Hot dang, life is exciting.

So, I have this new job, Miss got her CGC, I'm still doing the school thing, and then there's The Wedding.

We have the wedding party and a location picked out. I also have a dress. Before we move onto Phase II, we have to meet with the officiant, who is awesome. I hope he'll do it on a Sunday. It's not like we're having our wedding on Sunday to piss people off. It's kind of an important day for us. Even before we thought of this whole wedding thing.

I have to hand it to Andrew, though, it's got to be tough to be all vulnerable and awesome. Proposing is a big deal. Wedding stuff isn't making us crazy now, but I have a couple of date ideas stored away in the event that we get too caught up in the stuff and don't think about what really matters: that we love each other and we're making vows before our family and friends (who hopefully won't complain that it's on a Sunday - I don't know why I worry about this so much) and God and each other. It's kind of a Big Deal.

Indiana Jones is next week. If you're at the theatre, you'll probably see Andrew. He'll be the one with glazed-over eyes and joy like none has seen in 19 years. Seriously.


Wedding webpage

Disappointment

It wasn't anything serious. I only asked the vet to rule out anything physical. I was positive Miss had learned the art of being a drama queen from Kristy.

I didn't expect luxating patella. In those times when Miss limps briefly, her kneecap has moved out of place, causing her a bit of pain. It goes back into place on its own. If it gets much worse, surgery will need to happen. It's unilateral - usually it's bilateral. Maybe it wasn't congenital. Maybe it was the result of trauma to her knee.

Either way, I don't feel comfortable going anywhere beyond beginning agility with her. I know it's mild, but if something were to happen to her, I'd cry.

Granted, Miss's case isn't serious. It doesn't interfere with her daily life or her stunning ability to be the Best Dog Ever, but I'm disappointed. Part of me is disappointed that she's not perfect: she has a physical flaw now. She's not just "inferior" as far as breeding stock or AKC standards go because of her lack of breed, but now because she has a physical defect. But this isn't what's lingered. I'd love Miss if she didn't have a head.

What disappoints me is that I figured nothing could go wrong with her. I bought into the "mutts are healthier" and took it as a mini-guarantee that she wouldn't get diseases commonly associated with overbred puppy mill spawn. She was probably made the way nature intended: because some people didn't want their dogs to get fixed and an Aussie met a poorly bred Golden, and bam. Mississippi.

And then there was my expectation that it was her fault - it was a plea for attention, not a legitimate pain. My elbows have been hurting in sympathy, as if to tell me that yes, Miss did hurt and I discounted that pain.

She's picked up on my feelings of being hurt and feeling "weird" toward her and she doesn't want to come in my room. She's afraid I'm mad at her.

Sometimes I wish I didn't know, but that would only make it worse when I found out.

The other day I told Andrew that I wanted to make Miss a special digging pit when we get a big enough yard. He likes terriers, who love to dig, so I figured it'd be a good idea.

Now I'm also getting Miss a pool or something. Swimming is very good for luxating patella, and she happens to love it.

If I got a pond, I'd attract ducks, and then I might not be able to live with myself. Duck crap is definitely one of my least favorite substances on the face of the earth.

So there you have it: a whole lotta moping over a not-so-serious problem in my little dog's knee. It's only because I'm a crazy dog mom.

Happiness is a Tennis Ball

Today we went for a walk to the park and I took pictures of one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen: an overjoyed dog. The text with the pictures is my version of "Happiness is a Warm Gun," modified, of course, for my warm... dog.

Happiness is a tennis ball,



Happiness is a tennis ball, mama!

When I hold you in my paws



and I feel my teeth on your fuzz

I know nobody can do me no harm, because

Happiness is a tennis ball!



yeah...

Don't worry, I've "written" FAR better songs about Miss, but tennis balls are worse than crack for her. Seriously. Perhaps someday I will regale you with "Underneath Your Cone," but first I have to finish it. It's hilarious - to me.

