Dog vent... no, not mine!

If there is one thing I will never understand, its how/why some people let their dogs ride on the backs of pickup trucks on busy roads. Despite what magnetic-paw superpowers they think their pups might have (or incredible balance or self-control or whatever) dogs have been known to fall out and CAN get hurt! That to me would be the obvious reason not to do this, but today I was reminded of yet another.

As I was driving to school this afternoon, I came upon a pickup truck with a beautiful Australian Shepherd in the back. Not only was this dog in the back of the pickup, she was running back and forth on top of one of those metal toolbox thingies that come up higher than the lip of the truck bed! She was even standing up on her hind legs and resting her front paws on the roof of the truck!!! All the cars around me (myself included) slowed way down and I bet we were all thinking the same thing- "Oh please don't let me be the one to A) run over that dog when it falls off or B) get into an accident trying to avoid that dog when it falls off!" We were all keeping a distance of about 4-5 car lengths between us and that crazy shmuck driving this vehicle.

SERIOUSLY dude?!?! Ok, so let's just say that this guy couldn't give a rat's fart about his pup's safety ... what about US, his fellow drivers?!?! I mean come on! No one wants to see a dog splattered all over the road, much less be the one to run over it OR drive into oncoming traffic/a pole (etc) trying to avoid it! If I were a cop I would have pulled him over and cited him for reckless driving and/or whatever else I could get him on, including endangerment of an animal! This can't have been the first time the dog did that, and knowing how it behaves and the increased risk it puts everyone in should be one more reason to either keep the dog in the cab with you or leave it at home!!!

Still, best case scenario- your dog is well mannered and sits quietly in the back? Congratulations to you. That doesn't mean he/she couldn't go flying out and get run over (or cause accidents) if you have to make a sudden stop, turn, or get into an accident yourself. I recognize that I am super paranoid about doggy safety and all, but this is something that transcends even my paranoia. It's about our responsibility (not just as dog owners) as drivers to keep the road safe for ourselves and everyone around us.

Sheesh people, use your brains... Grrr...

Cutiepatootie!

I can't believe my little nephew Alex is getting so big, so fast! He's so handsome! No wonder he's already got many admirers in the neighborhood... including some "older women" who are in 1st or 2nd grade I think! ;)

Oh well, I tried!

For the past couple of months I have been trying to broaden my literary horizons. Upon reflection and the fast approach of my last birthday in my twenties, I decided it was time to turn to more "grown up" literature, if you will... As much as I loved the last few years of amazing YA finds (it all started with my beloved Harry Potter) I figured it was time to move on.

My sister-in-law Kathleen was kind enough to go through her vast collection with me and help narrow down 2 bags of hopefuls, and off I went, super excited and ready to find a new nitche in the literary world. *sigh* You can see where this is going, no? Well, I read a few books, including some of Jane Austen's best as well as a few others that were highly recommended both by Kathleen as well as friends. In all honesty they were all quite good, really. Some I liked better than others, but none of them were really horrible or anything! The problem?

I kind of quit reading. Well, let me rephrase that... I quit devouring, feasting, slurping them up like they're a sumptuous feast. (I really view my favorite books like that) I don't know, I just lost my drive and it turned into passively nibbling- a little here and a little there... in short, there was just not enough to tempt me.

Last night I was book hungry... starving, really. I was so flustered! I completely gave up, snatched The Hunger Games off my shelf and went to bed and read... and read...and could not put it down for 2 hours! Mind you, I've read this book at least twice (maybe a third time although I'm not 100% sure) so it's not like I didn't know what was going to happen! I came home from work today and went straight back to it. I am SO looking forward to spending the next day (or 2 or 3 if I can manage to stretch it out that long) finishing it and then moving onto Catching Fire! Oh how I missed that feeling!!! It was like being reunited with a long-lost friend! (Yes, I know I'm weird. Ben thinks I'm crazy because I say books are like friends to me...go ahead, laugh away)

So, I guess I'm just going to have to be content with what I like. Better to be a happy not-so-sophisticated reader than an unhappy snooty one, right? Never fear, I will continue to expand my horizons (I'm dead set on finishing all those books I was lent) but I will not feel guilty for being almost 30 and reading Harry Potter, Twilight, Eragon, Hunger Games, Narnia, and all my other much beloved YA books!

That is all. *Stepping off soapbox to return to Panem*

One year older and wiser too...

...Haaaaaappy Birthday, to me!

I'm 29 today but not so sure about the wiser part... I have a Chem test today that is itching to prove that point! Oh wells, I guess we shall see! ;)