Author: madmuser

If you are a parent and your kid has ever been the victim of bullying or cruel behavior of some kind, then you know what I’m about to say. Yesterday was my dog, Dash’s, daycare day, and as usual, we went in and waited for a staff member to come get him. At first, no one was there, but then the office door burst open, forcing me and Dash to move hurriedly out of the way. No welcome, just a rude “There’s too many dogs here today.” I was flabbergasted, and even more so when this same woman went to the owner of the daycare, and again, rudely, and loud enough for me to hear said, “I don’t know what you’re going to do with him,” the “him” being my Dash.

The ferocious maternal instinct roared to the surface, and with a tear in my eye for my boy, I turned right around, got in the car, and drove home.

Besides needing to get this off my chest, I also tell the story for you pet parents to be careful where you take your pets. I have also taken classes here – and have gotten a lot from the owner/instructor. This woman has assisted in the classes, and I have found her to be crude and rude in the classes, but never had to really deal with her. Instead, we dealt with the owner and another instructor who was warm and caring.

I guess it goes without saying. Check out the staff wherever you decide to place your dog and be sure everyone will treat it with care and respect.

I cannot believe this, but then again, in this day and age, I can. All of these wonderful classics are being destroyed for the sake of … for the sake of what?

I am sad, angry, and disgusted at the contingency of individuals who are making this happen. It appears the true art inherent in these classics is being destroyed for no other reason than to placate a group of senseless, clueless, and demanding bullies.

Consider this:

In Agatha Christie’s novels, terms like “Oriental,” “Gypsy” and “native” have been taken out, and revised versions of Ian Fleming’s “James Bond” books will be scrubbed of racist and sexist phrases. Classics by Roald Dahl have been stripped of adjectives like “fat” and “ugly” along with references to characters’ gender and skin color.

According to this article, the driving factor is financial — do what you have to do to sell, therefore remove offensive language.

But also consider the writers: Many will now be afraid of every word they write that could be offensive, therefore taking away the freedom of an artistic exercise.

When I taught in the college environment, we needed to be extremely careful of everything we said, which was important to show respect for differences, but it got to the point where at times I was afraid to open my mouth.

Take a look and read this article to for some astonishing facts about our most beloved canine companions.

And, it’s all about dominance, right? Wrong!

Trying to be “dominant” over your dog is not the best approach

“Despite enjoying considerable popularity for many years, the “dominance” theory of dog training is finally seeing the truth come out. “You should never try to dominate your dog,” Hartstein insists. The idea that you need to show your dog “who’s alpha,” with methods such as eating before your dog, making sure you’re always in a higher position than them, or punitive behavior, is outdated and ineffective.”

Of course, you need to set a routine and make sure your dog understands rules and boundaries, but avoid traditional advice about displays of dominance.

Does Your Dog Eat Poop?

With red face, I admit that my dog does indeed eat poop. However, I danced a jig when I discovered that poop-eating is not abnormal for dogs. I also learned that despite myriad and alleged fixes for this shall we say, disagreeable habit, the only real fix is to head out with a dog in rain, snow, sleet, etc., and pick up the little brown pile yourself.

And here’s why dog’s do eat poop. Read on…

I’m a writer and this is scary stuff.

I’ve seen a number of discussions among fellow writers about the new artificial intelligence aps, and most of the comments have been, shall we say, negative. Not really understanding the whole gist, I decided to try it out for myself. So, the way this ap works is, you ask a question and it generates a response. I asked it, what are ways to avoid or overcome cabin fever in the winter, and this is what it said:

Winter cabin fever is a common condition that is caused by being cooped up inside for long periods of time due to cold weather. Here are a few ways to overcome cabin fever during the winter months:

1. Get outside: Even if it’s cold, it’s important to get outside for some fresh air and exercise. Going for a walk, run or hike can help to boost your mood and energy levels.
2. Stay active: Try to stay physically active during the winter months. You can try indoor activities such as yoga, home workout, dancing, or even take an online class.
3. Stay connected: Social isolation can worsen cabin fever. Reach out to friends, family, or co-workers by phone, email, or video chat. Join a virtual book club, or game night, or start a conversation in a social media group.
4. Indoor hobbies: Take up a new hobby or revisit an old one. Consider painting, knitting, reading, writing, or puzzles.
5. Get organized: Use the extra time indoors to declutter and reorganize your home, it can give you a sense of accomplishment and improve your mood.
6. Light therapy: During the shorter days of winter, you may not be getting enough natural light. Try using a lightbox or going outside during the day to get some sunlight.
7. Seek professional help: If cabin fever is affecting your daily life and mental health, seek professional help. A therapist or counselor can help you to manage your symptoms and improve your overall well-being.

It’s important to remember that everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. So, try different strategies and find what works best for you.

Wow … is it time to start looking for another job?

Yep, I bought it. First day out and off I trotted to my local Barnes & Noble. I didn’t even want to wait for the Amazon 2-day delivery (?) so I paid $5 extra.

Yep, I am fascinated by the royals. I was obsessed with Princess Diana and crushed when she died, as was the rest of the world. And like the rest of the world, I watched Harry and Willy as they emerged from awkwardness into handsome and talented young men.

However, Will never did much for me. I think he is boring. On the other hand, he chose a gorgeous and wonderful woman as his wife, and now there is the fascination of watching their adorable children grow up.

Harry – he is not boring. He has entertained and horrified with his antics throughout the years, but who can forget the little boy walking behind his mother’s coffin. Is there any doubt why he became the Windsor wild child?

Then along came Meg. Beautiful, brilliant Meg. The nemesis of the royal family, but the woman Harry loves and married. The woman who has been slayed by every British rag as well as her staff in the royal palace.

Quora. Do any of you subscribe to it? It has many excellent attributes and is credited with being a grassroots, authentic research tool. However, I’ve checked in on discussions about the royals, and am appalled at what is said about Meg. Most of the posts are unbelievably vicious and cruel, and these are from people who have never met her!

Anyway, my point here is that I am salivating to get into the nitty-gritty of this book for the truth of what really happened to Harry and Meg.

Part 1: Animal Shelters

The New Year is when many of us take stock and think about goals for the upcoming year. Volunteering is often one of those goals. For those of you who love animals, perhaps you want to pursue finding something you can do to donate your time and energy for them. One place where volunteering help for animals is in dire need is animal shelters.

The number of surrendered or stray animals in animal shelters is heartbreaking, with some estimates as high as 6.1 million pets entering shelters each year. Unfortunately, there is never enough staff to give these animals the extras they sorely need, and that’s where volunteers come in. The duties for volunteering in a shelter range from administrative tasks to many different kinds of hands-on activities with the animals. More specifically, here are some things shelter volunteers do:

• Cuddle with cats, kittens, dogs and puppies
• Walk, play with, or run with dogs
• Keep track of an animal’s needs and behavior after working with it
• Clean cages
• Take animals to vet appoints or adoption events
• Take pet photos
• Write pet bios
• Talk to potential adopters about a specific pet
• Lead tours through the facility
• Do laundry for pet bedding
• Perform basic care for wounds or other medical issues
• Participate in fund raising events
• Train new volunteers
• Read to animals

And this list is not all! Depending on the facility management, there may be other duties.

My next post will talk about volunteering by being a foster home.