my writer's bloq

Learning How to Relate Publically

2010-03-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, so tonight is the third and final night of Public Relations School at the Leadership Institute in Arlington (Clarendon to be more specific). Hillary and I have been making the trek down there every afternoon, and it's been great (we've also been enjoying a little shopping and starbucks in the town center before the classes start)!

Each evening there are 2 or 3 lecturers (all but 1 of whom have been really interesting) who have a lot of experience in the field. While we've learned a lot of new information about communications and public relations, it's been great to be reassured that we've been doing a lot of things right.

I don't want to speak for Hillary (and for those of you who may not know, she's a friend of mine from church who happens to live right down the street, and she is the Communications Director for the Whisler Campaign I'm working for) but I feel like we both kind of jumped into this whole campaign/political world without any real training or experience. It's kinda like we jumped into the ocean and are learning to swim at the same time.

But hearing the speakers, we're realizing that we've been doing a lot of things right... which is SO encouraging! I mean, we're no Michael Phelps (yet) but we're certainly doing more than just treading water.

In the classes, we've talked a lot about current events (like Toyota, Tiger Woods, John Edwards and AT&T versus Verizon) which really helps make the principles of media relations and crisis management come to life. We've also talked about the different kinds of media (print, radio & tv) and how to approach each of them for your benefit. And call me a nerd, but I really miss school, so any chance for me to be in a classroom, learning something new is really exciting to me.

If you're interested, the Leadership Institute provides all kinds of training for conservative people in media/public relations fields, politics, journalism, etc. It's worth looking into, especially if you can get your boss to pay for it! (if you're familiar with the area, you'll notice that the Institute is on top of Clarendon Grill)

Ski Adventures

2010-02-23T05:18:00.000-08:00

WOW! It's been a long time since I've updated this blog. I've been pretty busy lately with the campaign work I'm doing, planning events and writing posts for the PVRC blog (there's a link to the right if you wanna check it out!). But I also thought I'd spare you all from yet another blog post about the 23048720 inches of snow we had this month.

And while shoveling snow is no fun, Paul and I recently discovered that 50 inches of snow can be fun if you've got some skis and a mountain! For the past 2 weekends we've been skiing and having so much fun learning how. The weekend right after the big storms, my parents invited us to go skiing with them and my brother Justin at Liberty Mountain because the conditions were perfect, just like waaaay back when we lived in Vail, CO. So we went. Paul had never been before and it'd been years since I'd hit the slopes, so we went to ski school in the morning, learned the basics and were cruising down blue slopes by early afternoon. We also did some night tubing which was really fun!

So, needless to say, by the end of the day we were hooked. We've even been thinking about buying our own stuff so we don't have to keep renting. And we're working on setting up a ski trip out west next winter (hopefully to Vail).

Since we just couldn't shake the itch, we went again on Sunday. This time we went to Roundtop Mountain, and while the conditions weren't as ideal because of all the 40+ degree weather we've been having, we still had a great time. AND we were able to meet up with some friends of ours, Tyler and Laura, who are excellent skiers (Tyler and Paul played lacrosse together at Messiah). The blue runs were a bit harder at Roundtop so Paul and I came home with a few more bruises than our first trip. But that's all part of learning.

I mean, we're no Lindsay Vonn and Bode Miller... but hey, we're not too bad either. And now that we've learned a little and tried out this new sport, it's given us a MUCH better appreciation for all the Olympic athletes and their skill. I just can't believe the incredible speeds they get up to going down those super steep slopes!

So for now, it'll be biking all spring, summer and fall and skiing in the winter. I'm hoping that all this outdoor exercise will leave me with some fabulous looking legs!

Bake Sale for Haiti Relief

2010-01-18T12:04:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I used to have bake sales all the time with my neighborhood friends. But what we were doing was earning extra pocket money, not raising money to help the needy. Not so for the kids I met today. A local 6th grader named Claire has a finely tuned global view. While most kids (and adults for that matter) have a limited perspective and are mainly focused on their own wants and needs, Claire and her friends were so impacted by the devastation in Haiti that they decided to give up their day off from school and raise money for the Haitians effected by the massive earthquake.

