C is for Cozy...and Cat.

Sometimes I think about what animal I'd like to be if I had to come back as an animal in my next life.
Everyone ponders this, right?  Right?!

Initially I was thinking I'd be a dog, because they seem to have so much fun and interact so well with humans.  But, then, I thought, cats really seem to have a more luxurious existence.  They come around when they feel like interacting, but otherwise they are aloof and they sleep a lot...and do whatever the hell they want.

It's a tough decision.

This is my mom's cat pictured above.  Kachi.  King Kachi.
I've mentioned him before (and how he's a Mexican Lucha Libre wrestler in disguise!)

He's totally pampered...but definitely let's us know if he can see the bottom of his food bowl.

What animal would you choose to be if you had to?

A dolphin to swim the oceans free?
A pampered cat?
An eagle to fly the sky?

Unassuming but Harmful

I rarely wear white, so I rarely wear these shoes.
They were a gently-used hand-me-down,
from the Shoe Fairy.


I wore them this week.
They hurt.
I have blisters.
Never again.

Faithful Place

Faithful Place is an Intriguing Irish Mystery.  

Read my Faithful Place review over at BlogHer Books!

Slow Love

Slow Love is a book written by a magazine editor, Dominique Browning, who loses her job suddenly and begins a "quest" of sorts to find happiness.
 

Does she find it?  I'm not so sure but she does spend a lot of time re-discovering and evaluating her life...and her relationships.
 

The main love interest in her life is not a very desirable character, which provided a lot of frustration for me, as a reader.

It's hard to see the main character that you're trying to connect with make bad decisions.  And, I had a hard time connecting with her, despite being a working, divorced mom myself.

Dominique's story made me ponder what I'd do with myself if I lost my job suddenly.
Unlike Dominique, I wouldn't be able to not work for any amount of time, so I'd be consumed by finding a means of income...but, let's say for a moment that I have the money to not work for a while.

I'd like to think I'd take the time to grow and do things that I've always wanted to do.
Some of these things coincide with what the author did:

Gardening - I've never spent much time gardening, but there's something so elementally appealing about it, that I must start one.
Piano - I played as a child but wish I'd kept up with it.
Writing - I love writing and have written on and off all my life. 
Cooking - I feel like I never have the time and energy to really explore cooking and I'd love to take some classes or buy a cookbook and attempt every recipe.
Canoeing - I canoed at camp and in the summer...but it's been years. 

What would you do if you suddenly lost your job?  

What have you always wanted to make time to do but haven't?

Google Me This

Every now and then I go to SiteMeter and see what terms people have searched for that have led them to my blog.  Two years ago, I wrote this post, Poor Misguided Fools, about the search terms that led people to my blog then. 

The most recent search terms that have led to the most visits are:



Bottle Tree - I still haven't built a bottle tree but I really want to!









Science - I think most of the visits are through Google Images for this one.









Hogwarts Castle - Yep, we visited The World of Harry Potter a year ago when it first opened.








Letter to End Friendship - This was a letter I wrote about my husband.







And then some just plain weird ones:

Alien Chicken
Uterus Cake
Barbie Elvis
League of Pessimissim
Red Grass
Sexy Hobbits
Alien Escape Plans

What are some of the strangest things you've Googled?
Do you have a blog and what search terms lead people to it?

The Power of a Pet

This is Miss Annie, our wonderful family pet.
We adopted her from DFW Lab Rescue four years ago.

She's sweet, well trained, loving and such an important part of our family.
Everyone needs a pet in their life, because the joy they create is exponential.

If you don't have a pet, here are 5 reasons why you should:

1. Good for your Health.  Seriously.  Apparently they can lower your blood pressure and help relieve your stress. Anyone who has ever spent some time petting an animal knows the feeling. They are sensitive to your moods too.  Miss Annie climbed in bed with me this morning because she knew I was feeling sad about my boys leaving town for a few days.

2. Teaches Responsibility. Animals take patience and a lot of work. If you have kids, this is a big plus, because they learn to feed the pet daily, clean up after them when they do their business in the yard and have to walk them or play with them. My kids take turns feeding Annie, and they have to pick up her poop in the backyard weekly. 

3. Protection. I heard it again and again that some of the best protection you can have for your home is a dog.  Plus, if you live alone, there is the added bonus of not being so lonely... Annie is such a people-pleaser though...she loves everyone, so she's not a huge protection...although she's big and might intimidate some.

4. Exercise.  Whether you walk your dog daily or play with it in the yard, you get exercise and the pet gets exercise.  It's a win-win situation!  Annie loves to play fetch with a tennis ball.  She also loves to swim. 

5. Clean Up.  Dropped a bowl of macaroni on the floor?  Dogs will clean that up for you.  Tired of leftovers?  Dogs will help you out there too.  Yes, I know, people food isn't something you should feed your pet regularly, but now and then won't hurt, right?  Annie took a chicken nugget out of the hand of a toddler the other day...I was horrified!  She's usually much more polite about sneaking food. 

Seriously.  Pets will improve your life...but don't buy impulsively!  Do your research!  Figure out which pet will work best in your life...and even which breed will fit your lifestyle.  But, adopting Annie was one of the best decisions I've ever made.  And my boys agree!!