It really hasn't been much of a halloween-y day for me. I did put a cute shirt on Irie that said, "Will do tricks for treats", but that only lasted about an hour before she started chewing on it. Otherwise, our halloween party at work took place yesterday and my evening activities have consisted of going to the bar for our typical tuesday night $1 burgers and beers and now I'm sitting on my couch watching Boston Legal with a friend. Well, ok, he's watching Boston Legal and I'm blogging. But, it wasn't a total waste of a holiday - I did get a little pumpkin carving in on Sunday and I did get to enjoy some cute halloween costumes on the kiddies as I went from place to place this evening.
In other news. I made it through my latest trip - this time to Portland. It actually turned out to be a good trip. Both of my presentations went really well, for the first time people seemed to really know my organization, and the best part - I got to reconnect with one of my highschool friends! My buddy, Sarah, who I haven't seen in eight + years currently lives in Portland and as luck would have it she emailed me a month or so and I just happened to have a trip planned out there. We got to spend a great night catching up on each other's lives and taking in some of Portland's great finds. I have to say "Le Happy" for crepes was definitely among my favorite. I mean, "Le Happy", c'mon!
Irie did just fine on my extended time away. I ended up boarding her instead of leaving her with a friend as originally planned. I think it was for the best. She's quite a bit to take and I really feel more comfortable leaving her with people that are paid to keep her! I think boarding has been good for her. She used to be much more timid at the dog parks, but now, ever since I've had her in doggy-daycare here and there, she's been much more social.
In other Irie news... training is going really well. She has gotten "sit" and "down" pretty well figured out - though I will admit she does lay down if I don't praise her quick enough for sit. I can not get her to stay yet, but we're working on it. I'm hopeful! I also got her a new harness at obedience class last night. The new harness is pretty awesome. It's a "SENSE-ible" harness that latches in the front - right in the middle of her chest. Apparently it works by offering gentle cues to the dog as to which way I want her to go. It's working beautifully! She's really not pulling on her leash at all and when she rarely does, I just stop and she instantly stops and sits. Pretty cool! And I like that it's not a choke-collar.
Currently, Irie and Maverick are in a rowdy game of King of the Hill. In this game they both start on the top of the bed and they fight it out until one of them gets knocked off the bed onto the floor. The game then continues as they fight to keep control of the top of the bed and keep the other off. Good fun!
I should probably go break it up though before it gets too intense. I know the vet said to let Irie chase Mav to get some pounds off of him, but this just seems a little too much. :-)
Hope everyone's having/had a great halloween!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Chillin' at kickball playoffs
Fancy meeting you here.
Time for a nap.
Yeah, right there. Keep it coming.
Irie and me enjoying a beautiful day in the city.
Clicker training is fun!
Irie does not have a urinary tract infection. She does however have some "crystals" developing which typically means the urine is too acidic and she's probably not drinking enough water. I'm not entirely sure how to fix this problem since she's in her crate all day. I'm a little reluctant to leave a bowl of water in her crate with her because a) she'll probably knock it over and have to lay in water all day and b) if she drinks it she'll really have to pee. I got a water-bottle and attached it to her crate, but I'm not sure she's drinking out of it. It leaks a little so I'm not sure if the water level is going down from it dripping or her drinking it. Still trying to figure that out. But the good news is we haven't had any more accidents in the house in the last week.
In other news, we started dog obedience class last night. Well, rather, I started dog obedience class last night. The first night was for owners only. I have to say it was really a lot of fun! What was the most fun? They had us do an exercise where we were partnered up with another person and we had to get the person to do an assigned task using only the "clicker" to communicate with them. So, when they went the right direction, we clicked at them. If they went the wrong way, we didn't click. It was pretty funny and amazingly effective. I think I might have to use this in some of my trainings!
The teachers also informed us that the best way to make a dog pull on their leash is to put them in a harness and use a retractable leash. I had to laugh because that is, of course, what I've been using. And I, of course, do not want Irie to pull on her leash. So, apparently I will need to invest in a different collar and I picked up a different leash last night. She's small so it's not that hard to control her on the street, but it would be nice to not have her pulling all the time - especially when we're walking around in the city. Too many people and too many random hazards on the streets.
After I got home I worked with Irie a little and she's at work with me today, so I've been doing some practicing with her here and there. She seems to be picking up on the idea of "clicking". I think right now she mostly thinks that the treats make a clicking noise when they come out of my hand, but I'm sure she'll get it eventually. :-) I'm really excited about the class though and I'm glad I picked this one instead of going with the PetsMart variety. These trainers really seem to know what they're doing and they're very willing to help, even outside of class time.
AND they do agility training as well, so if Irie does well in this class I may get her started in agility. I really think she'd enjoy it. I flipped on Animal Planet last weekend for a minute and the dog agility championships were on. Irie was enthralled. I've never seen her even give the TV a second look before - but she definitely liked watching that! It was pretty funny.
In other news - I'm starting my crazy travel schedule up again. This weekend is our Illinois conference out at O'Hare. Next Wednesday I leave for a conference in Portland for the rest of the week. Then I'm back in town for a little over a week and then I leave for Orlando for 5 days. And then, I get to go to Baltimore for a few days. (But that one I'm actually excited about doing!) Yay!
It's a lot of traveling though. And leaving Irie makes me kind of nervous. Nervous for her safety a little and also the sanity of the friends I'm leaving her with. Not everyone is meant to have a dog and while they really want to watch her, I'm just not sure they're going to enjoy it very much. I'm sure it will all be fine though. (At least I'm hoping!)
I also met a new boy this week. It's way too early to tell if anything will work out at all, but so far he seems really nice and we seem to have a lot in common. It's nice to like someone new, even if it does end up being short-lived. If anything good happens, I'll be sure to let you all know. :-)
Alright - lunch is about over so I must run to the next set of meetings.
In other news, we started dog obedience class last night. Well, rather, I started dog obedience class last night. The first night was for owners only. I have to say it was really a lot of fun! What was the most fun? They had us do an exercise where we were partnered up with another person and we had to get the person to do an assigned task using only the "clicker" to communicate with them. So, when they went the right direction, we clicked at them. If they went the wrong way, we didn't click. It was pretty funny and amazingly effective. I think I might have to use this in some of my trainings!
The teachers also informed us that the best way to make a dog pull on their leash is to put them in a harness and use a retractable leash. I had to laugh because that is, of course, what I've been using. And I, of course, do not want Irie to pull on her leash. So, apparently I will need to invest in a different collar and I picked up a different leash last night. She's small so it's not that hard to control her on the street, but it would be nice to not have her pulling all the time - especially when we're walking around in the city. Too many people and too many random hazards on the streets.
After I got home I worked with Irie a little and she's at work with me today, so I've been doing some practicing with her here and there. She seems to be picking up on the idea of "clicking". I think right now she mostly thinks that the treats make a clicking noise when they come out of my hand, but I'm sure she'll get it eventually. :-) I'm really excited about the class though and I'm glad I picked this one instead of going with the PetsMart variety. These trainers really seem to know what they're doing and they're very willing to help, even outside of class time.
