Dog training should begin the day that you bring home your new dog or puppy. Training is probably the most important key to living happily with your new dog.
Simple commands such as 'leave it' can stop your dog from grabbing medicines or various objects that may potentially cause a trip to the emergency clinic. The 'wait' or 'stay' command can prevent your dog from moving further and running in the street; depending on which command you want to use, 'wait' or 'stay' your dog may have to sit or lay in that spot without moving or just not move any further forward.
By having a well behaved dog who listens on command, you will more than likely include the dog in more family outings and adventures; the dog will more than likely be less likely to misbehave, which will make your life easier. Usually, you will not have to yell at the dog, which is more pleasant to your dog and your neighbors.
Having a well trained and socialized dog, is a benefit to everyone around you and your pet. So, you may want to consider some of the following tips and tricks for training your dog.
By understanding the 4 basic rules to training a puppy, or dog, you'll be ensured successful dog training.
There are different types of reinforcement training that you can enforce when training your dog. Generally, the best is positive reinforcement training, but occasionally you will use negative reinforcement to increase the likelihood that a behavior will repeat.
Clicker training is a form of positive reinforcement that is classified as a conditioned reinforcer. I've found that clicker training works on a variety of animals and is probably the most effective training technique.
Although, punishment was once the method of choice for training dogs and other animals, it's been proven not to be the best training method by any means. There are a number of downfalls to using punishment to train your dog.
Shy dogs and dogs with fears can be hard to train. You need to first find out what causes your dog's fears and timidness. Next, follow these tips to training your dog.
When training your dog, you want to make sure that you have all the right tools and attire. Although, your dog doesn't care what you're wearing, your clothes can make training easier for you.
When training, you want to make sure that you know and understand the different types of signals, how to use them, and how to fade them out of the picture.
Basic obedience is probably the most important thing that you can teach you dog. In part 1, teach your dog his name, how to walk on the leash, settle, leave it, and give.
In part 2, learn tips to teaching your dog sit, down, stay, wait, and come. These simple commands can potentially save your dog's life. Imagine when you open your front door, you can give your dog the wait command to prevent him from taking off into the road.
How can you fix your dog's behavioral problems? Well, first you need to identify the problem; then follow the tips outlined here so that you can correct those problem behaviors.
Find tips for untraining the bad behaviors and replacing them with good, pleasant behaviors. A better behaved dog will be a larger part of your family; he will be allowed more privileges, and he will be given larger rewards.
A great way to help untrain an old behavior, especially one of destructive chewing, is by using a taste deterrent spray. Check out these tips to purchasing and using the chew deterrents.
Destructive chewing and digging are probably the most common behavior concerns that drives pet owners crazy. They're probably two of the common excuses as to why a dog has been surrendered to a shelter. Find out why your dog is destroying your home- inside and out- and ways to prevent the behavior problems.
Find out more information towards destructive digging. Why is your dog is digging holes in your yard? Where is he digging? How can you prevent or train your dog from digging up the yard?
If you have a dog who likes to escape your house or yard, you may want to check out the reasons why and a few training tips.
Do you have a dog, or puppy, that is constantly running off with your shoes, newspaper, or socks? Find tips to training your dog not to steal your things.
Before you can start training dog agility, you'll need to make sure to understand and be familiar with the different types of agility equipment.
When training dog agility, I've found that a mix of target training and clicker training seems to be the most effective training methods. You'll need to find the most effective way to train your dog agility- whether you plan on running the course for fun or competition.
What are the faults in dog agility? Basic rules. Etc. Find out the basics dog to the dog agility course.
Teach your dog cute tricks that with help to increase the cuteness factor and bring the two of you together by more training time. In part one, you'll learn the basics for teaching your dog how to wave, spin, and get his leash.
In part 2, you'll learn how to teach your dog how to put away his toys, sit pretty, and say he's sorry. Come up with more cute tricks that you can teach your dog.
