Hamsters vs. Dogs
Bob stood in the kitchen, getting a drink of water. Ozzie stood in the kitchen, staring at him. Me: So you don't mind him staring at you right now? Bob: Nope. You know why? Me: Why? Bob: Because he's a dog and that's what dogs do. Me: You know what doesn't stare at...
Even Less a Dog Lover
Ozzie, the four-year-old pitbull mix we adopted from a shelter, has now been with us for three and a half weeks. He's fit into our household smoothly with no housetraining, chewing or barking problems. He doesn't get anxious when left alone and is always affectionate...
I Vote Obama in 2012
I quote my cousin Troy Rodriguez: So the Libyan people asked for our help to stop a massacre and overthrow a terrorist leader, we did it without a single American service member hurt. Osama bin Laden is dead. Don't Ask Don't Tell is over. The unemployment rate that...
Leather Weather
Today Chicago is finally having the weather I've been waiting for: cold, gray and rainy. I bought a leather jacket in August and have been waiting impatiently for temperatures to drop into the 40s and 50s F. They finally have! I love October, but only when it's gray....
So, How’s the New Dog?
Thank you for asking. It's been interesting because I'm no animal lover. My husband and his entire family adore dogs, but I see them as clumsy, overenthusiastic creatures that take a lot of work (the dogs, not the family).But there's no turning back now. We brought...
How to Throw a Party and Still Have Fun
It's party season, so let's get ready! I love having people over, an option that makes increasing sense as we all whittle down our entertainment budgets and try to stay close to home. Maybe you're thinking, "How does that save costs if I'm providing food and drink for...
National Depression Screening Day
Thursday, October 6th is National Depression Screening Day in the U.S. Millions of Americans suffer from depression and don't even know it. We assume we're in a bad mood because of our crappy jobs or lack thereof, or any of a hundred reasons. We assume everyone would...
A Dog Named Ozzie Martin
My friends, I give you our new dog, Ozzie. Ozzie is a four-year-old pitbull terrier mix who lived with a family for three years before he went into Orphans of the Storm animal shelter in Deerfield, Illinois USA. The family had two teenagers, another dog and a cat, so...
At 45, I’m Finally an Adult
Because I put on so much weight last spring that I couldn't fit into my professional clothes, I cut out wheat, grains, potatoes, pasta, sweets, processed foods, fruit and all beverages except for water (I'm lactose intolerant, so dairy was already out). Excitingly,...
A Fun New Way to Look at a 1992 Thriller
I recently watched a film that I should have seen decades ago: Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female, which came out in 1992. It was one of those movies that featured a woman who becomes increasingly unstable and dangerous, in the tradition of...
Dog-Tolerant
My reasons to get a dog: Owning a pet has been shown to improve humans' health (physical and mental). My husband and I can definitely use that. Bob loves dogs, was raised with them and has been wanting a dog for a long time. I am finally mature enough, at the age of...
Mental Illness Has Benefits!
Dr. Nassir Ghaemi, who runs the Mood Disorders Program at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts USA, has published a book that links strong leadership ability, especially in times of crisis, with mental illness. Equally remarkable is the hypothesis of A...