I often describe "The Miss-Adventures of Me and the Missaroo" as our funny, little blog. And I really do hope that's what it is overall. But more than that, it truly is about out lives; what we do, and think, and feel about our world everyday. I do get very personal in it and that's also the point. This blog has become an outlet for me and sometimes I write things I don't have the courage to say. If someone asked me how I was doing I don't think I would reply with, "well Webmd says I'm depressed." Maybe I've written some things that have been hurtful, for that I'm sorry but I don't take one word back because it's my overall view magnified in certain situations.
Here's a few cases in point. I wish I could tell this guy how much he hurt me, broke me, made me sleep under my desk I was so depressed. I can't and won't. Does it make anything I've written about him untrue? No. Do I hope he never reads it? No. I wish he did know what I have to say about him, I just don't have the courage to do it. So I write it.
In the last blog "Life Adventure," you might think I was being too harsh on my dad, he probably thinks so from the conversation we had about it. I love my dad. I never really tell him that because I don't have the courage to. Does it make that any less true? No. But my dad and I have a very interesting relationship. We don't talk about real stuff, never have, never will. There is no one who makes me more upset, leaves me frustrated, ((ok well maybe my brother on that one)), or who makes me laugh more than my dad. I think he can be completely ridiculous when it comes to priorities and getting things done. Sorry but I do. I wish I could tell him that, but I can't so I write it. But he's also probably the smartest, honest, and humblest person I know. I don't have the courage to tell him that either, so I wrote that too.
I am overall unapologetic about what I have to say in this blog. I don't want to hold back, but I also don't mean to attack. What I do want is an honest way to share my feelings. My mom often tells me that I'm weak because I cry. But I'm unapologetic for that too. I think everyone has a right to feel however they want. That's what this blog is about. It's why I love Missaroo so much.
Missy is her and unapologetic about it. Missy barks because she feels like it, licks because she feels like it and jumps on you because she feels like it. She is going to make me deaf from that barking, is annoying with the licking, and recently cut the side of my hand open when she scratched it while jumping on me. All of it hurt me, but it's a part of who she is as a dog. I think it's A OK to feel the way you do and so our blog will continue to be unapologetic.
The Missaroo
Ready to Take on the World
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Life Adventure
Missy and I had what I like to call a life adventure today. It actually started last night.
On my way home from class my phone wouldn't work. I had just called AT&T about a problem I was having with my phone two weeks before and now this time I couldn't even get into anything on my phone. I don't have a land line or any other phone so I stopped by work. I have to pass work in order to get home and there I can use the phone. I feel stupid coming into work for any reason on my day off but what else was I suppose to do? So I called my dad first to get the 800-number to call AT&T. He tells me, "dude they might not help you because the bill is overdue" What? Awesome. Of course they'll help me, and they did. They told me my phone was cashed, but the good news is I'm eligible for an upgrade, once the bill is paid of course. I call my dad back and tell him, "pay the bill my phone is cashed". He tells me he'll try but he's pretty busy in the check cutting room tomorrow.
Now, for anyone who knows anything about my dad this is pretty darn typical. Doesn't have his bills paid on time, can't diverge from his schedule in order to make this work for me. I complain that I can't find a 28 to 32 year old man with his crap together; well I'd take a 56-year-old dad with his crap together as well.
So at the same time my phone died that night, the check engine light came on in my car. Because that's exactly how life happens. Today Missaroo and I got up early and headed to the Quality Care place down the street. The best part about where I live on the hill is everything is within walking distance. So we drop the car off and walk, in the rain of course because once again life, and head to the AT&T store which is across from my apartment. So I tie Miss up outside and go in to see about my phone. Bill still not paid. Are you kidding me? My dad is two hours ahead of me and three hours into his work day. This is not happening. So I leave and walk home. I get a hold of my brother via his girlfriend and the internet and tell him to call dad because he can pay the bill over the phone right this second. Dad doesn't have his phone on him in the check cutting room. Of course he doesn't. So after a few emails and other phone calls later I just decide I'm going to pay the darn bill myself and he can mail me the check. I head back out into the rain to get my phone.
