New Puppy

They where born on 6/16/09. The mother had a little of 4 males and 1 female. We finally got a photo of them at two day's old. Now we have to wait 8 week's till we can go up and pick up our pup. It's a Shiba Inu breed. Here's the picture of the males.




The one we are getting is the one that look's like he's laying on top of two others. I think he may be the runt of the litter, but that's the one that PJ really want's. Also here's a picture of the female.



She's a little cutie too.

We have been looking for a Shiba Inu for what seems like forever. We found one a while back at a pet store, which I wasn't too keen about getting another dog from a pet store. I don't know why but it seems getting one from a pet store are much harder to train. Our pug is a great example. He's a great dog, and has been great as PJ ruff houses with him a lot and he's never snapped at him at all. But the price tag on the one at the pet store was 1300 dollar's. Forget that!!!

We found a breeder on the net, and since this is a newer breed to the U.S. is why we have had such a hard time finding one. But the breeder is in Iowa and about a 3 hour drive from us. We are getting pretty excited about getting him and now we need to come up with a name for him. If you ask PJ it would be Bolt after the cartoon movie. I kind of want to name him Manson after Marylin Manson. Or I thought Noose after the guy in The nightmare before x-mas. Who knows yet.

I'm really hoping I can get him trained to go caching with me. Our pug can't take the heat, since pug's can easily get dehydrated, I've been leary about taking him out.

I would give a plug to the breeder we are getting him from be he's told us don't e-mail him with Shiba Inu in the subject line. He said they are in high demand right now. But this breeder and his family seem to do a great job with the breed's they offer and raise.

Parabola

Iowa's All County Challenge (GC1T84M)

As many of you have seen I had a cache published called Iowa's All County Challenge. I've seen many people ask if someone would set one of these up, and have been asked a few time's myself.

First the basic's of the Challenge cache. You have to find one cache in every county in Iowa. Virtul's, earthcaches, event's, webcam's, locationless, caches don't count. The idea is to find a cache and I'm defining that as a hidden geocache container. I've laid out a few ground rules. Like if you find a cache that is missing, and replace the container, it doesn't count as a "find". I do give you prop's for helping out another cacher but that's not finding a cache, it' more like hiding one. If it's a multi or puzzle cache, then the listed cord's for the cache determine what county the "find" is in. If some how it land's on a county line, I will let you pick which county it count's towards. It won't count for both.

Due to a guideline change, I can't have you use a site like www.itsnotaboutthe numbers.com for verification of completion. The guideline won't allow a cache that you have to use a website that you have to sign up and make an account. You can choose on your own to use a site like that, but I can't ask you too.

I've tried to lay out some option's for you to keep track and send the info to me for verifying completion. The one I like is if you use the bookmarking feature. You will be able to set a bookmark on the cache, and list the find date, and what county it's for. I can pull a PQ from that and easily check it with a program I have. You can set it up to keep it private till you are ready for it to be verified, then make it public, so I can grab a PQ from it.

Another way that is pretty easy for me to check would be keeping a database in GSAK, and make and send me a GPX file. Then with the help of a macro I can check that way pretty quickly as well.

You may also keep a spread sheet, with the GC# of the cache, name of the cache, find date, and what county it's for. For obvious reasons, this will take me longer to verify it.

These are just some suggestion's and you may keep track however you like as there may be an easier way, that I don't know about yet.

Before I get to the part that some people aren't too keen on, I'm working on designing a pathtag for this cache. A person that completes this, will get one of these pathtag's as kind of a "reward" or "trophy" for finishing it. These will not be set up for trade, and the only way to get one is to complete the cache. I would have loved to make up a geo-coin for this, but that is out of my budget.

Now on to the one rule that I made, that some aren't happy about and first off, I do agree you have valid reason's. This rule is only "finds" on the publish date of this cache count. So anything found before 6/03/09 will not count towards this. I've done this for a few reason's. One, if I lifted that, it would be found tomorrow. There are some cacher's that have done this on their own, just to do it. In fact I remember two set's of cacher's that are family, that where trying to beat each other to find one cache in every county. It was fun to watch their side game. At that time there was a few county's that didn't have a cache at all. Two, I thought this would give everyone a fresh start on this, and level the playing field to see who does complete it first.

