The Gazette

Here we are, fifteen weeks later. I'm older, wiser, watched Twilight more times than is probably healthy, and a dog person.  Renesmee Cullen, the 12th weirdest thing to happen in Twilight I realized that I was a bit prejudiced against dog owners. I picture someone with a "fur baby" named something like Barxleigh or Wooflynne, who would "give mommy kisses" on the lips after a thorough licking of their canine genitalia.  "Pupford loves going for walks!" If not that, then a Meemaw or Pawpaw with a half-feral German Shepherd on a chain named "Ripper", who was really just a softie at heart, once you get past the rabies.  "He got one o' them shock collars on. He cain't hurt a fly." And who can forget the classic high school bully-turned-nurse who immediately after graduation adopted one of those crusty white dogs that will live for eternity as she joins a series of pyramid schemes and buys glittery monogrammed tumblers.    While t...

My first thought on starting a new post: I am so burnt out. Homework is a Sisyphean task. Right now, I'm typing this at the computer lab because my laptop stopped working. I have spent the last 45 minutes trying to figure out how to log in to various accounts so that I can get my homework done.  How do teachers stand up in front of the class with a straight face and say something like "The assignment is on Zeeble today and once you get done with that don't forget your Scroobler questions are due by 11:59. We're going to have a test on Boingus next Monday, so check out the study guide on Spingo. If you have any questions don't forget to message me on Zonk!" I can see why Victor Frankenstein dropped out of college to become a bodybuilder.  How it feels to get on Pongo to check my Bleepie notifications Anyways, how do I feel about Dogs? I feel like I've gotten a pretty thorough education. Everything is about dogs, except for dogs, which are about people. It...

The one thing I swore that would never happen to me happened: I became a dog person. Much like falling in love, I can't pinpoint the exact moment it happened. I just woke up one day thinking "Oh no. I love dogs now."  From the cinematic masterpiece "Clueless" Certainly, the visit from Arrow didn't help. The moment he came up to me with those big blue eyes and soft ears, my heart melted a little. The previous day I had gone hiking with my friend's dog Addy and she was also a complete sweetheart. She doesn't really have a tail, so she wags her whole butt. What could be cuter than that?  It got me thinking about the dogs I've met before. My previous excuse for disliking most dogs is that they are not well trained. I stand by this. In my neighborhood in Cincinnati, people either do not understand or do not care to train their dogs. Most interactions go something like this:  I'm going for a quick walk around the block. I see my neighbor on the por...

After my first month of Dogs in Art, I have started to reevaluate my relationship with animals. I realized that I had put animals in the background of my mind, instead of giving them proper attention.  Fruit and Insects by Rachael Ruysch For instance, in this still life, the insects and fruit are treated with the same attention to detail. The butterfly is the same quality as the peaches; the snail has the same texture as the squash. By taking this class I've realized that animals aren't just decorations; they have their own rich inner life outside of human interaction.  As I continue to explore the relationship between humans and dogs, I hope to find out how to have better communication with the animals in my life.