Some years ago I became a Sussex Spaniel enthusiast. My interest didn’t stem from any real knowledge about the breed nor did I have any desire to enter a dog in dog shows. Instead, I thought that the dogs of Sussex Spaniel lineage were just funny, goofy-looking dogs that must be fun to own. I could picture a Sussex lying comfortably in front of a roaring fireplace on a cold winter day enjoying a lengthy afternoon nap. Thus, it was with this pedestrian interest that I wanted to acquire a Sussex Spaniel for my 55th birthday in 2004. Luckily, there was a breeder close to where we lived in Albuquerque whom we contacted and ultimately bought our Sussex. True to form, our spaniel didn’t disappoint us. She was a funny, goofy-looking dog who provided us with many hours of affection, laughter and enjoyment for the 10 years of her life.
During the time that we owned our Sussex, I became close friends with her breeder and would drive north of Albuquerque to visit her and help her with various home projects. During these times she would educate me on the ins and outs of dog championships. It was during one of her dog shows that I had the pleasure of meeting “Stump”. His given pedigree name was “Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee” which is a bit of a mouthful, thus his more common name of “Stump”. He was a legend not only in the breed of Sussex Spaniels but also among ALL breeds, having amassed an unheard of number of dog show wins. This includes a best in show win at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club show.
While helping out my breeder friend at a dog show in Bernalillo, New Mexico, she pointed to a dog across the judge’s ring and told me “That’s Stump.” At that point I took the liberty of meandering over to that side of the ring and introducing myself to Stump’s handler. I asked if I may pet the dog and his handler gave me the ok. I then sat down next to Stump and gave him a quick ear scratch. He proceeded to wiggle his body around, thus ensuring that numerous parts of his body that needed scratching were, indeed, scratched. It was at this point that Stump laid his head down and promptly went into a shallow doggie nap. This nap was interrupted after a short time by Stump’s handler who told me that Stump had to see the groomer prior to his participation in the show.
That was the first, last and only time I was ever to spend time with this wonderful dog. Overall, I was left with the feeling that Stump, given the choice between being a show dog - flying around the country to various events and shows, etc. or just being a house dog, he’d probably choose the latter. As he put his head on my lap and went to sleep, I can only imagine that he was dreaming of just being a regular pet dog, lying comfortably in front of a roaring fireplace on a cold winter day enjoying a lengthy afternoon nap.
Readers, enjoy your day.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
HANDSHAKES
It’s the widely seen act of greeting - the handshake. Furthermore, it has come to signify a bonding between individuals. Business people have had handshake business deals in which both parties were bonded to a stated verbal agreement.
More commonly, it kind of goes like this:
“Hey, you old so and so! Come on over here - I want to shake your hand.”
“A new baby? Let me shake your hand.”
“A promotion? Put ‘er there, pal!”
Of late, I’ve become rather put off by the act of shaking hands. This is not entirely because of cleanliness issues or health concerns, mind you. It has more to do with the nonsense of the whole thing. You see, I’ve done a bit of research into the origin of the handshake and am amazed at the history of this ritualistic behavior.
It all started as early as prehistoric times when one cave man would approach another cave man. Neither of these individuals wanted the other one to brandish a club, so upon seeing the other, each would raise his hand to show the other that he had no weapon in which to bludgeon the other one and subsequently steal his prize dead hyena that was destined for the dinner table.
Fast forward to the Middle Ages. The ritual of holding up one’s hand to show the absence of a weapon took on a new twist. Now, each individual has to shake hands with the other. The reason for this behavior is shocking. It’s because of distrust. By shaking the other individual’s hand, each could ascertain whether the other one was carrying a hidden weapon. Presumably, upon shaking hands, a knife, club or spear would fall from the other guy’s armpit thus giving away his evil intentions.
And this behavior continues after many generations of humans blindly following along.
Maybe I’m naive but I really don’t feel the need to shake loose a concealed weapon from an approaching individual.
I’m not the only one who feels this way. Fist bumps, elbow bumps and peace signs are gaining popularity as personal greetings. I’ve always been partial to the “Butt Bump” but I don’t see that becoming a mainstream greeting. Nonetheless, I’m excited to see how this whole thing “shakes out” over the next few years.
Readers, enjoy your day.
More commonly, it kind of goes like this:
“Hey, you old so and so! Come on over here - I want to shake your hand.”
“A new baby? Let me shake your hand.”
“A promotion? Put ‘er there, pal!”
Of late, I’ve become rather put off by the act of shaking hands. This is not entirely because of cleanliness issues or health concerns, mind you. It has more to do with the nonsense of the whole thing. You see, I’ve done a bit of research into the origin of the handshake and am amazed at the history of this ritualistic behavior.
It all started as early as prehistoric times when one cave man would approach another cave man. Neither of these individuals wanted the other one to brandish a club, so upon seeing the other, each would raise his hand to show the other that he had no weapon in which to bludgeon the other one and subsequently steal his prize dead hyena that was destined for the dinner table.
Fast forward to the Middle Ages. The ritual of holding up one’s hand to show the absence of a weapon took on a new twist. Now, each individual has to shake hands with the other. The reason for this behavior is shocking. It’s because of distrust. By shaking the other individual’s hand, each could ascertain whether the other one was carrying a hidden weapon. Presumably, upon shaking hands, a knife, club or spear would fall from the other guy’s armpit thus giving away his evil intentions.
And this behavior continues after many generations of humans blindly following along.
Maybe I’m naive but I really don’t feel the need to shake loose a concealed weapon from an approaching individual.
I’m not the only one who feels this way. Fist bumps, elbow bumps and peace signs are gaining popularity as personal greetings. I’ve always been partial to the “Butt Bump” but I don’t see that becoming a mainstream greeting. Nonetheless, I’m excited to see how this whole thing “shakes out” over the next few years.
Readers, enjoy your day.
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