Nothing like the love of a good dog

Very few of you would be surprised if I told you the reason I don't do a lot of "things" is because of my dogs. I give up a lot and miss out on a lot for them. I'm most likely still single because of them! But, guess what...I wouldn't have it any other way. They are my life, they deserve everything and more. 

The joy, the laughter, the pain, and the sadness that comes with having pets is worth more than any shopping spree or night on the town. They become our lives. We make them our family. They love us unconditionally. 

My dogs will always be my saving grace. When the big bad world takes me for a ride it's all forgotten as soon as I walk through that door to those happy faces and wagging tails. I don't need anything else in life. Well, except maybe an easy button. 

I have rescue dogs. Their life didn't start out like this, so I'm determined to make every day better than their last. Mainly because, hey, why not? Especially a dogs' life. 

Today, like a lot of days, I've been reminded of how hard it is to lose a pet. Every time I hear of someone losing a pet my heart breaks all over again. The feeling of knowing that you have so much life left to live and that they'll not be there with you. It's heartbreaking. Spending the first few weeks trying to change the routine and adjust to the emptiness where their bowl sat. Doing their favorite things and trying not to completely fall apart from sadness. Comforting the pets that are also mourning their loss. Trying not to cry every minute of every day.

Tonight my heart goes out to some dear friends. Some I've never even met, most actually. But I can't help but feel the loss that my friends are suffering. Heartfelt condolences only go so far. For me they just made me lose myself reading them and re-reading them. Time doesn't really make it any easier. It makes you appreciate the wonderfullness that they were. But, it will never heal that piece of your heart that just broke. 

I thought I had a point, but now I'm rambling. 

What I really want to say is, the love and loyalty of a pet compares to nothing. Give them everything and more and I gurantee you that you will learn a lot from them.

To my dear Penelope and all your new friends at the Rainbow Bridge, I love you. You're with me everyday. I still cry thinking about how wonderful my life was with you. Tell all of your new friends that their humans love them too.

Until we meet again...

Links of the Week 5/24/13

Links of the Week

Here's where I'm going to post for you my favorite links of the week. They may be videos, photos, other blog posts, online articles, whatever. Just the stuff I enjoyed the most and felt like I should share.

As if anyone really needed a reason to love a pit bull...

And, as if I needed another reason to love "Penny" (Kaley Cuoco from Big Bang Theory), it's because of her pit bull, Shirley I think dog shaming is comical, but this PSA is funny too. Make sure to watch the video to see Shirley at the awards show!

Too many reasons why I need everyone to support SAVING UNCW SWIM & DIVE TEAM (aka my best friend and roommate is one of the coaches and I need her as much as her swimmers do!)

I want everything from this site, including this tote bag. The Literary Gift Company ROCKS.

22 Things Happy People Do Differently (I'm working on several of these now, thanks for posting, Jessica)

Considering investing in a bamboo steamer, anyone already using one?

Salmon eaters...this recipe, Chocolate Chipotle Seared Salmon Salad, sounds amazing!

A Pun-off, and the best part is the "horses ass trophy."

What's Pope Francis up to? Catholic or not, you will probably want to hear this, I Promise!

Please read this article if you've ever felt compelled to donate "items" instead of money towards disaster relief. Thanks Vicki, my friend at the Red Cross for sharing this important information.

This made me laugh, as I love Keith Richards and adored his memoir "Life," too bad his affliction for library books wasn't mentioned! 

Chump, Knucklehead, Schmuck, Bastard...want to know the etymology of these words, read THIS

This is AWESOME! Love The Godfather and Love Arrested Development, very excited for Season 4 on Netflix.

Under The Dome by Stephen King - Summer Read Along. May have to participate in this and then watch the show since it's being filmed here in Wilmington.

For all my photographer and make up artists lovelies, especially Sugar Day, I want a book themed shoot ;)

Places Bob Dylan sang about!

Heartbreaking, but WAY TO GO Professor Johnstone! Love to Meredith College for your work. 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Everyone and many thanks to all of our Heros! 

Lunchtime Redemption...(OR, I feel like an ass for complaining)

My plate is full.

I'm depressed and unmotivated.

Beginning to feel like a complete failure and have no direction in life.

