Onry Onyx Academy Memorial Day Assignment

When we were assigned this essay for Memorial Day, I was really undecided on who to write on - Pugisdent Irving or Onry Onyx. They have both been a large influence on my family, even though I didn't know either of them. So, I decided to write about them both.

Pugsident Irving is the brother of my sister's Fiance, Maxwell. Irving and Maxwell were one of the first to open their hearts and lives to our family when we joined dogster. Irving has always been such an inspiration to all of the Pugdom and so many pups look up to him for guidance. He is loyal to all his pugstituants and provides feedback on all ideas to make the Pugdom a better place.

When Irving passed on December 13, 2007, it was Mommy's 30th birthday. She was at lunch with Daddy when she got a phone call from the First Lady. When she listened to the voice mail she was sobbing, right there in Applebee's. Right after lunch she went to NW Portland to get her hairs done all fancy for dinner. Mommy had never been to the salon but when she got there, she saw it was on Irving Street. At that point it all just went downhill. Mommy kept remembering how Irving got his name and how special he was to our family. If it wasn't for him, Penelope would have never met her soul-mate. Irving's Momma had a really hard time with his journey to the bridge and Mommy and a couple other close friends helped Cindy to become united with Sophie Amore - the sassiest little pug I have met. But her wonderful snuggling ability has helped her new Momma more than anyone or anything else ever could. We here in "The Coov" send all the love in the world to Minnesota and Irving Street.

Onry Onyx also warmly greeted our family when we came to dogster. She was always so wise and all-knowing. Her family's story is a heart breaking one. From her human's granddaughter's accident to her fur-relative's (Sapphire's) losses within her litter of babies. Onyx really opened Mommy's heart to the love and support that dogster provides. Until Onyx's tragic month, Mommy didn't know that so many "strangers" could be so loving and supportive in such a time of grief. At that point in time, Mommy knew that dogster was where her heart was meant to be - with so many pet lovers, all together for one thing... their babies.

Everyday we enjoy talking to all of our pals on dogster and thank our lucky stars we found this place!

I'm engaged!

Wednesday April 23rd was a very special night for me! My handsome manpug, Dink, asked me to marry him at the Pugapalooza BBQ! It was the most romantic proposal! He had given 11 roses to different pups and they gave me their rose, one by one. Then when it got to the twelth rose, it was being held my by beloved Dink! He quieted the whole BBQ and proposed to me right there!

Here are the details of the engagement ring:

Harry Winston Fancy Intense Pink Diamond with two Trapezoid Diamonds
Price: $8.3 Million
Carats: 10.11
Pinks are among the rarest of colored diamonds, and this particular stone is one of the largest offered on the market today. The diamond displays a 100% pure pink color that is evenly distributed and saturated to a degree found only in the best vivid-grade diamonds. Clarity rating: VVS1.

Assignment - BBQ food research

Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest - taken from the breast section beneath the first five ribs, behind the foreshank. While all meat animals have a brisket, the term is most often used to describe beef or veal. The beef brisket is one of the eight beef primal cuts. Brisket can be cooked many ways. Popular methods in the U.S. Southern States include smoking and marinating the meat and cooking slowly, not directly over the hot coals or wood. Additional basting of the meat is often done during the cooking process. However, most of the tenderness from this normally tougher cut of meat comes from the fat cap often left attached to the brisket. The brisket is almost always placed with the fat on top so that it slowly dissolves down into the meat as it cooks, resulting in a more juicy and tender meat. Small amounts of certain woods such as hickory or mesquite are sometimes added to the main heat source, and sometimes they make up all of the heat source, with chefs often prizing characteristics of certain woods. The smoke from these woods and from burnt dripping juices further enhances the flavor. The finished meat is a variation of barbecue. Once finished, pieces of brisket can be returned to the smoker to make burnt ends.

