Sydney's Soccerball

Rest in Peace

2009-03-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

Sydney Knodle, 1996? -- March 14, 2009

Sydney passed on in her sleep, curled up in her beloved doggie bed. She looked like she was resting peacefully. We're currently enjoying looking through our old pictures, among other things marveling at what a butterball she was when we first got her.

She'd been struggling with digestive problems, probably inflammatory bowel disease, for about a year and a half. She'd have good stretches -- she was playing soccer again just back in December -- and bad stretches, but on average steadily weakened over time. She was holding steady for the last two months, but Monday night she tanked and suddenly had no strength and no appetite. She wasn't even interested in BACON!!! so I figured the end was near. We just did our best to keep her comfortable.

Godspeed, Sydney-bean, and we'll see you in the new creation. We love you!

Repent, etc.

2008-07-17T22:30:00.001-07:00

A little-known sign of the last days is the publishing of The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Last Days.

Mintperialism

2008-07-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

Mint will take over the world if we let it. Consider this a cautionary video. This is about a month of growth, at one day per frame (with some skips). It had already been planted for about two weeks at the first frame.

Mintperialism from Griffin Knodle on Vimeo.

Patriotic Toy or Political Statement??

2008-07-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Rusty has a new patriotic toy... it's a donkey that is red, white and blue with stars and stripes all over... Of note, everyone knows mom votes liberal, but no one really knows who dad votes for (it's a mystery).
D: "Umm, did mom buy that toy or did dad buy that toy? Because if mom bought it, then she bought it because she wanted Rusty to identify with the Dems. If dad bought it, does it mean that he wanted Rusty to tear it to pieces and thus is one more piece of evidence that's he's a conservative like we all thought?"
Devin: "Stop politicizing my dog!"
It still remains a mystery...

I can't believe those prices!

2008-07-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

D: "This skirt still seems rather expensive to me... Am I living in the 1980s?"
G: "Yes."

Invasion

2008-06-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

Over just two days this weekend, Sydney's backyard was invaded by numerous squirrels jumping through the trees, a dachshund puppy tunneling under the back fence, and a tabby cat climbing over the side fence.

She's been sick a couple of times lately, getting very weak from not eating. She's been doing better after a bit of medicine from the vet, and has been eating and drinking very well for the last week or so. (Ground pork and corn tortillas, and I'm not messing with it as long as it keeps working.) I hope she continues doing well and getting her strength back.

Gotta re-establish her territory, after all.

Sydney's magic word

2008-02-17T16:22:00.000-08:00

"Sydney: Soccer!"
RUFF RUFF RUFF

You should see her when I start putting my soccer shoes on.

Sydney's magic word from Griffin Knodle on Vimeo.

(Sorry about the sideways video. I keep forgetting how to use our camera.)

Sleepy Bean

2008-02-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

Awww....

Scary crystals

2008-02-02T10:21:00.001-08:00

What happens when Cranium putty goes bad?

IT GROWS CRYSTALS

Yikes....

Sydney Soccer Time II

2008-01-20T15:55:00.001-08:00

Sydney shows off her defense and ball control skills. Actually taken last July, but I'm only now getting around to putting it online. Sorry for the shaky camera work and unusual perspective ... it's hard to film and play soccer at the same time. Especially against Sydney.

Sydney Soccer Time II from Griffin Knodle on Vimeo.

Three stars

2007-12-26T18:34:00.001-08:00

Three stars. (Triple AP!) (Nerdy joke.)

*** Sydney equips Christmas Ribbon
*** Sydney gains +3 to Cuteness (Seasonal Bonus)

Two stars

2007-12-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

Two stars in our front window.

Why are you taking pictures of the house? Take pictures of me!

At Claire and Kevin's wedding

2007-12-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

From Claire and Kevin's wedding, 11/11.

(Yes, my head's cut off. This is one of the few photos where I look normal ... my braces are playing havoc on my expressions.)

SYDNEY ADDS: Hey, where's my photo? Isn't this supposed to be a dog blog? I'm the dog!

Halloween 2007 Review

2007-12-09T16:32:00.000-08:00

From Halloween this year:

A soccer jersey? For me? Wowie!

Um ... I don't know about this.... I don't think it's quite my size.

An Astros cap! Good idea. Much better! Now all the little kids will think I'm cool and join my fan club.