The bake sale, organized almost entirely by Claire (pictured here on crutches :( and her foot in a cast), was a huge success. Baked goods were made by the children and their families or donated to the cause. The sale was scheduled from 12-3 at the fire station on Frederick road - Claire did all the leg work for setting up the event - and for the hour and a half that I was in the area there was a steady stream of traffic the whole time! It's great to see kids getting involved... hopefully it inspires some of us adults to do the same.

The kids were really working hard to bring in donations... waving signs, calling out to people on the sidewalk, talking with people as they came to check out the baked goods. From talking with some of the girls involved, I found out that someone donated a hundred dollars (thank you, whoever you are)! And while they had a huge spread on 3 folding tables when I arrived at 1pm, by the time I left at 2:30 there were only a few items left.

Tragic events like earthquakes, hurricanes, wild fires and tsunamis are kind of bittersweet in a certain way. Tragedies bond us as a human race and make us more aware of the suffering that happens to the less fortunate everyday. It is heartbreaking to see the pain, death and loss that follows an event like this, but at the same time it is encouraging to watch the outpouring of care and love from the rest of the world. And it is especially heartening to see children giving their time and efforts to help... it's a good sign for the next generation. And it's my hope that this group of kids will inspire others, like Steve Whistler's boys pictured here, to get involved to help those who need it all over the world and here in our own backyard.

Oh yeah... and the brownies and banana bread I bought... delicious!

Giving O'Malley and his Cronies a Piece of Our Minds

2010-01-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

"You Tax We AXE"

"Public Servants, My Ass"

"I have a Deficit, too. Don't raise my taxes Bro!"

"We're not your personal ATM machine"

"Bring Back Ehrlich"

"N'O Malley NO More"

These were just a few of the signs that waved as several thousand (not hundred as the liberal local media would have you believe) people gathered last night in Annapolis to protest the excessive spending and tax increases that have left Maryland in a huge deficit. And citizens from both sides of the isle are fired up. And what is so great is that this rally was not organized by a political figure as some sort of a publicity stunt. It's groups of concerned and fed up citizens who come together and want their voices not only heard... but listened to.

If you missed the local coverage... even though it was pretty bias and really tried hard to minimize the impact of a rally like this, check out this CLIP and see some of the other signs (and people) involved... you might see someone you recognize!

People all over the state are losing their jobs, taking pay cuts and having their hours reduced. And yet, these sleaze balls who spend our tax dollars, run our state, our counties and our cities are demanding that we give them MORE money. More money to fix the deficit they created because they weren't responsible with the money we gave them in the first place. And as if that wasn't enough highway robbery, you've got Mayor Dixon stealing gift cards from the poor.

It's time for change. Not Obama's change. Hell no. We need a people's change... a people's revolution. We need to change our activism style. It's not enough to sit on your couch and roll your eyes at the TV anymore. It's not enough to whine about your taxes to your friends after you've mailed them off. It's probably not even enough to send your representatives an occasional letter.

If you're not happy about the status quo in this state... get up and DO something. Find a candidate you believe in and get involved in their campaign. Go to a rally. Start a political bog. Make a sign. Write a check to an organization or candidate you believe in. Join your local republican club. If you're not a republican, but you're not happy with your current state and local officials... LET THEM KNOW! It probably means more coming from you registered DEMs anyway. And then do some research and find a candidate to support who's a little more fiscally conservative.

So, what got our country, and our state especially, into huge debt and full of greedy, self-serving politicians? Everyday citizens who sat by and thought someone else would address the issue. Well, they won't. You can't depend on anyone else to bring about the change you want. This is your country... your state... your future... and if you don't take charge of it, shame on you and your laziness.

Remember your US History class from waaaay back when in high school? Remember how passionate people were? Remember Thomas Jefferson? Well, he thought a lot about liberty and what it meant to fight for one's beliefs even if the odds seemed stacked against him. In March of 1811 (200 years ago and still relevant) he said:

"The last hope of human liberty in this world rests on us. We ought, for so dear a state, to sacrifice every attachment and every enmity."

In Honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

2010-01-11T05:57:00.000-08:00

AN EXCERPT FROM HALF THE SKY:

"What about trafficked girls?" Nick asked. "Are you keeping an eye out for them? There must be a lot."

"Oh, a lot. But we don't worry about them. There's nothing you can do about them."

"Well, you could arrest the traffickers. Isn't trafficking girls as important as pirating DVDs?"

The intelligence officer laughed genially and threw up his hands. "Prostitution is inevitable." He chuckled. "There has always been prostitution in every country. And what's a young man going to do from the time he is eighteen until he gets married at thirty?"

"Well, is the best solution really to kidnap Nepali girls and imprison them in Indian brothels?"

The officer shrugged, unperturbed. "It's unfortunate," he agreed. "These girls are sacrificed so that we can have harmony in society. So that good girls can be safe."

"But many of the Nepali girls being trafficked are good girls, too."

"Oh yes, but those are peasant girls. They can't even read. They're from the countryside. The good Indian middle class girls are safe."

Nick, who had been gritting his teeth, offered an explosive suggestion: "I've got it! You know, in the United States we have a lot of problems with harmony in society. So we should start kidnapping Indian middle-class girls and forcing them to work in brothels in the United States! Then young American men could have some fun, too, don't you think? That would improve our harmony in society!"

There was ominous silence, but finally the police officer roared with laughter.

"You are joking!" The officer said, beaming. "That's very funny!"

Nick gave up.

This book is a powerful, eye-opening journey in to the daily, commonplace plight of women outside the United States. The excerpt above is just one of the many examples of the backwards attitudes and flawed reasoning that leave millions of our world's women and girls mistreated, malnourished, abused and undervalued.

Until I read this book (which is uplifting, despite the nature of the content), I knew that women in other parts of the world were less than valued, I knew that sex trafficking happened, but in no way could I have ever imagined the severity with which women (I say women, but really much of this abuse happens to pre-pubescent girls) are taken advantage of.

In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness day, I challenge you to check this book out of the library and at least read the first few chapters. Or do some research while you're looking for something to distract you from work today.

Or, if reading isn't really your thing (which wouldn't make much sense since you're reading this), go rent Born Into Brothels. It's a documentary about brothels in India as seen through the eyes of the prostitutes' children. Very powerful. I saw this documentary when I was a junior in college and can honestly say that it was my first real glimpse into the terrible misogyny that exists outside the US. And while it is certainly a powerful call to action, it does not give a global perspective the way Half the Sky does.

Or, if fiction is more your thing, read A Thousand Splendid Suns. It's a heartbreaking story about women in Afghanistan (but it does have a redeeming ending). And if you didn't know better, you'd think the story was taking place a hundred years ago... you know, back in the dark ages before women's rights even existed. But sadly it is a modern tale, and the attitudes expressed by the male characters in the book are unfortunately not the work of fiction.

And I know that women in America often complain about not being equal to men. We sometimes make less money, get hit on or harassed by our bosses and are sadly the more likely gender to be victims of rape and domestic violence. But really, American women need to spend less time and effort complaining about their slightly lower pay and more time thanking God that by the luck of the draw they were born into a country where they are not under constant threat of being kidnapped and imprisoned in a brothel.

Now, I'm not naive enough to think that sex trafficking doesn't exist in America. I know that most American prostitutes are enslaved by their pimps, but at least we live in a country where this tragedy is being addressed. At least our police officers and law-making officials understand that the mistreatment of women simply because they are women is wrong.

We have annual 3 day walks for breast cancer awareness in this country, and I'm pretty sure than unless you've been living under a rock, you are aware of breast cancer. Yet, very few people are aware of the severity of sex trafficking and misogyny worldwide and it effects millions more people than breast cancer. So today, and my hope is for many days to come, educate yourself on this issue... this issue that has been put on the back-burner for too long.

