Looking for the silver whining

Stop the presses!* It has only been two weeks since my last blog, and I’m already back. I mean, i can’t promise I’ll make this a habit, but…

Anyway, today I decided to turn my comic energies in a different direction. I’ve begun to realize that some things I’d classify as bad might look pretty good depending on your point of view. For example:

Pain or gain | Want More Puppies

Honestly, Tavish is pretty psyched when the heating pad makes an appearance for any reason.** He also likes when I’m home sick, because it means he can stay in bed allllll day long.

Anyone else’s dog seem to enjoy – or at least, find a silver lining in – their misery?

*Younger readers, back in the day we had these things called newspapers. They contained our news and were printed on things called presses. So, if you had breaking news you’d have to stop the presses to add it in.

**Yes, the reason here occurs monthly, but it often appears to soothe other aches & pains as well.

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Lists and the women who love them

Last year was a busy blogging year for me… just not on this blog. I launched my webcomic, which – like a shiny, new toy – has gotten the lion’s share of my attention. I’ll admit that I’ve found myself missing this space and hope to give some more attention to my first blog-child in the coming year. (We’ll talk more about that later this month – stay tuned.)

With that in mind, I wanted to start off the new year with a new post. When a friend told me about 50 Happy Things, I just knew that this was the perfect way to kick off 2016 (and to help me find some positivity in a year that seemed to be full of sad news from the world at large). Plus, I love lists. I have a list of the lists that I keep. It’s like list-ception.

You can visit Tales from the Motherland for the full lowdown, but here are the basics:

  • Set a timer for ten minutes.
  • During those ten minutes, write a list of 50(ish) things that made you happy (or that you were grateful for) in 2015. (After time was up, I went back and added some links, comments, and photos – you know I can’t resist a good link roundup.)
  • Add your post to the list of bloggers participating in this flood of gratitude. (Don’t have a blog? That’s okay! You can do this on your own – either just for yourself, or to share with your friends in another format. Also, if you want to tell me some of the things that made you happy in the comments, I’d love to hear them!)

I armed Tavish with a stopwatch, which he promptly ignored in favor of going back to sleep. (Hosting people for New Year’s Eve is exhausting, apparently.) So, looks like I’m on my own. Here we go… Continue reading

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The elephant in the womb?

Please forgive me for that post title. It was the best of the worst, so just be thankful I spared you the others. Working titles included “the birth of an animation” and “make way for chucklings.” I told you they were bad.

However, the title seemed fitting, in a way. After all, it’s no secret. Over the past year or so, posts here have been infrequent. I can imagine that finding new content here could sometimes feel as unlikely as finding a Golden Ticket in your Special K.

Okay, maybe that’s not the best example. That Golden Ticket was nothing but trouble, unless you relish the idea of turning into a blueberry or almost drowning in a river of chocolate. I’m hoping that new posts here aren’t having that effect on you.

Anyway, I digress. (Big surprise, right?) I wanted to talk a little bit about my absence and let you know that my time away from you has not been in vain. I’ve FINALLY accomplished one of my goals for 2015 (and 2014 and 2013)…

I launched that webcomic I kept talking about! So, I finally followed through on that promise (or made good on that threat, depending on your point of view) and got some of the ideas out of my brain and onto (virtual) paper.  It’s out in the world, and it’s just getting started.

It’s called Biological Clockie, and she really wants to be your new BFF (Best Frenemy Forever):

  • The webcomic lives here – you’ll find new comics on Mondays and Thursdays.
  • You can sign up to get new comics by email using the form in the right sidebar on the BC website.
  • If you’re more of a feed reader kind of person, sign up here.
  • Biological Clockie has her own Facebook page and Twitter profile too – follow for updates, funny stuff, and more.

So, that’s the big news here.  I hope you’ll stop by and check out my new site – I’d love to hear your thoughts! After all, how could you resist finding out more about this face?

She's waiting for you...

She’s waiting for you…

Working on the comic has also helped me start finding my blogging mojo too, so I’ll probably be posting more regularly here as well.  It’s win-win (for me at least).

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Odds and ends and ducks and Friends

Well, that didn’t work.

I thought that my month of blogging in August would reignite the blogging flame… however, I think it resulted in a second wave of blogging burnout.

Never fear, however… I’m working on a plan to get myself back on track. In the meantime, I thought I’d dedicate this edition of Friday* linkage to some things that I have been filling my time with lately:

  1. Before we get started, however, I would be remiss if I failed to share some punny pet names: Hiss Messina (for a snake) and Mindy Meowling.
  2. Those pet names miiiiight have given you a clue to what I’ve been watching lately.  My list of current TV obsessions includes The Mindy Project. (I mean, seriously. Seriously, people.)
  3. I’m also obsessed with Outlander. (You might be noticing a theme in the links, but I promise I’m totally into the rest of the show too. I’ve even read the books!)
  4. I’ve also been loving all of the Friends coverage lately. I’ll never get over it. (Also, this kid is possibly the coolest kid ever. So cute.)
  5. Beyond the pop culture realm, I’ve also been fascinated by the Scottish independence referendum.  (This John Oliver clip is hilarious. This moment on CNN is perfection. Like gum.)
  6. In news that will be surprising to absolutely zero people, I have also been staring at photos of the new baby red pandas.  I think these pandas are my lobsters.
  7. Um, new Dr. Seuss? Epic.
  8. I’m not even sure how words can do this next link justice. I’ll just say that it is my everything and let you enjoy the awesomeness.