Halloween 2008 Preview

2007-12-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

As you can see, Sydney doesn't want to be a ladybug, but she won't get any choice in the matter. This year we just tied the mini Astros cap to her collar, and lots of kids liked that. (Rusty was a hot dog.) Next year she gets to be a ladybug!

Dishwasher status

2007-11-25T21:45:00.001-08:00

New to the front of our dishwasher:

Print them out, cut a slightly smaller piece of cardboard for backing, attach a magnet to the middle, tape each picture on one side, and voila! A stylish new dishwasher status indicator magnet.

(Yes, in the "dirty" picture she's technically clean although unrinsed. I think the bedraggled look works well as a signifier regardless of technical accuracy.)

Go Astros!

2007-08-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Astros have won 5 of 7 and closed to only 11 games under .500 (cough cough). We've got our rally caps on. (Yes, I know that these aren't technically rally caps. The plastic Sheltie-sized ones can't be turned inside-out.) Rusty says he'll be the outfielder. Sydney will run the concession stand.

(Two photos because we couldn't get both dogs to sit still at the same time.)

Rusty's superhero adventures!

2007-08-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

Rusty's here at summer camp! In celebration, we're privileged to be able to report his daily adventures saving the world.

Wednesday: Rusty left the house and flew over the city. He saw a bayou that was close to flooding! He flew down and dove into the water to investigate. A mean-looking turtle swam up to him, but Rusty made friends with him. Then Rusty swam down further and discovered that the drain pipe into the main bayou was all clogged with branches and leaves. Rusty smashed the clog with his Super Sheltie Kick. The bayou started flowing normally and the city was saved. Rusty returned home for a well-deserved nap.

UPDATE BY GRIFFIN AUGUST 18TH: I apologize for the lack of further Rusty superhero adventures. I suspect that the others were far too classified to post publicly. (Damitra suspects that it's simply that Sydney locked Rusty out of her blog.)

Washington wildlife

2007-06-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

Some goslings and a great blue heron, from Marymoor Park in Bellevue, Washington.

Space Dog!

2007-06-01T20:12:00.001-07:00

AAAAAAUGH GET IT OFF GET IT OFF

(Yes, poor Sydney has a "hot spot" on her tail, so she's stuck with the Space Dog cone for a couple of days. It's really cramping her style ... she keeps bumping into things in the most undignified way.)

TSA job

2007-05-17T05:40:00.000-07:00

Damitra: Sydney Bean, why are you sniffing my bag?
Griffin: She's doing a safety check. She says she's going to be a bomb-sniffing dog, but for food instead.

Sydney soccer time

2007-04-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Sydney playing her favorite sport. Sorry for the distant view -- we didn't have a cameraman. My favorite is her header off the throw-in. As you'll see, she has a bit of trouble controlling her direction of travel with the ball, but she can't be stopped no matter what!

Sydney Soccer Time
Uploaded by gknodle

Dog Bothering: For Unto Us

2007-04-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

Sung to the tune of "For Unto Us a Child Is Born." Sing in the standard dog-bothering style (exaggerate pitch changes and slide all over the place to provide obvious cues for swinging dog around).

And her name shall be call-ed
SYD-ney bean!
SILL-y girl!
Tummy rub MONSTER
Mighty soccer PLAYER
Goooofy dog.

Pick dog up and bounce her around to the music until her beseeching looks become too pitiful to ignore.

Alarm defect II

2007-04-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

Griffin: I think Sydney got confused because you knocked instead of ringing the doorbell. It took her a minute to figure out where you were.
Dustin: Does this give you a hint how the robbers are going to get past her?
Griffin: You mean, by not ringing the doorbell? Yeah, that could be a problem.

Critters

2007-03-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the first lawn-mowing of the year (more of a weed-mowing, to be precise). I noticed a pretty yellow flower mysteriously hanging in midair by one of the windows:

Or not. For scale, he's about the size of a fingertip, not big. Pretty impressive camouflage. My first thought was that it wouldn't work well for him to be in a midair web like that, but the very next day he'd already caught some food, so what do I know?

Then today I unpacked all the potted plants from their winter mulch and disturbed a lizard who had apparently found the dry leaves to be a nice home.

Tummy rub monster

2007-02-20T18:19:00.000-08:00

TUMMY RUB TUMMY RUB TUMMY RUB

GRIFFIN ADDS: This is what we're talking about when we say, "Our sheepdog falls over."

