Bad Day at the Dog Park

I'm not easily embarassed. I don't usually care what strangers think of me. Because I don't think they care too much to what I'm up to. But this weekend, I had an uncomfortable moment at my new neighborhood's dog park...

I was petsitting a friend's dog (for privacy, we'll call him Fifo). Fifo is usually very well-behaved and is extensively trained.

"I had a traumatic experience at the dog park yesterday. Harry and I went to Lincoln park to hand off Fifo to Will's friend. Fifo was NUTS. He kept pulling on his leash (I was physically incapable of keeping him in control) and he was so high energy we feared he'd knock over a dog owner if we let him go- German Shepards can be scary.

So Harry and I sat at a bench with Fifo locked to it. Fifo kept loudly whining/crying/barking b/c he wanted to play or b/c he was anxious that Will wasn't there. I kept telling Fifo to be quiet, kept yelling at him to relax and lay down. I was only yelling b/c Fifo was whining so loudly. This went on for 45min.

The whole time other people were looking at us as if we were abusive parents. A few people even walked over and nicely petted Fifo (as if to say... it's ok buddy, it gets better, life isn't always like this). It was horrible... I was so ashamed. I felt like I was being judged by dog lovers everywhere."

Hopefully, Mokey and I can redeem ourselves at the park this week.

Some Big Sister Advice

My younger brother is going through a reawakening of sorts... as most of us do. And as his older sister, it is my duty to guide him through this introspective phase of his. Since I'm only 22, I don't know much, but of course that doesn't stop me from giving advice.

To Jonathan:
Jonathan,
I think the most important thing we can do in this life is to become comfortable and accepting of ourselves while making others comfortable and accepting of themselves. That's how you can build strong relationships- whether friendly, romantic, or familial. It's easy advice to give, but hard to follow. There are many petty emotions that get in the way.

I think growing up in Nana's house, we weren't always encouraged to confront our emotions. It might have been Nana's way of shielding us from our uncomfortable past. But once you truly THINK about who you are, where you came from, and why you are the way you are... it will help you embrace yourself, making it easier to relate to the rest of the world. Do you know what I'm trying to say? I'm not sure what you're going through right now... but continue to feel free to talk to me about it. I enjoy it :) Not many people understand what we've been through (only us, really) and I like the open discussion.

Ok, love you, bye.

Day Dreaming...

Today I was talking to my friend about a lofty dream of having a dog bakery/coffee shop. I know I'd make no money... but I'd be pretty darn happy.


BoxeadorLatin0: I bet you will be happy

me: i think i would be too.
i love dogs.
i like baking.
i enjoy talking to people i don't really have to know.

BoxeadorLatin0: haha

me: seriously though. my favorite part of my day is answering phone calls.
customer service at its best.

BoxeadorLatin0: reaaally?

me: yeah, b/c my day is lame.

BoxeadorLatin0: I haaaate that ish

me: it's the only thing that makes my day less boring.
get this-
yesterday i got lost on the metro.
b/c a train was labeled blue but it wasn't heading to foggy bottom.
so i ended up in chinatown and had to take a bus from there to k st.
and i wasn't mad AT ALL.
b/c it was the most exciting thing to happen to me on a work day in weeks.

BoxeadorLatin0: oooooooooook
it is time for you to travel, friend


I'm not one to really complain about what is going on in my life- so I'll spare the details. But I think a really polite 9th grader could do my job... so I dream about the places I could travel to with the money I'm going to save from working this job(Belize, Greece, trek through South America) and the businesses I could own with the credit I'm building by paying my bills and rent on time...

Living in the Moment

In the last few years, I've accepted that I have bad memory. There are years of my childhood that I can't remember and semesters of college that are a blur. Many times, I relive memories of my own life through the second-hand accounts of my bestfriends and family. My friends will have to repeat themselves two minutes later because I can't remember what they were talking about. Having a bad memory is one of faults that I can't forgive myself for.

But what I've come to realize is that my bad memory is actually my lack of attention.

My excuse is that I'm usually in "my own little world". I'm there, but my mind is wandering. I think about the past, the future, what-ifs, and the what not. Most of the time my thoughts are directionless and can switch from one topic or feeling to another unrelated subject or emotion. Which can leave me feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and most importantly, inattentive to what is going on around me. I think about everything but the present moment.

If I were more aware of my current surroundings, then I could have an emotional connection to the here and now. So I need to relax and focus. Ultimately, living in the present (and not in my own mind) will lead to a more complete me. And hopefully, by being an observer instead of antagonizing unnecessary thoughts, I can store more moments of my life and add to my memory bank.

New Job, New House

Now that I'm a full-time employee with Onsite Health, I can afford a new home...

Moc, Hayley, and I signed our lease for a carriage house on Capitol Hill. DC Chillin'.

Carriage House: is an outbuilding which was originally built to house horse-drawn carriages and the related tack.