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Below are the 4 most recent friends journal entries:
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09:31 pm
pixie117
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LJ Idol Topic 3: Smile
Smile. Have you ever noticed how easily puppies make human friends? Yet all they do is wag their tails and fall over. ~Walter Anderson, The Confidence Course, 1997
It had been raining for days and the ground is covered in mud. However, I knew that today had to be the day. My baby had been cooped inside for far too long due to constant rainfall and she needed to be free, even if just for an hour.
She knows exactly where we are headed by this point and starts getting all excited. She sticks her head out the window and I can see the smile in her eyes before I even park my car. She pulls on her leash on most walks, but it is always much worse when we come here. She is a 7 month old Great Dane who just so happens to weigh almost 90 pounds (which is over half my weight). She literally drags me to the gate and then waits for me to open the first gates latch before dragging me to the second gate.
I have to unleash her before opening the second gate to avoid being drug across the field. As soon as I open that gate, she takes off and runs across the muddy field. She looks so free and happy. I am glad I was able to bring her. I have a big grin on my face as I watch her run around, playing with the other dogs from time to time. I can't imagine anything more wonderful at that moment.
But I must admit, I love the dog park for selfish reasons too. I simply love animals, and dogs are certainly one of my favorites. I grew up with several at a time because my mom lived in the country and we took in strays fairly often. When I grew up and moved away, I wanted a dog more than anything. I was a responsible pet owner and knew that a dog was a big responsibility, one that I could not handle while in college, especially when I lived 800 miles away from family and would visit often.
I used to visit animal shelters just to interact with the dogs. I spent most Saturdays visiting with them and trying to make their lives better. In a way, it made my life better too. I wanted one, but knew I needed to wait. So to pass the time, I visited the shelters and volunteered to help wash the dogs for special adoption events. When I finally graduated from grad school and knew I was moving back home to Missouri, where we would have a big house and yard, I couldn’t wait any longer for a dog.
I especially love big dogs. I always have. I often joke that It runs in my family since my mom used to own a St. Bernard. My husband and I wanted a Great Dane or a Great Dane mix. Though I made a rule, we would NOT buy from a breeder. This dog had to be a rescue. We found our girl through Petfinder.com. We drove six hours to pick her up in a small town in Tennessee. I remember when they lady handed her to me and said “here is your puppy”; I had the biggest smile on my face. I couldn’t have been happier with my new baby.
So I visit the dog park not just for my sweet Belle, but for me. I love watching the dogs run and play. We have a big yard at home, but I make the special trip out any day the weather permits so Annabelle and I can have our “happy” time. I have made some friends there as well, which is saying a lot for me considering I have a very hard time socializing with others. I find that having a common link (in this case, dogs) allows me to be more comfortable talking to people.
Animals, especially dogs, are genuine. When they are happy, they let the world know it. Some people say dogs can smile. I certainly think they can. If anything, they smile with their eyes, their tails, and their whole body. If only more people were like that, perhaps the world would be a happier place. There is nothing else like a genuine smile when something makes you happy. If only more humans were like that. I would bet the world would be a happier place.
Both of my beloved pets make me smile every day. They are simply amazing. Every day is a bit brighter simply because they are there to share it with me.
Some lessons from Annabelle on how to be happy, to hopefully make YOU smile.
Always make time for naps. Several a day if you can. A good night (or days) sleep does wonders for your mood.
Be willing to laugh at yourself. Just try to avoid getting pictures when you look your silliest.
Play and play often. And in order to play, make friends with those around you. Even if those around you HAPPEN to be a cat.
If all else fails, deny, deny and deny some more. For instance: "What sock? I don't know of any sock hanging from my mouth. You must be mistaken..."
Finally, adopt a pet if at all possible. They will bring you many years of smiles, I promise.
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09:46 pm
pixie117
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LJ Idol- Please vote for me!
I want to ask everyone on my friends list to please consider voting for me on LJ Idol. If you liked my post for the competition, which you can read HERE, then please vote for me. You can read other entries from the link at the bottom of my post as well.
I really want to stick this out a bit longer and challenge myself, so your votes would really be appreciated! I am only posting the polls I am in for now (there are four "tribes" and this is is just mine), just click on my name (and any others you might want to vote for) and hit submit. You can visit the LJ Idol group to vote from all the tribes if you like.
Poll #1478684 LJ Idol, Season Six – Tribe bigdoug, Week Two
This poll is closed.
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: None, participants: 246The Ballot:
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11:56 pm
pixie117
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/78518798/8411481) [Link] | I just wanted to promote a group I have on LJ once again. We are making changes over there and I appointed another mod, so I am hoping to get more interest in the group once again.
needagooddeed
I appointed my real life friend, Lori, as a moderator since she came to me with a good idea to raise money for those in need. She knows more than I do about the logistics, but eventually we want to start a charity auction with services and small items we can provide and give that money to someone that is in need. Right now we are not looking for families that need money, still working on getting the idea in place. But once we do, there will a paypal account for all funds and the money will go 100% to whatever person/family we are sponsoring at the time.
