Mar
27

i know – it’s all about puppies lately

I’d apologize, but I’m not sorry!

Got word from the fine folks at PPR (Pet Project Rescue for those of you a little slow at things…) about a litter of puppies (and the mama dog) that had been completely abandoned. The owners moved and left the mama dog chained to the porch with all of the puppies scattered about. No food and no water. Who does that kind of thing? I’d apologize for the karma they’re about to run into, but that’s something else I’m just not at all sorry about.

Right now, there are 8 10-week old puppies trying to keep warm and nourished with the food and water volunteers are providing, but they need warm foster homes to stay in. PPR will provide you with any food you’d need, puppy pads, leashes, kennels, vet care, medications — anything you need to help these dogs. You just have to provide a place for them to stay and, of course, a little attention now and then wouldn’t hurt either.

(Aside from this abandoned litter, there’s also a puppy mill that’s closing and surrendering 90 (NINETY) Pomeranian that are going to need foster homes, too, if you’re into little fuzz ball dogs.)

Can you help at all? Please pass along this information to anyone and everyone you know. They may be “just animals” to some of you, but these animals don’t deserve to starve to death just because their owners are insensitive and irresponsible jerks.

Mar
26

By Wendy

my photos are everywhere!

Category: Misc. 4 Comments

I kind of love when I get notifications from Flickr that say my photos have been used somewhere. I should probably Google it more often to see where my photos have been used and I haven’t known about it. Either way, it’s still super cool and makes my head explode about a billion times.

Here are the latest two: a picture I took on Cozumel that was used for an article about home beer delivery and this picture of a broken camp chair from our mid-summer camping trip last year used in an article about what kinds of camp chairs are best for people with big butts.

Here are some more I just found, because I’m so motivated to work today.

The Wikipedia article on Sea Breeze (cocktail), which features a picture I took on my last cruise.
An article about planning a family road trip, picture of a young Clara Jane and her awesome Chuck Taylors included!
My eviction notice picture from my last apartment (not my eviction!) was used for an article about a six year old getting evicted.
A really high quality picture that I took of the Teletubbies on TV was used on Discover Magazine’s website.
The Auto Glass Blog used a photo from last year’s 3 Day (new 3 Day post is in the works, by the way!)

I’m going to have to keep an eye on this a little more closely, because it’s pretty fun to see!

Posted via web from twodolla’s posterous.

Mar
25

By Wendy

just shy of 18 years ago

Category: Sports, Videos Leave a Comment

Know how there are just certain days that really stick out in your head for one reason or the other?

March 28, 1992

I was fresh from turning 14 years old and was babysitting for a lawyer. The kids were sleeping, I’d already gone through the dad’s Playboy collection (hidden in the kids’ toy room, mind you…), and had no idea when to expect the parents home. It was typical to never know when they’d be home, but I was 14 and liked getting paid three bucks an hour, so I didn’t really care.

I was sitting in their kitchen, watching the 13-inch TV on the counter. It was the only TV I could get to work, aside from the one in their bedroom, but the idea of lounging in the bed just seemed kind of weird. The cable was spotty at best on the TV, but I stumbled across a basketball game.

This basketball game:

That’s when I really, really fell in love with basketball.

And that’s also when I fell in love with Duke and Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley, but that’s another story.

Mar
22

By Wendy

my opinion on health insurance reform

Category: Foster Pets, Photos 2 Comments

PUPPIES!

jake Here’s Jake!

casey And this is Casey!

These two are 10-week old poodle/terrier mixes that were rescued over the weekend from a home that didn’t want them (or their parents or a Golden Retriever or three cats) anymore. They maybe weigh two pounds each.

As usual, more information can be found at Pet Project Rescue’s site, including information about upcoming fundraisers, how to become a foster or volunteer, and a bunch of other really awesome stuff.

Mar
21

By Wendy

oh the places i’ve lived

Category: In My Neighborhood 2 Comments

The General and I have talked a lot about when/where we want to move. We love Northeast Minneapolis a lot. Truthfully, we love our duplex a lot. We just know that we’d prefer something on the first floor and something with a shower (because ours only has a bathtub). In-unit laundry is also on our list of demands for our next humble abode.

I’ve lived in Minneapolis for just over 8 years. In those eight years, I’ve lived in seven places. I’d say I’m fickle, but I don’t think it’s me. Let’s examine, shall we?

St. Paul. I was moving from Sedalia to Minnesota. While I’d visited plenty of times before, I’d never taken the time to look at any rental property, so I left it completely up to someone else who ended up finding a house for rent and signed a lease. Because it was pink. Months later, someone broken in and stole my Nintendo 64 and my chocolate chip Eggo waffles. Not a joke.
Eden Prairie. Super nice apartment. Super nice location to the two jobs I was working at the time, but holy large-SUV driving, soccer mom filled, pretentious snob filled suburb. Absolutely not me.
Roseville. We lived in a four bedroom, ranch-style house with five people, one of which owned the house. The owner was on house arrest much of the time I lived there and couldn’t mow the whole backyard, because he got too far from the house and his ankle bracelet did weird things. And his girlfriend stole a bottle of vodka from my bedroom.
Burnsville. Nice setup, but I fell in love with this dog named Riley and needed my own place. Plus, I’d fallen in love with Minneapolis and Burnsville to Minneapolis was a heck of a drive.
Eagan. Decent apartment, decent rent, decent location. But again, it was kinda far from Minneapolis. And the new management company was turning into a pile of turds that let children skateboard in the halls. Not cool.
Minneapolis #1. Loved the apartment. Got tired of Uptown. The General came with a 12 year old and I only had one bedroom.

