Thursday, November 26, 2009

Welcome to the world.

Welcome to the world, Sidney Theresa St. Onge! Born Thanksgiving Day 2009 at 1:15 a.m. (She is my 2nd cousin....aka my cousin's little girl).

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

:)

Wishing my fellow Americans a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

As of this morning, my cousin was in labor! Can't wait to see the little "Butterball's" pictures!

English Bulldog / UGA Debate

Some of you may know last week, the University of Georgia mascot, UGA VII, passed away at the young age of 4 due to "heart-related causes." His father, UGA VI, died of the same thing.

A friend of mine that used to breed English Bulldogs up in Illinois said that the UGA lines are some of the most unhealthy Bulldogs out there, and that it is common knowledge among EB breeders that the line also produces a high percentage of sterile males as well.

I guess PETA sent a letter to UGA telling them to just stop using the mascot altogether (of course, they suggested an animatronic dog or a costumed mascot in its place.)

British veterinarian Emma Milne of BBC One's "Vets in Practice" program also wanted to ban the breeding of Bulldogs as we know they today calling them mutants or something of that nature with major health issues.

I'd be curious to find out how other "UGAs" died as well, and could all of this have been prevented with better breeding practices instead of satisfying the UGA fans? (As in...not breeding dogs with heart problems, known health issues, etc.?)

Thoughts?

Friday, November 20, 2009

Helping people, but....

I don't mind helping people especially when it comes to helping them find lost pets/finding lost pets.

The other day, Andrew and I were visiting our Vet's office to say "hello" and see their new boarding facility (aka "hotel suites" for dogs.) This guy came in from the shopping center around the corner, and he had a small Jack Russell Terrier on a harness and leash, and he asked the Vet Techs to scan the dog for a microchip. Apparently, the dog had been running up and down the sidewalk when he scooped him up and took him to the Vet's.

No microchip.

The Vet's office asked, "What are you going to do with him?"
The guy said, "I don't know. I have to get back to work. Is there a shelter?"

So I decide to post information on Craigslist (albeit vague) about the dog and said I would provide possible owners with contact information for the Vet's office who had the guy's contact information so that the possible owners could be told what shelter the dog went to/what happened to it. I listed the breed and what it was found with, but I listed nothing else: sex, intact or spayed/neutered, color, etc. because I wanted possible owners to tell me those things/send pictures so I could say "yes" or "no" to the dog possibly being theirs.

With anyone that replied, I did a search on their e-mail address, and all four people came up as having multiple dogs for sale on other websites - RED FLAG. They sent me photos of "their" dog - none of which matched the actual dog and all of which were images they stole off websites.

This woman e-mailed me and said (IN ALL CAPS) this might be her dog, it ran away with a harness and leash attached (ad said that), and could she see a picture of it. She would send a picture of her dog when she got back home.

I told her to please describe the dog, and send me a picture, and I could tell her if it was hers or not.

No response.

She replies to my ad again, says the same thing, and I remind her what I told her.

She sends back that she would send me a photo tonight, and still doesn't provide any information.

That was a week ago. The woman e-mails me just now to ask if I still have the dog that might look like hers?

I respond that first of all, I don't have the dog. I reminded her what my ad said. Second of all, she had promised me twice to send photos of the dog, and she hasn't done that yet. Third, I asked her to describe the dog, characteristics, sex, spayed/neutered or not, etc. and she hadn't done that either.

I apologized if she thought my e-mail was rude but that several people had contacted me saying the dog was theirs, but pictures (that were stolen from websites) did not match. I don't expect to hear from her again, but geez. If I lost MY dog, and someone said, "send me a picture," you had better be darn sure that as SOON as I could send a picture, I would. If they told me to describe him/her, I'd get right on that - right down to every last marking on my dog - any scars, any quirks, any commands he/she might know, etc. AND provide Veterinary records showing the dog was mine.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Georgia DOL needs a lesson in confidentiality!