I am helping!

2007-02-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

It's much easier to work on your laptop when there's a friendly doggie sitting next to you demanding attention. See? I'm so helpful! Can I have a treat?

Two problems

2007-02-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

OK, there are two things wrong with this picture. First, the doggie bed is for the doggie (that's me). Second, ice cream is for sharing! Why won't they share?

Infectious disease hazard

2007-02-12T04:05:00.000-08:00

Damitra: OK, I think I'm ready to go.
Griffin: I know what else you need. It's small and furry.
Damitra: Aww. But she won't fit in my bag.
Griffin: And she's an infectious disease hazard.
Damitra: She is an infectious disease hazard.

1) "Small and furry" has been a family catchphrase for several years. It started when Damitra was complaining to her dad that she had a headache. He said, "I have something here that will cure the headache." She said, "Is it small and furry?" (both referring to Rusty)

2) "Infectious disease hazard" is an old catchphrase for Rusty because he likes to give everyone kisses and would therefore be hazardous in a hospital (so he can't participate in the pet therapy programs). It applies to Sydney too.

Defective

2007-01-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

"Our sheepdog is defective. She falls over."
Reference: Dave and the Giant Pickle, Veggie Tales:
Junior Asparagus: Our sheep are different. They fall over.

Alarm defect

2007-01-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

(Damitra gets home, opens the door, and comes inside. Sydney stands around, watching silently.)
Griffin: Where's the alarm? Sydney, you're supposed to bark when someone comes to the door.
Damitra: Defective!
Griffin: And she's past warranty!
Damitra: What are we going to do?
Griffin: See, Sydney, you're supposed --
Sydney: RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF
Griffin: Well, it's too late now. Look here, she's already inside the house.
Sydney: RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF
Griffin: Sydney!
Sydney: RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF
Griffin: Sydney, your alarm functionality does not meet requirements!
Damitra: I think she's barking at you because you're being weird, honey.

Sydney's compact fluorescent lightbulb review

2007-01-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Griffin got on this strange kick a while back replacing all (well, not all) of our lightbulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs). He said something about saving electricity. I don't know anything about that, but then he said that meant saving money and more money means more food, so I'm in. I'm doing my part with a review of all the different brands we've tried.

Brand Comparison

We've compared 60-watt-equivalent spiral bulbs from several different brands. Pictures are below. Miscellaneous other bulbs are discussed below that. We like n:vision and GE, Bright Effects is pretty good, and Sylvania is not so good. Your own preference will depend on what color of light you like. These are all labeled "soft white," but there's still some variation in color.

n:vision and Commercial Electric (Home Depot): I think these are the same manufacturer under two brand names -- they were the same price and seem identical. Warm light, and they turn on instantly.

GE (Target, Wal-mart): Warm light, quite good. They tend to use a bit more power and give a bit more light than other brands. One failed after only a couple of weeks (in the enclosed kitchen fixture, which I think should have been fine, but maybe not).

Bright Effects (Lowe's): Light slightly colder than the above, but still good. Two bulbs (but not the spiral) failed after a couple of weeks, see below (but they were both on photo-sensors, which the packaging recommends against).

Sylvania (Lowe's, grocery stores): Light noticeably colder and more blueish compared to the others, although they're still labeled "Soft White."

The light from each bulb is quite a bit brighter and whiter than it looks in the picture, but you can see the difference in color, especially with the Sylvania.

Brand (where found)	Picture
Sylvania incandescent, for comparison
n:vision (Home Depot) Commercial Electric (Home Depot)
GE (Target, Wal-mart)
Bright Effects (Lowe's)
Sylvania (Lowe's, grocery stores)

Specialized bulbs:

Bright Effects 60w-equivalent enclosed bulbs: They look like normal lightbulbs, but a bit larger. Useful if you don't want a spiral bulb visible. These turn on instantly, but come on very dim at first, maybe 1/4 or 1/3 brightness. They reach full brightness after a minute or so. One of four failed after a couple of weeks, but it was on a photosensor, which the package says not to do.
n:vision 60w-equivalent enclosed bulb: Much like the Bright Effects, maybe a bit brighter on startup.
GE 50/100/150w-equivalent spiral: for our 3-setting floor lamp. Works great, nice light.
Bright Effects 75w-equivalent outdoor floods: For the back patio. Good light, but start off rather dim. One failed after a couple of weeks, but it was on a photosensor, which the package says not to do. The second (also on a photosensor) is still fine.
n:vision 90w-equivalent outdoor flood: Just got this one, seems good so far. Instant on.