Two hours later I have my shinny new Blackberry. It's so awesome I don't even know how to use it. Thank goodness my old phone cashed out because this baby rocks! By the time I turn it on I have five voicemails, two from my mom because she doesn't know about the phone situation and three from the Quality Care guy. My car needs a lot of work. Of course it does, I just bought a $300 phone. So I tell him go ahead let's do it, walking in the rain sucks.
By this time it's after 1pm and nothing has been marked off my "to do" list. I shower but still haven't eaten anything. So Missy and I head out on foot again, this time the rain has stopped. We walk to McDonalds which is next to the car place and then go pick up the car. The nice old fellows even let her wait inside with me so I didn't have to tie her up! How great is that!?!
At 3:45 pm we're ready to pull into the garage, but oh! we can't! There is a moving truck parked outside my apartment and it's blocking exactly two parking spots and one of them is mine, of course it is! So I park in the middle of the lot and take Miss upstairs, get the guys to move the truck so I can pull in. WHAT A DAY!
So here's my thoughts on all of this, other than my dad is ridiculous still and my mom is a saint for putting up with him all those years. I am truly, unbelievably blessed! Today was one of the longest, most irritating ones I've had in a long time. Well then I'm doing pretty well aren't I? I have a sweet new phone, an amazing dog to trek across the hill with and a mom to tell me I know honey, you're father is nuts. I have a brother who woke up and helped me as best he could without question. I have a roof over my head and food in the fridge. I had shoes on my feet and sweatshirt over my head while I got soaked in the rain. Miss and I were almost living out of the car 8 months ago and today we have a great apartment with a garage. And even then we had amazing people in our lives that kept us from living out of the car. So the next time life gives you an adventure praise the Lord for it, because it will remind you how truly blessed you are.
"Sounds like life to me, ain't no fantasy. The only thing for certain is uncertainty"
On my way home from class my phone wouldn't work. I had just called AT&T about a problem I was having with my phone two weeks before and now this time I couldn't even get into anything on my phone. I don't have a land line or any other phone so I stopped by work. I have to pass work in order to get home and there I can use the phone. I feel stupid coming into work for any reason on my day off but what else was I suppose to do? So I called my dad first to get the 800-number to call AT&T. He tells me, "dude they might not help you because the bill is overdue" What? Awesome. Of course they'll help me, and they did. They told me my phone was cashed, but the good news is I'm eligible for an upgrade, once the bill is paid of course. I call my dad back and tell him, "pay the bill my phone is cashed". He tells me he'll try but he's pretty busy in the check cutting room tomorrow.
Now, for anyone who knows anything about my dad this is pretty darn typical. Doesn't have his bills paid on time, can't diverge from his schedule in order to make this work for me. I complain that I can't find a 28 to 32 year old man with his crap together; well I'd take a 56-year-old dad with his crap together as well.
So at the same time my phone died that night, the check engine light came on in my car. Because that's exactly how life happens. Today Missaroo and I got up early and headed to the Quality Care place down the street. The best part about where I live on the hill is everything is within walking distance. So we drop the car off and walk, in the rain of course because once again life, and head to the AT&T store which is across from my apartment. So I tie Miss up outside and go in to see about my phone. Bill still not paid. Are you kidding me? My dad is two hours ahead of me and three hours into his work day. This is not happening. So I leave and walk home. I get a hold of my brother via his girlfriend and the internet and tell him to call dad because he can pay the bill over the phone right this second. Dad doesn't have his phone on him in the check cutting room. Of course he doesn't. So after a few emails and other phone calls later I just decide I'm going to pay the darn bill myself and he can mail me the check. I head back out into the rain to get my phone.
