a dog and her girl

blog test 5

2009-02-05T09:40:00.002-08:00

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The hills above Ashland

2009-01-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

Ixa and her pouff mamas. :-)

There's hiking abundance here, today we hiked in the hills above Ashland:

LA to Ashland Lift Off, 2 days and counting

2009-01-01T07:19:00.000-08:00

Well, things have gotten sillier, if possible :-). Yesterday we anxiously awaited a call from escrow because there was a new issue with the loan and it looked like the whole deal was going to be delayed. Since we still have no domestic destination, it would have been a relief. But at 4:15, we finally got word that the loan funded and we're on for close of escrow on Friday ... erm, that's tomorrow.

The beautiful picture is my post-op pinky. I got the bandages off yesterday. It's been immobilized for 2 weeks, so I can't bend it yet. Good news is that I can finally wash my own hair - and yikes, it needs it!

Just for extra laughs, I awoke with a cold this morning. Nose running everywhere. I predict I will be disgusted when I start opening boxes in Oregon only to find wads of kleenex.

We've decided to go for the retirement house I've been talking about. This kind of house is exactly the kind of house I NEVER want to find myself living - I can honestly say I've even been AFRAID of ending up in a house like this. Had I stayed my conservative Southern Indiana course during college, in the sorority being groomed for a Republican life, this is totally the kind of house that would have suited me. Funny, all the twists and turns my life has taken, and I'll end up in this kind of house afterall. :-)

We've decided that this house is so easy, so unparticipatory, so unremarkable that we can move into it and ignore it. I won't be tempted in any way to alter or enhance it; it will be too invisible to distract me. The house will serve as a humble wet nurse to our recuperation and forward expansion. Under that bland milk-toast roof, I will build my web-site, my marriage, and my business ... well, start to anyway, we only plan to stay there for 6 months. :-)

LA to Ashland Lift Off, 3 days and counting

2008-12-31T08:35:00.000-08:00

I've been stressing about my stuff. I've purged a lot, but so very much remains. I understand that clearing the old space for the new, but I don't desire everything to be new! Yes, great changes are underway, but some of the old is wonderful and perfect and not to be lost!

The stress comes in with not knowing which of the old is sacred and which is just noise. I feel a bit like a failed psychic - I can't choose the correct card behind the screen so I simply choose all the cards - it must be one of them!

I just found one of my old and walking sticks in the back corner of the garage. It looks sacred, but is it more sacred than the little orange plastic footstool I bought while on residency in Banff? Or the bamboo poles we used in our wedding canopy? Every object is talking to me! Why have I never learned the code to decipher these mumblings!

I guess all I can do is pack it all up and revive my spiritual radar and sort it out in So. Oregon.

LA to Ashland Lift Off, 4 days and counting

2008-12-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

As of 12:39 pm we still have no Oregon destination! We're still waiting to hear about our first choice, and have put in a call to our third choice (the retirement house). Our second choice (a slightly dumpy Ashland house) has already been rented and our fourth choice (the Rogue River Retreat) is out due to lack of internet (!?!?!).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5:40 PM. Still no house. I think today's theme is "Oops, I forgot I'm a princess" (as in, "Why don't these people just give me what I've asked for - what is wrong with them!?"). When I suffer a moment of rationality, I don't think this move is anymore stressful than anyone else's move. It's just that I've been so good at eliminating stress from my life that to find myself under such hideous pressure is truly shocking and unwelcome.

On the up side: We've had days to pack with no rain in sight! Thank you sunny Southern California! :-) I will miss you!

LA to Ashland Lift Off, 5 days and counting

2008-12-29T20:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a whirlwind of final inspections and packing. One problem solved, next one to conquer: the rental house.

At the last minute the rental management company asked me if the dog is a deal breaker - wha' the foo???? I couldn't have been more clear about having a dog, and the girl who showed me the house said there would be no problem. I wonder how many times they've been sworn at for asking how dispensable a client's baby is.

Other than this, I have no recollection of the events that transpired today. There are boxes everywhere - I have no idea where they came from or what's in them. LOL! But who cares, since we have no idea where to move them to!

