I like navel gazing, but I hate belly buttons

Pet Blogger Challenge Jan. 10

I guess what I’m trying to say here is that I only like navel gazing (or, as our friend Pamela would call it, omphaloskepsis) when it’s metaphorical. Please keep your abdomens covered or – at a minimum – at a reasonable distance from my eyeballs. I can’t quite explain why, but belly buttons really weird me out.

Now that we’ve established some boundaries, dear reader, let’s move on to the real topic. (Full disclosure: I may have actually directed a few lines of “Take a Look at Me Now” at the mirror in order to psych myself up before writing this post, but let’s just keep that between us, okay?) This bout of self-reflection has been prompted by the annual Pet Blogger Challenge hosted by Go Pet Friendly and Will My Dog Hate Me, two of my favorite blogs. Continue reading

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Holiday happenings for filthy animals and the pets who love them

There’s a lot happening round these parts of late…

  1. First up, your punny pet names: Macawly Culkin and Doe Pesci. (You know, like doe. A deer. A female deer. And a bird.)
  2. Have you signed up for the Pet Blogger’s Gift Exchange yet? There’s still time to join me and my fantastic co-host Pamela from Something Wagging This Way Comes for the best holiday party on the Interwebz. What are you waiting for? Go sign up! No, really… go now. I’ll wait.
  3. You may recall that I’ve been doing a series of guest posts over at the Grouchy Puppy blog. Yesterday’s post (The perfect holiday gift for the dog who has everything) was about Frankie’s Fund, which my friend Edie (from Will My Dog Hate Me) started to honor a little dog who made a huge difference in her life. Click here to find out how you can contribute to Frankie’s Fund to provide hospice care to senior dogs in need.
  4. I don’t think I shared the post before that one with you either. In it, you’ll find ten unique ways to celebrate your senior dog (and some punny pet names). I’m nothing if not helpful, right?
  5. J.O.D.I. from Kol’s Notes often outdoes herself. This year’s Advent Calendar for Dog Lovers is no exception. Head over to Kol’s Notes to enter to win a new prize each day (as well as an awesome grand prize when it’s all said and done)!
  6. On a completely unrelated note, after months of neglect, I finally updated my baking blog with a new recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Butterfinger Blondies. (I’ve got some other holiday recipes over there too, although I caution you that most are not for sharing with your furry friends.)

Finally, I give you today’s video, which I adore:

In case you missed it, here’s what we were up to on the blog this week:

In conclusion…

via giphy.com

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Spam comments I have known, loved, and been confused by

Never underestimate the enjoyment you can get from occasionally reading your spam comments. I know – we’re all pretty busy, and it’s hard enough to find the energy to check to see if a real comment was mistakenly imprisoned in spam jail.

via giphy.com

As some of our friends have demonstrated in the past, however, these comments can provide a needed chuckle. The extra effort is sometimes worth it.

There was once an extended time period during which a spammer (or two) kept leaving me spam comments in the form of Harry Potter quotes. For example:

“I thought there was a Ministry of Magic?” asked Vernon Dursley abruptly.”

I was so charmed that I almost approved all of those comments. Almost.

via giphy.com

In any event, I miss them now. Come back, literary spammers!

I guess I’ll have to make do with this spam instead… Continue reading

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Many marvelous musings from the month of March