Two hours later I have my shinny new Blackberry. It's so awesome I don't even know how to use it. Thank goodness my old phone cashed out because this baby rocks! By the time I turn it on I have five voicemails, two from my mom because she doesn't know about the phone situation and three from the Quality Care guy. My car needs a lot of work. Of course it does, I just bought a $300 phone. So I tell him go ahead let's do it, walking in the rain sucks.
By this time it's after 1pm and nothing has been marked off my "to do" list. I shower but still haven't eaten anything. So Missy and I head out on foot again, this time the rain has stopped. We walk to McDonalds which is next to the car place and then go pick up the car. The nice old fellows even let her wait inside with me so I didn't have to tie her up! How great is that!?!
At 3:45 pm we're ready to pull into the garage, but oh! we can't! There is a moving truck parked outside my apartment and it's blocking exactly two parking spots and one of them is mine, of course it is! So I park in the middle of the lot and take Miss upstairs, get the guys to move the truck so I can pull in. WHAT A DAY!
So here's my thoughts on all of this, other than my dad is ridiculous still and my mom is a saint for putting up with him all those years. I am truly, unbelievably blessed! Today was one of the longest, most irritating ones I've had in a long time. Well then I'm doing pretty well aren't I? I have a sweet new phone, an amazing dog to trek across the hill with and a mom to tell me I know honey, you're father is nuts. I have a brother who woke up and helped me as best he could without question. I have a roof over my head and food in the fridge. I had shoes on my feet and sweatshirt over my head while I got soaked in the rain. Miss and I were almost living out of the car 8 months ago and today we have a great apartment with a garage. And even then we had amazing people in our lives that kept us from living out of the car. So the next time life gives you an adventure praise the Lord for it, because it will remind you how truly blessed you are.
"Sounds like life to me, ain't no fantasy. The only thing for certain is uncertainty"
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
What's in a Name?
Missy's full name is Missy Mae Baumann. All of my girl cousins on my mom's side have "M" middle names. Since Missy is my child replacement, I stuck with the theme. In fact, she has the same middle name as my cousin Elyssa. Elyssa's middle name is the same as her maternal grandmother's name. So there's a little fun family fact.
Missy goes by several names: Missy, Missy Mae, Miss, Missers and of course my favorite, the Missaroo. Missy is so smart that it really is the "Miss" part of her name that she response to. Most people name their pets with a "y" ending thinking that's the part they hear and understand. Not my Missaroo. You yell "Miss" and she turns her head. But there is one nickname she has that I am trying to get rid of. I mentioned it in our very first post as her most recent nickname, Shmishmishmoo.
This was not a nickname I gave her, but I'm the only one who still uses it. The man who shall remain nameless started calling her that, and well, it just stuck. I've even use Shmish and shmishers. But it needs to stop. If I can eliminate the habit of calling her by those names it's another moving on victory for me. Obviously, that's still a work in progress, because if you have to mention it you aren't over it. It might not seem like a big deal to still use it, but it is. It's me holding on.
It's one tiny step at a time. I wish I could move faster, but there's too many thoughts rolling around in my head for that. This is what happens when I don't get answers to questions I'm too afraid to even ask. Well that's another blog for another day. In the meantime, I'm sticking to the Missaroo like glue!
Missy goes by several names: Missy, Missy Mae, Miss, Missers and of course my favorite, the Missaroo. Missy is so smart that it really is the "Miss" part of her name that she response to. Most people name their pets with a "y" ending thinking that's the part they hear and understand. Not my Missaroo. You yell "Miss" and she turns her head. But there is one nickname she has that I am trying to get rid of. I mentioned it in our very first post as her most recent nickname, Shmishmishmoo.
This was not a nickname I gave her, but I'm the only one who still uses it. The man who shall remain nameless started calling her that, and well, it just stuck. I've even use Shmish and shmishers. But it needs to stop. If I can eliminate the habit of calling her by those names it's another moving on victory for me. Obviously, that's still a work in progress, because if you have to mention it you aren't over it. It might not seem like a big deal to still use it, but it is. It's me holding on.
