My Life as a Dog- part 1

Inspired by getting winded walking to my car (it was up a hill!), and having a thousand pimples pop up all over my face, I've decided to turn over a new leaf, adopt some healthier ways, start a new life... as a dog.

Screeech! Put on the crazy brakes. Woof, woof? Bow wow? Ruff ruff?

No, no. I am not literally going to sprout a tail, start panting, and walk on all fours. However, working at an animal hospital has shown me that our canine friends can teach us a thing or two about good living. So, here is what I've learn from the pups in my life.

Tip #1: Sleep when you are tired
Do dogs stay up past midnight to watch a "Criminal Minds" marathon, or write blog? Have you ever seen a dog look at the clock and decide its "too early" to go to bed? I constantly say I'm tired, but proceed to stay up until midnight simply out of principle.

If I were Max, a little Shih Tzu at the hospital, I would not be ashamed to call it a night at 6pm (before dinner!).

If I were Buttons, my snoring Lhasa Apso, I would wake up to eat breakfast and fall right back asleep.

If I were to start my new dog life now, I'd better learn how to turn off the TV earlier. Maybe I'll even start getting 8 hours of sleep a night. Gasp, imagine that...

Hope you all sleep well, and have wonderful dreams full of chasing cats and belly rubs! Good night and sleep tight!!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dear ole August

My oh my... I feel like a granny saying "ehhh..where has the time gone?" in a croaky old voice. But at least this month consisted of more than my normal TV watching. Big step.

In the past month I have:

• Played host to visiting relatives
  
• Been to the local courthouse for jury duty
• Went on family adventure to Alaska and Vancouver
• Been to the local courthouse for jury duty... yes twice.
• Gotten good at telling potential employers that I don't have a wealth of experience, but I learn really fast. And am dependable. And am easy to work with.

I've decided (after watching Julie & Julia) to try to write more regularly. Since I'm not doing anything but bumming around the house, I figure this will give me some kind of structure. Or help make sure I don't forget how to write. Or keep my mind active. Or help me with social skills. What if I forget how to converse with people?! Seriously. What if I hang out with my dog all day and then talk to seals on the weekends. I might become the new version of the lady with a million cats. Hmm, I'll keep you updated.

Things I want to do!

I 've known about 43 things, a website where members share their goals, for quite some time. I remember seeing it whenever I google-search places I want to travel to, or activities that I want to do.

Given my love of list making, I really wanted to join. I'm the person who has sticky notes of things I like and things that make me happy lest I forget. However, I didn't think I could ever come up with a list of 43 things (43..!!). Waaay to many. But as I read other lists, I realized I could list whatever I want. I saw everything from "read 5 books" to "get a job." I love how fluid and flexible those list were, and it really motivated me to jot down some random thoughts.

I recommend everyone to do the same (at least on a sticky note!!). Because its so easy for dreams and little things to get lost in the shuffle of the real life. Seriously, my life gets so hectic that sometimes I forget I like puffins or that being barefoot makes me happy. I definitely benefit from little reminders.

So, here goes my ever changing list of grandiose life things to small everyday tasks.

I hope to get more crossed off items! Check back to see how I'm doing (weeell, somethings will probably take a few years).

I want to..

• Become a veterinarian
• Learn how to SCUBA
  • See the Great Barrier Reef
• Learn to drive a stick shift
• Visit all 50 states
  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
• Give regularly to Heifer International
• Buy an fancy SLR camera
• Return to Care for Dogs as a volunteer veterinarian
• Run the Disneyland half marathon
• Watch all AFI’s 100 greatest movies
• Read more “smart people” books (e.g. Oliver Twist, Count of Monte Cristo, anything Austen)
• Drink more water daily
• Read the entire bible

Poppity kettle corn

Yummy yummy yummy, i got love in my tummy.

I LOOVE food. ANYthing to do with it; cooking, eating, watching Foodnetwork. So I finally decided to let the food bloggin commence!

Or will it..?

Let's just say there are some key parts missing that would make it a good blog post. Like a recipe.. or measurements.. or fancy shmancy terminology.. or good pictures.. or bad pictures touched up with photoshop to look good..

For those wondering, here is what a food blog would look like if written by me. Get ready for a confusing and abusive post.


Heat up a large pan with enough corn oil to coat the bottom. (Note: no measurement of how much oil.. 'round here we just eyeball it). Test the oil temperature with one kernel.

Pop! Yup, its ready.

Measure out popcorn Rachel Ray style, by the palmful.

Here's the tricky step. Quickly add some sugar, before the popcorn pops buuut not too early or it will burn. Just for you, I have demonstrated what waiting too long to add sugar looks like. Yeahh, just sprinkle it around. What?? Too confusing? Want more details on when to add the sugar? Riiight, you won't get that 'round here.

Cover and swirl around the fire while it pops. Now, its listening time... Shhhhh... hear it slow down? Yup, its done.

Now its the easy part. But for my padre, it seems to require the most concentration and speediness. Ready? Pour some popcorn out.

Noow salt it. Some believe Trader Joe's sea salt works best. That same person prefers JollyTime kernels for their superior popablility. *coughDADDYcough.* Snob.

Here's where the real skill comes in. Toss to mix salty goodness with the sweet crunchiness. Shake it, shake, shake, shake it. OOHH, but don't let any fall out. Vulture-like family members will swoop in and devour those poor kernels.

Ohh yeahhhh.. That's what I'm talking about. What a good way to start a Tuesday.. Oops I mean Tuesday night.. Err, I meant movie night.. Meh, who am I kidding I could eat this anytime, anywhere.