AND they do agility training as well, so if Irie does well in this class I may get her started in agility. I really think she'd enjoy it. I flipped on Animal Planet last weekend for a minute and the dog agility championships were on. Irie was enthralled. I've never seen her even give the TV a second look before - but she definitely liked watching that! It was pretty funny.
In other news - I'm starting my crazy travel schedule up again. This weekend is our Illinois conference out at O'Hare. Next Wednesday I leave for a conference in Portland for the rest of the week. Then I'm back in town for a little over a week and then I leave for Orlando for 5 days. And then, I get to go to Baltimore for a few days. (But that one I'm actually excited about doing!) Yay!
It's a lot of traveling though. And leaving Irie makes me kind of nervous. Nervous for her safety a little and also the sanity of the friends I'm leaving her with. Not everyone is meant to have a dog and while they really want to watch her, I'm just not sure they're going to enjoy it very much. I'm sure it will all be fine though. (At least I'm hoping!)
I also met a new boy this week. It's way too early to tell if anything will work out at all, but so far he seems really nice and we seem to have a lot in common. It's nice to like someone new, even if it does end up being short-lived. If anything good happens, I'll be sure to let you all know. :-)
Alright - lunch is about over so I must run to the next set of meetings.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
My neighborhood is crazy for halloween!
On my evening walk with Irie tonight I decided to snap a few quick pictures of the craziness that my neighborhood turns into this time of year. They definitely take it to extremes! Enjoy!
How much can one dog pee?
I'm starting to think I'm either a bad pet owner or I'm just plain neurotic. I think Irie may be sick AGAIN. I'm not sure if the latest thing is just her being a dog or if it's an indication of a bladder infection, but lately when we go outside she pees once and then every couple of feet she tries to pee over and over again. Mostly to no avail.
At first I thought this was maybe just a "marking" activitity. I know Terra does the squat and pee quite often, but Irie wasn't doing this before this week so it seems a little odd. So, off to the vet we go again tomorrow morning to see what we can find out. I was going to try to wait it out and see if it resolved itself after a few more days, but last night she peed on my bed twice, which she's never done before. This could be unrelated all together, but I know it's also a possible sign.
So, tonight is all about washing the sheets and keeping her out of my room as much as possible.
In other news, we spend a few hours at the local dog park last night. Irie was mostly entertained but not so sure of all the big dogs running around - especially when they were chasing her. Whenever I would sit down, she'd jump up into my lap. Eventually most of the big dogs left though and then she played a little more with the smaller dogs. It was only the second time I've taken her, so I'm hoping she'll get more adjusted and play more while we're there. Either that or I'm going to have to find a small-dog park to take her to.
I'm off to the Florida keys this weekend for a little vacation time with Allyson. Probably not the best timed trip with all the other traveling that's coming up for me, but it was really the only time I could get down there before it gets too cold to really spend time in the water. Right now it's looking like it will likely be kind of rainy, but really I'm just looking forward to getting away for a few days, even if it doesn't turn out exactly as planned. (Though I really do hope we get to go snorkeling!)
I also think my karma may be a little out of whack these days. Maybe I've been watching My Name is Earl too much, but I'm starting to think that my avoidance of telling people I'm not into them and being more up front is resulting in bad relationship karma for me. Just feel like I'm getting a bit of a cold shoulder from certain people. I'm trying to ignore it mostly and just go with the flow. Not my strongest area unfortunately. But I have found that if I let it go for an hour or two I'm less upset by it.
Anyway, that's my life in a nutshell right now. I've been in a training for work the past two days and I'm SO ready to be done with it. Usually I'm all about learning new things, but this particular class has been about as boring as it gets. It's a pre-req for other classes that I could use more info in, but it's really not teaching me anything I need to know.
Oh well, back to the real job tomorrow. :-)
At first I thought this was maybe just a "marking" activitity. I know Terra does the squat and pee quite often, but Irie wasn't doing this before this week so it seems a little odd. So, off to the vet we go again tomorrow morning to see what we can find out. I was going to try to wait it out and see if it resolved itself after a few more days, but last night she peed on my bed twice, which she's never done before. This could be unrelated all together, but I know it's also a possible sign.
So, tonight is all about washing the sheets and keeping her out of my room as much as possible.
In other news, we spend a few hours at the local dog park last night. Irie was mostly entertained but not so sure of all the big dogs running around - especially when they were chasing her. Whenever I would sit down, she'd jump up into my lap. Eventually most of the big dogs left though and then she played a little more with the smaller dogs. It was only the second time I've taken her, so I'm hoping she'll get more adjusted and play more while we're there. Either that or I'm going to have to find a small-dog park to take her to.
I'm off to the Florida keys this weekend for a little vacation time with Allyson. Probably not the best timed trip with all the other traveling that's coming up for me, but it was really the only time I could get down there before it gets too cold to really spend time in the water. Right now it's looking like it will likely be kind of rainy, but really I'm just looking forward to getting away for a few days, even if it doesn't turn out exactly as planned. (Though I really do hope we get to go snorkeling!)
I also think my karma may be a little out of whack these days. Maybe I've been watching My Name is Earl too much, but I'm starting to think that my avoidance of telling people I'm not into them and being more up front is resulting in bad relationship karma for me. Just feel like I'm getting a bit of a cold shoulder from certain people. I'm trying to ignore it mostly and just go with the flow. Not my strongest area unfortunately. But I have found that if I let it go for an hour or two I'm less upset by it.
Anyway, that's my life in a nutshell right now. I've been in a training for work the past two days and I'm SO ready to be done with it. Usually I'm all about learning new things, but this particular class has been about as boring as it gets. It's a pre-req for other classes that I could use more info in, but it's really not teaching me anything I need to know.
Oh well, back to the real job tomorrow. :-)
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
If anyone out there wants to have a baby...
...then I highly recommend getting a puppy first.
I feel like I've said that about twenty times in the last week. And, yes, I do realize that having a baby is a way bigger deal and dogs just don't compare really. But, if you're looking for just a taste - get a dog.
Carl says he thinks having a baby is in some ways easier. Basically because you're allowed to bring babies with you places. Of course, you're allowed to put a dog in a crate for several hours - I don't think that would be looked on so favorably with a baby. :-)
This week has been a bit trying. As I mentioned, Irie stayed with one of my friends this weekend while I was busy with wedding stuff. Apparently she did ok for the most part. When I got her home on Sunday though she was acting a little more tired than usual, but I attributed it to running around with the other puppy all weekend. However, Sunday night we were up and down all night because she had diarrhea.
Monday morning she seemed better so I left her in the crate. As luck would have it, I wasn't able to get home during lunch due to way too many meetings at work. I got home shortly after 5pm and let Irie out of her crate to take her outside. She was wildly jumping around and being her normal crazy self, so I didn't really notice anything wrong until we got outside. Then I started to look at her face a little more closely and noticed it was strangely bumpy and her eyes were really red. In addition her skin was pretty red and she kept pawing at her face. I called the vet and was told that it sounded like she was having an allergic reaction to something and that I should bring her in. So within twenty minutes we were at the vet's office getting a hefty shot of benedryl. And now I'm giving her half pills of benedryl every 8 hours for a few days. She does seem better and the swelling has all gone away, but I have no idea what she had a reaction to so it makes me a little nervous - I don't have any idea of what to keep her away from.
