Hey Teri / Ewok
Glad to hear there's a few more of us in Colorado! I'd love to get
together for a hike to some of the boxes on the front range. Email
me off-list and we can set something up! :)
Best,
Autumn

Teri wrote:
>
> Teri (thinking of "Ewok" as my trail name, anyone seen an Ewok
stamp anywhere? Don't think I can start the carving thing anytime
soon!!)

Teri, I think Ewok is an awesome name. Go for it! I also don't think the
dog comments were in the least offensive, but then, I'm a dog lover myself,
so it's more common sense. Why should it be a big deal that the dog runs
faster. Who judges getting dogs on that? I don't think I know any owners
that can keep up with a dog given free range.

Have you tried carving yet? It really isn't as hard as it sounds. You
don't even have to be able to draw. Many of my carvings are made from
either tracings, clip art, copies, etc, and you can take out or add as much
detail as you like. Just rub some polish remover onto the back of a copy or
laser print and it will transfer onto an eraser or carving material. I was
pleasantly surprised how easy and enjoyable it can be, and they are only
getting better with practice. Give it a try, you may like it more than you
expect.

Start hunting soon. You will love it. Besides, we need more of us Rocky
Mountain letterboxers!

Cadenza

From: "tlrewok"
Reply-To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 21:37:29 -0000
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Newbie and dog fights


Hi Everyone!! I am not really new to letterboxing, but I have yet to
actually get out there and find one! I have been following the chat
list and website for a few months now. I just can't seem to make
right to get outside!! I am in CO and am also a single mom with a 3
1/2 year-old. I will get out there and start hunting soon. Thanks
to Autumn for planting closer boxes for me find soon!! I also wanted
to comment on the dog (and owner?) who got attacked by another dog.
I am so sorry that had to happen. (I also want to say sorry to the
other fellow letterboxers and friends that have been hurt!) I am the
owner of a Pit-Bull/Rottweiler mix (along with German Shepard, we
think). I have made it a point to keep her leashed at all times and
even avoid other people and dogs as well. I have found that the more
afraid of a dog the person is, the crazier my dog gets. My dog,
Madonna, is the sweetest thing in the world, but if she feels the
need she will have at it. This has happened once, and only once,
when some drunk guy tried to take her away from my boyfriend while at
Red Rocks Ampitheatre. Madonna wouldn't have it and bit the guy on
the leg, not bad, but enough to get him to let go of her. I wanted
to let everybody know about this so that people understand (mostly
those who don't understand or like dogs) that dogs are originally
wild animals and will defend themselves (and their families) if they
feel it is necesssary. I feel very strongly that all dogs should be
leashed when in public areas, no matter what kind of dog it is or
what the "normal" behavior is. I know that walking down the trail
with noone really around is tempting and I usually let my dog run as
much as I can without getting in anybody's way, but still feel that
she should always be on the leash. I just can't even walk her as
fast as she can go!! I hear people say "Well then why do have her if
you can't exercise her how she should be exercised?". I tell them
that I rescued her on Christmas Eve. She was the only dog in the
pound not barking and when we took her outside to play, she went as
far away as she could and did her business and then she ran laps as
fast as she could. I fell instantly in love with her! I think that
some people just don't understand that control is the main thing in
having a puppy-dog. I control her by keeping her out of situations
that could possibly be dangerous or unhealthy. Even playing in a
fenced yard with dogs she knows can be bad. You just never know when
a dog is not going to like someone or another dog. OK I think I'm
done!! I am sorry that this is so long, but need to have my say to
the group. I hope that this doesn't offend anyone and please
remember that I just wanted to have my opinion known. I hope to meet
some of you on the trail soon and if you happen to meet Madonna,
don't be scared, she loves to be petted and oogled over (she is a
star, ya know!!~(: ). I am sure I will be hearing from ya all soon!!

Teri (thinking of "Ewok" as my trail name, anyone seen an Ewok stamp
anywhere? Don't think I can start the carving thing anytime soon!!)

PS I will and get a picture of Madonna on here soon so you can see
her!! I think she is absolutely beautiful, though I am a little bit
partial!!


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Hi there!

I just wanted to say I'm totally with you on the dog thing. It was my dog,
Nina, that got attacked. As upset as I was that she got bitten and traumatized,
I was in no way having a problem with the offending dog. The woman's dogs were
leashed and just got the better of their owner in their excitement (a shepard
and a husky). It was obvious to me from her reaction that her shepard had
never done anything like that before. All she kept saying (as I bandaged her
hands) was "I'm so sorry! He's a good dog! Really! He's a good dog!" I reassured
her that I could see that and that I wasn't going to sue her or anything. I was
patting her dogs and they were fine. She had been being responsible. They
were just too strong for her.

I used to be a professional dog trainer myself and no matter how trained your
dog is, those unpredictable moments happen. My dog is trained, 'canine good
citizen' skills and all that, but no amount of training has made her able to
get along with other dogs. I always keep her leashed and never let her approach
other dogs, and I would always tell my students that they should keep their
dog leashed whenever there was a chance to have an encounter with other people
or animals.

