Things I've Learned About Life From The Back Of A Horse...
This picture has nothing to do with tonights post, but I like it. And I had no other photos from today, which is what I am writing about. It should probably have a caption.
Today was all about Horses. Rode Dim, who is doing very well indeed, in the ring this morning. I really love that horse. He's going to be lovely. He learns. I learn. After that we went and trailored some Horses, me, Mel, Al and Jen, and went to what might be the coolest park ever, some ways away, for a little of what I like to call "Extreme Trail Riding"
Oh, I keep up with them. More or less. And I learn. The last time I rode with them, I learned about Really Big Hills, and how to get up them. And down. Today I learned about Bucking. That, for you non-horse people out there means the back end of the horse goes UP, while kicking. I learned about a little maneuver I like to call "Swear and Spin" which is what you do when they Buck. They didn't tell me to swear, just to spin the horse around and get after her. I got the swearing part all on my own. Came naturally, my horse repeatedly bucking while on a narrow trail, down a Steep Hill.
I learn a lot about riding. Every time I ride.
I learn a lot about life too. There are things you need to know:
Ride with people you trust. And ride Hard.
Sometimes there are going to be Really Big Hills. Go up them. Or down.
Make sure you notice how beautiful it is around you. And where there might be danger. Watch for both. All the time.
Fuck Fear. There's no room for it. Keep your heels down, sit back on your butt and remember everything you've learned. There is no place for fear. It can stop you. Face it. Head on. It makes you very, very much stronger. Put it away and go for it.
Whatever it is.
You want this feeling. Trust me.
Amanda gets it. And put it perfectly on her blog last fall. I never forgot what she said at the time. Neither should you.
i am not afraid.
fuck safety.
i rock on purpose ALL THE TIME
That's really it, isn't it? Rock, Ride, Write, Scream on purpose. All the time.
Love and Fuck Fear,
Lorraine
74 Comments:
Sounds like a lovely day!
And well said - passion in what you're doing :-)
This comment has been removed by the author.
And lessons for life...
You just get Fear's ass over here and I WILL - oh, never mind. You know.
Had a lovely dinner tonight, even tho the restaurant was very (VERY) noisy.
It's pissing down here, more than 1.5 inches so far. R is down near Ariandalen at camp, where it is also raining. She texted us this afternoon asking for a weather report for Bruceville, Texas and we replied with the soggy, bad news. I hope they are having fun indoors.
Now? I think I might go to sleep. I worked HARD this morning. You know when you work so hard you have to really wash up before you can wash? And you can't lay out clean clothes because you are just filthy all over? No? Oh. NVM. nighty-night!
Sounds like you had a good time, despite the bucking. Being on a horse that suddenly bucks is no fun. Glad you and Dim are improving together. :)
Fluffy, it stopped raining by the time you posted, but we got at least 2-2.5" of rain. From the radar, it looks like it's finished raining, at least for the night. Still waiting to watch local weather.
fuck fear. rock on purpose. i need this tattooed on my brain.
sounds like a great day :)
*grins*
Love this post, but still laughing about a previous one (I'm playing catch-up).
Your horse friends are pushing your boundaries all OVER the place.
Camping. In a -tent-!
This is something I love to do. I hope you at least like it somewhat...it's usually an acquired taste if you didn't grow up doing it.
sounds like a momentous day.
i've got We are the champions playing in my head now. what the hey?
That's the way!
I'm very impressed you did 'spin & swear' not 'fall off & swear'!
Sounds like a great day, full of exciting new stuff. And hurrah for days like that. Fuck fear! Rock on Purpose! Words to live by:-)
Spin and swear sounds like a very apt thing to do, because being on a bucking horse is nerve wracking.
And talking of nerve wracking. I met James Fucking Marsters today (and had photo taken....eeeeepppppp) and I was so tongue tied I couldn't talk in words. And he was so sweet and sexy. I had no idea I'd be so overwhelmed by it.
