A Gift Of Music & Memories

 Yesterday, Al, Terry and I went up to Lakewood to check out the piano player at the Waterbury Tavern.  An old friend of mine from Stompin', Gerry Keating, sings there on Wednesday nights.  We each got to sing with the piano player.
\
His name is Michael and he is superb!!  One of the best guys I've ever sung with!  He's young too, maybe in his 40s if I had to venture a guess.  Lovely person!

I sang Embraceable You, I Don't Know Why, Fly Me To The Moon and Someone To Watch Over Me.  I cried during that one.  Michael followed me and also challenged me by modulating during a few of the songs.  Wow!

Gerry called another old friend, a guy I gigged with for years, Steve Samuel, and he came over with his clarinet. It was great to see him and hear him play.  He's a very fine reed player! He complimented me on my singing and said I had so much depth, command and emotion.  I did feel like saying I've been at this for a while so I would hope I'd improve!  But the words were indeed welcomed and I'm grateful for them.

I told him I had been learning the ukulele.  Long story short, he had an old uke that he had purloined from a school he taught (it had never been inventoried) and wanted me to have it.

Eulalie, Ka'mea, the baritone & Adelaide

Are you kidding?  Sure!  He doesn't play it and he's had it for years.  We went to his apartment and he hauled out a BARITONE ukulele!  Hell yeah!

So I brought her home to meet the other ukes.
 
Today I took her to Pekar Music and sadly, she's in really bad shape.  Her top is coming off, her bridge is coming unglued, the neck is warping and beginning to crack.  It would cost as much as buying a new baritone uke with a pickup as if would to fix her.  Even then it would be a temporary fix.  I was wondering about the bridge, frankly.  

So even though she can barely be played, she can hang on our wall, in a place of honor, remembering good times and a generous musician friend.

Stuck In My Head

Did you ever get a song stuck in your head and try as you might, you could NOT get that sucker out? Pretty terrible and rather annoying, right? Now, multiply that by ten or more and you have "I'm Called Little Buttercup."

(“Gaaaaacckkkk!” Picture a cat hoarfing up a hair ball.  You get the picture.)

Let me preface this by admitting that I am NOT a G&S fan. (Gilbert and Sullivan, to the less initiated). The only play of theirs I like is “The Mikado,” and only once every twenty years. Yes, I understand their importance is the history of operetta/the beginning of musical theater. But I also understand Wagnar's place in opera too. It doesn't mean I like Wagnar unless Elmer Fudd is singing "Kill Da Wabbit" or, "Oh Bwunhilde, you're so wove-wy."

I digress.

Of all the antiquated stuff that G&S ever wrote, "I'm Called Little Buttercup" has to be my absolute LEAST favorite. I detest it. Having to sing/record it at the behest of an old friend, even in the Mrs. Miller-esque vein, really got my musical goat. Rather like a 19^th century “Achy Breaky Heart.”  Primarily because it ain’t anywhere NEAR any key that I normally sing in. I’m an alto for those of you who haven’t heard me sing.  Ergo, what is a embarrassing vocal struggle becomes parody.

And as it turns out, after three hours of trying to record the damn thing (another aggravating, tear-inducing story entirely), it's probably not “good” enough. Most likely because, of course, the director of said play (where this is background music) wants it live.  Backstage, singing it live. Unpaid. Of course. The woman who was supposed to do this got sick.  I am sorry if she isn’t well enough to do this for however many weekends this play goes up, of course.  I hope it’s nothing serious, poor lady. But to my mind, singing this for free would MAKE me sick.

Thanks for nothing. Except for getting it stuck in my head. Stuck so badly that it echoed during my gig last night where I WAS getting paid to be on my game.

Although, to be fair, in a comic vein it just SCREAMS parody. It cries out for parody. It begs for it.

"I've snuff and tabacky and excellent jacky" just calls for "I'll give you a smacky and wacky tabacky," doesn't it?

"And excellent peppermint drops" begs for, "And excellent peppermint schnapps."  Perhaps I need to record a verbal parody, terribly sung.  No, I just want to get this sucker out of my head. Please, make it go away.