Brisket Braised in Beer Recipe
Ingredients
3 thinly sliced onions
6 boiling potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 slices chopped bacon
4 (12 ounces each) bottles beer (not dark)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but not melted
6 carrots, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2-1/2 pounds brisket
1 large peeled rutabaga, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook bacon in an ovenproof kettle over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain.
Pour off all but 2 Tbsp fat from bacon. Pat brisket dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the brisket to the kettle and brown. Transfer to a platter.
Add onions to kettle and saute until golden. Add bacon, brisket and beer. Bring beer to a boil. Cover kettle and braise in oven for two hours. Stir in rutabaga chunks, carrots and potatoes and braise 45 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender. Transfer the brisket and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a plate. Cover and keep warm.
Blend 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp flour and set aside. Bring braising liquid to a boil and reduce to about 3 cups. Gradually whisk in flour-butter mixture. Simmer for 3 minutes. Slice the brisket and arrange on a plate with vegetables. Pour some sauce over dish, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Credits
Recipe from: Author unknown

The BBQ to use

I've been tagged!

I tried to run, as fast as I could, but Winnie (http://www.dogster.com/dogs/632843) caught me! I'm it now!


Here are the rules:
Because it’s Thanksgiving time, there is a change to the rules. Each player needs to tell seven special things they are thankful for. Tagged dogs must post the rules in their diary and their 7 things. Then choose 7 pups to tag and list their names. Let them know by pawmail or rosette that they have been tagged and to read your diary for the instructions on how to play.

Seven Things I’m Thankful For:
1. I'm thankful for my Mommy.
2. I'm thankful for the endless supply of treats Mommy gives me.
3. I'm thankful Penelope has a nice curly tail to chew on.
4. I'm thankful for all the chewies Mommy gives me.
5. I'm thankful for Daddy who comes home at lunch and lets me go outside.
6. I'm thankful for all my wonderful friends on dogster.
7. I'm thankful for popcorn Mommy gives me all the time.

I am tagging:
Gaius Maximus
Poopy Monster (Herbie)
Trixie
Kelsey
Barney Fife Carter
Piggie

Halloween Assignment

It was a dark and foggy night. I was walking to my Nana's house and decided to take a short cut. The short cut happened to be through a large meadow with odd rocks propped up everywhere. While meandering through the rocks, I noticed that they all had names and dates on them. "That is odd, I'll have to ask Mommy about it." The further I walked the darker it seemed to get.

Then suddenly, to my right I heard a twig break. "Wh-wh-who's there?" I asked.

Nothing. Then before I could ask again a giant, round, orange monster came into view. He was stomp-stomping with all his weight.

"Wh-wh-who are you?" I asked him.

"I am the Great Pumpkin," the giant blob answered. "I am here to take you 'safely' to your Nana's house."

"Oh that sounds great. It has been getting so dark in here I didn't know where I was going."

I started to follow The Great Pumpkin. "Gee he is sure slow," I thought to myself. The Great Pumpkin stopped abruptly and raised his viney hand. " Be careful young pup, there's visitors around here. "

"Oh I love visitors! Where are they at!" And before The Great Pumpkin could grab me I ran and ran to where I saw the light. As I got closer to the light I saw many glowing, white, clouds dancing around. I didn't understand and started to get frightened. The Great Pumpkin finally caught up with me he told me that this was a Halloween party for all the ghosts of the graveyard.

I still didn't understand, but The Great Pumpkin just pur his arm around me and lead me away from the party. "If they sense a living soul too close to them, then will pee on your ankles," explained the Great Pumpkin. "You do not want ghost pee on your ankles, it glows, smells and never comes off."

"Oh, that is scary," I said.

The Grat Pumpkin lead me to the other side of the big meadow and to the front door of my Nana's house. "Thank you Great Pumpkin! You are great!"

"Well, of course I am, young lady!" And with that final farwell, he waddled off into the night.

Las Vegas - Assignment for Onry Onyx Academy

While in Las Vegas, Nevada, I first ventured to Mandalay Bay. This is a gynormous motel with its own SHARK REEF! The shark reef features over 2,000 animals in 1.6 million gallons of seawater. As I walked through the tunnel to the main viewing area, I had fish above, below, beneath and beside me! I felt surrounded by a buncha prepositional phrases! The sharks, jellies, piranhas and turtles are so beautiful! After we finished at the shark reef, I went up to the beach area. Here they have a wave pool and a little river! On the little river you can get a inner tube and float around in the current! I had a great time and worked on my tan. After all the stress of the day, I went to the spa. There I got a puggycure and got my hair fluffed. I feel so rejuvenated! I leave Mandalay Bay with my little gift bag of spa samples and head out to Red Rock Canyon.

