Breathing Again

Hello All! Woof and yip yip!

I'd like to first apologize for this unexpected haitus, I could list any number of factors but basically I missed a few posts, and then my blog got placed on a back-burner. Will cookies help? *Hands out cookies to all my loyal readers* "Bunnies, you don't count! You already ate the rest of the cookie dough!"

Harumph, and Ahem! Now then, some good news from the past few weeks. I've taught myself to juggle! I figured it was high time I apply my intellect and brain to learning a new skill. I thought about skydiving, spelunking, or interplanetary space travel, then finally settled on juggling. It's an imperative skill to have, and easily applicable to any situation. Family dinner? Juggle apples for entertainment! Shopping? Juggle merchandise! Camping? Juggle your friend's flashlight and batteries! erm, haha, just kidding. Anyway, it was relatively easy, but took more time than I expected. I've gotten in about 20 min. a day for the past 2 weeks or so, and have the basics down okay now. Just more practice needed! Let's see, what else? My master took me to a Renaissance Fair! We saw maidens, knights, and jousting! It was a lot of fun, and I intend to go to more in the future. :D We also acquired a new movie called Zootopia! It is now the bunnies' favorite movie. (Gee, I wonder why)

Well, I suppose that's all for now. Things are mostly less crazy now, so expect a semi-regular posting every week, I'll try to keep to Tue./Th. but you may only see 1 a week for a little while.

Is there anything you'd like to see in particular? I will most likely post updates mixed with reviews for upcoming movies and technology, but I could also do a home life / adulting type blog. Part of this blog's issue is that it's thoughts and musings and doesn't have a real cohesive theme to it. Any input is appriciated!

Until next time,
Sheepdog

Bah!

Well, summer is almost here! (school-wise speaking) and work is becoming crazy for poor shaggy! He's been working late and is rather tired. :( But he insists next week we will get to go on more walks, hooray!

A note about the Rabbits

Allo chaps!
Although their origin story is quite a bite more complicated and much more entertaining (I shall have to sit down and write it one of these days), I shall have to suffice with a piece of it. The rabbits which run around tugging my ears and asking for cookies have a sort of sixth sense. That is, they are attracted to a mood, or setting rather like a red herring. A red herring is a bright red bird (he goes by many names) and waits until a story or adventure is underway and then flys right through it like an acrobat, expecting all eyes to be on him. He then flys back out, waiting for his next act.

Where was I? Ah yes, about the rabbits. They have a similar personality, only tend to wait until the audience is almost begging for a break from the mundane. It's that moment after a long day at work, or more often, right in the middle of a long day where one asks oneself, "can anything else go wrong?" or 2.3 hours into a final exam where hysterical laughter is heard because your still on page 1 of your notes. It was during these kind of times when the rabbits came bounding in from all over.

Anyways, in a way, I rather like those hectic days, they make you appreciate the quiet days more, and leave you with a sense of accomplishment and adventure. Sort of like the "that was a horrible day, but what a story it will make!" kind of adventure.

Yesterday was rather like that, noisy neighbors, 1 day after getting over a cold, sore neck from the bunnys antics (dropped a plate of brownies and I had to run over to catch them). Then, the fire alarm goes off and the halls of my master's work get flooded!

Anyways, this is quite rambling because my brain has been used up today thinking up plans for the weekend (wot wot)! Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone, and I'll see you next week hopefully with a story or two to tell.

Woof

Word Game

 Creative Writing Challenge for the day: See what you can type using only one hand, or section of the keyboard! For example, you can use just your left hand and the left side of the keyboard, or right hand, or home row, etc! Good luck!

Left hand only 
we reserved seats at a secret starcraft fest.
we were arrested after dad ate deer eggs
we are scared at a secret were-fest. 

Top row only
we owe it to you to pepper your puppy
to torture you we tore up your poetry

Right hand only
uh, my polky puppy jump on moon.
pumpkin lollipop

Enjoy!

Free Write Challenge

“Never before in the history of warfare had there been a continuing explosive; indeed, up to the middle of the twentieth century the only explosives known were combustibles whose explosiveness was due entirely to their instantaneousness; and these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange even to the men who used them.”

This is an excerpt from H.G. Wells The World Set Free, in which he predicts not only atomic bombs, but the idea that humans are creating devices designed to harness more and more energy and power. In today’s world, the subject of power and especially energy is all over the news. We may not have flying cars, or cities floating in the sky, but we have instantaneous communication over the vast majority of the entire world, video calls via smartphones and computers, and a great many robots. In a sense, we are living in the future. However, what might the world look like in 100 years? My free-write challenge today is to write about an aspect of what life might be like 100 years from now. Have fun!