You have to remember I don't chase First to find's. That's my choice and I just don't get into them that much. But on a cache like this, I really really would like to see who is nut's enough to complete it first, just due to you have to travel the whole state. Yes, I am aware that a few county's only have a few caches, or have "cached out" the whole county. My suggestion around this, is to contact another cacher that lives in the area, and encourage them to hide a few more cache's. My thought behind this is this will add to the game more across Iowa, and maybe even get some people that are not very active, some communication with some active cacher's and they will get bit by the bug again (so to say). I kind of see this as you may get the opportunity to meet/talk or maybe even find another caching partner, and encourage the spread of the game in a positive manner more threw the state.


This was my reasoning of why I put that requirement in. I've been doing some research on this as it was called to my attention by some cacher's. Which thank you for posting your thought's and idea's. I'm well aware that some are set up as doing this as a "trailblazer" (all find's after the cache publish date) or as "Heritage" (find's found before the cache publish date.

I looked threw some bookmark's that hold many many different kind's of Challenge caches, and looked into some of the All county type's. There are some others that have this same requirement that all caches have to be found after a certain date. There's also a lot that don't have that requirement and break it out using the "trailblazer" and "heritage" method. Colorado and Florida are two that caught my eye on a date requirement, off the top of my head.

I've talked to a few people about this as well, and have found a lot of "twisted" feeling's about this. Some wondering if they want to bother, or just work on it over time, and not try to rush threw it. Which I don't encourage anyone to just rush threw it, stop and see some of the great park's Iowa has to offer, and have fun exploring new area's to you.

If I'm going to drop the rule, I feel (thanks to someone for pointing this out too) the rule would have to be changed fast, so there's no, "well I had to do it this way" and "this person got off easy on this". I want to keep if fair to everyone. So that kind of lead's me to think, I should leave the rule stand as is since it was there when the cache was published.

Plus those people that know me, well you know I kind of follow my own path and just do my own thing, and that has a big effect on the caches I place. Believe me the terra-cacher's know that well, as the "torture" I've put them threw, while hunting some of my terra hides. Ammo can's hanging down in the middle of cliff's, part's to an offset 30 feet up in a tree, crossing river's, are just a few thing's for example's.

So to wrap this up, instead of seeing post's wanting me to change that or not, I figured I would make this post on my blog, and let you post your thought's on the whole thing. Please feel free to post your thought's, comment's, suggestion's, but please do so in a positive manner. I'm not out to tell someone they are "wrong" or "I'm the cache owner it's mine and I'll do what I want". I would like some construction feedback. So again, feel free to make a post on this blog, and maybe thing's will change as I hear others opinion's.

Seriously, have fun exploring Iowa, and the caches they have to offer, team up with other's and have a group hunt to take out some county's. Communicate with your fellow cacher's, maybe some encouragement by asking if they are planning on putting out a new cache, will get them more involved.

I look forward to your comment's.

Happy and safe caching, and get out and enjoy Iowa!!!!

Parabola

They are beening born!!!

We just got word from the dog breeder. The pup's are beening born tonight. So far there is three out of the litter and a few more still on the way. We don't have picture's yet but he's going to be sending them to us soon.

Pathtag Design for All Iowa County Challenge Cache

I'm trying to come up with idea's for a pathtag design. This is going to be given away to every person that completes my All Iowa County Challenge Cache and will not be available for trade with the pathtag community. I'd like to make a geocoin for it, but cost is a huge factor. So I went to the next thing and thought a pathtag would be nice to add to someone's collection of caching trinket's. Plus it would be kind of like a "trophy" for completing it.

I'm rolling around with having the state on there and it saying I've cache out all of Iowa or some tag line or something. When I get some jpeg's thrown together, I'll post them.

The way I wrote the cache up, I do think I've got some time before I have to get this done. But if someone does finish it before I get them made, I'll get them one.


