Nope. Not getting one. Figuring out the titles is part of the fun. I tried to for references that were neither obvious nor obscure. Should be guessable, or searchable. The dragons are not referencing any specific works.
Speaking of ripples, this one will have repercussions for years.
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Weighing the cultural impact of The Lord of the Rings by the footprint it has left.
Terry Pratchett, “J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji.” Tolkien gateway: Terry Pratchett. Note, the quote is from A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Non-Fiction, but from the essay “Magic Kingdoms”. Hat tip to G.
“The Tolkien Professorship was named in memory of one of the most distinguished specialists in medieval literature in the Faculty of English, who was also widely regarded as a novelist.” University of Oxford: J.R.R. Tolkien Professorship of English Literature and Language. Would his work have been enough for a professorship, without the novels, which he wrote BTW? Anyone familiar with academia care to advise?
This does not cover fan sites, academic conferences, museum exhibits, chess sets, tour guides, and so on, and so on.
Awareness of the outside world. “AP images must always be accurate. We do not alter or digitally manipulate the content of a photo or video except as stated below.” AP: Visuals
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Process Notes
First attempt at post-production art. Not as genius as it was in my head, but I don’t hate it.
I have magic fingers. I can pet any species – horse, dog, cat – and if they have a tick, I will find it. Mind you, I’m not looking for the darn things, I just find them. Pat. Pat. What’s this bump? It’s a different situation than checking manes and tails for ticks in the summer. That’s deliberate. This borders on a micro superpower.
Magic fingers. I’ve known this for a while.
Turns out I have magic feet as well.
When you combine a dog rest area with a people walk space, you have … um … moments of intersection. I have a pitchfork on permanent standby. I make a point of noting where the dog is standing. I return later for a squishy scavanger hunt.
Awareness of the outside world. What is time even? Listening to Around the World in 80 Days With Michael Palin. It came out 35 years ago. There was a point in my life when 35 years ago was ancient history. Now it is yesterday.
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With the end of Winter Tournament, I find myself examining my equestrian options.
Home Team
Milton and I have drifted so far apart that husband Greg stays home to hold Milton for the blacksmith.
Rodney. Sigh.
Stepping Stone Farm
I promised myself that after Winter Tournament I would stop riding Optimus. He is a busy beginner horse who doesn’t need his schedule clogged by someone who ought to be able to ride other horses.
Had two rides last year on non-Optimus horses. Neither lesson went well. I am so braced for a melt-down that I am riding tight. Horses find this upsetting. [The Lesson That Wasn’t, lesson with Bubba was not as bad, but not brilliant]
Barns change over time, particularly those with a high concentration of kids. Riders grow up, they move off into their adult lives. When I started, there were amazing academy horses. The current crop has more riders in performance, which means their horses are not available for academy.
I miss Sam.
Other Barns, School Horses
No one wants my money. I can kinda see their point. Their programs are full. Why should they make room for me? All they see is an old lady freaking out over cross-rails. They figure, this will be not fun, this will not increase my revenue. They’re wrong about my ability. They can’t see the pieces in the rubble. [Freddie Reintroduces Me To The Concept Of A Course]
I have had amazing rides on horses owned by friends. Not so much here. [Other People’s Horses]
Tertium Quid
The new horse. More sigh.
Coda
This was gonna be a drama llama post about how my riding career is over. I have no idea where my next ride will come from. See above. Horse shows have receded over the horizon. Whine.
No one wants to hear that. I don’t want to hear that.
Instead, this is me trying to figure out my next step. What I want. What is available. What to do when A not= B.
I think I will be taking March off to ponder. See what happens without riding or horse shows for a month.
Coda Coda
Which leads to the problem of what to blog about. I’ve milked our morning hand-walks for as much as narratively possible. Virtual Tevis does not start until April.
Expect cat pictures and stories from the before times.
Alabama Winter Tournament Association, #3 Rocking S Farm Helena, AL USA Saturday 17 February 2024
All with Optimus.
2. Advanced Horsemanship WTC Adult –3rd of 3 3. Advanced Equitation WTC Adult (Pattern) – 4th of 4 8. Pleasure Horse/Pony WTC Adult – 1st of of 3(?) 14. Masters Pleasure 50+ – 1st of 2 26. Academy Driving – 1st of 1
Thank you, once again, to the Gray Family for the outstanding Optimus.
Please note the blue in class 8, against suit riders.
Photo credit, Carrie Williams, stellar show mom.
How To Ask For The Canter
Method 1. Pause. Organize self. Organize horse. Shift horse’s butt noticeably to the inside. Apply outside aids. Optimus will pick up a flawless canter depart every time.
Method 2. Leave horse in a heap. Tip shoulder toward horse. Give a casual Go Canter signal. Previous Horse would pick up a flawless canter depart every time.
Optimus, not so much.
I know this. I don’t always do this.
Got all my leads on the rail in four classes. Blew both (!) leads in the pattern. As a redemption, he started to downshift in a later class. I felt it and caught it in time. I think we had one trot step.
How To Get On A Horse
At ring side. Had to get on horse. No mounting block in sight.
Me, really bad at being catapulted onto horse. [Getting a Leg Up]
Coach James, swears he can get anyone on a horse.
He was right. I did end up on the horse. There was a bit of a splat on my part and a short wander on the horse’s part, but I did arrive in the saddle. Eventually.
Later. Had to get on horse. Class waiting for me. In a hurry. No mounting block in sight. No Coach James in sight. No one in immediate area who had a prayer of heaving my recalcitrant carcass into the air. Stirrup was right there. I was feeling froggy. Foot in stirrup. Spring into saddle.
Getting on from the ground is a maneuver I have not done in yeeeeears. These days, when I get on a horse, I use a mounting block. There is a theory that not hauling sideways on the horse’s spine is a better idea. Plus, it’s easier.
Well, it worked. Inelegant but effective. I was on the horse, motoring toward the ring. And my stirrup fell off. Not off my foot. Off the saddle. The torque of getting on slid the stirrup leather off the bar. Corrected and into the ring.
Virtual Brush Box 