Nice people thread part 7 - a thread in its prime

GDB2222

Wheezy wrote: »

yawn!

Sorry. All breeds except family-style dogs..... Rottweilers are wonderful dogs in the right setting, I believe, but they have no place in a family or on the streets of this country.

LydiaJ

lostinrates wrote: »

Lydia.....

Sight hounds usually aren't intersted in balls at all....but....they are easy to exercise if you have somewhere they can run....and run...and run.....for about fifteen minutes!

Some like longer walks. dog dog and dh walk upto aout eight or ten miles when both fit, but there is no doubt she prefers short, fast, and ending with a sofa...

How interesting. Avatar-dog wasn't terribly interested in just running. As soon as we arrived somewhere with space to run he would jump about while looking hopefully at us and barking to say "Go on, where's the ball? Throw it! Throw it! Throw it!"

Not that we chose him because we thought the greyhound ancestry would guarantee ball chasing. We took him out for a walk when he was in the rescue centre to see how we got on with him, and tried him with something to see if he would want to chase it. We couldn't let him off the lead, obviously, but I held him tightly and LNE threw a stick to see if he looked interested. I was practically dragged off my feet, he was so desperate to go chase!

We tried him with a frisbee once. He loved it, and happily retrieved it, but then worried it on the way back each time, so it rapidly became a very strange shape and wouldn't fly properly. He also never met a squeaky toy he couldn't kill in under a minute (ie bite a hole in so it wouldn't squeak any more). He wasn't much of a chewer of other things, though.

lemonjelly

lostinrates wrote: »

Ok, I hate classic fm, but it is really good at capturing interest....it's like hearing the sellout single from a great album that people who don't know the band don't hear.

Make notes of the pieces you really like and then PLEASE try listening to one or two in their entirity.

Don't be afraid to read about them too, the big stories behind some things aren't so obvious, but when you know the story, read what's represented in each bit you start to hear it, and see it in your mind.

It's fine to not like some things.....

But, remember, even in genres you don't like there might be gems that move you. Also, if opera leaves you cold you might want to have a less hard nosed try at listening to some Gilbert and sullivan. Smug, yes, but also funny and often quite clever.

I think classic fm serves a purpose for dipping the toe into the proverbial water...

For this afternoon I have just put on a flash drive containing:
Elgars enigma variations
Debussey - complete works for piano
Schubert - 8 symphonies
Michael Nyman - the draughtsmans contract
Respighi - the roman trilogy
Phillip Glass - low symphony

I'll be working through these before the football, whilst reading the grapes of wrath.

Later on, I'll be having my first ever attempt at making sausages!

lostinrates

LydiaJ wrote: »

How interesting. Avatar-dog wasn't terribly interested in just running. As soon as we arrived somewhere with space to run he would jump about while looking hopefully at us and barking to say "Go on, where's the ball? Throw it! Throw it! Throw it!"

Not that we chose him because we thought the greyhound ancestry would guarantee ball chasing. We took him out for a walk when he was in the rescue centre to see how we got on with him, and tried him with something to see if he would want to chase it. We couldn't let him off the lead, obviously, but I held him tightly and LNE threw a stick to see if he looked interested. I was practically dragged off my feet, he was so desperate to go chase!

We tried him with a frisbee once. He loved it, and happily retrieved it, but then worried it on the way back each time, so it rapidly became a very strange shape and wouldn't fly properly. He also never met a squeaky toy he couldn't kill in under a minute (ie bite a hole in so it wouldn't squeak any more). He wasn't much of a chewer of other things, though.

Squeaky sounds like a greyhound thing (not all sithounds like toys, big dogs breed rarely do) but like avatar dog, dog dog seeks and destroys squeakers. Tbh, don't know about labs and squeakers.

Most sight hounds will watch a ball thrown with interest, even chase after it.....then turn back and look at you as if to say..'now what was the point of that?' or just keep on running. Dog dog will retrieve grudgingly...to her breeders amazement, but she prefers just to run.

The thing she and big dog like is chasing apples thrown...because there is a reason too...they eat the thrown apples!

LydiaJ

When I was a kid I knew a very lazy Jack Russell that wouldn't chase anything except dog biscuits!
So what breed(s) would you recommend to fit my list of criteria above, lir?

lostinrates

LydiaJ wrote: »

When I was a kid I knew a very lazy Jack Russell that wouldn't chase anything except dog biscuits!
So what breed(s) would you recommend to fit my list of criteria above, lir?