LA to Ashland Lift Off, 6 days and counting

2008-12-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

Because I have a thick mane, and my finger is still recuperating from surgery, It's been too hard to wash my hair and it was getting pretty funky. My knight in shining shampoo (aka dear husband) finally relieved my misery and I now bask in cleanliness and the tingle of my peppermint conditioner. :-)

I read "The Golden Compass" last week on my trip to Ashland, then quickly devoured the movie, too. I've latched onto the fantastical theme of having your soul live outside your body, in the book it's in the form of an animal called your "daemon". I'm likening it to my notion of parts of my soul residing outside my body in my art, which includes a myriad of material objects including my house.

In "The Golden Compass" the deepest form of torture would be separation from your daemon (soul) - it would leave you as a ghost, irredeemably alone in the world in every sense. In this world and in my life, I get to separate from my daemons, yet remain vital, in fact, probably more vital instead.

As I lay in the bath tonight, I memorized my jungle green bathroom ceiling - that I installed, as well as the pine molding, the handpainted glass tiles, the heavy beam painted nude, the wood trim and the lights, that I also installed. I've started to pack my functional and decorative doodads, which is already leaving the house a little alien looking. My extrication from this house, this production, this daemon, is exquisitely self-conscious.

LA to Ashland Lift Off, 7 days and counting

2008-12-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was simply another ho-hum chaotic day in escrow. It was "install a wall heater that nobody wants, but FHA insists upon" day. The buyer showed up with a "bargain heater" purchased on Craigslist ... you know the problems started there! The contractors spent the first part of the day fixing the bargain heater. Installation ran from 8am to 5 pm which meant dust, noise and interruptions.

Luckily we really liked the contractors who were upright fellows who know their shit and kept the work impact to a minimum for us. However, the heater is in and works about 1/3 as well as the existing space heaters and is loud and ugly like a motel heater. It blows all the heat under the living room couch, and the heat gets trapped there because of the 6 inch foam padding of the couch seat. I bow to great silliness.

Alex and Ben scrambled to pack up some hand-me-downs, to send back to Georgia Tech. My stepson built a linux server box out of one of his dad's old computers, and is now the proud owner of my old turntable from 1981 and the best of my eclectic record collection. :-)

Al's also getting our sturdy and dependable Revere cookware set - I bought it for $70 at Sears in about 1990. I was always proud of that set as a marker of my growing savvy. When I moved to LA in 1986, I had no idea how to go about securing a piece of cookware. I blew some exorbitant amount, something like $30, on a crappy pan at a supermarket. I didn't actually know how to use cookware, so I probably made short work of ruining that pan. However, 4 years later and 4 years smarter, I bought a full regiment of cookware (including bonus stainless steel bowls with lids!) for a mere $70. Seeing as my early years in LA had much to do with unfolding the sleeping giant of wisdom within me, it was a significant marker indeed.

In fact, much of this moving business keeps putting my grown-upness square in my sights. What's funny is that it surprises me - I hadn't really thought of myself as grown up at all, but the evidence is incontrovertible. And it seems as though I'm leaving my growing-up nest, and moving onto the arena of my mature happenings. Hmmmm. Interesting.

Anyhow, as of today, we have a moving truck coming in 6 days, but no confirmed place to move it into. :-0 The property rental company has been closed since 3 pm Christmas eve day, and has archaic practices for collecting applications and fees: my dad is kind enough to drive over there tomorrow morning to drop off cash when they open at 9 am, hopefully beating anyone else to it, as the first application with cash received gets first crack at the rental. (erm ... no cc payments or wire transfers?! Wha's up wit dat?) The tedious application sent Ben and I scrambling to find social security cards, even. Blech.

It's no wonder people simply stay put - transition is hard. Even the cable company conspires to make our move difficult (we have to hand deliver the cable box to an office in Hollywood on the day of our move, and the new residents can't begin the week long wait for their service until we turn our equipment in - that is retarded, I say!)

Looking forward:
Our new hometown is organizing to gain status as a "Transitions Town", signaling a commitment to sustainability in energy, food, water, finance and other areas.

