#I see a lot of dachshund people saying you can't only have one

[wyrddogs]

Do you have any idea what breed your next dog will be?

Dachshund! When Zaku is two I will consider my living situation and how crazy I feel and then acquire myself a second mini longhaired dachshund.

Thanks for asking!

[pbandjesse]

I am so tired. Everyone thought I was taking off from the market today but I did not! I was there and I spent more money then I made but it was a beautiful day and I'm glad I was there. And I got a lot done today.

I slept alright. When I got home James helped bring everything upstairs. And I hate to go to sleep with a big mess but there was only so much we could do. They would sort the laundry and at least get things into the correct rooms. But it was just a lot to get done. I would save that for today.

We went to sleep and I woke up at one point to use the bathroom and got very woozy and almost fell over. I really wanted a mournful of peanut butter but instead was able to make it back to bed and fell asleep.

I woke up after 7 and got ready pretty quick. My hair was looking really nice today. Like healthy nice. I have been liking it after I wash it and it's really doing wonders for me. Especially as we get into winter and the air gets dryer I am trying to focus on hair health so it can grow longer. Trying not to use much heat and being gentle. A little self care project.

We went to McDonald's and got 3 hash browns to share and then James helped me get set up for the day. Stanley had to head out so James couldn't lollygag outside with me. They don't often anyway but I still want them too. After I got set up we got our bakery stuff from Ginny early. And I would go back and pay for it because James had to run back inside.

I was a little fidgety at first today and wanted to walk around and see everyone. Lock gave me a fancy tomato for free. I got my guacamole and figured out why it's been weird. It's a different kind of avacado! I don't know enough Spanish to ask the nice man why but I saw them and they are lime color and longer. I still like the guac but Google says they don't have as much oil and that's why they are sort of thinner. Not as whippable. Still good but not as amazing as it was. I am still going to eat so much of it.

I also got berries and I got some figs. I got the figs for Anne, James's mom, because she loves figs. There is a joke about being waspy in there but I will let you write that yourself. Hopefully we can give her and Tucker those tomorrow. Maybe we'll have dinner with them.

I was happy to see CJ. Callie is just so good at making people flowers and it's super nice to have a friend there. I would make her a friendship bracelet while I was standing there trying to get any sales. It was a slow day for me. But not for the market. We got almost 700 people throughout the morning! That's crazy!

I didn't recognize her at first but Julie from the nursery came through and said hi. I was like hello, I know you but I'm not sure why but I'm not going to say that. And finally she mentioned Becky and I was like ohhh!!! It was because I had never seen her without a mask! She had a baby! He was so cute! And she had two dachshunds! It was nice to see her and she bought one of my sale bears. She said I can't say I haven't sold anything now and it was very sweet.

I only sold $10 bears today. Which is fine. I also sold 4 stickers. I need to get some new stuff for the table. I also need to have James order more sticker designs. I want to do some Halloween, or more likely all the holidays, ones this week I think. Maybe when we drove to my parents on Tuesday.

I did get some knitting done. And I enjoyed the weather. But it was also super windy and so I was a little stressed about things falling over which made me on edge. And then I was cold. Me and Callie went and stood in the sun and I sat in the dog sculpture which was very warm and we learned his name is Sailor which I thought was so cute.

Meril was there too and it was fun talking to her. I told her about Louis Wain and a tattoo I want to get and I made us both cry. And w sent texts to each other from across the market about the people who were very very clearly there for the jazz concert. With their berets and shirts just in their shoulders. And the music was good and wasn't as unbearably loud.

Ann was being bad cop at people because they were putting their cars where they shouldn't or letting there dogs fight or using market tables for eating?? But it was nice chatting with her too. We actually all catty and I come up with reasonable doubt. Like apparently someone didn't come last week because their mother died. But then their mother came with them this week. And I'm like. Maybe they have two mothers, maybe they were in a beautiful lesbian relationship you don't know!! That is basically how all our conversations go. She says something and I make a wild or outrageous explanation.

