Virtual Brush Box

Writing About Writing

 
Awareness of the outside world. For your amusement. Desktop Stables: A Tiny Barn. A toy barn for dolls. That’s right, 1:144 scale. Not only does the blogger construct this wee thing, she makes doll-sized dioramas of the process. Amazing.

The world is still serious. Sometimes you have to take a break.
~~~

My greatest dressage challenge and how I overcame it

 
This is my new writing assignment for USDF Connection.

More money. Yay!

More words. Double yay! I was always agonizing over all the good bits I had to leave on the cutting room floor.

More space, writing-wise. Triple yay!

The previous assignment, Behind The Scenes, was a series of first-person statements. What I do. How I got started. That meant direct quotes. [Clips]

Here’s the inside pool. Vanishingly few of us talk in complete narrative. In 32 years as a journalist, I have had it happen to me twice. It was weird. The rest of us, myself most definitely included, converse in sentence fragments. Our verb tenses migrate. We start a thought, wander off, circle back.

Because of this, I would beat my brains to jelly assembling the best possible narrative with only the words in front of me. I did this every two months for seven years. I stressed myself out each time.

The new gig is third person. Here is Jack. Here is what happened to Jack. Here’s how Jack feels about what happened. Snappy pull quotes? Awesome! Bring ’em on. If not, I can explain what happened. I can take this part of the story from over here, attach it to that part from over there, and bridge the transition with a few words of my own. I can cite an outside source if appropriate.

This should be more work but less stress. At least, that’s the plan. We’ll see how it goes.

Onwards!

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott

Horsekeeping

Lucky enough to have horses

 
Awareness of the outside world. Georgia? Who would have thought?
~~~
It’s the little things.

The happiness of walking into the local feed store & seeing a tall pile of your hard-to-find feed. [Beginning Nov 4]

Getting to the poop pile before it is kicked all over the stall.

Finding the glove you dropped.

Finding the glove you dropped *not* in the mud.

And one not so little.

Finding out it’s an abscess instead of tendon damage. Picture from late December when blacksmith was finally able to carve out the remnants. Abscess was back in November. Pardon the blur. Trying not to clog up the shoeing process in my quest for blog media. [The Replay]