Hoping that the worst was behind us, we went to bed Monday night exhausted from all the antics. A few hours later I was woken up to my poor little doggy throwing up next to the bed. I got up, cleaned it up, took Irie outside and then collapsed back into bed. No more had I fallen asleep again then Irie threw up again. This time not making it off the bed before she did. Again, with my instinctual movements, I lifted her off the bed to put her on the floor. And low and behold - she projectile vomited all over the side of my bed, floor and dresser. It was awesome!
So, off I went to clean up again. This time, I just did the best I could, cleaned the floor and stripped the bed. Irie and I retired to the couch for the rest of the evening. Thankfully with no more puking.
I worked from home on Tuesday so that I could keep an eye on her. She still is having some diarrhea issues, but otherwise seems to be feeling much better. We'll see how she does once she comes off the benedryl Friday.
Anyway, that's been my exciting week. (And for those of you who are worried about my social life - I did put Irie in the crate for a few hours last night while I went out for dinner.)
The first round of our kickball tournament starts tonight. Wish us luck! I can hardly believe that kickball will be over after this weekend. Seems like I've been playing forever!
I feel like I've said that about twenty times in the last week. And, yes, I do realize that having a baby is a way bigger deal and dogs just don't compare really. But, if you're looking for just a taste - get a dog.
Carl says he thinks having a baby is in some ways easier. Basically because you're allowed to bring babies with you places. Of course, you're allowed to put a dog in a crate for several hours - I don't think that would be looked on so favorably with a baby. :-)
This week has been a bit trying. As I mentioned, Irie stayed with one of my friends this weekend while I was busy with wedding stuff. Apparently she did ok for the most part. When I got her home on Sunday though she was acting a little more tired than usual, but I attributed it to running around with the other puppy all weekend. However, Sunday night we were up and down all night because she had diarrhea.
Monday morning she seemed better so I left her in the crate. As luck would have it, I wasn't able to get home during lunch due to way too many meetings at work. I got home shortly after 5pm and let Irie out of her crate to take her outside. She was wildly jumping around and being her normal crazy self, so I didn't really notice anything wrong until we got outside. Then I started to look at her face a little more closely and noticed it was strangely bumpy and her eyes were really red. In addition her skin was pretty red and she kept pawing at her face. I called the vet and was told that it sounded like she was having an allergic reaction to something and that I should bring her in. So within twenty minutes we were at the vet's office getting a hefty shot of benedryl. And now I'm giving her half pills of benedryl every 8 hours for a few days. She does seem better and the swelling has all gone away, but I have no idea what she had a reaction to so it makes me a little nervous - I don't have any idea of what to keep her away from.
Hoping that the worst was behind us, we went to bed Monday night exhausted from all the antics. A few hours later I was woken up to my poor little doggy throwing up next to the bed. I got up, cleaned it up, took Irie outside and then collapsed back into bed. No more had I fallen asleep again then Irie threw up again. This time not making it off the bed before she did. Again, with my instinctual movements, I lifted her off the bed to put her on the floor. And low and behold - she projectile vomited all over the side of my bed, floor and dresser. It was awesome!
So, off I went to clean up again. This time, I just did the best I could, cleaned the floor and stripped the bed. Irie and I retired to the couch for the rest of the evening. Thankfully with no more puking.
I worked from home on Tuesday so that I could keep an eye on her. She still is having some diarrhea issues, but otherwise seems to be feeling much better. We'll see how she does once she comes off the benedryl Friday.
Anyway, that's been my exciting week. (And for those of you who are worried about my social life - I did put Irie in the crate for a few hours last night while I went out for dinner.)
The first round of our kickball tournament starts tonight. Wish us luck! I can hardly believe that kickball will be over after this weekend. Seems like I've been playing forever!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Latest and Greatest
Favorites:
The amazing cat-dog.
This is one of Irie's mutilated chew toys. Notice the top and bottom nubs. They used to be as long as the left and right ones. Crazy. But better the toy then the furniture, right?
Irie and her coveted chew toy in her favorite place on the couch.
Two of my favorite animals in two of their favorite places. Maverick's a little less sure of the idea of sharing the back of the couch. But, so far, he's been pretty tolerant.
I think she's sticking her tongue out at me in this one.
- Our 6:30am walks. (Granted, I may not enjoy this as much when it's sub-zero temperatures outside, but for now, I love it.)
- How excited Irie is to see me when I get home from work and let her out of her crate. She just can't contain herself - and if she feels any resentment towards me for putting her in the crate in the first place, she doesn't show it.
- Playing fetch.
- Having her curled up beside me at night.
- Irie can jump from the floor to the back of my couch. I think she may think she's a cat.
- Irie can chew through supposedly indestructible toys. (see photo below.)
- Irie can down a rawhide in exactly 1 minute.
The amazing cat-dog.
This is one of Irie's mutilated chew toys. Notice the top and bottom nubs. They used to be as long as the left and right ones. Crazy. But better the toy then the furniture, right?
Irie and her coveted chew toy in her favorite place on the couch.
Two of my favorite animals in two of their favorite places. Maverick's a little less sure of the idea of sharing the back of the couch. But, so far, he's been pretty tolerant.
I think she's sticking her tongue out at me in this one.On an unrelated to Irie note, my mood has not been great this past week or so. While fall is hands-down my favorite season, the shortening of days and desire to be curled up inside takes a toll on my outlook on life. This is the time of year where I miss having roommates. People that are always around and kind of built into your life whether you want to be social or not. By the winter I've usually adjusted to it and am happier to be on my own and doing my own thing, but this transitional time is harder. I'm working on building some social stuff in, like having people over on Thursday nights to watch Grey's Anatomy and that makes me feel better. Gives me the best of all worlds - I get to be at home, Irie doesn't have to be in her crate, and I get to be social. :-)
So I just try to keep telling myself that this too will pass. In the meantime, it's a lot of self-talk, leaning on friends and family and trying to find a good balance.
So I just try to keep telling myself that this too will pass. In the meantime, it's a lot of self-talk, leaning on friends and family and trying to find a good balance.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Irie update
Irie's favorite place - on my lap.
Come on now, isn't she adorable?
Check out these ears!Today is Friday and marks the end of my first work week with Irie. All in all, it's really been very good. And it calmed down significantly after Monday's antics.
Wednesday, I took Irie to the vet first thing in the morning and found out she has a couple of minor problems, though all are very fixable. She has a slight infection where she has stitches, a touch of kennel cough and a slight skin infection. So, she's on some nice antibiotics, but is otherwise nice and healthy. She goes back in a few weeks for her final shots and a general check-up on the other items.
