why i love dogs August 29, 2008

Dog protected abandoned newborn, doctors say

(CNN) — A dog sheltered a newborn baby abandoned by its 14-year-old mother in a field in rural Argentina until the boy was rescued, a doctor said Friday.

A resident of a rural area outside La Plata called police late Wednesday night to say that he had heard the baby crying in a field behind his house.

The man went outside and found the infant lying beside the dog and its six newborn puppies, said Daniel Salcedo, chief of police of the Province of Buenos Aires.

The teenager was immediately given psychological treatment and was hospitalized, he said. She has said little about the incident.

The child has been transferred to a children’s hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires.

The temperature was a chilly 37 degrees, Salcedo said.

The dog had apparently carried the baby 50 meters from where his mother had abandoned him to where the puppies were huddled, police said.

“She took it like a puppy and rescued it,” Salcedo said. “The doctors told us if she hadn’t done this, he would have died.

“The dog is a hero to us.”

Dr. Egidio Melia, director of the Melchor Romero Hospital in La Plata, said police showed up at the hospital at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday with the baby, who doctors say was only a few hours old.

Though the infant had superficial scratches and bruises and was bleeding from his mouth, he was in good shape, Melia said.

The next morning, the child’s mother was driven by a neighbor to the hospital and told authorities that the 8-pound, 13-ounce infant is hers, Melia said.

The teenager was immediately given psychological treatment and was hospitalized, he said. She has said little about the incident.

The child has been transferred to a children’s hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires.

(I wish people were more like dogs.)

i don’t want to say i told you so…..

But I kinda did.

Researcher says bigfoot just a rubber gorilla suit.

Sorry kids. It wasn’t a yeti. 😦

Sorry doodz…it’s just a shadow. August 16, 2008

I was checking my Yahoo mail this morning and, as a former journalism student, I always browse the headlines on the Yahoo home page. Just like a bad car accident, I couldn’t look away from a featured story called “Week of Monster Madness: Two mythical creatures light up the Web.” Now, I have to put in a small disclaimer here: I totally believe there are things on this earth that can not be explained. It’s a great, big, wonderful world out there and I think it’s arrogant and moronic to think that any of us know everything about it. And I certainly hope that even after being around for gadzillions of years, that the sphere we live on still has some mystery to it. I also have to admit something really geeky about me…I totally believe in ghosts. I say this because I’ve had my own personal paranormal experiences. I guess that’s fodder for a later post and I’m not ready to open that can of worms just yet. However, despite my belief in things that go bump in the night…there are some things that I just can’t accept. One of those is Bigfoot, Yeti, Saquatch, and all his aliases. I guess it’s not that I don’t believe there might be a big, old, hairy gorilla living in the great outdoors. It’s just that I don’t think the pictures people bring back from the woods are credible evidence that this guy exists. Since the 1600’s we’ve pretty much scavenged the Americas and if there was a Yeti out there somewhere, then I’m pretty sure I would’ve seen it at a Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum somewhere. I think if we can recover bodies of 40 foot long giant squid from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, then some rogue camper would’ve at least stumbled upon Sasquatch bones by now. But the monster chasers just keep coming back with these doctored photos that I just can’t seem to reconcile. Here are the photos released this week by some doodz deep in the Georgia woods. I’m sorry peeps, but this just looks like another hoax to me. If I’m wrong I’ll eat my words, I promise. But I was more impressed by the gorilla suit my friend/co-worker wore for Halloween a few years ago, when he chased another co-worker around who dressed as a banana. Now that was entertaining. 😉

I’d like to file a grievance, please. August 15, 2008

Dear red-blooded American truck driving dudz everywhere,

Please do us all a favor and remove these repulsive accessories from your vehicles immediately. I vomit in my mouth a little every time I see them. And I do not dig the aftertaste, yo. They are totally revolting and really not funny. Boy junk is not attractive and no one wants to look at it…even if it’s made of green plastic (which btw, just makes me think that you might want to see a doctor about that). No more fake junk, please. Seriously. You’re gross.

Sincerely,

Me

why i won’t be putting blogging on my resume… July 20, 2008

Dude! June 12, 2008

I’ve been the worst blogger ever the past couple of months! Sorry about that.

