The Puppy Health Plan

It has been two and a half months since City Dog Maggie joined me in the City Pad.  Despite the challenges of raising a puppy, I can definitely see and feel the benefits of my canine companion.

Changing focus.
All my closest pals know that I have a tendency to become very work-obsessed.  (I know y'all are nodding your head - so yes, I am actually admitting this.)  Over the years, I have tried to leave the challenges of work AT WORK to no avail.  This changed when Maggie came into my life.  When the work day winds down and I am getting ready to go home, I start thinking about my puppy and what she needs from me.  Problems with equipment, supplies, staff, etc.?  What are those???  My Magpie needs me!  In the words of one of my favorite South Park characters, "Screw you guys...  I'm going home!"

Eating small frequent meals.

Like her mommy, Maggie LOVES to eat.  She gets excited around mealtime and is always happy to receive a treat.  (A puppy after my own heart...)  When I try to sit down for a meal, she wants to partake of the bounty.  Maggie stares longingly at me, then my plate.  Her eyes stay fixed in my direction unless I can distract her with a bully stick or a bone.  Never mind a huge meal, I'll just live on finger foods while I'm at home!

Walking, walking, walking.
Having been around dogs most of my life, I know the importance of exercising my canine companion.  The City Pad is not that big - it's decent - but not spacious enough to get this growing pup sufficient exercise.  Maggie and I go on long walks around the neighborhood, taking in the sights and sounds of Sweet Home Chicago.  Sometimes we even walk to Wiggly Field, which is almost one mile away.  Not only does Maggie get a workout, but I do, too!

Unavoidable social life.
Sometimes the Chicago weather or exhaustion from work can make a person want to hibernate or go into hermit mode.  With Maggie, there is no such thing.  Her best friend Lucy, a Pit-Boxer Pup, lives next door, so my neighbor and I have been frequently hanging out.  While the dogs play, we enjoy cocktails and conversation.  Also, when I walk Maggie, she always wants to say hello to every passerby.  Sometimes they stop to say hello and give her a little love.  I am really excited about this summer, because Maggie and I will be on the hunt for dog friendly cafes and bars.  That's when we'll really be social butterflies!

Training yourself while training the dog.
Every dog trainer, including the famous Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, will tell you that in order to successfully train your dog, YOU need to be PATIENT, CALM, and CONFIDENT.  Wow.  Just what I need!  Because I want Maggie to learn and be a star pupil, I am working on improving myself.  Ingenius!

After two months of focusing on Maggie and her needs, trimming down my food portions, going on frequent walks, socializing even when I don't feel up to it, and trying to develop patience and confidence, the end result is the new and improved City Girl.  I am more relaxed.  My blood pressure is back down.  I am closer to a healthier weight.  My spirits are up!  Most importantly, I have the best companion a girl could ask for!

Thank you, Maggie Mae!

If you need some positive change in your life, maybe it's time to find a yourself a Puppy Pal and then call me for a Play Date!

I Am Not An Animal

...A Cougar, that is!!!

* * * * *

He reached out to adjust my cap, tilting the front brim upwards.

"There.  That's better," he said gently.  "You shouldn't hide such a pretty face."

I blushed and averted the young man's gaze.

"Don't be like that," he said, confused by my reaction.  "Did you just get out of a bad breakup or something?"

Wow.  That's blunt.  But very, very wrong.

Embarrassed, I looked at my friend for some support.  Like this guy, she had no idea what was going on.  I searched for a way to explain what I was thinking, but I couldn't find the words.

I'm too old for you... I tried to convey telepathically.

Nothing.

It didn't reach him.

Silly girl!  This is not Escape to Witch Mountain...

Quickly, I changed the subject to drinks.  The attention moved away from my perceived shyness.

Ah, yes, the topic of beer always works.

* * * * *

I know I should be flattered - and I am - by getting hit on by someone who is 30 or younger.  The truth is that it makes me very uncomfortable.  I guess it has to do with age and the varying attitudes towards it that I have experienced.  Thanks to genetics (thanks, mom and dad!) I have been blessed with a youthful face and energy.