What a comprehensive listing of dog training resources, Whitney! This is an excellent example of arranging hubs by subject. I hope it brings a lot of additional traffic for you.
Thanks for the great advice, though for me a bit belated. I was wondering if you have any suggestions as to why an older dog might suddenly begin barking non-stop all night and what to do about it? I am getting a bit whacked with no sleep. Last night it was midnight and then 4am. I have to admit I finally shut her up with half a Benedryl, which my vet had suggested for her allergies awhile back. I don't want to keep this up. She sleeps in a kennel in the basement next to her buddy Herschel who has his own kennel. He doesn't bark all night.
I have been working on decluttering and organizing my home for months. This is a huge project that is not finished quickly, especially if you have been in your house for a long time. We have lived here eight years, and it is amazing the amount of stuff that has accumulated during that time!
My strategy is to do just one closet or cupboard at a time, going bit by bit, a little each day. Gradually I am making progress. Order is coming into my life. I still have a long way to go, but I have some areas that are organized and this makes my life easier in so many ways. I cannot wait until the whole house is decluttered and organized!
While I try to do some decluttering each day, there are some days I just cannot figure out what to tackle next. On these days it is helpful to have some little games and tricks up my sleeve to keep myself motivated as I clear out messes.
I love watching Karissa, the lady in this video, declutter her house. She is so cute and funny! She has three little kids who are often in the background "helping" her declutter things. She usually looks tired and overwhelmed, but through it all she keeps her sense of humor. She's just a delightful and warm person you would love to have as a friend or your next door neighbor.
She has dozens of videos on You Tube about decluttering her house, which has been going on for over a year. She is getting to the point of organizing, decorating and doing some baking with her kids now. She is also going on a diet to lose some extra weight, although I think she looks great.
Watching her videos reminds me that over time I can reach my goal too. It won't happen overnight, but little by little a lot of progress is made.
In these videos, Karissa demonstrates her strategy of taking a bag and filling it. She also gives some decluttering tips for those items you are not sure about.
If filling a shopping bag is just not enough for you, grab a giant black garbage bag. Great for a day when you have cabin fever.
I love watching Malitose79's videos too! These are great motivators for me! She has a lovely home now, but it wasn't always so pretty. This formerly self-professed "slobby" mom now has her own organizing business. Now that is decluttering success!!
Line up three bags on your arm for garbage, recycle/shred and donate, then find 21 items to go into those bags. Go!
In one of Karissa's videos she got so sick of the clutter in her living room/kitchen combination room that she went around and picked up everything from the surfaces of the entire room. She put everything into one spot, in this case it was a living room chair. Then she went through those items one by one and put them in either a trash, keep or donate pile.
I have been threatening to do this in my kitchen all week, and still haven't done it. It is one way to see progress quickly, and since all the mess is in one spot it is not as overwhelming as if it were spread out.
Pick out one drawer, one table top, one closet shelf. Empty all of the contents into one spot. Sort into three piles: keep, donate and toss. Organize the spot you decluttered.
Share your favorite decluttering strategies! - How do you keep yourself motivated when decluttering?
My husband is the hoarder in our family. I would love less junk about the house but it is a bit of a rough go to get him to clean up his areas in the house. Hopefully one day.
I hate clutter and am surrounded by stuff I don't need. My best strategy when organizing is to touch things JUST ONE TIME! It's not permissible to, say, move a piece of paper from one spot on the desk to another. It has to be put away. Works for me - mostly. Now, if the darned dogs would only stay still....
I definitely need some decluttering tips because I'm a hoarder - book hoarder, trinkets, perfumes and so many other things....
Great tips and lens! I often clear all my surfaces and go through the stuff/replace it to where it should go or I pick a spot to focus on.
Bloat goes under the technical term of Gastric Dilatation Volvulusor GDV. It is most common for breeds that are deep-chested (such as German Shephards, Great Danes, Basset Hounds, Doberman Pinchers etc).
