Who roasts chestnuts on an open pit
Jack Daniels nipping at your throats
Annoying carols being sung by the kids
Why are they dressed like eskimos?
Everybody knows the turkey and the pumpkin pie
Help to make your stomach burn
Tiny tots with their fists full of junk
Will find it hard to stop their yearn
We all know regret is on it’s way
For all the drunk talk we’ve displayed
And every mother’s child is going to cry
To find out reindeer really don’t know how to fly
And so I’m offering this simple phrase
To each and every one of you
You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again
Freaking Christmas, F you.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Our New Dog
Our New Dog
Turns out we have a new dog. Hasn’t been 24 hours yet, but already it seems like the act of getting a new dog and bringing him into the house is symbolic for the state of things.
Let me explain.
Facebook Obsessive: I pretty much start my day with it. I love being connected to a greater world. Just as I wouldn’t like living in a house isolated from neighbors, I don’t like being disconnected from most of the wonderful souls I’ve met over my many years. So, having a sentence here, a quip there is deeply satisfying to me. Toward that end, I saw a posting from an old camp buddy (Leadership 71) about a dog who needed adopting. Dan has hinted that he might want another dog, and I have some notion that even Buffy the wonder dog might like a friend. So, I clicked on Shelley’s dog picture, saw the video and something just called out to me that this should be the one.
Spontaneity: Despite the fact that we had Taper tickets for 6:30 that evening, and the fact that the shelter housing the dog (just before executing it) was in Baldwin Park instead of Baldwin Hills (the difference of about 90 minutes driving time), and that it’s raining cats AND dogs, and that we’re going out of town this weekend, I had to go immediately to the shelter to see if this “Rocky” was still there. He could have been adopted already, but if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have much time left on his life clock. So, Milly and I bundled up, (she may learn to wear an appropriate rain coat someday), sloshed our way across the county and got to the shelter in time to save “Rocky”.
Determination: I wanted this dog. When we got to the shelter and walked down the row of cages, it sort of broke my heart to see all the unwanted dogs. For the shelter, I can at least say that the concrete floor was warm and toasty. At first, “Rocky” was too shy to come out of his cage to see us. But, he did. We went outside to the outdoor greeting pen, and while he still seemed shy and hesitant, he did let us pet him and talk to him, and he won our hearts.
Gut over Mind Chatter: I was going on impulse here. I was a little nervous. My head chatter went a little nuts: what will Buffy feel, is this too big a dog for me, can we really manage two, will it be ok if we go away for a couple days over Christmas, buffy is a perfect dog, what if this one isn’t, what if he seems nice now, but goes nuts on us, dan is great with dogs, but he’s gone during the day, will I really be able to handle what comes up, will Buffy be mad, or will she accept having a friend, other people manage two dogs just fine.
Positive over Doubt: On the ride home, Milly sat in the back with “Rocky”. She toweled him off, talked with him, held the leash as he stuck his nose out the window. The above mentioned chatter was still yakking away, but I was still determined to find out if this would work. Excitement prevailed over doom.
Reality: All evidence points to this will work. Despite the fact that much more of the rain is now in the house than out, and despite the fact that Buffy shows more protective possessiveness over her food than ever, despite the fact that this is a BIG dog, despite the fact that we can’t all agree over a name and have to tell Milly that she doesn’t get the final vote on that, and despite the fact that all the answers aren’t answered yet, I think it’s going to work out well.
The final feather in the cap, this dog seems to have imprinted on me like a lost baby goose who has laid eyes on me after his mother died. He follows me around everywhere. He seems smart enough to know how to put me at ease. He’s affectionate, respectful, mellow, and loving.
We’ll see what happens when the mailman shows up.
I’m leaning towards “Juneau.”
Ah, the saving of a dog.
Turns out we have a new dog. Hasn’t been 24 hours yet, but already it seems like the act of getting a new dog and bringing him into the house is symbolic for the state of things.
Let me explain.
Facebook Obsessive: I pretty much start my day with it. I love being connected to a greater world. Just as I wouldn’t like living in a house isolated from neighbors, I don’t like being disconnected from most of the wonderful souls I’ve met over my many years. So, having a sentence here, a quip there is deeply satisfying to me. Toward that end, I saw a posting from an old camp buddy (Leadership 71) about a dog who needed adopting. Dan has hinted that he might want another dog, and I have some notion that even Buffy the wonder dog might like a friend. So, I clicked on Shelley’s dog picture, saw the video and something just called out to me that this should be the one.
Spontaneity: Despite the fact that we had Taper tickets for 6:30 that evening, and the fact that the shelter housing the dog (just before executing it) was in Baldwin Park instead of Baldwin Hills (the difference of about 90 minutes driving time), and that it’s raining cats AND dogs, and that we’re going out of town this weekend, I had to go immediately to the shelter to see if this “Rocky” was still there. He could have been adopted already, but if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have much time left on his life clock. So, Milly and I bundled up, (she may learn to wear an appropriate rain coat someday), sloshed our way across the county and got to the shelter in time to save “Rocky”.
Determination: I wanted this dog. When we got to the shelter and walked down the row of cages, it sort of broke my heart to see all the unwanted dogs. For the shelter, I can at least say that the concrete floor was warm and toasty. At first, “Rocky” was too shy to come out of his cage to see us. But, he did. We went outside to the outdoor greeting pen, and while he still seemed shy and hesitant, he did let us pet him and talk to him, and he won our hearts.
Gut over Mind Chatter: I was going on impulse here. I was a little nervous. My head chatter went a little nuts: what will Buffy feel, is this too big a dog for me, can we really manage two, will it be ok if we go away for a couple days over Christmas, buffy is a perfect dog, what if this one isn’t, what if he seems nice now, but goes nuts on us, dan is great with dogs, but he’s gone during the day, will I really be able to handle what comes up, will Buffy be mad, or will she accept having a friend, other people manage two dogs just fine.
Positive over Doubt: On the ride home, Milly sat in the back with “Rocky”. She toweled him off, talked with him, held the leash as he stuck his nose out the window. The above mentioned chatter was still yakking away, but I was still determined to find out if this would work. Excitement prevailed over doom.
Reality: All evidence points to this will work. Despite the fact that much more of the rain is now in the house than out, and despite the fact that Buffy shows more protective possessiveness over her food than ever, despite the fact that this is a BIG dog, despite the fact that we can’t all agree over a name and have to tell Milly that she doesn’t get the final vote on that, and despite the fact that all the answers aren’t answered yet, I think it’s going to work out well.
The final feather in the cap, this dog seems to have imprinted on me like a lost baby goose who has laid eyes on me after his mother died. He follows me around everywhere. He seems smart enough to know how to put me at ease. He’s affectionate, respectful, mellow, and loving.
We’ll see what happens when the mailman shows up.
I’m leaning towards “Juneau.”
Ah, the saving of a dog.
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