We have a new phone system at work. It's not that difficult to navigate, and, obviously, the person from the DOL pressed an option to leave a general voice message (instead of actually talking to someone).

She calls stating she needs separation information for a former employee. Well...that's ALL she should have said and left a telephone number to have someone to call her. Instead.....she continues:

"His name is 'Tom Smith' (obviously, I changed the name). He said he was laid off from the company, and I need someone to return my call to tell me if he was laid off, fired, etc. Also, I need for someone to tell me the date and the incident leading up to his being released from the company. He states that he made $911 per week, and I need to have that verified as well as his monthly salary is listed as $3,644. I need to know the date and approximate time of his separation from the company and, like I said, the reason for his departure for the company. I need to have this information by the 19th of November and need someone to leave me this information on my voicemail. Thank you."

Did I mention she never said her name?! She just said, "This is the Georgia Department of Labor."

First of all, like I said, she should have said, "I am calling to get details on the separation of an employee from your company. Please call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx." No. Instead she goes into detail (more than I posted above) including how much he was being paid, etc. on MY (Sales) voicemail! What an IDIOT!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Looks like dishonesty is at it again!

A few months ago, I was helping out at a horse farm. Initially it was "horse therapy" and to help [seemingly] normal people out that were in a bind.

The majority of time someone tries to help someone out, they are taken advantage of. As soon as I found out the wife of the group was abusing and stealing her husband's pain pills (admitted by her) and was okay with drugs was when I said, "hasta la vista!"

They rent a farm for $5,000/month (supposedly) and cannot make rental payments. They have the landlord coming to their door every day after the first of the month. They don't have mail sent to them - they have it sent to a PO Box in another town. Shipments are sent to family members and then delivered to them.

The farm was beautiful in the pictures the wife sent to me, and when I got there....it was different. By the time I left (my last time up there), fencing was being held together with bailing twine and duct tape, the pastures were bare, and there was an average of 20 animals (horses or cows) on 3 acres in each pasture.

Lo and behold, they have a sales list on Craigslist stating they're "changing their breeding program." Funny since every single horse or pony on there is a different breed.

Having firsthand knowledge of ALL of the horses listed, I find their ads hilarious!

"Arab gelding. Was shown at local shows, Nice jump, cute mover, has lead changes."
That gelding hasn't been ridden in over a year and a half, was ridden by a trainer, and was shown ONCE in a small local show before being thrown out to pasture never to be handled since.

"Used only for breeding" Neglected to mention she has NO manners and NO training and will just as likely plow someone over and drag them around the farm as swat a fly with her tail.

"by Iron Springs farm" ISF doesn't breed nor sell the breed of horse they claim this horse is. The horse breed they say he is is different from the horse they claim to have sired him.

"Yearling Bay AQHA colt" This colt is pretty much unhandled. I was told I had to lead him approximately 150 yards from his stall to a pasture as he hadn't been outside in 7 months. NO manners. Will rear and strike out as you're leading him and thinks nothing to run a human down.

"AQHA yearling filly" This one? Her hooves are so bad chronically that there have been times that they have almost rotted off. Last time I knew she had two club feet.

"AQHA 15.1 mare" Neglected to mention she is an alpha mare and colics every other day. Oh yeah...and catching her in a three acre pasture means setting up fence panels into a corral and chasing/running her in with at least four other people.

"yearling Holsteiner filly...Great confirmation" Well if the spelling didn't dissuade you. This filly was chased through the fence by "Yearling Bay AQHA colt" and sliced her leg open. Oh yeah....same handling manners as the colt, too.

I have no doubt that the owners will drug all of these horses before someone comes to look at them (save maybe two or three of them that I didn't mention here).

I just can't believe some folks!

Gettemy Jewelers : Two Thumbs Up!

Andrew and I decided to look for a small-town jeweler for....various things (*wink*), and we came across "Gettemy Jewelers." We read reviews online, and one of my friends said his parents used them in the past.

