Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Or Are We Dancers?

Border Collie went to the vet yesterday for his annual. Somewhere in my archives is a post detailing last year's fiasco. The frenzied, white ringed eyes. The being held by three vet techs. The dog so scared he peed all over the table; and the grand finale, when he made a mad scramble that sent his shishi flying like a cartwheel all over the room. Oh, and the inevitable releasing of the anal glands.

All fun stuff.

We tried a new vet in our new corner of the island yesterday. She was the grand highness of all that is worth spending $180 of hard earned mula on a pet. She offered to sit on the floor so he would not be freaked out about being put on the table. She gave him treats between each shot and step of the exam. When he freaked out anyway and tried to crawl behind me (there was a wall there), she simply asked "Where does he think he is going?"

He peered at her and blinked while he tried to pose as a boa around my neck.

People keep telling me how smart Border Collies are, but I think ours might be at the low end of the curve.

* * * * *

I spent the summer procrastinating on a blog uplift because I could not decide on a new blog name. Pseudonymous High School Teacher was only meant to be an experiment and I had planned another blog if I found out I liked blogging.

It's been two years....

Now, I am moving to middle school and the name makes no sense. Plus, I wanted teacher out of the title altogether. I do write about teaching sometimes, but it is not the totality and not even the focus.

Anyways, I thought if I let it percolate, eventually the perfect name/title would pop to the top.

Didn't happen. At this point I am not sure if the new title is a transition title or will stick.

The bigger problemo is I am used to using Pseudo as my sign in name for commenting. Not sure if I want to change that. But a new title with Pseudo in it was mostly vetoed on the basis that Pseudo also means false. I aim to write as honestly as possible.

Conundrum. Grey area. Ambiguous metamorphose....

* * * * *




I was a dancer yesterday. For my last summer break day my daughter and her friend took me hiking. Not your run of the mill, cruising along at 52 years old hike. I'm saving the rest for Traveling Thursdays post.

For more Random, head on over to The UnMom's.

20 comments:

ds said...

I like the new title, and especially the header photo. Make as many changes as you like, so long as you don't change you!

Joanie said...

Winds of Change... I like it! Is that name a work in progress or have you settled on that one?

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Winds of Change - seem appropriate to life at this time. Exactly what's happening. What misconceptions we had as young women - thinking by this age we'd be all set.

Keep Pseudo as your sign off - those of us who know you still will. And those new to you, will wonder.

Captain Dumbass said...

I like it, and I like the look.

Heather said...

I think your blog title Winds Of Change could fit at any time in life.

Now that I know what your blog name means, I am voting for a change.

Michele said...

I like it but I do have to say that when it comes up in my reader I'm never sure who it is at first. That's my fault. I don't look real close.

cheatymoon said...

Oooh, hiking photos.

Glad you found a BC Whisperer.

Have a blast at your new teaching gig!! xo

Brian Miller said...

i like the changes you have made...and i like your thought process...have fun with the transition...

Sprite's Keeper said...

The title is not what draws me here. You are. Whatever title you pick, I'm still coming over!
And PLEASE keep Pseudo. It's just YOU. Who says Pseudo can't have another definition other than false?

Nubian said...

Ditto ♥

Kristan said...

Oh I think BCs are plenty smart. They're just cowards. Riley does the same sort of thing at the vet (minus all the bodily fluid expulsions, thankfully).

On blog changes:
- Love the new title
- Love the new image
- Do not love reading white on black text... The background and sidebar are nice dark, but whole paragraphs to read in white-on-black are kind of hard on the eyes. That said, I usually read in Google Reader and then come here to comment anyway, so it's no biggie :P
- I don't think "false" when I read "psuedo," just "anonymous"
- Will you change your blog url too? Or stay at phhhst.blogspot.com? Just curious, no preference :)

Just B said...

Like Kristan, I never thought false when it came to calling yourself Pseudo. More like it was your writer self, perhaps even your truer self.

I like the new look and title. It works on many levels--life is always changing, island winds, etc.

I can totally commiserate with BC--felt like peeing on the exam table a few times myself.

jules said...

Poor border collie! How Husky just had an embarrassing freek out at the vet too. Dogs are just as bad as kids, but you gotta love 'em!

secret agent woman said...

I've changed blog names three times - you will know when it works.

Twenty Four At Heart said...

I love my blog name, but I do get the urge to change the look of it frequently. There is a realm of intelligence in each breed. My Golden is a genius and my chocolate lab ... is missing some gray matter.

anymommy said...

Love the new look, love the new name!!

Joanna Jenkins said...

I'm liking the changes! It suits you.

Sorry your dog was so scared at the vet.

Cheers, jj

tulpen said...

Yeah. I think you should keep Pseudo too. I had a couple ideas for my new title that I liked but when the right one came to me I really knew it. Change is good.

Liz Wilkey (a.k.a. A Mom on Spin) said...

Love the new title.

I had the same problem connecting my old blog title with my new. . . definitely didn't want to change my web address so I've been trying to mix the two in gradually. Not sure I've been successful or not.

I realize that my blog name should somehow reflect my "blogger name" so folks know who I am when I leave comments, but haven't gotten there yet.


I, too, just relate Pseudo as "anonymous" rather than "false". but I definitely connect it with you. . . the blogger.

As you can see, I've been no help here. . .

Fragrant Liar said...

I dunno. Winds of Change seems appropriate, since that's frequently what we all write about, isn't it? It has my vote. I also like Phhhst. It's catchy and, I think, memorable.

I kind of look at Pseudo more as an "alternate", as in "also known as", so I don't recognize it to present you to the world as false. I am also just used to it, maybe, and get excited when I see you've visited my blog and left a comment. So keeping it has my vote. :))