When the idea to finally go to Africa came up, I was admittedly a little daunted. It is, after all, an entire continent. So how does one choose where to go, assuming this may be the only chance you get to visit it? I'm thrilled to do the safari, of course, and get a glimpse of the Big 5 if I'm lucky: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, cape buffalo. But the deciding factor in going to Tanzania, the one need that pulled me there more than the desire to see the Great Migration or watch a lion take ... Read more »
Musings
Blackout
When the power went kablooey on Thursday, I figured the most lasting effect would be a resurgence of interest in knowing where we kept the spare batteries. It's never that simple, is it? Well, first of all, the local sewage treatment facility dumped 3.5 million gallons into the ocean, shutting down the beach and delaying the Surf Dog-a-thon to a day we absolutely, positively cannot make. Brody and I are so, so sad about that. Worse things have happened, of course, but we're still ... Read more »
The Postman Always Rings Twice
We have a great mailman. I don't know how to explain it, but for all the complaints people have about the US Postal Service we seem to have lucked out with our guy. From the day we moved in when he introduced himself 6 years ago, he's been unfailingly polite, always waving, remembers our name, and pretty much everything you have come to not expect in a federal employee. He showed up at 10 am today with a package I needed to sign for, and we chatted a bit. I signed, he left. A minute later, he ... Read more »
The Introvert’s Guide To Having an Awesome Time at BlogPaws
It's just around the corner- the biggest, best, and most entertaining pet conference of the year- BlogPaws 2011! If you're a three-peater like me, you probably know the drill by now, you've met some people already and are looking forward to reconnecting with your buddies. But if this is your first time, perhaps you find yourself a little bit intimidated. I know I was- well, I'll be honest, I still get intimidated by these things. Do you all read The Bloggess? She is hysterical and she ... Read more »
Good art challenges you
My daughter had a dance recital this weekend. Instead of flowers, the in-laws thought to get her something a little more long-lasting and picked up a Fur Real stuffed dog thing she has been wanting. She was very happy about this. A day later, she was upstairs, playing with some friends politely and quietly. This usually means trouble, so I popped in to check on them. The first clue something was amiss was the pungent odor of nail polish, which is supposed to be one of those "only under adult ... Read more »
Much love to tech support
You know how every year, at the Oscars, they host the Technical Awards at some crummy second rate venue in downtown LA and they get a B-list celebrity to come host it? Those people work their butts off to make the movies look good but all they get in return is some lame hotel dinner and maybe a 30 second clip shown at the Oscar telecast. Tech support never gets any love. Sometimes I feel a little bit of similar guilt about the tech support here at pawcurious. It's just a party of one- my ... Read more »
It’s the Unsolicited Advice Patrol!
I found myself in the grocery store this morning, in need of some bananas for the kids. I grabbed a bunch, as well as a few other items. As I meandered through the aisles, a display of Hostess cakes caught my eye. I stopped and looked at them. Just looked, mind you. They are mesmerizing, the massive array of choices, the neon pink nasty coconut Snowballs and the traffic cone orange cupcakes and the DingDongs that taste like they were dipped in wax lips. They aren't that good, truth be ... Read more »
In Defense of (some) Breeders
I've been following Dog Time's multi part series about No-Kill with interest. Fascinating stuff. Then I saw yesterday's piece: "There are no responsible breeders." I read it, waiting for the twist, waiting for some clarification on the idea, and then I got to the end and realized that the author meant it, as is, in all sincerity. Even responsible breeders who genuinely love and want the best for their animals you ask? I know this statement will raise some hackles, but it needs to be ... Read more »
The long slow descent down the totem pole
I loved this recent post over at PetMd by Dr. Khuly talking about the association between becoming a new parent and having your pet pack on the pounds. I think anyone who has had a new baby as well as a pet can relate. Sure, everyone tells themselves, "Oh no! I know other people put their pets on the back burner but not me! I'm going to carry my kid around in a papoose and just go out with a jogging stroller every day at 5 am and we'll be just fine!" And yes, some people actually do that, and ... Read more »