Coming this Spring to a Trail Near YOU

2010-01-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

This year, I got freedom for Christmas. Open air, 2-wheeled, mobile freedom. The only negative about getting a bike for Christmas is waiting until spring to use it :-(

Paul and I have been looking at bikes since last summer and were planning on buying a pair this spring with some tax rebate money. But Paul's parents surprised us with bikes Christmas morning! That's a picture of mine; it's a Giant Cypress DX W in Sangria (just a fancy way of saying dark pink). And it's perfect for riding on the street or light trails.

Just knowing that we can load up the bikes on a beautiful Saturday and head to a trail somewhere around here is so exciting. Now-a-days, with everyone trying to be budget friendly AND green, I think bikes are a great investment! For just the initial cost of the bike, a bike rack and bike appropriate clothes (if you don't already have them) you get endless entertainment every warm-weather weekend for YEARS!

There are SO MANY trails around here. And DC is a great place to go riding for the day... especially during the cherry blossom festival. Plus, when we go down to the beach they'll be a great way to get around. And get the exercise that I desperately need.

The only minor hiccup in our bike riding dreams came when Buckley showed up in our lives. Now, please don't get me wrong here. Buckley is the answer to many prayers and wishes... and he's basically the love of my life. And as such, I would never want to leave him home alone all day while Paul and I are out galavanting around the Maryland countryside. But the thought of hitting up my parents or grandparents every Saturday this spring for puppysitting duty was no good... and I knew that would never fly with them.

SO I did a little search for dog bike baskets and was pleasantly surprised! Buckley can come along with us and have a front row seat for all the action in a basket attached to my handle

bars. PERFECT. So now I'm double excited for warm weather. And getting Buckley's bike basket on sale with free shipping makes the whole thing even sweeter.

I know I probably sound like a bike salesman, but I whenever I find something to be really excited about, I just want everyone I know to join in on the fun! So, in lieu of spending big money on a vacation this summer, invest a couple hundred dollars on a good bike and hit the trails with me... for years to come!

Back from the Black-Hole of Christmas

2010-01-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

WOW! As much as I love Christmas, I am glad to be getting back into the routine of daily life. I feel like I've been so busy for the past 3 or 4 weeks but haven't really gotten very much accomplished. Okay, maybe that's not entirely true. I did A LOT of baking. A LOT. And I hosted and cooked Christmas dinner for 14 people. (it was delicious... Italian herb crusted pork tenderloin, baked apples and cheese, mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and onions, broccoli and cheese souffle, and sauteed zucchini and tomatoes... I did have some help from my mom and aunt)

But, and I'm sure most of you feel this way too, basically the whole month of December is devoted to Christmas related things. My personality is such that if I have 100 things to do in a day I will accomplish all of them. But if I only have 1 or 2 things to do, I'll probably end up watching daytime TV in my pajamas. I really work well with a medium to high stress level.

And that brings my to my next point. While I enjoy working at a pre-school, it's only part time. And I end up being so unproductive with all the extra time on my hands. I need something that challenges me more. Something with deadlines, something fast-paced, something intellectually stimulating. Or else I will waste away watching Regis and Kelly.

Call it a quarter-life crisis, call it the post-graduation blues, call it a case of the Mondays... but I need a change. Here are some ideas I came up with last night. Maybe some of you readers could help me by letting my know what you think I'd be successful at:

1.Really dive in to the local politics scene. A friend of mine, Hillary, is in charge of communications for Steve Whistler who is running for county counsel in my district of Baltimore County. I've been kind of involved on the periphery, but I'd like to play a bigger role.

2. Get all the paperwork in and apply for a grant from the state of Maryland to get a Masters in Early Childhood Education (infant through third grade) from Towson. I have always loved school, and this is a great opportunity to get a Masters 100% paid for. The downside is the time commitment (18 -24 months) and the fact that I wouldn't be able to work full-time while taking classes.

3. Come the fall, switch from pre-school to full time daycare. I did enjoy working full-time at the daycare in Alexandria, and I think it would be a challenge for me if I was the lead teacher in a classroom (which I am now certified to do). The downside would be having to search/apply for a new job... it would end up being my 3rd school in 3 years, and I'm not sure how that would look on a resume.

