Saturday, June 30, 2007

Friday Five: Gifts and Talents

Sally over at RevGalBlogPals writes: Our Circuit (Methodist) is having a "Gifts and talents day" tomorrow- we have a minister visiting from another circuit who has modified the Myers Briggs personality test and added a few things of his own to run a day where we get to look at ourselves in the light of giftings and of the whole church. The idea is to encourage everyone with the news that there is room for you in the ministry of the church- and perhaps to discover where that ministry might be.....

It should be an interesting day, and one where I hope people will leave feeling encouraged and challenged...

So with gifts and talents in mind here is todays Friday 5:

1. Personality tests; love them or hate them?
The Typist: I'm one of those geeks who finds them fascinating. I first took Myers-Briggs when I was 15, and it's been interesting to see some things shift over the years.
Cub: Well, I guess I don't really like them because dogs only usually take them if they might be in trouble (I remember hearing the phrase "fear biter" when I was little).

2. Would you describe yourself as practical, creative, intellectual or a mixture?
The Typist: Definitely a mixture. It all depends on the situation. And if math is involved, I'm none of those things.
Cub: Probably practical. I know what needs to happen all around me, and I try to keep everyone in line.

3. It is said that everyone has their 15 minutes of fame; have you had yours yet? If so what was it, if not dream away what would you like it to be?
The Typist: I may be having mine right now. It feels odd to get elected to something. Also, I've been doing more writing for the national publication where I work, something that wasn't in my job description until just a few months ago.
Cub: Well, I have a blog, don't I? I'm very famous, as dogs go. But I would still like my own calendar. And maybe I should look into writing a children's book.

4. If you were given a 2 year sabbatical (oh the dream of it) to create something would it be music, literature, art.....something completely different...share your dream with us...
The Typist: I don't know how creative I'd be, because I'd probably focus on travel first. I've had a hankering for Alaska ever since we got back from there last August. But I guess it would probably be literature or music (though with music I'd need a lot of help, as the only instrument I play with any confidence is my own voice).
Cub: I'm with Molly on #4... my whole life is a sabbatical!

5. Describe a talent you would like to develop, but that seems completely beyond you.
The Typist: If I could have the patience to learn to play guitar or piano... I'm pitiful in that I learn a bare minimum of a musical instrument and then flit on to something else. (Currently, my guitar doesn't even have strings.) Instead, I surround myself with musicians I admire. I'm the least technically skilled person in the band, but they still let me sing.
Cub: I would like to be able to let my right ear flop over just at the very tip, like it did until I was about four years old. It only happens now when I'm really, really tired, but I know the thumb-havers think it's adorable.

Bonus question: Back to the church - what does every member ministry mean to you? Is it truly possible to encourage/ implement?
The Typist: It means what it says. Trouble is, many people have never internalized it, and it's an idea that takes a lot of work -- something many of us just aren't used to if we're not getting paid for it. I love Diane's comparison to a bluegrass festival!
Cub: What do I know? I'm a dog. My ministry is to be the best girl I can be and love everybody, even if they're scared of me or they think I don't belong in the house.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Why I Love My Thumb-Haver Cousin

First off, The Typist met back up with us today, and we're glad. And she wants to say that she doesn't know how anyone on dial-up has the patience to blog, and that's why there will be no linking in my post tonight. (Turns out I'm not the only girl in our pack who can be a bit of a priss.)

We got to ride in the car! with The Alpha yesterday for a big long ride to visit the thumb-havers who call us their granddogs. That also means we've been getting to see our Aunt Who Gives Us Cute Bandannas, and our Thumb-Haver Cousin Who Isn't Much Taller Than Us.

Tonight after supper I was feeling a little bit snackish. Nothing to whine about, of course. So I wasn't going to give them any pitiful puppy stares or anything. But when Thumb-Haver Cousin walked by with a Snack Cake in each hand, it sure looked like he was offering to share. So I took him up on the offer.

From the way he reacted, I don't think he really meant for me to eat the whole thing, but he didn't seem too upset. And the bigger thumb-havers all seemed to think it was funny. Then they had me give him poppy kisses, which they also thought was funny. And it meant I got a few more crumbs of Snack Cake.

It did not taste like my usual treats. It didn't even taste like Frosty Paws. It tasted really, really, really good, though. So good that I'm guessing The Alpha and The Typist won't let me have another one any time soon.