 

Things like an amazing new relationship, enjoying the sunshine, moving into a new apartment, being the worst HR Specialist ever, loathing my job, and falling down the stairs (again!) + a trip to urgent care have been absorbing my time. I’ll blog more about most of these things, as I’m sure you are just sitting on the edge of your seat to read about them…well, maybe not all of them…actually, probably just me falling down the steps! (Which is apparently something I’m really talented at, too bad that’s not a paying gig!)

what?! March 12, 2008

My healthy lunch…

I think they just kind of cancel each other out. 😉

Just call me Grace

In the spirit of celebrating dorkiness, here are just a few reminders of why I’m not cool…

When I was about 4 years old, I was running through the house and tripped. I fell face-first, cutting open my forehead, nose and chin. I still remember going to the ER to get the butterfly stitch above my left eye. On days when I don’t wear makeup, you can still see the scars on my face. This is the reason your mother tells you not to run in the house.

In kindergarden, I was playing in the floor of our living room near where my grandmother was sitting in a recliner, which just happened to rock back and forth. Mesmerized by the sway of the big white puffy chair, I decided I would experiment and see what would happen if I stuck something between the chair and the base. One of those just happened to be my finger. I don’t think I have words to describe how it felt. My nail turned a few colors before finally giving up and coming off. My fingernail eventually grew back, but it’s still a little on the flat side. I wish I were kidding.

In the second grade, I had the best bike ever. It was pink with a white basket, and fluorescent-colored beads on the chrome spokes of the wheels. It was pimp. One summer day I was playing in our driveway, riding my bike in silly circles. And I thought to myself… I wonder what would happen if I put my foot in the spokes of the front wheel. I can tell you with certainty that your leg will twist and you will fall of your bike and then the bike will fall on top of you. And then you will cry. A lot.

Just after college, I moved into a loft-style apartment on the second and third floors of an older Victorian-style building. The wood stairway leading the front door was narrow and the steps were small. One morning, as I rushed out the door late for work, I missed one of those little steps and crash landed a couple of stairs down. Did I mention that I was carrying a full glass of chocolate milk? It wasn’t enough that I was in intense pain… No, I had to experience complete and total humiliation. There was milk on the steps, on the wall, on the door, on my clothes, and (lucky me!) in my hair. I ended up with a sore sciatic nerve and a dark purple bruise the size of Texas on the back of my thigh. Like I always say, go big or go home.

Speaking of steps… I’m one of the few who are gifted with the ability to trip up the stairs as well as down. Does that make me ambidextrous? Probably not in a good way.

I am officially old! February 19, 2008

I went for my first eye exam in about 6 years on Saturday. I didn’t expect much from my visit. I’ve had 20/20 vision my entire life. My eyes seem strained at the end of the day and I get the occasional headache, but that’s to be expected when you are in front of a computer as much as I am. So I went in anticipating a $75 eye exam… However, three hours later I walked out with a $400 pair of glasses. Of course, I just had to have DKNY (designer) frames! But hey, I’m going to be wearing these a lot… so why settle on a pair that I don’t really like. The new glasses have been a hit so far. I ran into a guy I used to date on Saturday night who kept telling me over and over how hot I looked. And have gotten several compliments from people I don’t even know. So I guess it’s not a total wash. But I can’t help feeling a bit aged. It’s kind of a rule in my family that we have good vision until our mid-30’s… and then it’s downhill from there. But hey… it’s okay. I may be getting older, but at least I’m still hot! 😉

crappy valentine’s day! February 8, 2008

I’ve obviously got too much time on my hands today… Actually that’s untrue, as I’m working on a recruiting project for the next few weeks. I suppose I just need a quick mental respite from the deluge of resumes I’ve been reviewing.

1. Describe your favorite romantic/love scene from a movie.

Okay, I have to be honest here… I’m not really a chick flick kind of girl. I’d much rather see something with a great plot, or with no plot at all but that makes me laugh until my insides hurt. But the first scene that comes to mind is the ending of Bridget Jones’s Diary. Bridget is about to run off to Paris for a holiday with her friends and is surprised to see Mark Darcy at her door. He’s come back from America to kiss her goodbye. They go upstairs, he ends up reading her diary and the awful things she’s written about him, and then leaves abruptly. She chases after him wearing a sweater and her underoos on a cold, snowy London night. Finds him to apologize about the diary…. To find that he’s just left to buy her a new diary. And then he wraps his coat around her and they kiss. Mark Darcy loves her… just as she is. I’ve been waiting a very long time for my “Mark Darcy,” who loves me… just as I am.  (And if he looked like Casey Affleck, I wouldn’t be mad about it.)   😉

2. What was your worst Valentine’s Day experience?

Seeing as how I’ve been single for the last five Valentine’s days, I can’t really remember… in fact, I think I’ve blocked all Valentine’s days from memory. This year I have an appointment with my therapist on Valentine’s Day!! I’m trying to decide if this is ironic or appropriate, or perhaps a fun little cocktail of both.