We decided to scope them out. Their store is about 2 miles from my home....great. It is a fairly small store around the side in a strip mall. The sign says "JEWELER" and that's it.

As I walk up to the door, I recognize a merle Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix, and I try to remember where I've seen her before. As we walk into the store, the owner says, "Be with you guys in a minute....Selda.....sit!"

"SELDA!"

I look, and it's a volunteer from the Cherokee County Humane Society Thrift Store. She generally tends to the plants out in the dog park, and Selda and Grimm play together on Sundays!

Even though she was with a customer, I said, "hey! I know you!" She looked up, and Andrew looked at me like I was nuts. "You care for the plants at the dog park. Grimm (the German Shepherd) plays with Selda!" She said, "oh yeah!"

She finished up with her customer and helped us out with some questions that we had. She offered security for us and told us some horror stories when she worked in larger stores. I told her that her reasons were some of the reasons we had for looking at smaller jewelers.

She cut us a great deal on some jewelry for the future, and we told her we would be back. (She also buys jewelry from people, offers estate jewelery for sale, is a potter that makes awesome leaves, and her husband is a certified jeweler!)

I highly recommend Gettemy Jewelers for those of you in/around the Woodstock, Georgia area:

http://www.kudzu.com/merchant/772350.html

And no, they don't have a website :) The above are some reviews of the store and an address.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Pictures of the mural....

Here are step-by-step pictures of the mural I painted this weekend:

WALL MURAL PICTURES!

Oh and two random pumpkin carvings!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Friday, November 13, 2009

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Baby, it's cold outside....

For [my] anDREW

I really can't stay - Baby it's cold outside
I've got to go away - Baby it's cold outside
This evening has been - Been hoping that you'd drop in
So very nice - I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice
My mother will start to worry - Beautiful, what's your hurry
My father will be pacing the floor - Listen to the fireplace roar
So really I'd better scurry - Beautiful, please don't hurry
Well maybe just a half a drink more - Put some music on while I pour

The neighbors might think - Baby, it's bad out there
Say, what's in this drink - No cabs to be had out there
I wish I knew how - Your eyes are like starlight now
To break this spell - I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell
I ought to say no, no, no, sir - Mind if I move a little closer
At least I'm gonna say that I tried - What's the sense in hurting my pride
I really can't stay - Baby don't hold out
Ahh, but it's cold outside

C'mon baby

I simply must go - Baby, it's cold outside
The answer is no - Ooh baby, it's cold outside
This welcome has been - I'm lucky that you dropped in
So nice and warm -- Look out the window at that storm
My sister will be suspicious - Man, your lips look so delicious
My brother will be there at the door - Waves upon a tropical shore
My maiden aunt's mind is vicious - Gosh your lips look delicious
Well maybe just a half a drink more - Never such a blizzard before

I've got to go home - Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there
Say, lend me your comb - It's up to your knees out there
You've really been grand - Your eyes are like starlight now
But don't you see - How can you do this thing to me
There's bound to be talk tomorrow - Making my life long sorrow
At least there will be plenty implied - If you caught pneumonia and died
I really can't stay - Get over that old out
Ahh, but it's cold outside

Baby it's cold outside

Brr its cold...
It's cold out there
Cant you stay awhile longer baby
Well... I really shouldn't... alright

Make it worth your while baby
Ahh, do that again...

Monday, November 9, 2009

Once upon a time...there lived a Princess...

This weekend I'm flying to Connecticut (courtesy of my cousin and her husband) to paint a wall mural on their nursery wall. My cousin is due in four weeks. No one (but my cousin and I) know what the design looks like, but I'll post the finished product and "along the way" pictures here.

It should come out pretty nice. It will be situated directly above the crib :)

Let's just say it has a Princess theme....and a horse and carriage is [of course] involved :)

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Call me to call him to tell him to fax them...

What the Hell?

We sold some products to a client of ours in Maine. They, in turn, decided to ship some to their branch in Canada.