Rants 1, 2 and 3 From a Pedestrian's Point Of View

#1 Rant for today: To the two idiotic, cheap, selfish side-by-side neighbors on Graham Rd. between 9th and 13th, south side. Your driveways are not a luge run. People actually do WALK on that section of Graham Rd. How is it possible in a 3 mile stretch, you two are the only jerks who didn't shovel or salt your damn sidewalks and driveways? And don't rely on the sun to de-ice you; you'll get afternoon sun in about, oh, maybe April. I slid down your damn sidewalk and almost ended IN Graham Rd. Stupid butt-heads --- you are lucky I'm just banged up and bruised. I hope you can't get up your driveways! I hope somebody decides to go after your two sorry butts. It won't be me; I don't have the time. Thanks for nothing, you jack-wipes!
On a positive note, the trip was worth the fall. I found what I needed for our upcoming murder mystery Feb. 13-14th at Quail Hollow performed by 1MobInc

#2 Not everyone in your little universe drives a stinkin' car. Some folks walk or ride bikes.

#3 That little lever on the left hand side of your steering column is called a TURN SIGNAL. It's there for a reason. It's not for decoration. Start using the damn thing.

I'm tired of strangers, friends and loved ones who either don't use it at all or think it's kind a random, optional thing. "Oh, I'm in the left hand turn lane, therefore everyone should know I'm turning left." Right. The way people drive today, that's not a given! If I were Queen, I would make it a law that you have to use that thing AT THE TIME! Indicate, indicate, indicate where the heck you are going. It's lazy, inconsiderate people like you that get people like me killed or injured, whether we are on foot or on a bike.

Bring back Driver's Ed; it seems like the grown-ups need a refresher course.

On a note about Rant #1: Here's the deal and why I don't have a tremendous amount of sympathy for the 2 driveway people.
First of all, this is NE Ohio. We get snow and ice in the winter. Fact. It's not like it's some random weird weather occurrence as though we lived in Texas or someplace that does not get a lot of snow and/or ice.

Second: If you can't salt or shovel, and you go to church, put it out to the parish that you need help. If you have money, there are people who shovel and salt driveways in trucks. There are the Boy Scouts, Volunteers of America, and other orgs that will do stuff like that for shut-ins or the elderly. We don't live in some extremely rural area,like the northern pine woods of Maine or Alaska. We live in a CITY, ergo there are a ton or orgs to help out elderly or shut-ins with just this kind of stuff. And it's TWO driveways not one. One I get. Two I don't. The next person that falls there could sue these people and they could lose their houses. It just wasn't the sidewalk; that I get, kind of. Our city does not require you to salt your sidewalks. It was the whole driveway of both houses all the way down to the street. After I got up, I had to walk almost up to the houses themselves to avoid it. If that makes me an unsympathetic person, than so be it. Some truly elderly or disabled person that has to walk that way to catch a bus (and there is a bus stop about 100 yards down the street) or go the store will hurt themselves. I'm not worried about me. I'm tough; but somebody else could bust a hip.

Alan Rickman & Donald Trump

I was thinking about David Bowie and Alan Rickman dying from cancer. Which is sad. And then there is all this hoopla about Donald Trump. Which is stupid.

We talk about politicians etc. And I am grateful I can vote. I'm glad I live in a country where we can discuss these things. But I have to say, when people get all honked off about this and that. Frankly, it gets kind of silly.

I just think about what I would consider to be "real" stuff. Health stuff. Too many people getting or dying of cancer. Too many people being overweight and having diabetes etc. Prejudice. This overwhelming sense of so many people being proverbially pissed off all the time.

I think we need to take care of ourselves and our bodies and spirits and not get our knickers in such a twist over what I consider to be inane stuff like politics.

Get out of the house. Go see a play. Go see Star Wars. Go hear some live music. If you can't get out, watch something funny on TV, a movie or youtube. Try and move. Get off your arse. And most of all......

Try to be grateful because life is short!

Peace On Earth, Good Will Towards Men?

Let me stir the pot here a bit because there's been a lot of chest-puffing and chest-banging lately especially by some noisy, mostly fundamental Christians who are using their religion as a political platform or to "rally" the people with a "we're better than them" rhetoric. I heard a terrifying political ad on TV exhorting people to vote for him because he was going to take care of the terrorists. He sounded a whole hell of a lot like....dare I say it, Hitler?

Careful with that one, folks, because it sure makes you sound a whole heck of a lot like....oh, wait for it....other extremist groups filled with hate and fear-mongering? Like, oh my...the KKK or....ISIS??

Yes, I wrote that. You read that right.

That crap sure isn't what I learned about Jesus in Sunday School.

Think about this one for a sec: Jesus was not about EX-clusion but IN-clusion.

