The day after Pugsley passed I was sitting outside around dusk near my garden in the Adirondack chair where I tend to do a lot of my thinking and ruminating, searching for answers to all of life’s great mysteries. When out of nowhere a little baby tree frog hopped onto my toe. I found this odd because tree frogs do not normally descend to the ground, they stay high in leafy foliage. The first thing I thought is he must have just been born because he was the tiniest little thing. For a brief moment I was angry and sad, as selfish as it sounds at the possibility of new life around me when one so close to mine had just been taken. That icky feeling was quickly replaced by the cuteness of the little amphibian as I recalled the many many times I used to tell Pugsley that he looked like a frog with his big bulgy eyes and the way he sat with frog legs from behind.

A couple days later I was sitting in my chair again smoking a cigarette, trying to figure out where to go from here and how I would even find the strength to go anywhere. I looked over to my right side and there was the frog again. This time stuck to the white gutter that runs down the west side of my garden. He was inches away from my face and staring intently into my eyes. It kind of freaked me out. Being the part Cherokee Indian that I am, I later came inside and Googled "Tree Frog medicine" to find out what the ancients believe it means when one comes into your life. Here is what it said:

"FROG – Frog is the keeper of the element of Water and the cleansing power of rain on the earth. This also allows Frog to help us by being the caller and cleanser of our emotions. The Frog also brings the message of the fresh start of a new life. It is time to cleanse all around you and create a space for new life to begin."

I don’t think it was a coincidence that the frog happened into my life at this exact time of emotional turbulence. I haven’t seen him in a couple days but as crazy as it sounds that little messenger of life helped power me through one of those difficult fork-in-the road moments and somehow let me know that all was meant to be and all the wrongs would be made right again, in time.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 11:18 AM permalink Comments (7)

For anyone who doubts that animals have the capacity to feel or that there is a true bond that exists between people and animals; consider this.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 07:00 AM permalink Comments (2)

I was so bummed to hear about the recent passing of George Carlin, one of the greatest stand up comedians of our time.

The thing I liked about George was his irreverent humor and the way he pushed the envelope. He pissed a lot of people off from various social, religious, and government groups because he made dark funny and wasn’t afraid to poke fun at taboo subjects. He was a maverick of sorts and a pioneer for his time and genre.

Notably George was arrested for disturbing the peace when he performed the following skit, "Seven Dirty Words".

Here are some of my other favorite quotes from his comedic material:

"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things."

"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"

"I am" is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that "I do" is the longest sentence?"

"Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time."

"If God had intended us not to masturbate he would've made our arms shorter."

"Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist."

"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity."

"The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live."

"The reason I talk to myself is that I'm the only one whose answers I accept."

RIP George. You will be missed.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 10:54 PM permalink

Sausage is laying at my feet resting comfortably. T.G. I am mindlessly surfing the net with no particular destination and stumbled onto this fun little program. The Celebrity look alike collage. Here's how it works. Upload a recent photo of yourself and the software runs a face recognition comparing your facial features to a database of celebs.

I am not sure I agree with all of mine, but here's what I got. You try. Then come back and tell me who you got.

I tried uploading a couple pictures of Pugsley to see his lookalikes [Winston Churchill maybe] but the program didn't recognize him as a matchable face :(

http://www.myheritage.com/celebrity-face-recognition

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 09:46 PM permalink Comments (5)

Question, what does everyone get their mothers for mother's day? Or if you are a mom, what would you like to receive?

My mom LOVES chocolate so a trip to the candy store is always a no brainer. But what else can I get besides the same old gift certificates to the salon and her favorites stores?

I'm looking for new ideas this year if anyone would like to share.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 07:43 PM permalink Comments (4)

In every relationship there has to be a pack leader but how to we become the "Leader of the Pack" and get the full respect and attention we deserve? Or if we are the subservient, how do allow ourselves to become servile in certain situations while still getting the respect and attention that we crave? It’s a slippery slope.

I once took Pugsley to a dog obedience class and what I learned there helped me apply the same basic logic of human dog communication to my very relationships with humans. Learning how to find the perfect balance of affection, consideration, consistency, and control.

Dominance and submission
The fundamental aspects of the dog pack. Knowing when to assert your leadership and when to let go and submit to another’s willful control. Sometimes giving in is not a bad thing at all. Sometimes giving up one’s control can better the relationship and lay foundation for greater rewards.

Along these lines, in the new book What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love and Marriage, author Amy Sutherland explains how secrets from animal trainers can help us deal in life and love relationships. Here are 6 genius love-life tips that we could all learn from.

1. Ignore the behavior you don't want. If a trainer asks for a flip but gets a jump, he responds with a head-to-toe poker face, because any reaction reinforces the behavior. So if your mate responds or acts in a way you don't like, it is better to do nothing at that time then jump into the situation, and fuel the fire. For instance, your mates temper flares, and you jump in, generally this only fuels his/her temper. Exercise self-control at moments like this and they will look for new (hopefully positive) ways to get your attention.
2. Accept that some things may never change. "A trainer thinks twice about teaching an animal something that goes against its instinct–good luck getting a raccoon not to wash its food," says Sutherland.
3. Make sure to compliment the behavior you do want. Remember, the bigger the effort he makes, the bigger the reward should be.
4. Don't blame yourself when he behaves badly. Good animal trainers don't take it personally when an animal won't sit and stay–behavior is just behavior. Stop asking why they are doing something to you, and instead ask why they were doing it. Maybe they are doing something because it is easy or makes sense to them, and not because they don't love you.
5. Pick your moments wisely. While at training school, students learn not to work with snakes while they are molting, because the snakes are more likely to bite. The same goes for humans. Don't try and reason with someone when either of you are sick, distracted, tired, hungry or grouchy. If you do, be prepared to get snapped at.
6. Keep your mate happy. Withholding food was once a popular technique with dolphin trainers. Today, however, handlers know that denying the animal does not inspire positive change. "Resist giving the cold shoulder and cutting off affection," says Sutherland. Use positive feedback to inspire positive change.

Try it, it works.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 09:33 PM permalink Comments (1)

Phew....still trying to recover from most scary dinner last night...here is another interesting political distraction.

A friend of mine sent me this link and thought it would be cool to post. The site asks you 10 questions then pools your answers into a database and tells you which presidential candidate you should vote for in 2008.

http://www.votechooser.com/

Then come back here and post a comment so we can see how accurate it is. And no lying if it doesn't come out the way you want it to..

According to this I should be voting for John McCain.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 10:55 PM permalink Comments (7)

Diane over at Pandoras Parlor made this cool new header image for me. Didn’t she do an awesome job on the design?

She believes in Pug fairies...

Let me back up….