Mankind has been struggling ever since the great oil crisis of 2082, where the world’s last supply of oil was used to save the Mars Mission. The colony on mars was only beginning to prosper, but needed additional supplies faster than our modified ion engines could deliver them. Our new united nations had voted to send up rockets with a load of seedlings, oxygen canisters, and medical supplies. This trip would take 12 rockets, using the last 6 tankers of crude pulled from the Pacific Ocean. The oil reserves in China and the Middle East had already been tapped and emptied 2 decades prior, and Alaska had finally been drilled out, the investors leaving not even enough oil for a kerosene lamp. As crude oil was becoming rarer and more expensive, alternate energy sources were sought out. Building on the research of the early 2010’s, countries and factions had been producing windmills, lithium batteries, and dams to lower their reliance on crude oil. But it was not enough. By 2100, the cobalt and silicon mines (used for lithium) were dry, and windmills couldn’t power cars, although Elon Musk was rumored to have a windmill powered yacht. Old gas powered cars filled wasteland dumps all over the world. The remaining cars were an odd assortment of electric cars running on decade-old lithium batteries, and new cars which used a blend of new energy sources. MazX, a Chinese company, was using miniature nuclear reactors in their cars, although the rods had to be swapped out every 250,000 miles. An india car company was using solar panels, but they were running out of silicon to continue mass producing them. Meanwhile, America, a dwindling nation, was back to using coal power motors, albeit with hyper efficient steam engines. Canada, or North Britain, as it is now called, was researching Moon-powered cars, attempting to harness the power of the tides by using a material called “super water” that reacts strongly with the moons gravitational pull. These test cars worked great at full moon, but with a new moon, would hardly get up to 20 miles an hour. Bicycles were back in full production, as were dog sleds, at least among the teens. The landscape however, would be forever scarred. Mass landfills dotted the world. Empty drilling platforms and mines were everywhere. The future had arrived.

Unexpected Haitus

Terribly sorry chaps and chappesses!

Life gets in the way sometimes I suppose, and this was one of those times. Let's see, what all have I been up to these past 2 weeks? Last week was the beginning of testing. Even Bunnies have tests I suppose. I donned my monocle and clipboard and sat giving tests for a week. It was regular spring training, warrior fights, and of course, eating contests. I must say, Blue bunny did quite well, although he began nibbling on the counter and nearly got disqualified!

Then of course, we ran into some technical issues. The go-pro's the bunnies donned when practicing running and hopping were a little to heavy for them and the flopped ears  over scut. naturally, we had to invent mini go-pro's about the size of a golf ball, small enough to neatly fit between their ears. Problem resolved, we then entered the quite ludicrous business of selling bunny-cams, and almost missed the final exam! Anyway, we flew to Scotland for the final exam, (hopping over a rainbow) and took third place! But then Blue Bunny lost most of our winnings (not to mention our profits from the bunny-cams) by dropping it over the ocean as we flew home. He claimed he used to throw pennies in a wishing well, and when he was a wishing well as big as the ocean he couldn't resist and make thousands of wishes while the rest of us slept. Whether that is the true story (after finding out he snuck a Parcheesi board on the plane) is anyone's guess...

For those interested in what Sheepdog's master was up to during the week and a half, it was mostly boring work stuff, and a fair bit of house cleaning. Boring things really..

April Fools 2016

April Fools Day is coming! Quick! Hide! Or, better yet, join in the fun!

1. Buy package of oreos. swap out filling for toothpaste. Place in staff lounge
2. Freeze a roommates toothbrush or hairbrush in a cup of water. Place back in its original place.
3. Set clocks back 1 hour. Watch them scramble out of bed and off to work before they figure it out.
4. Place a piece of tape on the bottom of a computer mouse.
5. Place a few swabs of food coloring to the inside of a tap. The water will change color.
6. Place a cup upside down in the staff lounge. Write "do not open unless you plan to kill it" on the cup.
7. small plastic bugs.
8. Set amusing timers on someones smartphone.
9. ctrl+alt+down arrow on someones computer.
10. Buy someone a treat. Then tell them Happy April Fools day! do nothing to the treat but pretend you did.

Any other great prank ideas? Enjoy!

Numenera

Good Morning All!
You may see a few posts regarding a D&D Role Playing game called Numenera. This is similar to Pathfinder, but includes less dice rolling, and more making-things-up-ish. It's been a fun adventure, but our current characters are about to the end of their quest so we are working on new characters who are all in the same traveling circus! Here's my new character so far. His name is Solas:

“Draolis* is the most populated land in the Steadfast and also one of the wealthiest. Its banner depicts six interwoven spheres, but most people refer to it as the Tiger Banner. Centuries ago, Draolis was home to a powerful queen who ruled the land with a firm hand. Her symbol was a roaring tiger, and her armies crushed all those around her. When her line died out, power in Draolis was seized by a council of wealthy plutocrats who didn’t want another hereditary monarchy to take control. The Council of Spheres abolished the tiger symbology, but many people remember the tales from that time and long for that former glory. Although the council lacks the flair of the tiger rulers of the past, Draolis has not abandoned its ways. The nation remains a military power, with might comparable to that of its chief rival, Navarene. In fact, the Order of Truth is the only thing that keeps these two countries from warring openly. The Draolic-Born are fiercely proud of their homeland. Some of the older families still carry relics from Draolis’ glory days.”