I was really excited to leave though. I had told James I would get groceries if they wanted me too but I was also super tired. They told me to go rest and they would come home and while they were working on laundry they would get groceries. I appreciated that. And a little after one, and after giving Callie a big hug and telling her to let me know if I could help her move/unpack this week because I love unpacking. She also told me she got her placement for teaching and she's really happy so I'm also really happy for her!!

I went inside to say goodbye to James and then I was out. Getting home was better then yesterday when everyone was driving stupid. But in the other direction towards the museum exit was completely sitting still and there seemed to be a bad accident in the middle of the traffic?? I hope everyone and everything is okay.

I got home and ran into Mr Will outside who gave me many cheek kisses because it's been like two months since I've seen him. He seemed so much healthier then the last time. I wanted to stay and chat but I was also so tired. So I had to say goodbye and come upstairs.

I got up here and I wanted to start cleaning but decided I would sleep as long as I needed, which ended up being until 5, and then would spend as long as was needed to get everything away.

And I fell asleep hard. I slept for almost 3 hours. I really needed it. And when I woke up I got redressed and had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. James was at the store still. And I spent a few minutes waking up and feeling like a person again.

Once I was awake I got into organizing. And would spend the next 3 hours sorting and putting away. I am not done, but at least it's better. Things have spots for now. I want to get some vacuum saver bags for some of our extra pillows and blankets. And I want to get rid of some stuff. But at least for now I have made great progress. And James helped a lot. They sorted my basket of half finished projects and fabrics and put them in the boxes I have gotten for that. And I worked on the closet in the studio. Finally got the cart in there. And I am just really pleased. I also found a better way to keep my extra garment rack and I'm going to use it for all my coats for now. Which frees up the closet even more.

I also started going through my lotions and makeups again. I got rid of a half trash bags worth of lotions and deodorant and makeup. All expired. Or weird smelling. James is going to go through our nail polish at some point this week and I am going to go through the bathroom closet. We just have a lot of half finished things and stuff we aren't using. And it needs to get cleared out. I'm very happy with what we got done though. Even if the work continues.

Around 9 I finally got a shower. And laid down. And now I am ready to get some sleep. James just came in the room and immediately sneezed so loud. Causing a commotion. And I'm sitting here texting stupid stuff to Celia and Jess is telling me about her day. And I feel happy.

Tomorrow I hope to get more organizing done. I also want to make a list of stuff I want to accomplish this week. I want to use my two weeks well. I hope you all have a good Sunday it's also my brother's birthday! He's going to be 30!! I love him very much. Maybe when we go see my parents on Tuesday we can see him for a minute. We will see what happens.

I love you all. Sleep good. Take care of yourself!!

[irrigos]

ok here is my objectively correct ranking of chandler groover fl stories (sorry there was a recent study independently conducted by me that determined my subjective opinion of fl is actually objectively correct)

1. Cricket, Anyone? - yeah, I'm basic. what about it. everyone talks about how the lore reveal is cool (and it is) but also more importantly: its funny. i love when fallen london has jokes

2. Por Una Cabeza - this one is actually tied for first. i think cricket is more ICONIC (and funnier overall) but I think this one might be a stronger narrative. Which one is actually in first depends entirely on which one i thought about most recently

3. Paisley - it was hilarious that right around when this story came out, which is all about making outfit changes to unlock more story, fbg tried to do the outfit lock thing. lol. perhaps even lmao.

4. Codename: Sugarplum - I don't think you could conceive of an animal that i would be less interested in trying to help than a miniature dachshund. but this story was pretty fun anyway

5. SALON SCANDAL! - A little creativity in presentation goes a long way when youre playing a bunch of exceptional stories in quick succession, and a story that is a flashback to not long after you arrived in London, where you not only get to choose your own choices, but what is at least publicly considered to be The Truth of the situation? That's fun! That's novel! I even like the fact that you don't ever get to learn what ACTUALLY happened- did you lie to the reporter? Did you tell the truth? Does it matter? What you told him is what people know. That's functionally the truth. But this one gets points off for deciding my character's motivations for me in the end, and also because the base story is kinda boring.