The regular need posts are still going to be posted, so that isn't going to change. We have ideas on keeping it under control when we start the auctions though. But sadly, the group has mainly been dead with a few exceptions now and then, though I really want to make it work.
So please join. I am not asking you to give your time or money, right now I could just use your support as a member. If you have a talent that you would care to donate, great. If you just want to give advice or support, that works too.
And feel free to post this elsewhere as you see fit and tell others about it, especially if you know someone in need. The more members, the better. If we can help someone, that would be amazing!
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09:21 pm
pixie117
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LJ Idol - Topic 2: Uphill, both ways, barefoot
Uphill, both ways, barefoot
This phrase personally speaks to me. Why you might ask? Because I know from my life experiences that nothing worth having is easy to get. One of my favorite sayings is "If it were easy, everybody would be doing it." So I take that philosophy into consideration when anything seems too difficult to achieve.
I grew up in poverty. I am not exaggerating on this. There were times we went without running water. I knew exactly what it meant to do without more often than not. I have been exposed to drugs and violence starting at a young age, though my immediate family tried to stay as normal as possible considering the circumstances. Many people are truly shocked when I tell them my life story. Don't worry, I won't go into it all here. It isn't the time nor the place for such a story. Though I swear it has made me into a stronger person who appreciates life more because I know I don't need "things" to be happy.
I am the first person in my family to graduate high school. College was no small feat. I had nothing as far as savings went and while I made decent grades in school, they were not great enough to get full-ride scholarships for college. I hated the idea of student loans and delayed going to school just to avoid having to take them out.
Not to mention, I have recently discovered I have Aspergers. This is not something I tell many people because I don't use it as an excuse for anything. But it has made things rather difficult when it comes to my school and personal life.
I took two years off and worked, which went against the advice of my guidance counselor who swore if I did that, I would never go back.
Boy, was she wrong. Not only did I go back, but I went on to complete graduate school as well. I really appreciated college too. I know many people who dropped or flunked out of college in the first year. I couldn't understand it because to me, just being at college was a blessing since I wasn't sure I would ever get the chance. I remember working at Wal-Mart in a college town and I was sincerely jealous of all the college kids who would come in to shop. I wanted to be them more than anything and didn't think I could afford it. Once I was able to go, I was sure as heck not going to screw it up just so I could go out and party every night. I worked hard to be there, it wasn't given to me, and I was going to make the best of it.
Honestly, I hear people complaining every day about how they aren't going to college because they can't afford it or some other excuse. I am not saying that it is always the case, there are many different factors that play in here, but if coming from a poor family is your only excuse for NOT getting an education then I just don't buy it. Obviously every situation is different, but don't give up so easily just because it seems like you are too poor to be able to afford an education. It may not come as easily as it does for others, but you can achieve it. I struggled every day with finances. I had to be frugal to make sure I made it through college and could afford to continue my education. I shopped at Wal-Mart for clothes and usually wore clothes that were given to me instead of buying new clothes. I didn't go on spring break vacations or drive a nice car (in fact, for part of my college career, I didn't even HAVE a car). I lived off of peanut butter sandwiches. I didn't even buy soda because I felt it was a waste of money when water was free. I considered fancy lattes a special treat to be consumed maybe once a month instead of daily like some of my fellow students.
Not to mention, I struggled in my classes. I stink when it comes to math. I just cannot wrap my brain around certain concepts. Yet somehow, I ended up getting a minor in Finance. No one saw that coming (least of all me). It took me longer to pick up the concepts, but I found that once I did, that I actually enjoyed the feeling of challenging myself.
There were days I wanted to give up because I struggled with different things, but I realized that if I did, I would forever be in the same situation that I grew up in. So I worked hard. I worked hard enough to graduate with honors and get into an elite graduate program.
And now, as I suffer through trying to find a job in this economy, I often feel as if my life is always an uphill battle. Some days I just don't understand why things have to always be so hard. Then I remind myself the harder I work to achieve something, the more I am going to appreciate it in the long run. I also realize how far I have come. I visit my family in their small RV (they lost their house in a fire last February) and remind myself that while I may not be able to afford cable tv or a gym membership, I have a roof over my head and I am living better than I ever have before.
And as far as the "uphill battle" is concerned, I say bring it on. I am strong enough to handle it all. Plus, I don't like wearing shoes anyway.
Posted for therealljidol. You do not have to be a member to read other entries and vote.
Tags: lj idol
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