Until I can write nicely and helpfully, I will be sitting in food blogging timeout. Hope they don't make me wear a dunce cap.

Sensitive Ears

Remember the little white doggie from last time?

OH heeeyyy Buttons. What's that? I woke you from your nap? But you sleep all day, and that's the perfect time to take pictures of you.

So peaceful and oblivious.

Whoopsies I've been caught! Though the masses of hair makes it seem like this pup has no expression. I can feel a sleepy glare. BUT don't let that fool you. Little Buttons loooves the camera.

May I present exhibit A:
Disclaimer: Pooch doesn't actually speak with an accent. Nor does she speak at all.

Doggie is far far away. A few short moments ago she was fast asleep.
But those canine ears have picked up on the soft "whirl" of my camera turning on.


"Vhat iz dat noize?"
"Vaz it ze kamera?"
"Aha! It iz ze kamera."
"Reddy for ze cloze-upp"
"Vhy have yu stopped? Go. Go."


So don't let that aloof, tough puppy exterior fool ya. This is one dog that loves pictures. Won't come when called..repeatedly..but answers to the camera. Notice I have not moved the entire time.

Sorry Buttons, your secret is out. Too bad there's not "America's Next Top Dog Model". We'll let Tyra know.

Hmm..wonder if all doggies are camera lovers?

Toilet paper + flowers=??

First of all...Hooray!! I found the little cord that connects my camera to the computer. Now my pictures can be freed from their captivity in my xD card.

While tapping into my weekend-warrior side and shopping at Home Depot, I found a really cool article about reusing toilet paper rolls...ergm... I meant while my dad was being a weekend-warrior and I tagged along to find a battery for my TV remote.... Apparently the cardboard rolls make nice homes for germinating seeds.

How to make a cozy starter home for seeds:

Round up empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls. Hopefully you won't have to pick them out of trash like I did. Then keeping in the "reusing" theme, a to-go container to hold my finished rolls.

Cut the toilet paper rolls in half and the paper towel roll into fourths. And cut the take-out container in half too. Use a plastic spoon (I used my hands, even though the potting soil bag explicitly said not to) to press soil into the rolls. Note how even all my rolls are. Perfection is not important, those little seeds won't care.

Run inside to grab the seeds. I bought mine for 20 cents at Walmart (honestly, can you buy anything for 20 cents???)Pet the dog, who is wondering why you are running in and out of the house so many times (scissors, water bottle, seeds, camera.) Then, push her back inside because her purdy white coat will get all dirrrty.


Water the soil, then place a couple of seeds in each tube. I used a Sharpie to label the tubes (pumpkin, snapdragons, etc.) Its probably a better idea to label the tubes before soil goes in. Whoopsie..Cover the seeds with more soil and dampen the soil with more water.

And..voila! A place for tiny seeds to sprout and start their lives in. After they grow a little, I'll plant the entire tube in my garden.

Let's just hope my green thumb is working today.

Please grow..pleeaase grow

Pinnipeds galore!

I smell like fish. My muscles are sore. I've been sprayed with fishy smoothies. Painful and a little gross, yes.. But I always come back for more. How could I not? Look at that little face.. what a cute harbor seal.

For about a year I've been volunteering at the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, a rehabilitation center for pinnipeds (seals, sea lions) getting them well enough to be released back to the ocean. (check out their website for more info!! anyone can volunteer.) Any organization that can get me up at 6am to sort herring for hours only to have it devoured in minutes, wear oh-so-flattering overalls (niice..), tube feed over a dozen animals, and scrub dirty pens is a worthwhile cause.

So in a few days I will wake up early again, drive with a thousand commuters, don my waterproof getup, and take a large whiff of the wonderful poopy/fishy stench that I have come to love. Ahhhh..smells diiivine.


Up next: I'll actually be cooking!! kind of.. possibly homemade granola and yogurt, or bean soup. And I'm starting to plan my herb garden. So far, only garlic, basil, and green onion have made the list.

Hello world!

Remember playing in the sandbox as a kid? Or at least going to the playground? Jumping off the swings, going down the slide backwards, getting sand in your shoes. Yeahhh that stuff.

My professor, Dr. G, once said she wanted to have a job where she could go to work everyday feeling as ecstatic as a kid in a sandbox. Yes, after 4 years of college the most valuable piece of advice I got was to recapture childlike excitement and curiosity. Cliche..? Still, it lead me to the reason for this blog.

The idea of a blog first started while deliriously studying for finals with my friends and stuffing our faces with fast food. Reading Pioneer Woman not only convinced us that living on a ranch could be cool, but to start a food blog.

Buuut, now as I sit on my bed avoiding unpacking (noo, procrastination doesn't stop after college) and thinking about cooking, it reminds me of childhood (ah ha.. we are coming full circle). My mom was/is pretty awesome. Our family always made ginormous batches of xmas cookies, were way ahead of the "green-living" trend (we had a compost pile in our backyard, for goodness sakes), and did stay-cations before the recent downturn of the economy. Basically, childhood= a hodgepodge of nerdy fun.

So, what started as a food blog has grown into a monsterous beast of that will try to chronicle my adventures in cooking, gardening, crafting, playing with animals, traveling, or anything the reminds me of being a kid.

Confessions: I'm a natural born bad speller and a science major so I can't write well either. I have the attention span of a 2 year old. And will make lame attempts to capture everything on my not-so-fancy camera.

Welcome to my world. Thanks for letting me share it with you.

Love,
Lisa