Our two Golden Retrievers love the snow. Lucy, the younger dog, cannot contain her excitement .
Category Archives: Dogs
iMovie vs. Studio 9
I created a little video this afternoon, primarily to get some experience with Apple’s iMovie (on the MacBook). I’ve been using Pinnacle’s Studio 9 (Windows) for a few years and like it a lot. And I’m comfortable with it. And I can’t say the same for iMovie (Mac) so this really wasn’t a fair comparison.
Having said all of that, I find that I can do more with Studio 9. There are probably features in iMovie that I haven’t discovered yet. But my sense is that iMovie is great for making a little DVD of the Easter Egg Hunt or some after-work fetch with your pups (below), but if you want to do much more than a title, some transitions and a music bed… you’ll want something a little more feature-rich. Which I find Studio 9 to be.
But like I said, I’m just groping around here. The video runs 14 minutes and the file is a hefty 21 meg. I optimized for very small screen (about the size of the image to the right). If you expand this to full screen it will look like shit. Keep it small for best results.
Deep thoughts on dog shit
We live on a three-acre, mostly wooded, lot. And I challenge you to walk 50 yards without stepping in a pile of Golden Retreiver poop. As he so often does, Dave offers fresh insight on this endless and thankless task. A couple of my favorites:
You shouldn’t use kitchen utensils to pick up canis crap. My neighbor uses a large soup spoon, and I just can’t endorse that. Nothing I would ever put into my mouth will be used to pick up fecal matter, because I’m fairly aloof, and often deep in thought. What if I got confused? The tool you use says a lot about your personality. A scoop indicates a straight-forward person who attacks a job quickly and efficiently. A dustpan-type tool is a sign of creativity, the user approaching the job with a flair for the dramatic. In my case, I use this thing that resembles a piece of earth-moving equipment. It indicates power, control, and a penchant toward genius.
Lucy and Ripley: Christmas Card
The embargo has been lifted on this year’s Golden Retreiver Holiday Card. Barb has mailed to her list but I’ll got right up to New Year’s Eve and still miss some folks. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras. I don’t think this has anything to do with Katrina…Barb just likes the masks.
If you can imagine the patience required to shoot this photograph, you begin to understand how it has been possible for Barb to live with me for 28 years.
Treo 650
I paid about $500 for Barb’s Treo 600 a couple of years ago when they first came out. The Treo 650 is now the smartest of the “smart phones” and the 600 has dropped to about $300. Whatever value you choose to assign, it’s still the most expensive thing eaten by one of our pups.
Lucy the Hell Hound
Lucy and Ripley: Christmas Card
This year’s card captures our mood perfectly. Lucy –the newest addition to our family– spent September through November in a small, wire crate and wasn’t inclined to “stay” for Barb’s annual card shoot. But the tradition continues and while there’s not quite enough peace in the world, there’s a small patch in front of our fireplace for which we are truely grateful.
Lucy: Free dog
Lucy has been “crated” since the first of September. She is now a free dog.
Pet owners
According to a survey by the American Animal Hosptial Association, 73% of pet owners would go into debt in order to provide for their pet’s well being. Other findings:
20% include their pet in their will
62% celebrate their pet’s birthday. (Of that 62%, 51% sang “Happy Birthday.”)
52% include news about their pet or a photo of their pet in a holiday card
67% said they felt guilty leaving their pet home alone
47% said that when they leave their pet alone they leave on a TV or radio
–Source: AKC Family Dog Magazine
Lucy: 13 weeks
Beautiful spring day. Barb’s 500 tulips are up and looking fine. Lucy and Ripley are old buddies now and play together just fine. Everything is a game to a Golden Retriever puppy, including a drink of water.
