, but enough.)
Until the day that everyone, not just white people, stop looking at skin color to judge a person's worth, we still have racism in our society.
If white people got together and formed a fraternity that excluded blacks, hispanics, asians, and anyone else who can't put "caucasian" on the "diversity" papers of the school, that thing would be disbanded so fast you'd hear a sonic boom. But fraternities just for blacks are ok? Colleges just for blacks are ok?
And yes, I'm using the word "black" so sue me. Its a descriptor, not a slur. I refuse to use words like "African American" "Asian American" etcetera. Why? Because you're either American or you're not. The only PC title that is even remotely deserved is that of Native American, and thats not even entirely true, because even they immigrated here! They just did it before the Europeans got here.
Stop separating and labeling people. If their skin color is that of a good dark chocolate, and you need to describe that, "black" is the term for it. A white person calling someone an African American doesn't change the fact that when he or she gets home, they're gonna look at their boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/parents/roommate and call themselves black.
I'm calling for an end to the double standard, for as much good as it will do. Our society needs to stop placating people in minorities in order to appear broad minded. It's not broad minded when you treat certain people with respect, civility, and honor, but pretend that other people aren't being insulted in the same way that you were protecting the first group against.
So what say we stop worrying about what PC label is appropriate this week, and start collectively punishing all bigots in the time-honored traditions of society?
Shun them, chastise them, make it clear that as a society we will not tolerate bigotry in any form, from any person.
If they cannot get along in the "mainstream" of society, they will seek out others who agree with them, of course. But at least they won't be slapping us in the face with their offensive behavior.
Racism in the United States, while not as rampant as in the past, has not vanished, no matter how much certain elements in our society would like us to think that it had.
Witness little miss racist, and her unapologetic apology. Frankly, the girl makes me want to beat her with a stick. But, she is a valid proof that racism is still here.
I noticed when I read the comments on that post that very few people addressed the racism issue, now, whether ya'll were ignoring it as she probably deserves to be ignored, I dunno. But, it seems to me that its a mirror of our society, so many people working so hard to believe that we're magically past all that crap that they refuse to see that it's still out there. Of course, the reverse is true as well, so many people so rabidly anti-racist that they attack anyone who doesn't precisely toe the PC line.
Hell, after my post of that forward Farmmom sent me, someone insinuated on their blog that I'm a member of the KKK. I ignored it because I didn't figure it was worth trying to explain to someone who has pre-formed an opinion of me that if they actually had thoughts of their own they'd realize that the post was anti-racism in and of itself, its just against all racism, and not just that towards minorities.
Yes, there are those in our country who are racist in the "traditional" way, who join the KKK or the Aryan Brotherhood, and turn "white pride" into something to be ashamed of, in the eyes of the rest of the country.
But, what about the people, members of minority races, who spend most of their free time talking about how bad white people are? Come on people, that is racism too. Just because they've got a coalition or a bunch of lobbyists doesn't mean its not racism. I'm not saying that all people of an off-white or brown skin color do this, so no one jump me in a dark alley or anything, but I have personally witnessed it.
Why is it that our society can't wake up to the fact that racism is racism, regardless of the color of the bigot and the target? Why is it that when I say I'm proud of the heritage that gives me a ghost-like paleness anywhere that I don't regularly get sun, I'm accused of being a racist myself, in spite of the fact that I'm just as proud of that small portion of my heritage that allows me to shrug off sunburns like they're nothing? (Which, by the way, I believe comes from the Native American portion of my heritage... small, but enough.)
Until the day that everyone, not just white people, stop looking at skin color to judge a person's worth, we still have racism in our society.
If white people got together and formed a fraternity that excluded blacks, hispanics, asians, and anyone else who can't put "caucasian" on the "diversity" papers of the school, that thing would be disbanded so fast you'd hear a sonic boom. But fraternities just for blacks are ok? Colleges just for blacks are ok?
And yes, I'm using the word "black" so sue me. Its a descriptor, not a slur. I refuse to use words like "African American" "Asian American" etcetera. Why? Because you're either American or you're not. The only PC title that is even remotely deserved is that of Native American, and thats not even entirely true, because even they immigrated here! They just did it before the Europeans got here.
Stop separating and labeling people. If their skin color is that of a good dark chocolate, and you need to describe that, "black" is the term for it. A white person calling someone an African American doesn't change the fact that when he or she gets home, they're gonna look at their boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/parents/roommate and call themselves black.
I'm calling for an end to the double standard, for as much good as it will do. Our society needs to stop placating people in minorities in order to appear broad minded. It's not broad minded when you treat certain people with respect, civility, and honor, but pretend that other people aren't being insulted in the same way that you were protecting the first group against.
So what say we stop worrying about what PC label is appropriate this week, and start collectively punishing all bigots in the time-honored traditions of society?
Shun them, chastise them, make it clear that as a society we will not tolerate bigotry in any form, from any person.
If they cannot get along in the "mainstream" of society, they will seek out others who agree with them, of course. But at least they won't be slapping us in the face with their offensive behavior.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Boredom makes you do crazy things...
Since I'm basically waiting for the washer to be done with my clothes, and just killing time entertaining myself, I decided to take a look at my sitemeter. Woohoo! 4068 visits since I slapped that baby on here just about two months ago.
More than I expected, honestly. I'm glad ya'll are enjoying!
I noticed the "who's on" section, not for the first time, but I hadn't looked at it until now... Fascinating. I can see who's looking at my site right this minute!
Hey, Painesville, Ohio! I'm guessing by the number of page views and the time you've spent on here that you're new. I'll tell ya, the best stuff is further back, IMO. I haven't written a funny in a while. But anyway, welcome! Enjoy your stay, and don't forget to try the veal.
More than I expected, honestly. I'm glad ya'll are enjoying!
I noticed the "who's on" section, not for the first time, but I hadn't looked at it until now... Fascinating. I can see who's looking at my site right this minute!
Hey, Painesville, Ohio! I'm guessing by the number of page views and the time you've spent on here that you're new. I'll tell ya, the best stuff is further back, IMO. I haven't written a funny in a while. But anyway, welcome! Enjoy your stay, and don't forget to try the veal.
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