Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Notes from Editor Sam's corner or, "Well, I'll be doggone!"

Dada's Dally has an editor. His name is Sam. Sam's a real dog! Because of that, it was difficult keeping his nose to the grindstone at the blog initially. Sam much preferred poking his nose around outside when he began his job in January, 2007.

Sam's corner

As a result, Sam and I worked on making him a special place in his favorite corner of the backyard. It's become Sam's corner. I keep a little path trimmed for Sam between the foreground foliage and the wall behind it so that, on those occasions when Sam misses an edit and I take out in a sprint after him, he knows he can ditch me by running down that narrow path too small for Dada. That's "Sam's Corner," his sanctuary. It's important everyone has a place they can escape to.

Sam obsessing on the cats

For a couple months Sam's corner suffered the distraction of a feral cat or two in the backyard of the neighbors. Much time of frustration and despair consumed Sam's attention because the cats had taken up residence directly over the wall from his corner. Here, he surveys the neighbor's backyard as he spent so much time doing back then. Eventually the cats left and in another 4-5 weeks so did Sam's obsession with them.

Sam disguised as an iris. (Click to enlarge.)

Here's Sam in his corner, from a photo I took last spring. Remaining perfectly still for long periods of time, much like Dick Cheney on a weekend drinking/hunting binge, Sam learned he could observe unsuspecting birds feeding in the yard while disguised as a blooming iris (unlike our vice-psychopath, Dick Cheney, who prefers to disguise himself as a human being).


After terminating our service with Dish Network recently, Sam came up with an idea for a blog for the leftover pieces Dish didn't want back. We decided to title it "The Proper Way to do Your Dishes."


Here's Sam approving of the initial rinse to remove the soiled surface of our Dish. Having recently rediscovered a couple of small solar panels formerly used to power beer signs in bars and liquor stores (given me by a friend in the 80's who worked for a beer distributor), we are working on a way to incorporate solar power into our cleaned up dish. This is a project we hope to work on further during our upcoming 'dog days of summer' blogging break. If/when we finish it, we will remount it on the roof for all to see.


Lately, however, Sam's been spending more and more time outside just kicking back on the patio. I think Sam's exhibiting signs of depression. Only 2 and 1/2 years old, this is Sam's first presidential election. He'll be 21 -- old enough to vote -- in November, but he doesn't seem at all enthused like I hoped he would be.

Like, Sam wanted to know why the U.S. senate, which has shriveled to a slimy grey mass of corruption and nothingness by ceding all of its constitutional responsibility to the executive branch, is the source of the two major candidates to run the country's most corrupted branch of government for the next four years? I couldn't explain.

Another example of his displeasure came Saturday night. No amount of doggie treats could bribe Sam to watch the McCain - Obama "Brokeback Mountain" debate.

Sam wanted to know why, in a nation that prides itself in the separation of church and state, the presidential candidates would agree to violate that tenet and aggrandize some narcissistic Christian evangelical hack trying to help his flock of sheep and thousands of congregations across the country decide who would make a better Christian president. I had no answer.

I am very concerned for Sam. No longer interested in doing the much needed editing demands of Dada's Dally, he seems to have taken his cue from our representatives in D.C. who have withdrawn from their work during these dog days of summer. My fear is Sam, very disillusioned, may decide to withdraw totally from humanity and that's not a thought I could begin to entertain.

Hence, Sam has convinced me to join him in enjoying these special waning days of summer. To spend hours just kicking back outside on the patio with him. And sometimes working on our "Proper Way to do the Dishes" project (note the current 'brown' state of the dish immediately behind Sam in photo above).

In the meantime, "Happy Labor Day!" to everyone. Enjoy summer's dog days. We sure plan to in our favorite place to escape to -- the backyard!

9 comments:

PTCruiser said...

Sam is looking very well. So is your lawn, by the way. Maybe you could take a trip to SF and manicure my weeds, I mean grass.

Fran said...

Great Post Dada! Although Sam is blowing off his editor duties, he is showing you the fine art of enjoying the back yard, as well as the Zen of mastering the skill of holding down lawn chairs. In this crazy busy world, so many of us have lost that skill-- sit down & relax.

I have to admit we've all but abandoned our patio because it's been in the high 90's, and honestly too fricking hot to be enjoyable. But now we've had some rain & the temps have cooled off.
You put the whole political scene into perspective- the imbalance of the executive branch, and or the undisclosed cave-non-executive branch of the VP.
Why that whole religious based debate was wrong on theory alone. I heard afterwards, the candidates were given some of the questions in advance, and McCain may have gone to a car & had access to listen to Obama's answers when he was not supposed to.
Religious debte cheater!
Notice they did not have a Muslim Cleric, quizzing them on the fine points of the Koran- Or an interdenominational neutral questioner. The thing was rigged from the start!

The crowd cheered when McCain said fetus'es have rights from conception.
Yea-- McCain is a short sighted pro lifer-- have the baby, but then you are on your own to care for the baby. We need to coin a term for that- "pro birth- your on your own after that-er"
How about "Pro-birth, Life-support flatliner"?
Actually having the baby is ***relatively*** easy, compared to 18 years of feeding, clothing, providing medical, dental, educational, total support for a child.

I bet the Evangelical guy did not add that part into his questioning.

And what about the moral/ethical issue of sending children off to war?

I'm sure they were probably more focused on issues of gay marriage, than the question of an illegal occupation being mass murder, and that "Thou Shalt not Kill" clause in the 10 Commandments.

Bah!

If we are going to break down into segmenting politics into such sub groups... where will it end?
The NASCAR based line of questioning?

The fact we are down to choosing candidates from the spineless pool of a borderline criminal lackluster Congress, seems to keep this circle of insanity going.

What kind of super powers does this dog possess, that he can obtain such bliss?

Maybe it is just the cat chasing yoga meditation?

Move over Deepock Chopra~ Editor Sam has some keys to unlock life's mysteries & pathways to happines, or cats... whatever!

Mariamariacuchita said...

Because everyone needs some rest time!
This cracked me up: "much like Dick Cheney on a weekend drinking/hunting binge."
Sam has beautiful brown eyes, unlike Cheney.

Fran said...

Whoah that was a long reply-- maybe I am making up for not checking in for a while.
Anyway, I wanted to tell you I had to quote your wonderful remark about the root of the issue about the faith based debacle, I mean debate. You nailed it!

eProf2 said...

Nice pleasant post, Dada, with nice pics. That Sam is one smart dog knowing what he does about politics, solar panels, private spaces, and keeping you on your toes. It's a bit early, but have a great Labor Day holiday in your mini-resort.

enigma4ever said...

oh this is great...I love seeing him and hearing about life there...and seeing you two together...so cool...you are my pick of the day...give sam some extra treats...you are in my round up today at watergatesummer...

Anonymous said...

Sam is looking great. He is quite a gentleman.

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

Utah Savage said...

Love Sam. Lovely post.

D.K. Raed said...

this was very nice. Love that Sam, especially his Iris camo! And of course cat obsession is much healthier than some indulged by members of our ruling elite. But ... where are the 100 (or was it 1000) quaking (or was it quacking) aspens?