The customs broker working with our client called me to ask me to send him a NAFTA Certificate of Origin since it's going to Canada, and we didn't give our client one.

Well, considering we didn't know it was going to Canada and ONLY sold it to the branch in the U.S. a NAFTA COO is not required.

Instead, we call our client (who has never done a NAFTA COO), and I fill it out for him. My coworker faxes it to our client, tells him to sign it, and send it to the customs broker.

Several hours pass when I get a phone call from the customs broker informing me that although they received the COO from the client, it's not signed. Could I call our client to tell him to sign the COO and fax it back to the customs broker?

Okay.

Isn't that what the customs broker is getting paid for? The transaction of moving the product over the border is between our client and the customs broker...not US and the customs broker.

I kinda laughed at the customs broker when he asked, "well can you call him and tell him to sign the document and fax it back to me?"

"Um....yes [I can do your job for you]."

I reminded him, again, that we were merely the manufacturer. We were not involved in the transaction to Canada so further correspondence needed to be done between he (customs broker) and our client....NOT us.

Pit Bull FACTS

I posted this on Craigslist this morning, but I felt the need to post it here as well.

1) Spelled with capital letters, "Pit Bull" versus "pit bull" indicates the breed that has come to be known as the "American Pit Bull Terrier." The term "pit bull" with lowercase letters refers to "bulldog type dogs" such as Dogo Argentino, Cane Corso, Pit Bulls, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, etc.

2) Pit Bulls are known to be same-sex dog aggressive, but so are other breeds of dogs such as Akitas. Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule, but ask any reputable Pit Bull rescue about adopting a Pit Bull of the same sex as a dog into your home: they will not allow it.

3) Pit Bulls are terriers. Terriers are known to be tenacious, unrelenting, and of high energy. This goes for ALL terriers and "Pinschers." (Pinschers is the German term for "terrier" which is why we have Miniature Pinschers, German Pinschers, and Doberman Pinschers all of the same energy and tenacity levels.)

4) No responsible dog owner would keep their dog (especially one that is known to be same-sex dog aggressive) unsupervised outside in a fenced area when no one is home. That goes for ALL breeds.

5) Pit Bulls have a solid working drive. There are several Pit Bulls used in Pet Therapy and Search and Rescue (see "Kris Crawford"). There were Pit Bull SAR (Search and Rescue) teams at the Columbia and 9-11 tragedies.

6) Google - "Sgt Stubby" and "War Hero." Enough said.

7) Pit Bulls' jaws do NOT "lock." The PSI of their bite is equivalent to several other breeds, if not all other breeds, of dogs. People assume they "lock" their jaws because they do not give up easily (see #3...."tenacity.")

8) Contrary to majority belief, and this goes for any dog breed, temperament is not only environmental, but it is also genetic. You do not breed two dogs or even one dog that has overly aggressive or overly submissive temperaments just as you wouldn't breed a dog with genetic health issues that could be passed along to its puppies. Once again, this goes for ANY breed, and a conversation about any breed will have Pros and Cons. Think the epithet "ankle biters." If Pit Bulls were the size of Chihuahuas, they would fall in the "ankle biter" category if it was to bite someone. If a Chihuahua was the size of a Pit Bull, they would fall under the "aggressive" or "vicious" category as many people perceive Pit Bulls to be.

9) The reason why there are so many "problem Pit Bulls" is because people buy them as puppies from backyard breeders because they like the look of them or the idea of owning a Pit Bull. They don't realize that with terriers, you start from day 1 with socialization, training, and teaching boundaries and respect. By the time they are 9-10 months old, they have a solid block of muscle that doesn't respect them, has no socialization, and knows no boundaries. For ANY breed of dog, this is DANGEROUS. No one thinks twice when a Pomeranian jumps on someone who comes to visit. People freak out and think they're being attacked when a Pit Bull jumps on someone who comes to visit.