Notes

The Energy Star web site has lots of good information about CFLs. You should probably buy only CFLs that have the Energy Star logo, because they have to meet certain standards to use it.

Most CFLs take half a second or so to turn on. All of the n:vision ones that we've tried come on instantly.

CFLs come on at somewhat less than full brightness and warm up to full brightness within a minute or so. It's hard to judge, but the spiral bulbs seem to come on pretty bright, maybe 3/4 brightness, and warm up quickly. It's noticeable if you pay attention, but not a big problem.

I should point out that CFLs contain a small amount of mercury. It's not enough to be dangerous even if a bulb breaks. However, you shouldn't throw them away in normal trash. Again, see Energy Star.

Kitchen help

2007-01-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

We are helpful! (From preparations for the New Year's party.)

Happy New Year enchilada

2007-01-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

There seem to be a lot of enchiladas left over from the Patels' New Year party. I hope they don't go to waste. Hint, hint, hint.

A disguised nemesis

2006-12-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

We had a close call in home security the other day. A very suspicious character came to the front door wearing a Santa hat. But I instantly noticed her telltale blue uniform and bag and deduced that she was my nemesis the mailwoman. (How did I leave her off my Enemies List??) Well, I let her know all about what I thought of her sneaky disguise. She won't try that again any time soon! Pretending to be Santa. Of all the low-down tricks.

I'm raising the Mail-person Threat Level to Red, indicating current and ongoing covert mail-person infiltration attempts.

Christmas Day

2006-12-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas tree

Christmas dog (that's me!!!)

Gingerbread house. But why won't they let me help? I can take care of that whole house easily! At least give me the doghouse....

The roof is kind of suspect. I think we need to get a different architect next year. Griffin needs to stick to computers.

Yeah! I aced out Rusty for the prime petting spot.

Clarita: We're going to give Sydney a doggie bed for Christmas.
Damitra: Oh, I don't know, Mom, I don't think she'll like it.

I like this family's priorities:
Damitra: Mom, I hope you didn't spend too much on us.
Clarita (paraphrased): Oh, don't worry, honey. Sydney's present was more expensive than any of yours.

Of course I love my doggie bed! Now if only they would put my food dish next to it....

They seem to have a lot of leftover turkey. I hope they make a reasonable decision on how to dispose of it....

Christmas ribbon

2006-12-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

I got a Christmas ribbon! Yay!

A very expensive treat

2006-12-23T23:22:00.000-08:00

Sydney's on a blogging hiatus for a day or two. While we were out on Thursday, she got into some chocolate that we'd left in reach, tore open the bags, tore open almost all of the individually wrapped chocolates inside, and ate a total of 6 or 7 ounces of dark chocolate. (My Christmas stocking will be a bit thinner than Damitra planned.) We wound up taking her to the pet ER that evening because she was getting shaky and sick. They fixed her up and she's getting better, but she's very tired of being cooped up in the kitchen. I hope she really enjoyed that chocolate....

Christmas dogs

2006-12-17T20:54:00.000-08:00

Sydney's Enemies List (updated)

2006-12-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

Squirrels
The garbage truck
The school bus
The neighbor's pressure washer
All power tools
Barking dogs (especially behind fences)
Gianni's birds

Rough!

2006-12-13T04:43:00.000-08:00

Griffin: How's your new sweater?
Damitra: It's OK, but the inside of the pockets is a bit rough.
Griffin: Ruff?
(Sydney looks up excitedly)
Damitra: Not that kind of rough!

Birds and more

2006-12-11T20:09:00.000-08:00

We took care of our friend's birds for a couple of days while she was away. They sure had a lot to say. And they were messy eaters. You won't catch me leaving any food on the floor!

I wasn't scared of them. Nope, not a bit. There was a good reason I stayed on the far side of the room and wouldn't look at them.

Hey, what's going on? Get me down from here! Oh no, not dancing time!