House Ritual

2008-12-26T12:10:00.000-08:00

My brilliant stepson Alex had the idea to make a gingerbread house, so he and I took a little time out from the madness for architectural baking fun. You know what I've been busy doing; Alex has been burning the midnight oil kicking the ass off a network programming project (I don't get the technical parts, but his dad is utterly impressed!). A fun diversion from projects, this is our first house, and plans for modernist improvements are already underway for next years architectural fantasy!

Eugene saw this picture, and with his characteristically keen insight, relished in the symbolic connections between our constructing and devouring a house during this time :-). Hello Kali !

Who will stop by to help us nibble away the delicious phoenix? ;-)

Life in Escrow Hell - Day 36

2008-12-26T08:13:00.001-08:00

Today is the first day I have awoken with a sense of doing rather than a sense of waiting to hurry up. Today, all I have to do is hurry up - so simple, I love it! Rather than wondering where we, our dog, and our 5 tons of stuff (according to the movers estimate) will be in a week, I finally have certainty that we'll be on wheels, headed up to a warm house in the darling town of Ashland, Oregon.

The last 35 mornings of escrow had greeted us, consistently, with chaos, new problems, and dramas created by an aggressive and inexperienced buyer's agent who complicated this process beyond measure. The likelihood of the sale going through waxed and waned throughout each day: part of the day I'd look for moving companies, while the next part I'd begin to prepare to go back on the market, and by evening I'd be scouring "freecycle" for moving boxes again.

I had hired a lawyer to help with the tough stuff, but he turned out to be an obstacle in negotiation ... at $300 per hour.

Why such chaos?
* This house is eccentric (diametrically opposed to tight-ass FHA requirements for the buyer's loan)
* Our real estate agents can't talk to each other
* The buyer's wife is a hormonally excited pregnant woman who NEEDS many things NOW
* It's a crappy market! On one hand we feel lucky to be selling the house, on the other hand it's harder to sell a house right now because all "professional" parties in the real estate/financial industries are in sheer terror and behaving erratically.
* I'm stubborn and refused to sell this house with out clearing enough money to pay off all my debt, and have plenty left over to finance a new business and make a down payment on our next house. When I leave this madness I'll have a car fully paid for, no debt and enough "fuck you money" that I never again have to be a cog in an institutional wheel! :-) So, as I complain about this escrow process, I also muse, "poor me, I'm the girl who got everything she wanted."

The good news: We met with the buyers of our house yesterday to sort out a last minute heating installation that must be accomplished for them to get their FHA backed loan. Their agent had turned it into a hostile battle, but since we and the buyers are simply nice people who want to complete this transaction, we were able to ditch our agents and create an elegant solution. PHEW!

Now we can finally sign the moving contract, put a deposit down on a rental house, and pack up what remains after having sorted through 20 years of material residue from my art and life in Los Angeles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some of today's topics:
I'm moving into a house with no garage - where will I put my sledgehammer and table saw? Am I really going to need a sawzall and or a 25# table vice again? Should I leave my 8' ladder behind?

Because my psyche embeds itself in my material surroundings, questions about my building/studio tools and supplies become deep questions about my current mutation: who will I be??? Am I trading in my construction apparatus for the the home sewing kit? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN????!!!!! :-) It also makes me wonder who I really was. I spent so much time creating nomadic artworks, but in reality I am the most materially laden person I know! (except maybe for Eugene!)

Stucco, cement and tile tools ... among the mass of stuff I didn't sell at our yard sale last week.

Dog House Hunting

2008-12-25T14:56:00.000-08:00

Amidst the insanity of the escrow from hell, and 3 days after surgery on my right hand, I took a two day sojourn to the Ashland, Oregon area to find Ixa's next great dog house. This one'll be a rental, so we can try out the area. It's been so long since I filled out a rental application, what a strange feeling.

There are a few ways to go:

Ashland:
* rent in Ashland, live the vibe, be there now

Living Room:

Family Room - aka Kahty's studio ;-):

View from 2nd story:

Rogue River
* rest and recuperate 40 minutes out in the woods next to the glorious Rogue River - oh, did I mention it has a pool? ($1500/month)
Front Yard:

Ben's office view:

Master Bedroom View:

Out in the country:

* become pot farmers in a brokedown house with 20 acres fenced acres for Ixa and a pond - the young, stoner couple who used to live here have several kids and have moved to Ashland because their vegan donut business took off! :-)

Medford:
* live like the retired, with the retired, in a subdivision for the retired, in a large manicured, carpeted home with a japanese garden, hot tub, and 3 car (yes, that's 3 car) garage:

We've put in an application for the 1st one, the house in Ashland, but are still considering the Rogue River Rest and Recoup Ranch.