When I was a little girl I believed that a band of tiny fairies would come dance in my garden at midnight.
I believed there was a whole other race of wee folk, woodland creatures, people of peace, mischief and enchantment.

They were some sort of cross between humans and angels with magical powers. I believed they were living amongst us in a secret society that I longed to be a part of.

Every night I would wait until my family was all asleep in theirs beds and not long after 11:58PM I would sneak outside in my long white cotton nightgown and I’d go poking around the garden with a mini flash light, looking for them. I just really believed they were there… Sometimes I would leave bread or cookies hoping to coax them out of their secret hiding places.

I believed whenever I laughed uncontrollably that it was the fairies ticking my stomach from the inside, out.
I believed in flower fairies, woodland fairies, water fairies, and forest fairies…pixies, nymphs, and banshees…
But then I got older and I forgot that I used to believe..

Until I read A Midsummer Night's Dream for the first time and was totally enthralled and transported back to that time. Only it was set to literature and I couldn't put it down until the story was completely done. It was one of the only stories I've ever felt so compelled to read over and over, it was magical……

And then life things happened and I forgot about my fondness for fairies…

Until the other week when a new reader left me a nice message of hope and prayers for Pugsley.

I went to her blog and was pleasantly shocked to read the following entry:

"Just as young girls dream of dressing as fairy princesses
with gossamer gowns
and iridescent wings …
Flowers in their hair
And enchantment in their eyes ...
Young pugs dream of being lighter than air
and flitting around the garden
Magically transformed into pug fairies!
And as one who likes to imagine that fairies dance in my garden at midnight ...
Hmmm – isn't it possible that there really are such things as pug fairies?
I think we just need to BELIEVE.”

Needless to say, I posted an entry on her blog and we started chatting. I found out she is an artist who makes pug pendants with cool artwork that I would describe as “Victorian Whimsy”….Since I’m not much of a jewelry gal but I loved her artwork I asked her if she would instead create a banner or two for my website. I have Photoshop but don’t have a lot of time to design things…and Voila!

It was totally her concept and design. My only request was that the new image have a picture of Pugsley with wings and a king’s crown, and the word “believe” in there. She came up with all the rest. I love the scrapbook feel and the way she made us look all vintage..

the magic is in the believing...

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:19 AM permalink Comments (6)

When I came home tonight this little wooly caterpillar was waiting outside my back door. He usually comes around early every winter to let me know what kind of weather is in store. You can tell by looking at his 13 segments (they are said to mimic the 13 weeks of winter) and colors.

This guy is telling me it’s going to be a pretty mild winter because the brown band is longer than the black ones.

Also the black bands on his head are smaller than the black bands on his tail which means the first part of the winter will be mild and the last part will be more severe.

So far it is holding true here in the northeast being in the 50’s all week and even hitting 60 degrees one day.

These are the sort of things you come to know when you’re part Cherokee. I will teach my nephew how to read the wooly when he gets a little bit older, like my father taught me.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:41 PM permalink Comments (3)

I’ve decided I’m doing all of my holiday shopping online again this year. Sure there will be those few items I decide to brave the crowds and mall for. There may even be a time during the season the spirit moves me and I want to actually be amongst the ever loving throngs of overworked underpaid deal braving shoppers at the mercy of 4th quarter sales hungry merchants, oh yes there are those days when I do long to be a part of it all but I’m going to shoot for buying the bulk of my gifties this year via the world wide web, aka my couch. More specifically, I’m going to ebay as much as I possibly can. Here’s why:

Convenience

You can find the most unique gifts that you simply can’t find anywhere else. It’s like a virtual flea market, novelty store, mall, brand names, international goods, new, used, vintage, antique, all in one without ever having to leave the creature comforts of your own home. And by creature comforts I mean the pug.

Something for Everyone

For instance, I have a cousin who absolutely loves vintage Asian culture and he also loves to play games. Now the ebay light bulb goes off and I know that for him can go bid on a vintage Mah Jongg set with leather carrying case and Bakelite tiles directly from China. Oh and I love playing Mah Jongg too so it will be something he will totally flip over and it’s something we can do together.

Another instance my mom is crazy for Beagle things so on ebay I can find her everything from Beagle Xmas tree ornaments to beagle pajamas, beagle socks, beagle slippers, beagle calendar, there are 9,255 beagle items listed with categories and subcategories for which to search by!

Believe me when I say there is truly something for everyone but it would take you tons of aggravating visits to a bricks and mortar store versus a couple clicks to find that special thing. It’s such a vast playground, my online problem is I tend to wander this time of year and forget that I’m not there for myself.

Competitive

Ebay is like a sport to me. There is of course an end goal in sight, locate the item, do your research and comparison shopping, add to your watch list and then wait to swoop in and win the bid. I guess what I’m saying is, unlike other shopping even other online shopping it’s a given that you’re going to put an item in your basket and walk away with it. With ebay however, you have to be strategic and wait for your right time and outwit the other bidders. I guess what I’m saying is shopping on ebay isn’t boring because your competing with other shoppers to “shop victoriously” and I love the challenge.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:40 PM permalink

Last week was ugly. There is no other way to say it. It all started last Saturday after I had a dental cleaning. Near as I can tell being exposed to the strange instruments caused germs to implant. I’m sure it was the dentist because the whole time I was sick my gums ached. Next thing I know I’m traipsing around NYC in the cold, wind, and rain with a nasty sore throat that soon blossomed into a nastier viral throat infection and fever. I lost my voice. Had to leave early. Was contagious so I couldn’t be around other humans…and to top it off my Blackberry stopped working due to storage limit issues (Sorry Stephen I lost your cell # and couldn't text you back!) and then back in Connecticut I lost my home internet connection to the world. Charter sucks. Talk about feeling isolated. Until laryngitis I never realized how much I take it for granted just being able to have a conversation with someone. You miss it when you can’t. Without a voice I felt trapped and suffocated. I was a mute for 3 days…and sans email or text. It was like I was screaming on the inside on the top of my lungs but nobody else could hear me….except for Pugsley but he was too busy begging for treats. He is selfish like that.

The rest of the week was a blur of Vicks cherry flavored cough drops and vaporizer rub dabbed under the nose and smeared on the neck to open up sinus cavities. Blue fuzzy wool blankets to keep warm during the chills and kick off during sweats, and after three boxes of tissues I can now confirm that Kleenex really is better than the generic brand. Less Chaffing. Tylenol every 4-6 hours until I surpassed the amount you can have in a 24 hour period. Then it was onto the Nyquil and vitamins until mid week when I graduated to Tylenol Cold Multi symptom Day and Night packs. The Collection of DVD’s that I like to watch when I’m sick provided some comfort; The English Patient, Thorn Birds miniseries, Little Women, Mighty Joe Young, and Wizard of Oz. On TV it was mindless flipping through Oprah, Dr. Phil, and random shows like Man vs. Wild and the Secret Life of Otters. My pink and white flannel sheep pajamas, fluffy red robe, toast with cinnamon, and blueberry tea with honey provided comfort, too.. The puke pot and spit buckets are also essential staples in times of infirmity. They allow you to expel the pestilent matter from your body without the constant annoyance of having to get up to run to the bathroom every 2 minutes.
Note to self: next time do not leave spit bucket within reach of curious pug or he will wait til you’re in the other room then secretly stick head in bucket and lap up the phlegm before you can stop him.