Woooooowwwwww ... look at all that food! Is it tastier than the last stuff? [No, it's the same kind -- Griffin]

Rusty goes to camp

2006-10-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

Rusty came to fall camp! So we have the Sheltie tag team for a couple of days. We'll have to wait and see how well they get along. I'm not sure if Sydney intentionally bosses him around or if he's just ridiculously scared of her.

SYDNEY ADDS: This guy again? Why does he keep coming over here? What, he's staying here? Oh, come on. I can't stand guys with no guts. What are they good for? I mean, why does he keep coming up to me and then running away? For barking out loud. Well, I guess it'll be up to me to protect him along with the rest of the family. He'd better be grateful!

A long winter's nap

2006-10-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

"Me in my sweater
And my doggie in her fur coat
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap...."

(Of course, about a minute later, the doggie ran out of patience, squirmed free, and jumped down, but never mind that.)

Barbeque

2006-10-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Mom and Dad went to a barbeque out in the country hosted by another of the Med-Peds residents. They had a good time and had some yummy barbeque, and even brought some home ... but didn't give me any! Can't they take a hint?

Greg and Amy, the hosts. Greg's grill says "Greg's BBQ" on the cover.

Mmmm, meat!

There were some cool lizards there, too.

All this, and they left me cooped up at home?! Why? I don't get it....

New pictures

2006-10-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

Has it really been over a month since I posted to my blog? Wow, time flies when you're playing soccer, sleeping, and getting your tummy rubbed (not at the same time). Here are some new pictures:

I discovered to my horror that playing soccer on freshly cut grass turns your paws green. They were even more green than they look in this picture. Green's not my color! Help! (This was a while ago. It got better after a few days.)

Me out on the deck yesterday. The weather was perfect -- sunny and not too hot. I got taken for a nice long walk later.

Fun weekend

2006-09-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a fun weekend! On Saturday, lots and lots of people came over, and Rusty too. I made lots of friends and got to play outside and some people even gave me yummy food. They can come over any time as far as I'm concerned. But then everyone left. Then yesterday Damitra's mom and dad came over and cut some plywood for hurricane shutters, and I got petted some more. Then this morning Griffin took me to visit them. I got to hang out with Rusty while they worked on the roof. I hate to say it, but Rusty's kind of a wimp. Why does he always run away from me? I only snapped at him that one time and I didn't really mean it. Oh well, I don't mind bossing him around if he's going to be that way. So I got to sit inside and got petted. And best of all, I discovered that their breakfast policy includes buttered toast for doggies. We can go over there any time!

Soccer pictures

2006-08-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

"Sydney Defense!"

"Sydney Steal!"

"Sydney Dribble!"

"Sydney Victory!"

This evening we discovered that not only will she nudge the ball, she'll actually dribble it forward using her nose. We've seen her go five feet or more with it.

For the "Shelties are scary smart" file: In our noontime soccer session, she was completely fooled by basic stepover fakes (step over the ball to fake one way, then go the other way using your other foot). This evening, she didn't fall for it very much anymore. She's already learning my moves!

They don't make bath stuff like they used to...

2006-08-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

I don't understand why the folks at Bath and Body Works don't get it. Every year I find a scent I like, and every year without fail they discontinue it and bring some new scent I don't like. Freesia, pear, apple, raspberry, brown sugar, grape. I mean, when you think of smelling pretty, do you think of smelling like a fruit? I don't want to smell like I just came out of the produce section of a grocery store. What ever happened to normal scents? Or even flowery scents?? Even dogs like to smell girly. =)

Our little soccer player

2006-08-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

We'd heard that Sydney used to be a big soccer player. Today I confirmed that she still is. I took her out in the back yard with the soccerball, and she started chasing after it barking her head off. I ran her back and forth for about ten minutes and she loved it. She'll head-butt and paw the ball if you leave it for her. She got momentarily distracted having a frank exchange of ideas with the dogs on the other side of the back fence, but nothing could keep her from playing soccer. I was wiped out after about ten minutes, but she looked ready to play the full 90. She clearly had an amazing amount of fun. So did I, for that matter. We'll try to get some pictures or video soon....

Bunny?

2006-08-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Why do they keep calling me "honey-bunny?" Don't they know I'm a Sheltie? I'm not a rabbit, I'm a K-9!

In other news, on our morning walk I detected a squirrel in the magnolia tree right in front of the house. I scared him away, but I'm still raising the Squirrel Threat Level to Orange, indicating a high likelihood of squirrel operations. Citizens, please be alert.

