New Year's Resolutions

Last year, around this time I made New Year's Resolutions. They aren't typical resolutions, they were designed to be specific, incremential behavior changes that could be boiled down to near-maxims. I don't know if people can really make habit changes straight away, especially when January weather, winter daylight hours and general unavailability of resources. And people don't grow the person they are with the typical resolutions of exercising, saving money and quitting smoking--just their quality of external life. I wanted to improve internal quality in 2009.

Some of these were created by me, some were other people's suggestions, blog post topics, etc. It's been a year, so I can't properly attribute anything, I apologize! I do know that Gretchen Rubin of "The Happiness Project" is an influence, and so is Penelope Trunk of Brazen Careerist. So was a local gal, 52 Resolutions.

For my improvement and your consideration:

1. Take care of issues, don't defer maintenance

Meaning: don't put off what will get worse with time or wear, and don't play the "time" game by holding back bill money till it's due. Deferring maintenance also applies to accounts--I promised myself that I would not have one late payment this year. This hasn't been a problem for me, but I planned ahead to be vigilant during a year of distractions, especially since I was joining my credit to my husband's perfect, spotless credit. Many people espouse the idea that you should hold on to your own money as long as you can. I believe for that reason, people should get their taxes done early, but not in the case of any other accounts, especially not revolving credit.

2. People are most important. Reach out.

Sometimes I don't reach out when I should, and I get shy, despite my outgoing personality. It's because I fear rejection.

I joined Twitter at the end of last year and have found it is safe and easy to venture out in 140 increments. But because of my use of Twitter, I HAVE had more opportunities to help relative strangers over the past year and it made my heart feel good every time.

3. Add value. Do my share and more.

I think I tried to do this, but I can still improve. I did this by trying to "put icing" on whatever I did--going over what was expected of me, and doing

4. Don't care about the little crappy piddly stuff, especially if it promotes inferiority.

I don't know if I made any progress in this area. I did get away from the organization that seemed

to be the universe's source of piddly inferiority, but small things, small ideas and small people still bother me.

5. Failure is my friend, Perfectionism is not.

I failed a LOT in 2009. I burned a lot of food, I had a lot of emails go out without attachments on the first try, I said the wrong thing at the wrong time. But at least I cooked, emailed, and spoke. And I was more okay with the failures, at least I attempted, right? I still struggle with perfectionism that stalls me, but I ventured out a LOT more and tried to let perfect not be the enemy of good.

6. Don't flake out: Keep the committments, or don't make the commitment.

I didn't cancel much this year. And I never stood anyone up. Not that I had a problem with that, but I didn't beg off as much as I have in past years. In fact, I kept a lunch date that was rather painful a week ago! It was worth it, I got a lot of closure out of meeting with that person.

7. Money will shake itself out. Forget it.

I did. And you know what? We're NOT better off than we were last year, but we're still in our house, we still eat well, we still have money in savings/investments and we still have money coming in. Maybe we can't take another vacation for awhile, and maybe we'll put off buying a quieter dishwasher this year, but we're happy and we got everything else we wanted this year, including a fancy snowblower.

8. Trust instincts with people, trust rules with things.

I did. I WAS RIGHT. And I feel vindicated.

9. Is Not your business.

10. Mantra: "We come into this world with nothing, and we leave with nothing. But while we're here we have to be stewards of something"

I'm really proud of my friends and I for embarking on. I'm proud of our partnerships and friendships, with both the big and small dogs in town. There's room for everyone, room for every project that helps keep pets in their homes, and our mission is clear: we will make the world a better place through kindness to animals.

How did I do? Well. I kept a lot of them. I worked on others. And I accomplished #10, which I feel is the most important! I give the year a good solid B+. I still haven't written my resolutions for 2010 yet. Let me know what some of your non-traditional resolutions are!

Look familiar??

http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/featured-local-news/2009/11/30/rescued-basset-hounds-moving-on-to-new-lives

Rescued Basset hounds moving on to new lives

Posted on Nov 30, 2009 Cedar Rapids Gazette ( I apologize if I'm not supposed to re-print this, I don't really know the rules about that)

On a perfect Saturday morning for a long walk, there were 18 Basset hounds in Iowa City that had never even been introduced to leashes, much less to walks.