6. my kingdom for a pig - sorry for being a big thicky bo-bo but this one gets points off for the whole ending sequence being confusing to me. There's a particular style of writing that shows up a lot in FL where things are evocatively written, but vague and abstract. Some people really like this. That's why SMEN is popular, and people claimed to have enjoyed Flint. I think it sucks! My brain just slides right off them because I can't find something concrete to actually hang onto. I managed to grasp what was happening in this one a little better than other examples of this style of writing (see: Flint, which is my nemesis and I will not rest until I see it slain) but it's still a little off-putting to me and I don't enjoy it. Also I can't stop thinking about the way that FL tells you about it's lore, which is to say, it doesn't really. What the fuck is a Stone Pig? I mean, I know because I read the wiki, but what if I was just trying to learn about FL by playing it? Where does this come up? I think it's just in Sunless Sea, and here. And maybe a little mention in the Taste of Lacre stuff? idk. i also think the stone pigs lore is so rarely brought up that it seems kind of superfluous to the fallen london lore. i dont really know what's added by there being another animal that lives on/in the bazaar that propels it through the high wilderness. i would have just assumed that was like. a power it had. "How does the bazaar travel between stars?" is not a question i would have asked because i would have assumed it can just. do that.

7. caveat emptor - i was really on board with this one when i started it, because i was like "oh cool its like fallen london dracula!!! i love it when they do classic lit in the exceptional stories" but i think it kinda got up its own ass with its own lore, and lost the Dracula energy and also didn't have any of the humor that I really liked in the best groover stories

7. the hurlers/discordance storyline - remember above, when I said that I don't like the poetic but vague style of writing that is common in fl?? Yeah. the discordance stuff is also easier for me to follow than Flint but it is, unfortunately, kind of annoying. its all like "you DONT walk up the stairs and you DONT go into the anchoress's kitchen and you CERTAINLY ABSOLUTELY DO NOT eat all her doritos and then leave the bag on the counter" like ok i get it. youre being so obscure and mysterious. heres a medal. can we just get to the story already.

9. the crocodile who would be king - what even happened in this one. what was i trying to achieve. im sure all you smarty smart heads are gonna read this and be like 'UMMMMM irrigos it was VERY clear" but please consider the fact that i am disabled and also i am dumb and cant read. why am i here? why did this ask me to help? what am i even trying to help them do? why did this story take like 100 actions? i liked the fact that there was a nemesis tie in at the end though. thats always a hoot.

[wyrddogs]

Something that is on my mind currently: The formality of AKC events vs the more lax nature of most other organizations.

Thoughts? Which is your preference and why?

This is a great question and I've been chewing on it all evening. We'll just train-of-thought it:

So I am obviously involved in a bunch of dog sports and I also regularly volunteer for four different clubs. I am at a mixture of AKC and non-AKC events more or less equally.

For conformation, I've been to one (1) AKC specialty and had a negative experience. My dachshund is 75% workingline and he does not match what is winning in the ring. The judge was rude to me and the club president told me to stick to sports. I'm more pissed than upset, but it has affected me. I've entered Zaku in the terv specialty next weekend and oh my god I am so anxious. I don't want to be treated badly again.

I love UKC confo shows. They're so relaxed. You can wear whatever you want. At the Western Classic I 100% planned to dress up but the nosework trial started an hour late so I ended up doing containers with Kermit, then picking him up and running back to my car so I could grab Zaku and run to the herding dog ring. It's the big huge regional on the West Coast and I walked into the ring wearing jeans and a t-shirt and no one batted an eye.