Will it end...will I catch a break...is there an easy day on the horizon where I'm caught up and worry free?

Blah, blah, blah...we all have those days. Right?

I'm having one of those months, unfortunately. The worst part about it for me, is that I don't like talking about my problems. I don't like asking for help. I don't like not being so wrapped up in helping others that I have to help myself. I've experienced all the things I'm most uncomfortable with in the past few weeks, especially the past 7 days. Miserable could mildly describe it. 

Then I received a phone call last night from a dear old friend. It was the metaphorical (aren't you glad I didn't use LITERALLY!) "laugh (or smile, in my case) in a sea of sadness." Since I moved away, we've had a hard time keeping our friendship alive and strong. But, we can always pick up and go with little awkwardness. 

This just came to me...I do this with most of my friends. Well, the genuine, you know my secrets and I know yours, friends. People that I miss dearly and we all have busy lives. But, for some reason we pick up the phone and it's like no time has passed. I'm extremely thankful for those people in my life. I hope you all know that. 

Anyway...back to my story. Yesterday I was in such a funk, it felt like the bad news was never going to end. Then I get this phone call that my dear friend is coming to town and wants to meet up this weekend. I smiled, I turned into a giddy little girl and Yea'd several times. Then, afterwards I realized I should be thankful for this day.

I didn't lose my home, pets, belongings, family, etc in a catastrophic tornado. My job may be the winter of my discontent (that will always be my favorite line from Reality Bites), but I have a job. My step-mom may have cancer and won't talk to me about it, but she's still here, I haven't lost her yet. My pride may have been crushed, but at least I have enough values to have a well-meaning sense of pride. My roommate may be losing her job and have to move away, but I made a lifelong friendship with someone who gets me and goes out of her way to remind me that people do care. Etc. Etc. Etc. 

My point here is this: I know we hear it all the time, but be thankful for what you have. Even the bad stuff, because tomorrow you may have nothing, good or  bad to be concerned about. 

There are some very special people out there that are dealing with some very hard things right now. I love you all and please, Please, PLEASE let me be here for you. THAT is what I live for. That's what I need to help me feel like me again. And to further this process, here's my plan:

• I will begin working out again IMMEDIATELY
• I will stop being a hermit and go see me friends who need me
• I will save money and visit my far away friends
• I will do more of all the little things that make me happy (fostering pit bulls, reading, volunteering, going to the beach, spending time with amazing people, listening to live music, and now blogging!)

I could go on forever...but I better get back to that job that I'm thankful to have. Here's a funny, my supervisor and I had a nice laugh over this one. BTW...my job is not the best, but I have the greatest supervisor and coworkers EVER!

Links of the Week: 5/17/13

Links of the Week

Here's where I'm going to post for you my favorite links of the week. They may be videos, photos, other blog posts, online articles, whatever. Just the stuff I enjoyed the most and felt like I should share.

8 Signs You're A Book Person

Heartbreaking and true story of shelter dog saved from death

I WANT THIS DRESS...hint hint :)

Cool song that I found from this cool blog



Really cool games to play with your dog that encourage obedience. I think my FB friend Shana posted this one, thanks girl!

Awesome App from Animal Farm Foundation. I've had it for a while, but there was a lot of new hype over it this week on the infamous FBook.

This is a great list: 15 Books You Should Definitely Not Read in Your 20s

Finish this book list and you're my hero. Wow, thanks Paulo Coelho!

I adore The Bloggess, and this post from this week was absolutely hysterical.

Really, Really, great article for those of us with reactive dogs. I've used several of these methods and they really do work.

And, a lot of people ask me about resource guarding in their dogs. This article explains a LOT


Happy Weekend All
xoxo

Book Review: "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Book Jacket: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

My synopsis: There's nothing suspenseful, we know from the beginning that the book is about some terminal teenagers, which is heartbreaking enough. I really hesitated reading this one to be honest. My step-mom just got a terminal diagnosis earlier this year and no one has really found out how to deal with it yet. I've heard such wonderful things about this book, especially it's author, that I dove in. It was next in our book club selection so I didn't hesitate. 