The dogs, which had been rescued from puppy mills, cannot even coexist easily with humans.

“They are like babies,” said volunteer Tammara Baker of Pet Central Station. “They’ve never had the opportunity to be outside or walk on grass.”

Barbara Crandell, with Hounds Haven Bassett Rescue, said, “Some of them are scared to death to be touched.”

Crandell, Baker and other volunteers were carefully preparing the dogs, from just five months to 12 years old, for a trip to New York rescue shelter. There they will be taught to enjoy everyday life with people.

Just getting the dogs to trust a person long enough so they could be carried to the vehicle that will transport them was itself difficult for the volunteers.

Baker said Iowa and Missouri are “two of the top puppy mill states” in the nation, and that the rescued dogs were in a condition common to parents of puppies sold in many pet stores. Some were gaunt, and others were overfed.

A pair of rescued Shetland sheepdogs was a case in point.

“They came in loaded with fleas,” Baker said, “and they were yellow from years of sitting in urine.”

They will stay in Iowa for their rehabilitation.

Like the sheepdogs, many of the Basset hounds had spent their lives in a cage. The volunteers’ goal Saturday was to make the animals’ 1,000-mile trip to New York their last time being confined.

Baker said that even such unfortunate animals can be trained to become domestic pets. The underlying spirit of a dog — something as basic as feeling joy and expressing it with a wagging tail — can be recaptured.

“Even the dog that has been caged has the ability to come out of its shell,” Baker said.

A few minutes later, the final cage was closed, and the dogs headed east to their new lives.

– Chris Earl, KCRG-TV9

My Christmas Wish List 2009

This last Sunday of the last weekend in November is the beginning of the Christmas season. I've been listening to Christmas music, vacuuming and cleaning, and preparing to bake rhubarb crisp. I've been giving thought to what I'd like for Christmas, as we have most of what we need. People ARE going to buy us gifts, and I'd like them to be ones we can use.

A friend of mine, @jezebelcapture mentioned that she wanted to see people's Christmas lists. Hers includes: "#giftlist Stop by more. Have dinner parties (to which I'm invited). Tell me you love me.

Send more pictures. Invite L for slumber parties."

In this economy, and considering what most people's families are like, maybe spending time IS the more important thing this year. But, there's also the opinion that my friend @sculfy has: "I've tried not doing list, people buy stuff anyway. I'd rather they spend their money on something I might actually use".

I feel that there's a place for lists and a place for altruistic wishes. So, here's my mash-up of what I want for Christmas 2009.

1. Missouri to ban the use of the gas chamber for unwanted animals.
2. 100 More foster homes for Safe Haven.
3. Verizon MiFi 2200
4. A great Birthday Party in January with all my friends there
5. A fun BBQ with the new charcoal grill this summer.
6. A new deck. IBissel Pet Hair Eraser OR Dyson Ball I lean toward the Dyson--more expensive, yes, but no extra pieces to constantly replace. I hate HEPA filters and belts, which at $9 and $5 per purchase, add on $40-60 per year in costs. The Dyson doesn't have these things and comes with a 5-year warranty
7. A copier that scans photos and negatives.
8. A push mower
9. A rain catcher

Fight the Good Fight: Volunteer

The day before Thanksgiving, I helped Hounds Haven move two Bassets from Jewell to Iowa City. Jewell is about 20 minutes north of Ames, in SE Hamilton County. The great rescue/vet hospital there is South Hamilton Animal Alliance and Jewell Animal Hospital The vet there, is fighting the good fight, against 2 puppy millers in the same town.

The Basset drop to Mix'n'Match Rescue was uneventful, but I was so happy that I could incorporate doing good on behalf of animals into my usual drive. Sometimes I stop at Safe Haven to walk or tend to the dogs there. Someday, I will foster for them. Right now, I have still have Buford at home.

Please take a moment to read the blog of Lisa Hindle Deppe, DMV. She's fighting an uphill battle, with people who view animals as property to be casual with--not fixing their pets, shopping instead of adopting, and the general small-town poverty-malaise that happens when people don't want to upset their neighbors, so they don't do the right thing for suffering animals. Bottom line: Jewell needs volunteers. If you are headed North, consider stopping in and helping out with the animals there. Call ahead to check hours, but any amount of time you could donate helps. If you know anyone in Ames, Webster City, or otherwise, please let them know about Jewell, and encourage them to volunteer as well.