Oh, and The Boy got all scared today. The Alpha and Thumb-Haver Cousin were lighting things on fire that made popping sounds, and The Boy went to hide. He feels much safer back inside, where we all are now. He's still Not Quite Right, but then again, he never was.

I think we get to go on another ride in the morning.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Lightning Bugs!

Hey -- The Typist here, liveblogging from a rocking chair on the porch of a cottage at Mount Sequoyah.

And there are Lightning Bugs with me!!!

Yes, more sophisticated types might call them fireflies, but where I grew up they were lightnin' bugs. And they were once the only bugs I would touch voluntarily.

They weren't around when I was up here in May. Must be lightnin' bug season now.

I just caught one and let it crawl around on my hand. It wouldn't light up while I was holding it. (Is there a ministry metaphor there?)

And when I look across the lawn, they're all over the place, showing off beautifully.

We don't have lightnin' bugs in the DFW area. It's times like these I really miss living in Arkansas.

Susan is here in the rocking chair next to me. Folks are talking and laughing all over the grounds. Reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. Good stuff.

Not much else to say... I just got excited about the lightnin' bugs...

Friday, June 15, 2007

We've been double-tagged!

First, Diane tagged The Typist, then Molly tagged me. So, we're going to play together. Here are the rules:

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves. 2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

There were 2 more rules about tagging other bloggers, but lots of people and dogs we know have already played. So, if you want to tag yourself, feel free, and let us know in the comments if you play!

The Typist's turn:

1. I've felt less than stellar all day today. Didn't even want to blog over coffee this morning. No fever or anything, though, so I think I'm just worn out from the week's gallivanting.
2. My Second Knitting Project Ever is at 96.5% completion. Pictures forthcoming.
3. I like snacking on uncooked pasta. Saw my mom do it once while she was cooking macaroni, asked for some myself, and have been hooked for at least 25 years now.
4. The summer before 5th grade I took a two-week cake decorating class, partly because I was pretty sure it meant I got to eat frosting. And I was right.
5. I bought a used piano recently. Needs tuning. Also, I haven't played in oh, 24 years.
6. I'm left-handed, but pretty much only for writing and percussion. Oh, and batting, which I don't do very often.
7. On Wednesday, my college roommate left me voice mail saying she just saw someone who looked very much like me boarding a plane at Home State's Capital City Airport. I called her back to tell her it wasn't very much like me, it was me, but by the time I landed and got the message, her plane was in the air. We finally caught each other and had a good laugh about it a couple of hours later.
8. On Tuesday, I was working a hallway display table at a conference and discovered that the person at the table next to me was also a RevGalBlogPal! Unintentional Meetup! Here we are Against A Brick Wall:

Cub's turn:
1. When I first got my family, I looked like this:


2. When The Boy first got our family, I wouldn't let him up on my couch. I got over it, though.



3. I have a wavy bit of fur on my hindquarters. It wasn't wavy until it grew back in, after those crazy people at the special vet shaved it off.

4. Today we got to go for a walk down the block to the building with the Treat Window. That's where The Alpha and The Typist hand over a slip of paper, say my name, and get a white paper bag. The Boy and I get really big Milk Bones and we eat them right there under the Treat Window. Then we look up again to see if we might get more.

5. When thumb-havers sing "Happy Birfday" into the phone, I like to bark along.

6. I like a freshly-mown yard. It's better for doing business. I have been known to put my business on hold if the grass is too tall.

7. I can sometimes be a bit of a priss.

8. I don't fall for the offer to lick the lid from the Frosty Paws anymore. I know the thumb-havers are hiding the whole cup behind their backs. The lid isn't worth my time -- make with the Frosty Paws already!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Some important thing: General Conference

Last night The Typist and The Alpha were talking a lot about this big important thing called General Conference. Turns out The Typist is going there.

The Boy and I are hoping that even though we can't go (General Conference is Not For Poppies), maybe we can visit her while she's there, because it's not as far from home as a lot of places we've gone on rides (and we like rides!).

Sunday, June 03, 2007

RevGalDogPal meetup!

The Typist just came home from church stuff and has to go to more church stuff, so she doesn't have time to help recount the story of our wonderful RevGalDogPal (and RevGalBlogPal) meetup yesterday. But that's okay, because Mary Beth helped Josie and Boudreaux tell all about it on her blog. Go read it!