Well, avatar dog obviously suited you well, and was well loved. A lot of what you want is met by a greyhound. So, guessing you wouldn't want a puppy, because of working, another greyhound cross, other lurcher (perhaps avoiding the cross being something like collie) or retired greyhound seem pretty close?

Again, as I said to viva, black male grey hounds are the least likely of greyhounds, and considering the number of greyhound rescues i think that must be high amoung all types in rescue, to find a home and thus more likely to be pts.

But, there are any number of greg dogs in rescue AND breed recues (it's never pedigree or rescue, worth remembering all breeds have rescues, just some have nil or short lists!)

Personally, I think any one looking for any dog does well to visit discover dogs at crufts. To look at all the breeds....and all the opportunities with them.

E.g. Your dd might well enjoy some junior handling, but would need a pedigree. But with any dog with aptitude she, or ds, might enjoy the speed of fly ball (not for a straight grey hound...li think some curly dogs do it) or agility. Any of these sports require some dedication, (too much time for me, which is why mine nly ever got lightly shown) but also give some fun exercise and companion ship.

misskool

success! peanut brittle looks like brittle and tastes like peanut brittle.

coconut ices and divinity next. home made presents are nice but my god, it's stressful when making them else when they go wrong, i will end up eating them!

zagubov

Generali wrote: »

Songs In The Key of Life has to be one of the greatest ever albums recorded.

Some highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MIjsANK_LQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxbp1qFmH6s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH1BPQ7FLbc

Another song by the great man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ZSIeSsmwI

And a bit of jazz piano:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SUEyf_2fbo (from about 9:30)

It's amazing that a blind boy with a single mother could achieve such greatness.

Superstition and Living for the City are two of my favourites!
We mention him in some courses as he's the most famous baby to be blinded by the experimental oxygen therapy they used to use for premature babies in the US many years ago.:(

But not all teenagers know him now I'm sorry to say.

zagubov

I'm not into classical but I liked some of lir and lj's suggestions such as Philip Glass- Low symphony.
What would you make of sufjan's steven's "BQE Symphony"?

May I suggest we each put together a mixtape of suggestions for everybody else that would maybe get people interested in genres that we like but they're not already fans of. Outstanding tracks you think would be worth listening to by people who might not have heard of them before?

Maybe a personal top 10?

lostinrates

zagubov wrote: »

I'm not into classical but I liked some of lir's suggestions such as Philip Glass- Low symphony.
What would you make of sufjan's steven's "BQE Symphony"?

May I suggest we each put together a mixtape of suggestions for everybody else that would maybe get people interested in genres that we like but they're not already fans of. Outstanding tracks you think would be worth listening to by people who might not have heard of them before?

Maybe a personal top 10?

I just don't think I can do a top ten. I just cannot.


Fwiw this sort of thing is as close as it gets to an argument in the rates household..........


I think I have mentioned over the years some of the things I can not imagine not having heard, absorbed and made part of me..
No one ever shouts about Air. I have a few Air CDs, and all I need is a beautiful, beautiful song. I don't know I would be me if I hadn't heard it. I feel the same way about Deleriums 'silence'. I have particularly fond association with Paul Simons gracelands. My dad had it in the car one summer and it was surprising to me. Likewise, he had a tape of oh bu99er, name escapes me.....any way, some hit sings Fred Astaire. It was amazing to me, as my father hated the old musicals my mother loved, and it was clear to me from this tape that there was no communication over something they could have found middle ground in. I later used to sing night and day as an audition piece because it's ranges and not many kids sang it. It also always brought me near years, so was handy if I had to speak some sad lines in same audition.:D

As and when I think of others I might be able to throw them in,but top ten type lists are hard for me. My brain doesn't work that way.

Oh, I always associate carpenters (mentioned by single sue I think) with the best summer I had with my sibling. Before I relaised that there was mental illness and other families didn't have this, and likewise Carole king. And Tracey chapman. I don't feel Karen carpenter ( in fact, some of it makes me cross) but it is a fond memory of love and closeness that wasn't easy in our family (me included) and Tracy chapman and Carole king stayed with me. I think of Carole king when I think of the song 'natural woman' not aretha. Because I heard Carole's version first.


My parents were anti pop( considered not good for my education so I heard little eighties music unless sneaking into my sisters room when she intermittantly lived with us. I saw the video for sledgehammer in her room, and it scared me silly. I still have that frisson of 'what the hell?' when I hear it, only it's humorous now.