Confessions, UO, II, rants

wink0erin

@untouchablets I've heard that about some rescues too. Some have so many restrictions or absurd demands that the poor dogs end up without families. I guess the same applies with adoption of kids too. I understand having some guidelines, of course, but throwing too many on is just dumb. 

minskat30

@helloliv - I know this is an issue near and dear to your heart.  I also really respect and THANK you for working with shelters and rescues to make the dogs easier to adopt.

My two cents re dog breeders: My family has had rescue dogs in the past but we've also had dogs from breeders.  Rajah is from a breeder (and despite all the health screening they did on his parents for hip displasia, cancer, etc., Raj has been the sickest dog I've ever owned...luck of the draw I guess).  Having had (and loved) mostly large guard dogs, I knew I wanted a Pyr for my next dog when I was ready again and I tried to rescue a Pyr first.  The nearby rescue and even a kill shelter in the city of Chicago wouldn't take my application for a Pyr they had because I didn't have a fenced yard....no further discussions or pleading on my part would change their minds.  I get it on some level.  Rescues and shelters are overwhelmed, understaffed, underfunded and they need blanket rules to weed people out but it made me very sad that a shelter would rather kill a dog than give her to me because of a yard requirement even when I tried to explain my living situation (I had a deck for outdoor space for the dog, I was planning on doggy daycare during the days I was at work, and I lived across the street from a dog park...a condo I chose while house hunting in part for the very reason that I wanted a Pyr and didn't have a fenced yard...irony).  I did end up going with a breeder who sat down and did a series of interviews and evaluations with me to make sure I had alternative arrangements for the dog....obviously, she had the time and resources to have that conversation with me (unlike a lot of shelters).  I do wish it was easier for the right people (those who will make alternative work-arounds, always care for a dog no matter their health issues, etc.) to rescue certain dogs but I understand why it isn't (most are short on resources).   

wink0erin

@GoldenPenguin I HATE snow and winter, and I'm loving the warmish weather (it's in the mid 60s today!) but I am wishing for a little bit of snow. Watch it snow nonstop in January/February. 

wink0erin

Confession: I feel weird when I get occupied at work and can't reply here to things in real time, so I end up replying a page behind the conversation or I decide to not post at all. 

GoldenPenguin

wink0erin said:

Confession: I feel weird when I get occupied at work and can't reply here to things in real time, so I end up replying a page behind the conversation or I decide to not post at all. 

This happens to me often on the daily threads, especially when I'm busy with work, which leads me to be MIA for days. 

untouchablets

@wink0erin @minskat30 it drives me nuts... Having a fenced yard doesn't mean a dog is being exercised and that it can't escape.

My point is, is people weren't putting money into the pockets of profit seeking people who don't care about the dogs well being, those people would be out of business and shelters wouldn't be as packed. There's a stipulation in my breeders contract that I'll need to have my dog spayed once she reaches sexual maturity and if for some reason I can't care for her anymore I have to give her back. If a breeder doesn't require those two specific things of their buyers I won't do business with them, period.

untouchablets

@twodimes yesssss thank you for being in my head and being more eloquent than me lol

Peaseblossom55

@goldenpenguin I wouldn't mind some snow around Christmas, it would be pretty.  After that nothing else.  I hate winter and am enjoying the normal than warmer December so far.

lavenderfields13

@GoldenPenguin I wouldn't mind seeing a few snow flakes but I don't want any snow accumulating on the ground! 

lavenderfields13

wink0erin said:

@GoldenPenguin I HATE snow and winter, and I'm loving the warmish weather (it's in the mid 60s today!) but I am wishing for a little bit of snow. Watch it snow nonstop in January/February. 

This is EXACTLY what happened last year! I remember it feeling like spring on Christmas day in Boston and then it was this for the rest of the winter:

minskat30

Ok, perfect timing.  Speaking of yards and work-arounds...and not to be all "puppies and rainbows" but I have to share the picture H just sent me.  Raj loves being outside and is calmest there but we don't want his wound infected by the dirt nor do we want him to take off after a squirrel or something and injure his leg.  This is H's work-around for the day...even with the collar he seems content.  

untouchablets

@minskat30 that is TOO CUTE and I love the inner tube around his neck lol

helloliv

@minskat30 - It absolutely makes sense that you went with a breeder in your situation and I would never judge something like that. It's ridiculous that the rescues from which you wanted to adopt were so rigid in their rules; it's things like that that turn people off from adoption. 

I'm not trying to say that people who go to breeders are bad. I know there are plenty of people who do their research and make well-informed choices. In my experience, that's just like...3% of the pet parent population, so I'm wary of people who DON'T do their research and who have never considered adoption. I'm also just really jaded because I read the breeder complaints all day.  

helloliv

@wink0erin and @GoldenPenguin: Ditto. You'll notice I only stayed in this thread today even though there are two others because I don't have the time/energy to respond to everyone in the other threads and don't just want to dump my own stuff and leave without acknowledging others. Frustrating!

AlPacina

@minskat30 - It is tearing me up inside that I can't jump into that picture and cuddle with Raj and scratch and pet him all over. That is so sweet of your H to set that up for him!

untouchablets

@helloliv Yeah it seems like there was a misunderstanding. I think your strong opinion in response to my original confession made it seem like your WERE condeming all people who buy from breeders. I'm glad that's not necessarily the case. I think we are mostly in agreement but for clarity's sake I was complaining of the unnecessary purchase of expensive mutts when there are a lot of shelter mutts that need good homes and otherwise there are perfectly nice dog breeds that will fit more family dynamics that don't perpetuate bad breeding practices by default. Most good breeders won't mix two breeds together and then charge a fortune for them.

