Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency By Douglas Adams

Dirk is not your average detective.  His case to find a missing cat leads to the unraveling of greater mysteries.  His methods are unorthodox to the point that you would find it hard to believe that he is a detective.  He does not ask the usual questions and as a direct consequence he gets different answers. 

I think that it’s almost impossible for me to describe what happens without giving things away.  There is such a roundabout way of detecting that it’s difficult to be succinct and not spoil the plot.   The book is like all of Adams’ work random to the point of humor.  The random bits sync up and allow for a big reveal, but the journey is roundabout and complicated and the answers turn out to be somewhat simple. 

If you enjoy unconventional plotting, a mystery with an unpredictable end, or want to laugh while reading, then this is a book you will enjoy. 

Dirk believes in the interconnectedness of things.  He is tasked by his old school friend Richard to help him figure out how his employer and sister’s boyfriend, Gordon Way was killed.  He seems to be involved and needs help.  

After this I can’t go into detail without revealing the solution to the mystery.  It’s not really dark or gritty like a crime noir, but retains the humor of Adams with his unique perspective on the world.  You wouldn’t expect a missing cat to be the key to understanding a murder, but that is just the kind of writer Adams is. He turns the mundane into the extraordinary which always catches you by surprise.  

This still remains in the genre of science fiction but if I told you why it might ruin the entire plot, so I won’t.  

Dog Body Language

I mentioned previously that our dog is aggressive.  We have to walk her with a Gentle Leader collar.  We don't use a muzzle because she's never attacked anyone outright, but she certainly makes a show of scaring them off.  The Gentle Leader collar is a great alternative to a muzzle because she can still open her mouth, but when she pulls it won't choke her and instead forces her head downwards.

The problem is that while we are aware of her personality and behaviors other people are not.  I was surprised at how many parents didn't know how to read her body language.  The children certainly don't but the parents don't see her as threatening because she is a lab and they are known to be more congenial as a breed.

The misinterpretation comes in the form of her wagging tail.  She wags it as a sign to us her "pack members" that there is danger afoot.  The majority of people automatically associate a wagging tail as a friendly greeting.  Let me assure you that this is not always the case.

Depending on the angle of the tail and the rest of the body, the wagging tail is a sign of warning and aggression.  She knows that there is a potential threat.  In her case, a threat is any other moving object except strangely construction workers and wild bunnies.  She absolutely detests small children and cyclists.  The cyclists "sneak" up on her, and I think she distrusts children for their noise and that they approach her because they want to pet her.  At least they usually ask permission and we always say NO! She is much too worked up  and sometimes foaming at the mouth with excitement.  I don't think she would bite anyone because she does try to hide behind us if they get too close, but she could hurt them by jumping up on them.

So, here is a quick explanation.  If the tail is raised up from the body and not level with the spine, then the dog is not being friendly or calm.  They are feeling either aggressive or trying to assert dominance.  If the tail is level with the spine or lower, then they are calm and submissive and you can probably pet them safely.  Of course it's always a good idea to ask the owner's permission.

That is probably the most useful thing to know about dog body language.

The one exception to the tail position is when the dog is in "play position" which also includes a lowering of the front half of their body with the tail raised in the back.  They'll usually jump up and down in this position a few times to show that they are eager to play with you.  Rosie does this a lot and she loves it when you mimic the motion back to her.  :D

Certainly this is one thing to tell your kids.  We live near a park and there are always children wanting to pet her but they don't seem to understand why it's not a good idea.  By pointing this behavior out to them, they can avoid approaching dogs that are not friendly and could potentially harm them.  From personal experience, I can tell you that dog bites are not fun.   Not from any of our dogs, but a neighbor's dog that approached me because it thought that I was a threat.

Remember that looking them in the eyes is a sign of dominance or aggression.  Don't approach aggressive dogs. Always present a new dog with the back of your closed fist to sniff before petting them.  At least then if they do try to bite or nip you they won't get your finger.

The Benefits of Dog Massage

Rosie Dickens is getting old and our first sign was her arthritis.  She is 11 now.  The only problem is that she doesn't know that she's old.  She still cavorts about like a puppy.

She is a typical yellow lab in appearance, but she because she's always clean and energetic everyone believes her to be younger than she really is.  Children are always wanting to pet her with her wagging tail.  The problem is that she is aggressive and the tail wag is actually a warning to her enemies.

So, she pulls and jumps on her already irritated legs.  Her back legs are the worst.  On days when she gets long walks she generally ends up with muscles that feel like rocks.  They're extremely tense and hard.  The vet told us that we could give her baby aspirin, but  I found an even better solution.  Dog massage.

I had heard of people doing it before, but I needed to know what to do.  The internet provides as usual.  I found this video:

The first time I did it, she was hesitant.  She growled when I touched her legs.  It's obvious that they hurt since she limps around, but after the third time she was eager for me to do it.  Now, I'm the only one she wants to touch her back legs.  She even jumps up  to show me her appreciation.  :)

I can feel the difference instantly.  The muscles build up lactic acid which causes pain and when you massage them it forces the lactic acid to move away from the muscles.  The build up goes away and the muscles can move freely without pain again.

I massage them until they feel soft and pliable once more.  It's easy to tell the difference and it only takes about twenty seconds or so for each side.

I certainly have a happier dog and I don't have to keep giving her pills.  Even though she loves them wrapped in cheese.  Did I mention that she is spoiled?

There is a whole series of videos from the same person on massaging all the areas of your dog.

This is the first in a series of posts about pet care and tips.  I am not a complete expert, but we have had all kinds of animals and I did earn a Minor in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinos at Urbana Champaign.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy By Douglas Adams

Time to diversify my book reviews I realize that the past few have been entirely focused on female characters and generally dystopian.  So, time for me to dig back through some of my favorite books for some variety.  