Bathtime torment

2006-08-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

"Surely you're not planning to give me a bath. Look how pitiful I am! Whaddaya mean I smell like a dog? I'm supposed to! Nope, don't need a bath. Hey! W-why are you closing the door? Help!"

Wash cycle

Rinse cycle

Spin dry cycle

"I don't want to be a punk rocker! Dry me off!"

Blow dryer time. Sydney doesn't like this part.

But she loves getting brushed. She'll happily sit there and get brushed indefinitely. She's such a girly girl.

The end result. Look at that show dog!

Trauma

2006-08-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hey, what's going on? Why are we at the vet again? We were just here last week! I wouldn't have jumped in the car so eagerly if I'd known we were coming back here. Hey! Hey! Don't leave me! Help!

(Later)

Whoooa. Heeey. Whaat happened? Huh? Anes ... astha ... anemesthamatesia? Is that whyyyy I can't waaalk straight?

(Later)

You've got some nerve abandoning me at the vet like that! Whaddaya mean "teeth cleaning?" My teeth were just fine the way they were! I don't like you any more.

What's that? Do I want to go for a walk?

Well, I'll forgive you this time. Let's go let's go let's go!

Note on comments

2006-08-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

We kept getting comment spam, so I've turned on word verification for posting comments. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Thunderstorms

2006-08-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Sydney is currently hiding under my chair, lying on my feet, because there's a mild thunderstorm in the area. I keep telling her that she can't possibly be a scaredy-cat because she's a dog, but it doesn't seem to help. Poor sweetheart....

Guard duty at the computer desk

2006-08-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

2006-08-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

More variety, more content -- it's time to live-blog a bad movie! We begin Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children:

10 minutes in, I'm having a lot of "Where are we? Who is this? What's going on?" moments. And I remember the game pretty well.
The real question is, will the movie be better than the game? The bar's not set very high! (LATER: No.)
OK, the gang call Cloud "brother" and keep asking about their "mother." Gee, Cloud, d'ya think maybe they're talking about Jenova?
These character models are well into the disturbing part of the "uncanny valley." (shudder)
This fight between Tifa and what's-his-face is just dumb. "Make it like the Matrix, but more so" doesn't work out well.
Am I wrong, or is Tifa significantly more modest than she used to be?
OK, it made me laugh that the bad guy had the "victory" fanfare as his cell phone ring.
Did the little girl just throw a Materia at the bad guy? Where'd that big box come from? Why did it cause him to leave Tifa alone? This scene continues to make progressively less sense.
Can we just revive Aeris already? That's the only reason anyone's watching this.
Cloud looks almost as confused as me.
Hey Cloud, the children are gone! You don't care? Cloud: "I don't care about anything! I'm angsty!"
Wow, the bad guy turns the water black. No Jenova blood for oil!
This scene would work better without the silly heavy metal theme for the bad guys. They're bad!
This fight in the Forgotten City is even sillier than the first. Wait, what's this red thing flying around? Is that someone's blood? Where's Cloud? It's over? What just happened? Oh, forget it.
Oh, the red thing was Vincent in cloak-only form or something. OK.
Huh? Now are we flashing back to before Cloud left? What, did this movie make too much sense told in chronological order?
Philosophize blah blah Lifestream nightmare existence etc.
It usually looks like there's no relationship between the voices and the people on-screen. That's not good. It doesn't help that most of the voice actors sound like they're on powerful medication.
Yay, every single other main character shows up in the span of 10 seconds at just the right moment!
We're fighting a summon? What is this, FFX? And if that's supposed to be Bahamut, he's awfully wimpy so far.
So far the music has ranged from classical to choral to heavy metal, and not a bit of it has been either good or suited to the scene. Mr. Uematsu's phoning it in big-time.
*tweet* Technical foul! Bahamut-or-whoever just fired a humongous energy blast straight down at Cloud with the city below him. Where'd it go?
Something involving a motorcycle chase. I'll figure out the plot (snicker) implications later.
First good music! It's Jenova's theme from the game, of course.
Sephiroth: "I'm going to destroy this planet and make it into a spaceship and go find a new planet and create a shining future there." Cloud: "What about this planet?" Sephiroth: "That's up to you." Huh? That's nonsensical even by crazy villain standards!
Cloud's falling through white light! Now he meets Aeris and she forgives him for not being able to save her.
Well, half right.
Yay for Cloud the Baptist! By the way, why is there a church if there's no religion?
Translation of that final look from Tifa: "OK, are you finally over Aeris so we can get on with things?"
Who was that guy who appeared with Aeris? Was that bad-guy-but-he's-better-now? (UPDATE: I guess it was Zack / Zachs / whatever. You don't remember him? Me neither.)
What? The movie's over?
I like the sequence of Cloud riding through countryside under the credits. Best part of the movie.