It’s time for another monthly roundup… in no particular order, here are seventeen marvelous musings I enjoyed in the month of March:
  1. The hag in the bag gets tagged from Little Dogs on Long Leashes – I bow down to the Seussian brilliance of this post.
  2. Wherein Dewi and I Interpret the Sick-in-Bed Moaning Scene from When Harry Met Sally from The Chronicles of Cardigan – I don’t even have words.  This post is made of hilarity.
  3. Mall Hair from Raising a Super Dog – As a former concessions jockey at a small-town movie theater, this post spoke to me.  (Our popcorn was not pre-popped, though refilling the “butter” was enough to put me off it for life.)
  4. Life with Cush Dogs – Guest Blog Post from Talking Dogs – Something I’ve often pondered, but never had a term for…
  5. Do you have dreams for your dog? from Something Wagging – To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, you can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get exactly what (and who) you need.
  6. In Search of Spring from The (mis)Adventures of Sage – This one is technically from February, but I fell far behind on my blog reading and didn’t actually read it until March.  However, the photos made me smile!
  7. Some Days You Just Want to Watch a Cute Video from Bunny’s Blog – I totally agree.
  8. The Eye Drop Rodeo from Tales and Tails – Anyone else remember when Rachel hated her eye drops on Friends?  That’s all I could think of while reading this post.
  9. Favorite Video Friday – Let’s Go to The Dog Park! from No Dog About It – You just have to smile when you watch this dog’s eye view of the dog park.
  10. Dog a Day Project – Famous Last Words from Doggie Stylish – Haven’t we all said this one to a pup from time to time?
  11. Summoning Charms from jodistone – I had to share this post. It involves both Harry Potter and irresistibly cute pups!
  12. Dog People from under the blanket – These are just too much fun.
  13. Wordless Wednesday 31 – 14 Years in 4 Minutes from Bringing up Bella – This one made me cry, but in that good way. Then it made me bust out my own photo albums for a stroll down Memory Lane.
  14. bambino vs fido: on loving dogs less from Fido & Wino – A thoughtful post about love and change, and realizing that change doesn’t necessarily mean less love.
  15. A Bedtime Fairytale from Kol’s Notes – The drawings are genius. Genius, I tell you.
  16. Life Without A Dog is No Life For Me from Rescued Insanity – The title says it all, don’t you think?
  17. How Dogs Read Us, Part I from Will My Dog Hate Me? – Fascinating. (The next installment appeared in April, but I’ll share it as a bonus anyway. Here’s Part II.)
These are a bit skewed towards the beginning of the month, as I fell behind on my reading. So there’s the possibility of some March posts on April’s list. (Apparently this is my pattern – see #6 above.) I get to make the rules, right?

Anyway, if you missed my earlier monthly roundups, check out my favorites from February and the ones I loved in January. If that’s still not enough links for you (in which case, I bow before your capacity for linkitude), you can always check out my Friday linkathons for more.Did I miss any of your favorite posts from March? Share them in the comments!

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Dear Congress: Don’t break the Internet

I know I said I was planning to post every day for a month.  However, I’m making an exception tomorrow for a very important reason.  I’m going on strike, along with many other sites, to protest two proposed bills with some very scary implications.

These bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) have flashy titles that sound good on the surface.  Piracy’s bad, right?  Not so fast – these deceptively simple titles hide some truly scary provisions that could cripple online security and chill freedom of expression.

Don’t get me wrong – protecting intellectual property rights is important. However, the measures taken to protect these rights need to be balanced with the need for freedom of expression.  A process needs to be in place to ensure due process for those accused of infringing upon someone else’s intellectual property rights.  These laws take innocent until proven guilty and turn it on its head – under a regime like that, freedom of expression won’t just be chilled. It will be frozen.

Want to learn more?  First, watch the video below for a quick primer.  Then, head to Stop American Censorship to learn more and to find out how you can join the strike tomorrow.  Check out this infographic.  Learn more in this great (yet terrifying) article.  Write your Senator and Representative.  Whatever you do, don’t let Congress break the Internet.


(Via Fight for the Future on Vimeo)

Thanks to my friends at Something Wagging This Way Comes and Will My Dog Hate Me for alerting me to tomorrow’s protest.

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Take a look at me now… again

Pet Blogger Challenge
You know I love any excuse to engage in some omphaloskepsis. (A hat tip to Pamela from Something Wagging for teaching me that fun word.)  Luckily, Edie from Will My Dog Hate Me and Amy from Go Pet Friendly created the Pet Blogger Challenge, which means that at least one day of the year, my navel gazing is sanctioned… even encouraged.

I participated last year, so first and foremost – here’s the link to last year’s post (which I also started with a Phil Collins reference … apparently it’s a tradition). The post below builds off of some of the items I discussed in that post.

Now, on to the questions.  Amy and Edie have posed a series of questions, which those of us participating in the challenge will be answering on our blogs today.  I’ll be answering the questions for those who participated last year.  (There’s a separate set of questions for those taking the challenge for the first time – you can find both sets here.)