At this time of year, when many celebrate the birth of the Christ child and/or the return of light or the festival of light (Hanukkah, Winter Solstice and Yule), shouldn't we should be thinking about light, caring, sharing, and peace on earth, good will toward men?

Shouldn't we, of whatever beliefs we have, be sending out prayers, thoughts, vibes, energies, beams of hope for peace, love and tolerance throughout the world? Instead of all that negative stuff? Just a thought....

Don't Make it About Religion, Please!

There was a posting from a friend of mine who understandably after today's tragic killings, that people need to fight for freedom and preserving the "Christian way of life." I replied ( because it got my knickers in a slight twist):

It's not even so much the Christian Way of Life, It's the "sensible, kind, joyous, have common sense, manners and decency, take care of your neighbor, pitch in and help, be responsible, shoulder your burdens, carry on, accept and give kids (especially) consequences" way of life. It's the way of life that when your neighbor's house burns down, you help. When a flood hits, you help. when a child, old person or animal is suffering you help.

One of the basic freedoms of this country is freedom to worship your Higher Power as you wish. (That includes mathematical principles, the nature of the universe or not believing in a Higher Power if you're an atheist). I'm not a Christian but I can respect the "do unto others etc." way of life. Please, my dear, don't make it about Christianity or the "Christian way of life." It really has nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with humanity, and being humane, kind and responsible.

If anything the generation that came after the Baby Boomers doesn't get this, for the most part, and they should! Far too many of them are lazy, entitled spoiled brats. I'm talking 20 and 30 somethings. We Boomers raised them, so yes, our generation is partly to blame. I say this with all respect. My husband and stepson are non-active Marines and I believe they would agree with me.

We are all stuck on this Blue Planet together and we all need to get our collective heads out of our selfish, poor-me asses. I don't care if you are Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist, pagan, Buddhist, Hindu or worship cats underneath an oak tree.....as the old song goes, "come on people/ smile on your brother/ everybody get together/ try to love one another right now."

If you're going to be an selfish, stupid idiot and go around shooting people or blowing restaurants up or killing 100+ hostages, you're an asshole. I don't care what your faith is. There is no way that the Divine "told" you to do that. My dogs are better behaved than you are. My dogs are closer to the heart of God, Goddess, Buddah, Allah, "Hey You", the Universe (whatever) than you will ever be because they love unceasingly.

I"m hear to tell you; don't make it about religion. That what those f---kers from ISIS are saying, "It's all for Allah, their religion." It's not about religion. It's about humanity, being human, being humane. These killers (and please stop calling them "shooters"....it's just too nice a word) don't care about common sense, humane thought, and looking out for the other guy. They are stupid sheep, and that's an insult to sheep.

We need to hold the families of those victims here in the States and in Paris close to our hearts. They are the ones who need the best of us, the most caring and loving parts of us, the part that has not forgotten our humanity. We are those families, we are Paris, we are Colorado, we are Oklahoma, we are the Twin Towers. I pray, in my way, to the Great Mother of us all to hold those victims and their families in Her Loving Arms. I pray, in my way, for people to get their heads out of their asses too.

Blessings to all of you at this time of year which is important for so many cultures and beliefs. Mine included!

Amen, Selah, So mote it be!

An Unexpected Gift In My Inbox

Just when I was feeling pretty low about my professional entertainment career, I get this comment from professional travel photographer, Jad Davenport, on this photo I call "Nevada Storm."

"Wow! Mia, this is a great picture. You have terrific color (I love those dark, gray-blue clouds), great light (dappled light over the hills), the composition is spot-on, and the storm gives us the moment. There's even a tiny hint of clear blue skies right on the horizon. Storms often give us the best images because they make a place people have photographed before look different. Love the drama. Nice work, Mia!"

I really needed this, what a gift!

I am eternally grateful to the weather and my friends Dale and Paula for taking me here.
. Not bad for a color-blind girl, eh?

A lovely gift from my Higher Power.....

New Shoes!

The awesome shoes that my new son-in-law, Matt Boggs,  decorated for me!  I have had these high tops since 2000 (I bought them in Vegas) and while they are actually quite uncomfortable to wear, I have never, For some odd reason,  gotten rid of them.  Now I will wear them (occasionally, because they are, after all works of art) with great pride and joy!  Thank you Matt and Milicent B!

Why Great Songs Last

"Words make you think thoughts.  Music makes you feel a feeling.  But a song makes you feel a thought."

