Lots of posts...soon

I have lots of posts coming soon.  I've been working on a long one and am finishing the other two horses' pages.  I just have some offline stuff I have to take care of first, so I'll be pretty busy for a while.

In the meantime, I've updated Alta's page to include new photos.  Click here to see them.

I will be back online as soon as I can!

On the other hand...

...I'm also a geek.

As is The Viking.

I've been a geek as long as I can remember.  A nerd, too.  Mom and Dad say I taught myself to read at 18 months.  I have had my nose in a book every single day since then.  I didn't play with dolls...I played with dinosaurs.

I always made good grades all throughout school, only As and Bs from grade school through college with one C in a math class...okay, maybe I'm not THAT nerdy.

And no, I am not a "hot" nerd girl.  I was when I was in college, but no longer.  I'm hot to my husband, and that's all that matters.

(Psssst...boys...very few real nerd/geek girls are as hot as Felicia Day.  Just FYI.)

Don't we all just wanna LARP her queen...
(from Supernatural)

Yes, that's TWO Supernatural references so far in this blog.  Told you I was a geek.

I can readily blame my geekiness on my dad, The Croatian.  The Croatian went to see Star Wars (the REAL Star Wars, mind you, not this Episodes I - III crap) during the first week it was open with my uncle, then the two of them dragged my mother to go see the film again the next day.  (And she loved it too, God bless her.)

He made us watch Star Wars when we were kids AND listen to the soundtrack on vinyl (yes, children, a RECORD, an LP; mega-old school).  He also made us watch the Indiana Jones films.  He made me read The Hobbit and watch the original Star Trek when it was on reruns.  When Star Trek: The Next Generation was announced to start in September of 1987, we all sat down to watch the very first episode as a family, and I continued to watch the show with my dad whenever possible.

Through all of this, he fueled a monster of geek and nerdiness.  And I'm glad he did.

I was born in the 70s, when all that Dungeons & Dragons stuff became hype and cheesy sci-fi films were blasting across the screen.  So geek was being a fan of dragons and unicorns, space exploration, reading a lot of fantasy novels, watching He-Man and She-Ra and ThunderCats, playing with the ORIGINAL My Little Ponies and Transformers.

The 80s created more geekdom when the age of at-home gaming systems arose.  My brother had an original Nintendo Entertainment System, complete with the included gun and a copy of Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.  

Ah, the pixelated memories...

In 1989, we saw a geek story come to life on the big screen--Batman, by Tim Burton.  While Superman had of course been on the big screen before Batman, I believe that the film Batman started a true geek movement in mainstream moviegoing.  Thereafter, the 90s saw an epic television series known as The X-Files, which I think truly began the change from TV being mostly sitcoms and real-life dramas to exploring fringe science and more unusual subject matter.  These films and TV shows started getting recognition for their quality storylines and superb actors...and suddenly, geek was A-list material.

Love ya, Scully.

Nowadays, it's mainstream and hip to be a geek.  It wasn't that way when I was a kid.  I didn't necessarily hide it, but it certainly was a niche group to be a part of.  While my friends and I didn't play D&D or LARP, we did have Star Trek: TNG parties, complete with costumes.  We also had movie marathons with the Indiana Jones films or Star Wars films (Episodes IV - VI, of course), all played on our VHS player.

Sorry, Beta: YOU LOSE.

I once watched an interview with Bruce Campbell, my favorite B-list actor of all time (he's on My List--more about that later), and he talked about how B-list has become A-list.  Of course, I can't find the video now, and I can't even remember who was interviewing him.  But he talked about how a movie about a man who dresses up like a bat and plays vigilante is truly a B-list movie.  A movie about a boy with mysterious powers to manipulate the world around him and grows up to study this power and fight with a sword made out of light is a B-list movie.  He explained how all these B-list movies are now A-list movies and are lauded by critics and awards shows alike.  It wasn't so 20 to 30 years ago.

Well hell-LO Mr. Fancy Pants.

