It's My Dog's World: I Just Live In It tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-192790 2009-12-03T17:59:37-05:00 I'm Martha, a writer. I used to be terrified of dogs, now I own a pitbull mix we rescued from a shelter. She changed my life. She even inspired me to write two books, My Fat Dog and My Fat Cat. All opinions expressed here are those of me and my dog. Miracles are possible, but remember: don't forget to vote. TypePad How lovely is this odd weather of December? tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a707c3e2970b 2009-12-03T17:59:37-05:00 2009-12-03T18:34:03-05:00 Faith just got through another slightly scary health crisis which turned out to be a stone bruise. When your almost-11-year-old dog limps, well...you can feel a shadow in your path. Life is short, folks. Hug your dog. Never miss an... Martha Garvey
Faith just got through another slightly scary health crisis which turned out to be a stone bruise. When your almost-11-year-old dog limps, well...you can feel a shadow in your path. Life is short, folks. Hug your dog.
Never miss an opportunity to be fabulous.
 http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/12/how-lovely-is-this-odd-weather-of-december.html Has Larry David Jumped the Pitbull? tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a6ca68a2970b 2009-11-23T16:04:43-05:00 2009-11-23T16:04:43-05:00 There were two in the "Curb" finale. Trapped in an airless car. When released, of course, they bit a character. (No, they lived. Thank dog for small favors.) Sigh. More later. Martha Garvey

There were two in the "Curb" finale.  Trapped in an airless car.  When released, of course, they bit a character.   (No, they lived.  Thank dog for small favors.)

Sigh.  More later.

http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/11/has-larry-david-jumped-the-pitbull.html South Park vs. Cesar Millan: You be the judge tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef012875c60c14970c 2009-11-22T12:11:28-05:00 2009-11-22T12:11:28-05:00 The New York Times has a little article about how parents are using Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan's techniques to deal with their kids. I don't have the time to go into why, um, this might not be the best idea... Martha Garvey

The New York Times has a little article about how parents are using Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan's techniques to deal with their kids.  I don't have the time to go into why, um, this might not be the best idea in the world, but I welcome comments.  (I love Cesar for his pitbull advocacy, but will point out that more that research has not supported some of his more controversial methods.  At all.)   I will point out that Karen Pryor, clicker trainer whiz, might be a better source of cross-species training.  Check out her classic "Don't Shoot the Dog."

And finally, I believe South Park beat the New York Times on this subject...by about three years.

http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/11/south-park-vs-cesar-millan-you-be-the-judge.html Fringe's Michael Cerveris: What the dog has taught him tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a6ad935c970b 2009-11-17T23:13:49-05:00 2009-11-20T13:55:44-05:00 So...no dog content in this entry. Well, almost. I went to see Sarah Ruhl's "in the next room, or the vibrator play," which is about a lot of things, but most especially about a doctor in the 1880s, who, like... Martha Garvey

So...no dog content in this entry.  Well, almost.  I went to see Sarah Ruhl's "in the next room, or the vibrator play," which is about a lot of things, but most especially about a doctor in the 1880s, who, like many doctors of the time, used a vibrator to dispel women's lethargy.

I'll probably be writing about this play for a few days. Maddening, wonderful, finally: maddening.  Ruhl's got great ambition, a brilliant voice...and yet..the politics of the play bugged me.

But let me be honest...I went in large part because Michael Cerveris was in it. (Also Quincy Tyler Bernstine, who deserves her own post.)  Cerveris blew me away as Sweeney Todd.  Icy, sexy, relentless, even funny.  How pleased, then, was I to see him as "The Observer" in the Fox show "Fringe."  Creepy, creepy, utterly compelling, and without eyebrows. In real life, the well-eyebrowed Michael Cerveris is devoted to his dog Gibson, who you can hear barking in this interview.