Thank goodness I wasn't so idiotic when I met Boss.
Tick-tock.
Gotta go start the dyepots. And make coffee.
Phiala, don't mix 'em up and drink the fuchsia. Man, that word looks just plain wrong.
Training nearly over, driving home after 4pm and wishing I had been less generous and not scheduled an 8 am patient tomorrow morning.
I keep relearning that the best wayt to deal with fear is to plunge right through. Mind you, if I really GOT THAT I wouldn't need the relearning bit.
Vampi's right, a tattoo would be good.
Dyepot is simmering, and I'm finally sitting down for a minute to drink that coffee. And breakfast too.
Dabbler, no worries - it's definitely coffee and not dyestock. Although you can use coffee to dye with... And the word "Fuchsia" looks wrong because the plant was named after a German botanist: it's Fuchs - ia. Then the color was named for the plant.
I also cleaned the kitchen - hate living and working in a messy space.
If I run away from home and move to Minneapolis, would y'all be nice to me?
Yes, we would, Mistress. Your Wolf can romp with my Shepards. WHo are going with me to the event today. Ought to spice the thing UP!
Beez, great ONE positive (SOrt of) comment on camping. My Horse Friends said they read the comments on camping and I must stop it.
They seem chiefly afraid I will worry about looking good and being clean? Hello?
They only ever SEE me at the BARN! I ain't exactly dressed UP for that!
Fuck Fear, yes, but wear boots when mushroom hunting. Saw my first Copperhead yesterday. If you're still planning on camping Lorraine, let's say that's a particularly dangerous kind of mushroom.......
Na, more like "what the HAY"
lol. i am so lme in the mornings, but the whole hay is for horses thing has be giggling.
sally, you posted pictures? i need to go check the interwebs for them, how freaking cool.
and Ms Fabulous, camping is fun, and hte best part is coming home and taking a nice long shower. I have many awesome memories of my friends in highschool going camping. we went out senior year, no adults. i really can't imagine people allowing their kids to do that now. we didn't do the whole horse thing, just the camping part. you get used to being dirty pretty quickly as you are distracted by the beauty of nature, and everyone is in the same boat. i also discovered i can be very fast at doing my business, as that is really the only part i don't like. i am not a bear. :(
and Tracy is hilarious, dangerous mushroom. lol.
I was just teasing about the chiggers! But not about the pocket mirror for signalling rangers. (And Boot Scorpions are everywhere. That's just plain fact.)
My philosophy is a little different: I am afraid, of everything, and everybody. Because I am who I am, that's not going to change. But I get in there and do shit anyway.
It doesn't sound as good, and Mr. Jess would qualify it by adding Except Driving. I feel I'm allowed one point of hypocritical weakness.
But you sure do meet a lot of people who rock by getting in there and doing shit. Which is the point. :)
So much good stuff!
Sometimes I don't notice that it is fear that gets in the way. Fear in my life seems to wear many disguises. So. I'll join the Fuck Fear League and assume that anything holding me back IS fear.
So much inspiration!
Hmmm. I was unsure about going to Stillwater event. (Lost my day yesterday somehow) Knowing that Dogs will be there may be the deciding factor!
Courage IS doing stuff that scares you. People who are fearless, it seems to me, are one clue short of a, a... clueful thing.
I got all Shrieky Mom this morning, when R phoned and said "You need to pick me up in Flower Mound* 'cause they put my luggage with our congregation's stuff." So I was all, "I paid $48 for that bus ride, and I don't think it's too much to ask that they drop you off the same place they picked you up! blahblahblah, wet roads, blah blah"
It's been one of those "Universe not cooperating in small annoying ways" weeks. So I guess I have no complaint, akcherly.
Glad to have gotten rain, though. Rain good.
And Saaaaalllllyy, James OMFGWTFYUMMYMCNUGGETS Marsters??? Oooh. I love his voice. He narrates the Dresden Files audiobooks. Must go put some in my playlists...