Yip Harburg, lyricist of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Now you know why I love to sing standards.  Why they matter and why they've lasted for decades.  And why they will continue to last.

Superb Quote

“Honestly, is it just me or is the human race, armed with religion poisoned by prejudice and absolutely frantic with hatred and fear, galloping pell-mell back to the Dark Ages. Who on earth is hurt by a little girl going to school or a child being gay?”

Raymond Reddington (The Black List) 

Written by Daniel Cerone, aired 10.22.2015

What an awesome quote!!!

Adam & Even: A Query

A friend of mine posted this query: If Adam and Eve were the first humans then study the painting here and come to your conclusion and tell me what ain't quite right here, I know but do you?. Every painting I'v'e ever seen of them is the same. I have always wondered about this but never expressed it until now. :-) And I had what can only be categorized as a Marty Hess​ moment: I see belly buttons and why do both of them have leaves on their nether regions??? Maybe the Creator had just made the platypus and thought, "Wow, what can I do next? Hmmm....let me see.....the great ape thing worked out pretty well but man, the hair thing..... Hmmmm.....humanoids....yes, yes...got that...." Then S/He had a Bob Ross moment and said "Happy little spot...rrrrright there!" Thus the belly button. Just sayin'

The Dentist Vs. The Lion

Now I might be stirring up a hornet's nest here but this recent crud with the dentist luring the lion and then not even killing it, but letting ti suffer for HOURS. OK, here goes....

I'm not against hunting, say deer, per se, but this was basically a canned hunt which I think is despicable.

I have friends who hunt and BELIEVE me they don't let that deer suffer at all. And they use and eat (or donate to food banks) every bit of the deer. Folks who live up north in Alaska take a moose and eat it all winter.

I get where hunting in Africa is very big business and actually contributes to the big parks' survival. Very controversial, yes, I know. Photo safaris don't bring in nearly the money that big game hunting does You can go on a good photo safari for about $3,000-5,000. Hunting is about $20,000 and up. .

And the white rhino??? This guy has killed a white rhino. That one really got me. Those suckers are so endangered. Why the hell are people killing endangered animals?

But come on....a basically friendly lion? That's canned hunting, period I think it should be kind of equal: hungry, mean lion versus dentist with a spear and a loincloth and nothing else. I get hunting to eat but I don't get trophy hunting.

Re-evaluating Training

Bath time today for my hairy beasts. They are blowing coat like it's their job!  I know everyone's dogs are!  It's a crazy year for shedding dogs.

I miss my two old cattledogs, Wingie and Jesse Ann. You could vacuum them.  Jesse would attach the vacuum and the lawn mower!

Now we have to work on "the vacuum is not evil." Elke is better at this than Artie...but she had been vacuumed when I had the other two older dogs. Artie doesn't want ANYTHING to do with the evil vacuum. So we're going to leave it in the den (dogs' room) and turn it on every day while Evil Vacuum dispenses treats. This is totally do-able but I admittedly should have started this whole grooming thing when Art was a wee lad!  Lazy owner.

I had a really good long talk with my Mastiff friend about training.  She's been working with dogs all her life (has Ch. CGC, Therapy, CDs on most of her dogs; all have Ch. and therapy certs.). She threw out the idea that when I was throwing treats when Artie was getting all honked off over Jimmy( the cat) being out there, that I was probably rewarding the behavior I didn't want.

This was a really good discussion and one I really think I needed to have. I've been pretty much surrounded by AP trainers and while THEY get the whole  "treat the dog when he's throwing himself at the door like a total asshole", I just don't get it. I couldn't wrap my head around it.  I have a lot of respect for Molly Mastiff; she really knows her stuff. She is a PR trainer but when she has to yell at her dogs or give a correction, she does it.

This is the way I learned years ago and I'm wondering how "wrong" it was. My dogs in the past were pretty well behaved, learned training quickly and were happy to work.

She suggested, and this is kind of old school, to give him a verbal negative (if he's not completely over the top) and the minute he turns to me, reward him. THIS make sense to me.  It's kind of what my old trainer, Pat Piazza, would have done.  The method of throwing treats while they were in high honk waiting for them to de-escalate, didn't make any sense to me at all.  I couldn't wrap my head around it.  She speculated that by working with Artie the "newer" way, it might have caused him to escalate when he got out and went after Jimmy.  

