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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Pet-owner mistakes and merriment

As I was scanning the news this morning I came across an article titled "The Top Ten Pet-Owner Mistakes." Assuming I've made few to none I started reading and to my chagrin, I'm guilty of more than half. I've blogged about Bailey before and while he really is a dog, I think of him more as a sweet, little best-friend (like a Lars but less vocal and much smaller). He's affectionate, selfless and very intuitive. While he may not be brilliant (or even intellectually mediocre) or a circus dog he offers many other great qualities including....a stellar sense of humor and a really optimistic outlook.

Here are some mistake from Real Simple's Megan Kaplan:

Mistake 1: Buying a Pet Spontaneously - Guilty

oopsies. I couldn't resist! He was on Christmas clearance....that and he was so sweet.

Mistake 2: Skipping Obedience Training - Guilty
I didn't realize I needed to be so firm.

Mistake 3: Being Inconsistent With the Rules - Guilty
I'm a sucker....

Mistake 4: Dispensing Too Many Free Treats - Guilty
Again, I'm a sucker....

Mistake 5: Neglecting to Socialize Your Pet - Innocent!
This I've done well, he has lots of friends...humans and dogs.

Mistake 6: Skimping on Exercise - Innocent
Bailey has some health issues so exercise is optional!

Mistake 7: Neglecting to Keep Your Pet Mentally Active - Not sure?
I'm not sure about this one.

Mistake 8: Leaving a Pet Alone for Too Long - Guilty
It's hard with working parents but if the economy keeps moving in the same direction one of us will likely be with him more :)

Mistake 9: Failing to Make Your Home Pet-Friendly - Guilty
B's legs are about 2 inches tall so it's not easy for him to jump around without hurting himself.

Mistake 10: Punishing Your Pet - Innocent!
Bailey is rarely punished...plus when he screws up he usually knows he did something he wasn't supposed to....I'm a fan of self-inflicted punishment.....just not with criminals.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Boo for Mondays


I'm not going to lie, I feel like sh*t today despite the fact that I was on a serious high yesterday and most of this morning. Reading the news is depressing, work is totally exhausting and I can't help but feel anxious that the Dow has now dipped below 8,000 points. I definitely feel better when I'm not at work - things have become so serious around here. When I'm at home with DC, MMA and Bailey I feel at ease but since I can't stay at home all the time I've got to pull myself together.

Things that get me through the day lately:

1. I seriously look forward to Thursdays so I can watch 30 Rock AND Office
2. Watching Lost
3. Eating chocolate (dark chocolate especially)
4. Drinking Diet Pepsi (I go back and forth between Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi)
5. Reading friends' blogs

Also, I'm trying to eat more mood-boosting foods and I'm taking a lot of vitamins and supplements. See below for a list of favorites. I've almost completely cut out alcohol from my diet. It's a depressant and I'm a lightweight (bad combination so I'll just skip it) and I try to workout at least 3-4 times a week. Between eating well and working out I feel good. I'm going to start boxing with my trainer to get out some residual stress.
  • Bananas
  • Beans
  • Blueberries
  • Broccoli
  • Caffeinated beverages (1-2 per day)
  • Cocoa powder (or chocolate in small amounts)
  • Dairy
  • Nuts
  • Pomegranates

Anyone else going through some of this? Any tips or tricks?