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott

Fit To Ride, For The Record

 
Awareness of the outside world … no words … or maybe too many words …
~~~

The Theory, Revised
The plan was for fewer medals this year. They are fun, but how many medals does one need? Notice, I never say this about horse show ribbons. [Medley]

I had also decided to cut out the weekly 5Ks. Since September, I had been doing one 5k each week, whether or not a specific race was involved. When I’m walking the horses and walking myself, I can easily walk three kilometers in a day. What does the extra distance prove? That I can walk? I know that already. My fitness time would be better invested in flexibility or strength or aerobics. Improve things I am not good at instead of doing more of what comes easily to me.

However.

I may have been ignoring psychological component. Those weekly walks were one of the few reasons I left the property. My inner nouvellevore needs to see new places and new people. I don’t interact with these people, but at least I see them.

So, I’m back to weekly walks. Also, medals. If the aim is for mental enrichment, the medals amuse me.

The Types
Mostly to help me keep them straight.

Bike -> ongoing virtual challenge. Australia’s Great Ocean Road at the moment. Then a second GOR with a different company for comparison. More virtual run companies are adding digital touring to their offerings, instead of simply sending a medal. [GOR]

Daily walks of self & horses -> ongoing virtual challenge. UK’s Land’s End to John O’Groats at the moment. Being done with a team. [LEJOG]

Weekly 5Ks, one day-one walk ->
1st option) specific races, e.g. Drum Run, BreyerFest
2nd) if nothing available, then mileage put toward a short-term ongoing virtual challenge, e.g. Year of the Ox, Fuji.
3rd) if neither available, then a long-term ongoing challenge, LEJOG if still going on.

Lurking in the background is my DIY virtual walk of the Mississippi Great River Road. Standing by to soak up any free mileage. [MS]

Complicated? Why not? If I am going to be living inside my own head, might as well have a varied landscape.

The 5Ks
I am doing local races and a few special ones. Turns out I have a broad definition of special.

For the moment, I am limiting my engagement to races that are virtual only. Running outside with non-bubble people is probably safe. Probably. Given the current state of the country, I prefer to support organizations that err on the side of caution. If they are holding an IRL race, I wish them the joy of it, without me or my money. That will change at some point. Not yet. This is how I chose to vote with my dollars. YMMV

January & February
Jan1 to Feb 28. Year of the Ox. 20.21 miles. This is a challenge race masquerading as a series of 5ks. I prefer races that are tied to a real place. I can convince myself that the effort is slightly less imaginary. However, I got distracted by a pretty medal. So, I signed up, then figure out how to deploy the mileage. 20 miles is 32.5K so I have 6 weeks of medal motivation for the price (and storage) of 1.

January
Drum Run. Signed up. To be done in the pasture due to wanting to play the soundtrack as loud as possible. [2020]

February
SF YMCA Chinatown? A second Year-of-the-Ox medal walk.

Mardi Gras?

Mercedes Marathon Super Hero 5k? Local, no details yet.

Atlanta Marathon 5k. On the Speedway at night. I would love to stomp around the racetrack. Violates my self-imposed no-IRL rule.

March – (?)
Fuji Challenge. No date specified. As above, mind changed by medal. Four was more than enough Conquer Challenges. Then this. The Fuji medal is soooo pretty. I don’t have a bucket list. If I did, Fuji would be on it. 46 miles/74 km, 15 weeks of 5ks.

March
Tokyo Marathon, Run as One? They are talking about having associated global, virtual races. No details yet. Would like to do a 5k associated with each of the six major marathons: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. IRL would be a fun fantasy. Virtual for now.

May
Empire State Building Run-Up? Find a tall building around me?

Flying Pig. Signed up. How could I not? [2020] [Flying Pigs]

July
Walcott Day? Walcott, Iowa. Maybe they will have a virtual run?

BreyerFest. Will sign up when available. Will try for an equine theme this year. [2020]

Sept
DragonCon? Depending what they offer and what is going on in the world by then. [2020]

October
Baltimore Running Festival. Signed up. Was offered $15 off of a $25 race, and special shiny red 20th anniversary medal. [2020]

November
Fuji? Different from above. Virtual run in 2020, missed the deadline.

City of the Sun? Cahokia, IL.

Magic City. [2020]

What are you doing for exercise this year?

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott

I’m Not Late, It Is Still The Christmas Season

Well, the gift was late, the post is not

 
Awareness of the outside world. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night … nor Christmas season nor massive online-shopping volume nor increased sick leave nor political machinations … stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. The Post Office is doing a decent job, for a 2020 definition of “swift”. Things I ordered are showing up eventually. This gift was mailed two weeks ago on the Monday before Christmas. It arrived one week later, on the Monday after Christmas. One week delivery during any Christmas season is a darn good feat. All lateness is my fault. Public props to our postal carrier for taking the time to put our packages up the driveway where they can’t be seen from the road, rather than leaving them at the mailbox, which is faster & easier.
~~~

To: Cruisen In Stilletos
From: Virtual Brush Box

Dear Giftee:

In my cover letter, I promised I’d explain in a blog post.

First, apologies, as above, for my lateness. I wish I could blame 2020. Alas, I only ordered one thing. It arrived promptly, I utter flopped on getting it in the mail. Buying gifts for others? I’m on it! Giving gifts to others? Here ya go! Packing and shipping? Ick to the ick. I displayed such an aversion to this activity that I am reconsidering signing up for next year.

Enough about my foibles.

Second, I either spent too much or not enough. By commercial value, over the spending suggestion. By outlay for this specific project, way under the limit. Three of four were things I had lying around the house. In my defense, I’ve ended up with some nice things lying around the house.

Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum by Dr. Seuss, Illustrated by Andrew Joyner (Penquin 2019). Who doesn’t like a book? I know you like horses. Who doesn’t like Dr. S (sort of)? A while back, I bought several copies – full price, from an indie bookstore – for a giveaway I never held. This is my copy. Still have a third one to give away. Maybe someday.

Field Notes. I love these. I love the size. I love the aesthetic. I love the materials. I have a quarterly subscription. I use them to take notes when I am out & about. I am neither out nor about. No notes to take. Subscription piling up. Hate to cancel. 😦 Give them away! 🙂

Spot On Braiding Wax. This was from your want list. Bought some for myself. Water has always worked well enough for me, but I’ll give it a try. At least I knew you would like one of the four.

I’ll braid again, maybe someday. [Firm Grip On Last Place]

Waxed Braiding Thread. While I was at it, I bought myself a roll of thread. I’m picky about what I braid with, but I’ll give this a try as well.

Breyer Stablemates. I’ve starting picking up a few here and there. Who knew that something so small could accumulate so fast. Didja notice I picked one that was braided? Didja? Huh? I’ll show myself out.

Finally, I’m sure you join me in thanking Alberta Equest for taking on Blogger Secret Santa 2020.

Aw, you’re too kind. Cruisen In Stilletos: 2020 Equestrian Blogger Secret Santa.

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott