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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Dream a little dream of links

Getting back into the swing of things means reviving the weekly link roundup, so… here we go!

  1. First up, your punny pet names: Katey Seagull and Mick Wagger. (Also, please enjoy this bonus punny action. You’re welcome.)
  2. This is an old one, but I just can’t with the news this week… so let’s revisit some good news!
  3. Yes… more good news! We need some fuzzy, happy things right now.
  4. For all the times that the world disappoints me, there’s always some good eggs to remind me that there’s still some awesome out there. Thanks, pals.
  5. Let’s make this happen, guys. (Basically… I’m #TeamBob.)
  6. It’s been kind of rainy this week. I need to do this to help me make it through.
  7. It seems weird to finish this post without any holiday-related links. So, here’s a holiday DIY for the dog lovers out there.
  8. Oh, I can’t stop with just one. I also can’t resist sharing this amazing holiday card.

It’s not really holiday-related, but I love everything about this video (including the Hall & Oates soundtrack):

(I’m always on the lookout for these types of videos thanks to this awesome lady.)

In conclusion… meow.

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Paw & Order: SVMew

Before we dive into today’s links, a quick plug if you live in the northern Virginia/DC area… this Saturday (the 27th), Friends of Homeless Animals (giver of Tavish) is hosting its annual Barktoberfest. Stop by for pet contests, music, food, drinks, fun, puppies, kittens, and more… check it out!

Now… let’s do this.

  1. First up, your punny pet names: Rawr-iska Hartigay (star of Paw & Order: SVMew) and Ace Hentura (bird detective, obviously).
  2. Speaking of Olivia Benson, I think Mariska Hartigay is my soul mate. (H/t Hey Love Designs for sending this one my way!)
  3. Move over, Ace Ventura.  This little dude is my new favorite pet detective.
  4. Furry pet detective aside, there appears to be an actual and altruistic pet detective in Canada.
  5. I need a detective (pet or otherwise) to help me solve these mysteries. Anyone?
  6. Is your dog the Hooch to your Turner? Take this quiz and find out which fictional duo you and your pet are most like. (My result? Apparently tiny Tavish is a giant St. Bernard at heart, and I’m a nerdy adolescent boy. Who knew?)

Holy crap, you guys. Agatha Christie’s first dog looked like Tavish. Doggelganger alert!

(I realize that the “holy crap” portion of that sentence might not accurately capture your reaction, but I promise you that was mine. My mom loved Agatha Christie, so I have a soft spot for all things A.C.)

Anyway, check it out:

Fascinating, yes? Authors are kind of like rock stars to me, so I loved that video on many levels.

In closing… take a look, it’s in a book.

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#BtC4A: Dogs aren’t perfect… but neither are you

Blog the ChangeI’d be lying to you if I said that I knew what I wanted to write about for this edition of Blog the Change for Animals. However, I recently read a story that supplied the thesis* for today’s post. That thesis?

Don’t be an idiot.

(A secondary thesis? Don’t do things that make me roll my eyes. It makes my eyes hurt. I don’t like it when my eyes hurt.)

So, let’s get to it. The story that inspired today’s post sounds too stupid to be true. Our tale begins with the return of a dog named Misty to a high-kill shelter. Want to guess the reason? I bet you can’t.

Continue reading

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Just one of those (important) days…

Two years ago today, this furry face joined our family. We adopted him from Friends of Homeless Animals, and the rest is history…

Gotcha Day! via wantmorepuppies.com

Happy Tavishversary!

Here’s to a snuggly dog that’s scared of his water bowl and of his own farts… but still struts around the neighborhood like he owns the place. (Bella taught him well. Following her example, he seems to believe that if he can see it, it belongs to him.)

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been two years. So much has changed since then… but not how awesome this little dude is. (He’s pretty darn awesome.)

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11 pleasing pet posts you’ll love (unless you’re Grumpy Cat)

It’s time for another monthly roundup. Please enjoy these phenomenally pleasing posts that I loved in the month of January.   Continue reading

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Step 1: Get a bowl. Step 2: Put a puppy in that bowl.

Step 3: Enjoy today’s dose of Friday linkage. It’s that easy.

  1. First up, your punny pet name: Hayton Manning (for a horse, obviously).
  2. So, let’s talk about the most important bowl in the cupboard this weekend. That’s right… the Puppy Bowl is almost here! Who’s on your fantasy team?

    This is a puppy bowl, but not THE Puppy Bowl. (via giphy.com)

  3. Forget Behind the Music. Let’s go behind the Puppy Bowl! (Here’s even more behind the scenes action. You’re welcome.)
  4. You may have already seen it by now, but if not… Budweiser has officially won the advertising portion of the Super Bowl. (I don’t normally go for a Bud Light. However, the next time my only choices are of the cheap beer variety, I think I’ll have to give it the edge.)
  5. Speaking of ads, these guys are a strong contender in the less prestigious (but still intriguing) non-animal division. (Unfortunately, this year’s crop of ads aren’t all winners. Le sigh.)
  6. Anyway… wondering who will win the actual game that’s being played on Sunday? These puppies know the answer.

CarMax made an all-puppy reenactment of its Super Bowl ad this year. I heard that it was only going to be posted online, but this really has Puppy Bowl written all over it:

Next year, I think all Super Bowl ads should be reenacted with adorable animals and aired during the various Adorable Bowls.

Finally, in case you missed it, here’s what we’ve been up to on the blog lately:

Who are you rooting for this weekend? The Broncos? The Seahawks? Opie? Wyatt? Pong? (Choose your favorite player here.)

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Shelters you should know: Meet FOHA in northern Virginia

Blog the ChangeFor this round of Blog the Change for Animals, I wanted to (once again) highlight an organization that has been helping animals since before I was a twinkle in my parents’ eyes.

Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) in northern Virginia has been serving the DC area since 1973. In 2012, FOHA gave me a wonderful place to volunteer and a new pup in the form of Tavish. In 2013, FOHA celebrated its 40th anniversary. This year, the fantastic folks at FOHA are continuing this important work into year forty-one. Continue reading

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Introducing… The Puppy Tails: A new (and awesome) blog on the block

I have a special edition of No Frown Friday for you today. I’m shining the spotlight on a very special blog: The Puppy Tails!

When I found out that I was paired up with The Puppy Tails for the Pet Blogger’s Gift Exchange this year, I was pretty excited. I mean, the name alone is clever and cute. The blogger behind the pups, Laura, looks like a lot of fun. The canine stars of the show, Monty and Delilah, are heart-meltingly adorable. Like me, Laura still calls her crew puppies even though they might not technically fit that definition anymore. Obviously, this match was meant to be.

Borrowing this photo from The Puppy Tails so you can see the cute – I sincerely hope you don’t mind, Laura!

I’ve spent some time reading up on The Puppy Tails this month, and I’ve really enjoyed it. If you, like me, are new to this wonderful blog, allow me to give you some tips on where to start (and at the end, I’ll tell you how you can help me spread the blog love to Laura, Monty and Delilah):

  1. First up, a punny pet name inspired by The Puppy Tails: Monty Paw.
  2. The Puppy Tails is a relatively new blog – it began in August of this year, and it’s a welcome addition to my reading list!
  3. Unlike this blog, The Puppy Tails contains useful information in addition to being entertaining and well-written. Check out this list of Puppy FAQs – I love how Laura is dedicated to helping others care for their puppies.
  4. Monty the pup is a rescue, and Laura recently dedicated an awesome post to him during Adopt a Dog Month.
  5. Laura is super talented too. Check out her upcoming line of homemade dog beds! (I totally want one.)
  6. She’s also cool and ahead of the curve – she totally posted adorable selfies with her pup long before the rest of us decided to step out from behind the camera as part of the Meet the Bloggers hop.
  7. Laura also gets to do awesome things in London, which has resulted in my undying jealousy.
  8. Seriously, The Puppy Tails is awesome. It tackles anything and everything you might want to know about having a puppy, including diet, teething, separation anxiety, walking, going to the vet, socializing (or, socialising) your puppy, clicker training, and so much more.

So, that’s a quick intro to the wonderful blog that is The Puppy Tails. Want to help me spread the blog love to this adorable addition to the pet blogosphere? If so, please do the following:

  • Stop by The Puppy Tails, leave a comment, and say hello.
  • Follow The Puppy Tails on Twitter. As a bonus, you will then be treated to tweets like this one. Awesomesauce.

This post is part of the Pet Blogger’s Gift Exchange, co-hosted by this humble blog and Something Wagging This Way Comes. For more feel-good bloggy goodness, check out the other blogs participating in this year’s exchange:

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