I OFFERED to help Joplin: W. T. F!?

Update 7:24 AM Thursday, November 18, 2009

I sent THIS to Joplin, and this was their response.

I'm not forwarding the email to her. I emailed the person who sent it to me and I'm DONE with it. Gossip or not, they DO have a gas chamber.

The Email that Broke My Heart:

If you can help, please contact Alma asap at: MidwestWheatenRescue@Yahoo.com (@Yahoo.com)

Joplin is a small town in South MO. They have a gassing shelter. Sheila was hired as a manager, and in just 2 months she has worked with rescues and made a huge difference in lowering the kill rate. Sadly, yesterday, Sheila was let go. The shelter gassed 30 animals the same day.

Seeing this happen is heartbreaking. These poor dogs think they’re being led out, hoping they are going for a walk. They perk up, get excited, their tails wag, they are glad. But instead of a walk, they are led into the gassing chamber. There they die a slow, agonizing death as they struggle for every breath. It is a terribly inhumane way for any creature to die.

Sandi, who lives in KC but has helped transport the Joplin dogs, had pulled a few of them out, she couldn’t stand to have them gassed. These dogs are very nice. Sandi was hoping to find rescue commitments, but with time running out, Sheila being fired, and the shelter ‘cleaning up’ which means actively gassing dogs, they can be taken in and gassed anytime. We don’t know exactly how long before they gas them, but they will unless a rescue angel steps up to save them. Please see their pictures and if you can help them, please, please, let me know asap. We don’t have much time.

1.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15054797&mtf=1

Dilan likes other dogs and is only 1 year old.

Dilan is up-to-date with routine shots and spayed/neutered. Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever [Mix]

2.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15014012&mtf=1

Gracie's owner brought her to a shelter because her landlord was going to kick her out but she said that she took Gracie in from an abusive situation when she was 5 months old. She had been drop kicked and slammed into the wall. She had a displaced hip from this that doesn't seem to bother her now. She is now 3 years old. She said that Gracie is the best dog she has ever had, she goes to the door when she wants to go outside to potty and she LOVES people. This is one sweet dog.

Gracie is up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed/neutered. Golden Retriever [Mix]

3.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15013641&mtf=1

Timber is a very calm and quiet boy that likes other dogs and people. Timber is up-to-date with routine shots and spayed/neutered. Golden Retriever, Husky [Mix]

4.

Another Golden Mix, Sandi says it is very young and so very sweet.

5. http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15013947&mtf=1

Starla is a young pretty girl that likes other dogs and is very affectionate and well behaved. Aren't you ready for a companion? Starla is!

Starla is up-to-date with routine shots and spayed/neutered.

We Don't Need a Stinkin' Dunkin!

Seriously people? Seriously!!!????

Des Moines has been BETRAYED !!

Someone NOT from Des Moines started an Actly initiative to bring a Dunkin' Donuts chain to Des Moines. And Des Moines Tweeps are voting it up!

Please help bring a @DunkinDonuts Location to Iowa! Show your support! http://act.ly/1 RT to sign #dunkiniowa (I intentionally broke this link, if you want to vote for it, you go do your own search to find out where.)

First of all: Shame on you! Y'all preach and preach about local DES MOINES business, then what do you do!? You support a National CHAIN. Looking at you who have signed this thing own or work at local businesses who would FREAK if national chains came in and were doing what you do...quite possibly better, cheaper?

Second of all: We already have all of coffee we need RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. Tweeps who I PERSONALLY HAVE SEEN ENJOYING FREE WIFI AT LOCAL SHOPS are tweeting that they want one! TRAITORS!

We NEED local shops like:

Being There Coffee, Village Bean, Frederich's Java Joe's, Mars Cafe, Zanzibar, Kup o Kryptonite, Ritual Cafe and Grounds for Celebration!

DID I MISS ANY? LET ME KNOW!

So, Des Moines Tweeps, the next time you mindlessly sign some twit-brained poll, why don't you think about how YOU will look STUPID the next time you flap your gums about "how great Des Moines is" and "how much you love living here" when the local shops go out of business. Lots of problems come with empty real estate and don't think that a national chain will weap ONE TEAR for closing its doors. Starbucks opened and walked away from several Des Moines Metro properties earlier this year and NOTHING has replaced them.

