Sunday, January 27, 2008

Campaign '08 - my shepherd is running!

Murphy's Law assures us that anything that can go wrong - will go wrong. It affects every single one of us- our only remedy to help keep our sanity, smile and try again.
My shepherd - NIT NIT NIR - has mastered this wonderful way of 'shaking off'' her aches and pains.
She'll never let any negative nonsense dissuade her from plowing straight ahead, right into the 'meat and potatos.'

She has decided to run for office. I think she's a shoo in. She's faster than any other candidate, endears herself to everyone who meets her, she's the best fund raiser around (has her nose up every derriere) and almost never barks up the wrong tree. She's an environmental champion having fertilized more trees and plants than any other politician in existence. If she should decide to sling some mud at the other candidates, you can bet they'll really be covered with it. She's completely satisfied with herself and has no need to pass a law for the sake of having her signature on it. And - she'll keep any campaign promise she makes.

Send a write in vote for NIT NIT NIR, in each primary, at the conventions and for the election. A paw print will suffice.
Murphy would approve.

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Tuesday, January 22, 2008

THE football game falls under Murphy's law

I love to watch football - 50 + guys on each side trained almost to the breaking point to inflict as much pain on any player on the opposing team in a split second of contact - and repeated a couple of hundred times per game. So there I was Sunday night, snacks ready, all prepared to watch the Giants -Packers try to kill each other within the RULES; and indeed it was a hell of a game.
They played to a 20-20 tie in regulation time and I said to myself -wow- sudden death overtime. But my beloved German Shepherd, ears straight, heard every word and started her low BARK-WHINE-GROWL ritual as she circled rapidly -bouncing ever-so-slightly to let me know that she really had to go -and now- or we'd all pay the penalty.
Shoes and coat quickly donned, I grabbed her leash and off we went - the short walk this time for obvious reasons. We returned just five minutes later, to a commercial. Game over. Murphy- I hate you. I re-leashed the dog and took the slower, longer exercise stroll, returning about 20 minutes later - and after my blood pressure dropped - and saw the winning Giant field goal kick 1/2 dozen times. OK So how did they get within range?

When I'm really PO'd I have two great outlets - I literally 'windows' shop, or I write about it. The people who have helped me so much, and continue to help me are located here. Why don't you pay them a visit??

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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Shopping, my Shepherd + ugh, Murphy

Brought home some groceries, was carrying them upstairs - didn't want to make an extra trip so I took all six bags at once- my shepherd was glad to see me back (she had to go - you know how that feels) so she started licking my face two stairs from the top (yeah, she's got a long tongue) and raised her paw for emphasis, but brought it down on two of the bags in my hand, tearing them just enough for the sour cream, eggs, milk and a six-pack of soda to cascade the whole flight, breaking open with evil intent as they caromed from stair to stair. The dog forget her basic urge and darted past me to partake of the feast. OK - so was I just being a clutz or was it the law of Murphy (when I find him I'll let him have it - unless he's bigger than me in which case I'll just mutter). Now that was a real mess to clean up with my pet standing in the center of the hodge-podge slurping away. I walked her first of course. Good thing the washing machine was downstairs - saved some steps.

So what turns your mood around ? Shopping does it for me. I was too tired to hit the mall so I hopped on my mouse - just jumping here and there and I found this site to fight speeding tickets. Now this is something I wish I knew a few months ago when I lost my case. Anything that helps beat the system interests me. Go visit Jeff at his site if and when you have a speeding ticket to fight; you don't need the fines and you don't need the points on your license. This site will give you some power.

I strongly recommend the 'sit-stay-fetch' package mentioned before - the price is great for what it does - helping reinforce what most of us already know we're supposed to keep doing, and reminding us of the necessity of continued repetition and reward for our loved pets.

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Is it Mother Nature?? or is it really Murphy's Law?

Now, in the middle of January in the northern part of the country, you come to expect some really bad weather systems. I've always looked forward to the pleasantry of 3 inches or more of pristine white snow blanketing the entire landscape bringing pause to the pulse of the entire area, however temporary. The neighborhood shovels pop out of the winter seclusion all about the same time with the playful laughter of the kids sleighing, and snowballing. That's great - until Murphy passed the ruling - the snow will only sporadically fall, a half inch here, a half inch there; never enough to enjoy; just enough to be a real pain in the butt (which is where I keep landing). My shepherd, who also loves the snow, loves to walk with me along the road following a few inches of the white wonder. But when you get a dusting here and a dusting there, the dogs can't gobble up the snow (as they love to do) without getting a mouthful of gook, and walking on an unplowed, unsalted road where the earlier dustings have been backed down and frozen over can be problematic. To me, Mother Nature would let it snow, and let it snow. No - this is definitely Murphy's Law at work - upsetting the beauty of bountiful snow.
So, I think I'm going to fight Murphy by checking out a trip to Orlando; you know what's there. Last time I went, it cost a fortune. Now I'll be able to afford it because I found THIS SITE. WON"T YOU JOIN ME?

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Thursday, January 10, 2008

Murphy's Law, Shopping and a Shepherd

Have you ever heard the expression "anything that can go wrong will go wrong?" That is 'Murphy's Law,' and I believe it is as irrefutable as the Ten Commandments, the Constitution, the Magna Carta or any body of statutes ever passed by any legislature or governing group.

Not long ago I decided to give my living room a bit of a face lift. I carefully measured ceiling and wall space, laid out brushes, rollers, corner paint pads and visited the local hardware store, buying the ceiling paint (latex of course,) two colors for the walls and some extra plastic tarpaulins to protect windows, blinds and my modest furnishings.

I carefully covered everything with the tarps, opened up the ladder, the ceiling paint can, re-stirred, and started along the edges (where ceiling meets wall.) I successfully painted six feet on either side of the corner and about 10 inches from the wall when the phone rang (Murphy's way.) Paint pad in hand, I carefully stepped down from the ladder and pressed the speaker phone button to - 'Hello, we're offering a special this month on any home improvements including carpentry, painting or bathroom remodeling.' Declining and disconnecting (only one small paint smudge on the phone button - probably not more than 10 points added to my blood pressure - not bad) I prepared to resume my project, reclimbing the ladder, and actually got two more feet (this over my big window) painted before the door bell pinged away.

Now I have a wonderful female German Shepherd, usually calm and relaxed, wonderful with kids and people, but who goes bananas, and nuts (and anything else edible), etc on two occasions: 1- any other female canine; 2- when the doorbell rings, regardless of who it is (I'm still trying to get her to bark before the bell rings, or someone knocks for which (I'm using a great training package) which I hope you'll try too)) I yelled out to the caller to wait just a minute, carefully set the paint pad straddling the paint tray, climbed down, grabbed a rag and wiping my hands, opened the door to my neighbors bearing a delicious smelling apple pie and their equally wonderfully friendly male German Shepherd. Although both dogs had romped and stomped, smelled and gelled, worked and perked together a few dozen times, the initial meeting - mating ritual is, as you know, always the same. They each started their circling, checking out and playfull chomping directed at the other, both oblivious to any and every thing and person but each other. OK - So use your imagination! The bumping and jumping crescendoed as they bounded around through the entire room.
Alas, I was but an instant too slow -the savory anticipation of home-made apple pie goes right to my reflexes.

Down came ladder, flying went 3/4 full paint can, off came the tarps and up probably another 10 points went my blood pressure (forget about my cholesterol.) Have you ever seen two shepherds - usually black and beige in varying degrees ( with some white on their coats) - now coated substantially with white paint, not letting their greeting ritual alter in any way. 'Cutting to the chase' it took almost 3 hours to clean up house and hounds - you had to see both of them shaking that paint off (although the paint on the carpet was actually a bit of an improvement), restore relations with the neighbors and, of course, take just a small bite of the pie.
Please , please tell me how a German shepherd can invoke Murphy's law.

That is Murphy's Law at it's full meaning and magnificence. Don't ever doubt it. And when this law impacts like a judicial decree, going shopping (on the 'net or at the mall) repeals the law however temporarily by giving me that diametrically opposite, positive mind set.

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