I told you it was ugly.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:49 PM permalink Comments (4)

Well it's Ad Tech week again. I won't be blogging much this week since I'll be in NYC attending the show. I’ve been battling a wicked sore throat, cough, and aches and pains right before I leave for the conference. Grrrr. I’ve been loading up on the Nyquil and Tylenol hoping to kick it before I leave.

Here's a little brain teaser for you to stew over while I'm gone:

A man walks up to you and says - "everything I say to you is a lie." Is he telling you the truth or is he lying?

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 06:15 AM permalink Comments (3)

Keeping with the Halloween theme, I found this on Samantha's site for some Friday fun. Just click to play.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:11 PM permalink Comments (2)

Co defendants in the Virginia dog fighting case testified on Friday that in April of this year, NFL star Michael Vick helped execute approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in training sessions by methods such as hanging, electrocuting, and drowning.

So much for his not guilty plea.

They also confirmed to prosecutors that all the accusations in the 17-page indictment are true, including that the money behind the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting operation were funded almost exclusively by Vick.

What a waste of talent. What a sadistic, cruel, barbaric fuck.

Sorry but this is a sensitive subject for me. My pug rescue organization has actually rescued pugs that were used as “bait” in pit bull fighting rings.

What people don’t even realize is it’s not just the fighter dogs that are abused and lose their lives, it’s also the small helpless dogs, cats, kittens and rabbits you never hear about that are used to "train" pit bulls to fight and kill. Many animals suffer and die because of illegal dog fighting. It’s more horrific than you could even imagine.

Vick faces federal charges of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. These crimes are punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sadly, I don’t think we will ever see him serve any time behind bars. He will most likely cop a plea, pay a small fine and be put on probation.

Here is what pisses me off about the charges – why is it not okay to organize fights and profit from them but its okay to drown and hang dogs? I mean, why are there no charges of animal cruelty against this man?

We have to enforce stricter laws against the shit. This is totally fucked up. Laws need to change at the federal level, NOW.

The media has a nasty habit of glorifying celebrities when they do something wrong but not this time. This time everyone needs to take a stand here and say enough is enough. He needs to be made an example of and we need to do more to protect animals.

Nike has suspended Michael Vick's contract without pay pending the outcome of the trial. Reebok and the NFL have also pulled Vick-related items and for now, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from training camp until the investigation is finished. The league could suspend him for up to a year.

Not good enough.

The NFL has no business employing this man now or ever, there should be a lifetime ban and he should not make it into any hall of fame. People should stop buying his jerseys and retailers should stop selling them.

The National Football League and everyone else needs to realize that little boys look up to this man and aspire to be just like him. If he’s not held accountable then we’re looking at a new generation of boys who will become teenagers who will become men who will think its okay to kill dogs and train them to become killers.

If you want to help, take a minute to email Mr. Goodell and ask him to suspend Vick, indefinitely. Alternately, you can call and leave a message with NFL Public Relations at 1-212-450-2000.

If there was any justice in the world Vick would get 5 years prison for each animal killed. If he killed eight dogs he should have to serve 40 years behind bars and pay $250k x 8 = $2MM. I have other thoughts on what should be done to him during his jail time but I digress.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:04 AM permalink Comments (8)

I like to live in the moment but I also like to plan. I don't like to make short term commitments but I prefer to know how something is going to end in the long run. Basically I want to know if it’s going to be worth my time. Like prioritizing. I guess it stems from wanting to know what I should or shouldn't invest my time, energy, and resources in because while I do enjoy the journey the truth is I enjoy it a whole lot more in cases when I'm convinced either by proof or my own intuition, that the destination is ultimately going to make the trip worthwhile.

If I believe there’s something in it for me at the end, a big payoff then I’m okay chugging along wading through obstacles, hurdles, facing challenges and persevering up the hill like a stubborn mountain goat. I don't mind working hard or being patient for something I want if I know it's going to be worth it in the end.

On the flipside, if I invest a lot of myself in something and it ends up sucking or leaving me unsatisfied I'll have a hard time with it. Most likely I'll pout and sulk for a while and probably be in denial torturing myself with wonder of how I could never have seen it coming. Eventually, I work it out of my system either by letting a sufficient amount of time pass or by replacing the loss with some new find.

But happy or sad endings are rarely things we can predict. To put it in business terms, what we choose to invest is a risk and an opportunity, and the thing we all want at the end of the day is a healthy ROI. For the most part we’re forced to take the risk. To make calculated guesstimates based on historical data, market trends and yes sometimes it all comes down to a gut feeling or sense that it’s going to end good or bad. Sometimes we press on and sometimes we cut our losses. It’s true in business, relationships, jobs, health. Nearly every aspect of every thing we do, the outcome is out of our control. That’s why I think it gives me a great deal of satisfaction and joy when I do find the unique opportunities that present themselves in life to know the outcome of things before making a commitment.

I know some of you will cry blasphemy over what I'm about to say. I received a free copy of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. What do you think is the first thing I did with it?

I opened up to page seven hundred and forty two and 8 pages later I knew with an immediate gratification how the series ends.

I needed to know what happens to Harry. The fate of the boy wizard I’ve been following for the last nine years and I didn’t want to wait 741 pages to find out. I needed to know that I would be okay with what happens to him before I decide to embark on the entire 759 page journey. Plus, I couldn't stand the suspense or that there are other people out there who already know. People who are talking at water coolers and posting spoilers on their blogs. I wanted to know on my own terms and who knows when I’ll ever find time to sit still long enough to read 759 pages? If I had that kind of time I’d be writing a book, not reading one.

Mostly though I needed to know Harry’s fate and Ron and Hermione and in those 8 pages (plus a neat epilogue that sews up loose ends up nicely) I knew exactly what became of them. And I will say without giving anything up, going back to the Order of the Phoenix, I predicted two big things that happen. Now I know it will be worth it to go back and read from the beginning. In an odd way, I know I’ll enjoy the entire story more from the start without all the anxiety of not knowing.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life was like a book? Where you had the option to fast forward to the end of a chapter and immediately know if the payoff will ultimately be worth your investment.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 06:48 AM permalink Comments (1)

It’s a sweltering 97 degrees here in the Northeast which got me thinking about another hot topic: Global Warming. I caught some parts of Live Earth this weekend, the benefit concert to raise awareness for anthropogenic climate changes. That is, the effect of increased industrial activities and other human activities that are responsible for or contributing to the Earth’s average temperature rising.