Since I had the vet appt that morning and kickball that night, I decided to take Irie to work with me. I was a little apprehensive and came prepared with Resolve carpet cleaner, a baby gate and lots of other paraphernalia . But, she was a perfect angel all day. No accidents, no barking. She pretty much curled up at my feet and slept all day except when my co-workers stopped by to play with her. I'm so lucky to work at an office that's happy to have puppies in!
She loved all the attention she got at kickball that night and all the other dog-friends that were around. (We regularly have several dogs at our games.) It also became pretty clear she's already very attached to me and is not a huge fan of being separated. I think that will ease over time though. (I hope!)
Then last night I had people over to watch the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy. Irie got lots of loving and, well, so did everyone else. Again she behaved very well. So far she's been a little bit of a territorial barker, but not bad at all. Hopefully all the coming and going I do and living in a noisy apartment building will keep her from being overly-sensitive to outside noises or people coming in and out. Only time will tell.
Maverick and Irie are adjusting pretty well. Maverick will still occasionally hiss and Irie will still occasionally yip at him. But all in all, they seem to be getting along better. And Maverick's back to eating and laying on the back of the couch without as much concern about where the puppy is.
So far the only problem I'm having with Irie is when I get home from work in the evening and let Irie out of her crate to take her outside, she pees a little. It's not an all-out pee, but more of a little excited piddle. My vet says that will probably stop overtime - when she's more used to the schedule and used to me and therefore less excited to see me. We'll see. She's been very good at not going during the night and hasn't had anymore accidents when she's out and about. I haven't figured out her "tell" yet though. Right now I'm just taking her out every couple of hours. Maybe I'll test it out a little more this weekend.
We've been working on the "sit" command this week and she's gotten pretty good at it. I think she recognizes the hand signal more than the word, but that's how it starts I think.
Meanwhile, I'm working on not feeling guilty for leaving her and trying to remind myself I still need to balance going out with staying in. I appreciate the words of support I've gotten from friends this weekend. I'll need to keep hearing them and being reminded that I'm not a bad owner just because I go out once in awhile and crate her during the day. It's not easy, but I'm working on it!
Anyway, that's the Irie update. :-)
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Day #1
Well, yesterday was interesting to say the least.
Irie (yes, that's what I decided to name her) did a great job sleeping in her crate Sunday night and was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning (well, she has a cropped tail so she wasn't really bushy-tailed, but you get my drift.)
We started the day with a long walk, during which Irie had no interest in using the bathroom. I then took a shower which Irie decided to join me in which resulted in me pushing her nose out of the curtain every 30 seconds to make sure she didn't actually jump all the way in. (I'm under strict orders not to get her stitches wet.) After I was ready for work, we went for another walk - still no pottying.
I put her in her crate with a few toys and her kong (quickly her favorite toy and about the only way to get her in the crate right now) and left for work. She didn't cry and we were off to a great start.
I came home at lunch and took her out for a walk - still no pottying. I got her to eat some food (her first since the surgery) and we played a little. Another quick walk (and you guessed it, no pottying) and I put her back in her crate. Now the crying began.
Silently apologizing to my neighbors, I went back to work. After work, we set off on a long walk. I was determined to keep her out until she finally used the bathroom. We walked and walked. An hour and a half later, she still had not gone. I finally decided she just must not have had enough to eat or drink to need to go. So finally I gave up and we went inside to have dinner. About 10 minutes later what did she do? Squatted on the kitchen floor and peed. Unbelievable!
I scolded her and took her outside, but of course she didn't need to pee anymore.
Then we took a very eventful car ride over to PetsMart to pick up a new collar for her (the one I had gotten was too small). Irie had absolutely no interest in staying in the carrier (Maverick's carrier) and actually managed to put a hole in one of the sides. I'll have to fix that before I use it to transport Maverick again. Needless to say she was a bit of a pest all the way there, but finally settled down a little.
She was a perfect angel at the store and we got what we needed and headed back home. Once there I settled in to make some phone calls and Irie fell asleep on my lap. I was hopeful that the excitement for the evening was over. But no sooner had I hung up the phone than Maverick started doing her pre-throwup coughing. Instinctually I put my hand up and BLAAHK, I had a handful of Maverick puke. Awesome! He continued to hack up more. Of course all over the back of the new couch. I just had to laugh.
I got that cleaned up, took Irie out again and decided to call it a night. Maverick and I retired to my bed, Irie went back in her crate. Approximately 5 seconds later, Irie began to cry. I knew I needed to stick it out, so I laid in bed very patiently for 2o minutes while she cried, clawed, howled, etc. Finally I decided it wasn't worth it. I'd rather clean up the mess in the morning than listen to her cry all night and fear annoying the neighbors too much.
She happily joined me in bed and slept there all night. I, of course, didn't sleep very well because I was worried she would get out of bed and do something bad during the night. But she didn't and hopefully that will remain consistent. I really don't mind having her in bed with me, I just need to be able to trust her.
Anyway, this morning I took her out first thing and low-and-behold, she went potty! You would have thought it was the most amazing thing in the world. Treats, praise, petting, wagging tails. It was all very exciting. :-)
I doubt this will be the end of the potty-training issues, but at least I feel like we're on the right track. So far she hasn't gone in her crate and she made it through last night, so those are at least two good signs.
She was crying in her crate this morning when I left, but hopefully it won't last too long and at least it's daytime so I don't feel so bad for the neighbors. (And anyway - they're the ones that stink up my apartment like cigarette smoke all the time!)
I've got a little of that guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach which I'm not a fan of though. I hate having to crate her and know that she's stuck in a cage for several hours at a time. And I hate that I'm probably annoying my neighbors. And I'm hoping that I made a good decision.
When I think about it all rationally, I think I did. I know Irie is safest in her crate and that she'll get used to it over time. In reality my neighbors probably don't care that much and if they do, well, like I said, I've been annoyed by them plenty of times. And Irie was at the city pound before I got her. But it still sucks to have that pit of uncertainty.
As usual I'm just too much of a care-taker for my own good. But hopefully this will be good desensitization training for me. Maybe I can get over my irrational fear of annoying people or letting my own feelings get mixed up with what I assume other people/animals are feeling.
Empathetic to a fault. :-)
Irie (yes, that's what I decided to name her) did a great job sleeping in her crate Sunday night and was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning (well, she has a cropped tail so she wasn't really bushy-tailed, but you get my drift.)
We started the day with a long walk, during which Irie had no interest in using the bathroom. I then took a shower which Irie decided to join me in which resulted in me pushing her nose out of the curtain every 30 seconds to make sure she didn't actually jump all the way in. (I'm under strict orders not to get her stitches wet.) After I was ready for work, we went for another walk - still no pottying.
I put her in her crate with a few toys and her kong (quickly her favorite toy and about the only way to get her in the crate right now) and left for work. She didn't cry and we were off to a great start.
I came home at lunch and took her out for a walk - still no pottying. I got her to eat some food (her first since the surgery) and we played a little. Another quick walk (and you guessed it, no pottying) and I put her back in her crate. Now the crying began.