4. Look in to leading a Missions Trip to China in May of 2011. Paul and I have been once before and absolutely loved it. It was so life changing and we've always wanted to go back. We're part of a church plant (a brand-new church for young adults and young families in the Catonsville/Elkridge/Arundle Mills area - let me know if you're interested!) and I would loved to be involved in coordinating missions.

5. Or maybe I just need to totally change career fields. BUT I don't know what else to do... especially in this job market. I've got a BA in English, but I feel like that doesn't matter a whole lot to very many employers.

So, those are just a few ideas. And as the new year is just beginning, I feel like I need some new goals and new challenges. Or maybe just a hobby.

Christmas Spirit?

2009-12-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

*Update on Ian* Good news... Ian is fine! He went for some neurological tests and they doctors didn't find anything negative! I guess he just hit his head hard enough on the wrong spot. Thanks for all your prayers and concern.

WOW... just when I thought life couldn't get any busier, BAM. It's December. I feel like December just kinda snuck up on me this year. Usually by now I've pretty much finished all my Christmas shopping (yes, I know. I'm a bit of an over-achiever in that area). But not so this year. Thank goodness we picked up a few presents while we were in Disney World; it's taken some of the pressure off.

And usually I like to spend the day (or at least weekend) after Thanksgiving decorating for Christmas, but that also did not happen this year. We've only now just gotten our house in order from moving in, unpacking and painting. And, call me a scrooge, but I just don't want to decorate yet. I'm really enjoying my house looking like a home and not a storage unit/construction site. And I don't know if maybe all of the emotions and stress of losing Grandpa so suddenly is putting a bit of a damper on my Christmas spirit.

I was planning to get a tree and start decorating this weekend, but Paul just told me today that we're heading to the beach this weekend. He's gotta pick something up for work down there Friday afternoon, so we're spending the weekend away. I'm really looking forward to it... and it will be Buckley's first little vacation with us!

So, whenever I get motivated to decorate I'll be sure to post pictures of the house all Christmas-ified. Hopefully after a weekend away I'll come full of the holiday spirit. I am, however, working on Christmas cards today... so I get some points for that, right?

Nerve-Racking day at Pre-K

2009-11-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

I'm guessing that most people in the working world would call a day crazy if their computer crashed, the copier jammed, a deadline got moved up or the boss was in a bad mood. Well, as a preschool teacher my crazy days look a little different.

Thursday started out fine, the kids were playing nicely and no one was too hyper or bouncing off the walls. I was on vacation with a couple girls in Hawaii (which was located in the library center... obviously), and we were sitting on a couch with a wooden frame and legs talking about the beach and all the things we could do in Hawaii.

A little boy, Ian, was playing with a toy Hummer by crawling on the ground and "driving" the car everywhere. He must not have been watching where he was going because he whacked his head on the wooden leg of the couch I was sitting on. I got up right away because I knew he'd be hurt, and as I was walking to get him, he stood up and was crying.

I picked him up, and he said he bumped his head. I sat back down with Ian on my lap so I could look at his head and see how bad it was. When I went to look at his head, he leaned back and his body when totally ridged. I called his name, but he didn't respond and wasn't breathing. My immediate thought was that he was having a seizure. Then he wet his pants (and my lap), gasped for air and went totally limp. All of that lasted about 30-45 seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

I called for help from another teacher, we took him up to the director's office and she called 911. It was the first time in 20 years that the school has had to call for help. By that time, Ian was responding to the questions I was asking him, but he was lethargic and quite shaken. The paramedics and his mom arrived in about 10 minutes. The strangest thing was that even though he hit his head hard enough to cause a seizure, there was no blood or major swelling... just a little mark.

Ian's going to have a CAT scan and some other neurological testing done, and I'm really praying that this is an isolated incident and that there is no underlying problem or reason that he would have a seizure so easily.

So keep Ian in your thoughts and prayers and I'll be sure to keep you updated when I hear any news. That's a picture of him from our fire safety week.

Buckley's Day Out

2009-11-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

Since it was such a gorgeous day outside, Paul and thought we'd take advantage of the weather and take Buckley to Centennial Park for a nice long walk around the lake. And now, every tree, trash can and sign post in the entire park belong to Buckley. He marked them all. Every. Single. One.