Stay tuned for details on why escrow is a living hell.

New Finds in Art (for me)

2008-11-15T15:44:00.001-08:00

For Matthew Barney fans :-)

And this guy is just ... gorgeous!

The Guest Tent!

2008-11-14T12:18:00.001-08:00

A functional sculpture, 2006-2008

Once dubbed "Almost Legal", by an art writer, the guest tent was inspired by both my love for the safari tent and my interest in "sewing my own house." "Almost Legal" refers to the tent being non-permitted. Tune in for more details on this project.

My father and step-daughter have both enjoyed their stays in the guest tent!

Free Hugs

2008-06-09T16:55:00.001-07:00

Great video clip:

http://transformationteam.net/video/free_hugs_campaign.php

Day 8, 9, and 10 is back in LA

2008-06-05T22:12:00.000-07:00

We stayed in yet another ratty "dog friendly" hotel ... gah! This one freaked Ixa out. The manager had a macaw (or some kind of large sqwalking bird) that scared the poop out of the big bad cow herder! She was so unnerved by it that she didn't relieve herself for 20 hours!

We bought lots of gorgeous fresh fruit on the drive home, then were greeted by the majestic San Gabriel Mountains while driving back into LA.

This morning Ixa made her first kill :-(

Day 5, 6, 7 - Ashland, Or

2008-06-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

Ashland is gorgeous! Ixa loved it so much ... she ran through the woods, rolled heartily in clover, and took note of every sheep and cow along the way. She also made life hard for the resident cat at my dad's house.

And yet she was much loved,

Day 4 - Weeeeeed!

2008-06-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Weed is a little town near the majestic Mount Shasta.

Stewart Mineral Springs is one of my favorite places! It's near weed. They run a fabulous woodsy get away with mineral hot baths, a beautiful sauna, occasional sweat lodge, a great veg restaurant, and a variety of lodgings from teepees to a beautiful A-frame house on the creek. http://www.stewartmineralsprings.com/

At the little cabin where we slept, we enjoyed the babbling chorus from the creek and heat from the wood stove (oooiks, that was way different from lighting a campfire!).

Ixa's fish breakfast sitting, ignored, while she takes in the richness of the forest ... doggie heaven!

Ixa's future ranch

Day 3 - Mendocino/Humbolt

2008-06-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this Buddhist University outside of Ukiah. It was the only thing that interested me in the region.

Peacocks from the University capture the attention of Ixa (on leash!), and they were just as curious about her!

Mendocino County bugs! After an accidental romp through some poison oak, in flip flops, I pulled about 4 ticks of of Ixa.

Mmmm, the grandeur of the redwoods!

The drive through Humbolt County was monotonous! Windy roads and pine trees ... shees, I'd smoke a lot of pot, too!

Day 2 - Sonoma

2008-05-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

Morning walk in Salinas ... no cows here, phew!

Sonoma Princess, cow hunting

The Napa/Sonoma/Calistoga area captured my heart ... love at first sight! Too much to consider photographing ... perhaps on the way back south.

Traveling with Princess

The cooler contains her frozen duck and mackerels, as well as her steamed veggies (and a few diet colas, string cheeses, and fruits for me, hehe!)

Round 'em up!

2008-05-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Ixa took herself off for a little herding session, courtesy of my bad call on an off-leash moment. She drove the cattle from the far left of the image, uphill through a pasture, through a couple of gates, along a fence, then gathered them under a tree. When I ran up breathlessly (fearing her injury from an angry bull or the muzzle of a rancher's gun), she checked her group then sat gloating at her accomplishment ... I wish I had a picture of that!

The 5 minute drive route:

Ixa's herd

Yeah, cattledog all the way.

Go North Young Dog!

2008-05-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

Day one, road trip north to find our next home town!