Silently apologizing to my neighbors, I went back to work. After work, we set off on a long walk. I was determined to keep her out until she finally used the bathroom. We walked and walked. An hour and a half later, she still had not gone. I finally decided she just must not have had enough to eat or drink to need to go. So finally I gave up and we went inside to have dinner. About 10 minutes later what did she do? Squatted on the kitchen floor and peed. Unbelievable!
I scolded her and took her outside, but of course she didn't need to pee anymore.
Then we took a very eventful car ride over to PetsMart to pick up a new collar for her (the one I had gotten was too small). Irie had absolutely no interest in staying in the carrier (Maverick's carrier) and actually managed to put a hole in one of the sides. I'll have to fix that before I use it to transport Maverick again. Needless to say she was a bit of a pest all the way there, but finally settled down a little.
She was a perfect angel at the store and we got what we needed and headed back home. Once there I settled in to make some phone calls and Irie fell asleep on my lap. I was hopeful that the excitement for the evening was over. But no sooner had I hung up the phone than Maverick started doing her pre-throwup coughing. Instinctually I put my hand up and BLAAHK, I had a handful of Maverick puke. Awesome! He continued to hack up more. Of course all over the back of the new couch. I just had to laugh.
I got that cleaned up, took Irie out again and decided to call it a night. Maverick and I retired to my bed, Irie went back in her crate. Approximately 5 seconds later, Irie began to cry. I knew I needed to stick it out, so I laid in bed very patiently for 2o minutes while she cried, clawed, howled, etc. Finally I decided it wasn't worth it. I'd rather clean up the mess in the morning than listen to her cry all night and fear annoying the neighbors too much.
She happily joined me in bed and slept there all night. I, of course, didn't sleep very well because I was worried she would get out of bed and do something bad during the night. But she didn't and hopefully that will remain consistent. I really don't mind having her in bed with me, I just need to be able to trust her.
Anyway, this morning I took her out first thing and low-and-behold, she went potty! You would have thought it was the most amazing thing in the world. Treats, praise, petting, wagging tails. It was all very exciting. :-)
I doubt this will be the end of the potty-training issues, but at least I feel like we're on the right track. So far she hasn't gone in her crate and she made it through last night, so those are at least two good signs.
She was crying in her crate this morning when I left, but hopefully it won't last too long and at least it's daytime so I don't feel so bad for the neighbors. (And anyway - they're the ones that stink up my apartment like cigarette smoke all the time!)
I've got a little of that guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach which I'm not a fan of though. I hate having to crate her and know that she's stuck in a cage for several hours at a time. And I hate that I'm probably annoying my neighbors. And I'm hoping that I made a good decision.
When I think about it all rationally, I think I did. I know Irie is safest in her crate and that she'll get used to it over time. In reality my neighbors probably don't care that much and if they do, well, like I said, I've been annoyed by them plenty of times. And Irie was at the city pound before I got her. But it still sucks to have that pit of uncertainty.
As usual I'm just too much of a care-taker for my own good. But hopefully this will be good desensitization training for me. Maybe I can get over my irrational fear of annoying people or letting my own feelings get mixed up with what I assume other people/animals are feeling.
Empathetic to a fault. :-)
Monday, September 18, 2006
Introducing....
Well, I haven't chosen a name yet, so I guess I can't officially introduce her - but this is my new puppy.
I've had an unbelievably busy week and weekend. Nicole's bachelorette party was Saturday night and Sarah's baby shower was today. So what did I decide to do Saturday morning? Go to the city pound and look around to see if they had any dogs that fit what I was looking for. In I went and who did I see? This little cutie staring up at me with those big brown eyes.
After playing with her for awhile and talking to the vet techs I made the plunge and put in the adoption paperwork. She needed to be neutered before they could release her to me so today she went through the surgery and I picked her up this evening. She's still a little drugged up and generally sleepy, but she's also behaved amazingly.
She and Maverick have been introduced. Maverick seems mostly curious and a little territorial. He'll come over and smell her, she stands there and takes it. Occasionally Maverick will hiss. Right now, it appears that Maverick has laid claim on my bedroom - laying in the doorway and just watching the dog. Meanwhile, the puppy isn't letting me out of her sight and is currently curled up at my feet taking a nap. I'm working hard to reassure Maverick and make sure he's getting attention. So far, so good though. I'm very glad the puppy didn't come on like gangbusters though. :-)
As far as particulars go... the new puppy is an 8-month old terrier. There's some disagreement about the particular breed. When I look at her I see Rat Terrier. The shelter said she was a Fox Terrier (which I just don't see at all) and the vet tech says she's a Jack Russell. Who knows. Anyway you go about it - she's definitely a terrier. She came to the shelter as a stray so there's not much known about her, but she seems to be in good health and very people friendly.
I'm still working on names. The top two runners at the moment are Irie and Addie. Irie is a word I learned in Jamaica which means lots of things but is often used to say "Everything is alright." Addie I just like. But I'm going to do a little more looking tonight and see what I come up with. When I got Howie it was just immediate - I looked at him and knew he should be named Howie. With this one I'm not so sure.
Anyway, without any further ado - here are a few preliminary pics. More will be coming soon I'm sure.
What a cutie!
And not to be out-done. This is my new couch. I love it!
I've had an unbelievably busy week and weekend. Nicole's bachelorette party was Saturday night and Sarah's baby shower was today. So what did I decide to do Saturday morning? Go to the city pound and look around to see if they had any dogs that fit what I was looking for. In I went and who did I see? This little cutie staring up at me with those big brown eyes.
After playing with her for awhile and talking to the vet techs I made the plunge and put in the adoption paperwork. She needed to be neutered before they could release her to me so today she went through the surgery and I picked her up this evening. She's still a little drugged up and generally sleepy, but she's also behaved amazingly.
She and Maverick have been introduced. Maverick seems mostly curious and a little territorial. He'll come over and smell her, she stands there and takes it. Occasionally Maverick will hiss. Right now, it appears that Maverick has laid claim on my bedroom - laying in the doorway and just watching the dog. Meanwhile, the puppy isn't letting me out of her sight and is currently curled up at my feet taking a nap. I'm working hard to reassure Maverick and make sure he's getting attention. So far, so good though. I'm very glad the puppy didn't come on like gangbusters though. :-)
As far as particulars go... the new puppy is an 8-month old terrier. There's some disagreement about the particular breed. When I look at her I see Rat Terrier. The shelter said she was a Fox Terrier (which I just don't see at all) and the vet tech says she's a Jack Russell. Who knows. Anyway you go about it - she's definitely a terrier. She came to the shelter as a stray so there's not much known about her, but she seems to be in good health and very people friendly.
I'm still working on names. The top two runners at the moment are Irie and Addie. Irie is a word I learned in Jamaica which means lots of things but is often used to say "Everything is alright." Addie I just like. But I'm going to do a little more looking tonight and see what I come up with. When I got Howie it was just immediate - I looked at him and knew he should be named Howie. With this one I'm not so sure.
Anyway, without any further ado - here are a few preliminary pics. More will be coming soon I'm sure.
