Doggie scuffle time

Madonna less than graceful

Taken with my Blackberry device. Stinkin' iPhone 3 does not shoot video...

Consumer Reports on Abilify Ad

I had read about some side effects associated with this drug--which, brace yourself, medical community, THIS potential consumer already KNEW was classified as an antipsychotic drug. But today I thought I'd take a look at some of the videos and found this one by Consumer Reports AdWatch. Thought it was worth sharing. 

Art Therapy

Wasn't quite sure what to do with the watercolors and paintbrushes, given the options. So I picked the drawing of the Mona Lisa and decided she should have a more punk look. And, a bit more color (like she'd been out in the sun, ever.

Madonna is getting big!

Madonna still ACTS like a kitten, but I don't currently have a working video camera. So I took a picture to show how big she is getting. She is still playful and an absolute delight. And frankly, it's an absolute miracle that I was able to get her to sit still--and pose SO nicely--so that I could take this picture of her yesterday.

Gentlest alarm clock EVER

Perkins has been an absolute doll baby this weekend!

OMG--popcorn!

To understand how excited I was to discover this when I opened the microwave at the hotel suite my Mom booked for me the other night, you need to know the scene I was met with the last time I stayed at a hotel away from home. It was in Virginia Beach, which sounds much more lovely than it actually was. The whole (beachfront hotel) room seemed to be permeated with a "stank". The first time I opened the microwave, I was so horrified at the sight and smell, that I swore I would never attempt to cook any food in it, ever. 

So, imagine my surprise when I opened THIS microwave and was greeted with this scene.

Win!!

Madonna looking for breakfast

Okay, I've missed Madonna something awful. She's been staying in Chicago with my brother, Paul since around the time I got back from the hospital. Hoping to reintroduce her to Perkins while keeping his prey drive in check. He is a good boy, but there are some "triggers" that he can't seem to resist. Like anything darting past him. Or humans with wheels on their feet. That's just WRONG. It's an abomination before Dog.

Now tell me something I didn't know...

Trying to make sure Perkins is up to date on his shots. Looked up the vet I've taken him to, and the reviews are right on the money. Dr. J.E. Trego is a wonderful, caring vet, and very affordable if you are taking your pet in for routine vaccines and annual exams--keeping rabies tags up to date and that sort of thing.

But nothing I've looked at so far has indicated what hours he is open--for example, is he open at ALL on the weekend. Here's a typical review:

Very good service! Dr.Trego is very gentle and informative. The price for service is unbeatable. I have reccomended him to many friends. Impossible sometimes to get a hold of!

Tell me about it! But he IS a great vet and a nice person, and doesn't try to "sell you up"--for example, he didn't try to talk me into having a geriatric golden retriever mix sedated (potentially risky at any age, in my opinion) just so that she could have her teeth cleaned. 

Update: Finally found a page that listed his hours. Not open on Saturday or Sunday. Kind of a bummer, but at least I can take that item off my to-do list for the day! 

I honestly think that in this day and age, every business should have at least a basic web page. But I might be biased--Demetrius and I design web pages (when we can get the business and the person or organization doesn't need too many "bells and whistles".)

Code Monkey Save World

I think THIS could be full of win!

 More here and here.

Madonna being a kitten

Hopefully this link works.

Facebook promised me that it would, but Facebook has lied to me before...

Some thoughts from my time in the hospital

Granted, it's no Letter from a Birmingham Jail, but a few people thought this was worth sharing...

April 30, 2013

My name is Renee L and I am currently in the hospital. I hope to be out as soon as possible, and am doing my level best to play the role of a "good, compliant patient" to the hilt.

But, know this--and I say the following without a trace of hubris or "primadonna" attitude...

I really AM smarter than the average patient.  But, you know what? So is EVERYONE I have met here. NO ONE is able to be their best, most competent self under these conditions.  But EVERYONE is more than a label or a diagnosis. Everyone has some God-given gifts/talents/abilities that they are ACHING to share with the world. 

We are ALL better than our limits, our illnesses, our disabilities or (in my case, especially) our innate "klutziness".

And, given half a chance, and a little help, we are MORE than willing to prove this to the rest of the world.

Given the nature of the human body--it DOES wear out eventually, no matter how much we try to deny this reality, or stave off the inevitable. But, even when we reach that point, we still have SOMETHING to give, as long as you let us. You might need to be still, and look and listen carefully in order to discern just what that something is. But I promise you, it's always there, right up until we take our last breath.

And maybe even after that. (I'm looking at you, Grandma Z.)
-------------------
Someone I met in the hospital read this, loved it, and told me I should write a book. According to "official sources", she was a "crazy person", or "mentally ill" depending on how nice you want to be about it. 

But I still might write that book one day...

My happy list

Okay, how about a happy list. I currently am fond of:

1. Demetrius, who is out putting gas in the car so that I can use it tomorrow morning. I still need to get new tags for the dogs (Winnie and Perkins). I'd hate it if the cops pulled them over for being a dog without proper documentation.

2. Perkins and Winnie (dogs). Winnie is 13, which is pretty high up there in golden retriever years. So, if she wants a ride in the "Adventure Box", you can bet I'm going to do my best to oblige.

Actually, the dogs are currently asking for trouble, as they are chasing each other around out tiny living room, and I have a headache. 
 
3. Stevie (cat), who has emerged from hiding just recently, and I got to pet him and brush him a bit.

4. Madonna (kitten). Dang, I miss her!

5. WATER AEROBICS. Gonna go do some tomorrow morning. Hope I can find my waterproof mp3 player before then.

My sh*t list (at the moment)

This is my idea of therapeutic--inanimate objects that p*ss me off are going on my List. No actual humans are going on the list. I just won't bother with people who appear to have written me off. Life is just too short for that.

1. JavaScript updates: I am in the middle of doing actual WORK, when JS nags me to update. I obediently follow through, only to be told, "Hey, your JavaScript is up to date." Thanks for nothing, JavaScript. I have actual work to do. You know--the kind that pays MONEY.

2. My laptop. It keeps disconnecting from the network (at HOME) for no apparent reason. I would give up on it, and just use my Son's computer, but there is still stuff I *need* on that laptop. That said, I *do* have to do some minimal training for an online scoring project (high school writing, Arizona). Training completion expected by 12:59 Central Time, on May 5. It's PAID work, so, you know, I can't let this be "the one that got away".

3. Blogger, which is currently refusing to let me save my posts, or do much of anything with them. Hopefully they don't disappear completely before I get this figured out... 

4. Our cockatoo, Zoe, who needs a frikkin' MUTE BUTTON!