First stop for a run on the beach in Ventura

Picnic at Lake Cachuma

On the road agaaaaaain!

holy mackerel!

2008-05-28T21:12:00.001-07:00

We need a Bath

2007-12-19T11:50:00.000-08:00

Japanese bathing rituals came up on a discussion list I participate in, and this neat link was offered: 24 Hour Bath

I read a novel by Yasunari Kawabata called "Snow Country" that I recall having lovely descriptions of aspects of traditional Japanese hot spring culture.

Also, I'm guessing this book is pretty well known: "In Praise of Shadows", by Junichiro Tanizaki. It's a slim book, an elegant description of traditional Japanese houses, with a beautiful section on the bathroom.

I go to Korean bath houses here in Los Angeles, and there are similar protocols ... cleaning (especially SERIOUS exfoliating at a trough), followed by a circuit of hot/cold baths, including an angelica tea bath, as well as a series of saunas with varying humidity and heat. Shoes are not worn into the locker room, and sandals are used for specified areas, like the toilet.

When I first started going, the clientele was almost all Korean, and the baths were very clean and quiet. They've caught on with others, so are a bit noisier and slightly grungier. Which is ironic, since westerners often scoff at the idea of a public bath space being hygienically sound!

Can't find any luxury "dog baths", but there seems to be a healthy market for dog bath robes!

Contemplative Walking

2007-11-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

I have practiced a few forms of meditative walking, but not since my dog Ixa came into my life. When I walk, in my urban environment, with Ixa, the distractions defeat me: aggressive dogs, cats and squirrels, kids, street crossings, and leashes.

I also used to jog on a treadmill, and I'd find a steady pace that provided a deep, moving meditation. I miss that.

Last week, I set up a treadmill at home, for Ixa and I to use together. I simply wanted peaceful and comfortable walking. But, it turns out to offer a meditative experience, not only for me, but for her, too! She lowers her head and focuses on the path, present in her stride. It's so tranquil, and an enormous change from her normal on-guard, sniffy, excited tromp through the city.

Surprisingly, the treadmill is our little spaceship for contemplative walking. But, perhaps, one day, we'll make a nice labyrinth!

Steven Seagal

2007-11-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

Mystical dog incident

While being interviewed by PETA, Seagal was asked to provide an example of a special interaction with an animal. To lend context and meaning to his animal rights work, Seagal offered the story about a dog which approached him during his early aikido years in Japan. Seagal described feeling as if he had known this white dog forever. After keeping the dog for a few days, the dog (by barking) warned Seagal that his dojo was on fire. Seagal quickly summoned help to put out the fire. He never saw the dog again.[27]

Seagal Wiki Page

Doglandia

2007-10-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Doglandia, the dog discussion forum, has launched!

Doglandia is Here!

Doglandia is meant to be a small and friendly forum for open minded discussions on dogness, our lives with dogs, and all the fascinating wonders that arise from there. A couple of friends and I were interested in having a place where folks with open minds could come and chat, learn, teach, and celebrate differences of perspective. We tossed around some ideas, and Doglandia is what we came up with.

The Doglandia forum is a bare bones operation, no bells or whistles ... and we are liking it like that!

Stop in and have a look around!

Celtic Dog

2007-10-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

Celtic Dog: The dog animal symbol also maintains a pure root meaning throughout time and culture. That meaning is loyalty, of course. Man (and woman's) best friend, the dog symbolizes the strong bond of companionship felt between human and animal.

The dog was considered to be good luck in the village, and as such, the symbol of the dog was commonly found in Celtic décor, clothing, etc. There are reports that the dog symbol is a harbinger of good health. More likely, the dog's companionship warded away the illnesses loneliness and rejection cause.

Further, a Celt was rarely found hunting without a hound nearby. Dogs were necessities in life, and therefore highly regarded.

From What's Your Sign

"Walk the Dog"

2007-10-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

1. Leading someone on in a relationship. Intentionally sending "forward" signals in a relationship when it is known that nothing will come of it.

2. To masterbate.

3. A poker tactic where you have a powerhouse hand and someone is betting into you. Instead of raising, you just let the other person do all the betting for you until the very end.