This is the eyes half shut look.
What a cutie!
And not to be out-done. This is my new couch. I love it!Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Puppies, parties and possibilities
I got the ok from my landlord today to get a dog. I've been thinking about this for, well, nearly forever, and I finally think I'm at a place where I can do it. I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited.
Nervous because it's a lot of responsibility and it will require me to make some changes in my schedule... like coming home right after work and scheduling my weekends a little more carefully. But as we go into the fall and my schedule slows down a little (hopefully!), I feel like it matters more to me to have the dog than to have the freedom. I know, some people will never get that. It just feels right.
Now the tough part comes... finding the right dog. I did a little looking today. It's so easy to fall for them! But I'm trying to stay strong and find the right mix. Relatively small, relatively low-key, but not catatonic, and cute of course. Shouldn't be that hard to find.... :-)
Meanwhile, this is hopefully my last week of utter insanity. Nicole's bachelorette party is this Saturday and Sarah's baby shower is Sunday. And after that - my party planning is over for awhile. Thank goodness! Now I just have to be careful not to keep scheduling my weeks and weekends quite so full.
This week also will mark date number 3 of the new boy. I try to make decisions by date three on whether or not I should continue the effort of dating and this one I'm pretty up in the air about. He's a nice guy. I'm just never excited to go out with him. I'm never sure if I'm just not giving people enough of a chance or if I should go with my instinct and not waste both their time and mine.
Part of me says I'm capable of really enjoying dating someone and wanting to be with them, so clearly I must be wasting my time if I'm not excited to be with someone. But another part of me says that none of the relationships where I've been excited have panned out, so maybe something's not right with that plan.
Any helpful hints out there? I'm open to new ideas. :-)
It's Nip/Tuck time. Gotta run.
Nervous because it's a lot of responsibility and it will require me to make some changes in my schedule... like coming home right after work and scheduling my weekends a little more carefully. But as we go into the fall and my schedule slows down a little (hopefully!), I feel like it matters more to me to have the dog than to have the freedom. I know, some people will never get that. It just feels right.
Now the tough part comes... finding the right dog. I did a little looking today. It's so easy to fall for them! But I'm trying to stay strong and find the right mix. Relatively small, relatively low-key, but not catatonic, and cute of course. Shouldn't be that hard to find.... :-)
Meanwhile, this is hopefully my last week of utter insanity. Nicole's bachelorette party is this Saturday and Sarah's baby shower is Sunday. And after that - my party planning is over for awhile. Thank goodness! Now I just have to be careful not to keep scheduling my weeks and weekends quite so full.
This week also will mark date number 3 of the new boy. I try to make decisions by date three on whether or not I should continue the effort of dating and this one I'm pretty up in the air about. He's a nice guy. I'm just never excited to go out with him. I'm never sure if I'm just not giving people enough of a chance or if I should go with my instinct and not waste both their time and mine.
Part of me says I'm capable of really enjoying dating someone and wanting to be with them, so clearly I must be wasting my time if I'm not excited to be with someone. But another part of me says that none of the relationships where I've been excited have panned out, so maybe something's not right with that plan.
Any helpful hints out there? I'm open to new ideas. :-)
It's Nip/Tuck time. Gotta run.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
The right to protest
I was reading the Red Eye on the bus this morning and found the following quite amusing.
In an article about a 45 mile walk that happened this weekend to raise awareness about immigration legalization, the article says...
Maria Jefferson said she would no longer drink Miller Lite, her beer of choice, after learning the brewer sponsored the march with more than $30,000.
"I'm switching to Budweiser," said the Braidwood woman, who runs a day-care service out of her home. She held up a sign encouraging "the legal american consumer" to boycott Miller products.
Hmmm, that's a big loss for Miller. I bet all the parents of the kids she keeps are so proud. :-)
In an article about a 45 mile walk that happened this weekend to raise awareness about immigration legalization, the article says...
Maria Jefferson said she would no longer drink Miller Lite, her beer of choice, after learning the brewer sponsored the march with more than $30,000.
"I'm switching to Budweiser," said the Braidwood woman, who runs a day-care service out of her home. She held up a sign encouraging "the legal american consumer" to boycott Miller products.
Hmmm, that's a big loss for Miller. I bet all the parents of the kids she keeps are so proud. :-)
Monday, September 04, 2006
Boats and Buddha
And the summer is now officially over as far as I'm concerned. I kind of have to say... good riddance. It wasn't all bad and actually a lot of good came out of it, but I'm still ready for it to be over. It helps that I love fall and am happy to have the cooler weather rolling in and the familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach that says, "It's time to learn something new." (Does that ever go away or is it just permanently ingrained in our systems after years of starting school every September?)
Labor Day, as usual, marked the close of summer for me again this year. And also as usual I spent it up in Wisconsin with Sarah and Michael. This year was a little different than most as Sarah is 7 months pregnant. There's something very strange about seeing her pregnant. When she got married it didn't seem so strange. When my friend Barbara had a baby a few months ago that didn't seem so weird. But it's fundamentally strange to see Sarah pregnant. Just seems foreign somehow. And I'm totally excited for her and Michael... it just is odd. Maybe because when I look at Sarah I still think back to the first day we met at UIC. Maybe I'll forever see us as 18 years old, being out on our own for the first time and totally not ready to be thinking about having kids!
At any rate, it was amazingly nice to spend time with both Sarah and Michael and just "be" this weekend. I think this summer has worn on me in part because I've been busy with so many new people in my life. New friends, new co-workers, new interests. Over the course of the weekend it really came clear that Sarah and I have not been keeping up with each other. And I have to say... it was so nice to be with people who have known you for that long, who you can just kick back, recall funny stories, and even sit in silence with and have it be perfectly OK.
At one point this weekend I was sitting in the front of the boat, Bob Marley was wailing on the radio and I opened my eyes and was just awe-struck by the beauty of the water, trees, bright blue sky and puffy white clouds surrounding me. It was just an amazing sense of peace.
With that image in mind, I headed over to a meditation class this evening at a local Buddhist Center. I've been playing with meditation here lately and have really gotten in to the idea of slowing down the mind and grounding yourself in the present. I think it's a little hard to do yourself though, so I thought a class might be good. And I think it was. It was a little strange. Probably a little more based in the buddhist beliefs than I was really prepared for (or even understand), but it was still very peaceful and relaxing. I think it's the type of thing where I can go and get something from it, I just have to know going in that I'm not going to agree with everything that's being said - and I have to know that's ok. Very nice people and a very nice environment.
Other exciting news from the weekend - I bought a couch today! Finally, after months of deliberation, I made a decision and signed on the dotted line. (Yes, mom, it's the one that looks like an awning!) Can't wait for it to get here!