Two years ago, a long-time acquaintance showed interest in dating me.  I was flattered and considered it.  As we conversed over drinks, he found out that I was in my early 40's (about 5 years older than him) and freaked out.  His reaction was so negative that I really didn't know what to say.  I thought he knew my age.  I had never made a big deal about it before because I honestly felt that age was just a number.  I guess not to some people.

A few months after that terrible experience, I met a 30 year old guy (younger than the guy who freaked out, by the way) who did not have a problem with my age.  He didn't treat me any differently.  In fact, he actually liked that I was older (maybe he thought that he was finally having his Cougar experience).  In any case, I felt better about the age thing.  Of course, that relationship did not last because, even for his age, he was a very young 30.  Too bad!

Still single, the younger guy flirtation scenario has been on Repeat.  The situations are all similar.  He flirts, I blush, and I try to keep my distance especially when I know I'm significantly older.  The residue from the past freak-out reaction has not been washed away over time.  Sometimes the memory hangs out on my shoulder, singing Mrs. Robinson in my ear.

Does Polly want a cracker so she can shut the hell up???

I dance around trying to miss the flirtatious jabs of young boxers.  It's nice to feel attractive, but just maybe the encounters would come to a screeching halt once the truth came out.  Where is the fun in that?  But I don't want to mislead anyone, especially if they are really looking for Love.  Well, isn't that what we all want?

Ugh...  What do I know?

I have been trying to keep an open mind when it comes to dating.  It has been a challenge not to fall into the trap of being age-obsessed.  I am making my best attempt to continue living with joie de vivre.  Unfortunately, there are times when the insecurity crashes over me and I cannot shake the thought that I need to force parameters on myself.  This bird starts to feel caged by society's taboo about age.

But I press on...

Time and time again, I will talk myself off the proverbial ledge.  I will remind myself that my life has been one great adventure so far and that many times I have taken The Road Less Traveled.

So this thing about age...  It's time to put it to rest and just get on with living.

Thoughts While Hiding In The City Pad

Spring is here, but you certainly don't feel it in Chicago. The gray skies and harsh winds keep me bundled up in fleece, Smartwool, hiking boots and layers of clothing. In the past, I would have used this weather as an excuse to work long hours.  Now that I have City Pup, I feel no urge to continue running competitively in the Rat Race of Work.  Instead, I happily cuddle with Maggie in front of the TV and watch our favorite episodes of The Dog Whisperer and Superfetch on Netflix.

Just like a good mom, I want to make sure my Baby is getting the proper nutrition and exercise.  Ah, yes, exercise.  Sometime before we settle in front of the Boob Tube, I bundle up and go out for a long walk for both our sakes.  If City Pup gets exercise, then City Girl gets it too.  Good trick, huh?  I'm already down 5 lbs. with more to go!  Once Maggie goes through Controlled K9 class, I'm hoping she will be my running partner.

Now that City Pup is housebroken, I have been slowly getting back into the social scene.  Every now and then, I meet friends for dinner and drinks, maybe even a movie.  People have warned me about the impact that having a dog would have on my social life.  Personally, I've been looking for different ways to interact with people other than at the bar EVERY weekend.  She has been really good for me.

Back in Dallas, my social life consisted of my friends and I taking turns hosting dinner at our homes.  There was plenty of food, drink, and laughter.  We were much younger then, but for some reason, not caught up in the bar scene.  Being social was more about playing and watching sports, entertaining at home, eating good food, Jack and Coke, and finding things to do together as a team.  I really miss those days...

Oh well!

It is time to focus on the here and now.  I have a feeling that there are doors around the corner that Maggie will be leading me...

Oh, City Pup, what do you know that I don't?

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SIDE NOTE:  Check out my latest photo/writing project inspired by my City Dog.  Enjoy!!!

City Girl Adopts City Dog

CITY DOG

In case you were wondering where I have been for the last month or so, I have been in the throws of bonding with my new baby --- Maggie (a.k.a. "City Dog").  It has been challenging and fun at the same time.

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of having my own canine best pal.  My mother has never believed that dogs belong in the house, having grown up in a country where "domestic dogs" are kept outside.  On the other hand, my father would have been happily welcomed one.  But of course, my mother won that battle.  Now as a grown up, I can do whatever I want and can finally check this off my Things To Do Before I Die List.