Finally, today’s video. I can’t stop watching this:

Speaking of things I can’t seem to stop doing, I probably read this post like ten times and laughed every single time.

Until next time, faithful friends!

*I assume you can forgive me for providing Friday linkage on a Thursday night.

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Senior dogs rock: Maturity is totally underrated

It’s time for your weekly linkage. I’ve chosen today’s theme for one simple reason. Senior dogs rock.

  1. First up, your punny pet names: Lickey Rooney and Ben Catlock.
  2. This month, I’m doing a series of posts about senior pets on the Grouchy Puppy blog. Head on over and check out my first post to find out how an old dog can teach you some new tricks.
  3. These dogs with old man faces are awesome, as are the accompanying Sanka and Matlock references.
  4. I’m loving these photos of senior dogs across America from Nancy LeVine.
  5. This is slightly off topic, but I don’t care. History is old. This Animals From History ebook looks amazing. (There are puns!) I want to hang prints of the illustrations around my house. It would totally class up the joint.
  6. These vintage art dogs are also pretty great.

Finally, I give you today’s video. This mature dog is pretty charming, don’t you think?

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

Oh, and don’t forget to swing by Kol’s Notes to enter to win a cool custom pet portrait from AJ Emm!

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Honest movie summaries: Dog edition

Movie summaries intrigue me. It’s a challenge to condense two hours of action into one or two sentences. I admire those who can cut through the fluff and do it with a bit of flair. (Case in point: once I read this blurb, I was never able to look at the Wizard of Oz the same way again. Even Siri has gotten into the act.)

Hence, today’s post. I’ve taken a stab at a few of my own, inspired by some cinematic canines (and one adorably corrupt feline). Some of these movies I love, some I don’t… but they’re all getting the business today. Continue reading

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In which I want to buy all the things…

This past weekend, I attended the Super Pet Expo in northern Virginia. I actually ended up going twice. On Friday, I went with a few friends to do some shopping. Then on Sunday, I volunteered at the Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) dog booth.

I’m full of post ideas after this weekend. Today, I thought I’d start by sharing the damage the expo did to my pocketbook. I managed not to buy all the things, but I did buy a few. Prepare for an onslaught of photos…

Continue reading

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Seuss-obsessed blogger on the loose (plus… cats in hats!)

February has passed, and March has slid into its place. The first signs of spring are slowly showing their face. Today is the first day of this glorious time, but do you know why tomorrow has inspired me to rhyme?

If you’re a studious scholar of literary renown, it’s likely this riddle will not cause you to frown. It just so happens that many years ago on that day, a man named Theodor Geisel joined our great mortal play. That’s right – tomorrow’s the birthday of the fab Dr. Seuss, so now you know that my rhyming has a fantastic excuse. I became similarly rhythmic at the same time last year, so I hope that this format will not cause you to jeer.

  1. First up, I present you with a new punny pet name. Last year, Fleaodor Seuss Geisel was my entry of fame. Repeating myself would be cheating a tad, so instead I introduce you to Ms. Feral Ladd.
  2. Fun flights of fancy seem quite fitting today, so enjoy these whimsical paintings without further delay.
  3. Do you find the alphabet much, much too tame? Use the Seussabet instead – you’ll not again feel the same.
  4. Dr. Seuss is remembered for the Grinch, green ham, and a cat, but his body of work is far more extensive than that. Before all the Sneetches or an elephant caper, Seuss was in the same business as one Mr. Don Draper.
  5. Speaking of hats, it seems the good doctor had quite a flair, for finding charming haberdashery to cover his hair.
  6. I think that this story is worth sharing, so go take a quick look. I wish that someone named Martha Graham Cracker was here to read me a book.
  7. Here’s the answer to a question you likely did not ponder: it’s Star Wars redone in shades of Seussian wonder.
  8. Although the Lorax is often quite busy speaking for trees, he still inspires fantastical parties with the greatest of ease. (Yet if you may permit me one quibble with that adorable scheme, the use of all that paper might somewhat contradict the book’s theme? I’m probably being a picky old grouch, but if I’d kept my mouth shut, I’d have felt like a slouch. In my mind, I’ll just hope that this use was excusable, and that these cute decorations will prove to be quite reusable.)
  9. This story is old, but some might find it surprising. Who knew that Yertle the Turtle posed the danger of a grade school uprising?
  10. If you’re not anti-Yertle and hosting a Seussian soiree, put these dishes on your menu to simply blow guests away.
  11. We’re not the only blog paying tribute to this brilliant writer. This poem from Cat Chat is another one to help make your day brighter.
  12. Oh, and in case a product rep is here doing some reading, I have some advice that might help if you think of proceeding. Before you request a humble blogger work for free, I suggest you take a moment – or perhaps even three – to read this cautionary missive that will help in gauging, just why your unsolicited email could prove to be mildly enraging.

Now it’s time to abandon the numerical form. I end with a video (as is often the norm):

How will you celebrate this prince of the book? Perhaps channeling his characters with your next fashionable look?

If I can make one final request of you at this time… if you’re going to comment, maybe do it in rhyme? Rhyming comments would fill me with utter delight. Then I’ll know that this post did not lead to mass reader flight.

(I hope that this format did make you feel glee, but regardless, dear reader, the choice was not up to me. For you see, I’m not only a great Seussian fan, I happen to share the day of my birth with the man. Now that my motives have been fully explained, I’m sure you’ll agree that my whimsy was no doubt preordained.)

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