The concert was intended to encourage people to live more environmentally friendly lifestyles. I’m all for that. Nobody cried more than I did with the Crying Indian from the 70’s commercial in his "Keep America Beautiful" anti pollution campaign. The PSA televised one of my proud Cherokee ancestors canoeing down the river through human degradation, smog, and waste. To see through his crying eyes what’s become of our natural world was devastating to me as a child. If you’re too young to remember, I dug it up here on Retrojunk.com.

So I’m all about protecting the planet of course, but I’m also skeptical about how much of Global Warming is truly brought on by humans and how much of it is actually just natural occurrences and phenomena? I mean, the Earth has been known to take on many different forms and climates over the years. Like before the 18th century and the industrial age. Take the Ice Age for instance, was man to blame for that?

I don’t think I have a side on this topic, I’m just throwing out some talking points if anyone feels like chiming in. I’m not saying I believe it’s man or wild or both or neither – maybe there is a spiritual element at play here if you believe in that sort of thing, like biblical plagues. I’m merely interested in learning more and knowing where others stand on the issue.

I wasn't a big Al Gore fan when he was in office, but I will say I think he’s done his best work with his environmental activism. I’m just not sure how much of it is true. I didn’t see an Inconvenient Truth, and I’m not sure if I will. If anyone wants to convince me why I should, I'm all ears.

In a sort of freaky twist to this entry...either I've been hitting my peace pipe too hard or there is a strong resemblence between Al Gore and old Iron Eyes Cody. Hmmmmm....

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:44 AM permalink Comments (8)

On this day we in the United States celebrate our Declaration of Independence.

In it’s literal meaning:

Independence noun: freedom from control or influence of another or others

So on this day I try to take mental note of all my personal liberties. Those that are newfound, those that have been earned after long painful battles were fought and won, and those that are our basic constitutional rights as citizens of this great and awesome country. We musn’t take our everyday freedoms for granted.

Freedom from past relationships that didn’t work
Freedom from previous jobs that sucked
Financial freedom
Freedom to vote
Freedom to register as an Independent
Freedom of speech
Freedom to write
Freedom of thought
Freedom of expression
Freedom of choice
Freedom of religion
Freedom to educate
Freedom to work
Freedom to create art
Freedom to eat
Freedom to drink
Freedom to celebrate and be merry
Freedom to sulk
Freedom to dance
Freedom to take naps in the middle of the afternoon
Freedom to dress in any wardrobe
Freedom to marry or not marry
Freedom to change anything that doesn’t add value to our lives

What freedoms are you most grateful for?

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 11:51 AM permalink Comments (3)

Well, I'm off to San Francisco in the AM......I won't be able to do much writing out there with my full schedule, but I will try to do some photo blogging at least. In the meantime here is a digruntled looking Sausage watching his mama pack.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 11:04 PM permalink Comments (2)

It’s hard to understand why there has to be goodbyes. Goodbyes are never easy and I keep finding myself in situations where I have to let people or things or relationships go, for no fault of theirs or mine and I wonder why it has to be this way. Why we’re allowed to grow so attached. Why we get used to people and their smells, the sound of their voice, the color of their sweaters and the texture of their hair. We come to expect their emails and calls; they often brighten our days, like a little gift that was given just to help us through a difficult moment. We acclimate to places and times only to have them taken away, uprooted, extricated from ours lives leaving an empty path of emotional wreckage behind. Leaving us searching for new things and other people and different places to fill up the time, space, and void.

Sometimes what’s worse than a purposeful goodbye is when people who were once in our lives just drift away without explanation or closure, consideration, or care.

Maybe we were once great friends now traveling down different paths that never seem to cross much anymore. But we still miss and love and wish good tidings with Christmas cards once a year and we think and want and reminisce in the stillness of our minds. Maybe we reach out and make a call but it isn’t returned and we have to remember that it was another time. Maybe they’ve moved on and we’re left with sadness mixed with special memories. I miss rock concerts and movie nights, holidays, racetracks, crying on each other’s shoulders through illness and divorce. I miss my friends and I assume they miss me too. I miss emails and IM’s, I miss cubicle mates and old classroom chums. I miss old coworkers from my last seven jobs. I hear certain songs on the radio and I still think of them.

Sometimes we have to sever ties for reasons that are beyond our control. Maybe it’s a business relationship that isn’t working and hard decisions have to be made.

Maybe the people we have to say goodbye to, were never close. Maybe we had our differences and didn’t always see eye to eye. But we saw each other and talked everyday and we got attached the way you would to a testy step sibling whose quirks you grew to find endearing, whose faults you learned to forgive, whose jokes were easy to laugh at because of the unique way in which they were told. The worst goodbyes are those you never saw coming and didn’t have a chance to say all the things you always wanted them to know. Or maybe just a simple handshake and acknowledgement would have done. A kind word of wisdom that someone once said to you and it stuck and made a difference in your life during difficult times. Maybe that’s all you could offer but it would have been something, before goodbye.

Sometimes it’s personal and others end it without consulting us and we’re left to turmoil over the understanding of why or what we could have done different or better to make them want to stay.

Maybe we were lovers who shared something exhilarating, passionate moments when we needed them most. Maybe we loved them in ways they didn’t return. Maybe we wanted them to be more or give more or feel more but they couldn’t. Maybe the idea we had of their purpose in our life didn’t quite live up to the way we imagined it or felt it would be so we grew disappointed and irritable, and then one day it becomes clear that it was a point in time that can’t be recreated so you have to let it go. You have to let it go along with the knowledge that maybe if it was a different place or a different time, their purpose and their reason for gracing our life may have been greater. Maybe it would have been love or friendship. Or maybe both, had it been a different goodbye.

Sometimes we have to be the ones to say goodbye ourselves. Not because we want to but because they won’t and we know it’s what’s necessary in order for both of us to move on. And we have to move on. Why do you we always have to move on?

It reminds me of the classic from Brian A. "Drew" Chalker
"A Reason A Season and A Lifetime”

People always come into your life for a reason, a season and a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, or to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend to you, and they are. They are there for a reason, you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die, Sometimes they just walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. And like Spring turns to Summer and Summer to Fall, the season eventually ends.

Lifetime, relationships teach you a lifetime of lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas in your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being part of my life....

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 10:12 PM permalink Comments (6)

I read the following excerpt recently in the "Dear Jane" advice section of Jane Magazine:

Q: How can I shut up relatives who keep asking why I’m not married?