Human life is going well. (You mean there's life that isn't related to the dog?) The new job is great, I'm trying on wedding dresses on Saturday and going to my cousin's wedding tomorrow. I really shouldn't be up this late, but I couldn't shake "Happiness is a Tennis Ball." It was begging to be transcribed.

On a semi-related note, the "Happiness is a Warm Gun" segment of Across the Universe is AMAZING.

Getting Better

No, I can't complain.

Well, I'm not all that great at this whole "blogging" thing. But, as of late, life has been totally amazingly... exciting.

And then Rick(y) blogged about me, so I feel like I should at least show my face.

(my face)

Okay, so I have more pictures of my dog than pretty much anything - ever - so in case you want to see...

(Missy's face)

As of 3/31/08, I am officially a grad student, classes and all. I'm taking two classes, both of which are taught by a woman who loves her Golden Retriever.

As of 4/14/08, I have had Mississippi for a whole year. We're almost done with intermediate obedience (and almost ready to take the CGC) and starting beginning agility. I also sort of suckered myself into saying I'd learn to do Canine Freestyle with Miss so that we could do the World's Greatest Routine - to "U Can't Touch This."

It would win so hard.

As of 4/25/08, I'm getting married. Seriously, this is a big deal to me. Andrew and I are looking to tie the knot on or around 1/25/09, which will be our third anniversary of our pretend Facebook marriage. In case you were unaware, I'm fantastically crazy about Andrew. And his face. And his pretentious film-school glasses, and his awesome eyebrows, and ... Andrew. So anyway...

(obligatory picture of the ring - and Missy's face)

Also, tomorrow (4/30/08), I begin a new job at the American Red Cross. I'll be doing the administrative assistant thing again.

I wasn't kidding when I said life is exciting. But, I think this is where I need to be going. I think all this change is for the better.

I admit it's getting better, it's getting better since you've been mine.

Abort, retry, fail?

When I think about it, I have plenty of blog-worthy (that isn't saying much, I know) adventures. A little over a year ago I shaved my head, so I have lived the life of a bald woman in a conservative state. I have a liberal arts degree and spent some time working as an Office Bitch. My current job offers plenty of contact with all kinds of different people.

But the thing that gets me back here to write is my dog. I got a dog two weeks ago, and sometimes I get the feeling that I'm her sidekick. She drags me around, up and down hills in the park, making me feel three times older than I am, and then looks at me quizzically when I can't keep up. She explores creeks the way I like to. When I watched her for a little while last Friday, I felt like I was watching a reversal of a common daydream I used to have - a dog with an imaginary little girl running alongside. So, of course, I chased her - the dog - because I want to be what I always wanted to be. That's not too much to ask.

nothing is real

The more I think about things, the more I realize I like the way John Lennon thinks. It was quite the rude awakening when I saw the preview for The US vs. John Lennon and I realized that I think I'd go with John on this one.

It's interesting - the moment I walked into the music store that day I decided to play guitar, and the song I wanted to learn how to play first - at my first lesson - got me hooked on the Beatles. Sometimes I wonder if I'm crazy - they are but men - but the words...

So today was another Beatles day. I have them occasionally, when I need a good day or when I need to recapture that feeling of the day I was playing "Across the Universe" in perfect synchronization with my guitar teacher and I believed it when I sang "nothin's gonna change my world," even though I knew it was wrong, I believed it.

And I have since then - when my mom had cancer, when I graduated from high school and then from college... through all the emotional trauma that happens in adolescence, somewhere deep in my mind was something untouchable: a sanctuary I could go to. I just forgot the way sometimes.

nano -2

This can't be good. I'm already sitting here looking at the blank screen with nothing to write.

This year I promise to try to have a plot - that makes sense. Maybe I won't have totally insane characters... maybe.

I promise to write 50,000 words of marginally better quality than last year.

See you in 2 days...