There are cat people, and there are dog people. I'm a dog person, which is a bit of a problem because I'm allergic to them. Well, to their dander. I'm also allergic to cats, but that's not so much of a problem, because I don't actually have a cat. I do, however, have a dog. In honor of my allergy-inducing canine friend, here are a few doggy randoms:
1. All dogs are descendants of a weasel-like critter called the Miacis which lived in trees and dens. The Miacis later evolved into the Tomarctus, which was a forbear of the genus Canus. The genus Canus includes dogs, wolves, and jackals.
2. Dogs have three eyelids. The third lid, called a nictitating membrane or “haw,” lubricates and protects the eye.
3. The dog on the Cracker Jacks box is named Bingo.
4. Dogs can hear sounds from four times farther away than humans.
5. The majority of experts believe that humans domesticated dogs before donkeys, horses, sheep, goats, cattle, cats, or chickens.
Have a doggone good week.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Dysgraphia
It's inspirational to learn about people who go on to great success after overcoming something that might otherwise make an individual abandon a goal. For example, Agatha Christie (one of my all-time favorite writers) suffered from dysgraphia.
Dysgraphia is a neurobiological learning disability that impairs an individual's ability to remember and learn the sequence of motor muscle movements necessary to write numbers and letters. This meant that Ms. Christie was unable to write legibly and had to dictate all of her books. So, even though she is credited with writing 93 books and 17 plays over her lifetime, she didn't actually "write" them. (Uhm, does that actually make her a dictator?)
Anyway, her success is proof that a "set-back" doesn't really have to be a wall. It's more of an rock in the path.
Dysgraphia is a neurobiological learning disability that impairs an individual's ability to remember and learn the sequence of motor muscle movements necessary to write numbers and letters. This meant that Ms. Christie was unable to write legibly and had to dictate all of her books. So, even though she is credited with writing 93 books and 17 plays over her lifetime, she didn't actually "write" them. (Uhm, does that actually make her a dictator?)
Anyway, her success is proof that a "set-back" doesn't really have to be a wall. It's more of an rock in the path.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Dysgraphia
It's inspirational to learn about people who go on to great success after overcoming something that might otherwise make an individual abandon a goal. For example, Agatha Christie (one of my all-time favorite writers) suffered from dysgraphia.
Dysgraphia is a neurobiological learning disability that impairs an individual's ability to remember and learn the sequence of motor muscle movements necessary to write numbers and letters. This meant that Ms. Christie was unable to write legibly and had to dictate all of her books. So, even though she is credited with writing 93 books and 17 plays over her lifetime, she didn't actually "write" them. (Uhm, does that actually make her a dictator?)
Anyway, her success is proof that a "set-back" doesn't really have to be a wall. It's more of an rock in the path.
Dysgraphia is a neurobiological learning disability that impairs an individual's ability to remember and learn the sequence of motor muscle movements necessary to write numbers and letters. This meant that Ms. Christie was unable to write legibly and had to dictate all of her books. So, even though she is credited with writing 93 books and 17 plays over her lifetime, she didn't actually "write" them. (Uhm, does that actually make her a dictator?)
Anyway, her success is proof that a "set-back" doesn't really have to be a wall. It's more of an rock in the path.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Lions, and Tigers, and Bears! Oh my!
During our recent family vacation, we made a stopover to the Fort Worth Zoo, which truly deserves its fabulous reputation. While there, we learned quite a number of random things, which, of course, I will now inflict upon you:
1. Elephants have a tusk preference just like humans have a hand preference. So, elephants will either be left-tusked or right-tusked.
2. Only four of the seventeen varieties of penguins actually live in cold climates. (By the way, there is some debate over the number of penguin species, with claims of between 17 and 20.)
3. All existing white tigers have been bred in captivity and are descendants of a tiger named Mohan, who was captured as a cub in India in 1951.
4. Only bald eagles who have been rescued may be housed in zoos.
5. The Fort Worth Zoo was founded in 1909 with one lion, two bear cubs, a peacock, a coyote, an alligator, and a few rabbits.
Well worth the visit if you're ever in the Forth Worth area.
1. Elephants have a tusk preference just like humans have a hand preference. So, elephants will either be left-tusked or right-tusked.
2. Only four of the seventeen varieties of penguins actually live in cold climates. (By the way, there is some debate over the number of penguin species, with claims of between 17 and 20.)
3. All existing white tigers have been bred in captivity and are descendants of a tiger named Mohan, who was captured as a cub in India in 1951.
4. Only bald eagles who have been rescued may be housed in zoos.
5. The Fort Worth Zoo was founded in 1909 with one lion, two bear cubs, a peacock, a coyote, an alligator, and a few rabbits.
Well worth the visit if you're ever in the Forth Worth area.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Parenting
I've realized lately that there are things that I never thought I'd say, but have said as a parent. Recently, that included, "Get your booger off of your sister."
Not really something I'd ever expected to say to another human being, but there it is. (I've also had to warn the same child to "Stop flinging boogers at your sister." Are you sensing a theme here?)
Other things that I never expected to say, but have:
1. "Yes, you can jump on the bed."
2. "If that makes you throw up, I'm not going to clean it up."
3. "Yes, you can go play in the street."
4. "Did you get a hickey from a one-toothed vampire?"
and finally,
5. "Pull your bottoms up." (This is a command issued to the three-year-old who was mooning the congregation at church.)
Not really something I'd ever expected to say to another human being, but there it is. (I've also had to warn the same child to "Stop flinging boogers at your sister." Are you sensing a theme here?)
Other things that I never expected to say, but have:
1. "Yes, you can jump on the bed."
2. "If that makes you throw up, I'm not going to clean it up."
3. "Yes, you can go play in the street."
4. "Did you get a hickey from a one-toothed vampire?"
and finally,
5. "Pull your bottoms up." (This is a command issued to the three-year-old who was mooning the congregation at church.)
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