Virtual Brush Box

Awareness of the outside world. “However, a 65% drop in cervical cancer incidence during 2012 through 2019 among women in their early 20s, the first cohort to receive the human papillomavirus vaccine, foreshadows steep reductions in the burden of human papillomavirus-associated cancers, the majority of which occur in women.” Abstract, ACS Journals, CA: Cancer Journal For Clinicians, Cancer statistics, 2023, Siegel et al., 12 January 2023.

~~~

Virtual Tevis Cup 2023
100 Miles in 100 Days
19 April to 30 July

Rodney – 14 miles this week, 39 miles total
Milton – 15 miles this week, 35 miles total
Tues 2 May to Mon 8 May

Seven days, twice each day. Handwalks in the AM. Handwalks & walks with tack in the afternoon. Rodney under saddle. Milton long lining in harness, plus once hitched to cart.

That is the first mileage Milton has done for Virtual Tevis as a driving horse. Can’t do that in the IRL Tevis.

Not Chasing The Numbers

Rodney’s total is 39.8 miles. It was tempting to go a few more steps to hit 40 miles. I decide I didn’t want to chase the numbers. The margin of error might fall one way, might fall the other.

We did two standard handwalks on Monday. The GPS was not feeling generous. Logged the morning walk as .97 miles and the evening walk as .95 miles. The shortest yet. The wonders of modern technology. GPS.gov: GPS Accuracy.

Virtual Tevis Posts [The Joys of GPS, Breaking into the 20s], [Archives]

Update. On Tuesday morning, the exact same walk registered as 1.09 miles. The longest yet.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. For balance, good vibes. International Paralympic Committee: Behind the scenes of the Paris 2024 handover dance one year since its making, One week, 128 dancers, nine wheelchairs, sign language and a bionic arm: Learn the story behind the dance that stunned the world, 06 May 2022. NBC Sports: Paris welcomes the next Paralympic Games through Tokyo handoff (video on YouTube).

~~~

What to do about bad news?

When hauling a sick horse to the vet clinic, one fears the worst. Or at least, I do. On our way to the vet clinic last month, I kept wondering, ‘What will I say on the blog?’ [Poop Watch]

Of course, this was a distraction from those things I did not care to think about. I love y’all, but in a crisis, the blog will be the last thing on my mind.

Or maybe not.

She Moved to Texas announced her husband’s overdose almost immediately. She seemed to derive strength from her online community. The blog as since been ended. She continues to write elsewhere on the Internet, Medium: How to Date Me (and My Dead Husband), A simple guide for a complicated situation. Lauren Mauldin, 2018. Author bio, “An MFA candidate, memoirist, editor & has just finished her first book, Animalistic, a memoir about losing her husband to addiction.”

I announced the bad news about Mathilda right away since I had to talk about that before talking about the horse show. Reading over the posts now, they come off as a little abrupt. I probably wasn’t as together as I thought I was. One usually isn’t. [Sad News & Show Report: Dixie Cup, GIHP]

During the funeral trips for my uncle and for my MIL, looking for blog posts gave me something else to do. [Touring The Towpath, & A Moment of Calm To Start The Year]

Having said all of this, I still think my first reaction to bad news events would be to hide under a rock.

That’s not fair to you. Having invited you to share my story, it’s unfair to suddenly drop off the radar. I know as a reader I worry when a horse blogger disappears. Two Paths Farm: Just a Little Farther…“, see comments where the author assures me that everyone is fine. [The Repost, Deuce Completes The Virtual Tevis]

So how to handle?

Definitely don’t put it in the title. That would ruin everyone’s corn flakes.

Nor would I want to dump the whole sad load into your lap all at once.

Ponder.

Speak of Angels, Hear Their Wings Flutter

As I was wondering about this, Hellomyliva gave an excellent example of how to share bad news in a considerate fashion.

Hellomyliva: Another Hospital Visit

Start with a title that is mild but indicates all might not be sunshine and flowers.

Give a calm, explanatory intro. Warn people who might not wish to continue.

Use keyboard characters to create space.

Then, tell the story.