OTHER TALKING POINTS:

• Don't forget there's chains--LOCAL chains! Kum & Go, Hy-Vee, Dahl's, CASEYS are BASED here in town, employ LOTS of people in their stores and at the Corporate level. You can get donuts to plaster right on your ass there.

• There isn't even evidence that it would be good for DD to come here. They have analysts, they know what we want and don't want. There is only ONE Krispy Kreme in town, and it looks pretty desolate every time I look over while I'm getting my oil changed!

• The Dunkin Donuts I am acquainted with are in large cities. There's no place to sit down, the people working there look strung out on drugs and could care less. Somewhere on my laptop there's a picture of a homeless guy taking a leak on a Dunkin doorstep, and I'm too lazy to find it.

• We pour thousands and thousands of dollars into the local Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Having another sugar-factory in town is flying in the face of all of their efforts!

• Junior League of Des Moines (might I add that *I* was the one who advocated for this particular focus) has changed its focus from literacy to CHILDHOOD OBESITY. What does DD do for that community initiative?

• ADDED: My Twitter friend and Buying Local advocate @dlayphoto recommends: http://www.the350project.net/home.html

2 more dogs in need of Fosters or HOMES!

From: paws_4_fun@msn.com
Subject: Volunteer Assistance Needed for Dogs
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:59:21 -0600

Clarke County Animal Control is in urgent need of fosters and/or adopters for some long time residents in their facility, specifically Frenchie
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=14404273



Mr. Red
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=14394348

They are looking to partner with RVAS for adoption opportunities. The Animal Control Unit would like to try and bring more exposure to their organization to increase their adoptions, rather than surrendering them to other shelters for euthanasia.

Please spread the word, that they have some great dogs that are in urgent need of adoption and/or foster homes. Connections need to be made no later than Wednesday to save lives.

Clarke County is willing to have fosters to help them as well.

Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary & Rescue
Ph: 515.577-1745
Fax: 515.432-1970
www.raccoonvalley.com

900 Greyhounds Need Homes By 2010!

Joanne Kehoe
P: 312.559.0887
Dairyland Race Track Adoption Center direct at (262) 612-8256


Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack in Kenosha, Wisconsin will be closing on December 31, 2009.

900 Greyhounds will need to be adopted otherwise they will be euthanized, now is a great time to consider adopting a Greyhound. They are very loving and laid back. They don’t need the space people think they need. They are great for an active family because they have been crated almost all their lives and they sleep about 18 out of the 24 hours a day. They are just looking for someone to love them and supply them with a warm bed!

They test the dogs to see if they are cat friendly and or small dog friendly. They also know if a dog should be a single dog or if they would be great in a 2, 3, or 4 dog house!

Please help me get the word out; we only have 6 weeks to get this task done.

My Hawkeyes: Used

While watching this week's Gossip Girl, I noted that Prairie Meadows "Racetrack and Casino" is using a little snippit of a guy wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes t-shirt in their ad.

First: I hate gambling. It's a tax on STUPID people. Case in point: I used to have a neighbor who admitted to me that he has lost over $28,000 at Prairie Meadows over the years. Sure, he won some, too, but he's nearly 60 years old and has NO retirement savings. He has to work until he dies.

I just got back from Las Vegas where I can proudly claim that for 4 days, despite having to walk through casino to get anywhere, I didn't spend one penny on gambling. It's for idiots, the odds are against you, we're STILL in a recession and unemployment is STILL over 10% no matter what the news wants to report about 3rd Quarter gains. Now, if you like to play poker with friends, that's one thing, but gambling against a "house" is totally another. Second: I hate horse racing. Get the facts here. It's cruel, and something this website doesn't point out is that the successful racehorses are bred once retired. Over and over and over. Then, their young are taken from them and given to another mare to nurse. That other mare's milk has to come from somewhere--she had her own "inferior" foal that was either taken away and shot, or left to starve. All so that the racing baby could nurse. Cruel. AND I haven't even started on how the racing industry exploits illegal immigrants!