She also said, and I found this interesting, that since Elke starts it with a grumble which causes Artie to get all weird, that Elke decides to like Artie "take care of it."  She's NOT a leader-type dog.  Neither is he, I don't think.

We're also working on Mr. Artie NOT being focused on the French doors. and re-learning "go lay down." Kind of doing it the "old fashioned" way:" an "acckkkk" when you're being stupid, treats and praise when you do what I want. I am not always walking around with treat hanging out my bra, for God's sake. Praise works too WHEN they are calm.

And we're working on not charging the damn door. I'm tired of that too.
 I am tired of my dogs being arse-holes.  Time to grow up!

Debbie Downers

Did you ever meet someone and think, "Wow, what a fatalist and downer you are? Man, you are a REAL Debbie Downer" (Even a guy can be a Debbie Downer, by the way).

The "good" angel on my shoulder wondered, "What the heck happened to you to make you a cloudy person?"

The little "devil" on my other shoulder said, "Extricate yourself from that negativity! Who the hel needs that shit!"

Feline Sleep Aid

Nap attack with former foster Jimmy who is staying with us until Friday or Saturday.....

I feel another one coming on.....

Cats: the new/old sleep aid!

And when/where did I start looking so fkg old/fat/unattractive?  Man, does that suck.  I wish I could afford a face lift.  Self-doubt is really creeping in.  Of course, to be fair, it's a dreadful angle!  Jimmy looks good!

The Charleston Church Tragedy and Stupidity

Stupid is as stupid does.  Just sayin'

Here is a great article, hopefully you can see the Link: anti-intellectualis is killing america

The Dumbing Down of America has been happening for quite a while.  I will always maintain my opinion that Fundamentalism is a dangerous thing, especially when it affects politics and education.  "Keep 'em stupid," is becoming the norm.  Many aspects of Big Business and many politicians want people to be stupid, scared and reactionary.  We've certainly seen that in fundamental Muslim groups and we see it in America.  It's easier to control a herd of frightened, angry, lost people.

Charleston is just the latest example of fear and blind ignorance.  My heart bleeds for those people.

It's one of the reasons I might have a really hard time living in the South.  I'm too smart for most places.  I am well-educated.  I use Big Words.  I appreciate the arts and have respect for science as well as loving nature.

I believe that God's time is not necessarily human time.  How long could God's day be?  A nano-second or millennium.  Do you know?  No, you don't, now do you?

As for the Confederate flag flying over a state building, I have to ask why?  That is NOT the state flag or North Carolina or Georgia or any place else in the South.  The Civil War ended in 1865.  That is 150 YEARS ago!!  You don't see Germany flying the Swastika, now do you?   Their losses and bosses were much more horrific than the Civil War.  Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.

I hate to say it because the North was the winning side but I will exclaim, "Get over it.  Move on with your lives!  Stop drinking the Kool-aid"

We are 50 UNITED states, and so far, succession hasn't happened.  Instead of moaning on about it and reliving a tragic part of American history, why not join  together in brotherhood, with loving kindness and tolerance? That might be a much better, healthier option. People of all colors, denominations, sexual preferences are still human beings.  We all bleed red.  We all want a safe home filled with love and joy.  We want food on our tables and a place to sleep.

If you are going to quote your Bible as a justification for violence, perhaps you need to take Jesus as your example. He suffered the little children to come to him.  (I'm not a Christian but I have read the Bible cover to cover many times.)  Are we not all children of the Universe?  Do we not all share this Blue Planet together?  Are we not made of the same things: blood, bone and sinew?  Are we all not children of the Divine?

I for one, am so damn tired of ignorance and fear.  Fear within, fear without.  I think taking the wise words of my friend's English mum, "You're dead if you worry, you're dead if you don't.  So why worry?"  to heart is not a bad thing at all.

Wouldn't all this energy be better spent learning things?  Things like science, art, what makes the flowers grow?  It seems we've lost curiosity.  It seems we accept being fed whatever crap Fox News (for example) and the hate/fear-mongers are dishing out. It's like Germany in pre-war times and if you don't know about that, well, damnit you should.

Since when did worshiping in your place of faith (whether it be church or synagogue, a temple or underneath God's sky) become a shooting ground?
Truly, "Verily I say unto you: Love thy neighbor as THYSELF.  Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."  If you want to follow the Christ's teachings, that's a pretty fine place to start.  Your Christ would no more have taken a spear and gone into a Roman temple and killed everyone.