A: Just because someone asks you a question doesn’t mean you have to answer it. But you’ll feel better if you have a few darts to inflict a little pain. If you want to be obnoxious, which you have every right to be (do they really think you haven’t noticed?), you could say, “For the same reason you haven’t lost weight.” Or how about, “I thought I’d skip the first one.” Or just tell the truth: “I haven’t found a relationship worth giving up my freedom for.” And don’t ever settle for less than really good, because being single is full of possibilities, and being in a mediocre marriage is trading the possibilities for false security and loneliness.

Couldn’t have said it any better myself. Snap.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 10:28 PM permalink Comments (5)

Kidney problems and deaths spark massive pet food recall. FYI

Tthe FDA has issued the following press release yesterday:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been informed that Menu Foods, Inc., a private-label pet food manufacturer based in Statesville, Ontario, Canada, is recalling all its "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food produced at its facility in Emporia, Kansas between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. The products are sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The recall was prompted by consumer complaints received by the manufacturer and by tasting trials conducted by the manufacturer. There has been a small number of reported instances of cats and dogs in the United States that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product. Ten deaths, one dog and nine cats, have reported at this time. The firm has undertaken extensive testing of the pet food products in question, but to date has been unable to find the source of the problem.

The products are packaged in cans and pouches under numerous brand names and are marketed nationwide by many pet food retailers including Ahold USA Inc., Kroger Company, Safeway, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., PetSmart, Inc., and Pet Valu, Inc.

Menu Foods, Inc. has identified the potentially contaminated products on the Internet at www.menufoods.com/recall. Consumers who have any of these products should immediately stop feeding them to their pets. Dogs or cats who have consumed the suspect feed and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should consult with their veterinarian. Menu Foods, Inc. is notifying retailers by telephone and mail and is arranging for the return of all recalled products.

FDA is conducting an investigation and working with Menu Foods, Inc. to ensure the effectiveness of the recall. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-866-895-2708. Consumers who wish to report adverse actions or other problems can go to http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html to contact the FDA complaint coordinator in their state.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:01 PM permalink Comments (1)

Alright! I was trying not go here, but I just can’t hold it in any longer! I need to understand how you go from Mouseketeer to Pop Princess to Bald to stark raving mad?


Is the media really to blame? Is it drugs or booze? Post pardum depression? Did K-Fed push her over the edge? Was it a case of too much fame, fortune and excess too fast? Maybe it’s all of the above. Whatever is happening here is truly sad. She is sure to lose custody of her children and that’s the real tragedy. I’m actually worried about the dog. Is it just me or does Bit Bit looked totally freaked out and scared in this picture?

I wonder if anyone has thought to have her tested for rabies. He could have bit her out of fear. She has all the classic symptoms: cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, agitation, abnormal behavior, progressing delirium. At this rate I would not be surprised if she starts frothing at the mouth.

Britney, we beg of you - please go back to rehab and STAY there!!!

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:00 AM permalink Comments (4)

I think it’s funny how people assume that just because I’m female, that means I will automatically be giving Hillary Clinton my vote in November ‘08.

Not.

How foolish would it actually be to vote for a candidate based on their gender alone? Maybe the country is ready for a female president, but I don’t believe this country is now or would ever be ready for her, specifically.

Sorry, but unless Hillary comes out with an animal rescue platform that enforces maximum punishment against animal cruelty, she has zero chance of ever getting my vote. And even then, I wouldn’t believe her. She has proven herself too deceitful and has a history of saying what she needs in order to get the votes.

I’m sure this entry will incite some and piss off others (sorry in advance SJX and perhaps my californian cousins) but hey, we are all Americans and all entitled to our opinions and our vote. Besides the blog has been quiet lately and I think it’s time to spark up a healthy debate. Any takers? Where do you stand....will you vote for Hillary, yes or no? Is it too early to say? I was trying to put up a nice fancy poll but keep getting header errors and I'm tired, so comments will have to do.

So, I was riding home on the metro the other night, passing through Chappaqua NY (where Bill and Hillary live) it wasn’t long after she announced she would be running in ‘08. I asked myself what exactly has she done as a Senator for NY, really, aside from Carpet bagging her way into the state to use it selfishly for her own personal and political gain. As I thought about it, my neck muscles starting spasming, even worse than they already were. In fact my C2 and C3 vertebrae have been locked together ever since with no space in between for my joint to move freely. Now if Rudy Giuliani runs (he didn’t start an exploratory committee for nothing) you can say that he did a lot for New York, especially around the time of 9/11. But what about Hillary? I don’t live in NY so maybe I’m missing something and I’m open to hearing about it if she actually has done some good there.

Here is my biggest problem with Hillary Clinton and it comes down to character really, which to me is an important and even crucial attribute that a presidential candidate must have. Sure no politician is perfect and at the end of the day it all comes down to lying, cheating, and stealing to some degree and this is exactly why I don’t allow myself to get too caught up in politics. But let’s go back to the whole Monica Lewinsky scandal. In Hillary’s book of memoirs; she states that she had no idea about her husband’s affair(s). That is basically saying she was admitting to being clueless. I’m sorry but while I don’t think Hillary is a quality political candidate for running the country, I also don’t think she is stupid or clueless by any stretch. And you’d have to be pretty oblivious to not know what was going on under the white house desk while the rest of the country knew.

The fact is she did know and she stayed with him anyway. She stayed with him so she could continue to ride the coat tails of a cheating husband for one reason, power and political gain. There is no other reason for a bright, schooled, highly motivated woman to allow a man to publicly (or privately) humiliate her like that. I think that alone speaks volumes about her character.

Some may argue that she stayed out of love and loyalty. Bla, bla, bla. There may be a shred of truth there but moreover, I think Hillary likes to play both sides. She wants us to see her on one hand as a helpless clueless victim of her husband’s dalliances but she also wants us to believe she is a strong powerful woman who would be capable of running our country and going up against some of the biggest forces in the world at what is a crucial time in our history. All I can think is if she couldn’t outsmart Slick Willy, how could we possibly trust her to go up against say, the leaders of North Korea?

I’m sorry but you can’t have it both ways.

Speaking of playing both sides of the fence, it totally irks me how she sways from one side of an issue to the other side of the same issue based on where she thinks she will capture the most votes. Her vague stances on issues are further proof that she is a controlling, power hungry filibuster who would do or say anything to hoodwink her way into office.

For instance:

A couple years ago, when the debate over when the U.S. should remove its forces from Iraq was heating up, she stated that immediate withdrawal would be "a big mistake", leading to Iraq becoming "a failed state", but that the Bush administration's open-ended commitment to stay in Iraq was also misguided, because it gives Iraqis "an open-ended invitation not to take care of themselves."

C’mon now, PICK A SIDE.