Me and my solitude
I found myself in the strange position this week of wanting to go running. As in, I actually missed running. And that is weird because I kind of hated it, so I thought. I stopped running some time ago after some nagging injuries, and just found other things to take its place. I was fine with that. Brody and I go for lots of walks in the neighborhood, because that is what you do when you have a crazy dog. We like those well enough. But I missed running, with loud music drowning out the ... Read more »
Behind the Paw: the promised post
So, I asked and you guys answered: yes, you want to hear what Iams has to say about the "Iams Cruelty" PETA video fiasco from 2003. OK. You got it. I had to recruit Brody to sit with me for moral support, though. It became quickly apparent after trying to present it in a coherent manner that the intricacies and nuances of something as complex as animal research protocols are not something that can be presented in one post. So I am going to break it down in a few pieces to make it a little ... Read more »
As fate would have it
(As you can see, I'm still turning out posts related to the Amazon Cares trip as I get the chance. It's something I could go on about for ages, in so many different ways.) One of the things that will strike you the most when you are in a third world country is the sheer number of street animals. We're not used to it here. Here, they are picked up, and placed out of sight and out of mind, until of course we either rehome them or kill them. That is how it works here. In other places like ... Read more »
Two Words for the Newbie Vets
Ah, it's that time of the year: department stores filled with tacky ruffled prom dresses, florists hawking overpriced leis, parents secretly rubbing their palms in glee at the idea of their kid finally being out of the house come September. It's graduation, a rite of passage as old as time, a celebration of - hmmm, I wouldn't say "knowledge" so much as "managed to pass everything", but what do I know. I do know that the more advanced your education, the scarier graduation becomes. ... Read more »
A Tale of Two Birdies
There is something strange that comes over you when you become a mother. I don't limit myself to the idea of giving birth as the only way to inherit the title- as we all know, being a parent comes in many forms. The act of accepting responsibility for another living being sets upon your shoulders a weight that, despite its heaviness, you could no more bear to shrug off than your own skin. We've all heard and seen remarkable stories of mothers in nature doing tremendous things in defense of ... Read more »
Faceplant
I didn't have a lot of wiggle room when it came to planning this trip to Peru. I departed on Friday after my daughter's last day of school before Spring Break, and came back the day before class resumed. Assignments, classwork, summer camp registration and everything else was kind of shuffled to the side to be dealt with when I came back. I'm not averse to hitting the ground running, as that's pretty much been the story of my life for thirty-something years. Land at 9 pm, grab a couple hours ... Read more »
Attitude Adjustments
It's been an oddly disquieting 24 hours. You know how they always say a modest life in an industrialized country is a life of untold wealth and riches in the third world? It's true. I mean, it's something you know on an intellectual level, but to experience it, and to live within it for even that short period of time, really cements the impression. Indoor plumbing? Luxury. Hot running water? Absolute decadence. A house with more than one toilet and multiple bathtubs? Palatial, really, by the ... Read more »
I am Capuchin
I spend a lot of time eavesdropping on the conversations of the other parents in my kids' classes. I try to participate when I have something pertinent to add, but the conversations are often about things I don't have much to say about: tanning jeans PTA meetings All three topics about which I quickly find myself in over my head. So I mostly listen, and nod at what seems like appropriate intervals. This week, the topic was Spring Break. Some parents are working, and the kids will ... Read more »
What, me worry?
Several years ago, while I was wistfully speaking about all the places in the world I'd like to someday see, my husband looked at me over the top of his computer and said these words: "I'm not doing an overseas flight with you unless you get some Xanax." I was terribly offended, of course. I mean, come on. Sure, I get a little tense when I'm worried about making a flight on time- who isn't? But given the state of TSA lines these days, I think I'm justified. Overall I'm a pretty good ... Read more »