For some reason, I like to tackle this challenge in a narrative format, rather than in a list. I realize that this preference probably seems odd, especially given my general fondness for all lists. Bear with me – I get pretty wordy ahead…


Assessing my 2011 goals:  My goals for last year were simple – I wanted to maintain a consistent posting level, add some photography posts to the blog, and become more involved with local rescue groups. I’m not sure I’d say that any one of these goals was more important than the other – however, I’m fairly pleased with the progress I made, particularly towards the first and second goals.

Last year, I posted 228 times, compared to 123 in 2011.  I began to include more posts about photography – in addition to occasional tips, I conducted my first interview with Seth Casteel, a professional photographer who also takes photographs of shelter pets. These photography posts actually informed my volunteer work – I contacted a local rescue group and visited the shelter to take some photos for its website.  I plan to make volunteering at the shelter a regular event, and will be sharing my adventures with you along the way.

Moving the goal posts:  In addition to the goals above, I do think that my goals changed throughout the year. I set a few new goals for myself along the way – including moving the blog from Blogger to self-hosted WordPress. I did some of the research (with help from some of my blogging pals) and considered my options, but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. My new goal is to complete the move sometime before June (although I hope it will be before then). This past year, I also wanted to feature adoptable pets on my blog – I’ve turned it into a weekly feature.  Finally, I wanted to make more use of Facebook and Twitter to promote the blog, and I’ve definitely used these on a more regular basis.

How many posts does a blogger post:  Last year, I explained that I didn’t have a very strict schedule (other than Wordless Wednesday and No Frown Friday).  At the time, I was trying to post three times per week.  I still try not to slip below that level – although I’ve now added a regular Sunday post as well (the aforementioned adorable adoptables).  So, I’m slightly more schedule-driven than in the past, and I think that these regular posts help me keep my momentum going. However, I’m actually trying something new this month – I’m going to try to post every day in January.  I may try to continue daily posting after that, but I wanted to start with a more manageable goal.

(Don’t) show me the money:  I still don’t generate income from the blog.  I have been approached by various companies, but I’m not quite ready to take that step. I’ll probably reconsider that plan as opportunities come my way, but I don’t feel any pressure to decide right now.

The Good, the Bad & the Furry, revisited:  I think my likes about blogging have remained fairly consistent. One of my favorite things about blogging is still the sense of community. My connection to the pet blogger community grew by leaps and bounds this year. I became involved in more events (like K9 Kamp and Social Media for Social Good) and began to correspond with other bloggers through email and other channels. I became a more active member of the BlogPaws Community site and signed up to participate in the 31 Days to Building a Better Blog Challenge – so many valuable discussions!

However, the biggest change on this front was probably the fact that I finally met several other bloggers in person, thanks to the fact that BlogPaws 2011 happened to be in my ‘hood.  Meeting other bloggers and participating in the conference has had a significant effect on my connection to the pet blogger community. Rather than just other bloggers, I now think of many of these wonderful people as my friends.  It’s a nice feeling.

My dislikes, on the other hand, have evolved a bit.  My least favorite thing at this point is probably the technical side of things. I’d like to become more savvy on this front – if I could increase my skill level, I think my dislike would fade.

Back to the future:  I’m fairly pleased with the progress I made in 2011.  As for 2012, I see a few changes – including that long-desired move to self-hosted WordPress. I’ve set a goal to volunteer at least monthly, so that work may influence the blog content as well – and now that my eyes have been opened to the possibilities of shelter pet photography, I anticipate future posts on that subject. This past year, I also refined the focus of the blog a bit – humor with a dose of heart – and I hope to continue to find my niche.

I also want to use this year to really think about where I see the blog going in the future – whether it’s to maintain this space as a purely personal one or to take it to another level.  I have been tossing around a few ideas, but nothing concrete. Perhaps by the time next year’s Pet Blogger Challenge rolls around, I’ll have a better answer to this final question.

Want to read other entries in the Pet Blogger Challenge?  Visit Will My Dog Hate Me and Go Pet Friendly, or check out the list below!