Even way before she became Junior Senator, Hillary proved herself to be dishonest poll chaser with a sketchy track record. Remember the Whitewater affair that cost the country an estimated $40 million? For which Hillary claimed she was unable to produce legal documents that later surfaced in her own library. And how she interfered with the running of government as a first lady with her failed leadership of health care changes?

I can appreciate her lobbying for better healthcare, especially for women and children but from where I sit, if Hillary (or anyone) really wanted to help out the middle class and had done a better job of convincing Congress, I wouldn’t be paying $500 a month in co pays alone, just to keep my neck bones in alignment until my next visit. I don’t believe she is at all for helping out the middle class. By the way, I would feel the same way about any male candidate who had the same track record.

Lastly -- even if I was a Hillary supporter, I still wouldn’t give her my vote because I don’t believe she has a strong enough chance at winning a national election. So I wouldn’t want to waste my vote on her and in turn, keep someone good from getting in. I also can’t forget that she is a candidate who is against making English the official language of America. Not to mention the time she tried to steal the white house silverware.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:37 AM permalink Comments (13)

Here is something fun I found, the Acme Candy Heart Maker. You can make your own Valentine candy hearts and email them or whatever. The only downside is you can only have 4 letters per line and 2 lines. Still, you can be creative. Here are a couple of mine:

Cryptogram has another candy heart making program that lets you enter more letters and lines but the hearts don't look like the real candy. Nonetheless, still fun.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:57 PM permalink Comments (1)

I've been so upset about this, but I keep telling myself that Barbaro fought a great fight and he was a true champion. There is talk about honoring Barbaro by burying him in a garden near the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, next to four other winners. I'm planning on attending the Derby in May and I hope his owners decide to lay him to rest there so I can pay my respects but also because I think that's where he belongs.

Rest In Peace Barbaro!

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:13 PM permalink Comments (3)

Once upon a time in a distance galaxy not so far away, in another lifetime back when Pugsley was just a precocious young puglet, I worked for the e-commerce company Outpost.com. I was on the marketing team when we hired the Cliff Freeman agency to make memorable commercials that would be so outrageous they would force consumers to remember our URL and lure buyers to our Web site. It totally worked. The ads won Clio awards. Superbowl viewers were shocked. Orders quadrupled overnight. The gerbils that we kept in our customer service department got a new Habitrail. And it was a lot of fun being a part of it all. The best was the infamous Gerbils commercial. I know a lot of old Outposters read this site, so I’m posting this entry for them. Ah, the memories...... It was a simpler time. Thanks to good old Youtube we can take a trip down memory lane. Thanks to the Macguy for sending me the link!

P.S. No real gerbils were harmed during the making of this commercial.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 07:52 AM permalink Comments (6)

My boss called to check in on me and I was updating him on all the medical drama.

“I had to go get another MRI today and I had my second physical therapy session. They told me my neck is a total mess. They said the muscles in my upper neck are spasming so bad and so often that the actual muscles keep pulling and rotating my C2 and C3 vertebrae. You could actually see them poking out of my neck!"

“You’re a mess”

Yea….they gave me the TENS unit, heat with electrical stimulation which felt great and loosened up some of those muscles“. They said they are 99% sure my problems are all bio mechanical, not related to a serious injury or illness.

“So that’s great news”

"It’s really great news. Then….you won’t believe this but I had to take Pugsley to the vet because he was limping. After giving him a full exam they told me the reason he’s limping is because he’s having muscle spasms in his right shoulder and neck. Can you believe it? It’s like he's taking on my pain!"

“Ok…this is where you start to lose me….”

“Before I knew it, they were sticking him with acupuncture needles and had hooked him up to the electrical stimulator just like me.”

“Your life should be a reality show”.

"It already is."

*laughter*

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 07:49 PM permalink

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 07:14 PM permalink Comments (4)

In Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas:

After the Grinch's "change of heart", what colors did his pupils change from – to?

A. Red to Green
B. Green to Red
C. Blue to Green
D. Red to Blue

Which of the following food items did the Grinch NOT steal from the Who’s icebox:

A. Who-Pudding
B. Who-Butter
C. Who- Hash
D. Who-Roast Beast

Which of the following is not a decoration that the Whos use to trim their trees?

A. bingle balls and fuzzle fuzz
B. whiffer bloofs, and wuzzle wuzz
C. fantoozlers, and ring tinglers
D. dang-donglers, and snaffer snoof

This one is a two-part question because Part one is so easy:

1.) From which Classic Christmas movie is the following drawing?
2) Describe the scene in which the drawing appears in the film.

From what popular Christmas movie(s) do the following quotes come? Bonus points if you can name the characters who say the lines.

“Only one thing in the world could've dragged me away from the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window.”

“Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf. I hate meatloaf.”

“Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to”

Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

In It’s a Wonderful Life:
What was the Bailey’s youngest daughters name?

What was Clarence’s full name – First, Last, and rank title.

I'll post the answers on Thursday!

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:39 AM permalink Comments (2)

Dear Santa,

I’ve been mostly a good girl this year. I’ve resisted temptations and I've tried very hard to do all the right things. I’ve shown kindness, compassion, and forgiveness in the face of adversity. I’ve given to others when I didn’t think I had anything left to give. I haven’t done anything thoughtless, haphazardly, or half assed. I’ve given everything 100% and I’ve backed off when I felt I needed to not push and give things a rest. I stood my ground when it was called for and I gave in when it was time.

Of course, I am not perfect Santa. I’m no elf or reindeer, or pug....I’m human after all. I’ve lost my temper, could have made more time for people and things that matter. I’ve forgotten to bite my tongue at times when I should have. But I did my best Santa, really I did. When I was wrong, I learned from my mistakes, and was honest with good intentions at each pass.

It’s because of all these things Santa that I think I can ask you for what I really want next year. Things only you can help me get.

Please keep Pugsley well and happy and please Santa, please, please, please keep that nasty old cancer away. Keep him lump and tumor free and let him enjoy his golden years basking in peace and good health. Help me keep him swaddled in toys and treats, keep him stubborn and greedy like a spoiled pug should.

Also Santa if you think of it, Can you bring me a guy? But not just any guy. He has to genuinely be good and care about me. He should be thoughtful and considerate. Kind but macho. Funny, but not a comedian. Handsome but not a pretty boy. Affectionate, but not clingy. He should appreciate my independence and compliment it, not try to take me over or control me. He should understand (or at least tolerate) my love for Pugsley and have a big heart for animals. He should be available emotionally and physically. He should be attracted to me at all times, even in the morning when I’m crabby in sweats with dark circles under my eyes and hair thrown up in a bun, even when I’m hormonal and insecure, he should still want me.