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was something I stumbled upon.  I believe my sister first pointed them out to me.  This is far near the top of my favorite’s list.  The mere fact that it was a trilogy in five parts delighted me even before cracking open the front cover, although technically now has six parts.  I believe that I am actually younger than this series so the covers on my versions were brightly colored.  The important part is that I instantly fell in love with them.   A main character that truly only wants a decent cup of tea.  Unluckily, Arthur Dent is saved from his sheer doom and the last decent cup of tea by his best friend, Ford Prefect.  They escape onto one of the ships set to destroy planet Earth by hitchhiking.  This paves the way for Ford to tell his friend more about the universe by handing him The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. 

Delightful adventures ensue as they hitchhike through the universe.  The odd cast of characters only gets more quirky as they end up on a stolen ship with doors that talk.  Many electronic devices are implanted with personality chips in this reality.  They can be endearing or mildly annoying.  The most important bit is to always keep your towel with you.  If you have your towel, then people are more likely to pick you up.  If you have a towel, then people assume you have your life together and that you have all the other necessities as well and won’t mind lending you all of them.  Arthur gains a crash course on the workings of the universe something he had been oblivious too until they decided to destroy his home planet.  All while trying to find a cup of actual tea and pursuing the only other human left in the galaxy (who happens to be female).  It’s hard to describe much in the way of a distinct plot since they spend their time on a ship using an improbability drive which takes them randomly to places when they press the big button.  Their adventure is mainly to figure out why the Earth was destroyed. 

WARNING MILD SPOILERS AHEAD

Arthur Dent is possibly such a beloved character for his simplicity.  He knows what he wants and why he wants it.  He just has no idea how to get it in the world into which he is forced.  The center of this entire situation is the improbability drive of the Heart of Gold.  The most valuable ship in the universe because of said improbability drive which is stolen by none other than the President of the Universe.  Whom just so happens to be Ford’s cousin which is complicated as fits the entire random happenstances throughout the series. 

The improbable circumstances are woven together so well that you can’t help but wait to read the next page to see what could possibly be next for our characters.  Their improbability drive leads them around since they just usually press the button much to the chagrin of the other characters.  They end up trying to save the Earth.  Changing the past is as hard as you would expect as our characters get sucked into figuring out why the Earth was demolished in the first place. 

My favorite character is Marvin the depressed robot due to the fact that his brain is the size of a planet and he never gets to use it.  It’s hard not to love such an honest character and even though he is depressed he is surprisingly heroic and noble.   

This turned out to be a hard review to write because analyzing the humor is difficult to do.  The fact remains that it relies upon the unexpected and improbable and is tongue-in-cheek the entire time.  The plot ends up being a mirror of Arthur's original misery of his house being bulldozed for a highway overpass which is the same reason for the destruction of the Earth.  

The Vow

Tonight I had advance screening tickets to see The Vow starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum.  (Did I mention that I thought it was a Nicholas Sparks book?)  Along with a couple other actors I recognized.  I have to say I kind of live in a bubble when it comes to what movies are coming out or what's currently playing.  That comes from rarely watching any TV at all.  When you don't watch TV you don't see commercials and when you don't see commercials you miss almost all movie previews.  So for me to be aware of a movie it's got to get a lot of hype online.  The Vow didn't exactly have that. 

I got an email about a week or so ago about the screening.  Even if I don't know what the movie is...I normally sign up if its close.  The thing about advance screenings is you have to get there at least an hour before the movie starts because they always overbook the theater to make sure its a full house.  So we got there early and there was quite a crowd.  Which surprised me because I really didn't think it was going to be a hugely popular movie.  The story is a little sappy and sad as its based on a true story and not a Nicholas Sparks book like I originally thought.  (That's what happens when you never watch TV.)  I won't ruin the movie for those of you that really are interested in seeing it, but I was surprised at the amount of nudity in the movie.  I mean I've never seen a Channing Tatum movie where he hasn't been shirtless...but also bottomless was quite the shock.  Especially since it was a PG-13 movie.

All in all the movie wasn't bad.  Wasn't something I'd typically pick as I prefer either truly laugh out loud comedies, action flicks or thrillers.  So if you like a true life story, don't mind seeing a lot of Channing Tatum and want something kinda sappy..this is definitely the movie for you.

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Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

I really love baked oatmeal.  Pretty much any kind or flavor.  So much so that I thought this Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal would be fantastic.  :)

I love the way these turned out.  Baking for just 20 minutes gives you a custardy like oatmeal that is firm but not dry.  And the melty chocolate chips are just amazing.  :)

I normally make a recipe for 2 people but this recipe is easy to cut in half.  You'll need some ramekins.  I use 1/2 cup ones.  So if you do it that way you'll need 4.  The other great thing about this recipe is you can make it in advance and put it in the fridge for the next morning.  About a minute in the microwave and its just as great as if it were straight out of the oven.  I haven't tried to freeze them yet but I bet that would work too.  

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

1 c oats (either quick or regular)
1/2 t vanilla
1 T sugar (I've been using Madhava Coconut sugar)
1/2 c unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 c Mocha coffee mate (you could also use milk if you wanted less chocolate flavor)
1 T creamy peanut butter
1 T salted butter, melted (if you use unsalted, add a dash of salt)
handful of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease all ramekins either with oil or cooking spray.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then mix in the wet.  Spoon into ramekins.  Bake for 20 minutes.  (If you like your oatmeal really firm you can add a few more minutes).  Broil on high 3-5 minutes till it gets a nice crust.

Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

All I have to say is YUM!!