* minimum 20 minute drive each way, ffs
Dog is the real rock star in that show. Maybe he could paw authographs?
"I must not Fear. Fear is the Mind Killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear..." Maybe Frank Herbert and the Bene Gesserits would be better off with "I will FUCK my Fear! And go Camping ANYWAYS!!"
Fear can be a hindrance when we have to acheive something.
You know, the volcano is causing an awful lot of trouble for an awful lot of people, but it IS beautiful. Did you see it makes it's own lightening?
(off topic, I know, but we don't mind that here do we?)
Fiends are awesome, you know?
Marjorie, I've seen some awe-inspiring photos. It's an incredibly beautiful natural disaster.
For those who were on twitter last night (and thank you!): we had an Unpleasant Conversation this morning. Promises were made. (Promises have been made before and not kept.) I think I made it clear that I am Out of Patience and that this will not continue.
We'll see what happens. I may need help sticking to my guns - this is the last chance and really I mean it this time.
Or I may really be running away from home and moving to Minneapolis... may not get the wolfie though.
i also was reminded of dune \o/
Phiala, I think I missed that tweet when you made it. (((hugs))) I do hope promises are kept and things improve. E-mail or DM if you need to talk, or vent.
*falls over laughing*
Unless y'all are camping much further South, there will be no copperheads, no cottonmouths, no rattlers, no fer-de-lance,cobra,anaconda....
You -might- scare the daylights out of some poor little garter snake.
Camping is fun. Few things better than being around the fire before bed, or reading in your tent or ahhhh....that first cup of coffee or tea in the morning when the only sound is the birds and everything smells so fresh it's like the world was just born.
Aw Phiala :(
*hugs*
I hope it works out. If not, we here in Minneapolis will welcome you with open arms...with Wolfie or without.
(Preferable with- Wolfie is welcome to all the play dates he can stand here at my house too).
I'm afraid I didn't see anything, Phiala: can you post here what's going on? I don't use Twitter ...
Emily, you can read whatever I said publicly here. But I didn't say much.
is that Magic in the photo? outside of his room? Eeee
Phiala! Huggzz I didn't see that tweet either - here's some good vibes from me too and hoping you get the outcome you desire.
Sally - do you mean you met Spike from Buffy?!?
I'm really getting into this meeting the author and getting my book signed. Don't really quite get the book signing thing, but it's fun to chat to the authors for a bit. Bet Boss doesn't get time to do that at his signings though,
Can't wait to hear how Shepherds in the audience thing went.
And Q, don't fear camping - Beez summed it up beautifully with the word born afresh thing - it's truly glorious living outside. I'd do it all the time if I weren't so addicted to indoor plumbing.
PS. if anyone wants to fling mud at me - I've written a sex scene and could do with feedback
Phiala - don't let fear keep you from your life...
Hah! Swear and spin sounds like me getting ready for work in the morning. (Apparently it makes the make-up go on better.)
Back at work, but still hacking and sniffing, so not up to anything more profound than that, but virtual, non-contagion spreading hugs to all fiends.
Well, Grace, would you let a seventeen year old read your sex scene? ... I'm a good critic ... I promise.
Phiala, thanks for the link - and I'm sorry to hear things are really difficult. DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU, though - don't stay stuck, please.
OMG Sally you got to meet James Marsters! I am officially jealous;)
Aleta, I think the Fuck Fear League needs a t-shirt. Purple text on a black shirt. Just sayin';)
and *hugs* for Phiala
Lorraine you stayed on! Which proves that you do rock on purpose. Scared me good for a second when you said the horse did it downhill on a narrow trail though...I have SO been there.
Boss' talk was wonderful the other night. He got all his pages out of order near the end and had to waffle a bit, and all I could think of was "Well if Lorraine was here that wouldn't happen." lol
Aaaand I deaded the thread...:(
Not dead! Playing Fallen London and eating dinner.
