Pay It Forward

I have taken up the challenge issued by Halt, Salute and . . . to Creative Pay it Forward:

The first five people to comment on this post will receive a gift from me sometime this calender year! … The catch is you must make the same offer on your own page …. Offer applies worldwide – I will post anywhere! … To keep it simple, I’ll Pay it Forward for the first five comments on this blog – not on my Facebook page, Twitter account or on Haynet.

Anyway, let’s have some craic with this!

Rodney’s Saga Rewards might consist of
* A nice print if I struck it lucky with a photo this year.
* A bibelot at the intersection of LEGO and horses (I just finished four days of BrickFair).
* Ditto books and horses.
* A Spotted of your own, particularly if you live somewhere exotic relative to me (Eastern US) and are likely to retaliate with a Spotted At … photo.

Craic – Not what you think. Explanation from The CRAIC is Mighty, complete with T-shirt:

The Irish keep talking about craic – but have a tough time defining it. …. I would say the essence of craic is in the talk and banter of good company, a group of people getting together to have a laugh and most of all to take a break from being serious about life.

,,, or being serious about our blogs.

So, the first five to comment right here AND post a similar offer on their blog will receive an item of dubious but amusing value.

I will ponder a similar offer for nonblogging readers for the future.

No Name-Calling Week

No Name-Calling Week, January 21-25, 2013

No Name-Calling Week is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.

Since I am way out of school and have no kids or grandkids to fuss about, I will attempt to speak nicely to Rodney & the other four-legged critters. Unfortunately, we have taken to referring to Rodney as Dimwit. He’s curious, brave, and interested in his environment. However, once he accumulates all this data, he doesn’t seem to know what to do with it. He cannot, so far, take 1 and 1 and arrive at 2. We’re talking normal horse math here, not quadratic equations. Plus, when asked to synthesize, he has a tendency to take 1 and 1 and arrive at The Sky Is Falling. The resulting ignorance and hysteria leads us to treat him dismissively. But not for this week.

Of course, Rodney doesn’t care what mouth noises we make around him. He cares about tone. However, words affect thought affect action. So, if I speak dismissively and impatiently, guess how I am going to treat him. And then we’re back to The Sky is Falling.

Who do you need to handle more gently in speech?

(NNCW found from a banner ad on Unshelved, a library comic.)

BrickFair: day 3 – Girls & Horses

Friends sets

Because girls won’t play with an engineering toy unless it’s pink and comes with dolls & horsies, right? Sadly – for those of us who believe in individuality over cultural stereotypes – it appears to be working.

Of course I bought them. I’ll part them out. The colors are AMAZING.

For more erudite commentary on the subject, see Jennifer Garlen’s Virtual Virago: Gendered Consumption, Girls, and LEGO Friends.

More LEGO posts
BrickFair site

BrickFair: day 1 – LEGO v. Horses

LEGO & Horses are so different
LEGO is hard-edged, plastic, and clean. Horses are furry, animate, and dusty. Although if you ever handle LEGO that has been used in a freeplay area, you will feel an overwhelming need to soak your hands in bleach.

LEGO stays were you put it. Horses only do so if they feel like it. Unless, of course, the cats get into the bricks.

LEGO skills are progressive. No need to rebuild easy sets or simple MOCs. Even upper-level riders need to warm up, practice 20-meter circles, and work on a decent halt.

LEGO & Horses aren’t so different
Both are seated. I had an attack that we think was shingles on my posterior. Sitting anywhere on anything was problematic. Also biking. Amazing how many of my activities involved my tailbone.

Neither are on the computer. Work life, social life, entertainment. Boy, do I get tired of staring at a screen.

Both attract avid Fans who will happily chat on the chosen subject for hours.

How do your hobbies compare/contrast?

More LEGO posts
BrickFair site

Glad Post

What is your reason for being happy? I have three: one equine, two off-topic.

1) I won my class last weekend [Report]. More importantly, I worked hard, rode well, and feel that it was a righteous win. Even more importantly, I had a moments before and during my classes, mostly the second one, where I was struck with the thought, Hey, I’m actually good at this. Not saddleseat in particular, but horse maneuvering in general. It’s a long time since I’ve thought that about my riding. Finally, in combination with all of the above, I flat-out enjoyed myself, when I wasn’t stressing or puffing. (Last time I mention the show. I promise to move on.)

Stefan's window2) Starting tomorrow (1/17/13) I will be massively geeking out at a four-day LEGO convention. Further, it’s being held held where I live. No travel. No hotel. No restaurant meals unless I’m out with friends. Just miles of bricks, hordes of brick-building ideas, and crowds of like-minded brick enthusiasts. (Photo caption: the local store gives our club one window to display our creations. Construction & photo of January’s window by MCLUG President Stefan Formentano.)

3) A friend has promised to make something amazing for me. It’s one of those hyper-specialized items at the sight of which 90% of the world will wonder WTF and those in the know will squeeee with delight. It will be weeks before she can start and months before she is finished. But that gives me time to wallow in the anticipation. Yes, I’m being deliberately vague, in case the universe intervenes.

Share with us your good news, equine or otherwise. The world needs as much as it can get.

Credit where credit is due. I am slowly reading my way thru the Whatever archives. (Yes, I am addicted [Interjection]. The phrasing of the new About page is not by accident.) On August 14, 2006, John Scalzi links to a post by Justine Larbalestier, No Control, wherein she mentions (in the first P.S.) her previous post, Good News Only, requesting uplifting news from other writers – hence my choice of subject – and threatens to change her blog to The Gladblog – hence my title.