4. To take a piss.

5. to do an amazing yo-yo trick

From Urban Dictionary

Aminal Totem - dog

2007-10-11T21:21:00.001-07:00

The Dog

Throughout history dogs have been known as protectors and guardians. Their acute hearing and keen sight forewarned their masters of impending danger. Dogs are known as mans best friend. They serve selflessly never asking for their service to be prasied. They hold the energies of unconditional love and teach us its true meaning.

The domesticated dog is a faithful companion to humans and has a strong willingness to serve. Their sense of spirit and the ability to love even when abused is incredible. The dog teaches those with this totem how to give and receive love unconditionally. It also carries the energy of forgiveness. People with dog medicine would do well in service oriented jobs.

Dogs are intelligent and sensitive. They are able to sniff out dangerous situations accurately and guide us into safety. Psychic gifts have long been are associated with the dog because of their ability to detect subtle energy frequencies often unknown to mankind. If dog suddenly appears in your life pay attention to your immediate surroundings and let the dog guide your footsteps.

Certain breeds of dog were designed for specific functions. The study of the breed and its purpose can help you define the energy associated with it. Since wolves and coyotes are its descendants these should be studied as well.

The behavior of a dog often reflects the personality of its owner. Through its observation and constant interaction with you it anticipates your next move, and serves as a mirror image of who you truly are. The dog is a great teacher for those who are willing to be loyal students. The choice is yours.

From Cycle of Power Totems

Lee Charles Kelley

2007-10-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

He's an interesting dog trainer and mystery writer whose writing I keep coming across.

http://www.urbanhound.com/houndTalk/Forum.asp?linkid=6188&linklevel=1#6192
"In brief, when a dog learns a command while the prey drive is highly aroused, you don't need to repeat anything but the command and the dog will instantly and automatically obey it no matter the context or situation, no matter how long you wait to give the command again. It's as if the lesson has been downloaded directly into his nervous system."

His Website

Hello from the Mojave

2007-10-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

Doga

2007-10-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070403/070403_dogyoga_hmed_830a.hmedium.jpg
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17930468/
http://www.dogadog.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Doga-Yoga-Dogs-Jennifer-Brilliant/dp/0811841677
http://www.expertvillage.com/interviews/doga-yoga-with-dog.htm

Shaman Dog

2007-10-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

Wojciech Cejrowski:

"The dogs of wild tribes are usually poor: skinny, suppurated, often sick. But Indians usually look poor too. You don’t see fat people among them. They’re regularly undernourished and the life in the jungle requires a lot of effort. An Indian doesn’t have much time to rest because he’s fighting to survive every day. So if he doesn’t eat and rest enough, he doesn’t have time to grow fat. So Indian dogs are skinny just like their owners.

With the exception of the shaman’s dog.

No one refuses to give food to the shaman’s dog. It’s wiser to deny oneself and give this dog a piece of meat, bone or at least a baked fish as soon as he comes – SO HE WOULD GO AWAY. Because when he’s standing at the threshold of the shelter… and is looking searchingly… people feel uncomfortable. And if he growled… children would start crying of fear.

The shaman’s dog isn’t a welcomed guest, just like a witch’s cat. Never and nowhere.

It’s mainly because this animal is trained to deliver special messages and it usually turns out that when the message is good, the shaman comes personally. But when there’s a more nasty case, he sends his dog. A dog that’s wiser than some people. He’s as cunning as the shaman himself. And he’s trained, which is an unknown and distressing thing in the jungle.

It’s very easy to recognize it (not only because of the overweight) – the shaman’s dog carries a characteristic pouch with “sanctities” around his neck.

These “sanctities” can be used for the protection of the dog. So we would say that they’re his good luck charms. But it could be that the dog got a task to drag the evil eye, sorrows or even death. In that case they won’t be good luck charms, but “bait” that “attracts” the Bad Power (and then leave the power on the doorstep on which the dog pisses.)

I didn’t know all of this when the shaman’s dog came to my shelter for the first time.