It's one tiny step at a time. I wish I could move faster, but there's too many thoughts rolling around in my head for that. This is what happens when I don't get answers to questions I'm too afraid to even ask. Well that's another blog for another day. In the meantime, I'm sticking to the Missaroo like glue!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
We Hate the Rain
I'm surprised I haven't written about this before! Missy and I hate the rain, for different reasons of course. I hate the rain because I am not walking her in it. Sometimes, if it's not too bad we will venture out for 20 minutes or so, but that's about it. I hate getting rained on, I hate getting wet before having to look nice for work, and I hate the smell of wet dog.
Missy hates the rain because that means no long walk. She also hates coming in from the rain and having me wipe down her paws. She's always been very anti-paw touch. Teaching her to shake was probably one of the hardest things. She'll do it for a treat but not because she likes it. So if I can get a few quick wipes on each paw it's a miracle, which also means I have a wet dog wandering my apartment, gross!
So in case you haven't guessed by now, it's a rainy day on Spokane's South Hill. Missy is being extra annoying, and I'm hoping to avoid the rain. Happy Tuesday!
Missy hates the rain because that means no long walk. She also hates coming in from the rain and having me wipe down her paws. She's always been very anti-paw touch. Teaching her to shake was probably one of the hardest things. She'll do it for a treat but not because she likes it. So if I can get a few quick wipes on each paw it's a miracle, which also means I have a wet dog wandering my apartment, gross!
So in case you haven't guessed by now, it's a rainy day on Spokane's South Hill. Missy is being extra annoying, and I'm hoping to avoid the rain. Happy Tuesday!
Monday, April 26, 2010
We Live in Doggie Hell
In The Tri-Cities, it what the mass amount of over watering sprinklers that made going outside for walks more adventurous than they should have been, in Spokane it's the massive amount of dogs. But more specifically, I'm talking about my favorite kind of owner dog comb, dogs without leashes.
Yesterday, Missy and I ventured through doggie hell because I was in need of a poop bag before we began our real walk down the road. There was a puppy wiener dog eyeing the Missaroo from across the parking lot. I told Missy, "Behave" in my stern mom voice and she was listening, staring, but moving right along with me. Well this little wiener dog was not listening. The owner is standing NEXT TO IT. The next thing I know the dog is coming after us, so I try to haul butt with Missaroo to our poop bag destination. The owner is coming with the dog but why she hasn't caught up to this stupid dog yet I can't figure out, mostly because I'm pulling my poor dog down the grass.
Finally I decide to stop. Thinking maybe she can catch up to her dog. So we stop and she says sorry and I say it's ok but she will attack ((as in Missaroo will attack)) But instead of corralling her dog in she bends down and starts TALKING to it. She says "No Izzy" in a very sweet little voice. I can't believe it! And I'm the crazy dog lady! Sheesh, I don't think so. So here I go pulling Missy's poor head off to get her AWAY FROM THIS FREAKING DOG AND HER CRAZY OWNER. I turned my head while pulling Miss and said "Why don't you just pick the damn dog up already, it's not hard" and then gave her a warning. "If your dog comes close again, I'm dropping the leash."
Missy is no perfect angel. She is pretty much a psycho when it comes to other dogs but this is why she is always on a leash. There have been two times she has gotten away from me and torn after another animal, the chicken and a cat. The cat incident turned into chasing after a dog incident however. And you bet your bum I screamed bloody murder after my dog. I yelled she wasn't friendly and when I did chase her down I picked her up, thumped her on the bottom, and carried her home in a grip of death. I did not bend down and talk to her.
I'm not a dog expert ofrthe perfect dog owner, but it is a requirement of the apartment complex to have your pet on leashes at all times, so just follow the darn rules people! I don't need another attack while crossing through doggie hell.