I used the idea of forced distance in a happier context [Between The Ears, Mystery Mount, Guest Photos]

So, I would probably do something similar. Eventually.

Outro

At the time, I won’t care. That’s why I’m thinking about this now.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Inès! The Design Air: A purr-fect new addition to CDG, 2020.

~~~

Walking, biking, & weights. Technically our weight exercise is with weight machines rather than free weights, but that didn’t sing, graphically speaking.

Picking up the alphabet that I started a while back, “A gradual project as I have space on Sundays.” [A Is For Akhal-Teke]

Process Notes. My bike is blue. One pair of sneakers is pink. Weight machines are grey. Hence the colors.

Past Letters

[Feed] 2015
[Fence] 2016
[Francis] 2017
[Farley & Ebony] 2018

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Looking behind the pomp. “And here is the thing, none of this is any different to the medieval conception of monarchy.” Going Medieval: On maintaining monarchical succession.

~~~

The Stall Rest Chronicles ran for two & a half months.

From [The Stall Rest Chronicles Begin] 25 January

To [Stall Rest Chronicles 13 April, Liberty Day!]

What did I learn from this?

I learned that I have lots of thoughts. Well, I knew this.

I learned that I don’t always have the energy to expound on those thoughts. I could have predicted this.

I learned that a short post works just fine.

I am trying to carry this forward. Not up to a long discussion of X? Say something briefly about Y. Move on.

Today is a case in point. I had something more elaborate planned, based on the UK coronation. Did I have to do it? No. Did I want to? Also, no. So why do it? Keep the bit I like, above. Make a quick note about making quick notes. Revel in the meta. Move on.

Ideas are the easy part. Judicious use of time & energy is a work in progress.

Archive [State of the Blog]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Kennedy Center Honors, one of the best shows on TV. In 2022, they honored Gladys Knight. Have you ever thought about what the singer is offering in Midnight Train to Georgia? ‘I’d rather live in his world’ when his world is the Jim Crow South? Nope. Sorry, Honey. Love ya but … Also, for a white dude in a cowboy hat, Garth Brooks rocked the song.

~~~

Daily Mile Walks

Pretty weather, which means good footing, which means lots of pasture walks. A few local repeats. No new places to report.

Monthly 5K

Laps in the pasture. Handwalk Rodney for Virtual Tevis miles. [VT Archive]

Other

Plus. Gym. Seeing gradual improvement, even going only once a week.

Less plus. Biking. Rides that used to be routine seem far.

Last month [Maps For the Month]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Pierre Brault, sculptor of light & color (if my rudimentary understanding of French is correct.) Instagram @pierre.brault, particularly Pop Sundial, although comments indicate that the movement in the image may be more aspirational that actual.

~~~

Updated Now page.

+++

May 2023

The beginning of the year was all about Milton’s recovery from colic surgery.

This second segment of the year will be all about working to finish our fourth Virtual Tevis. One hundred miles takes a long time when you walk the entire distance.

It would be fun to be zipping hither and yon about the countryside. Right now, lots (and lots and lots) of long, slow miles is good for both horses.

🐎🐎

+++

Most recent previous Now update was in January. [Milton & Me, Both Stalled, State of the Now]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Have you heard of Superforecasting? Forbes: Can Businesses Learn ‘Superforecasting’? Easier Said Than Done, David, 2015. The commercial iteration is Good Judgement. Gives free samples on their Public Dashboard. On one hand, cool idea. On the other hand, the explanations have a whiff of smart people being impressed with themselves. That could be my own issues with elitism.

~~~

Remember when I said Rodney would spend the winter learning on long lines? [Status Quo Equine, State of the Now]

Well, that didn’t happen. [What Kept The Tack Room Door Shut]

Dragged out saddle & reintroduced horse to the concept of being a riding horse. Twice! Since we have done nada, we are starting at the beginning edge of square one. Statue exercise with brief walks.

No media. Completely forgot both times. Maybe when it’s not quite so much of a novelty.

Our stand exercise has evolved over the years.
[Here We Stand] 2013
[Here We Stand, Still] 2018
[Thar He Stands] 2020

Onwards!
Katherine