I don't know how in the world he dripped out enough pee to mark everything... he's not a very big dog!

He spent most of the walk with his head down smelling EVERYTHING, so we didn't have enough daylight to make it the whole way around the lake. But that's okay because it was his outing and he can spend it smelling if he wants to. And he would have stayed there longer smelling every blade of grass if there was enough daylight.

He was also very interested in the ducks and wanted desperately to jump in the water and chase them. Even though he's only 6 pounds, he is not intimidated by anything... even the Jack Russell Terrier who (almost) attacked him this morning when Paul took him out for a walk around the neighborhood. The terrier's owners were really apologetic and insisted on checking Buckley for any injuries (there were none!)... they just didn't see Paul and Buckley when they let their dog out. They rescued him from an abusive home and while he's good with people, he is really aggressive towards any other dog.

And he wasn't too sure about all the leaves... some of which were almost as big as he is. It was really funny watching him bound through the leaves and get buried.

During the walk, we saw a lot of other dogs, all of whom Buckley wanted to befriend. One dog we met was a Shih Tzu puppy who was just a month or 2 younger than Buckley. The other dog's owners LOVED Buckley and thought he was probably a purebred Shih Tzu. They had only great things to say about the breed which is encouraging to me since I didn't know anything about the breed before Buckley found his way into our life.

Even though we've had a few fairly expensive vet bills recently (we're currently treating him for a yeast infection in his ears and are getting him up to date on all his shots), Buckley has really turned us into a family. As you know, I've been itching for a puppy for some time now, and I just feel so blessed that Paul rescued him from the side of the road. Everything happened in perfect timing because with all the sadness and stress of my Grandpa passing away unexpectedly, Buckley's been here to cheer everyone up.

(Oh and as you're looking at these pictures, please know that he does in fact have eyes. He's in desperate need of a grooming and trim, but I couldn't take him anywhere until he got his rabies shot... which he got yesterday so he's all set for a "spa" day on Monday!)

2009-11-03T10:22:00.000-08:00

*THIS POST WAS WRITTEN ON OCTOBER 17 ON AN AIRPLANE - I just forgot to post it until now*

WOW. All I can say about the past 4 days is that they have been one crazy roller coaster ride. Usually I have to really think about something interesting and worth reading to put on here, but this week, so much has happened that I just didn’t even have time to write about it until now. Right this minute I’m sitting in an airplane on and Paul and I are on our way to Disney World.

Just packing and anticipating the trip would have been enough excitement to last us the the whole week, but we certainly had more excitement than that. So I’ll start at the beginning.

After a very busy Tuesday, I went to a Children’s Ministry meeting for church, which went really well. But as I was driving home on 695 at about 10:30 at night, I was rear-ended. ANNOYING. I was rear-ended last summer 4 days before a vacation as well, so I’m really hoping this doesn’t become a tradition. I was completely stopped because of road work and some guy who wasn’t paying attention just plowed right into my poor car. I was able to drive it home, but I took it to the shop and got a rental the next day.

So other than dealing with several phone calls from different insurance agents and getting my car to the shop, Wednesday was relatively uneventful and I was able to get some packing, laundry and homework done. Paul and I even had time to watch a Disney movie to get amped for our trip.

Thursday was packed with errands. After work (which was over at noon), I had more insurance phone calls to deal with, went to the doctor and got some pain medication, went to Trader Joe’s to pick up a few things we needed for the trip, and to CVS to pick up my prescription. By the time I made it back home, Paul was already back from work with a HUGE surprise!

On his way home from work (in the rain) he almost ran into a couple cars that were skidding to a stop on I-95. He swerved into the shoulder of the fast lane and saw what all the commotion was about. A tiny dog was in the median of the highway about to dash out into traffic. He got out of his car and scooped up the dog, who was soaking wet with a pounding heart. The dog sat on his lap the rest of the way home and licked him, the window and the steering wheel.