Maggie (formerly "Magnolia" - would you believe she had a brother "Steele") was rescued from PAWS, the largest no-kill shelter in the Chicagoland area.  Transferred from a shelter in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, she was classified as a Yellow Lab Mix, although she appears to be part terrier --- a hound dog, if you will.  My guess is that she is part Beagle because of her markings.  In any case, she is a real sweetheart!

Adopting a puppy is a serious life changing choice.  You really have to think about it.  I mean REALLY.

Being a chronic analyzer, I thought that I had considered everything.  I was ready.

Or at least I thought I was.

The night I met Maggie, I walked over to PAWS on a complete whim.  I was just going to look at the dogs and see what types were available.  I was actually thinking about getting an older dog - 1-2 years old.  My next door neighbor had just adopted a pit-boxer puppy in December, so I wondered if something similar was available.

When I arrived at the shelter, I filled out a questionnaire and got a pass to visit the dogs.  There were so many faces looking at me and begging me to take them home.  I tried to stay strong and focus on finding The One.

The first dog I met was a one year old shepherd mix (German and Australian).  She seemed sweet behind the glass, but when I met her, she barked the entire time.  I had no clue what was agitating her.  This was definitely not a fit.  The scary thing about adopting an older dog, if you are an inexperienced dog parent, is that you have their baggage to handle.  Were they abused at home or in a shelter?  Who knows!  I did not want to take a chance.

It was then that I was convinced that a puppy was the way to go.  The two of us would learn how to live together.  I narrowed it down to two puppies.  After meeting Maggie, I was DONE.  She was docile, sweet, and loved to cuddle.  The volunteers made me nervous by telling me how quickly the puppies are adopted.  PAWS was closing for the night and so I vowed to come back right after work the next day.

The next day, I still wanted her so I raced over after my work day was done.  A counselor walked me through the adoption process and told me inspiring puppy stories.  I was scared and excited to become a first time puppy parent.  After wanting something for such a long, sometimes it is hard for me to believe that it is happening for me --- I'm getting what I want.  Such was the case with Maggie.

I signed the papers, raced over to Petco to grab some must have items, and then picked up my puppy.  Oh joy!!!

And then...  Oh crap!  What did I get myself into?

It was like going through Post Partum --- not that I know anything about that (but so I was told).  I forgot to eat because I was so focused on Maggie's well-being.  Not having made any dog-walking arrangements, I raced home from work two days in a row to let her out during lunch.  Again, I remembered to feed Maggie, but forgot to feed myself.

At one point, a moment of panic struck.  I started wondering if I made the right decision to make Maggie part of my life. Maybe I should have just signed on as a volunteer at PAWS.  Maybe I was going to get myself in a financial bind.  Maybe this will make me less social than I have been recently.

Fast forward, things are great with little Maggie and me.  We are both learning about patience and trust, something that I already thought I knew enough about.  Maggie has opened my eyes and my heart.  And who knows what that will lead to.  It looks like nothing but good things!!!

Happy Hour

"Here's to surviving another week at work," I said raising my glass of Ketel One and Sprite.  My friends followed suit, then...

Clink, clink, clink, clink

There is something happily musical about the sound cocktail glasses make when they touch.  It signals that Life is Good no matter what challenges we have to overcome in our day.

What is even better is sharing that moment with good friends.  Let's face it...  There is nothing happy about drinking alone!

I foresee more Happy Hours in my future.

Cheers! Salud! Skål!

No Hibernation

It is WAY too easy to hibernate during a Midwest winter.  Peering outside from the coziness of my condo, I see people fighting the cold, wind, and snow.  Huddled at the bus stop, they pray that the big vehicle of warmth known as the #74 shows up in a hurry.  My first instinct is to draw the shades and ignore the reality on the street below.  But then I remember where I live.

As Carl Sandburg put it...

Tool maker, stacker of wheat,

Player with railroads and the nation's freight handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the big shoulders.

Then others...

Paris on the Prairie.  The Big Onion.  The Windy City.  Second City.  My Kind of Town.

And my favorite...

Sweet Home Chicago.

Oh, there is so much to do and too little time (and money)!

For me, this is the City of No Excuses.  There is something for everyone in this town.  You just have to go out and find what you want to do.

Chicago, in its best Jim Belushi voice, says, "Hey, Marj, stop hiding indoors and get the f*** off the couch already!"