UPDATE: I have the "la la something Sephiroth" choral theme stuck in my head. I didn't like it the first time around. Help!

New friends

2006-08-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

I've made so many new friends lately! But they all go away. Why won't they stay? First Hillery and Mike came to visit from Dallas for the weekend, and they were lots of fun, but then they left. Then Damitra's cardiology team came over for dinner. They were all friendly and there was a little one who was just fascinated by me. (Who wouldn't be?) But they all left too, and no one even gave me any food. Then Dustin came to visit, but he left. And they spent the whole time playing Super Smash Brothers and the Fight City card game. Don't they know that I'm more fun than anything like that? I kept trying to get their attention, but they kept going back to the cards. Silly people....

The furry menace

2006-07-28T05:12:00.000-07:00

I had thought this area was free of the enemy. I hadn't seen any of them before. In hindsight, I should have known from the telltale sign of the torn-up pinecones under every pine tree. I was out on my peaceful morning walk with Dad, minding my own business, when suddenly one of the accursed ones appeared from behind the next tree and menaced us. The beady eyes! The bushy tail! The chittering! I'm always ready for action, of course, so I lunged forward to defend us. I wasn't fast enough, though. The scoundrel scampered up the tree before I could reach him. I shall have to re-double my vigilance if I am to protect this family from the furry menace.

Astros game

2006-07-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad went to the Astros game last night with the other Med-Peds people. They told me I couldn't go because I didn't have my Astros shirt on. But don't they know that Shelties are always dressed for any occasion? I want to go play outfield! Well, maybe first base for now.

Anyhow, they told me all about the game later. Chick-fil-a has funny advertisements on the foul poles now: their usual cows, and writing: "Eat More Fowl." I approve.

But what's going on with Luke Scott's theme music? I understand why you'd play music from Star Wars -- "Use the Force," etc. -- but wouldn't the Imperial March indicate that Luke went over to the Dark Side? It's all wrong! All wrong!

Now if only they'd do a doggie night at the ballpark....

Lacks pictures

2006-07-23T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! This is Sydney again. Sorry for not having any pictures lately. We don't have a camera. Grandpa stole our digital camera. I knew I was right to be suspicious of him!

Standing guard

2006-07-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Sydney is lying on the floor about three feet from me, facing outward, watching vigilantly.

Damitra: What is she guarding you from, anyhow?
Me: I don't know. But whatever it is, it's not here, so I guess she must be doing a good job....

Bean types

2006-07-21T02:55:00.000-07:00

So far we've identified the following types of beans:

- Sydney bean
- Kidney bean
- Silly bean
- Lazy bean
- Runner bean
- String bean

The last two have not yet been sighted, although they may appear in the future.

A mysterious gentleman

2006-07-19T03:06:00.000-07:00

When I went on my big walk Sunday morning, we saw another Sheltie! He was a very distinguished-looking gentleman with all-white front legs. Very formal. Tragically, his owner was walking him in a different direction and we couldn't catch up to say hi. (It's not my fault! My legs are short!) He was accompanied by a big fluffy golden dog. Very suspicious. Maybe he needs to be rescued! That can be my first Sheltie superhero mission. Right after I finish breakfast.

My red bow

2006-07-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

I have a pretty red bow! OK, actually it's just a tied ribbon, but it's still pretty. It makes me happy.

The bad news is that it's way too hot outside. I wish they'd turn the temperature down.

UPDATE: Here's a better picture. I love my ribbon!

French fries

2006-07-12T19:03:00.000-07:00

My dad came home smelling like french fries. I looked all over but couldn't find any. Why didn't he save me a french fry? What a meanie. I can see I have some work to do on these people.

"In the Way"

2006-07-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

Today's song, sung to a tune kind of like "Charles in Charge." This especially applies when we're cooking and she feels compelled to continually check underfoot to see if we dropped anything.