Raynaldus “Solas” Claymar was born in Castle Sarrat, a small castle located near the center of Draolis, about 35 miles West of Kordech, and 250 miles East of Qi. The Castle was first discovered by the Claymar family over 70 years ago. The castle was empty and derelict, save for a strange machine they found in the basement. This machine could produce food, enough for hundreds of people. On occasion, the machine would spit out shin, hidden in slices of decadent food much to its occupants delight. Delighted at the abundance, the Claymar family settled there.

Old family records in the library told of a famous magician and performer who used to live there. He would travel the Steadfast giving performances, each more extravagant than the last. As his fame grew, so did the Castle. However, the magician began to fade, it was said, and one day disappeared altogether. After he was gone, the Castle dwindled, and shrank. 20 years after moving in, when the Claymar family had settled and began to prosper, they woke to find a new room they had never seen nor explored before. Since then, extra rooms, hallways, and even whole floors have seemingly appeared from nowhere! The family keeps this aspect about the Castle as quiet as possible, and have gone to great lengths to hide the additions the Castle has made so as not to suspect the local passerby. One day, the Castle decided to repaint the outside into a roaring tiger. Fearful that this might be seen as an affront to the council of spheres, the Claymars spent that summer repainting the entire Castle back to a stone-colored grey.

Raynaldus, or Solas, as he liked to be called, was born to entertain. As an infant, his wide range of facial expressions and joyous giggle became a source of joy for all in the house. By age 5 he was juggling. By age 10 he could play the violin better than most. By the time he was 15, there weren’t many outlying villages who hadn’t heard of him. As his fame grew, the Castle began to grow as well. The Claymar’s were delighted at their prosperity, but over time began to wonder what happened to the old magician. Before Solas left for Qi, they warned him about the magician’s mysterious fate. Solas laughed it off and preferred not to dwell on it. But the seed of doubt remained…

Solas is loyal to Draolis, and lives for the glory of his homeland and his family. He can command large audiences, and hold them in an almost trance-like state during his performances. He is meticulous and emotional, and takes great care in his stage costumes and his equipment. Solas demands perfection from himself. At age 16, he spent 3 years practicing the perfect bow for his act. His bow, combining a twist and handstand cannot be mimicked by anyone in the Steadfast. Before leaving the Castle, he woke to find a very old instrument in a case by his cot and an ancient flag bearing the symbol of the roaring lion. He carries these wherever he goes and would give his own life for either of these possessions. He relies on wit and guile over weapons but carries an antique knife wherever he goes. 

*Jump on Google, and look up "map of Numenera" to get a feel for where Draolis is. 

Ah, Spring Break

It's been a little while I guess, hasn't it? Sorry for the delay chaps, I was busy taking naps and munching cookies and apples over the past week. Ha, my masters were hard at work though, climbing ladders and mending books. Anyways, happy Spring! Easter was a blast around here, although very busy! We didn't even have time to arrange Easter Baskets! Ah well, the bunnies had a good time, we got to hide some Easter eggs for relatives which included an adult Easter egg hunt! I got to hide a few eggs; in the freezer, hidden under a mattress, all kinds of unusual places. :) My master is back to taking me on walks (jogs) everyday which has been nice. In any event, I should be back to my regular(ish) double posting a week. As always, feel free to reply with post ideas or topics as they come to mind. :)

Happy Tuesday!

Snack Ideas for Spring!

Quick Snack Ideas!

You glance around. Your eyes fall on the Costco sized bag of chocolate chips you promised would be set aside for baking. After a few moments of pondering you reach a decision. Either bake something (which is actually healthier than quaffing gratuitous amounts of chocolate chips) or find a quick slightly healthier snack. Here is a list of small snacks that can be made in under 5 minutes:

Apple Pie innards:

Craving apple pie but have no time to make the crust? Easy! Just make the middle. Grab an apple and slice it as thin as you can. Arrange said apple on a plate or pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Top with 2 pats of butter. Either toast for 2-5 minutes or microwave. Enjoy!

Quesadilla:

They’re quick, light, and crunchy! Could turn into dinner also! Alternatively, just fry up the tortilla in butter (for flour) or oil (for corn) add a pinch of salt, and eat plain!

Cocoa:

Don’t underestimate the power of cocoa, it’s more filling than tea, and perfect for a little pick-me-up. Add some melted chocolate chips, or a candy cane, or grated orange peel to spice it up. For an exotic taste, and the smallest hint of cinnamon and chili powder (yes, I just watched chocolate, and yes, it was a great movie).

Chocolate covered…?

Put a small handful of chocolate chips into a bowl, and add about 1-3 teaspoons of Crisco or shortening. Microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted. Stir with spoon, and dip random things into it. Gummi bears, oranges, bananas, pinecones, etc.

Pancakes:

Although these seem time consuming, I’ve made them in about 5-10 minutes with instant pancake mix. Stir a small bowl up, add some toppings (either the aforementioned chocolate chips, or butter). The trick to quick, light snacking is to make sand-dollar sized pancakes, and make them really thin. This way they don’t fill you up too much before/after dinner.

Cheese Stick:

Often times, I’m not really hungry per say, but just want to play with food. A cheese stick is the perfect solution. You can nibble away on it while sipping tea and reading a book.