In my humble opinion, it is really great to see the geek/nerd world getting strong recognition.  I truly believe that the geek/nerd world has now become empowering to intelligent minds everywhere.  Superheroes, alien conspiracies, supernatural hunters, apocalyptic futures: these worlds actually explore science and spirituality that isn't explored in other genres, and it boosts kids and adults alike to actually learn more about not only the world around them, but also about themselves.  It also gives us permission to embrace things that we are socially taught to suppress.  Just because 

And quite frankly, some of the people who have truly changed the world...

Top l to r: Charles Darwin, Grace Hopper, Bill Gates
Bottom l to r: Marie Curie, Nikola Tesla, Margaret Sanger
Just to name a few...

Well, they were truly geeks and nerds.

So what's my inner geek about?  I'll write more about it later.  For now, I'll leave you with this excellent comic, and my personal motto: GO GEEK!

We've done it again...

Four Horsemen by Ruth Thompson
View more of her work at www.redrooart.com

We've gone and done it again.

This was the scene in our turnout in November 2013.

OMG THE GIANT BALL IS GOING TO EAT US!!!!!!!!!
Left to right: Apache, Cirrus (now Dancer), Red Hawk, Phoenix

Here's the scene from our turnout in February 2015.

OM NOM NOM
Left to right: Alta, Virga, Arcus, Apache

Now take a look at it this way:

WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM.
Left to right: Death, Conquest (aka Pestilence), War, Famine*

WE ARE EATING YOUR SOULS.
Left to right: War, Famine, Conquest (aka Pestilence), Death

I originally realized we owned the four horses of the Apocalypse when we thought our herd was complete with Apache, Cirrus-now-Dancer, Red Hawk and Phoenix.

In case you don't know what the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are, here's an excellent explanation from Wikipedia.  From the article sans footnotes:

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, called the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ to Saint John the Evangelist at 6:1-8. The chapter tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand that is sealed with seven seals. The Lamb of God, or Lion of Judah (Jesus Christ), opens the first four of the seven seals, which summons four beings that ride out on white, red, black, and pale horses. Although some interpretations differ, in most accounts, the four riders are seen as symbolizing Conquest, War, Famine, and Death, respectively. The Christian apocalyptic vision is that the four horsemen are to set a divine apocalypse upon the world as harbingers of the Last Judgment.

As described in the Bible, Conquest is the First Rider from the First Seal, and he rides the White Horse and carries a bow and a crown.  War, the Second Rider from the Second Seal, rides the Red Horse, carrying a sword.  The Third Rider is Famine, riding the Black Horse and carrying a set of scales.  Death is the Fourth Rider from the Fourth Seal, riding the Pale Horse, which in some circles means a pale green color.

Conquest is also known as Pestilence in some circles, depending on which version of the Bible you read.  It seems to have been called Pestilence as early as 1916.  This is due to a separate passage in Revelations 6:7-8, but it isn't clear if they are calling the First Rider Pestilence or the entire group as a Pestilence upon mankind.

Matt Frewer as Pestilence from Supernatural

Since the time we thought our herd was complete, Phoenix, who turned out to be a dog attacker, was sold to someone who had no problem with his drama queen-ish personality.  Dancer was the horse who bucked me off and caused my broken wrist.  I planned to keep him and send him for training (he was only 4 years old), but his original owner and our good friend wanted him back so badly that I sold him back to her.  Plus I still get to see him on a regular basis.  Red Hawk passed away in August 2014.

We had decided to switch to draft horses with Phoenix and Dancer.  Phoenix was a cross between a Percheron stallion and a Tennessee Walking Horse mare that I bred for and planned to train up and keep.  Dancer is a Friesian stallion (no relation) x Percheron mare that we bought from our friend, also where Phoenix was born.  We always called them brothers because they grew up together.  Apache and Red Hawk were our last gaited horses, and we plan/planned to keep them until they die.

We'd sold Phoenix, so we had bought a Friesian stallion x Percheron mare filly (Virga) for The Viking to train up and ride as I would ride Dancer.  Virga hadn't come to Arizona yet when Red Hawk passed and Dancer bucked me off.