I am just sleepy after a lovely dinner of popcorn. This is what happens when R and I are left to survive as bachelor girls.
(((((Phiala))))))))
Sister Tracy, I nodded sagely when you said don't step on Copperheads, because here in Oz Copperheads are nasty little snakeses with a terrible bite.
I am a very very tired,sore but happy girl today after all of yesterday's excitement.
For those not on twitter facebook or lj, my pride and joy and squee photo is here
We have copperheads in Indiana?
Good thing I wear boots and carry a stick in the woods. Too bad I'm rubbish at finding mushrooms.
Sally are Aussie copperheads found by(or in) rivers too?
I am writing my English, really. Just keep breaking for interwebs.
Yup. Pretty much stay on, enjoy the ride. Glad your getting fun and guts out of it.
Yup. Pretty much stay on, enjoy the ride. Glad your getting fun and guts out of it.
I had to google for you Kali -because we had a river as a boundary of our farm...yup, but they are across the state.
for those interested in snakes
Our dogs had a habit of bringing home their heads - which always freaked us out because the snakes could have easily killed them.
Suddenly I am very glad I live somewhere that doesn't have snakes. And only one moderately dicey spider that is very shy - you kind of have to go out of your way to be bitten by one. (We do have giant wetas, but they only look scary.)
Hugs for Phiala and hopes for a good outcome, whatever that is. Also what Beez said.
Saw Q and Cabal today! Yay! Saw the man who writes down Billy Bones' stories but didn't get to chat. Such a lovely day to be out and about.
This weekend has slipped away far far to quickly!
Oh Emily thank you for the offer. You are 17? Hm. Not sure this would be appropriate for you to read - I don't want to scar you for life with a paragraph :D
I've never written anything like this before - it's an exercise to see if I can do it effectively and find a way of writing about sex that I'm comfortable with etc. so from that point of view it would be great to get feedback, but I don't want to upset anyone - I went along to this writers group for a while and had to stop going eventually because on of the works in progress being critiqued was upsetting me with its content too much (yes, I'm a wuss)
Anyhow..sorry to hijack the thread..as you were
PS Sally! Get you - you must be tiny because James is defo a shorty - the photo is awesome - you look great!
No, at 5 foot 1 3/4 inches I am tall! *grin*
Sally, that is a most excellent photo. Even if I've seen exactly nothing with the actor in it...
Hey Sally, we are the EXACT. SAME. HEIGHT. No way.
Grace, rest assured it would not upset me. I've read truly disgusting stuff (especially as a book reviewer - sometimes they send me books that nobody should have to read!). But if you don't feel comfortable having a teen read it, that's absolutely fine.
Morning! Kitty and I ZONKED when we got home (Ok, after one episode of SVU) too tired to think. Not now. Now I just haven't had enough TEA to think.
From the sounds of Lear running back and forth upstairs, and Mim banging the Sun Room cupboards, and Magic YOWLING like a wounded Banshee, I am thinking Kitty won't be sleeping very long today.
Great event yesterday, both Boss and Dogs loved it.
The event person asked me tho"He's SO articulate, and speaks so well on so much, it must be wonderful to sit around and just talk with him for hours on different subjects.."
Uh, well.....It goes more like "Can I have some tea? And could you bring me the thing? No, not that thing, the other thing..."
But he made it clear on Twitter that he expects you to read his mind - which hopefully might be a little more articulate (if his books are any sign of it). Really. Who has time for conversation in that office?
I do read his mind. Mostly. It's when it fails that things go bad.
Kitty is awake. Kind of. Lear ate steak in her bed! He eats from her hand. He loves her!
Oops, totally forgot there was a new post up. I thought things seemed a little quiet.
Good advice about fear!
I wanted to be in Chicago so bad this past weekend, but alas, it did not work out.
Sally! I'm so jealous! I totally would have lost my cool if I met Spike!
AWESOME!