3. What is your favorite restaurant for a Valentine’s dinner out?

Please see above. I’m beginning to wonder if this survey is antagonizing me…

4. List a hot/romatic line from a song that you like.

David Gray‘s Please Forgive Me

“Please forgive me if I act a little strange, for I know not what I do. Feels like lightening running through my veins, every time I look at you. Help me out here, all my words are falling short, and there’s so much I want to say. Want to tell you just how good it feels when you look at me that way………….. I’ve got half a mind to scream out loud. I’ve got half a mind to die. So I won’t ever have to lose you, girl. I won’t ever have to say goodbye. I won’t ever have to lie.”

Ben Folds‘ Luckiest is a close second…

“I don’t get many things right the first time, in fact I am told that a lot. Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls, brought me here. And where was before the day that I first saw your lovely face? Now I see it every day. And I know… that I am, I am, I am the luckiest…………… I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you.”

5. What is the cheesiest aspect of Valentine’s Day?

D. All of the above

6. Did you have any elementary school traditions for Valentine’s Day?

We always had a afternoon party where we had pizza and snacks and exchanged Valentines. I would spend hours the night before painstakingly choosing just the right Valentine for each of my classmates… making sure it sent just the right message. I always reserved the best Valentine’s for my home girls, and of course for the boy I liked. The people I didn’t like as well… eh, it was the bottom of the pile for them. It was always excruciating wondering what kind of Valentine the cute boys would give you. Would it be pretty? What would it say? Would he write “Love,” before he signed his name? Would he even give you a Valentine at all, crushing your school girl dreams?

7. What fictional character do you have a crush on and why?

My first fictional crush was on Ricky Stratton from Silver Spoons. I thought he was adorable… and I really wanted to play on that train that went through the house!

8. How old were you when you had your first, real kiss? Was it good or bad?

I remember being in 6th grade and kissing a boy named Nathan. I’m pretty sure it was terrible.

9. Describe the most uncomfortable crush someone has had on you.

This is a lesson children… and the lesson is, don’t try to be nice. A few years ago I worked as a barista after being downsized from my company. I developed what I’ll call a fan base… regular customers who were fun to flirt with. What can I say? It’s the green apron.  😉  One particular boy always looked lonely when he came in… so I made nice and invited him out with a friend and me one night. Little did I know… He proceeded to come in nearly every day (granted it was Starbucks and there are plenty of customers who come in multiple times a day). But I received a deluge of phone calls and text messages from what I found out was a very unstable person. When I began working in a more professional environment, he began to come by my office… just stopping by to say hi. One of the last times I saw him he stopped by after his girlfriend’s funeral. She had committed suicide a few days prior. (SAY WHAT?!) I didn’t see him after that. But found out later from an acquaintance that he had been hospitalized (think Britney). Oy vey.

10. How long did your first heartbreak last?

My first real heartbreak was my sophomore year of college. We met the first few weeks of my freshman year and became inseparable…until May when he moved home for the summer to Florida and then onto a baseball camp in New York. Unfortunately we didn’t survive the distance. He was my first love and, while it felt more like light years, it took me several months to get over him. Fortunately, I survived and lived to tell about it.

11. Do you prefer to give/receive: a) jewelry b) chocolate c) lingerie d) tools?

How about money? Is that an option? I wouldn’t be mad about jewelry. Although I’m sure the only thing I’ll receive this year will be (like the last) a card from my mother.

12. If you are male, do you prefer Mary Ann or Ginger? If you are female, do you prefer McDreamy or McSteamy?

I have to agree with another fabulous Allison here… I would much, much rather have McVet. Adorable, stable, and not a man-ho. 

13. Would you rather be broken up with by: a) phone b) text message c) in person d) email e) carrier pigeon?

I’m going to have to say carrier pigeon, with hopes it would poop on the tool jerk messenger upon it’s return.  

14. What is your favorite Valentine’s Day candy?

Wine, martini, Stella Artois… or some eye candy would be nice…

Oh, you meant actual candy…   😀