Thursday, August 16, 2012

Move, dog


This dog of mine is a bug-a-boo. He follows me around the house licking my legs (especially if I’ve just showered and I’m still wet) or whatever body part of mine happens to be closest to his mouth. He rides my heels all through the house, sits on me with his unwiped butt and lays on me whenever I am on the couch. He doesn’t make a sound except for when he’s yawning or the pitter patter of his toe nails on the hardwood floor when he’s moving about. He whines from time to time like toddlers do, and he only barks when he sees another dog, is frustrated, or scared. Since he broke out of his last metal kennel and hurt himself in the process, I bought him a plastic kennel like the ones pets travel in on planes. He sleeps in it fine but has a fit when he gets locked inside and/or left alone in it. For some reason, he really wants to sleep in my room at night instead of in my sons room. But doggy farts are ferocious, they’ll wake you up at night and keep you up in disgust. Plus, he sometimes has weird dreams that prompt him to bark or yelp in his sleep, which is startling. So he is not allowed to sleep in my room anymore and this seems to sadden him. Oh well! I look at him and hope that sooner or later he understands that life is full of disappointments. He’s a smart puppy though. He knows that I leave for work every morning so he tries his best to make me stay. He barrels through the house, following me from room to room and won’t even go outside to play because he thinks that if he sticks by my side that I won’t be able to leave his sight. Poor thing. Sorry, Poochie, mama’s gotta make a living. We have to find a way to teach him that if I don’t go to work I won’t have money to feed him or buy him toys. Right now he’s likely just thinking that I’m abandoning him for a very long time every day and he’s becoming increasingly pissed about it. He barked at my son for no apparent reason yesterday and was trying to get tough. Google says that he’s going through the “terrible teens” but my boy wasn’t having it. He locked him inside his crate. Then after I’d taken him for his evening walk, he came into my room and was frustrated because he couldn’t climb into my bed with me (it’s too high up off the floor) so he barked and barked and got thrown into my sons room for the rest of the night. I don’t have the patience for aggravated small children or frustrated dogs, those days are LONG gone. So this is going to have to change and soon. I like him and all, and I think he’s a cool little dog but I haven’t the patience for his tantrums at all. I’d much rather save my money, my carpet, my yard, and my sanity than have to deal with his shenanigans so he’d better get it together if he knows what’s best for him. Maybe he’s not that smart after all.  Shit, I just spent $60 on a bag of dog food alone, yesterday.  And that money was FELT in my wallet.  Since we rescued him I've had a running tab in my head and he's not anywhere near worth as much as I've spent on him.  Pet ownership is worthless.  Especially since, as tough as some people think he is as a pitbull, I know full damn well that he'd sooner lick an intruder to death than attack him.
Here he is w/ his squeaky bunny toy

my tree's hate this guy ^^^

Monday, August 13, 2012

Rosebowl Flea Market


After living more than 15 years of my life in Pasadena I finally went to the RoseBowl Flea Market to see what it is all about. I’d heard tales of it being phenomenal, humongous, filled with wall-to-wall deals and action, and I’d even seen glimpses of it on some of my favorite HGTV shows, but I still wasn’t prepared for it all this past Sunday as I strolled in carrying my Japanese wagasa (bamboo and paper-painted parasol) to protect me from the hot August sun. Every inch of that giant stadium was occupied by a vendor selling something and everything, from food to furniture, to unique, vintage and new items. And with the heat following me around like a nagging, whiny child, there was no way in hell I could see it all in one scorching day. I probably didn’t even see 25% of it. After spending an hour traipsing in that sun I began panting and feeling like heat-stroke was creeping up on me. But I did score. I found a cute, red and white collapsible picnic basket for $10! And the one I’ve been eyeing for months that’s regularly priced $150 was there, too, for only $55!! But I have no need for it right now so I’m debating whether or not to go back and get it for later. I’ll use the red $10 collapsible one I bought for my trip to the Hollywood Bowl this month since the seating there is cramped and won’t comfortably allow a big wicker basket with glasses, tableware, and ceramic plates inside. I also bought some acrylic paints and got a free ticket to the fair just for going to the flea market; another excuse to have fun. I collected a few business cards from vendors selling unique stuff that I might want to buy later. Two of them are online, thankfully. I’ll wait until it cools down a bit to go back and check out the rest of the joint. Then I’ll be more prepared to haul all of my purchases in a rolling shopping cart like I saw a lot of other people doing.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

A funny thing happened after my stay-cation a couple of weeks ago. I became inspired to go on “vacation” every chance I get, even during my workweek and especially during my weekends. After all, why should I reserve living for just one to two weeks per year when I’m alive all year? I no longer have the responsibility of taking care of a child. My only responsibilities are going to work, feeding and walking the dog (and that’s really not even my responsibility, it’s my sons), and making sure my soon-to-be 18 year old son doesn’t veer off course every now and then. I have more freedom now than I’ve had in 18 years and, at first, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it all. So I started a list. And that “list of things to do” during this last vacation ended up extending well beyond my two weeks off and I’ve taken to finishing what I didn’t get to accomplish from the list, picking up where I left off once work began again, and adding new things to it practically every day, as well. Some people come to California for a vacation. I LIVE here all year long so, essentially, I can have a vacation every hour I am away from work. And since I work roughly 40hours per week that leaves about 128 hours of vacation time remaining for me to enjoy J And there are soooooo many things to do in here. Skiing, wine tasting, kayaking, hiking, surfing, sand castle building, Channel Island hopping, sight-seeing… the list goes on and on and on! No need to wait until I have a stretch of time off from work again, or until my money is “right.” It may never be “right” lol. So long as my bills are paid and my fridge is stocked and I have some KMA (kiss my ass) money in the bank, my money is perfect. That’s all I need to maintain in order to live happily and relatively secure, which is what I am all about – happiness and security.