Bloat is actually an intake of gasses that do not get released and it is most commonly caused by quick gulping of water and/ or food and strenuous exercise right after meals. It is important to point out that bloat or GDV is a serious and life threatening condition that in almost all cases requires urgent veterinarian attention and more often then not surgery as well. So if you suspect that your dog has the symptoms of GDV do not delay and go the vet immediately.
What happens is that the gasses in the stomach have nowhere to go and they cause the distention of the stomach (or the bloat) and can sometimes rotate the stomach over completely.
Some of the symptoms include: abdominal fullness that is visible to the naked eye, stretching, looking at or biting the abdomen, restlessness and getting up and down repeatedly, anxiety, slobbering or drooling excessively and/or failed attempts at vomiting. Your dog does not have to have all of these symptoms, if you do suspect bloat go to the vet immediately.
In most cases dog will need an emergency surgery to release the gasses and return the stomach to its normal position, not to mention treatment for shock symptoms. How to minimize the risk of a bloat for your dog? Some or all of these measure will lessen the risks however even if you do follow these measures it does not necessarily mean your dog will not suffer from bloat or GDV as there is no sure cause nor there is a sure prevention.
·	Invest into elevated food and water bowls or elevate them with a box or any other item that is handy. Elevate the food and water bowl to the chest level.
·	Supervise your dog while he is eating and until he is done. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes maximum, if your dog is not done by that time, remove the food and give it to him for his next meal.
·	Water should be available for your dog throughout the day, however he should not drink water immediately after the meal
·	Bloat can sometimes happen if you switch from one brand of dog food to another. To prevent that from happening gradually switch your dog from one type of food to another (in about 3 to 4 weeks) and keep monitoring how your dog is getting used to the change in the diet.
·	If your dog has suffered from bloat previously it would be advisable to establish a good relationship with your vet who can also provide you with a guidelines and measures you can take to prevent it.
Another measure that can be taken and especially for dogs that have had GDV before is to stable the stomach to abdominal muscles to prevent future cases of bloat. However do discuss the procedure with your vet to see if it would work for your dog.
My mother, niece and I spent a total of five days there back in 1990 and did not even begin to see all that is available. Believe me we tried our best to take in as many sites as we could and left exhausted but happy.
Our lodging was at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort which offered free transportation to and from the Disney parks. We took great advantage of this perk which was one reason why we chose to stay in one of their resorts in the first place. This negated having to find & also pay for parking each day.
We spent several days exploring the Magic Kingdom and the photos that follow do not tell the complete story of what we got to see and enjoy but might give some example of the scenery to be seen.
The main entrance to the Magic Kingdom leads one to Main Street USA and because we went through that area more than once many of my photos are of this first part of the park. Once one walks through Main Street USA the rest of the Magic Kingdom from the center is split into parts like the spokes of a wheel.
While in Main Street USA one can board the Walt Disney World Railroad which is an old fashioned steam driven train that encircles the entire Magic Kingdom. We utilized this to get an overview of the park as well as using it for transportation to parts of the park that we later wished to see.
Recommendation: Wear the most comfortable shoes you own if you visit here. Believe me your feet will be thanking you!
There are a number of Main Street vehicles that one can utilize if desired like horse drawn trolleys and even a red fire engine among others.
A Penny Arcade that spits out prophesies for the price of a penny on up to a quarter offers a room full of old time fun. I spent a penny to find out what "Grandmother" had to say. She mentioned pretty flattering things and I could have learned more had I dropped another coin in the slot. Ha ha!
In the Main Street Cinema old silent movies are run continuously. We watched several for a few moments and moved on to other sites. My husband's grandfather actually played a piano in one of those silent movie theaters many years ago!
Depending upon the time of the day there is singing and dancing in the streets. On corners are barbershop trios of men singing close harmony.
We did stop in Tony's Town Square Cafe one day to grab a bite to eat. A statue of "Lady and the Tramp" was a focal point and the rest of the décor matched that theme.
The main reason for the existence of Main Street USA is to give one a glimpse back into the past of what towns used to look like all across America. The normal operating businesses like city hall, barber shops, ice cream parlors, five and dime stores selling sundry items and many more are open and operating for all to enjoy.
Cinderella's Castle forms the striking entrance into Fantasy Land. One walks through a passageway which is a portion of the castle that is embellished with the most beautiful tile mosaics telling the story of Cinderella.
For those who might not remember this classic tale there is an abbreviated version of it in the YouTube video here for your perusal.
On Mr. Toad's Wild Ride we sat in vehicles that took us on a fun and slightly crazy joyride through what was supposed to represent Old London. Many smiling faces were seen (ours included) in exiting this playful site.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea took us to the "Lost Continent of Atlantis" among other sites on this submarine voyage aboard the "Nautilus" captained by Captain Nemo himself. The submarine looked like a steel plated prehistoric undersea creature.
Peter Pan's Flight where we were flying over London on a moonlit night to Never-Never-Land. And the one that can still get me humming is the cruise we took through It's A Small World.
As we sailed through this large cave like structure on board water crafts literally hundreds of dolls with costumes from countries all around the world perform singing and dancing scenarios with that tune of "It's a small world" consistently running as a unifying theme.
In our five days we had to pick and choose among many choices and these were the things we decided to spend a little more time enjoying while in Fantasy Land.
The Swiss Family Treehouse is where we climbed winding stairways through a re-creation of a giant banyan tree in which the shipwrecked Swiss Family Robinson built their home.
It was fun imagining how this fictional family lived and survived using native plants and supplies in building this structure high up from the ground for protection from predatory animals and weather. Who doesn't like the idea of living in a tree house?
The Jungle Cruise took us down tropical rivers of the world filled with wild animals and dangers like giant snakes draped overhead on tree branches.
Our fearless captain (a most entertaining college student) led us through these equatorial waters. Scenic waterfalls and playful elephants taking advantage of the cascading water added to the enjoyment of this journey.
We enjoyed the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad which was in actuality a mild roller coaster ride through mountain and desert scenery. It was supposed to emulate a runaway mine train during the old Gold Rush days.
Hilarious musical instrument playing and western dressed bears performed in an old fashioned hoe-down in the Country Bear Jamboree. We really enjoyed this cute part of the Frontier Land park and the performance definitely had us tapping our toes to some of the music and laughing at the outrageous costumed bears. As with the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea this is no longer a part of what visitors will now find at Frontier Land.
There is more to visit and do in Frontier Land but we wanted a flavor of each section so we would choose a few things to see and then move on to the next portion of Disney World.
My mother, niece and I spent quite a bit of time at Tomorrow Land. Some of the things we enjoyed were the following:
Tomorrow Land Theatre - Disney characters did song and dance routines. It is especially nice for young children and we enjoyed it as well. I guess we are just kids at heart!
Mission to Mars was an area in which one visited a symbolic Mission Control room and a rocket ship would blast off to the planet Mars.
Dreamflight presented the opportunity to learn about the history of aviation and where one could also experience the feeling of supersonic flight. Amazing what these Disney folks have done! The room shook and it thundered as though we were truly inside a spaceship blasting off.
In the "American Journeys" theater we watched moving pictures being displayed on the 360 degree screen encircling the room. We stood in this theater and had a bar to hold onto if my memory is accurate. It was quite an experience! Lots of twisting and turning of heads occurred as one tried to take in all of those magnificent images swirling around the room. Of course there was audio to accompany the show.
The Carousel of Progress was a fascinating look at what life used to be like during the past century with regard to modern conveniences. It was fun for my mother and I to look back at what kitchens used to look like with the latest and greatest gadgets in the different decades. Remember the early little box television sets? Everything relating to the earliest of inventions as electricity literally changed the way most people lived is in this building for people to see.
Space Mountain - Having enjoyed the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride we thought that we would go ahead (primarily because of my niece's desires) to take another roller coaster ride. The lines were long and as we inched our way closer to the front of the line we kept reading about the health restrictions and other warnings. We also heard an inordinate amount of screaming coming from inside. In the end my mother decided to bypass this ride. I truly wish I had done the same! But I felt obligated that someone should be on the ride with my niece.
The roller coaster ride is designed to simulate a wild race through space. Most of it is all in darkness with twinkling lights symbolizing stars or other objects in outer space.
Suffice it to say that with the violent twists and turns and feeling of dropping straight down at times and not really being able to see much of anything so as to anticipate what was to come next...I have never been more frightened in my life. My palms were so sweaty as I was clinging to the bar holding me in to the seat that I thought at any moment I might be catapulted right out into the air. I finally quit screaming and just tried my best to hunker down and get through that experience alive. The ride (torture chamber to me) seemed interminable!
Now I fully understand the medical warnings against taking this ride for people with health problems.
We finally exited and what do you suppose my niece wanted to do? She wanted to take the Space Mountain ride again! She was soundly overruled. I made a vow to myself that if I came out alive, I would never again take another roller coaster ride.
There are many more choices of things to do and see in Florida's Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. These are merely some of the things that we enjoyed while there.
Some of the attractions end and new offerings are there to keep it interesting for those who wish to return again and again.
Enjoy your upcoming trip to Disney World. Despite the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea being discontinued...there will be plenty to occupy your time as you well know. :))
OMG, blast from my past-- I LOVED 20,000 leagues under the sea; sorry it had to go. I'm sitting here all anxious about my Disney trip starting next week, and this was a delightful hub to enjoy. Thanks for sharing!
Before we went to Walt Disney World, I wondered how much I would like it since normally I love seeing natural beauty and nature. I had a ball! It is so much fun!!! Kids probably have fun on one level, and adults on that and more. It is truly for all ages. It will be fun for you to see your children's excitement for the first time.
I've been reading about the refurbishment of Fantasy Land. I guess they're putting in a Snow White mine train ride (mild roller coaster) and a few other attractions/restaurants. My kids are desperate to go there! I really want to go back because I love the Animal Kingdom park there - I like some roller coasters, but I can't do anything with big drops. So no Tower of Terror for me, lol!
I guess I am in the category of roller coaster wimps. I couldn't WAIT for that Space Mountain ride to end! My hands were sweaty and I was glad that I got out alive. You must be an afficianado of thrill rides. If you love it, your kids will probably follow suit. Thanks for your comment on this Disney World Magic Kingdom hub. :)
I love Space Mountain - though the one at Disneyland, California is a lot smoother/faster than the one in Florida. It can be an overwhelming ride if you're not a fan of roller coasters! I was at the Magic Kingdom in 1996 or so - it has been a while since my last visit. We want to take the kids, but we're waiting until they're six and eight so that they'll enjoy it more. We want them to remember the magic!
Glad that you liked this hub about the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Thanks for your vote up and comment. And yes...the USA is "awesome." :)
You are fortunate to be living so close to Disney World and the Magic Kingdom. If I lived in Florida I would surely have gone back more than once also. It is an amazing place! Thanks for your comment and votes.
I've been there so many times and I am still amazed every time I go. Awesome pictures up/beautiful/awesome
I would agree that Disney World and the Magic Kingdom in Florida bring magic and wonderment into the lives of visitors. Sure happy that we got to see it once and I agree with you that it is worth the effort to spend some vacation time there. Thanks for the comment.
The Disney World is really Magic world.It is full of imagination and the kids love the place a lot.I would suggest everyone should give a try for a vacation in Florida.
Happy to hear that you enjoyed these photos taken of our Disney World vacation in the Magic Kingdom of Florida. I agree...the topiaries are wonderful! Thanks for the comment.
I am smiling just thinking about the fun you are going to have taking your girls to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Have a wonderful vacation!!! You will have many more memories to cherish!!!
Great hub, Peggy! I went to UCF in Orlando many, many years ago so I spent a lot of time at Disney and vowed I wou;dn't go back until I had my own kids to take .... well, in 18 days I am doing just that with my 3- and 4-year old girls! My 4 year old will be turning 5 on our second day there. I've been going crazy trying to plan this trip and you hub is a big help! I'm very excited to go.
You will enjoy Disney World and the Magic Kingdom as much as your son. I think that most of us, no matter what our ages, all remain kids at heart. Glad you liked this hub and thanks for your comment.
Awesome hub!! Fun and exiting and filled with imagination. I cant wait till my son will be old enough to appreciate Disney World. Memories still pending. Love All Koma. Thanks for such a fun filled adventure.
I have to agree! Seeing Disney World was especially fun being there with my young niece at the time. As an adult, I really liked Epcot the best and, of course, the old Discovery Island...liking nature and animals as I do. Thanks for the comment.
You have that right! There is so much more to Florida than just Disney World and the Magic Kingdom. That is a plus, however. Florida is filled to the brim with great attractions. Thanks for your comment and nice to see a new face here.
So happy that you enjoyed this recalling of our vacation trip to Florida's Disney World...and in particular, the Magic Kingdom. Hope you get to see it someday for yourself.
Hi,Peggy!So beautiful pictures and splendid descriptions about your trip.You make me want to travel there right now~
Some of my earlier hubs are not structured like my later ones. I am starting to go back and rework some of them. Maybe that will make a difference.
Thanks for the compliment on the hubs and happy for you that you got to visit Disney World ( or Disney Land ) while on vacation over here. What other places have you visited in America?
You have some fantastic hubs so I really do not see why the adsense is not coming. I must admit I spent days and days reading all the help sections. I have been to Disney and several places in America. This is really informative.
Hope you complete your plans of visiting Florida's Disney World sometime soon. If it is anybody's birthday...go on that day. According to a friend of mine, that admission will be free! More money for food and souvenirs within the park.
It is amazing that they do not advertise the fact that entrance to the Disney parks is free with proof of it being one's birthday. How did you find out? Is it posted at the entrance or did someone tell you?
It would be smart of Disney World to advertise it as few people would go just by themselves (I would think) so they would pick up additional revenue...plus anything purchased while in the parks.
Wow...having Disney World and the Magic Kingdom as well as the other parks in your backyard (so-to-speak) must have been wonderful! At least you have all those great memories! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
This is good for all four thene parks. ( Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animals and HollywoodStudios. If I had known this before going I would have waited a week later for my birthday. It was not Cain's birthday. I found it interesting that it is not advertised.
One of my most favorite places. I used to live only miles away - I miss those days & those fun runs to the park on special occasions.
Yes we did have the time of our life in Florida's Walt Disney World. This hub only addressed what we saw in the Magic Kingdom. Epcot was really my favorite park and I have yet to write about that one but intend to do so someday.
Glad that this gave some flavor of what one might expect if one becomes a visitor. Thanks for your comment.
Wow! It looks like you had the time of your life! Your photos and story made me wish I was there too.
Ha! Ha! I wondered who was going to make the first comment about that roller coaster ride at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. Yes.......I lived to tell the tale! Thanks for listening to it. LOL
Wow! I did not know that and what a savings that would be given the prices. Thanks for letting people know about this. Is it good for ALL of the Disney parks or just the ones in Florida? When you took Cain, was it for his birthday?
Nice hub. If you visit the theme parks on your birthday there is no charge. You will need to let them know it is your birthday.
When you decide to visit Disney World in Florida on vacation, do check out all the special combinations of deals at the time. We decided that for the ease of transportation, etc. it really made sense to stay at a Disney resort and they come in all price ranges. The one we chose was one of the less expensive ones...and it was truly lovely. Thanks for your comment.
How wonderful! The pictures were very inviting, as were your descriptions. Staying at a Disney Resort Hotel does sound like a good idea. I will keep that in mind for when we go. Great Hub!
Disney World and the Magic Kingdom is certainly an all American kind of place...even though there are now Disney playgrounds in countries outside the U.S. Some nice exported fun!
Yes, it is hard to try and capture all the fun of these parks in a hub. Will check yours out. Thanks!
Hi, Peggy. It sounds like you had an awesome time. Disney World is like America's sacred place in which all citizens, young and old should make a pilgrimage to! What a wonderful job you did. I know just how demanding it can be to get into detail about the many parks of Walt Disney World (I covered all four). Thank you for sharing!
Definitely picked up some color at Disney World. Lots of outdoor walking! My niece was wearing her Mickey Mouse t-shirt...and we saw a bunch of little kids wearing the Mouse Ears Hats. Florida's Magic Kingdom is all about Mickey, Cinderella, Snow White and the 7 dwarfs, Goofey, etc.......... Lots of Disney characters!!! Also lots of fun for kids of all ages!!! Thanks for the first comment.
Waiting for delivery of my "Mouse Ears Hat"!!! Looks like you had a lot of fun! Did you get a nice sunburn?
“Angle of Repose,” is indeed a great novel. Stegner is a master writer, and he’s clearly in control of the material here. One of the things that makes it great is exactly what you said, Hugh: Stegner asks us, as readers, to weigh the comparison between a 1970s young woman and his Victorian grandmother — which one was happier. He doesn’t tell us, he gives us examples, information and leaves the decision to us. In the end, I don’t think either woman was happy, which also speaks to your point about neuroses, and difficult human emotions, always being a part of the human condition. It’s a matter, then, of how we handle them, how we express them. (It’s one thing, I think, to talk them through with a therapist in a professional setting, privately. We need to do that for the sake of mental and spiritual health. It’s altogether different to go on TV and bare the whole soul — either in a reality TV show, or as a candidate trying to show he is “rehabilitated” after some scandal and ready for re-election, or simply as some of the uninhibited performers of our time will do for a dollar. With the latter, I don’t just mean sexual depictions but the look-at-me provocations of some comics, singers, but, yes, also the sexual self-exploitations of someone like Kim Kardashian. Idk.
Back to “Angle of Repose,” I often thought Stegner or perhaps Lyman Ward was unduly cruel to Susan Ward, the grandmother. She was put through so many ordeals, subjugating her own talents and desires for a rather curmudgeonly, self-absorbed husband. It’s little like “The Jungle,” where Sinclair puts one family through about every tragedy and calamity that can befall an entire city / era — an allegory in Sinclair’s case. I’m not sure if that’s what it is in “Angle of Repose.” But I pretty much wanted her to dump the husband. She stays with him, which is maybe to her credit, all those years. But maybe not: it’s like rewarding him for his behavior. He loves her, yes, but always on his terms. Even the moment of sexual intimacy are dictated by him. Her spirit is gone, broken, especially after they leave the first home which she’d taken so much care to actually make a home. Maybe that’s what Lyman Ward admires, and identifies, about her, I suppose: He’s broken, too. Physically. So as he pores through the notes of his grandmother’s life, trying to find how she kept going on, maybe he is looking for answers for his own condition.
Maybe that’s something to consider, too, as we think about your theme here — how much do we let it all hang out, and to whom do we let it hang? Life is hard. But we work through it. Hanging it all out, especially in public, seems to be a diversion or distraction from doing the work.
Life is hard. You and Stegner are both right. And Stegner is right to suggest (not tell, as you point out) that dealing with that hardness may make us or break us. In our age everyone is a victim, everyone wants to tell everyone else how they hurt. But no one is listening because they are too busy feeling sorry for themselves. Ward’s Grandmother was a women of infinite courage and admirable for the way that she lived her life — as a victim, to be sure, but not wallowing in self-pity.