Diane Sciacca

About me:

Humans are complex. I was attracted to three different patterns in this test, with equal strength, and all three were true of me.

Your Brain's Pattern

Your brain is always looking for the connections in life. You always amaze your friends by figuring out things first. You're also good at connecting people - and often play match maker. You see the world in fluid, flexible terms. Nothing is black or white.

Your Brain's Pattern

You have a dreamy mind, full of fancy and fantasy. You have the ability to stay forever entertained with your thoughts. People may say you're hard to read, but that's because you're so internally focused. But when you do share what you're thinking, people are impressed with your imagination.

Your Brain's Pattern

Structured and organized, you have a knack for thinking clearly. You are very logical - and you don't let your thoughts get polluted with emotions. And while your thoughts are pretty serious, they're anything from boring. It's minds like yours that have built the great cities of the world!

Paradoxical? Sure. That's where things stay interesting.

Capricorn Metal Ox/Gemini ascendant/Sagittarius moon; don't let that scare you, I'm pretty easygoing, not a typical Ox-Goat-Centaur at all. The Twins and the Monkey temper it all into a bundle of charm . Humanosymbiont to Meritage, a 16.2hh 7.5-y.o. Warlander horse (Friesian x Andalusian) and herder of Fietlebaum, a 12-y-o ginger cat. I consider myself supremely, even divinely fortunate for their august company. I ride dressage and I'd like to learn sidesaddle.

What is Your Horses Name?	Meritage
Registered Name?	Abacus Meritage
How's his/her personality?	Affectionate, smart, kind and strong
What Color?	Rich copper bay with a few grey hairs springing up
How Tall?	16.2hh
Barn Nickname?	Tagie, and occasionally "Tajeroo"
Anyone else ride him/her?	My trainer and some of the barn girls, Joanna, Britney and Bria
English or Western?	English and Western. Regional Half-Andalusian Pleasure Champion in both
How Old is your Horse?	7
What is your Discipline?	Classical Dressage, English and Western Pleasure, will be learning trail and driving starting this winter
Ever galloped?	Wow, looka dat! Joanna got a gallop out of him!Sonuvabitch!
How long you've had him?	Six years, but I knew his breeders so I can say I've known him for his entire life
Gelding? Stallion? Mare?	Gelding
Ever raced another horse?	No
Did your horse win?	N/A
Trail ridin?	We took him over a few obstacles on a killer indoor course, but he wasn't really up to it. This was three years ago, though, and he's done a lot of growing up.
Where?	Oregon Horse Center
How Long?	About twenty minutes
Board?	Yes
If So Where?	At my trainer's
Backyard Owned?	Ahem...didn't I just say I board him?
What's your barn called?	Emerald Valley Equestrian Center
Ever gone out of State with him to show?	Yes! 2007: Go For Baroque and Festival of the Andalusian; 2008: Go For Baroque, PAALH National Championships in Chilliwack BC, Canada, and the Festival of the Andalusian in Ridgefield, WA. He came home from Canada with 13 Top Fives and 11 national titles. He swept the Half-Andalusian division and took both High Point Champion and Reserve Champion for the circuit. I'm making plans to take him to the Celebrate the Horse event in Puyallup WA next June.
Where?	Tumwater, Washington; Nampa Idaho; Chilliwack, BC; Ridgefield, WA
Ever gone out of State to Trail ride with him?	No
Where?	N/A
Ridden on the Beach?	Still working on that, it's not due to a lack of interest!
Gone Swimming?	Again...not yet. He's half Friesian, though, so he'd probably be into it.
What are his other horse friends?	Three mares, Jewel, Baylee, and Roxie, and Odalisca's baby from last year, Abrazo. He likes pretty much everyone, though he's intimidated by Hilandero.
Ever Made any friends from the horse business? If so who?	Oh yeah. Too many to go into here.
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T's Dressage Survey
How many horses/ponies do you have?	One horse
Breeds...	Warlander (Friesian x Andalusian)
What region are you in?	USDF Region 6
Favorite brand of riding clothes..	OnCourse, Cotton Naturals, Sigma, Irideon
Favorite gloves....	SSG
What brand of boots do you have?	Mountain Horse and DevonAire
What brand of saddle do you have?	A Wintec Dressage 500, a Portuguese saddle I've named "Júpiter" (don't know the make). I've also put a deposit on an Elan English sidesaddle.
Brand of trailer....	A nice, modded-out Carver 2H bumper-pull.
Brand of truck....	Cristobel, an '03 Toyota 4Runner
What famous dressage horse do you want the most?	Want? Sugar, I GOT what I want! And as for the "famous" part, keep your ear to the wind and listen for "Meritage" over the next two to three years.
Who is your "famous" dressage hero	There's four: Charles de Kunffy, Lady Sylvia Loch, Sabine Schut-Kery, and João Oliveira, RIP (FUCK cancer!)
Pick & Choose
Bay or chestnut	Bay
16.2 or 17.2	16.2
Anky or Ulla	João
Salinero or Brentina	Tinus
Pikeur or Cavallo	Irideon
Hanoverian or Dutch	Warlander
Black or Brown Tack	Black!
More info
Your Goal for Next Year	Start up a horse-drawn carriage business in my city
Your Trainer/Clinicians	Trainer: Cyndy Stephens-Winchell. Clinicians: Dottie Linville, Linda Bowlby, Lillian Chaudary, Cyndy Stephens, Sabine Schut-Kery, Johanna Bautista
Some of your dressage friends on MySpace	ASV, Joanna,Jules, Hambone, Christie, Pferdefrau
What level are you working at?	Intro level — bottom-of-the-barrel, remedial Intro Level...Goddess love me...
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You are an AVERAGE JOE. Probably the most
level-headed of all the group, you aren't
obsessed with brand names, speed or cows.
You ride because you like your horse and you
enjoy it, but you don't spend the big bucks
unless you have to. You probably won't make
it to the top, but you'll have a good time.