I WILL rock on purpose all the time (too)! This attitude will be very handy when I realize my goal of leaving my wardrobe of suits behind and starting to wear things like big, colorful shawls and clogs or Fryes to the office. They will have to contend with my rock!
Already close to 60 comments? How long was I gone?
Snakes - stop talking about snakes! Had a nightmare about one in my backyard attacking me the other night. Jumped awake, think i let out a little yelp. We don't have poisonous snakes near here, just garter snakes. The one in my dream was a cobra.
I think we're cancelling our camping trip because it's going to be 100 freakin' degrees in joshua tree at the end of may. DUH! It's the desert! Totally didn't think about that!
Boss's mind would be an interesting one to read! Loved the roller derby girl's blog. She sounds like I did after meeting boss oh so many years ago. "He's so nice!!" ;-)
Went to the mystery spot yesterday. I've lived here 17 years and had never been. It was silly and fun and ben got a kick out of the ball and water "rolling uphill". I got totally dizzy in the cabin that's at the supposed center of the mystery spot. The brain does odd things when put on such a crazy steep perspective-screwing slope! Silly silly stuff.
I have things to do today. I'd rather just hang out with you guys though!
Hey Emily - you are more than welcome to read it, as long as you are happy to - it's probably not that shocking and any damage caused to you would have been from my poor writing haha - just click on my profle and then on my blog - it's on there - under Casey - can't miss it.
Will there be any pics of the dogs in the audience? Also Kitkat with cats? I love me some animal photos, me.
Today, fiends has been a rather trying one. I was made to sit at the meeting and take minutes. I can honestly say that I'd rather eat dirt than go through that again. Gah. People. Talking. About. Boring. Stuff.
Okee then, Grace; I'll take a look if you're okay with it. And you want me to be one hundred percent honest, correct?
Oh dear Gods yes, Emily, please be honest and you don't even have to do that sandwich thing - if it's bad, just say so. As long as the criticism is useful it's all that matters. Thank you!!!
tick and shamble
oh noes!!! shambling librarians!
Have you seen today's xkcd?
More importantly, have the leopards?
LINDA!!!! Do we get to see you in a corset?
Reason #215,616,518,646 I am not AFP. Or Quiche. I'm still working up to Jess's level. Slowly.
Siri, the person you really want to see in a corset is Ani. Oh, well, okay.
Phiala, consider Chicago as another retreat possibility. But I hope things improve.
Back to shambling.
Watching AFP and Jason's webcast from Dublin/Brooklyn. Trying to write up a restaurant reviw at the same time. Not working well! :P
You both rock the corset, honest. :)
I don't know what's going to happen, but something is going to change. Whether Nick finally gets his shit together or not. After 15 years together the "not" could be kind of messy, but the house and car and bank account are in my name (because I have a good job and bought them all). No kids, just the cat (mine) and the wolfie (his), and not married.
I dunno.
I'm listening to trans-Atlantic Evelyn(Evelyn) too, and desultorily working on manuscript revisions. I need to have this paper done by the end of the month (no problem, as long as I actually work on it), and of course that's when I get the best ideas for new projects. Always.
I've been watching, too, but either my laptop or my connection is a bit crap so everthing keeps freezing. *sigh*
Ah well. I shall get to see the show in person on Saturday -although I suspect that half of that one may be coming from Brooklyn too, at this rate..
I commented, Grace. I did like the story.
Emily, you're a treasure :) thank you!
Phiala, that is such an awful position to be in...
Emily, we are the perfect height, yes?
And those corset girls *fans face*
OSS - My level? I don't wear corsets. Though I call that just knowing my limitations. :D
New Post with pictures taken this morning by Kitty!
Go and see!
air huarache
cheap jerseys for sale
michael kors handbags outlet
coach outlet online
true religion outlet
ferragamo shoes
dolce and gabbana
converse shoes
ralph lauren shirts
new england patriots jerseys
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home