So, at that point we only had Apache and Virga.  The same friend who bought back Dancer decided to sell her safe draft cross gelding because Dancer is now to be her carriage horse.  I decided to buy him, Arcus, because he is so incredibly safe and well trained.  The Viking would ride Arcus, although he'd be my horse, until Virga was trained.

Then Apache was showing signs of pain due to chronic and genetic hoof issues, so she is now retired.  We had found a bay Georgian Grande mare by the same sire Virga is by that we planned to buy.  However, I was looking on Craigslist for draft horse tack when I ran across Alta, a Belgian mare.  Due to time constraints and money, we decided to buy Alta instead.  Upon meeting her, I instantly knew she was going to be exactly what The Viking wanted in his second draft horse.

The other day, I took the above photo and realized we've gone full circle.  Somehow we're destined to be the owners of the Four Horses of the Apocalypse.  So I guess the Lamb of God (or perhaps the first living creature?) has to come to our place first to pick up the Horsemen's Horses before opening the seals.  Does this guarantee us a spot in heaven?  We could be the Horses' Guardians!

Conquest, War, Famine & Death, an 1887 painting by Victor Vasnetsov.

*Okay, so I know that I'm pushing it with the colors.  However, gray horses end up turning white over the years, and we knew Dancer was going to turn white eventually as his dam did.  According to scripture, Death rides a "pale" horse.  Since Apache has pink skin under her white spots and her eyes are pale blue, I figured she fit the Pale Horse criteria.  Well, close enough for government work anyway.

4-7-8

First, a shout out to ALASKA, one of my very favorite states in the U.S.!  Thanks for looking at my blog!  (Blogger statistics that tell you where people are who look at your blog are way fun.  Don't worry--it doesn't give me any private information about you.  Plus I'm not one to stalk others in private like that anyway.  I'll stalk you out in the open.)

Second, I am working on pages for the blog that explain each of our horses.  So that's kinda taking some time.  It's neat that Blogger has this option.

So, while I'm working on that, here is my first post of Unsolicited Advice.

Recently I ran across this article and I posted it on my Facebook page: How I Learned to Fall Asleep in Under 1 Minute.  I have a terrible time getting to sleep myself.  The article describes a method called "4-7-8" to help you fall asleep.  Be sure to read the entire article to learn why this works.  But basically, you breathe in for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and then you exhale for eight seconds.

I've found that this actually does work for me.  But I also found that you have to work with it.  Take the time to read the article and understand how it works.  I find that if I do the ritual, then take a couple of breaths in between, then do the ritual again, it really works.  I fall asleep within ten minutes or so.

Here are some tips I discovered when using the 4-7-8 method that really helped me out.

• Be sure you're in a comfortable position in bed where you don't feel any muscle strain or stretching.
• Be sure your face is not squished into the pillow, which will restrict your airway.
• Try taking a few deep breaths before starting the method to prepare your lungs.
• Drink some water so your throat is moist so you don't accidentally cough or have to swallow while doing the exercise.

from Sleep Junkie

Sleep has always been a problem for me.  I'm a Night Owl, not an Early Bird.  (This article actually talks about how the conditions could be genetic.)  Of course, this doesn't actually work in the "real" world.  It's one reason why I now work from home as a transcriptionist; I can work when I'm most productive without having to conform to the corporate world requirements.  I learned while I was in college that my best time to be awake was from around 8 or 9 am to 11 pm or midnight.  I try to keep that pattern going now.

I started reading about how to sleep better when I was in college due to several bouts of insomnia.  I have learned a lot about sleeping and how to get a good night's sleep.  These are the tips I learned that have actually made a difference in my life, and I'm sharing them so they might help you as well.

I also recommend this great article.  How to Sleep Better: Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep  It's really in-depth and has a lot of great advice with scientific data to back it up.

Your bed should be used solely for sleeping or sex.  Treat your bed and bedroom as a sacred place.  Don't use it as you would use your couch or kitchen table.  Stay out of your room unless you're going to go to sleep or have sex.  If you need something from your room, go in and get it and then leave.