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22 things that made me smile in 2011

‘Tis the time for reminiscing about 2011…

Last year, I shared some of my favorite posts from this blog.  This year, I’ve decided to stop the navel gazing (until the Pet Blogger Challenge later this month, of course) and highlight some of my favorite posts from other bloggers.  (Thanks to Mel from the No Dog About It blog for the inspiration.)

It’s a tough task, actually. There is a ton of great content out there in the pet blogging community.

The posts below all have one thing in common – they make me laugh or smile (one of those really big smiles).  There are many beautifultouching, and thought-provoking posts that touched my heart this year. However, today I felt like aiming for tears of laughter or joy rather than the other kind.  Hope you don’t mind.

It was a long year. I’m sure there are some others I adored that slipped my mind when writing this post.  (Perhaps one of my 2012 resolutions should be to do a better job of keeping track of my favorite posts. You may notice that this list skews toward the more recent entries.)  In no particular order, here are 22 posts I loved this year…

  1. My Most Embarrassing Dog Moment from My Brown Newfies – I have no words. Just go read it.
  2. The Puppiness Project – Everything’s Better with Puppies from Something Wagging This Way Comes – With a title like that, how could this post not make my list?
  3. 10 Pictures of Dogs Reading Books from Doggie Stylish- I love dogs. I love books. I love this post.
  4. Favorite Video Friday – Stella’s Shasta Adventure from No Dog About It – I don’t know how Mel finds so many great videos.  However, I still watch this one when I just need a moment of Zen.
  5. (Viewing this may cause extreme joy) More Happy Pets! Part I from The Chronicles of Cardigan – It really did cause extreme joy. Extreme.
  6. Adopting Beelzebub: A Beast of a Bird? from This One Wild Life – An adoption story that warmed the cockles of my heart.
  7. 17 Things Bella Has Stolen from Bringing up Bella – I’m kind of glad my Bella only hoards socks.
  8. Spam Saturday: Amazing Products, Thrilling Occasions, Thanks-a-Mundo! from Will My Dog Hate Me – This post is masterwork. Go put the lime in the coconut and drink it up, okay?
  9. 32 Simple Things You Do That Matter To Dogs from Peggy’s Pet Place- More warming for those cockles.
  10. Dog a Day Project – Why I Don’t Have Kids from Doggie Stylish – I’m just going to start replying to everyone who asks me when I’m going to have children by emailing them a link to this post. (Don’t get me wrong – I don’t know what the future holds. However, I tend to think people should mind their own beeswax and stop asking.)
  11. 5 Reasons Puppies are Easier Than Kids from Smart Dog – A perfect companion to the Doggie Stylish post. 
  12. She Who Cannot Be Trusted from Postpartum Paradise – A toddler, a dog, and adventures in unconventional (and unsanctioned) grooming.  See? I can appreciate posts involving kids!
  13. Senior Dogs: Appreciate, Don’t Discriminate from Grouchy Puppy – This one is actually a guest post that Sharon from Grouchy Puppy contributed to this blog. I just love the message.
  14. The Mystery of Burt’s Bees from Tales and Tails – Or, as I like to think of it, “how to collect puppy kisses in one easy step.”
  15. Dogs in International Costumes: Bone Voyage! from Will My Dog Hate Me – Just because.
  16. Drunken Master IV:  Canine Fu from Rescued Insanity – A funny tale of DWWI (Dog Walking While Intoxicated).
  17. For Woofing Out Loud from Kol’s Notes – In case you’ve ever wondered if your dog thinks you’re as funny as you think you are… the answer is apparently no.
  18. 15 Ways to Tell if You’re Dog Crazy from Something Wagging This Way Comes – Just a genius post, and, well… it’s funny ’cause it’s true. This post inspired me to start that whole dog song parody series of posts. 
  19. Pinterest Tuesday – Dogs Making Messes from Two Little Cavaliers – The cutest kind of mess is the kind that I don’t have to clean up.
  20. Chinese Takeout = Bad Dog Parenting from Life With Desmond – Speaking of messes… wondering if something is trash or treasure? Just ask the dog.
  21. Dressing Up Dogs at Holidays from Grouchy Puppy – I just love this creative take on the antler photo.
  22. From the DDY Digs Desk from Daley’s Dog Years – I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m including this post partly because of the Ryan Gosling photo.