Parabola

Check out my little cousin's on-line store

I'm excited to share with you my cousin Calee's work. She is a full-time graphic designer in the Marketing & Communications department at Drake University, but is a freelance designer/artist on the side. She's recently rolled out her new brand identity opened an etsy store with her crafts and designs. Her offerings include (but aren't limited to): hand painted ceramics, reconstructed t-shirts, vintage clothing, business card design, letterhead design, web site design/development, postcards and invitations — as well as many custom requests.

Take a minute to check out her store — she's got some really cool stuff! Or stop by her blog to see some of the fun and exciting things she's been up to:
www.chimes.etsy.com | www.chimesdesign.com/blog

She's can make some really cool and unique thing's. Check her site's out. I will gladly vouch for her and her business practices. (Which if you know me I don't just vouch for anybody) She's got this really cool t-shirt blanket in her blog, that is really something to see. But she does have quite a variety of thing's she makes to suit all taste's.

I like the Metal, don't you??

I'm just catching up on all the footage that's rolling in from the NIN/JA tour. This is so sad they are ending their career's after the "last wave". I really really wish I could get to a show. they are playing song's they have never played live before. And since some of the song's are under licensing crap with a record company, they aren't allowing Trent to professional record a show. So he made sure there was very very relaxed camera/video recorder/audio recorder policy. There's a lot of junk being posted on video hosting site's and it's really getting hard to find someone that is rendering video and mastering their audio very well.

But I can't believe they are playing this one live. And I'll never get to see it. I've found one site that some people are coming together and sharing their footage and some tweaker's are doing the editing, and are posting some good stuff but it's not done yet. I may add a link to their site in an edit if I hear back from the webmaster. I need to get some torrent's going now. :) But here's a clip "Metal" from an album I can't think of off the top of my head. They hadn't played this live at all. But the video isn't very good and is of low quality and the audio is horrible. I think this is just off a standard video camera and thrown together fast. But I love this song. Also I notice Trent is pulling double duty since Alessandro Cortini has already parted way's with NIN. I was just shocked to find this song being played live.



I wonder if my little cousin is up for a road trip???? :) And I really want to get my hand's on that touch screen button knobby thing they use. It's awesome!!!

La Mer

I caught this on the web. It's not pro shot or anything, but Trent's comment's in the middle of La Mer are kind of interesting. It kind of explains La Mer which I've never really thought fit in with the rest of the song's on The Fragile disc's. But yet people are cheering!?!? This does kind of explain why that song is kind of in left field when compared to the rest of the album.

The Maze (part two)

Well I don't really remember where I left off, but the maze wasn't quite what I expected. Since it's indoors and you can't get reception on your GPSr they set it up as puzzle caches inside this maze. There was locked room's and to get into those room's you had to figure out a puzzle to get the code to unlock the door to enter. Which inside those room's or "caches" Was some really cool information on how a GPSr work's, gear for out caching, trackable's, and some GPSr's on display. Also in those room you got a stamp on your card.

When you got all 4 stamp's on your card, well 5 stamp's, you get a signal stamp when you go in the maze. But the stamp's are number's. Using the compass on the card and the direction it's pointing that gave you a direction to look at from a list, then you had to take the number's and put them in and you could find your "Key City" using the cord's. The direction was there to give you your North, South, East, and West.

There was a puzzle about the Washington space needle. Another puzzle was you had to figure out bus route/s to get a lady every where on time but a piece of it was missing you needed, which was hid away in a micro cache in the room. Another puzzle was you had to find a ammo can and read the log book. You had to find a certain cacher's notes in it. She had left four threw the logbook but everyone had a number. Then the last puzzle you had to find some letter's from under a bench and match the letter's to a map, that had word's and it made a sentence that told you what item had the code for the door.





It was really cool, the whole family had a great time with it. I would like to see it again before it leaves, so I can take more time reading everything in there. PJ was on the go to find stuff and unlock door's, so I didn't get to read everything. We even hit a IMAX movie while we where there. Monster's vs. Alien's in 3D. That was pretty cool too.

If your close to it, check it out, it's worth the 6 dollar fee to get into it, plus you get access to the rest of the Putnam and there's a lot of neat stuff. I tried to pick up a date while I was there but she just gave me the cold shoulder. (See photo below)

Insomina Suck's

I'm a few year's into this Insomnia/Anxiety/Depression problem that seems to run in my side of the family. It's been a very hard road threw prescription to another to another till they find something that work's and is the right dose.

