The Epistemological Ruminations of an Arts-Based Yellow Canine

OR: A Yellow Dog Goes to College:

What's up everybody? The Food Guy and I just got back from a really fun week in the mountains. Food Guy had to go to a writing workshop for a week, and he worked it out so that I could go too. One of the Food Guy's professors was running this workshop at Amicalola Falls in North Georgia. I think it just made good sense for me to be able to go. I spend so much time hanging out while Food Guy is reading all of his books and writing his papers that I think they really need to give me a PhD too when the Food Guy graduates. Now, maybe they will since I've been to college. What do y'all think? 

Amicalola is a really cool place. I think everyone should go there if they get the chance. There's a lot of really cool places to see there, and so much good stuff to smell.  Check out this really cool spot along the creek:

Now, y'all know that I'm a smart dog and all that, but I learned lots of new words this week. Greg, one of our friends who stayed with us in the cabin, is a pretty smart guy. He knows all kinds of big words. So, he helped me learn some new ones. We spent lots of time sitting around the cabin and I got some good tutoring.

 Greg told me that I was an Arts-based, Multi-genre dog who didn't just have thoughts. He said I had "epistemological ruminations." He suggested the title for this post, and I thought it was a pretty good one. I was thinking Yellow Dog Goes to College was pretty good, but Greg's title sounds much, much better. I mean, I do have some pretty deep thoughts. Most dogs do, really. We have lots and lots of time to sit around and think about stuff. And, lots of dogs are smart. My friend Sug is so smart. She can read anything you put in front of her. And my friend Zozo. I think she's the smartest. She's figured out how to sleep like 20 hours a day!

Anyway, it was a really fun week. The Food Guy got lots of writing done, and I helped him whenever I could. Mostly, I just sat next to him on the floor or sat on the couch next to people while they worked. It was a pretty sweet set up:  

We didn't just work though. We went for lots and lots of runs on the trails. Food Guy and I ran for a couple of hours everyday. Well, we took one day off because Food Guy just HAD to make sure he got enough work done. He can be such a geek that way. "Gotta get my work done, gotta get my work done," he says. Luckily, I told him he could call going for a run on the trail "work" if he was smart. See, all he has to do is think about what he's supposed to be writing while he's out running, and bingo: you're working! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out. But overall, the schedule seemed pretty good to me. The people spent a lot of time drinking coffee and talking about the stuff they were writing. Then, they went to "class" every night where they helped each other with their writing projects. I mostly slept while all that was going on. I mean, a dog can only do so much thinking. I had to make sure I got plenty of sleep, so Food Guy and I could go exploring on the trails everyday. The trails at Amicalola Falls are pretty sweet. Check out some of the views we found along the way:

The trails were really good for running. Food Guy's ankle seems to have finally healed. It had been giving him some trouble for a while, so we weren't getting to run very much before we went. He was riding his bike more than running, which sucks for me because that means I have to stay home. I like watching Sportscenter and all that, but I like being out on the trail much, much more. So, I was pretty glad he was feeling better 'cause I would have hated to spend a whole week at this trail running paradise without getting some serious miles in. Even an arts-based, multi-genre yellow canine has to get his miles in. You know, you can't work ALL the time. Sometimes I just had to look at the Food Guy and say, "C'mon let's GO!"

We didn't just run and work though.  We spent some good time hanging out around the cabin. Greg brought his guitar and played us some songs everyday. Man, that guy can play the guitar. He even took the time to teach the Food Guy a few chords. 

I'm not sure how that's gonna work out. He might even get mad at me for telling y'all about the guitar thing. You know Reeve is gonna start calling him a dirty hippie if he starts playing guitar. But I think it wouldn't be too bad if the Food Guy learned to play a little music. We even had a campfire or two. We stayed up pretty late the last night hanging out and listening to Greg play guitar around the campfire. The Good Doctor (Christine) managed to secure the appropriate liquid refreshments we needed when she made a run to town on Thursday, so we celebrated finishing our work with a roaring campfire Friday night. 

Well, we're back in Athens now. We went home for the weekend and had a good time hanging out at the Lake. I got to play with Bosco, the Food Guy's brother's dog. We had big time running around in the yard by the lake. The Food Guy's dad snuck me lots of extra dog bones. I have him convinced that Food Guy never feeds me. Sshh, don't tell him that I get plenty to eat. I'm not really looking forward to next week. Food Guy will be teaching all day and then grading for the online classes at night. Not to mention he has to finish up getting his dissertation prospectus ready and all that kinds of jazz.  Ughh, I'm gonna really have to get on him about getting out of bed early, so we can go run on our trails behind our house. Not that I like getting up early. I don't. But, I'll make up for it sleeping all day while he's working. Zozo and Sug taught me that trick. Like I said, those are some smart doggies. 