Labor Day, as usual, marked the close of summer for me again this year. And also as usual I spent it up in Wisconsin with Sarah and Michael. This year was a little different than most as Sarah is 7 months pregnant. There's something very strange about seeing her pregnant. When she got married it didn't seem so strange. When my friend Barbara had a baby a few months ago that didn't seem so weird. But it's fundamentally strange to see Sarah pregnant. Just seems foreign somehow. And I'm totally excited for her and Michael... it just is odd. Maybe because when I look at Sarah I still think back to the first day we met at UIC. Maybe I'll forever see us as 18 years old, being out on our own for the first time and totally not ready to be thinking about having kids!
At any rate, it was amazingly nice to spend time with both Sarah and Michael and just "be" this weekend. I think this summer has worn on me in part because I've been busy with so many new people in my life. New friends, new co-workers, new interests. Over the course of the weekend it really came clear that Sarah and I have not been keeping up with each other. And I have to say... it was so nice to be with people who have known you for that long, who you can just kick back, recall funny stories, and even sit in silence with and have it be perfectly OK.
At one point this weekend I was sitting in the front of the boat, Bob Marley was wailing on the radio and I opened my eyes and was just awe-struck by the beauty of the water, trees, bright blue sky and puffy white clouds surrounding me. It was just an amazing sense of peace.
With that image in mind, I headed over to a meditation class this evening at a local Buddhist Center. I've been playing with meditation here lately and have really gotten in to the idea of slowing down the mind and grounding yourself in the present. I think it's a little hard to do yourself though, so I thought a class might be good. And I think it was. It was a little strange. Probably a little more based in the buddhist beliefs than I was really prepared for (or even understand), but it was still very peaceful and relaxing. I think it's the type of thing where I can go and get something from it, I just have to know going in that I'm not going to agree with everything that's being said - and I have to know that's ok. Very nice people and a very nice environment.
Other exciting news from the weekend - I bought a couch today! Finally, after months of deliberation, I made a decision and signed on the dotted line. (Yes, mom, it's the one that looks like an awning!) Can't wait for it to get here!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
More rafting photos
A shot of one set of rapids. It was probably one of our rafts coming down, but too far away to tell for sure.
Becca and Scooter. They always seemed to be far behind us for some reason.
Kassie overboard! And not because of the rapids. It was just cruel.
Our crazy neighbors who thought it was a good idea to pour camp fuel on their fire.Rafting photos
I'm not sure their boat was properly inflated....
Scott, aka Scooter, making fun of our smoker friends who were very dismayed to learn that cigarettes and rapids don't mix.
Paul kicking back. He should be a model.
Allen and Paul decided that it was much more fun to add water to their boat than to bail it out.
Paul, Kassie and I enjoying our sweatshirts after a day out on the river.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Rafting in review
I spent this past weekend up in Wisconsin on the beautiful Wolf River whitewater rafting. This was a trip I was dreading and really looking forward to at the same time. Really looking forward to it finally won out and I ended up going, despite many of your protests that it wasn't a good idea. :-)
But, good news is, I survived it. And I even actually enjoyed the vast majority of the weekend.
I'll admit - it started out a little rocky. We got off to a late start, nearly got into a major car accident on the drive up, and ended up setting up camp in the dark and having no idea how to direct our other friends who were arriving even later how to find us. It was a little stressful. And as I was already a bit nervous about the trip, I was very ready for a drink with dinner.
Saturday went much better. We spent pretty much the whole day on the river and I even managed to not fall out of the raft this time! (Some of you may recall that the last time I went rafting I bailed out of the boat at least 4 times.) The water wasn't quite as cold this time around, and I had two good raft-mates that helped make the day quite enjoyable. The only true downfall was as we went over the last waterfall at the very end of the trip, Jeff (one of my raft-mates) fell out of the boat and managed to land on my head on the way down. This was truly much worse for him than it was for me (I had a helmet on!), but it still jammed my neck pretty good. (Yes, Jeff is just fine, though I do think he was a little shook up.)
Though I have no idea how I got them, I have some truly fabulous bruises on my arms, back and legs. There's one on my arm that looks like I've been drawing on myself with magic markers.
I always think the funniest part of the trip is the shuttle ride back up to the campground after everyone's been rafting all day. A bus full of people who started the day that morning incredibly loud and full of energy suddenly look very cold, very tired and very beat up. The best war-wound had to go to an Indian gentleman who had a lovely gash down the side of his face. (Nicole - aren't you glad that didn't happen to me? Wouldn't that have made great wedding pictures?!)
In addition, I proved to myself that I can spend time with Allen and not come out of it a mess. Though it wasn't always easy and I definitely had my moments where I had to put myself in check and remove myself from the situation, it all turned out pretty good. We're slowly getting back on decent footing, I think and I feel like our friendship is probably going to be able to withstand all the craziness of the last month or so. I can't give a 100% on that yet, but I think we're at least headed in the right direction. As I've come to learn very well over the last few weeks, life is really all about trial and error.
Pictures should be up tomorrow....
But, good news is, I survived it. And I even actually enjoyed the vast majority of the weekend.
I'll admit - it started out a little rocky. We got off to a late start, nearly got into a major car accident on the drive up, and ended up setting up camp in the dark and having no idea how to direct our other friends who were arriving even later how to find us. It was a little stressful. And as I was already a bit nervous about the trip, I was very ready for a drink with dinner.
Saturday went much better. We spent pretty much the whole day on the river and I even managed to not fall out of the raft this time! (Some of you may recall that the last time I went rafting I bailed out of the boat at least 4 times.) The water wasn't quite as cold this time around, and I had two good raft-mates that helped make the day quite enjoyable. The only true downfall was as we went over the last waterfall at the very end of the trip, Jeff (one of my raft-mates) fell out of the boat and managed to land on my head on the way down. This was truly much worse for him than it was for me (I had a helmet on!), but it still jammed my neck pretty good. (Yes, Jeff is just fine, though I do think he was a little shook up.)
Though I have no idea how I got them, I have some truly fabulous bruises on my arms, back and legs. There's one on my arm that looks like I've been drawing on myself with magic markers.
I always think the funniest part of the trip is the shuttle ride back up to the campground after everyone's been rafting all day. A bus full of people who started the day that morning incredibly loud and full of energy suddenly look very cold, very tired and very beat up. The best war-wound had to go to an Indian gentleman who had a lovely gash down the side of his face. (Nicole - aren't you glad that didn't happen to me? Wouldn't that have made great wedding pictures?!)
In addition, I proved to myself that I can spend time with Allen and not come out of it a mess. Though it wasn't always easy and I definitely had my moments where I had to put myself in check and remove myself from the situation, it all turned out pretty good. We're slowly getting back on decent footing, I think and I feel like our friendship is probably going to be able to withstand all the craziness of the last month or so. I can't give a 100% on that yet, but I think we're at least headed in the right direction. As I've come to learn very well over the last few weeks, life is really all about trial and error.
Pictures should be up tomorrow....
Friday, August 25, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Apparently there's a new term for my generation...
In the Chicago Tribune today there was an article titled Adulthood: Are We There Yet? And it features none other than my kickball team, The Pirate Hookers.
I find this article highly amusing. In part because I've been feeling a little irresponsible these past few months... ever since kickball started.... Late nights, lots of drinking, slacking at work, never being at home, yada, yada, yada. And guess what - The Chicago Tribune says that's just part of being a "rejuvenile".