Red Rock Canyon is such a beautiful place! Red Rock Canyon is Nevada's fisrt National Conservation Area. Red Rock Canyon consists of 197,000 acres within the Mojave Desert, which is the smallest desert in North America. Yes, the Mojave, where rattlers are! In fact, there are 20 species of lizards, 25 species of snakes and two species of turtles and tortoises in the district. While I was at the visitor's center I even saw a tarantula, they said they were native there. I rode around the car tour and I am certain I saw some spider mansions on the side of the road. Eww! I think I better get back into town!

Till later!
Gabby

Mommy's in the newspaper!

Dogs, cats and computers

Tuesday, October 09, 2007
BY MARY ANN ALBRIGHT, Columbian staff writer

Devoted pet owners are always looking for a captive audience to listen to anecdotes and page through photo albums chronicling just why their cats and dogs are the world's greatest.

Through Dogster.com and Catster.com, animal aficionados worldwide are finding that audience and creating relationships with like-minded individuals.

Kristi Workman, 29, of Vancouver jokes that she's known among her co-workers and friends as "pug nutty, pugged or that crazy pug lady." But on Dogster, where she spends at least an hour a day updating her three pugs' pages, her obsession has earned her dogs hundreds of "pup pals." She even spent an extra $19.95 a year to upgrade from a free membership to DogsterPlus so she can post more pictures of her dogs, Penelope, Milton and Gabby, on their Web pages.

"Some people think I am truly nuts, and the moment I talk about Dogster or someone I know through Dogster, they just start smiling. They just don't understand that it is a great, safe, fun place to just let loose and meet new people through your dogs," said Workman, a contract specialist at Cascade Centers Inc. in Portland.

Workman uses the site as a creative outlet. She also views it as a safer alternative to popular social networking Web sites such as MySpace or Friendster, where members provide information about themselves. At Dogster, she writes from her dogs' perspectives.

That doesn't mean it's not a place where humans bond and ultimately learn about each other, though.



Meeting online buddies

Workman uses Dogster to discuss breed-specific issues with other pug owners. The friendships have developed to the point where she's gone to dog parks in Portland and as far away as Seattle to rendezvous with online buddies.

Giving pet owners a new way to make connections is what inspired Ted Rheingold to found Dogster and its sister site, Catster, in 2004.

"It's a place to show off the love of your life, and it's a place to learn from other people," said Rheingold, a 37 year old who lives in San Francisco, Calif. The networks give pet owners opportunities to share everything from tips to personal tragedies.

Workman created a memorial page for her deceased cat, Macie Mae Kitten, on Catster.

"It is nice to keep their page active. Other members will send little notes or (virtual) presents to them, and it really cheers you up. Dogster and Catster members are very strong and supportive when it comes to a death of a pet," Workman said.

That same sense of camaraderie helped inspire Vancouver dog lover Kelly Young to join in the search for a stolen pooch whose owner was active on Dogster. Last spring Young, 39, learned about the plight of Teddi Sue, a Chihuahua mix from Eugene, and sprung into action.

Teddi Sue's owner briefly left her in the car while on a trip to Auburn, and the vehicle was stolen with the dog inside. Young and other Dogster members contacted family and friends in the Seattle area and told them to be on the lookout for Teddi Sue. Eventually the dog was found and returned to her owner.

"That kind of made me a believer, that (Dogster) wasn't as hokey as you think," said Young, an executive assistant at Oregon Health & Science University with four dogs listed on the site.



Friendly competition

Not all the interaction on the site is supportive.

While Dogster members can be generous, some are competitive, Young said.

Many owners, such as Young and Workman, will accept any request to be pup pals. Others are more discriminating. It stings when your request to be pals goes unanswered or gets rejected, Workman said.

