If You've Ever Loved a Pet and Had to Say Goodbye

I'm not gonna lie... the below video is not necessarily one I would call happy. But in its own way, it is all about happiness and our pets and the unconditional love they provide us.

A friend from college posted this earlier today and I am almost certain I have never cried so hard at a video or film or movie as I did watching this six minute short. For me, it encapsulates all that it is to be a pet owner: the indescribable joy they bring you, the support they provide when you feel like not a single human in the world understands you, the fear and sadness of recognizing the inevitable fact that they will likely die before you no matter how much you wish and hope to the contrary.


Last Minutes with ODEN from Eliot Rausch + Phos Pictures on Vimeo.

Of course, I say all this knowing that Moe will live forever no matter what. He just has to.

Pit Proud: The History of the Pitbull

Let me take a gander at what you're thinking (please note I'm assuming the voice you hear in your head is that of a crotchety old man)...

"Burberry baby dresses one day, pitbull videos the next? What the hell is this blog about, anyhow? Why am I here? Where's my medication? All I want are some bran flakes, stewed prunes and a good healthy dose of Andy Griffith, for Pete's sake!"

Calm your marbles, will ya?

It's been a rough day, everyone. Moe was scheduled for a leg surgery that should have him out of commission for the next two months. He was supposed to spend the night, so you can imagine the tears that were shed this morning when I dropped him off at this facility. They told me he was going to be sedated the whole time, but I still worried.

They called two hours later telling me he had a nearly undetectable infection that needed to be treated before they could operate. Poor little bugger had already had a catheter inserted as well as an IV before the discovery was made, so you can imagine how shell-shocked he was when I went to pick him up.

To say I feel like a guilty bastard is an understatement. He was supposed to be drugged when I arrived to get him, not lucid and feeling betrayed! He's snoozing by the window now, but for a good three hours he get shooting me a look that was equal parts "Why do I feel funny?" and "How could you?!"

Please note his delicate pink bandage. I think he would've preferred red.

Anywho, I realize I've been doing quite a few dog posts recently and I apologize if it's a bit Moe overload. This surgery threw me for a loop and it's been on the forefront of my mind for the last month.

And then, of course, a friend (thanks, Sadaf!) posts a video titled Pit Proud: The History of the Pitbull and you know I couldn't resist. 

There are a two things I loved about this short film: (1) I'm a sucker for anything that promotes the debunking of pit myths and (2) it did a good job of running through the history of this misunderstood breed. Check out a couple of my favorite pittie spotlights from the 1920's, 30's and 40's:

SGT Stubby, the most decorated war dog of WWI

Petey from The Little Rascals (who Moe occasionally gets compared to)

And of  course, some Life Magazine covers portraying these special guys

There is a reason old people have such a fondness for my dog when they see him, and it's because when they were growing up, pitbulls were known to be GREAT FAMILY dogs. Many don't understand how this breed's loyalty to humans has also led to their downfall in today's world. With the wrong people, they can do harm because their OWNERS have taught them to; if those they love and trust the most in the world want them to attack, they will. 

It's sick and it's sad, but it's true.

People who don't know much about pitbulls always comment about Moe's ears and ask if he was born that way. The answer is no; he was not. When he was a little, itty-bitty, helpless puppy, someone cut his ears off with a pair of scissors. Yup. Someone wonderful, obviously.

Luckily, this same human ditched him and he was found by a couple who didn't judge him for his breed, but by his loving personality and spirit.

If you have 10 minutes to burn this afternoon, please, please, please watch this. It was produced and featured by Dog Files, and the filmmakers are trying to turn it into a full length film. If you'd like to donate to their goal, here's your chance!

I should warn you that this video does have about 10 seconds of some pretty disgusting dog violence. It was hard for me to stomach, but sometimes ignorance is not bliss.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
            Mahatma Gandhi

Canine Costumes

Thanks to an amazing forward by my bestie, B, I've figured out Moe's Halloween costume.

Antoine Dodson.

However, due to his chasing tendencies, I'm going to alter the sign to say "Hide yo cats, hide yo mice."

Happy Friday, everyone!

Breed Restrictions Apply

I figure that now that we’ve been in San Diego for more than a week, I can vent to you one of my biggest frustrations about moving down here.

Many of my friends have been asking me where we found an apartment. What neighborhood are you living in? Is it a one or two bedroom? In a complex or detached?

The answer I have for them is one that most married (or unmarried) 27-year-olds hate having to utter.

We moved in with Handsome K’s parents. TEMPORARILY.

Let me say that I love my in-laws. I’m serious and not exaggerating a bit! I know that when it comes to marrying and being legally tied to a family that I hit the jackpot and for that, I will be forever grateful.

However, we’re at the age where it feels like a set back. Not finding a place to move into wasn’t for lack of trying; it was for one solid reason.

Our sweet dog, Moe.

No one wants to rent to people with a pitbull! ARRRRGH! We come with excellent references from our previous landlords, and even had our old neighbors write recommendation letters for him. Truly, I am sick of having to defend him to every person he passes.

