Silly Time

***Tag is Rowlf the Dog*** Mellow and serious, you enjoy time alone cultivating your talents. You're a cool dog, and you always present a relaxed vibe. A talented pianist, you can play almost anything - especially songs by Beethoven. "My bark is worse than my bite, and my piano playing beats 'em both." All these years I never knew he could play the piano! What's your Muppet Personality?

Inevitable

Remember how Second always said that raising kids is just like dog training? Or maybe it's the other way around? Anyway, someone has finally taken it to the next step - animal training, that is - and used the principles of positive reinforcement to re-train her husband.

Although I don't think she used a clicker.

While doing research for a story on exotic animal training a reporter, Amy Sutherland, had one of those aha! moments and thought why couldn't I do this to with my husband? Her attempt resulted in a New York Times article as well as lots of whining on the daddy blogs.

The blogmen seemed to be offended by the idea of "training". Well, then call it shaping. Based on the very simple principle of rewarding the good behavior and ignoring the bad behavior, it really does work. It works on the family pets, it works on children and it works on husbands.

Feel free to post your own successes with this technique.

The Perils of Task Avoidance

I hate to bring this up. I really, really do.

However, it seems that the annual Christmas entertainment is pressing upon us. You wouldn't think it would be an issue until, oh, the third week of December. However, the word on the street is that two of the nephews have already nailed their entry. The word is that they're pretty good.

Plus some people actually have talent.

With that kind of competition, and a prize at stake, it doesn't sound like "the girls" will be able to get away with their lusty but lame version of "Sisters" after all.

Undefeated. Untied. Unscored Upon.

Yes, all you blue kats know what that means.

It's football season.

Saturday night was Damage Inc.'s first game; their winning margin was maintained after 7 breathless minutes on the other team's 10-yard line. You know how long 7 minutes is in football.

Our favorite starter pulled down 10 guys, two in one play.

Sunday they will be at home.