We have a limited time in our earthly bodies.  If you believe in Hell, Purgatory or Limbo, do you really want your soul to end up there?  Because being an ignoramus is sure as hell a great place to start.

Instead of expending your energies sowing hate, why don't you learn something new everyday?  A new word, a new song, a new way to build something?  Why not ask questions of people you don't know and find out about their humanity?
I am blessed to have many friends with many different belief systems: Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Pagan, Muslims and even those who don't necessarily believe in a a form of the Creator.  I don't get people that say science and faith are incompatible.  That's just well, ignorant.

My Dad, Steve Knerly (Father's Day 2015)

Thinking of you, Fa.  I miss you.

My father loved to get dressed up; he was always very proud to wear his medals!  He always yell at us to "Hurry up, I'm WAITING!  Why in the hell am I always waiting for you all to get ready!" and he'd disappear and we'd wait for him to make an entrance He smelled like Old Spice and then Christian Dior for men.  And wool.

He'd use big words and when you'd give him the "Huh?" look he'd make you look it up in the dictionary.  (Thus our predilection for using Big Words!  He pretended he didn't speak Hungarian (his childhood in the old West Side Hungarian neighborhood was crappy) but he would listen to the Hungarian Hour on the radio and spoke it fluently.  He started most sentences with "God Damnit," when he was on the phone and then later, as we got older, in person.

He would 'conduct' classical music while driving, which used to scare me to death.  I finally figured out he was driving with his knee.  He loved convertibles! He loved music and singing especially, "I'm Glad I'm Not Young any More" from GIGI.  He loved roller coasters.

I think he lived to yell at other lawyers and I don't know how many phones he destroyed banging the receiver instead of hanging up.

His way of "fixing" things was to wack it with a hammer.  (Thus the ceiling radiator crashing to the floor and breaking his leg).

He was charming as all get out. All eyes would gravitate to him when he entered a room.

He could be very difficult and challenging to live with: his standards were very high.  He wasn't afraid to wack you if you deserved it.  But he'd go to the mat for you, taking on anyone, including the Lakewood School Board and my materanl grandmother (I don't know which was worse).

He called me My Schloukie Kid (don't ask me why) and Miachka.  He and his needs came first (typical Aries) but I know he loved us fiercely.

"Successfully Recorded"

I got a new old piece sheet music!  I love Dame Vera Lynn, so I'm excited to add this to my collection.  Plus I love the song!

Look on the left hand side.  See where it says "Successfully recorded by Vera Lynn?"  I'm wondering if they ever put "Unsuccessfully recorded by So-and-So?"

Hmmm....kind of makes you wonder (and giggle)!

My Hair (The Saga Grows. Everywhere.)

Apres Le C. April 8, 2015. Four months after the last of the Dragon's Blood.

(Demi-amusing)

My dear friend (who makes magic with my nails and other beauty parts), gave me some shampoo samples a while back to help thicken one's hair.  Mine, to be specific.

Apparently, everything from the neck DOWN sure as heck got the memo.  Not to be too gauche, (oh, what the hell, let's be gauche) but watching one's legs become Neaandrathalic before one's eyes is a little slice of Otherworld-liness.

My razor whimpered.

My head hair, on the other hand looks like a bizarre combination of a cartoon runner with "s'ploding" (exploding) follicles, AstroBoy and a 3-D topographical color map of the Andes Mountains compete with white tops.

Why Have A Dog That.....?

Is it just me or am I crazy?

Why in the world would you have a dog that had to be heavily monitored and watched like a hawk when it had bitten, lunged or tried to attack numerous people?

I just don't get it.  Just thinking about it makes me tired.

I have 2 friends (with non-ACDs) who have dogs that are (to me) ticking time-bombs.  The dogs have to muzzled 100% of the time when they are anywhere people might be.  One of my friend's dogs is very sick and has to be under full sedation so the vet's staff can monitor him.

I get a crabby snap when the dog is in a lot of pain; heck, I snap too when I'm in pain.  I get the "Ooops, mistake" bite too.  It happens.  Dogs bite. I'm just wondering why all the effort for dogs that are never, ever going to live even close to a "normal" life.

What's makes this even more ironic is both these folks are 100% all positive  trainers.  I'm not dissing all-positive training.  Artie was trained AP.  But what is the point of having personal dogs that can't be left with anyone or any place?

With all the good, easy, nice, "balanced" dogs out there in rescue and in shelters, why (quite frankly) waste years on a dog that will never get better?

I just don't get it.