DOGS?: Bully me why don't you?

I tried the whole 'pet thing' with Squishy Ristimaki my late and terminally depressed beta fish and despite this particular 'flop', i'm not discouraged. 

I think i would like to be a dog person. Again.

I would like some responsibility in my life and 'dog responsibility' suits me fine. I miss it in fact.  Used to have both an Irish Setter and a Golden Retriever in my younger days.  

I know that right now, i'm excited for the new and different in my upcoming move and the school that is taking me there... but i also know 'me'. 

I am going to put this down in writing:

When i'm done school, and can move to a job that will hopefully hold the promise of a few years consistent work to pay off student loans which i'm about to accumulate, i would VERY MUCH like to have a real companion to keep my company through the whole 'working for a living' process until i can start thinking about having time for a creative career again, or working towards being a business owner, or towards getting an MFA or other Post Grad Degree.

I have always fancied a Pot-Bellied Pig, 

but i am also seriously considering dogs, and some of the breeds i'm thinking are:

Great Dane

English Bulldog

French Bulldog

or a mutt of some kind, i'm most likely to adopt a dog but in the meantime, i'll dream shall I!?!

Is it true that the dogs people choose reflect somewhat their 'look'?  If so, um, I look forward to a lazy, emotionally demanding, shorthaired, and sleepy eyed lifestyle!

Sounds kind of good really.

They came, They Cuccumbed, They went!

I had such a great time last night.

I had been planning to have a 'come have a drink on me, and leave with something that i don't then need to throw out/donate' cocktail party, and last night was the night.

It was wonderful to be surrounded by great people, and to munch on good foods and drink up, in my OWN HOME! 

Here's the recepie of the spotlight cocktail of the evening; The CUCCUMBER FIZZ

Infuse Gin, preferably Hendricks in a jar with a whole peeled Cuke, cut into peices and leave to muddle for at least 3 hours.

Strain back into the bottle.

Fill a glass with ice.

Add juice of one half of a lime.

2 squeezed/chopped mint leaves

One part Cuccumber Gin

One part Tonic

Garnish with a Cuccumber spear

Mmm... My new favourite summer drink!

Like a duck

Michael Caine once said:

Be like a duck. Calm on the Surface but always paddling like the dickens underneath.

What I have NOT been able to do lately is to stay calm. 

I had an interesting discussion last night with a friend and it lead me to the realization that the pattern of switching tasks often is something that i have inherited from my job. 

Luckily i will be leaving that job soon, but in the meantime, i am tired of feeling 'panic-y' and 'anxious' and 'scattered' all the time.  I'm the kind of person who moves through the world oblivious to immediate realities because i'm often thinking on two tracks. I get around on auto pilot and think myself to distraction. 

Key loser

Push door puller

muffin burner

I have a new trick to help stay focused and retrain my brain to focus more clearly on the present.

Its called 'NOTEPAD'

It goes like this:

-Do stuff (a task)

-When you inevitably get distracted, stop yourself

-Don't change course, just write down the thought that came to mind on a NOTEPAD and let the idea drift away

-When you've completed the task at hand look to NOTEPAD to find your next task

-Now begin resolving the most important task first. 

-Repeat as symptoms of distraction arise

I'm seriously considering the hipster pda as my format for NOTEPAD. 

I especially like that the binder clip that holds the assembly together will also be helpful in clipping the thing to my pocket so that it doesn't slide out when i'm riding my bicycle. 

Oh, how hipster i have become. 

Ahh.... Its a difficult job, but someone has to reprogram me, and it might as well be me.

Also, when i wrote 'like a duck' i sang it to the chevy truck 'like a rock' jingle.