Dogs with Dreads, Stargates, Scary Suns and More!

Poor Mr. Chee getting shaved

We recently shaved Chee Chee, during which we realized that his fluff hid doggy dreads. We often tease that since we have feisty little Teyla, Comanche must be Ronon: He's big, can be somewhat intimidating but is really a sweetheart, and is constantly harassed, picked on, and abused by Teyla. It seems fitting. Well, now with his doggy dreads, I think he fits the bill a bit more. Just don't tell Ronon that Cheechers is neutered, has a "girly" bark, and hides under the deck if he thinks you have any intention of brushing him. Actually, maybe that last part works for Ronon, too...

Chee Chee is very nervous

I headed back over to my university last week to meet with my screenplay professor one last time. He gave me coverage from some reader with 4 MA degrees, and the reader was very distraught that my script, a work of fiction, did not follow the "official version" of the myth of Andromache. I had to laugh. It's a myth. It's fiction. There is no official version. And to add insult to injury, he cited the Aeneid as the "official" version. The Aeneid? As in the epic written by Virgil long after the founding of Rome, hundreds of years after the death of Homer, written as an entertaining fiction about how Rome was founded? Other than the fact that there are numerous conflicting versions of the myth (and for the record, mine is "inspired by" Homer's Iliad and Euripides' Trojan Women) Virgil was just playing with the cast of characters like I am. The only difference is he lived a few thousand years ago and is dead. We always give dead people a lot more respect than living people.

This reader warned that if my script were ever made, the critics might have a field day pointing out the discrepancies between my story and the "official" Aeneid version. To address this, my professor pointed at three dudes in the room who are making a movie.

"You, you ever read the Aeneid? You ever heard of it? Any idea who wrote it?"
One guy half-heartedly responded, "....I'm guessing Homer?"
My teacher looked at me with a slight smile. "You don't have a problem."

Hey -- to be honest, I hadn't ever even heard of the Aeneid until I read it as a college freshman in an honors course. "Virgil was just playing with the characters like I did. It would be as if I wrote the mythical story for the founding of California."

My professor's eyes lit up. "You should say that -- if anyone asks you, just be totally cocky and be like, 'yeah, I made up my own founding myth.'" Didn't I say this guy was inspirational? And I think I'm a big enough jerk to pull it off.

As I mentioned in my last post, smoke from a massive blaze down south has choked the air for days. Because of the wind, it was worse on the other side of the mountain range where my university is. I went up to the eighth floor of the library (so cool!) and took some pictures. You might not notice much if you're not familiar with the landscape, but the area isn't really flat. There is a range of mountains on the horizon... a range almost invisible in the smoke.





While up there I noticed a new something on the lawn.


Upon further investigation, I realized that it was a stargate with a pyramid-shaped DHD. I wonder if this is a new style the Ancients are trying out?


For fun, I filmed going down the 8 stories... and since I'm elevator challenged, yes, I did press the button for lobby instead of ground floor, and was mildly panicked when I was suddenly underground...

That same day I came home to find out that the poor Toot had torn a ligament in her back leg while wrestling with Comanche. I guess his inner Ronon finally came out. Plus the vet told us Teyla needed to loose 5lbs so maybe her fat was her undoing. Either way, it's very sad to see her hobbling about on three legs, but thankfully her leg will heal without surgery. She just has to rest for 3 weeks. And rest she has...

The Toot and her yoga sleeping positions

The smoke here has been dense throughout the week. This is what the view looks like today, which has been a pretty good day as far as smoke goes, though it's usually much clearer:


And this is what it looked like earlier in the week:


Last night my older brother and younger sister and I all had dizzy spells and felt light-headed. We assumed it was from the smoke... and also wondered if a peyote crop was burning or something.

Though last evening was the scariest. "You guys should come look at the sun," my older brother said. I headed out, wrapped in a blanket, expecting to see the same neon-orange sunset that has been common lately (as in the pictures in this post) and here:



...but was instead stopped in my tracks. I've never seen anything like it before. The sun was a vibrantly glowing red orb. Talk about disturbing. A blood red sun?! We tried to photograph it, but to make matters even scarier, it was impossible. As you'll see in this picture, the sun didn't even show up, even though it was in the shot!

Imagine that shade of red light times at least 10

The closest I got was this one where there is no color to the sun. You can see hints of red... but like a vampire, the red sun's image couldn't be recorded.

...yikes...

That coupled with the dizziness was enough to make the idea of aliens poisoning us all seem probable.

Well, this will be my last post for a while since we're heading off to go camping soon. Yes... heading into an area where the smoke is even worse than here. Not the brightest idea...

"Help us, George Bush!" my dad shouted at a low-flying chopper that passed by beneath the red sun last evening. Governor Schwarzenegger asked President Bush to declare California's wildfires as a federal emergency, and he has. It's about damn time. Hopefully this will bode well for resources to help combat the blazes. The air quality in many places is 10 times the federal standard for clean air.

So if you don't see a post by me for two weeks or so... don't assume I'm dead! ;)

To end things on a lighter note, here is an old clip (from 2006, I think) of what daily life is usually like (and no, there is no further explanation other than what you see here). Enjoy!

I get a visit from a "doctor":

Mackenzie's Momma - That's so cool! I'm so proud of you. You'll have to share any updates. ;) And 4-6 inches? Whoa!

Mo - ...2 1/2 FEET? You have balls, girl! Wow. And you're lucky that you like the cold! I'm such a wuss. I went to Ireland and froze. It's supposedly not good for me, but I love the sun. :)

Until next time, I hope you are all well, safe, and enjoying life! Much love, laughter, light, and inspiration!