Now, let’s pause for a minute. If you read my previous post you will understand my surprise when I walked into the house and saw the dog. We determined that he is mostly Shih Tzu and he was super friendly and glad to be in a warm home and not on a rainy highway. Paul called animal control to check if anyone had reported a lost dog matching his description, but no one had. Then we took the dog to the closest vet to see if he had a micro chip, but he didn’t. The vet pegged him at about a year old and maybe mixed with a Havanese. My parents gave us Emma the cat’s old crate and we got him some food, a leash and some puppy shampoo.

The more time we spent with him, the more we fell in love. So the next day, Friday, Paul and my mom both checked craig’s list, but there were no postings about a missing dog. I started calling him Buckley (though Paul’s not crazy about that name) and he is just the sweetest little thing. I got him a budda bone and some carpet spray (just in case).

On his way home from work yesterday, Paul was planning on slowing down at the spot where he found Buckley to take a picture so I could see. But when he slowed down he saw a dog bed in the median of the highway. Somebody dumped poor Buckley there. Which is a totally disgusting way to get rid of a dog if you don’t want it or can’t take care of it anymore. But Buckley is lucky because Paul is a hero, and he made it to a good home. I’m so excited to have a puppy! Of all the dog breeds in the world, I probably wouldn’t have picked Shih Tzu (though he’s small, good with kids, and hypoallergenic - which is great), but this is the dog God blessed us with, and we will love and take care of him.

There’s probably only a handful of things that would keep me from being 100% excited to go to Disney world, and getting a dog is one of them. It was really hard to leave this morning, especially when I heard him crying in his crate. But he’ll be in good hands while we’re gone. It was a scramble to find people to watch him since it was truly last minute, but my mom and dad are watching him this weekend and my dear friend Bonnie (who was just recently helping my argue my case for a dog to Paul) is going to be watching him during the week.

What an unexpected blessing Buckley is; so cute and sweet and a great lap dog. And 2 days after we get back from Disney we’ll be moving into our new house!!! So the excitement just won’t stop! And a new puppy is the perfect new house addition to our family.

My Quest for a Puppy

2009-10-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, you know that I desperately want a dog. I grew up with a cockapoo (half cocker spaniel, half poodle) and I'd really like to get another one. They are the best; under 20 pounds, super cute, don't shed, friendly & sociable, great with kids, smart & easily trained, and they don't have an annoying yippy bark. But really, I'd love any dog that fit that criteria.

Paul, however, is not so gun-ho about getting a puppy. Which is a total bummer. I don't really understand it. He grew up with a dog he loved, and he loves playing with dogs at other people's houses. I know getting a dog is adding another expense, but to me it would help us feel more like a family instead of just a married couple. Which is totally worth the extra expense.

So in my quest for a puppy, I've tried several ways to convince Paul that a dog is necessary. Last winter I bought a shirt with dog silhouettes on it that looked like his childhood dog. When we were living in Alexandria, our whole small group (all of whom were dog owners) would drop not-so-subtle hints that we needed a dog as well. I even told Paul that the only thing I would be asking to get for Christmas is a puppy and if he didn't come through I would be inconsolable.

However, none of these attempts have had their desired result. So today when I was subbing in the PM 4's class at preschool some of the kids and I were talking about pets, and I explained my situation to them and asked for their advice. So here are the 2 best responses.

Aidyn said, "Why don't you get a dog and live in one house with your dog and your husband can live in another house with no dog.

Great (she's from Africa and yup, that's her real name) said, "You should tell him about all the good things about dogs and how you can teach them to do all kinds of tricks."

Not bad. If things really get desperate, I just might take Aidyn's advice.

"911, state your emergency and have your credit card ready."

2009-10-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

So, I got my phone bill today for my iPhone and it was a little higher than normal so I looked through the breakdown of charges and I figured out why. And I was none too pleased about it either. So here's the story:

About 3 weeks ago, Paul and I were leaving Columbia and heading back to Ellicott City, where I was going to be babysitting. We had just enough time to get from where we were to where I needed to be. As we were getting onto 29N from 175W there was a car pulled off on the side of the exit ramp. In the brief few seconds we had to register what was going on, we saw the following...