Second: I graduated from Iowa. I have a lot of fond memories from my time there. Just like any big school, sometimes you get rotten apples on the sports teams, like nutjob/rapist Pierre Pierce, but for the most part Iowa has teams full of hardworking, honest student athletes. I want to see my University get all the money it can, especially if it can wring it out of the hands of those who prey on the gambling oafs. So, I'll be calling the licensing office today and pointing this out to them. Hopefully they already know about Prairie Meadows' little Iowa tie-in and are getting money for the tiger-hawk cameo.

Iowa: you're welcome. Prairie Meadows: cram it with walnuts.

Heartbreaking.

Got this email earlier today....

Guys – can you send this to everyone……Poor boy is scared of everything, loud noises, grass, cameras :0( He is completely vetted other than neutering, which I will get him into Pella for that! He is going to need a foster home that has the time to work with him extensively. Karin said his tail does wag, but it is glued to between his legs. He is with Karin who has 7 puppies and he is terrified of them.. so a quiet place would be nice.

His story… he was purchased from a breeder we have been trying to shut down with little success. His owner has been mentally and physically unstable. We tried to get the dog a year ago with little success eventhough his doctor recommended that the dog be allowed to go to rescue. The owner was keeping the dog in the bathroom at that time. Now the owner is even more unstable and the doctor has signed over the dog to us. The dog has spent the last 3 months of his life in a closet. YES in a CLOSET. He is only 18 months old – he has seldom gone outside and is afraid to even eat but is VERY SWEET.

Can you help foster him?

Buford!

This is our latest foster dog, Buford. He is a sweetheart! He's polite and affectionate and just wants to lay across your lap, he's very easy to love.

He's a smaller dog in stature and right now he's very skinny, due to an esophagus problem that causes him to throw up if he isn't held upright for 5 minutes after eating. He can't eat hard food, but he loves rawhide chewies. He's very motivated by food, I'm hoping that feeding him small meals around the clock will stop him from feeling frantic about food. I have a recipe for food that I'm making for him. It's called "Satin Balls" and he LOVES it. Apparently, it helps dogs to put on weight quickly.

Buford was likely given up by his owner because of his health problems, and the poor baby bounced all over the state. According to paperwork that I have, he's traveled all the way from Iowa City to Waterloo to Waverly to Ames and here to our house in Urbandale. He can stay here until he finds his forever home! He gets along fabulously with Sophie and has had a few snarly moments with Copper, but Copper is a notorious jerk. He's housebroken and hasn't had any problems since he arrived. He's oddly afraid of crossing the threshold from the kitchen out onto the deck, not sure what that's about, but he can easily be bribed with food.

RECIPE for SATIN BALLS

10 lbs of cheap hamburger meat

1 large box Total(tm) cereal

1 large box uncooked oatmeal

15 oz jar of wheat germ

10 eggs

10 small pkgs knox unflavored geletin2

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cup unflavored molasses

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in large (or larger) bowl.

2. Place in freezer bags, appoximately 1 lb per bag.

3. Place in freezer, thaw as needed.

4. Feed raw.

Pinch off the amount you want to feed and roll into a ball. Place on top of regular food. This recipe is good for putting weight on a dog. Be careful though, it will put weight on the dog in a matter of a few days. A lot of weight in a matter of a few weeks! Total cereal because it contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary as a supplement. Knox gelatin not only holds the stuff together (molasses does a good job of that) but it is a protein builder.

Recipe from:

Sandi Wittenberg

Red Bay Bassets

Barcelona Market!

For our honeymoon, we went to Spain. It was visually amazing at times, especially in Barcelona. These pictures are from La Rambla, a touristy street with street performers, animals, flowers, art and touristy junk.

Identity Thieves and Life Thieves

Out of context with my usual posts about dogs and crap in my house, I have a few things to say about Identity Theft and a new opportunity for malevolence--Life As You Know It Thieves.

Everyone knows that they need to shred papers with personal information. Maybe that's not even enough--thieves have time on their hands and can tape things back together. Thieves are savvy, patient about aggregating files on potential scam-ees. Everyone knows to install a firewall and patches on their computers, to password protect sensitive items. A locking desk is a good place to store all of your bills, checkbooks, cash, etc. Stopping your mail when you're going out of town, even for a long weekend can be done over the internet. I do these things, and I can walk away when I have contractors at the house and feel totally confident that they'll not be tempted into trouble. The more physical and electronic elements I protect, the less likely an identity thief is to be able to piece enough of me together to apply for lines of credit, or buy things with my name. Because thieves are good at Excel, too.