Give me Saturday nights with wine and good cheer and Sunday mornings with comfort and hugs and a Christmas tree we can decorate together. Give me snowy weekends in bed and rainy spring nights with the windows cracked. Give me blueberry tea and banana bread over the Sunday paper. Give me Katydids and peepers all summer long, the symphony of nature outside my door. Give me fresh cut grass, gardens to tend, soil to turn, yards to clear, seeds to plant, let me reap what I sow.

While you’re at it Santa, I’ll take that new house, the one with privacy on all 4 sides. Give me exposed beams, stone fireplace, whirlpool tub, and a huge country kitchen. Give me hardwood floors, a 2 car garage and a porch in the front and a deck in the back. Give me my office-cum-workshop that’s well equipped, a laundry room and gym and space for guests. Give me 2 acres or more and mortgage I can afford. And Santa please don’t forget all the things I’ll need once I’m there. Like a riding lawn mower and a new gas grille, a snow blower, a big flat screen T.V. and a huge kitchen table that seats 12.

If there’s anything left after that, I’ll take a corner office at work and a new set of golf clubs. Might as well throw in some lessons too with a hot instructor and a membership to the country club. Plane tickets to a nice vacation destination and some Juicy couture travel clothes. Give me a cure for the pain in my neck, a new laptop that doesn’t overheat and a Blackberry. Definately a Blackberry.

Love,
Lori

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:38 PM permalink Comments (3)

You can't see it, but my fortune says, "A beautiful, smart, and loving person will be coming into your life."

When?

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 07:26 AM permalink Comments (5)

I was so bummed to learn of Steve Irwin’s untimely passing. I’ve watched many a Crocodile Hunter episode sitting enthralled and enraptured at what a funny crazy bloke he was. But really he was just an enthusiastic man about the things that mattered to him, like the natural world. I hope he isn’t remembered for being crazy, but a truly passionate animal lover and naturalist who left this world doing what he loved most.

R.I.P. Crocodile Hunter
1962 - 2006

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 08:59 PM permalink Comments (3)

I know I must be a total geek because I think this is the coolest thing that I stumbled onto in my random internet surfing this weekend. The Montage-a-google, a nifty little web based application some college student put together. You type in a google keyword and the program searches the Google image index files, pulling in the top 20 images for that keyword and then giving you a montage like the one below. I must have done 20 different keyword montages this weekend. It's wicked! Of course my favorite is the keyword Pugsplace. Check out the Montage-a-google.

Hey Nicole, nice thong in your montage ;)

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:00 AM permalink Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) |

Hazy. Hot. Humid. We are having a heatwave here in CT. Blech. Pugs weren’t made for heat and neither was I. Maybe I’m part pug. There’s a heat advisory in effect here until sometime tomorrow night.

TEMPERATURES IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S COMBINED WITH HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDICES OF 100 TO 103 DURING THE AFTERNOON TUESDAY. REMEMBER...A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN HIGH HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO COMBINE WITH HOT TEMPERATURES TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT IS 100 TO 104 DEGREES. RESIDENTS WILL NEED TO EXERCISE APPROPRIATE CAUTION DURING THIS HEAT WAVE WHICH IS LIKELY TO LAST THROUGH TUESDAY.

Driving home tonight I saw power lines two roads down that had big billowing clouds of smoke coming out of them and fire trucks trying to contain it. Somehow it didn’t effect me because I still have power. Pugsley is limited to essential and brief "constitutional" walks what with being a brachycephalic breed and all. I’ll have to cut tonight’s entry short because my laptop keeps overheating and powering down. It wouldn’t even open up a browser this morning and is starting to show signs of slowing down again. Hope everyone else is staying c-o-o-l.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:09 AM permalink Comments (1)

And now for some Friday fun:

You're a Passionate Kisser

For you, kissing is all about following your urges If someone's hot, you'll go in for the kiss - end of story You can keep any relationship hot with your steamy kisses A total spark plug - your kisses are bound to get you in trouble.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 07:00 AM permalink | TrackBack (0) |

So as I was saying……there are good things and bad things about being single –and then I’ll lay off the relationship or non-relationship topic for a while lest you become completely exasperated by my jaded, albeit educated and well thought out opinions. Despite my gratuitous omage to Led Zeppelin in the title, I’m not feeling too verbose today so I’ll sum it up in two short lists.

Top Ten Bad Things About Being Single

1) Lack of Sex
2) Living on one income
3) Showing up at events alone
4) Grocery Shopping for one – aka, being the big loser at the meat counter who has to ask the butcher to break up the family pack of burgers into packages of two pattys. I feel so lame every time.
5) Taking care of yourself (and the needy dog) when you’re sick.
6) Not waking up to a morning boner poking you in the back -- which could also fall under number 1, but since I’m a big fan of both sleep and wood, I’m giving it its own number.
7) Not having plans when everyone else does.
8) When something gets screwed up, you have to fix it yourself.
9) Not having someone special to share your successes with or commiserate over your failures.
10) The fear of not knowing what your future holds

Top Ten Good Things About Being Single

1) Freedom
2) Possibilities - they are endless, you’ve got the world at your feet and just about anything can happen.
3) Making choices without having to consult someone else. Simple everyday choices like what to eat for dinner or big major honking choices like where to live.
4) Building self reliance, awareness, respect, and dignity.
5) Sleeping as late as you want in the morning.
6) Not having to worry about how your thoughts or actions will affect someone else
7) Not having to deal with snoring, gas, or jealousy.
8) Giving yourself plenty of time between relationships so you’re ready for the next one.
9) Not having to deal with an ugly break up – you can’t break up with yourself.
10) The excitement of not knowing what your future holds

Everything else in the middle my friends is a little place I like to call, content.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:20 AM permalink Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) |

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogcasting to bring you a once in a millennium post. Today’s date, 06/06/06. It’s the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year.

There are people who believe the antichrist is coming today. Pregnant women are doing everything they can to NOT go into labor. The Internet is full of Web sites predicting terrible things. I think it’s a bunch of rubbish but I’ll tell you what does scare me, these freaks that are committing suicide and performing cult rituals in “honor” of the day. Scary stuff, if you buy into it. I don’t personally. I’ve spent time reading the Bible…still do from time to time and nowhere in the Christian New Testament do I recall it referencing the number 666 as a date predicting the coming of the antichrist. In revelations it references the number 666 and describes both man and beast ascending out of the earth. It says something like, "Let the one that has intelligence calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is a man's number and its number is six hundred and sixty-six. I try not to get too superstitious with this stuff, and I’m no hexakosioihexekontahexaphobe. Hopefully it will be just like the millennium that came and went without much fanfare. Just the same, if you see me walking down the street today, I’ll be wearing a cross around my neck and I haven't ruled out popping into church for a vat of holy water.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:03 AM permalink Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) |

Let’s analyze the results, shall we?