I also believe that one should also never let their dogs approach a person or
their dog without asking permission (Just like you teach your children to ask
if they may pat a stranger's dog before they approach). Some people are
afraid of dogs;others are allergic or simply don't want your dog jumping on them.
There is nothing that annoys me more than when people just let their dogs run
up to Nina, saying "Oh he's friendly". It never seems to occur to them that
the other dog might not react well to their dog. I usually respond, "Yes, but my
dog might eat your dog." This situation the other day was simply a case of
two excited dogs who were much stronger than their small-framed owner and got
away.

I would also tell my students that they should be very careful about forming
negative opinions about certain breeds. Certainly there are breeds that have
been used for protection work, or fighting or pack hunting and their
temperament may reflect that, but there are Rottweillers that would save you from a
fire and there are tiny Pomeranians that would chew your face off. Mostly it's
the owner and how well they train and monitor their dog that's the issue. It's
easy to train most dogs. It's really hard to train a human being. Most people
don't like to hear it, but 90% of a well-trained dog is a disciplined owner who
sticks with training and doesn't slack off.

Nina is an American Staffordshire Terrier (largest American Pitbull
breed)/Lab mix. People are always looking at her with the hairy eyeball and are worried
about the Pitbull in her. Yes, she tends to be dog-aggressive, but she is
fine with most people (no dog likes everyone). The breed is also extremely
intelligent (thank goodness she got the Amstaff brains and not the happy-go-lucky
Lab temperament) and when people see how well trained she is and how many words
she knows, they usually change their opinion right away. I have had several
self-proclaimed dog-'haters' change their tune regarding Nina.

This experience will certainly not keep me from bringing Nina with us, and as
soon as she can wear a collar again (20 stitches on her neck and ear), she'll
be coming along.

I hope to also post a picture of the Nina-dog soon...probably an older one
where she doesn't have shaved patches and stitches :-)

Thanks for reminding us all that we need to love our 'babies', but also need
to be responsible doggie parents too.

-Kim (Rustypuff)
PS. I think Ewok is just the coolest name!


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Ewok,
Excellent advice to others with or without dogs. I have two boxers
(also rescue dogs) and although the male is gentler and more playful, the female
is very protective of us. It is probably common in all females - they think
of us as their puppies, I think. I keep them both leashed because I know not
everyone appreciates seeing an 86 lb. dog running straight at them - yikes!
If you all see a dog that you cannot resist and want to pet, put your fist out
for them to sniff first - open hands gives them several fingers to bite if
they are inclined to do so. Then once they realize you are not a threat,
petting is so very nice for them - they love it.

Wandering Lady Bug


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Thanks guys for all of the info and thoughts!! I am hoping to get
out there this weekend since I will be childless for a little
while....WHOOHOO!! Time off!! Anyway, Autumn, I will e-mail you
soon and we will work out some time to go do some boxes. Still don't
know about the stamp carving thing. I will have to practice,
practice, practice!! Just looking at some of the stamps on the talk
list and various websites makes me a little nervous as I have never
really been that artistic!! Oh well!! I am sure I can look high &
low for an Ewok stamp and probably never find an exact. Ewok has
been my nickname since high school and I have one tatooed on my
thigh, so at least I will always have a picture of one and don't have
look for one of those!! It took me 2 weeks of bookstore/specialty
store shopping to find a picture that I could use for the tatoo. I
think the picture would have to be similar to one used for a tatoo
for carving purposes. Well, I will be off now!! Talk to ya'all
soon!!

Ewok (Teri)

Hi Teri,

I found an ewok picture for you on Google image search. I saved it
to the files section as what else - ewok. The trick for me is to
find a black and white graphic with simple and clear lines. Then I
just put the picture upside down on the "pink stuff" and dab it with
nailpolish remover (acetone) and wah lah there is the picture.
(some printers output work better than others - I think laser print
is better than inkjet) As long as you have the speedball carver set
you will be amazed at how easy it is. Good close vision and a steady
are definitely helpful!

Have fun!
SunValleySu
Virginia

Could you take a picture of your tattoo and use that to carve your
stamp? (Assuming you don't still have original from which it was done.)
Take it with a digital camera or scan the printed picture. Once you
have it in file format, you can re-size it, change it to black and white
or gray-scale. There are excellent websites on how to use pictures to
make stamps.



MommaDi & the Woof Pack



Still don't
know about the stamp carving thing. I will have to practice,
practice, practice!! Just looking at some of the stamps on the talk
list and various websites makes me a little nervous as I have never
really been that artistic!! Oh well!! I am sure I can look high &
low for an Ewok stamp and probably never find an exact. Ewok has
been my nickname since high school and I have one tatooed on my
thigh, so at least I will always have a picture of one and don't have
look for one of those!! It took me 2 weeks of bookstore/specialty
store shopping to find a picture that I could use for the tatoo. I
think the picture would have to be similar to one used for a tatoo
for carving purposes. Well, I will be off now!! Talk to ya'all
soon!!




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