I'm klutzy.
I also seem to have a knack for "faceplanting" when I have an audience. The last incident netted me an 8 and a 9.5......I slipped on the ice, bashed my knee BUT I didn't spill my coffee, and at that point, that's all that mattered.
-fp

My handle comes from the most wonderful, loving, wise person I ever knew. She was my ever lovin' sweetheart. She was my hunting buddy. She was an exceptional runner, even for a field trials dog. She was also the greatest fighter I ever knew, not because she was invincible, but because she didn't want to fight. But when she had to, did so admirably. When she was young, I took her to the dog park. She would just want to mind her own business and play fetch with me. I sometimes think it's because she was so sweet, that dumb pecking order minded dogs would try to dominate her. She was too smart for pecking orders. Those dogs would come up to her growling. She would cowar down. Showing submissive love toward them. If they were dumb enough not accept that loving kindness and decided to push her beyond that. She would open the gates of **** on that poor stupid creature.
She wanted to love everybody. If a person was afraid of her. She would fall apart showing submissive love toward them. I could practically hear her saying: "Oh please, please! Don't be afraid of me! I just wanna love you!" If somebody was mad. She would shy away from them, not wanting to confront them. But a couple times, there were people who had accepted satan himself into their hearts. They were up to something. That something they should have gone to jail for. Those times, she got so mean, it scared even me. And I slept with her. It was like instant rabies. She was so wise.... One night I was sitting in my townhouse facing away from the front door. It was very late at night. I had a security screen door. Had left the front door itself open. All of a sudden I heard the meanest growl I had ever heard. I flung around in that chair to see a dozen teenagers running away from the front door. I looked down at Julie. She hadn't budged. She didn't even show them the respect of looking at them. She just layed there. She knew what was in their hearts. They were up to no good. She knew that growl would take care of them.
I had a field trials judge tell me that she was an exceptional runner even for a field trials dog. He said she was the kind of dog that judges loved to watch run. She filled my heart with joy in watching her run. She was good. Coordinated. Gymnastic. Fast. Could stop and spin on a dime. When the dust cleared, she'd be pointing a bird. You could see that she absolutely loved running.
She was my constant companion the last four years of her life. She changed me. I'll never be the same because of her. One day I'll meet an angel in heaven who will say to me: "I was sent to earth to watch out for you and be your companion through some of the toughest times a man can endure. You knew me as Julie."

Julie Von Hainholz.... 7/5/95 to 12/1/03.....Forever in my heart.

http://www.pbase.com/birddog/image/1762891[/URL" target="_blank">

http://www.pbase.com/birddog/image/1548108[/URL" target="_blank">

Both edits were to add the pictures of my sweetie.
http://This message has been edited by Bird Dog (edited Mar-03-2005).

http://This message has been edited by Bird Dog (edited Mar-03-2005).

Lots of great stories, Bird Dog, I almost thought you were going to say those teenagers had done something to your sweetie...I'm glad it was that she scared them away.

Here goes...I've been running for years, even ran track in 9th grade but because it wasn't exciting enough at the time, I didn't go out again the next year and stayed with Karate and soccer and softball. So I continued running but to maintain my fitness for the other sports. The same thing during and after college. Even after three marathons, the running was just for fitness (and soccer too). As time went on, I kept getting injured in the other sports (I became involved in more sports even) and it kept sidelining my running. It's then that I realized finally how important running is to me.

It wasn't until I arrived in Germany last August that I really decided to run smarter. I started running conistently for three days a week and gradually increased the distance and frequency. I also wanted to be sure that my knees were healed from my bike wreck last spring that injured both knees which helped keep my mileage low and not over do it.

I've been reading more about running and different techniques and about proper nutrition than ever before and seeking out "smarter" ways of doing things.

When I came across this website at the beginning of the year, I figured it fit. And, that it would be a constant reminder to me to continue to do the smart thing when it comes to running. I'm in the military and have had to get through some tough tests. I've always followed the phrase "no pain, no gain" but now I realize that's not the case in running. I've always thought that if I still had energy at the end of a daily run that I didn't give it all I had. Now I know better and am runningsmarter

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My running profile[/URL" target="_blank">

If I read all 5 pages of this thread, would I find out how to change my handle, because I'd like to. When I first signed up I just used the first thing I thought of, wasn't thinking so much of establishing an identity as seeing what this place was all about. Anyhow, can I change my nickname without opening a new account? Because I've got running history logged and stuff and really don't want to start over. Thanks anyone who knows.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by MightyJoeYoung:
You have to open a new account.

BTW, I'm named after a monkey that I admire.

MJ.<HR>

Oh dear. Nameless and lettered I remain. But thanks for the info!

quote:<HR>Originally posted by astrosweet:
CLB,

You could always continue to use your current identity for your logging etc and create a new identity for yourself for posting with ...<HR>

What a good idea, astro, thanks bunches! Lessee....sugarbritches or plodsalot....must mull my options.

Day in and day out I work with dogs. I speak to them more than I speak to humans. It is my first language. ( I am a dog groomer ).

Charleygross= My first name is Christopher, middle name, Harley and last name, Gross. I liked the idea, spareribs. I always wondered about all the names posted. Thanks all.