I'm not sure it makes me feel better about my life these past few months, but it does make me laugh. And gives me more to chew on as I continue down my introspective road.
I'm not sure all of you will be able to access the article, so here are a few highlights....
--------------------------------------
On an unseasonably cool summer evening in Chicago's Welles Park, a member of the Lincoln Square stroller crowd stops, does a double-take and is mesmerized by a gaggle of grown-ups chasing a red rubber ball.
"Is that what I think it is?" her eyes seem to ask. "Are they playing kickball?"
You bet they are. It's Monday night, and James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub is taking on the Pirate Hookers in an epic showdown. But this isn't your typical sport and social league. There's a Jolly Roger flag waving proudly on the sideline. From a boom box the Godfather of Soul belts out "Sex Machine." And these adults, ranging in age from early 20s to late 30s, are having the time of their lives playing a game most of us haven't experienced since grade school.
--------------------------------------
For the Monday night kickball crew--where the pace of the game is brisk to allow for more bar time--it's all about the social connection. But for many, rejuvenile behavior also represents a redefinition of what it means to be an adult. In his book, Noxon cites a University of Maryland survey showing only 17 percent of people ages 21 to 28 consider marriage as essential for adulthood. Interestingly, "avoiding vulgar language" was regarded as equally important.
"People are waiting until they're older to have kids, so it's a time to play versus a time to raise a family like our parents," said Tisha Wiley, 25, who lives in East Village. "So why not do something fun like play kickball?"
--------------------------------------
I find this article highly amusing. In part because I've been feeling a little irresponsible these past few months... ever since kickball started.... Late nights, lots of drinking, slacking at work, never being at home, yada, yada, yada. And guess what - The Chicago Tribune says that's just part of being a "rejuvenile".
I'm not sure it makes me feel better about my life these past few months, but it does make me laugh. And gives me more to chew on as I continue down my introspective road.
I'm not sure all of you will be able to access the article, so here are a few highlights....
--------------------------------------
On an unseasonably cool summer evening in Chicago's Welles Park, a member of the Lincoln Square stroller crowd stops, does a double-take and is mesmerized by a gaggle of grown-ups chasing a red rubber ball.
"Is that what I think it is?" her eyes seem to ask. "Are they playing kickball?"
You bet they are. It's Monday night, and James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub is taking on the Pirate Hookers in an epic showdown. But this isn't your typical sport and social league. There's a Jolly Roger flag waving proudly on the sideline. From a boom box the Godfather of Soul belts out "Sex Machine." And these adults, ranging in age from early 20s to late 30s, are having the time of their lives playing a game most of us haven't experienced since grade school.
--------------------------------------
For the Monday night kickball crew--where the pace of the game is brisk to allow for more bar time--it's all about the social connection. But for many, rejuvenile behavior also represents a redefinition of what it means to be an adult. In his book, Noxon cites a University of Maryland survey showing only 17 percent of people ages 21 to 28 consider marriage as essential for adulthood. Interestingly, "avoiding vulgar language" was regarded as equally important.
"People are waiting until they're older to have kids, so it's a time to play versus a time to raise a family like our parents," said Tisha Wiley, 25, who lives in East Village. "So why not do something fun like play kickball?"
--------------------------------------
Sunday, August 13, 2006
10 things I've learned about me
Man, have I been through a lot of emotions in the last 2 weeks. And they're still fluxing a little too quickly for me to say if this is how I will feel in a few hours. But I do feel like I've learned a few things about myself.
1) I am capable of falling for a guy. I was starting to wonder if that was really in my makeup.
2) Likewise, I am capable of having my heart broken by said guy.
3) My expectations of how much I can control my emotions are MUCH too high. My head knows a lot of answers, but my heart rarely listens.
4) I'm learning I may have to do things the hard way in order to deal with them and get to the other side. Even though it can hurt, it's just not in my makeup to remove myself from a problem rather than fighting through it.
5) My friends and family are a great support system, even if they are always worried they don't know the right thing to say.
6) It is totally possible to feel hurt, sad, mad, jealous, and sorry for the person you feel all these other things about at the same time.
7) I'm scared of being sad. And I fight it tooth and nail when I feel it. I need to learn to just let myself be sad sometimes.
8) I've learned my office is great at allowing you to do what you need to do and finding ways to still keep things moving forward.
9) I need to spend at least one night a week by myself. I need that time to get back in touch with myself and take care of my things.
10) It's important for me to focus on the here-and-now because I want to be happy now, not just once I reach the thing that I think will make me happy. That being said, I do need to plan activities for the near future that I can look forward to.
So that's some of the knowledge I've gained over the past few days. Some I already kind of knew and some are completely new to me.
And now, I'm going to head over to kickball practice and try out some of that "doing things the hard way" stuff.
1) I am capable of falling for a guy. I was starting to wonder if that was really in my makeup.
2) Likewise, I am capable of having my heart broken by said guy.
3) My expectations of how much I can control my emotions are MUCH too high. My head knows a lot of answers, but my heart rarely listens.
4) I'm learning I may have to do things the hard way in order to deal with them and get to the other side. Even though it can hurt, it's just not in my makeup to remove myself from a problem rather than fighting through it.
5) My friends and family are a great support system, even if they are always worried they don't know the right thing to say.
6) It is totally possible to feel hurt, sad, mad, jealous, and sorry for the person you feel all these other things about at the same time.
7) I'm scared of being sad. And I fight it tooth and nail when I feel it. I need to learn to just let myself be sad sometimes.
8) I've learned my office is great at allowing you to do what you need to do and finding ways to still keep things moving forward.
9) I need to spend at least one night a week by myself. I need that time to get back in touch with myself and take care of my things.
10) It's important for me to focus on the here-and-now because I want to be happy now, not just once I reach the thing that I think will make me happy. That being said, I do need to plan activities for the near future that I can look forward to.
So that's some of the knowledge I've gained over the past few days. Some I already kind of knew and some are completely new to me.
And now, I'm going to head over to kickball practice and try out some of that "doing things the hard way" stuff.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Man is it hot
Chicago is officially out of air conditioners. I must have gone to 7 places tonight - no one has air conditioners. I guess I should feel lucky I already have one, despite the fact it's only keeping my place just under 95 degrees. Totally rediculous.
So now I'm sitting here in the dark with two fans on me just trying to stay cool. Turning off the laptop would probably be a good idea.
It's storming outside and that's supposed to cool things off tomorrow but if I'm understanding the forecast correctly the heat will be returning shortly.
Maybe Chicago will have reloaded on ac units by Saturday!
Hope all of you are staying cool!
So now I'm sitting here in the dark with two fans on me just trying to stay cool. Turning off the laptop would probably be a good idea.
It's storming outside and that's supposed to cool things off tomorrow but if I'm understanding the forecast correctly the heat will be returning shortly.
Maybe Chicago will have reloaded on ac units by Saturday!
Hope all of you are staying cool!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)