Happiness is…

I spend a lot of time thinking about happiness. Mostly because life is pretty damn short and if you aren’t enjoying yourself with whatever it is you’re doing then what’s the point?

Happiness is so many things. You can define it as the little things that make you happy on a daily/ongoing basis or the big picture things that make you chase your dreams. You can define it with the positive emotions you feel towards people or situations. However one choose to define it, it’s a display of who you are on an authentic and deep level. So, in an effort to be more vulnerable in general as a person… here are my ways of defining it:

Happiness is doggy cuddles.

Happiness is waking up with someone’s arms wrapped around you.

Happiness is incredibly delicious food.

Happiness is cooking & watching someone enjoy the food I make.

Happiness is anything related to Friends, the TV show.

Happiness is shoulder kisses.

Happiness is a walk when it’s the absolute perfect temperature outside.

Happiness is skiing.

Happiness is gratitude from a client after you’ve put a lot of work into helping them.

Happiness is being in the same room as family, friends & loved ones.

Happiness is crawling into a warm comfortable bed at night.

Happiness is the smell of fresh pine.

I welcome all of you to share what makes you extra happy!

A List of Complaints from A Dog Owner

Recently I’ve been feeling like every time I take my dog outside something absolutely ridiculous happens that makes me want to hit someone over the head with my least favorite accounting textbook. So below is a list of “fun facts” as well the ridiculous experiences that correspond.

1. Dogs can tell that you’re human. Some dude seriously barked at my dog, several times, and then asked me why my dog wasn’t responding to his barking and said there’s something wrong with my dog. No dude, there’s something wrong with you. Dogs can tell that the bark coming from your mouth is not one that belongs to another dog. #thatsnothowitworksbro.

2. I know my dog better than you know my dog. So my dog is a mixed breed, he’s a cockalier (half american cocker spaniel and half king charles cavalier spaniel) but he looks very close to a regular cocker. People often try to convince me that my dog is some sort of weird mix. “He’s not a cocker at all! He’s a german shepherd shitsu!” What?! Are you blind? I also get “OMG we have the same dog, don’t you just love poodles?”. Have you looked at your dog lately, because my dog looks about as much like a poodle as your dog does a doberman. 

3. Your shitty little rugrat needs training, not my dog. If your little weasel sticks his disgusting fingers into my dog’s eyes or mouth then he will get bitten and it’s not my dog that needs help… it’s you and your child. Put that thing on a leash, will ya? If your kid squeals, at decibel levels that would wake dead people, why are you surprised that my dog is barking? If i could, I would bark at that level of irritation too. 

4. It is not my dog’s job to stay away from you, it is your job to stay away from my dog. If you’re afraid of my dog then walk away, cross the street, move aside… just pick something and do it but don’t stand there in the middle of the street and say “Can your dog move” . No, he’s a dog, he wants to strut in the middle of the street and he won’t move for your royally stupid self. 

5. My dog doesn’t HAVE to like you. Dogs, like many people, do not like every single person they meet. Sometimes, he will be very happy to hand you a paw and say hello and let you pet him. Other times, he just wants to get on with his walk and doesn’t care about your existence. Why are you offended? He doesn’t owe you anything! You’re actually nobody to him. Start feeding him, he’ll gain more interest, I promise.

6. Don’t feed my dog without my consent. I really never thought this would be a situation but I was walking by a restaurant the other day and some guy just threw his chicken wing at my dog. Without asking me or anything. So I picked it up with a plastic bag and handed it back to the guy and said “no, thank you”. Apparently I’m the asshole in this situation… he made sure to let me know. 

7. I like my dog better than I will ever potentially like you. I would throw you under a bus to save my dog. I’m just going to leave it at that. 

8. I will not tie my dog up for you. If you’re a store that doesn’t allow my dog to go in with me, for whatever reason, I simply won’t shop at your store. There are other stores that will be happy to have my dog and I as patrons and those are the ones I will frequent. Usually, I don’t ever stop by stores on dog walks, but on the occasions that I absolutely can’t escape it, I already know the places in my neighborhood that know that they will simply charge me for anything my dog might ruin – it’s that simple. Plus, he never ruins anything meanwhile there’s a shitty little 7 year old knocking things off shelves and that’s not a problem at all! 

I think that’s all I have for today. Have any other dog owners experienced any frustrations lately?

 

Broken Dreams

Since I was about 8 years old, all I ever wanted was a dog. I wanted a fluffy best friend to cuddle with. My parents/grandparents never allowed it & I had hamsters instead. Because you know – furry mouse… fluffy dog… similar enough?

Either way, I finally got a dog when I was 13 years old. December 5, 2003 we went in a huge snowstorm to pennsylvania to pick him up from Dana’s Cockers – http://www.danascockers.com – He had an issue he was born with – a stomach hernia – and was the last dog left. We basically raced there but it took over 5 hours & my parents were basically ready to agree to take any animal home, maybe even a bear.

We took home our one and only Hershey – also nick-named Tuz (Russian for Ace). He brightened up our home and filled it with love for so many years. Most honestly, our house is just a house but not a home without him in it. He was the most life-loving creature that I have ever encountered. He would run around chasing a small hand-ball all over the house no matter where he was. If you were eating – his face was in your plate and he would beg non-stop for food. He was also the smartest dog in the whole world. He understood everything, knew where his food was, knew what our schedule was – knew and understood everything. His favorite bones in the world were bully springs. He would chew them for hours and they were the best way to calm him down. He had a stuffed rabbit that he loved to hump – especially when we had guests over. He slept with us, woke up with us, and our lives were completely scheduled around him in every way. He was so loved, so cared for & honestly not a dog to us – he was a family member.

Unfortunately – on October 27th we got the bitter news that Hershey has cancerous tumors in his liver. We later took him to an oncologist to find out exactly what it was – carcinoma in the liver, spleen & lymph nodes. We took him for holistic treatment as traditional medicine was not an option.

You may have noticed that all this is in the past tense. That is because yesterday at 6:12 pm, Hershey crossed over the rainbow bridge. He went peacefully & in my arms. He passed exactly 5 minutes after I got home. We took him to our local vet and he will be cremated & returned to our home so he can forever be with us in the physical sense – he will definitely forever be with us in our hearts.

 

My one and only. My everything. The absolute love of my life . Rest in Peace.

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