29.5 % of you said you were happy most times – Ah, It does my heart good to hear this and gives me hope for the future. To say you are able to share your life with someone else and still be happy more than 50% of the time, more often than not is probably the best that any of us can hope for when we partner up.

20.5% are In a relationship and happy some times – I applaud your honesty. I think that most relationships probably fall into this category purely based on the relationships I’ve been in and those I’ve witnessed first hand. Relationships are hard work, messy, and not always pretty in the real world. It is my belief that a good healthy relationship is probably the one where both parties would admit that somedays they'd like to lop the others toes off with the hedge trimmer and other days want nothing more than to jump their bones and snuggle on the couch....waking up the next day and still be committed to making it work.

15.9% of you claimed that you prefer to just sleep around -- Yea, I don’t really believe that. I think it was some joker voting more than once in a lame attempt to skew the poll results. Get a life. I would like to believe that most readers of this blog would be looking for a little bit more than just bed hopping full time. But if it’s true.... I pray that the 15.9% practices safe sex.

11.4% are Single and Content for now – Rock on soul sisters and brothers! In my opinion, this is one of the highest levels of peace and self awareness that one can reach or aspire to. I also believe that once you do reach this place and then find someone to share your life with, you’ll be that much more of a solid partner because you will have more of a whole, well balanced self to give. In a way it’s more of an honor for the other person too. It’s like saying here I am, I’m happy on my own but I think I could be even happier now that I've found you.

6.8% claim they are In a relationship and happy all the time. – *cough*cough*Bull*Sh*t!* cough*** You are either on crack, in denial, or have only been together 0-3 months and are still f*cking two-four times a day. If none of these scenerios apply then my guess is the rest of us will tune into CBS 48 Hours Mystery one night and watch the tragic story of the deliriously happy couple who astonished everyone the night one of them murdered the other in cold blood while they were sleeping, wrapped the bloody lifeless body in an electric blanket, stuffed it down the neighborhood storm drain, squirted a can of lighter fluid on top and threw down the match. Maybe it is true for some and I'm happy for you if it is. No disrespect. But in my world, I just don’t see how it’s natural or realistic to be happy with someone else ALL the time. Even if you are with someone who is your exact equal and partner in every way. Someone who thinks, acts, and feels the exact same way as you. I mean, we all piss even ourselves off from time to time so how could we possibly be happy at all times with someone else? It's those who we love the most, who we make ourselves the most vulnerable to that are most capable of hurting or disappointing us. Yikes...I don't even think I'd want to be happy all the time. I'd always be waiting for the bottom to fall out and I'd miss the make-up sex.

6.8% are Single and Loving it – Good for you but I also don’t think it’s a totally honest answer. Just as it’s impossible to be happy with someone else all the time, I also believe it’s impossible to be happy on your own 24/7. Humans were made to co exist together, to excel in societies with other humans. At some point, unless you are under 21 years of age or stoned all the time, I think it’s only natural to crave companionship and want to share your life with another person.

4.5% are In a relationship but rarely happy – Here is my unsolicited advice to you: Get out, Get out fast. Run away and never look back. Life is too short to spend it unhappy all or most of the time.

2.3% Single and hating it – This one makes me sad.

2.3% Other – No comment because those who chose "other" didn’t explain what their "other" was.

In case you were curious about how I voted – I chose Single and Content for now. But that isn’t completely true either. If I am being honest, the truth is I am content most times, sometimes I love it, and sometimes hate it with varying degrees of each given the scenario and mood I'm in. I will elaborate more on this in tomorrow’s post...

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 09:23 PM permalink Comments (1)

So my friend Sam, another strong independent female pug loving blogger -- posted this entry explaining how it feels to be single and content but also how she sometimes misses not being in a relationship too. It got me thinking, I wonder how many people are happy with their current relationship status? In the spirit of research on the human condition, I’m putting up a poll for the weekend. Results are completely anonymous so feel free to answer honestly and unabashedly. Choose which one best describes your current situation.

Posted by Lori in Everything Else at 12:17 AM permalink Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) |

So I hooked up my super cute Cousin Nicole, aka Pixie Girl with some Yandy product reviews. Stop by and give her some Love! Oh and if any other Blogettes out there are interested in doing some reviews, contact me and I’ll see if I can get you in the Blog for Lingerie program too.

***Reminder*** The Contest is coming down to the wire. If you haven’t entered yet, make sure you do. If you're a new visitor and aren't sure how, click the big Pink Yandy Banner <<<<>>>>> Our Blog drawing is still on for May 1st when Pugsley will pick the winner by way of a Bag o' Snausages. What fun!

Speaking of the Sausage, I realize it’s been far too long since I posted a picture of his royal cuteness. Therefore, here is a Sunday shot of Pugsley lounging on the couch watching the new King Kong movie that we got on DVD. Note the Kong toy behind him, that was his Easter present this year. He loves to be surrounded by toys, they are like a security blanket for him :) Could he be any cuter??

I came home to some very good news tonight. There was a message from the real estate agent, who is also a mortgage broker. He ran my credit report and left the following "You don’t have excellent credit, you have superb credit!” Apparently, my middle Fico score is 800 which is higher than the norm. It basically means any program that any bank has available, I'll get into. I haven’t confirmed this yet but I think it also means I’ll qualify for the lowest interest rate.

Yee Haw! I knew there was a reason I’ve been toiling away and scrimping by on a meager existence for the last so many years paying my bills on time and even early most months. The fruits of my labor are finally starting to pay off and I see a light at the end of the tunnel like a shining beacon showing me the way home. I'm just not sure yet where that home will be. But I'm getting closer to finding it... He also said he has 6 more properties to show me this weekend. Giddy Up.

In other news, some of you have asked how the SB diet and exercise has been going. Well...I'm back on carbs and allowing myself sugars in moderation, I'm happily living in Phase 3 now, the "Maintain Mode". Ever since my neck and lower back issues, the exercise has been slow going. Derek has instructed me to ease my way back into working out with low impact activities and only weight training with the assistance and support of my medicine ball. He also told me running is probably not good for my spinal alignment issues. He wants me to use an elliptical machine instead or something that won’t cause the same kind of cervical strain. But since I can’t afford an elliptical right now, we’re doing some trial and error where he’s letting me slowly work my way back into walking/jogging intervals to see how I do. So far so good. A running group from work has invited me to join them in their track interval training as they prepare for a moonlight 5k coming up. I’ll probably give that a whirl and see how it goes. Not the 5k, just the track meets. In the meantime, I’m none the worse for the wear subsisting on lower impact exercise, thanks to some good genes that got mixed in there somewhere. Like I said, it runs in the family.

Posted by Lori in Everyt