In the way
Sydney-bean is in the way
WHOAAA-OAAH
In the way
She likes to be
In the way
WHOOOOA
(repeat until dog looks sufficiently confused)

United by a shared purpose

2006-07-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

Rusty and Sydney weren't sure what to make of each other at first, but nothing brings dogs together like the possibility of food.

My name

2006-07-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

I think my humans are a bit slow. They keep calling me "Sydney Bean." Can't they see that I'm a Sheltie, not a bean? And I don't know why they keep saying, "Hefty hefty hefty! Wimpy wimpy wimpy!" to me. I have a fine figure. And I like to take life slow and enjoy it properly. At least on walks. Very slow. What's wrong with that?

Soccer ball blues

2006-07-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

Why does my dad keep trying to make me play with a little 2-inch sorry excuse for a soccerball? I mean, it squeaks! What kind of soccerball squeaks? I'm holding out for the real thing. Why do they keep asking why I won't play with it? I have my principles, you know!

Down with Portugal

2006-07-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

I'm very disappointed that the ungentlemanly team from Portugal is still alive in the World Cup. It's all wrong! Don't they know how to behave like real men? What a bunch of whiny thugs. I'm a Peter Crouch fan myself. He's got long legs, I've got short furry legs, but we could be a good pair! I can run fast! (Kind of.)

Me in the big backyard

2006-06-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

Me in the backyard. Griffin says it's hard to take pictures of me. Why? There's nothing wrong with running around, is there?

Pictures

2006-06-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

Me and my mommy

What? Isn't this my pillow?

Help! I'm stuck! What are they doing? Why are they being weird? I don't get it....

Kisses make everything better. That's an important tip for you dogs out there. If your human starts acting weird, just give kisses. They make everything better.

I like this picture. But why are my eyes red? Am I turning into a vampire dog? I read a book about a vampire bunny rabbit once, but I never heard of a vampire dog. Help! I'm scared! I want my mommy....

No Sydneys allowed?

2006-06-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

Why do my new humans keep saying, "No Sydneys allowed?" Where? Why not? I'll be good, I promise! Can I have an enchilada?

Bonk

2006-06-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

I thought the side door was open. It looked like it was open. I could see the inside of the house perfectly clearly. It looked very cozy and inviting. My food is inside. I wanted to go there.

Whaddaya mean "glass door?" What is this infernal device?

A store called Papaya

2006-06-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

There's a store called Papaya in the San Marcos outlet mall. But they don't sell any papayas! All they sell is weird neo-80s human clothes. Where are the papayas? It's more false advertising!

I wanted a papaya....

Three Coins in the Fountain

2006-06-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

I don't get it. Why is the movie called Three Coins in the Fountain when there are only two coins in the fountain? (Remember, the oldest woman refused to throw one in.) It's false advertising! Where's the third coin? And can I use it to buy some food? These people don't feed me enough. They don't even let me lick the plates!

Saving the world

2006-06-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

"Sydney, come here. We have a very important Sheltie superhero mission for you. You need to save the .... Hey! Sydney! Yeah, yeah, I know. Everyone thinks you can just roll on your back and get your tummy rubbed to solve all the world's problems. It doesn't work that way!"

A trip to the vet

2006-06-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Friday I took Sydney to the vet, mainly because she was chewing at her paws. She was fine with the car ride until I stopped the car. Then she climbed into my lap and lay down. We think she was afraid she was changing homes yet again. She was scared of everyone in the vet's office at first, but she got used to the vet -- on the way out, the receptionist tried to say hi to her, and she ran around the desk and hid behind the vet (!). So they gave us some lotion and suggested some other things we can try. The biggest issue, as we knew, is her weight. She should be 20-22 pounds. She's 28. No table scraps for you, missy!

Sydney's trip home

2006-06-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

We brought Sydney home last Wednesday. She was so scared at first that she was shaking, but she calmed down during the drive. We had to stop at the garage to pick something up from Damitra's dad, and she got scared again there. Poor girl didn't know what was going on. Finally we got home. It took a minute to coax her out of the car, but she came on her own, and started exploring the house right away. We'd heard that she might not eat for several days, but she scarfed down everything that we gave her in seconds. She's quickly turned out to be a total sweetheart with a very waggy tail.