*This is sort of an addendum to the post below it.


Wednesday, August 8, 2012

At 2am this morning I’d had enough of my dog stinking up my bedroom with his gas so I decided to get up and let him out to relieve himself, and while outside I happened to glance up at the sky and got a remarkably clear view of our closest constellations, despite all the light pollution coming from my neighbors’ security spotlight. Nothing but the stillness of a black speckled sky and the sound of a bloated old cricket to keep us company as Axl rooted around in the backyard for the perfect spot to take a poop. It reminded me that I need to go stargazing before the end of this month so I added it to the long list of things I want to do before my social life comes to a slow crawl in September. So far, I’ve checked off 5 items from that list: happy hour sushi with drinks outdoors, free jazz in the park, catching a movie with lemonade, skinny fries and sliders at Gold Class Cinemas (I’m doing that again, though, as soon as Taken 2 comes out), checking into a hotel where I swam, relaxed and ordered room service, and a spa pedicure (this may also be repeated). Other things listed are:
• a pier rollercoaster ride,
• make cotton candy,
• make ice cream,
• paint front door yellow,
• go to the Aquarium of the Pacific,
• catch an outdoor movie,
• enjoy my new fenced in front yard,
• thrift shop and flea market hunt,
• get a massage,
• attend a concert at the Hollywood Bowl (already got tickets),
• beach bonfire
• etc.

All of this will certainly make the most of what’s left of the summer, before fall arrives and the days get shorter, colder, and more harried with my upcoming schedule. It’s kind of like filling up on joy and stockpiling for later. Seeing the stars always makes me happy and whimsical and the sky last night totally filled me up in that brief moment that I was able to look up and see them… before I had to chase and, ultimately, cajole Axl back into the house with doggy treats. I knew I should have taken him out on a leash. He just ruined his chance to go to the dog park. Crazy dog.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Did I even take a vacation?

I can't even remember anymore.  I've been back at work for one week and it feels like I never left.  Let alone for two whole weeks!  When's my next break from this monotony, Christmas? Bleh.  This is not how I want my life and I never couldve imagined living it this way.  I am about to grind harder than ever before to make changes and change habits because things have got to change.  I can't go on living this way. It's killing me slowly.  Painstakingly slow.  I sit all day long and then I get home and I'm too tired to do anything.  What the hell kind of sense does that make?  Better yet, what kind of LIFE does that make??  Exhausted from sitting and typing.  Pathetic!  My reason for being is not to sit on my ass all day in front of a computer, obeying its every command.  Surely, I was meant for much more than that.  And if I ever hope to get and enjoy my own home in Hawaii before I'm either too old or dead, I'd better start making changes right now.  The first change I've made thus far is that I haven't shopped (except for doggy toys and miscellaneous puppy necessities.  Who knew I'd fall in love with a dog!?!?) in about a month, and I plan to keep this trend going.  The second is I've enrolled in school and plan to hit the books hard for the next couple of years, or until my goal is reached; whichever comes first.  The third and most difficult is, although I am struggling immensely with it, I have managed not to eat out (on my own dime) for a month.  I've been cooking and getting more creative with my meals.  Oh, and now that I am a dog owner, I go for walks/runs more often.  At first I called myself walking the dog but I quickly realized that he was walking ME!  In fact, he runs me.  My two long legs are no match for his four short ones.  As soon as I open the front door he's trying to drag me down the street.  And he's only 8 months old.  I can only imagine how difficult it will be to walk with him when he's older and stronger.  By then I'd better either be yoked up with muscles or have someone else doing it.  Maybe I'll hire a dog walker when that happens.   (And yes, he is in puppy training for that.  And yes, I know how to walk my dog. I just allow him a loose enough leash to roam and smell all the flowers and bushes he wants to stick his little nose in. I draw the line at poop sniffing, though.  And crosswalks. And jumping on passerbys). 
My raison detre has changed.  Or better still, it has dawned on me that I am not living the life I was intended to live.  The one that would make me happiest.  I'm more mindful of my future now and what's most important to me, what matters. I've sifted through more than enough bullshit to come to that understanding.  Most people I know...don't matter, lol.  Most people I don't know...don't matter.  What matters is my health, happiness, safety, and security, and within those buckets are a few people I know, more money in my accounts, longer walks with my dog, and this beautiful, wondrous planet I live on.  Viva la vacacion!