I’d consider buying a house somewhere, but then I wouldn’t have all these awesome stories about roommates and neighbors and slumlandlords!

Mar
21

By Wendy

the amazing race: it never changes

Category: mobile, Rants, TV Leave a Comment

Tonight I decided that The General and I should catch up on The Amazing Race since we haven’t watched it yet and the episodes are dating back to early February. Within the first 15 minutes I was already angry at the show.

Now as many times as I’ve watched a season or even just an episode, there have been an abundance of things that have not changed and will not change. Oh, and I shall gladly list them for you.

1) You will inevitably be going to a country where English is not the primary language and likely not even spoken. Do yourself a favor and learn some basic vocabulary. Taxi, bus, airport, which way – these are things that will benefit you. I promise.

2) Sometimes in these magical far off countries, cultures will be different. If a cab driver doesn’t understand you when you are talking very loudly in broken English, yet you get pissed off and throw a little American temper tantrum, you’re making yourself look like a gian douchbag. Congratulations.

3) One of the two of you should either know how to do or learn how to do one of the following: drive a stick shift, know the cardinal directions, easily read a map, not be scared of large animals, and someone better damn sure be able to calm the other one down when he/she completely flips the you-know-what out.

I guarantee that if you decide to try out for this show and keep the above points in mind, you might possibly win. If nothing else, you won’t end up looking like a giant ass on national TV.

And you’re welcome.

Mar
21

By Wendy

ergo baby carrier

Category: Foster Pets 1 Comment

Yesterday, our latest foster puppies came to visit. They’re poodle/terrier mixes and they weigh maybe two pounds each. They’re tiny and they’re both ridiculously and painfully cute. We’re supposed to take pictures of them, but no matter how many pictures we take, you just can’t see their gigantic cuteness factor. Yesterday was the first time they’d been separated from their mom, so they’ve been crying. A lot. And shaking like crazy. It’s very, very sad.

The General has a baby sling a company gave up as a sample for new moms that might use The General as a doula. It’s very similar to the Ergo Baby Carrier. And while we don’t have a baby to fill the sling with, I was about two seconds away from shoving Jake and Casey (yes, those are the puppies names!) into the sling and carrying about my dad.

We’re heading to Adoption Day shortly, where the puppies will be reunited with their mom. That should either be really nice for them or turn them into super hot messes tonight.

Mar
19

By Wendy

do you know generous people?

Category: Foster Pets 3 Comments

Pet Project Rescue is, as I’ve mentioned, having a silent auction next month and they are in need of…

Wait for it!

Silent auction items! If you work somewhere that could donate something or know someone that might be able to put us in touch with someone that, you know, knows some people, I’d really appreciate a quick comment or an email.

And so would the 10 animals PPR is rescuing tomorrow from owners that have just decided they want to try out a life with no animals. Really.

Mar
19

By Wendy

i’m 32 now. i need new glasses now.

Category: Me Leave a Comment

When I was home around the first of the year, my brother was telling me about his 6 pair of new eyeglasses he’d finally ordered and had delivered. The only one I remember seeing him wear was a pair of argyle ones. He went on and on about them and even just sent me an email earlier this week asking if I’d ordered them yet. Of course I hadn’t, because I haven’t had my eyes checked for at least four years. That’s about to change this weekend… assuming a walk-in appointment is available somewhere. Otherwise, this post might be way premature.

Before Travis had actually ordered them, I’d read a ton of articles (including this one) about them online. Not being able to try on a pair of glasses before you get them was my main hold up (except for the lack of recent eye exam), but when my brother talks about a) something awesome, b) something extremely reasonably price and c) something he’d do again, it’s kind of hard to ignore.

However, if I wind up needing bifocals (since I’m so old, ya know!), I might have to reconsider. Because if I need bifocals, I’m totally going to Walgreen’s and getting the really ugly style of glasses with the fake pearl chains to wear around my neck. And then I’ll order my cool astigmatism glasses from Zenni. That sounds like a good compromise.

Mar
19

By Wendy

the obligatory 32nd birthday wrapup

Category: Misc. Leave a Comment

My birthday was a success, which isn’t a surprise, because they always seem to be.

I worked, because why not? When I got in, the boys in my department (we’re a huge department of four – two boys, two girls – also we’re 50% gay) had decorated my desk with ribbon curls and Christmas cards. They apparently needed help from our Controller to learn how to curl ribbon. When the remaining person on our team got here at 9, she was armed with frosted sugar cookies and gummy bears. And then I left work at 2:30. WIN.

I picked up birthday Chipotle on the way home for the family. At home, The General gave me my birthday present, which ended up being a very awesome compass necklace. I’d been wanting a necklace for a while, but hadn’t ever seen anything I was dying to have. The one The General picked out is perfect.

Then we headed to Club Jager, which as 2-for-1s from 4-8 during the week for some birthday celebration. Jenni and Matt met us there, where we sat outside for a while before conducting a board meeting in a very adorable back room. Shortly after we finished a couple of 2-for-1 rounds, we decided to head to bowling an hour early to grab dinner and, you know, drinks.

And we ate and drank and bowled. Jenni made multi-tiered brownie for my birthday, complete with a Hannah Montana Christmas ornament as decoration. Matt, who bowls in a different league on Thursdays, was there for a while and Katie, who’s way pregnant!!, stopped by for a little while. So, it ended up being like a birthday party I didn’t even plan.

I bowled like a horse’s ass and my NCAA tournament bracket also looks like a horse’s ass, but turning 32? It was pretty awesome.

Posted via web from twodolla’s posterous.