What Type of Horseback Rider Are You?
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I work as a crafts vendor at the Eugene Saturday Market and sometimes at horse shows; I make wands, walking sticks and solid hardwood stick horses...and wolves, big and small cats, gryphons, dragons, deer, frogs, mythological critters as well.

I'm volunteering on the AlbanyOR carousel, seriously excited about that! Check it out, here's their website:

http://www.albanybrassring.com.

I'm a serious foodie and I love to cook; one of the benefits of "getting old" is your palate develops and you learn to savour food becomes a passion, not just sustenance. I'm particularly good at Mediterranean cuisine and baking...I can bake pretty much anything and everything.
Cancer Update
Everything appears to be working fine as far as my internals go; the last scan came out clean so I don't have to get checked again for another year or so. Unfortunately, having the disease and the rigours of chemo took their toll and I'm hammered with osteoarthritis. I'm alive and unofficially cancer-free, but I can't ride anymore and most of the time even walking and standing are an ordeal. You can will and wish all you want but when the joints seize up, that's it, your day's over.
One of the main reasons I went with Obama was his promise of single-payer health care. I've been without health insurance for six months now and I don't dare get sick or injured. This is not "socialized medicine" (which is a straw man — our mail system, law enforcement and sainted armed forces are socialized) anymore than Costco is. When everyone is well, healthy and working/functioning up to their capacity, we all benefit.

If you support one bill this year, GET BEHIND H.R. 676!!

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name:	Diane Rittenhouse
Birthday:	January 3, 1962
Birthplace:	Santa Cruz, California
Current Location:	EugeneOregon
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Silver-grey, formerly dark auburn
Height:	5'10"
Right Handed or Left Handed:	Right, ambi prior to childhood injury
Your Heritage:	German, Irish, Basque, Shawnee, Iroquois
The Shoes You Wore Today:	Mtn. Horse jodhs and Ugg Birch Boots
Your Weakness:	Saffron, cinnamon and hazelnuts
Your Fears:	Getting fucking cancer again
Your Perfect Pizza:	Grilled, with pesto, red peppers, mozarrella di bufala, sprinz and shrimp
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	Finish my werewolf puppet
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	I don't use IM
Thoughts First Waking Up:	"Ouch."
Your Best Physical Feature:	I really like my nose, actually.
Your Bedtime:	11:30 or thereabouts
Your Most Missed Memory:	If I knew what that was, I wouldn't be missing it, would I?
Pepsi or Coke:	Berry smoothies
McDonalds or Burger King:	Quizno's — especially now that they deliver! (be afraid)
Single or Group Dates:	Yes
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	Celestial Seasonings
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Yes!
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Chai...don't spare the honey and ginger, either
Do you Smoke:	Are you fuckin' kidding?!?
Do you Swear:	See above
Do you Sing:	Ask me to howl for you sometime
Do you Shower Daily:	For the most part
Have you Been in Love:	Who hasn't?
Do you want to go to College:	I can't go to college...I'm too smart...I'd embarrass them all.
Do you want to get Married:	Let's just say I'm not really looking
Do you believe in yourself:	Hell yes!
Do you get Motion Sickness:	Yes
Do you think you are Attractive:	If they can get past all the scars, sure.
Are you a Health Freak:	What's freakish about wanting a comfortable, functional and strong body?
Do you get along with your Parents:	Well, Dad's dead, but I love my Mom ten ways to Sunday
Do you like Thunderstorms:	You bet! So long as I'm indoors, though...too scary otherwise...
Do you play an Instrument:	Does conch count?
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	Yes
In the past month have you Smoked:	Ahem...didn't we already discuss this?
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	Yes
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	Yes
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	Pfft! No
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	Nope. Next month doesn't look likely, either.
In the past month have you been on Stage:	No
In the past month have you been Dumped:	*Sigh* Yes. (Damn horse...)
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	Nope
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	No
Ever been Drunk:	Yes
Ever been called a Tease:	Uh-huh!
Ever been Beaten up:	Yeah, but I gave them a thing or three to think about afterwards
Ever Shoplifted:	No
How do you want to Die:	Not yet.
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	Still working on the "grow up" part
What country would you most like to Visit:	Italy, Mongolia, Germany, India, the Silk Road, Fiji. I refuse to settle for one.
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color:	Doesn't matter, but I do like green and sapphire eyes
Favourite Hair Color:	Doesn't matter
Short or Long Hair:	Doesn't matter
Height:	Taller than me...I like to snuggle but don't like the crick in my neck...
Weight:	Proportionate
Best Clothing Style:	Natural, unpretentious, but if he wears it well I don't really care.
Number of CDs I own:	Hundreds
Number of Piercings:	Two
Number of Tattoos:	Nine
Number of things in my Past I Regret:	Let's not go there...
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