Yesterday, Missy and I ventured through doggie hell because I was in need of a poop bag before we began our real walk down the road. There was a puppy wiener dog eyeing the Missaroo from across the parking lot. I told Missy, "Behave" in my stern mom voice and she was listening, staring, but moving right along with me. Well this little wiener dog was not listening. The owner is standing NEXT TO IT. The next thing I know the dog is coming after us, so I try to haul butt with Missaroo to our poop bag destination. The owner is coming with the dog but why she hasn't caught up to this stupid dog yet I can't figure out, mostly because I'm pulling my poor dog down the grass.
Finally I decide to stop. Thinking maybe she can catch up to her dog. So we stop and she says sorry and I say it's ok but she will attack ((as in Missaroo will attack)) But instead of corralling her dog in she bends down and starts TALKING to it. She says "No Izzy" in a very sweet little voice. I can't believe it! And I'm the crazy dog lady! Sheesh, I don't think so. So here I go pulling Missy's poor head off to get her AWAY FROM THIS FREAKING DOG AND HER CRAZY OWNER. I turned my head while pulling Miss and said "Why don't you just pick the damn dog up already, it's not hard" and then gave her a warning. "If your dog comes close again, I'm dropping the leash."
Missy is no perfect angel. She is pretty much a psycho when it comes to other dogs but this is why she is always on a leash. There have been two times she has gotten away from me and torn after another animal, the chicken and a cat. The cat incident turned into chasing after a dog incident however. And you bet your bum I screamed bloody murder after my dog. I yelled she wasn't friendly and when I did chase her down I picked her up, thumped her on the bottom, and carried her home in a grip of death. I did not bend down and talk to her.
I'm not a dog expert ofrthe perfect dog owner, but it is a requirement of the apartment complex to have your pet on leashes at all times, so just follow the darn rules people! I don't need another attack while crossing through doggie hell.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Back to Basics
Missaroo and I moved to Spokane eight months ago today. I can't believe it. This time last year I didn't think I would still be working in the business. We are loving life in Spokane and liking mom's new gig a lot better than the last one. To kind of build on the last blog, Missy has come a long way since our two and a half month hiatus of unemployment and constant moving. Things are starting to click for her again but more importantly, I've gone back to the basics with her when it comes to training.
Sometimes I get so ticked at Miss that it's hard to turn around and remember to praise her when she's not doing something wrong. But as soon as I remember this small training tip, she instantly improves. Here's an example.... I've mentioned the cat that lives next door. Missy likes to jump up by the window and say hello. She gets a stern "MISSY" when this happens but when she doesn't do that she wasn't getting a good girl. She is now and you know? No more jumping! That simple. Now every time she is on the landing by our door it's "Good girl Missaroo." Every time she stops barking at another dog, "Good girl" and when she does start to bark it's back to "Watch me's" and not letting her focus on anything else but my face, and you know what? She's a tad bit less annoying. Does she still bark? Yes. Does she still try to play with cats? Yes. But there is improvement. The consistency is back.
So what's the lesson in all this? No more lazy mom. I've been too passive with her. I blamed the move, well the move is done. A little more mom and a little less buddy will be in play for the next eight months. The Missaroo deserves it. It's all about getting back to basics, for me.
Sometimes I get so ticked at Miss that it's hard to turn around and remember to praise her when she's not doing something wrong. But as soon as I remember this small training tip, she instantly improves. Here's an example.... I've mentioned the cat that lives next door. Missy likes to jump up by the window and say hello. She gets a stern "MISSY" when this happens but when she doesn't do that she wasn't getting a good girl. She is now and you know? No more jumping! That simple. Now every time she is on the landing by our door it's "Good girl Missaroo." Every time she stops barking at another dog, "Good girl" and when she does start to bark it's back to "Watch me's" and not letting her focus on anything else but my face, and you know what? She's a tad bit less annoying. Does she still bark? Yes. Does she still try to play with cats? Yes. But there is improvement. The consistency is back.
So what's the lesson in all this? No more lazy mom. I've been too passive with her. I blamed the move, well the move is done. A little more mom and a little less buddy will be in play for the next eight months. The Missaroo deserves it. It's all about getting back to basics, for me.
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