Looks Like We Get To Stay

Well, it looks like the Food Guy and I get to stay in Athens for another year. The Food Guy defended his Comprehensive Exams this morning, and he said things went great. I wasn't really worried about it. That guy has spent so much time reading and writing lately that I don't see how he could have done anything but pass, but I guess you never know. Anyway, I'm pretty psyched that he's done with all that. Now, hopefully we'll have more time to play outside.

Yesterday was a bit on the crazy side though. Right after Food Guy emailed off a bunch of grades and notes to one of the professors he works for, his computer crashed. And I mean crashed. The thing was totally fried! Wouldn't do anything. He took it to the Apple Store (I didn't get to go, but I didn't mind since I needed to catch up on SportsCenter- I'd missed the morning show). Anyway, he had to send the thing back to Apple so they can try to fix it. Good thing Food Guy is OCD about backing his files up. Our buddy Eric lent him a computer, so he was able to get all his notes ready for the defense today. All's well that ends well.

I'm looking forward to this weekend. Hopefully Food Guy will take me for a good run and a hike. Our next big adventure is coming up in a couple of weeks. We're heading to Amicalola Falls so the Food Guy can do a writing workshop. He's going to write his prospectus for his dissertation. I get to go too! It's gonna be awesome. A week in a cabin in the woods. I'll get to sleep on the porch while the Food Guy writes. Plus, we'll get to go for a long run every morning on the Approach Trail to the AT. Should be great!

A little break before the defense

Well, what's up y'all?! I know it's been a while since I got my paws on the keyboard, but the Food Guy has been writing his comprehensive exams day and night for the last 3 months. So computer time has been hard to come by for this Yellow Dog. Well, Ok, maybe not day and night. We have had some good adventures here and there. We've gone to the mountains a few times and took a few trips to Charlotte to check on the Food Guy's dad. 

Food Guy turned his exams in last week, so he decided it was time for a little vacation. He decided to meet some friends and go to West Virginia to paddle for a few days. I didn't get to go though, which I wasn't too happy about. But the campground didn't allow dogs. It's OK though- A friend of the Food Guy who is about to head off for Marine Officer Candidate School stayed with me here in Athens. He did a good job of being alternate Food Guy. He took me for lots of walks! 

Anyway, the Food Guy finally finished all of the grading he should have done this weekend, so now I can get to the computer while he finishes cleaning all of his gear from the trip. While he's doing that, I'll fill ya in on the latest. 

Mostly, it's been pretty quiet. Food Guy defends his exams on Wednesday, so he's pretty focused on that right now. He did have a great trip to WVa though. He told me all about it. I wish  I could have gone it is pretty up there. See: 

He drove over to NC Thursday morning and jumped in the truck with Brian. Then they drove all day Thursday and got to the Cheat River at about 9 oclock. Friday morning they went up to PA and paddled part of the Yough. (I can't spell the rest of that word- it's a long one and I'm a smart dog but even I have my limits.) Then they headed back to WVa to chill at the camp. I heard it rained a lot up there. They didn't even get to paddle the Cheat.  But they did get to paddle the Big Sandy. Looks like fun, huh? Food Guy hasn't been kayaking much lately, so I'm glad they decided to paddle something easy. Wouldn't want him to get all busted up. I need somebody to take me on long hikes and runs on the trail! It looks like there were some great surf waves on that river. 

After they finished paddling, Food Guy and his friends went back to camp and ate some food. Man, think of all the food I could have gotten people to give me if I could have gone! I gotta make sure I get to go next time!

Next they went over to the Cheat River Festival. It sounds like it was a lot of fun. Food Guy said there was some great music at the festival on Saturday night. It was of the bluegrass variety, which is my favorite. I know, Reeve would say Food Guy and I are dirty hippies, but whatever! Anyway, check out this pic of the buildaround Food Guy saw at the river:

This is some high quality Appalachian workmanship. It's a singlewide, a camper, and a building. Crazy, huh?! I thought I'd seen some good stuff in NC, but this tops it all!

Well, that's about it for now. I'll be sure to let y'all know how the Food Guy does at his Comps Defense on Wednesday. He'd better pass. We can't afford for him to get booted out of school. Plus, he spent way too much time working on those papers to fail. I mean, we could have been out having some serious fun during all those hours he was working!