And so I am doing my best to abide.

Looking forward to sharing Tales of My Winter Escapades...

Childhood Dreams

Add this to the list of Things That Make Me Smile:  The Book of Mormon.  What a show!!!  The singing, dancing, choreography, the performers, the stage...  I attended a recent performance and the experience stirred emotions in me that usually lie dormant during my work week.

Awe
Admiration
Joy
Regret

Did I just write Regret???

Yes, I did.

Somewhere deep down inside, I harbor a tinge of regret for not following a dream that I've had since I was a little girl.  Since viewing my first movie musical on television, I had always wanted to be a performer on the Broadway stage. The desire was solidified at age 10 when my parents brought me to my first stage performance of a Broadway Musical --- Annie.

It was LOVE at first sight and sound.

After the Little Orphan stole my heart, I sang every chance I could.  My main motivation for learning how to play the piano was so that I could accompany myself.  Sometimes my dad would play the piano and I would sing.  My parents would buy the soundtracks to musicals we saw and I would memorize every song.  I would save money for sheet music of my favorite Broadway tunes.  I was slightly obsessed.

By the time I reached high school, I was in the annual school musical variety show and usually had a couple of solo parts.  Sure, this was small time...  But you have to start somewhere!

As the time drew nearer for me to decide what I was going to pursue in college, music was out as mandated by my parents.  It was Medicine or Law and that was that.

While I was in university, the singing bug was quieted.  Little did any of my friends know, I would sneak into the practice rooms in the music building just so that I could get a taste of what I loved.  By the time I finished college, I ended up with a B.S. in Marketing and the music in me went to sleep.

As a "grown-up," I have gone back to singing and playing an instrument off and on.  Voice lessons, guitar lessons, and even karoake nights with my family --- what I call bits of joy in a serious adult-with-responsibilities world.

If my childhood dream job was to sing on Broadway, I wonder what my friends and family longed to do when they were kids.  Hmmmm...

On a happier note, there were other dreams that came true.  As a little girl, I always envisioned helping people, traveling the world, being Queen of my own castle, and eating chocolate any time I wanted to.  Check, check, check, and check!!!

My job as a nurse allows me to help people every day.  I have been lucky enough to travel around the world, most recently to London for the Olympics.  Last year, I bought my first home --- a lovely condo in a nice neighborhood in the city I love.  And finally, there is NO ONE - and I mean NO ONE - who can tell me when and how much chocolate to eat.

I guess, in the end, I'm lucky to have many of my childhood dreams come true.  And I didn't need Disney for that!

Single Girl Shame

"You really shouldn't pass up this opportunity," he whispered into my ear as he put his arm around me.  "Especially at YOUR age."

HUH???  You've got to be f-ing kidding me...

I straightened up and shot him a what-chu-talking-about-Willis? look.

And yet another Douchebag rears his ugly head.

Of all the arrogant and insulting things a man could say to any woman!  These words were uttered by someone desperately trying to create a romantic connection with me.  Yes, he tried to shame me into hooking up with him, as if he was my only option for love, lust, or whatever else lurked in his evil brain.  He might as well said that it is hopeless for women over 40 to find love and he's as good as it gets.  If that's the case, then I'm OK with being single for the rest of my life.  Seriously.  (But ladies, we all know that this isn't true, even though it feels that way sometimes.)

He wasn't a very good salesman because he said this to me not once, not twice, but THREE times.  The first two times, I thought that it was the alcohol speaking.  Being an understanding sort of person, and against my better judgment, I really tried to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

But when he uttered those words for the third time, there was nothing left to do.  I took a deep breath and walked away.  I had to leave his presence before I said and did something which would cause great remorse and regret the next day, much like Dr. Banner post Hulk explosion.

The irony of the situation is that the guy is my age.  Yes, my age!  Not younger, like one would think.  Unfortunately, for him, he is connected to some of my friends which means that our paths will cross again.  And next time, well, let's just say there won't be enough time to insult me.  That's for sure...

No shame on me for bypassing someone who is below my standards.  Shame on him for thinking he was above them!

* * * * *

“I am somebody. I am me. I like being me. And I need nobody to make me somebody.”
- Louis L Amour