They're also super welcoming. I see so many people who like. don't show. at all, and they enter their dogs just to try it out and other competitors just adopt them into the fold and give them tips and lend them show leads and the judge will patiently walk them through how to gait them. It's so nice.

For agility I've done CPE, AKC, and USDAA. I did CPE for quite some time before I went, wait I'm not enjoying, this, and allowed myself to quit. I dislike points games and you have to get up to Level 5 in every single points game to get your CATCH. Also, CPE is only offered by one single facility in my area and I don't care for a lot of the people there (love the facility owners, can't say the same for their employees). I haven't gotten into NADAC because the closest NADAC shows are held at this facility and there is a lot of overlap in attendance.

I like AKC agility just fine. There is a Lot of Shit that goes on at AKC trials, and the atmosphere is a hell of a lot more competitive than CPE, but I'm not really turned off or anything. The one USDAA trial I've been to was a lot like AKC, but I think that's because there's a ton of overlap in the people who attend. The cool people who I like that do AKC also do USDAA. I may have opinions on course differences now that I have a fast, competitive dog, but with Kermit and Bindi I don't really care? Though USDAA courses are super long so Kermit may struggle. We'll see.

I have no real interest in any of the European clubs. Like ISO or whatever it's called. I am not that competitive and the vibes kind of repel me.

I've only done AKC tracking and a lot of the people are super lovely and I enjoy spending time with them.

I've been to AKC earthdog and AWTA den trials. The earthdog trials I've been to are put on by the dachshund clubs (aka the club I left in aggravation and the club I refuse to join), so that kind of colors my perception. The AWTA den trials have been put on by real terrier people-- little old ladies in their 70s and 80s who have been hunting their terriers underground on tough game for 50 years. So they are very no-nonsense and they know more about dogs than I ever will. I like them. In terms of setup the tunnels and rules are basically the same. They're even held at the same locations.

Nosework-- I've had very limited experience, though my goal for this winter is to get Kermit through Novice and make good headway on Open (or Advanced?). I'd like to get his L1 someday but NACSW offers so few shows close to me at times that are convenient for me, so who knows when that will happen.

Tons of overlap. Everyone who is volunteering at trials is competing in both venues. A lot of people who are really serious about nosework (students of the sport) are competing at both venues. I will say the NASCW diehards tend to be pretty snobby towards AKC. I think both venues have a lot to offer so it kind of depends on how you feel. The single UKC nosework trial I've been to is even easier than AKC because they allow faults in Novice.

Racing/Fast CAT-- I will say Fast CATs tend to be a hell of a lot more chaotic. They also take a lot longer. And I've seen way more loose and runaway dogs (as in, leave the track and rapidly leaving the parking lot too). I think it's mostly because it attracts casual people who may or may not have trained their dogs, and LGRA tends to attract people who are a bit more serious about racing? Also, the LGRA/CWA meets I volunteer at offer practice sessions which are SO. INCREDIBLY. HELPFUL. when you are starting a dog. Sometimes a dog only needs a ten foot bump to start out and that's it! You can also start your baby puppy in practice sessions. You can spend their first year doing really short sprints so they learn the ropes (this is what I'm doing with Zaku) before they start competition runs. It is incredibly helpful.

With a Fast CAT your dog runs or it doesn't and it's at the club's discretion whether they are willing to work with you or not. Also Fast CATs are super expensive compared to LGRA.

I will say that CWA does have whippet snobs, which is kind of annoying. But the extremely lovely whippet people do make up for it. And honestly most breeds have snobs, so whatever.

I don't have as much experience with CATs/lure coursing but honestly the same clubs are putting them on so the same observations apply.

I am probably leaving something out but these are my observations. Also I volunteer whenever I am not actively warming up, cooling down, running, or exercising my dogs, so people tend to be very nice to me. That definitely influences my opinions; if I kept to myself more people might not be as welcoming.

Thank you for asking!