And here their lives collide:

Fringe-observer 

In this interview, he reveals this about the Observer:

I based a lot of the physicality on watching [my dog] Gibson observe things; there’s a slight tilt to the head.




http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/11/what-the-dog-has-taught-him.html Not my dog...but my dog's pool tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a69cf3f2970b 2009-11-14T00:23:25-05:00 2009-11-14T00:23:25-05:00 Originally uploaded by The Puppy DiariesThis is video that accompanies a nifty New York Times story about dog luxury, including Faith's favorite swimming pool, Water 4 Dogs. The author, editor Jill Abramson, decided to take a dip with her pooch... Martha Garvey <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="260" height="195" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=1bd7fde5dc&photo_id=4064364357&flickr_show_info_box=true"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=1bd7fde5dc&photo_id=4064364357&flickr_show_info_box=true" height="195" width="260"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thepuppydiaries/4064364357/"></a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/thepuppydiaries/">The Puppy Diaries</a></span></div>This is video that accompanies a nifty New York Times story about dog luxury, including Faith's favorite swimming pool, Water 4 Dogs. The author, editor Jill Abramson, decided to take a dip with her pooch Scout. You'll also catch a glimpse of John Larson, the gifted hydrotherapist who helped Faith recover from a very bad sprain.<br clear="all" /></div> http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/11/not-my-dogbut-my-dogs-pool.html Happy Veterans Day tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a685b29c970b 2009-11-11T23:27:54-05:00 2009-11-11T23:29:36-05:00 Thank you, vets, for your extraordinary service. Martha Garvey <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><P>Thank you, vets, for your extraordinary service.&nbsp; </P> <OBJECT width=425 height=344><PARAM NAME="movie" VALUE="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysKAVyXi0J4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><PARAM NAME="allowFullScreen" VALUE="true"><PARAM NAME="allowscriptaccess" VALUE="always"> <embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysKAVyXi0J4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" /></OBJECT> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5T-sLDb7YBw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5T-sLDb7YBw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div> http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/11/happy-veterans-day.html Goodbye, Daylight Savings Time... tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a64c6fd6970b 2009-11-02T18:39:25-05:00 2009-11-02T18:39:25-05:00 Audrey in the Snow, originally uploaded by Traer Scott. Hello, dogs in the snow. This is a Traer Scott photo, she of Shelter Dogs and Street Dogs books. I'll add the links later. Just trust me: She is extraordinary. Martha Garvey


Audrey in the Snow, originally uploaded by Traer Scott.

Hello, dogs in the snow.

This is a Traer Scott photo, she of Shelter Dogs and Street Dogs books. I'll add the links later. Just trust me: She is extraordinary.

 http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/11/goodbye-daylight-savings-time.html This is not what I'm going to look like for THIS Halloween... tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a68a7777970c 2009-10-29T11:40:10-04:00 2009-10-29T11:40:45-04:00 Halloween, NYC - 2008, originally uploaded by flickr4jazz. But I will definitely be marching in the parade again, and I will definitely be having as much fun. Martha Garvey

Halloween, NYC - 2008, originally uploaded by flickr4jazz.

But I will definitely be marching in the parade again, and I will definitely be having as much fun.

 http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/10/this-is-not-what-im-going-to-look-like-for-this-halloween.html Happy Halloween--win a shark costume from Sharky the Pit Bull tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a6254a10970b 2009-10-27T14:43:45-04:00 2009-10-27T14:43:45-04:00 Sharky is one of my heroes. He is a chicken-lover, and a fashion plate. Comment on his video, and you may win his handsome costume! Tell me what you're gonna be for Halloween--and if you dress your pet up, too. Martha Garvey

Sharky is one of my heroes.  He is a chicken-lover, and a fashion plate.  Comment on his video, and you may win his handsome costume!

Tell me what you're gonna be for Halloween--and if you dress your pet up, too.

 http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/10/happy-halloweenwin-a-shark-costume-from-sharky-the-pit-bull.html You can leave your hat on tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c3d5753ef0120a6781daa970c 2009-10-26T13:56:30-04:00 2009-10-26T13:56:30-04:00 When I have more time, I'll show you what my dog looks like in a bumblebee costume. For now, enjoy my tiny adventure in photoediting software.... Martha Garvey
When I have more time, I'll show you what my dog looks like in a bumblebee costume.  For now, enjoy my tiny adventure in photoediting software....Second_still_from_flip-blur
http://myfatcat.typepad.com/kindly_eccentric_middleag/2009/10/you-can-leave-your-hat-on.html