"Why wouldn't everyone want to be friends with my perfect, cute pugs?" she mused.

The site encourages a little friendly competition. It gives members icons to declare their affection for another member's pet. For dogs, it's bones. For cats, it's fish. The bones and fish eventually expire, forcing members to continually update their declarations of friendship. "Bones come and go pretty fast, so it is an ongoing joke that when your bone count gets low, then you make a post on the message board saying that you are starving and you need more treats. Other dogs just rush over and give more bones," Workman said.

Zealies are another way of letting Dogster or Catster members know you're admiring their pet. Zealies are a virtual currency. A zealie buys one rosette, which is a rotating icon such as an apple, heart or blue ribbon that disappears after one month. A yellow star costs five zealies, but it lasts forever.

Although they're virtual treats, stars and rosettes are real gifts. Members receive some complimentary zealies, but additional ones are available for purchase.

Zealie packages range from 20 for $5 to 500 for $100. Workman hasn't bought any zealies, but Young purchased $20 worth to dole out to pup pals. She's happy to give out stars and rosettes to other dogs, since she knows how good it feels when Otis, a wire fox terrier, and her other dogs receive treats.

"It starts as a novelty, but then your dog becomes popular. Otis has this little fan following," Young said.


By the numbers

- 329,916 dogs on Dogster.com .

- 298 Vancouver dogs on Dogster.com.

- 2,195 dogs named Lucy (most popular female name).

- 2,225 dogs named Buddy (most popular male name).

- 137,471 cats on Catster.com .

- 166 Vancouver cats on Catster.com .

- 609 cats named Chloe (most popular female name).

- 577 cats named Tigger (most popular male name).

Sources: Dogster.com and Catster.com . Numbers current as of late last week.



Mary Ann Albright can be reached at 360-759-8019 or maryann.albright@columbian.com

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Ahhhh Hawaii!

Oh my pugness - my school, Onry Onyx Academy, has taken us pups on a field trip to Hawaii! We have been to the aquarium, to the volcanoes, on a sunset cruise, and of course to the beach! While here, it is not ALL fun and games, we have to do school work too. Our wonderful teachers give us assignments to do to keep us out of trouble and not have too many Shirley Temples on the beach. I have been doing really well. I have gotten two blue ribbons, a pink ribbon, and a star for my work. I think that is like an A+ in the hooman world. I feel like a squished faced, wrinkly, curly tailed, four legged, Hermione Granger. I love school! Can't wait for the rest of the field trip!


Till later, Diary

Gabbs

Onry Onyx Academy

Assignment #1

My summer was great because I finally grew big enough to fight fairly with my brother and sister. I used to have to just bite with all my might, but now and I can jump and use some "People's Elbow". My brother and sister didn't know what was coming to them! I look forward to the fall and winter when I can by-pass them in weight and take over the household!

What's a "tat"?

My mommy came home the other night really late. She was all giddy and talking about her new "four-paw tat". I kept asking her what this tat is and she just kept going on about "My tattoo, this" and "My tattoo that". I couldn't get a word in edgewise. What is a tat? There does seem to be something growning on her back now.... looks like my little paw prints when I play in muddy puddles. HELP!

Diagnosis from "Dr." Maxwell P Rapper

Dear Gabby,
Don't yew worree.... I tink yur mom will be all right. Clearly she suffers from pug-envy, a diseaze many hoomans have. As she doesn't have beautiful and strong paws like us-- she went to a Dr. to have them try and give her some and they put them in the wrong place-- on her back. Alot of good they will do her there.... but not to worree-- its also a sign that she loves yew very much and despite all the other hoomans who may laff at her fur paws..... she'll just smile and think of yew. Yes, pug-envy can be cured-- but truthfullee, Gabby-- we like our hoomans to have the pug-envy diseaze cause one of the symptoms is typically that they spoil us more. Hope this helps.

Yur Unkle Maxwell


Hm.... guess I should stop worrying now.... take a look at the picture I snuck of her - it is the last on my page.

Gabby