Why 22?  I have no idea. I feel like this list could have gone on forever (for example, I wanted to include a post from BZ Training, but I just couldn’t pick a favorite photo shoot, so I’m cheating and linking to the whole blog here). Finally, I just held an intervention for myself, cut myself off, and sent myself to list-making rehab.  
What was your favorite pet blog post of 2011?
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Name that Bella

It’s finally here… the Magical Mystery Mutt Tour!  Make sure you also visit my co-hosts Edie (of Will My Dog Hate Me) and Peggy (of Peggy’s Pet Place) today and say hi.  Read on, and then join the hop!

Now, time for everyone’s favorite game: Name… That… Breed!  Below, I’ve provided some info about the dog behind the blog, Ms. Bella.  What breed(s) do you think she is?  Leave your best guesses in the comments.

Bella – a dog of very little brain, but a lot of love.  I tend to think she’s a bit out of proportion – low to the ground, but in possession of big ears and an even bigger posterior.  (Seriously… when she sits, her butt is so big that one of her feet often sticks up in the air.)

She weighs approximately 26 pounds and is roughly 24 inches tall (from her toes to the top of her head).  Health quirks?  She’s got a few.  You’ll frequently hear her reverse sneeze, she gets carsick like a champ, and she gets more than her fair share of ear infections.  In addition, she was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

I’ve never heard her howl.  She barks on occasion, mostly at doorbells (including TV doorbells and the chime at the vet’s office).  She has crazy bursts of energy, but they usually flame out fast.  She loves to cuddle, but hates being under a blanket.  She does like to sleep under pieces of furniture, however.  She hops through the snow like a bunny and loves to run around in the backyard.

Finally, a few photos:

For more photos, well… there’s obviously no Bella shortage on this blog. Let the guessing begin!

Have a mutt? We’d love for you to join the tour!  It’s simple:

1. Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below.
(Include on your blog a few pictures of your dog, and specific details to help everyone guess.)

2. Grab our Magical Mystery Mutt Tour Blog Hop Badge and include on your post! (optional)

3. Follow your co-hosts (listed above) and comment on their blogs to let us know you’ve joined the hop!

4. Check out as many of the other blogs on the Linky as you’d like, and guess away!

If you want to put the Linky Tool on your own post, you can get the code on Edie’s blog.

Can’t wait to see your mystery mutt!

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Coming soon… Magical Mystery Mutt Tour

Photo courtesy of dogtipper.com

Have you ever looked at your pup and wondered what breeds all mixed together to create that furry face?  I know I have… I’d imagine it’s a question many ponder, especially with regard to rescue pups.

Last week, Edie (from Will My Dog Hate Me?) invited her readers to engage in a game of Name That Breed and guess the genetic makeup of the adorable Wilson.  Peggy Frezon (of Peggy’s Pet Place) thought it would be fun to invite reader guesses about the breed of her pup, Kelly.  I loved the idea and thought I’d do the same for Bella.  Then Edie had a brilliant plan – why not make it a blog hop?

Without further ado, it’s my pleasure to announce the Magical Mystery Mutt Tour!  Join Edie, Peggy and me for a blog hop on Friday, February 4 – it’ll be a name-that-breed-a-thon!

Want to play?  It’s simple: write a post about your pup.  Include at least two pictures, provide the pup’s height/weight, and describe any personality characteristics you think might be relevant.  Post it on Friday, February 4, and wait for the guesses to roll in.  (While you’re waiting, you can join the hop and offer your best guess as to the breeds of the other pooches participating!)

There will be a Linky tool available at Will My Dog Hate Me? and Peggy’s Pet Place beginning at 12:01am EST on February 4.  I can’t promise I’ll have the link in my post that early, but I’ll add it once I’m able.

Today’s regularly scheduled No Frown Friday has been canceled due to the fact that I was without power for over 24 hours beginning on Wednesday night.  I’ll make it up to you with some extra posts next week… promise. Until then, here’s a M*A*S*H-inspired punny pet name to tide you over: B. J. Hunnimutt.

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