I don't know too many child/teen cancer fighters. If I did, I'd hope that they all had the courage to take the humorous approach to things as the characters Hazel and  Augustus have in this book. I'm sure reality stings much more, it's just the way Green gives these two the ability to make jokes while still being scared. 

My favorite part about the story of course, is that Hazel and Augustus decide to make their last wish any book lover's dream. They get a trip to Amsterdam to meet the author of their favorite book. Hello, awesome kids! Two teenagers, destined to fall in love, alone in a foreign city. Use your imagination. Or don't, it's risque for a young adult book, but come on...we all know they're doing it. The trip isn't all champagne and sweet nothings though. Did I mention that they do have an adult chaperon, Hazel's mother comes along to help medically.  

Overall, everything is pretty predictable. About 200 pages in, I started marking some great quotes. I'm sure there others earlier in the story, but at this point I was vested and the words seemed to take on more meaning. Here are some of my favs:

- "They will robot-laugh at our courageous folly," he said."But something in their iron robot hearts will yearn to have lived and died as we did: on the hero's errand." "Augustus Waters," I said, looking up at him, thinking that you cannot kiss anyone in the Anne Frank House, and then thinking that Anne Frank, after all, kissed someone in the Anne Frank House, and that she would probably like nothing more then for her home to have become a place where the  young and irreparably broken sink into love. 

Later that afternoon she writes the best love letter I could ever imagine on a hotel napkin and slips out of his room to slip into her her own room with her mother. Why I love this letter...you'll have to read the book to find out. This one I'm not telling.

-"Some war," he said dismissively. "What am I at war with? My cancer. And what is my cancer? My cancer is me. The tumors are made of me. They're made of me as surely as my brain and my heart are made of me. It is a civil war, Hazel Grace, with a predetermined winner."

That's were the book hit home for me. That's where I became vested in accepting that the cancer is going to win (in my personal situation, at least). 

In the heart to heart Hazel has with her father after things have taken a turn for the worse..."I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its elegance being observed. And who am I, living in the middle of history, to tell the universe that it-or my observations of it-is temporary?" "You are fairly smart," I said after a while. "You are fairly good at compliments," he answered. 

Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this book. It's a story that you'll never forget. It's not overly emotional considering the nature of the subject. It's humorous and witty. 

Find more on Goodreads 

I did it, I have a blog!

Well, I've been talking about creating a blog for weeks now. I wanted to get it done a few weeks ago so I could participate in Dewey's Read-a-thon, but that didn't happen. Who knew it would be so difficult to choose a name for your new blog? That's basically where I was stuck for much too long. I just spent Mother's Day weekend with, you guessed it, my Mom! I couldn't sleep last night. I knew I'd be saying goodbye this morning and heading home. It's always bittersweet. I love home, but I love my Mom, and our time is never long enough. She's really my best friend, and with the constant reminders from the Universe that life is too short, I decided during my sleepless night to seize the day. First thing: get home and kiss my babies (all four legged), wash my truck, and then start a blog.

This new adventure is just my way of sharing my thoughts with you. I think a lot. A LOT. Too much, really. I don't share a lot of what I think about though. I always say I will and then I get busy and it's a week or two before I see or talk to the person I intended to share with. I thought blogging would be a great outlet for me. So, here goes...

Expect a lot about dogs, the loves of my life all have four legs. I love to read, and my latest obsession is following reader blogs, so I intend to do some of that as well. I'm trying to be healthy so I may blog about some great new workouts or recipes. Really, just expect the unexpected. I really want to write about the things I don't get to talk about so, may the force be with us.

That's enough of nothing. I may post this evening if I'm inspired by anything. Or, I may just veg out on the couch and catch up on some dvr.

My thought for the day: Never take for granted sibling rivalry. My younger brother and I fight like you wouldn't believe. I wish we didn't. Basically, I take everything too personal, and he knows that. Good combination...mostly, NOT. However, I love him and I miss him, and his crazy dogs. I never know how to tell him that. I don't even know how to just let him know I appreciate him being him. Our way of communicating is through peaceful competition. I think I'll challenge him to see who will visit who the most this summer. I live at the beach, I hope I win! Seriously though, he annoys me and I annoy him. If we didn't it would mean that we didn't matter, right? Love you brother. p.s. I call him brother!

The brother and I

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