Listen... " ...
http://www.cejrowski.com/en/stories/index.php?p=2&PHPSESSID=1c997f98d5455d914924b1a28d9

Malcolm Gladwell on Cesar Millan

2007-10-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

Below is an analysis of Cesar Millan's physical movement, in an excerpt from an article by Malcolm Gladwell. Elsewhere in the article, are detailed descriptions of his "presence" in interactions with dogs and humans, and some nice passages from Patricia McConnell are offered, too: http://www.gladwell.com/2006/2006_05_22_a_dog.html

"... Cesar is fluid. "He's beautifully organized intra-physically," Karen Bradley, who heads the graduate dance program at the University of Maryland, said when she first saw tapes of Cesar in action. "That lower-unit organization—I wonder whether he was a soccer player." Movement experts like Bradley use something called Laban Movement Analysis to make sense of movement, describing, for instance, how people shift their weight, or how fluid and symmetrical they are when they move, or what kind of "effort" it involves. Is it direct or indirect—that is, what kind of attention does the movement convey? Is it quick or slow? Is it strong or light—that is, what is its intention? Is it bound or free—that is, how much precision is involved? If you want to emphasize a point, you might bring your hand down across your body in a single, smooth motion. But how you make that motion greatly affects how your point will be interpreted by your audience. Ideally, your hand would come down in an explosive, bound movement—that is, with accelerating force, ending abruptly and precisely—and your head and shoulders would descend simultaneously, so posture and gesture would be in harmony. Suppose, though, that your head and shoulders moved upward as your hand came down, or your hand came down in a free, implosive manner—that is, with a kind of a vague, decelerating force. Now your movement suggests that you are making a point on which we all agree, which is the opposite of your intention. Combinations of posture and gesture are called phrasing, and the great communicators are those who match their phrasing with their communicative intentions—who understand, for instance, that emphasis requires them to be bound and explosive. To Bradley, Cesar had beautiful phrasing.

There he is talking to Patrice and Scott. He has his hands in front of him, in what Laban analysts call the sagittal plane—that is, the area directly in front of and behind the torso. He then leans forward for emphasis. But as he does he lowers his hands to waist level, and draws them toward his body, to counterbalance the intrusion of his posture. And, when he leans backward again, the hands rise up, to fill the empty space. It's not the kind of thing you'd ever notice. But, when it's pointed out, its emotional meaning is unmistakable. It is respectful and reassuring. It communicates without being intrusive. Bradley was watching Cesar with the sound o, and there was one sequence she returned to again and again, in which Cesar was talking to a family, and his right hand swung down in a graceful arc across his chest. "He's dancing," Bradley said. "Look at that. It's gorgeous. It's such a gorgeous little dance.

"The thing is, his phrases are of mixed length," she went on. "Some of them are long. Some of them are very short. Some of them are explosive phrases, loaded up in the beginning and then trailing o. Some of them are impactive—building up, and then coming to a sense of impact at the end. What they are is appropriate to the task. That's what I mean by 'versatile.'"

Enlightened Dog

2007-09-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

from http://bighominid.blogspot.com/2005/09/buddhist-dog.html

TEMPLE GOING TO THE DOGS

Fri Sep 16,10:31 AM ET

The newest acolyte at a temple on an outlying South Korea island is a dog who has learned to sit, stay and perform Buddhist prayer rituals alongside the monks.

Monks at Buljang Temple on Chindo island off the southwest coast said the stray called "Hama" now joined them at prayer.

Hama -- Korean for hippopotamus -- follows monks into the temple and bows in the same manner for prayer, a temple official said. Some local Buddhists, who believe in reincarnation, are wondering what Hama may have been in a past life.

"Since about a month ago, when the monks were performing a ceremony paying respect to Buddha, they were joined by this one-year-old dog," the official said by telephone.

Hama is one of a traditional Korean breed called chindo, which originated on the island.

Hama's exploits have made the national news in South Korea and attracted a lot of curious onlookers to the temple, where about 30 other stray dogs live.

"The dog bows just like a monk," said college student Park Sang-jin, who visited the temple after hearing about Hama.

3

2007-09-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ixa, wearing her fur hat

2

2007-09-19T17:11:00.001-07:00

A monk asked Chao-chou, "Has the dog Buddha nature or not?"

Chao-chou said, "Mu."

1

2007-09-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

You are responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery