Who jet2ks come on down!

[Lorelei]

So along with stone-cold''s WW, we need one on our other new regular in RT! Jet, you have done an amazing job in RT since you started posting, you really have a talent for it and I hope you stick around as a valued member of the team!!

So I would love to know more - I know you enjoy cycling and hunting, what else makes you tick? How did you discover Pricescope?

 

[jet2ks]

Thanks for the thread and the compliments, Lorelei.

I didn't figure I'd been around long enough for a Who's Who yet.

I found PS much like most other guys, I suppose--shopping for an engagement ring. Living in a fairly rural area, there just isn't much selection for jewelers and I was having trouble finding a ring that fit her style. I was also confused by all the variation of prices for supposedly identical diamonds according to the traditional 4C's and was trying to figure that out, as well. As I kept digging, I ran across the PS tutorials and from there found the message board. I was immediately struck by how friendly and helpful all the advice was, very much unlike other forums I've hung around, so started reading up on as much info as I could absorb. As I learned more, I realized how interesting diamonds actually could be (my previous knowledge of diamonds was that they were made out of carbon and rated a 10 on Moh's scale of hardness). Since then, it has been a continual learning experience made even better by "meeting" such a great group of people.

I know you enjoy cycling and hunting, what else makes you tick?

Actually, I would be the "accidental cyclist". My real fitness love is running, but my knees are pretty bad and I can only run three times a week, so I looked at cycling as a way to work on cardio with less stress on the knees. I bought a used road bike and started riding with a couple of friends. The next thing I knew, those friends convinced me to start into triathlons--I was hooked and have since upgraded to a Quintana Roo dedicated tri-bike. Tris are on the back burner for this year. I took last winter completely off and my knees have been pretty good, so I decided to attempt a long time goal and run a marathon this year (the race is 6 days before my wedding

) The plan is to get back to swimming this winter and resume triathlons next summer.

Fall and winter is totally dedicated to hunting. You can find me out in the field nearly every weekend--archery for deer, chasing pheasant and quail with my totally awesome dog and occasional out of state trips for other game. Other than that I love playing music (I was a music teacher for 8 years), motorcycles and have a new found love of cooking--especially grilling.

 

[Lorelei]

Most welcome Jet! It isn't the time factor but participation I think, you have become a very helpful and valued member of the community and as such more than worthy of a WW!

I definitely agree that it is the community and friendly spirit which makes Pricescope so great!

So you were a music teacher? What instruments do you play? I am an amateur pianist with a huge weakness for Barry Manilow and Burt Bacharach.

When is the wedding?

 

[jet2ks]

My major instrument in college was trumpet (minor in voice). Additionally, I am fairly adept at trombone, euphonium, saxophone, clarinet and concert percussion. The only playing I do currently is electric bass with the praise band at church--picked that up in college. I really need to get my trumpet chops back and find some ways to play. I also recently bought an EWI-USB and am playing around with that. I have nothing but admiration for pianists. My feeling is that if God wanted me to play the piano, he would have given me 88 fingers.

Wedding is October 24. It will be here before I know it, I'm sure.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/6/2009 9:05:57 AM
Author: jet2ks
My major instrument in college was trumpet (minor in voice). Additionally, I am fairly adept at trombone, euphonium, saxophone, clarinet and concert percussion. The only playing I do currently is electric bass with the praise band at church--picked that up in college. I really need to get my trumpet chops back and find some ways to play. I also recently bought an EWI-USB and am playing around with that. I have nothing but admiration for pianists. My feeling is that if God wanted me to play the piano, he would have given me 88 fingers.

Wedding is October 24. It will be here before I know it, I''m sure.

The EW1 looks really groovy! I would have liked to have played sax but only really did piano. I hear you about 88 fingers, like with anything else it is coordination, but my hands are stiff even though I learned to play as a child and lots of modern pieces have huge chords that I can''t manage, so I have to adapt them by redoing them so I can reach them. You do lose something in the process I think but although I have large hands I just can''t manage them.

What does your fiance do? Where did you meet?

 

[jet2ks]

The EWI has been fun, but it will take a little while before it is as instinctual as other instruments. The octave rollers are what is giving me the most fits right now. There is also an annoying lag between tonguing a note and the computer actually producing the sound, I don't know if using a better and faster computer would help or if it just something I am going to have to get used to.

It is funny about chords in modern pieces. For my senior recital in college, I had selected a contemporary sonata by Flor Peeters as my major work. Usually, one of the piano majors would accompany recitals, I ended up with the piano professor because none of the students could handle that piece. The prof had to leave out some notes just to get it all in! I think the song is harder for the accompanist than the soloist. My recital had a distinct European flair--I had works by a Belgian (Peeters), a Russian (Rachmaninoff) and two Englishmen (Henry Purcell and a Benjamin Britten trio that was my favorite piece)

What does your fiance do? Where did you meet?

Well, the answers to both those questions are pretty much the same--we work together, only two cubicles apart. I started this job two years ago and was being introduced to people in the office. As we entered her cubicle, my supervisor said "this is S, and she has been working for us for XX years" My heart skipped a beat when I saw her--she was just stunning! We started dating a few months later, and the rest is history. We are both buyers for a small hardware chain.

When we told the owner of our engagement, I informed him that we were doing what we could to help the company in this economy. We had found a way to save him some money on health insurance premiums and to reduce hotel expenses at the bi-annual markets. Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices for the good of the team

 

[elrohwen]

Jet2ks, can you post some pics and more info about your lovely doggy? FI and I hope to get a Brittany in a few years (once we have a house) and I''d love to know more about yours. FI had one growing up and from my limited experience with them they''re awesome dogs.

 

[jet2ks]

Elrohwen,

Brits are definitely awesome dogs (not that I'm biased or anything

) Not sure what all you want to know, but I'll tell you a little about Ace and feel free to ask any questions. I got Ace after doing a lot of research--I wanted a hunting dog that would also be a nice sized house dog--no ginormous Labs or German Shorthairs for me. After some reading and looking, I was down to a Brittany or a Viszla and went with a Brit because I just loved the look of longer hair and feathering. I got Ace when he was about 1 1/2 years old--that was eight years ago. At his breeders encouragement, we did some dog shows for about two years, but gave them up because he just doesn't really enjoy them. His hunting, however is a different story--he is a bird-crazy hunting fool! I sent him to a professional trainer for one summer and the trainer was just floored by how good a nose he has. If I wear my hunting boots around him, he starts bouncing off the walls, just ready to hit the field.

Outside of that, like most Brittanys, he is a total people dog and loves nothing more than to curl up on the couch right next to me. As far as an all-around dog, I don't know how you can do much better than a Brit. Every dog is different, of course, but in general, here is how I see Brits.

Plusses

-nice medium size (Ace is just under 20" at the shoulder and 32-33 pounds) Big enough to play and you aren't afraid of stepping on them,
but not so big they can run you over.
-very intelligent and willing to please
-easy to train
-great with kids, families and other pets

Considerations (not negatives, just things to consider whether it fits your lifestyle)

-energy level--They are more than willing to relax, but need some exercise on a daily basis, even if just a good walk.
-very intelligent--Yes, it is a plus, just make sure you give them something to do and learn or they can quickly find their own ideas.

Just some basic training in obedience or taking up something like agility is great for them.
-athletic--Ace can easily clear a 5' fence and one of his breeder's dogs has been known to jump out of her 6' high kennel run.
If you are going to let them run free in a yard make sure to have a good, high fence and help them learn to stay inside of it.
-grooming--Brits will need frequent brushing and combing due to the longer hair, espescially in spring and early summer as they shed more.

If you do want to get a Brittany, please find a responsible breeder, not a "backyard breeder". Brits are not so popular that the purchase prices are out of sight (well bred puppies routinely go for $600-1000) and they are susceptible to a few genetic diseases--hip displaysia and epilepsy are two of the most common. A good breeder researches the breedings to avoid these issues and will have a health guarantee--usually two years.

 

[jet2ks]

After taking Best of Breed at a smaller dog show. He is just over two years old in this pic.

 

[jet2ks]

Great shot that shows the classic Brit head.

 

[jet2ks]

Kickin' back with the kitteh.

 

[jet2ks]

At a training session.

 

[jet2ks]

Nap time! Last one for now.

 

[Lorelei]

I am late to this pics, what a gorgeous doggie Jet and your kitteh is so cute too! VERY smart threads too Sir for the dog show!

 

[elrohwen]

Oh my goodness, I feel so bad that I posted and split from this thread! I almost never come into Who''s Who and I totally forgot I asked about your doggy

Ace is beautiful and so cute! I don''t hunt, but I love the idea of hunting dogs because they''re typically good off lead in the woods and I love hiking (ok, hounds are not so great off leash, but most pointers and retrivers are). They''re just so attuned to their people and I love that. I think we need a house first, because our current landlord will never agree to a dog (though I suppose we could move) but as soon as we do, I''m finding a good breeder and getting a puppy. FI really wants a liver and white female

I would love to try obedience and maybe do some small competitions at the lower levels. And maybe some intro hunting training would be fun, just because Brits are so good at that and it would be fun to let the dog use its instincts.

FI grew up with a Brit and I had a good friend with one (both liver and white females, actually) and she was an awesome dog. Very laid back and extremely sweet, though when they took her out into the woods, they called her Jess of the Jungle because she ran around like a maniac

She seemed to know the right time and place to turn on the energy. And she''d sit in the middle of a stream while my friend''s dad fished. So cute

Feel free to post more pics and tell more stories!

 

[jet2ks]

elrohwen and Lorelei, Ace sends his thanks for your compliments. Now I just have to try and not let it go to his head.

Ace is beautiful and so cute! I don't hunt, but I love the idea of hunting dogs because they're typically good off lead in the woods and I love hiking (ok, hounds are not so great off leash, but most pointers and retrivers are). They're just so attuned to their people and I love that. I think we need a house first, because our current landlord will never agree to a dog (though I suppose we could move) but as soon as we do, I'm finding a good breeder and getting a puppy. FI really wants a liver and white female

Definitely true for pointing and flushing breeds, though some dogs will range farther than others. I used to hunt with a guy who had a German Shorthair and she was never more than 30-40 yards away. Ace, on the other hand, is what is referred to a "big ranging" dog when hunting. We had one time where a group of us was hunting a large CRP field (half-section, 1/2 mile wide by a mile long) Between four of us, there were six dogs. As we released them, Ace just took off like a shot and one of the guys was giving me grief about my dog hunting too far out. (Ace's idea of hunting in open ground is to work from 200-400 yards to the front, he stays closer in heavy brush) My response was, "no worries, if he points, he'll still be there when we catch up". As we topped one small rise, someone commented that a dog was on point waaaaay out there. Sure enough, there was Ace, about 300 yards away on the opposite upslope, locked up beautifully. We kept moving through the field and when we finally got to where Ace was, he hadn't moved a muscle the whole time. The pheasant had split, but when I released him to track it down, it flushed about 20 yards away. The guy who had given me so much grief to start was just standing there staring and muttering something about "Never seen the like. I can't believe he held"

One interesting thing that Ace figured out on his own about two years ago is that we can't shoot pheasant hens, so he now only points roosters. No one trained him to do this, somehow he just connected that every time he pointed a hen, no one shot at it and when he pointed a rooster, we shot. I've seen him run right through a bunch of hens and not slow down only to go on point 20 yards later and you walk up and flush a rooster. It's amazing to thnk that a dog's nose is so sensitive he can distinguish the males and females of a species.

FI really wants a liver and white female

I would love to try obedience and maybe do some small competitions at the lower levels. And maybe some intro hunting training would be fun, just because Brits are so good at that and it would be fun to let the dog use its instincts.

FI grew up with a Brit and I had a good friend with one (both liver and white females, actually) and she was an awesome dog. Very laid back and extremely sweet, though when they took her out into the woods, they called her Jess of the Jungle because she ran around like a maniac

She seemed to know the right time and place to turn on the energy. And she'd sit in the middle of a stream while my friend's dad fished. So cute

!

I would never own a liver and white Brittany . . . . . . they are just too darn hard to see when hunting!

Actually, there is nothing wrong with the color--I've seen some gorgeous liver and whites, including one my favorite dogs owned by Ace's breeders. I used to hunt quite a bit with a guy who had a liver female and she was a great dog, she just blended in to the brush too well and I would lose sight of her.

Well, I think I overdid the doggy stuff, but as you can tell, I love my little boy and Brits in general. I'll try to hunt up some more pics--I lost a bunch when my laptop's hard drive crashed two years ago. How long before you guys are house and dog shopping?

 

[jet2ks]

For the non-dog news (if anyone cares)

Wedding invites were mailed today. Hard to believe the wedding is now less than two months off.

Overall, we are in good shape on planning, so it is mainly a waiting game until RSVP''s are in to finish planning food and reception set up.

I''ve had to give up on the goal of running a marathon this year, or ever it looks like. As I was increasing mileage and ramping up training, my knees started acting up again. They are fine for runs up to 10 miles, but as soon as I push longer, problems crop up. I did a 12 mile run a few weeks ago and could barely walk the rest of the day. I also had to wait about a week before going out for a six miler due to the pain and inflammation. Since triathlon season is over, I will just continue to stay in shape with running and occasional biking until winter comes.

On a side bicycling note, I recently rode with a good friend as he celebrated cycling 100,000 miles! He started riding 22 years ago and logs every ride. For a celebration, we had a group ride on a Saturday morning. The kicker is that he is 69 years old!!! During the years, he has conquered back problems, being hit by cars three times (including going through a windshield once) prostate cancer, and two strokes, all while dealing with diabetes. He is one of the nicest, most honest, down-to-earth guys you would ever meet and an inspiration to many.

 

[elrohwen]

Thank you for all the Britt information! I just love them and cannot wait until we can get one. We'll stick with our liver and white since we won't actually be hunting

but your comments totally explain why the liver and whites are so much harder to find. I also tend to prefer the ones with more color and less white, but I know hunters are just the opposite because white is easier to see. Oh well, we'll provide a home to some nice dog that the hunters don't find ideal appearance-wise

And I would love to get a red and white one as a second dog, to have one of each color

Unfortunately, the house won't be for at least a few years as we need to save up a considerable downpayment in our area

Now that I'm not travelling for work anymore I would love to get one in our current place (a townhouse, no fenced yard, but a big grassy area and within walking distance to an elementary school and college atheletic grounds, woods, etc), but we're renting and it took our landlord two weeks just to consider and agree to a bunny

I don't think a dog would be high on his list of desireable tenants. But depending on where I get a job, we could always move and find some place that was pet friendly up front. Fingers crossed.

What region are you in? If you're near me you could be a great resource when we're looking for breeders.

ETA: And congrats on the wedding invites! Ours is just a few weeks away and I'm also making this face a lot

lol

ETA2: My dad is turning 60 and rides at least 100 miles a week. I'm always so impressed by how in shape he is. I haven't been riding much in the last couple of years, but FI is pushing me to get back into it. We got him a bike and he can easily kick my butt ... darn him for being naturally athletic. Haha. What kind of bike do you have? We have Fujis because I "know a guy" who sells them at wholesale price. He worked at my university and ran a bike shop out of his house; he always said that his salary came from the school, so he just sold the bikes for fun. They've been great bikes so far. My dad and I have the Roubaix, and FI has the Roubaix Pro (which actually has the same components as my bike, but I guess they changed the names and components around a bit). They're not a very well known brand generally, but I have always been impressed by the amount of carbon fiber they use for the price (I don't think you get the carbon seat stays on most bikes until you hit a higher price point).

 

[jet2ks]

I''m in Kansas, my breeders are in Colorado. As a result, I am familiar with many of the Midwest/High Plains breeders. Colorado has some great Brittany genes floating around--15 of the last 18 national specialty show winners have strong direct connections to Colorado. I would definitely love to help you find a good breeder. If I don''t know enough about some in your area of the country (where region are you in, btw?) some of the breeders and trainers I know will.

As far as bicycles, I have a 20 year old Centurion road bike for goofing off and bad weather--all steel frame and fork, very comfortable, but definitely rides different than aluminum and carbon fiber. For tris and training, I have a Quintana Roo Kilo with some upgrades (carbon fiber stem, seat post and fork plus Ultegra components and a much better saddle). It''s not the fanciest tri bike out there but is more than enough for my current abilities. A friend of mine owns a bike shop in town and does tris--you should see his race bike

Fuji makes some excellent rides, I test rode a couple when shopping for a something better than the Centurion. Then found a great deal on the QR on Ebay and couldn''t pass it up.

 

[elrohwen]

Aww, you''re totally across the country from me. I''m in CT, so pretty centrally located for the whole northeast. I found one breeder in CT, Birch Hill Brittanys, that seems pretty decent (at least from their website; I haven''t visited any breeders yet). Have you heard of any good ones out here? I know there are also some local Brittany clubs, so I''m sure they could offer suggestions if I have trouble. The hardest thing I found is actually finding good breeders that offer the liver and white dogs, since most seem to focus only on red and white (for obvious reasons).

I almost did a tri a year or two ago, but didn''t have enough time to train. I''m horrible at running, so that would be my far my worst. I''m not a particularly fast rider either ... even when I was most in shape and could do long rides, I was never comfortable going more than 14mph for long stretches. I guess I just never trained for speed. Mostly I don''t mind, but it does limit groups I could potentially ride with since most have a faster average pace than me. When I get back into riding regularly I think I''ll do some more speed work to see if I can improve that.

What length tris do you do?

 

[treefrog]

Date: 9/10/2009 8:49:02 AM
Author: elrohwen

I almost did a tri a year or two ago, but didn''t have enough time to train. I''m horrible at running, so that would be my far my worst. I''m not a particularly fast rider either ... even when I was most in shape and could do long rides, I was never comfortable going more than 14mph for long stretches. I guess I just never trained for speed. Mostly I don''t mind, but it does limit groups I could potentially ride with since most have a faster average pace than me. When I get back into riding regularly I think I''ll do some more speed work to see if I can improve that.

You should consider doing a triathlon as part of a relay team. I messed up my knee skiing years ago so running is a stretch for me but I did the bike leg of a triathlon as part of a relay team and it was a blast.

Treefrog

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 9/10/2009 9:16:36 AM
Author: treefrog

Date: 9/10/2009 8:49:02 AM
Author: elrohwen

I almost did a tri a year or two ago, but didn''t have enough time to train. I''m horrible at running, so that would be my far my worst. I''m not a particularly fast rider either ... even when I was most in shape and could do long rides, I was never comfortable going more than 14mph for long stretches. I guess I just never trained for speed. Mostly I don''t mind, but it does limit groups I could potentially ride with since most have a faster average pace than me. When I get back into riding regularly I think I''ll do some more speed work to see if I can improve that.

You should consider doing a triathlon as part of a relay team. I messed up my knee skiing years ago so running is a stretch for me but I did the bike leg of a triathlon as part of a relay team and it was a blast.

Treefrog

That''s a great idea! I actually discussed it because my FI is extremely athletic (he would kick butt at the running portion) and another friend does tris every once in a while and would probably swim (or I guess I could train to do the swimming). We should plan to do something like that next year or something. Great suggestion! Did you guys do it competitively? Or just for fun? My only fear is that FI would really get into it and I''d be mosying along for fun

 

[jet2ks]

I''ll check on some breeders in your area. A local Brittany club that is affiliated with the American Brittany Club is also a good resource--most breeders/owners that are active in a club are very dedicated to improving the breed. When I was first looking for a dog, I got a hold of a couple of area clubs and they gave me names to contact. Orange and white is definitely the most popular color, though it is very regional. When you get to the southeastern US, you tend to find a few more liver and whites, and the midwest has a fair representation, but the northeast and west coast seem to be dominated by orange and whites. I know that some folks aren''t a fan of shipping dogs, but that is always a possibility, as well.

So far, I have done sprint tris, though I would like to start doing some Olympic length next year. I really want to get into Half Ironman''s, but unless something changes with my knees so that I can run the 13 miles without pain, that won''t happen. As long as you train and enter a tri with the idea of having fun and improving fitness rather than competing, it really doesn''t matter how well you run or bike, just completing a triathlon of any length is an accomplishment.

Some female friends from church got together as a group and did a triathlon a couple years ago. Two of the ladies mentioned that they really just did the training as a way to spend more time with their friends and never took it too seriously, yet they had just as much fun as the ones who were super competitive. It really does help to have training partners, whether they are of the same ability or not. Just having someone to cheer you on, push you to do better and hold you to your training schedule is very beneficial. Relays are a great way to get into the sport and gain exposure to all that is happening. I know several people that started by doing relays and now compete as individuals.