It is up to the responsible dog owner to do their research on a dog prior to ever purchasing or adopting one. Learn ALL of the ins and outs of the dog breed: what they were originally bred for, what they are currently used for, their energy level, their grooming level, dog aggression issues, health issues, etc. If you still decide to purchase or adopt a certain breed after doing your research, start from day 1 with the knowledge you've learned about that breed. That way there are no "surprises." Don't impulse buy. Don't impulse adopt. Just because a breed "looks cool" doesn't mean you can treat it like a clothing accessory. This also goes for small/toy breeds of dogs. There's nothing I can't stand more than toy/small breeds of dogs whose owners baby them and teach them zero boundaries. Just because a snap on the hand or ankle from a small breed of dog doesn't cause major damage does not mean it should be overlooked nor accepted.

Moral of this post:

BE A RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER AND MEMBER OF SOCIETY!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Pin-Ups for Pit Bulls, Inc.

Please click for larger image and to get more information :)

Pin-Ups for Pit Bulls Calender Fundraiser

Monday, November 2, 2009

"I'm like gonna start slurring soon!"

Question: When was it ever "cool" or socially-acceptable to profess how drunk you are?

I went over to a friend's house on Friday night for a pot-luck type dinner. It was me, Andrew, two of our friends (in their late 20s...28...and early 30s), our friend (the hostess, early 30s) and then the hostess's roommate (21 years old).

Of the whole group, some of us were only casually drinking (one beer or one cider with our meal). The 21 year old, however, had to inform us each and every time she was making another drink and profess loudly as well.

Frankly, I don't care if a 21 year old is pouring themselves another drink. They are 21 years old; therefore, they are old enough to drink alcohol.

This was not a "let's get wasted" party. This was a small pot-luck dinner among friends.

Not only did the 21 year old have to profess how often she was pouring herself another drink, but had to put her $0.02 into every single conversation taking place.....and do so loudly.

I finally had enough, felt like I wanted to punch someone or say something cutting and snarky, so I went and sat down...waiting to leave. I ended up texting three friends of mine trying to hold my tongue before lashing out against the 21 year old.

But when was it ever cool to constantly interrupt conversations stating you were going to start slurring soon, pouring yourself another drink, or grabbing the bottle of alcohol and showing us [again] what you were drinking tonight? When did loudly interrupting ongoing conversations with inappropriate comments or topics become acceptable as well?

Geez. I know I'm not THAT old, but I was never that annoying.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

The New Kid.

This was the picture that won us over....



And here are pictures from the hike today...





Sunday - no rest day

We picked up a new family member this morning: "Spork." Well, that's the name she came with. She was rescued by a family from Cobb County Animal Control (kill shelter). She is a 10 months old female [spayed] Pit Bull Terrier. She was basically the ready-made pet...just add family.

We were going to hike at Cloudland Canyon, but it's two hours away from us so we opted to hike at Red Top. Note to self (and others, obviously): take note of the loop lengths.

Neither one of us had been hiking in some time so we grab the dogs (Grimm and Spork) and head out on a hike. About a mile in, the trail split, and we opted to continue on the Homestead Loop (not knowing how long it was). After mile 3 marker on the very hilly trail, Andrew said, "wouldn't it be funny if when we got done we found out it was a 6 mile loop?" I laughed and said, "I HOPE NOT!"

5.5 miles.

It was a 5.5 miles loop around Allatoona up and over the mountain. I thought "Homestead" = maybe some old buildings. Nope....just trees, rocks, and some small streams.

We got done hiking, and the "kids" were ready for more. So we came home, ate, watched an episode of "Dexter" and headed on our way to the Cherokee County Humane Society Thrift Store's Dog Park.

Things were going great until the no-manners Labradoodle came walking in, ran over to me, and body slammed me, jumping up to my face. Nice.

Then it started growling and snapping at Grimm.

Then as I was bending down, it ran over, jumped up, and nearly broke my nose: I saw stars.

We ended up leaving after some shopping for dog toys in the store (new ones, at that!) and just got home.

Phew.

Sunday = no rest day.