House Full of Pets? Remember When That Wasn't the Case?
Hello!
Do you remember a time before pets? My wife and I were together for about three years before deciding to add pets to the mix. We'd both had them before, but were between furry companions when we met. As you can imagine, two kittens and one puppy upended our lifestyle in ways we should have foreseen, but didn't. Sure pets are inconvenient sometimes, but well worth it, right?
Right?
Right?
What's your experience been?
This Week
From Feelgood Freedom to a House Full of Pets
Our Return to the Fettered Life of Pet Parenthood
In this essay I reflect on the less than carefree lifestyle we have as pet parents. Remember when?
What if Your Dog Was Looking for a Job?
Would Stereotypes and Lack of Experience Hold Her Back?
This is a humorous look at what it might be like if your dog was working with a placement agency to find the job of her dreams. Would anyone lend her a paw?
Behind the Scenes
Last week I shared some "during" photos of the black laminate Ikea dresser I've been refinishing. Today I have some final product shots to show you. Below are the dresser, plus the headboard I made a few weeks back. It's great to have both pieces in our bedroom now. The varnish was not as dry as I'd hoped, so I have not put anything on or it in, yet, but we're getting close!
As soon as I can load up the dresser to get rid of the boxes that are on the floor, I will feel good about unloading the small desk that sits in our room and taking it down to the garage. That's the next piece I will be refinishing to match the other two pieces.
Favorite Fun Stuff
This week I'm all about sharing entertainment. First up, the Jelly Cam!
I am fascinated by jellyfish. I even wrote an article on them last year, Reasons Why Peaceful Jellyfish are Brilliant Teachers. (For those of you more familiar with my humor writing, this piece is a bit more on the educational side, but if you enjoy nature, I still think you will enjoy it.) As a jellyfish fan, I was thrilled to find Monterey Bay's Jelly Cam.
Staring at the beautifully colored, peaceful jellies drifting along the currents is super soothing. I find watching them for a while is a great way to relax and get as close to connecting with nature as is possible from my desk.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Jelly Cam
Last weekend my teenage daughter bailed on me to hang out with friends and my wife was busy, so I found myself indulging in some movie time. I have to admit the last few movies I have watched have been mediocre, so I was pleased to find two winners. One is a newer one, Bohemian Rhapsody from 2018, and the other a big hit from 2002 that I had never seen, Catch Me if You Can.
The movies, both based on true stories, were exceptional. Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, through the time before he joined the band through to what is considered one of greatest live performances of all time, Queen at LiveAid in 1985. Not knowing anything of Mercury, despite growing up with Queen, I found this an entertaining introduction and now I want to learn more.
The other movie, Catch Me If You Can, is based on the story of Frank Abagnale, a very successful con man who pulled off some unbelievable scams while still in his teens. I've since learned that Abagnale, in the ultimate con, seems to have made up a lot of the details of his life to enhance his fame, but it is still a very entertaining movie staring Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Walken.
I did a little "movie doodle" on my iPad to pay homage to my viewing experience. Sometimes doing a little art in the midst of my week just makes me feel good. It's a nice change of pace to work with colors and shapes rather than words for a chunk of time. This may look like a lot of cutting and pasting, but I actually spent a fair amount of time with the silhouettes, shading and even drawing the movie projector.
Confession Time
When my son was in middle school, he asked if he could try the dog treats. I told him to go ahead. I figured that sometimes experience is the best teacher. He tried them again in high school. Apparently, they aren't that bad.
Wishing you peace,
Dakota Duncan
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If you want to find about about my graphic novel or children's chapter books, visit my website: dakotaduncan.com
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