AuroraRose41

@wink0erin is it bad that I have been lurking on other more active wedding forums reading the BSC posts while drinking wine or tea at night after a stressful day? It is helping with the entertainment factor. I highly recommend it. 

@labro I feel like a jerk too, but I try to give when it is important to me and I can't give all of my money away every time a charity asks. I always use Amazon Smile, and FI and I are bringing some of the canned food that we won't eat on our new diet to our chiropractor's office this weekend to support their food drive for the local food bank. Every time I feel like a jerk I try to remember that there are things that I do to help out, just on my own terms. 

@GoldenPenguin doctors are super frustrating. Can you see your friend's doctor instead? I hope the psychiatrist helps! Also, I don't agree with your other UO. I will GLADLY take the warm weather and no snow when FI and I fly back there in 1.5 weeks . Btw, lunch? 

@helloliv HUGS

re: bathrooms OMFG this is one of my irritations too. Well, both the leaving a mess and choosing the stall next to me when there are 4 open stalls. What has REALLY been pissing me off lately is that someone decides to stuff the seat cover in the toilet and clog it instead of throwing it out in the waste receptacle next to the toilet. And this person likes to use the accessible stall. Which makes my life a living hell because using the bar on the wall helps me sit down and get up, so when I have to use a regular stall I almost always end up falling slightly or hurting my ankle. It's just so effing inconsiderate, and takes it to a whole new level when it prevents others who need that stall from being able to use it.

UO: I am loving the fact that it is raining here currently and we might even get a thunderstorm. 

Confession: I probably set the R.S.V.P. date a little too early on our reply cards. FI wanted it to be the same date as when the hotel block gets released to avoid confusion, and I was too tired to argue. He even thought it was a typo at first, so I'm sure guests would have too if we didn't do it that way. 

labro

Confession - Going back to the daily thread. Having both of my families together on Christmas and Thanksgiving or another major holiday sounds like my worst nightmare. I would much rather divide up everything than try to have my ILs and my family all together. That's a big NOPE!

untouchablets

Confession: I put off going to BF's house on holidays as long as possible. They're just.. boring. I feel like I always just sit around by myself while they're rushing around cooking or he and his brothers are playing video games. I'd rather hang out with my roommate and her friends because they're all loud and fun even though they're like my parents age lol

Peaseblossom55

TwoDimes said:

Confession: Even though I do the "fair" thing and split holidays as evenly as possible between my family and H's family.... I'd much rather spend all holidays with just my family. I love H's family.... but I enjoy spending time with mine MUCH more.

I'd much rather spend time with H's family and in laws than mine actually.  I'm probably more the exception than the rule though. 

wink0erin

II: I made a dessert for the work Christmas party, and no one ate any. So now I have a ton of leftover. I'm about to put it in the main kitchen and hope other divisions go to town with it. 

labro

wink0erin said:

II: I made a dessert for the work Christmas party, and no one ate any. So now I have a ton of leftover. I'm about to put it in the main kitchen and hope other divisions go to town with it. 

This is standard practice for any and all food I want to get rid of.

lavenderfields13

TwoDimes said:

Confession: Even though I do the "fair" thing and split holidays as evenly as possible between my family and H's family.... I'd much rather spend all holidays with just my family. I love H's family.... but I enjoy spending time with mine MUCH more.

same!

minskat30

Confession: If we are confessing about holidays, I'm so glad I don't have to deal with the drama that is combining major holidays with families together OR dividing them up.  Combining two cultures for our wedding was stressful enough.  I feel bad that we can't travel to India for all of H's holidays but having two completely different cultures and holidays that don't fall on the same dates has a positive spin.  

MissKittyDanger

Confession I: I envy those who have Christmas spirit and love the season. I really wish I did and I do try, maybe I just don't know how to be in the spirit of the holidays?

II: Holidays make me glad I don't work retail any more and I can avoid the mall.

III: I feel like I can't tell many people about my raise at work without seeming like I'm rude-bragging, not humble-bragging. {I mean to my friends}

UO: I hate beer and I don't like most wine. Fruity is my thing. One sip of red, I have a migraine and white I find most very dry.

minskat30

wink0erin said:

II: I made a dessert for the work Christmas party, and no one ate any. So now I have a ton of leftover. I'm about to put it in the main kitchen and hope other divisions go to town with it. 

I could put nearly ANYTHING in the break room here, seriously...anything short of dog food...and it would be gone in a flash.  

buddysmom80

Confession: our supervisor told us we're moving our office next year and the one thing I'm most excited about: NO MORE UNIFORMS!!!!!!

labro

@MissKittyDanger Definitely don't tell anyone about your raise. That's super rude even if they're your friends. Lots of people don't get raises or bonuses and it's just more fair to keep silent about it and enjoy it in your own time.

MissKittyDanger

@labro  Yeh I don't want to be rude and I wouldn't state amount, but it's more like "yay me, my company recognized me as someone who stood out this year" kind of deal. Does that make sense? I guess it's just better not to say anything

labro

@MissKittyDanger Yeah no, just don't say anything. I would probably feel resentful if I found out a co-worker got a raise/bonus and I didn't even even if I had had a very positive performance review or something. From what I remember, I feel like your boss called you in unexpectedly about it? Just don't say anything at all. Have a celebratory date night with your H instead.