But this post isn't about ID theft, what we're missing here is the opportunity for the theft of Life As You Know It by people you consider to be "friends" through Social Media.

It's super easy to get to know complete strangers via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, specifically. Each of these allows you to get to know the parts of people that they want you to see...and provides a portal for them to watch You, study You, learn-up on You...and perhaps get jealous of You? What if they decide that you have it pretty good, and wouldn't it be fun to watch you take a tumble?

As this article points out, you can set up fancy filters to block certain groups of people from each other, from your information... but why let them in AT ALL? Facebook fails all the time, what if your settings were lost and all of your info was open to anyone? What is the purpose of having a high follower count? To look connected? You can't possibly be sincerely connected to and invested in all of those people. I'd rather not have any connections, than people I barely know aware of my every job, every vacation, every move. And what is the point of all of that, anyway? To get attention? Seth Godin said in a recent blog about internet infamy, it's better to be trusted, to be purchased from, to be a teacher, etc, than to vie for attention from the masses. The masses are pretty dumb, and if you doubt this? Look at Twitter's Trending topics. #Itoldyouso.

When you link everyone you've ever met, from Elementary School teacher to college drinking buddies, you open yourself up to, as my friend Jon fears most, your "worlds colliding". For some people, that is okay. It's likely that your story checks out, that you're consistently the same person with everyone...and that you lead an extremely boring life.

BUT. What happens when people you know through Social Media get together, get drunk, start gossiping and decide to play pranks on people not there? Or what if someone alone and unhappy with their lot in life decides you'd make an easy target for some mischief? People can turn into mobs pretty quickly, and it's easy to be a bully when all you're looking at is a screen.

• What if they contact your husband because they saw you having lunch with a male client and decided it *must* be a scandalous affair? (this didn't happen to me, dummy, it's just an example)

• What happens when people you know decide to tell stories about stuff you did in college, and your Mom finds out what REALLY happened to her car that night of drunken folly? Awkward! (this didn't happen to me, dummy, it's just another example)

• Or, what if (and this is paraphrased to protect the guilty and the innocent) people get together, get drunk and decide that a less-than-flattering item from your past means you need your life ruined NOW...so they contact someone you work with via Facebook and long story short, YOU LOSE YOUR JOB. (This DID happen to a friend of mine, I recently found out about it, and it feels as awful as if it happened to ME.)

There is no recourse for any of this, as 1. Iowa is an at-will state (and a no-fault divorce state) and either party can leave for no particular reason at any time. 2. The information was public and could be accessed by anyone. 3. The person wronged in the last example isn't vindictive. In fact, she's one of the nicest people I know.

My Facebook got a thorough cleaning this past weekend and eliminated anyone who I had a shadow of doubt about being able to trust. I feel much safer now. And I've thought through what I would do, if something like this were to happen to me. I feel like it's High School. I don't know who I can trust, and who will try to cash me in as a chip to be "more popular" some night when they're drinking and being reckless with people's lives and livelihood. Seth Godin (who I don't usually read, but am going to start) wrote about it today: http://ow.ly/uV04 and he knocked it out of the park. I'm not as short-sighted as High School. I know who I can and cannot trust, and the people who have done it before won't have a chance to mess with me and my Life as I Know It.

Facebook Folly

Giving Facebook a serious look on how it does (and mostly does not) enrich my life. Recently, I have become aware of several instances where Social Media has caused major set-backs in people's lives. It has messed with relationships, it has cost people their jobs.

In my own life, sharing my opinions has already killed off three friendships--albeit, relationships that were questionable in the first place, due to their online nature--but I am not sure if I want to continue this pattern.

I don't know if Facebook really serves any purpose other than to give people my Rolodex, and a means for potentially meddling in my life. The more that I think and write about it, the more I realize that I need to tighten up what I share, make my life more private, work on the relationships that are reciprocally meaningful, and shed the extraneous.

I don't want to offend anyone, but I also can't leave my virtual door open to pernicious attacks. Weighing the options between mildly hurting some people's feelings versus the potential damage that giving open access to people I don't know that well… I think we all know where I would rather err.