1. car, a tan ford, pulled off into the shoulder

2. a woman in the driver's seat with the door open

3. a man laying in the fetal position in the grass on the passenger side of the car

4. he looked middle age-ish and was wearing business attire

Obviously something was wrong. I thought he was probably having a heart attack or stroke or something like that. But it could have been something totally different. We wanted to help in some way and would have stopped if we weren't pressed for time. So instead I call the police to let them know about the situation. I talked to the dispatcher for a couple minutes and he asked me several questions and sent someone to follow up on it. Then I was patched through to the fire department so I could tell them everything. It felt good knowing that help was on the way.

So back to the phone bill. Listed under Government Fees & Taxes were the charges for calling 911. Um. I thought we already pay for that service when we pay our state property, sales and income taxes. Is it really necessary to charge me again?

911 Service Fee - $.75

911 State Fee - $.25

MD State Sales Tax - $4.47

$5.47? Really? I was on the phone for about 3 minutes. Now, I'm not saying that helping that man wasn't worth $5.47 because life is more valuable than money. But I just can not believe that the state of Maryland is making money off of people's emergencies. What a terrible way to take advantage of people, because what other choice do we have? Who else do you call in the case of an emergency?

This past week at preschool was Fire Safety Week and we've (obviously) been talking about what to do if you're house is on fire and had a fireman come visit so the kids would know that they are friends and can be trusted. We did the whole "Stop. Drop. And Roll." thing. It was really fun and the kids loved playing dress up with all the firefighter clothes and hats we had out for them.

We even made sure they all knew what number to dial in case of an emergency. But now I'm wondering if I should clarify myself next week. "Okay, friends, you all know you're supposed to call 911 if you're in an trouble and you need help, but only call if it's your last resort because it'll cost ya."

When life gives you lemons, make applesauce.

2009-10-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for a creative outlet for a while, so I figured I'd try the whole blogging thing and see how it goes. I used to write a lot in college. I worked for the newspaper, wrote poetry and (tried to write) short stories. But after I graduated, life just took over and it's been hard to get into the right mood to write. So hopefully this whole blogging thing will cure my writer's block (or bloq) and re-kindle my desire to write poetry.

Life gets busy. Since college, I've been working as a Preschool Teacher. So totally not what I ever envisioned myself doing for a career, but those are the doors that opened in the wake of the 2008 economy (and thus job-market) crash. And you know what, I really enjoy it. At first I thought it would just be a job, something to hold me over until other doors began opening, but now I'm actually thinking of it as a career. Possibly even an avenue for me to go back to grad-school (and get it paid for by the state!).

The kids are great. I come home with some hilarious story at least once a week, and I'm sure some of them will make it onto the blog. But even more than being funny, the kids really love life. And it's something I'm kind of jealous of. They have this excitement and are usually so unconcerned with how the rest of the world sees them. And they love so freely and completely. I feel lucky to be around them so often.

In other, less philosophical, news, Paul and I went to Larry Land Farms on Wednesday and picked 28 pounds of apples! No, we're not on some crazy apple-only diet, we wanted to make applesauce. AND we preserved it! Paul's grandparents used to do a lot of preserving, so they showed us the ropes, and it is surprisingly easy. Not to mention cost effective. I don't know why more people don't do it. It's a fun activity and makes really good homemade gifts!

In case you're wondering, 28 pounds of apples makes 3 quarts and 14 pints of sauce! And I did half with cinnamon and half without. We did it all for about $30. Can't beat that! Paul's grandparents were kind enough to give us all the mason jars and rims we needed. We just needed to buy another box of lids (since you can't reuse those), but they're super cheap.

Now, I may be a little bias, but it's probably the best apple sauce I've ever had. First of all when you do it yourself, you control the amount of sugar and cinnamon that's added. Second, because we picked the apples ourselves they were as fresh as you can get. From tree to jar in just a few hours! One little trick is to use more than one type of apple. We used 3 (empire, matsu & golden delicious) because those were the types open for picking at Larry Land.

Not only was it a fun adventure that lasted all day, it was great to learn something new. This will definitely become a tradition; I'm anxious to see what else I can preserve in a jar!