I don't even remember what all they have had me on to try that didn't work or the side effect's where too bad. I think now I'm at the point I get about 10 to 12 hours of sleep during the week, but when the weekend get's here I seem to just crash. Some of these med's make you have moods swing's like no other, and effect your short term memory a lot. I was on one that worked great and I was feeling pretty good about it and was getting enough rest, but it was very hard to get up in the morning and little thing's I wouldn't remember at all. I was like a walking zombie all last summer. Which I finally got sick of it, cause I was missing a lot of work and messing up a lot at work due to the one med. But it was working. The wife was getting pissed off cause if I was at home all I wanted to do was lay around.

I decided then I wasn't going to keep taking them. Which when they put you on these they start you out on a low dose and built up, but then going cold turkey off of them, does a number on you. I was completely off all them prescribed med's for about 4 month's, and did feel much better other than I would have anxiety attack's all the time. Anyone that has those I feel for you, they suck.

I don't think I really am suffering from the depression that seems to go along with anxiety, but as the attack's came on more and more often it was pretty obvious to the rest of the family that I needed something to help control them. So back to the doc I went. We really had to go threw my whole medical history to find what they had all tried. Some I could remember off the top of my head and why I couldn't take them.

This round so far is going on 3 or 4 month's now, and I think we've got a med for the anxiety but the problem is the dose. I'm suppose to take two a day. But then have been instructed to take one if I have an attack. Which if I have an attack taking one pill within a half an hour takes care of it, but the problem is I usually have to do this about 4 times a month, which throw's off the amount of pill's that I get from the prescription. And for some reason or another we haven't been able to get that threw our pharmacist's head. My doc has even talked to her telling her this med is ok for me to do this, then we just get back some insurance BS reason of why.



It's very frustrating and take a toll on a person. I think I was prompted to blog this just cause I'm going on zip for sleep and just can't sleep. Even though they have given me a pill for it.

I know there's a few others I know that have anxiety problem's and your not alone, it suck's and trying to find the right med can really be frustration for you and really take a toll on your body. Still most of society dismiss this as not a real problem and it's "all just in your head".

I do try to find things that relax me and find that help's keep my mind busy and have noticed I don't seem to have any problem's while doing those activity's. Going geocaching is one of those activity's that really work's. Going on a hike just seems to be relaxing. A major release for me is rock concert's. You get to go nut's for three hour's or so, and nobody is judging you, and you can just let loose. I find that really set's me for a good week or so. Plus this is just me, I find tattoo's relaxing. Yes planting them on me. Yeah it hurt's but I think that's part of it. And it's more of a stress relief.

Anyone reading this, just remember your not alone. And I wish you good luck. I'm am still thinking the "cure" is worse that the problem at least for me. Now if I could just get some good sleep for a few night's.

The Maze Part one.

Well, I'm going to take a little time to talk about the Maze. This is going to take me a few blog post's. It was really neat. If you have little one's try and make it. It's a neat way to introduce how a GPSr works along with a lot of history of caching and the history of GPSr's. But there wasn't a single Garmin in there. Only Maggy's and Trimble's. There was some cool custom made circuit board's that where in the shape of animal's that really where GPSr board's. Those where pretty neat.

Here's some photo's of it and when I get more time, I'll try to talk much more about it.


Nope wrong way


I don't know why the wife pointed this out.



Parabola Jr. gives him a thumb's up.



The family hanging out with Shauna the Lackey

A Song for Chi

I'm kind of excited to see what come's out of this. This is for a great cause and when it does come out, I'll post about it. I've see the deftones live, and they are different but really cool.

But it will be interesting to see Head and Fieldy working together again. Since Head has left KoRn, which looking at from an outside perspective was a good thing for him. But he's had very limited communication with the rest of the band member's. It allowed him to get "clean" and recently Fieldy has went threw a major change of life. Both of there book's are very interesting. But here's the little snippit for it. Plus Jim will be playing on it and he's from Iowa. He just doesn't look the same without the mask.