I'm sorry, I'm cutting just about everyone who I don't feel I know well enough. It has to just be friends I've made (not friends of friends) friends from real life, people I've known more than 3 years, family, and people whose character I really think I know. I'm sorry I have to pass this judgement, but my life is just too valuable.

Puppy Love in Spain!

I saw these two dogs in Spain, waiting for their owner outside a Dia store--totally without leashes and without need for supervision. This would never happen in most of the US, let alone Des Moines, where people drive everywhere and dogs are treated like livestock...

Ruby

Ruby is my current foster dog. She is a 9 year old female Basset Hound. She's a sweetie, all she wants to do is go for rides, walks and take naps on soft spots in the sun. Tomorrow we're going on Macsworldlive with Michael Libbie! Very exciting!

Garden Sculptures

My mom and I visited an private iris garden in Cedar Rapids. I was particularly taken with this sculpture of the Noch Ness Monster. The owner mentioned that each piece weighs over 200 lbs!

New and Promising Project

Today I'm preparing to send out a mass email with the following, to let friends and family know what's been going on with me lately. It's a big deal, because it's a big project with lofty goals and I don't want to fail publicly. It's also going to be difficult because so many people say "oh, I thought you were doing XYZ" and XYZ is old news. It's a failed project or XYZ is something I'm not proud of, and don't want to be known for any longer.

People like to not pay attention, to pigeon-hole, to easily explain away what's going on with their relative, friend, aquaintance. People don't want to have to spend time thinking about others, which is sad. Easy answers which are neatly compartamentalized and don't need thought-tending.

I have had so many projects in the last few years that I don't expect everyone to keep up with what I'm doing. However, If you spend any time with me, I always ask "what have you been doing, lately" to everyone I talk to for more than 2 minutes. It helps me keep up with their side projects. I wish everyone would be that thoughtful.

In the last few months I have cleaned out all of my extra activities and extraneous absorptions of time. It's not that these activities weren't important in their own way, but I haven't felt fulfilled in my work or volunteer activities for a very long time. I took this summer to watch, rather than act, I haven't fought for anything that wasn't readily forthcoming, trusting that if I was open, the opportunity I am supposed to chase would present itself. It would be something I'd feel passionately about. It would come with people and personalities who wanted to see it succeed, circumstances that felt right and complimentary events and learning opportunities. It would MATTER.

And it is all happening!

A home for Lola Bassett!

Here is Lola with her new Mama, Elanni, and her new sister, Stella! We're going through the proper channels for adoption and Lola will hang out with us for a few more days while the papers are processed and home visits are made. It makes my heart feel light and tears come up behind my eyes to think: this dog would be dead. Without the work of the Hounds Haven Bassett Rescue , Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Animal Rescue League of Iowa working together, this poor baby on the left would not be here today. Please think about this and consider adopting rather than breeding, fostering instead of having a cold home, and whenever you open your wallet to pay for something, think of who is benefitting.

The Many Moods of Lola

The Many Moods of Lola...2

Her name was Lola, she was a Bassett....

With crazy spots in her fur and long ears way down to there.

I decided to help out a Bassett Hound in need of rescue from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.

So far, my first afternoon with Lola has been good. She and Sophie have adjusted to each other, Lola has had a bath, a bowl of food, a trip to PetSmart, and and now we're just hanging out and trying to get her to relax and adjust to doing nothing.

The first full-size tomato of the summer!

Served on focacia with grilled chicken breast, deck-grown butter lettuce and basil mayo!

Yum!

Like Doom, but with Stylish Cleaning Gloves, rather than a gun!

Much Mulch!

My Mom is crazy about mulch. She believes in piling it high and deep so it doesn't have to be replaced often. Here's some of the craziness that happened today in the back yard.

As my friend @susanlu says: Mulchalicious!

Clockwise, from top left: Just one Bush! The corner bed, the side bed and all of the mess underneath the deck, and the bed under the deck.

In total, we purchased 20 bags of mulch. We placed all 20 and I still need to purchase more! We discovered a great way to use the bags: as liner to prevent weeds. I will never have to weed some of these beds. Ever.

Front Bed Expansion 89% Complete!

Late yesterday Before:
Tonight, After:

I'm in love with it, but we'll see how drainage works. I hope it looks okay in the winter, when there are two fangs out front!

Wanted to share this pic from the farm. Incredible day!