I do find that reading before I go to sleep is soothing for me, and some scientists have found that reading in bed before going to sleep is okay.  However, it's important to remember not to work in bed, don't talk on the phone in bed, don't play games in bed, don't watch TV in bed.  In fact...

Take the TV out of the bedroom.  Studies have shown that even though we may fall asleep to the TV, our brains keep working to try to process what it's hearing and the light it's recieving behind our eyelids.  This can cause us not to reach REM sleep, which is necessary for our brains to "recharge," to be ready for the next day.  If you don't believe me, try not watching TV while you're in bed to go to sleep for at least a week.  You will probably find you're more rested and able to face the day.

Don't watch TV or play video games within 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.  For the same reasons above, it's best to turn both of those off and let go.  Even if you're in the middle of a big battle or the TV show hasn't ended yet, it's time to push pause or turn on the DVR so you can get some rest.  Set an alarm if you have to to remind you to shut down the electronics.

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.  It's better to do this than to push yourself to stay up later or allow yourself to sleep in late.  If you feel tired during the day, feel free to take a nap, but only in your bedroom and in your bed.  Don't take a nap on the couch.

Put together a going-to-bed ritual.  Start shutting down at least a half an hour before bedtime.  Do things like turn off the TV, close the curtains, lock the doors, listen to soothing music (classical music or new age music designed to help you relax), do stretching exercises, put away projects you've worked on during the day.  Write down any ideas you have, lists you need to make, and/or the chores and errands you have to do the next day to get them off your mind.  Don't get on the computer or your cell phone; studies have shown that the light from these products stimulate your mind too much before bed.  You can even read a book if you'd like, and it's best not to use a backlit product such as an eReader when you do this.

Don't eat within a half an hour before bedtime.  Digesting food is a complex activity for our bodies, and it can make us restless.  If you are hungry, choose to drink a glass of milk, soy milk, or a full glass of water to fill your stomach.  Avoid sugar in your drink.  Decaf coffee or tea aren't necessarily good choices since they are natural diuretics, causing us to have to get up to urinate during the night.  Warmed milk is proven to help your body get ready for sleep.

Keep your bedroom cool.  While we all want to be warm and cozy when sleeping, it's best to keep your bedroom cool and then add and take away blankets.  Some studies say 65 degrees F, but the temperature can vary from 65 to 75.  Sixty five is really too cold for me.  Our house is kept at 70 degrees F at night.

Keep a small nightlight and a pad of paper and pen by your bed.  If you find your mind is racing with lists and things to do, turn on the nightlight and write these things down.  Then immediately go back to bed and try to sleep.  It's very important for you to use a nightlight as turning on a lamp or overhead light that makes you squint will further interrupt your brain trying to go to sleep.  Some clocks have small nightlights built into them.

White noise is your friend.  If you find you're listening to every single little noise out there, put a fan in your room or play music that is designed to help you sleep.  For some of us using earplugs isn't an option because we have children or need to be alert to our pets' needs in the night.  However, those noises can be heard over white noise, and you won't be jolted awake by them when the white noise is going.

Find a place for your brain to go if it's racing.  I actually start counting sheep if I have to.  I picture little cartoon sheep jumping a fence from a sunlit field into a moonlit field.  It is a good way for me to tell my brain to shut down, that I will take care of things tomorrow.  You could picture an ocean landscape, riding your bicycle peacefully on a forest path, or watching a fire in a fireplace.  Be sure your image is comforting and soothing to you, not challenging.

Accept if you're an Early Bird or a Night Owl.  This is a huge step.  If you understand that you're one or the other, then you will be better able to plan your sleep cycles.  I tried fighting my late afternoon/night prowling for my entire life.  Now I've learned to accept it and to work around it as best I can.  It doesn't always work perfectly, but at least I have ways of helping myself when it comes to sleep.

I hope these tips help you out when you need to sleep.  And now it's time for me to start my nighttime ritual.  Good night, sleep well, and sweet dreams!