I know what some of you are thinking: “He’s a pitbull, Elizabeth, not everyone’s going to understand he’s not a killer.” The truth is, though, I don’t care and I’m tired of everyone assuming the worst. He is the most loving, loyal dog and is amazing with people, especially children.

Yes, he’s got some pitbull in him; we also think he’s got some American bulldog and boxer, but no one cares about that point of his lineage. Yes, he’s missing his ears, but I think it makes him look like a little teddy bear (lemons into lemonade, people) and it’s not as if we were the pair that cut them off!

Another annoyance I’d like to chat about is the “quiet, small dog” paradox I’ve been finding in many listings. We lived across the hall from two Chihuahuas for a year and a half and let me tell you, I don’t think they ever shut up. How their vocal chords handled that amount of stress, I will never know. They certainly managed to help me go deaf in one ear (thanks, assholes!). Furthermore, I feel I'm only doing my duty in exposing this great ruse by also mentioning I've been bitten by a dog thrice in the last year, and every time it was by a rat-like canine that weighed less than ten pounds. Similar to this:

This may or may not be an exaggeration.

Either way, I thought it was public knowledge, but apparently some are still confused on this bit, so let me clarify: small dogs are never quiet. They never sleep all day. If you want to keep your building “serene” and “calm,” rent to people with a big dog.

In summary (and to tug on your heartstrings a bit), my dog has had some bad cards dealt to him in life, and as his owner and a true fan, it would be nice if people gave him half a chance.

And gave us a chance… with an apartment.

Please, San Diego. Play nice.

Cinema Solo

It’s official: We are in San Diego.

What can I say about last week? Moving is brutal. Handsome K was down here the whole week as he started his job a month ago, so I had the awesome task of packing up the entire apartment by myself.

Ok, ok, Moe was there too, but his lack of opposable thumbs hindered his ability to help greatly. He got some good naps in, though.

The apartment was all sorts of depressing what with the boxes and the bits and pieces that start to collect all over the place even when you feel like you’re making progress. I felt at any moment A&E was going to show up to film an episode of Hoarders (minus the rotting trash and dead cats, thankfully). 

So how did I keep myself from going mad? With Instant-watch movies on Netflix, of course!

Why watch movies online, you ask? Oh, simply because we don’t own a T.V. (yes, we are one of those annoying couples…).

I had a discussion with my friend Ariana about this and we’re both in agreement: Netflix’s online movies, however convenient, lead to some random choices. They don’t offer many of the newly released films you’d actually want to see, i.e. the ones you’re willing to spend $4 on at a store. Netflix Instant Watch does, however, provide a plethora of 80’s cult, C+ horror and unknown foreign hits (I'm using the  word "hits" loosely).

Thus, I felt it only fair that I relive some of my favorites from last week.

The Crazies

Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned government-made-virus-infects-a-po-dunk-town-of-people-causing-some-to-go-crazy-and-others-to-become-homicidal-maniacs kind of movie? I wish it had a better title, because I probably would have enjoyed it sooner than I’m Moving and Will Watch Anything Week had I known it wasn’t half bad. Also, I don’t know what it is about being alone in my apartment and watching obscure horror films, but it happens all the time and I’ve come to realize it’s a horrible habit.

The Hole

Calm it with the snickering, everyone. Bad title, I know. I’m a bit surprised this movie wasn’t even mentioned in the U.S. when it came out, but after reading some Netflix comments (whose spelling mistakes alone provide entertainment), it seems it may have had to do with Keira Knightley’s burgeoning career and Disney’s desire to keep her exposed chest under wrap. I loved the premise of this movie and it was entertaining enough, but if gruesome isn’t your cup of tea, you probably don’t want to watch this.

The Fly

If you haven't seen this sci-fi bit of horror, you are missing out. Jeff Goldblum is a scientist (I guess?) who creates two pods that allow for teleportation. Unfortunately for him (and his girlfriend, Geena Davis), he gets drunk one night and decides to teleport, not realizing he's been genetically mutated with a fly who crept into the pod. Again, major ick factor with this one if you're squeamish (don't even get me started on his ear/jaw/eating issues).

The Frog Prince

Ahhhhh! Some light in the dark and don't you just love the German image for it? It was the only one I could find! Starring Aileen Quinn of Annie fame, this was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. I’ve been searching for it for years on video, then DVD, and lo and behold it was a suggestion Netflix made for me. Sometimes, things are meant to be. If you were a fan of any made-for-television fairy tales in the 80’s, get excited…  

The River Wild

White water rafting? Check. The pale, redheaded boy from Radio Flyer and Jurassic Park? Check. Murderous Kevin Bacon? Check. Dog tricks? Check. This movie has it all and reminds me of why action/adventure thrillers from the 90’s surpass all other decades’.

Mother's Boys

Jamie Lee Curtis acts as a crazy, jealous blonde who ditches her family and then comes back years later expecting everything to go back to the way it was before she left. Peter Gallagher and his black caterpillar eyebrows play her jilted husband and Joanne Whalley (yes, Xortia from Willow!) is the new girlfriend who gets J.L.’s goat. I don’t know what it is about melodramatic thrillers that revolve around a plethora of unanswered questions (Why is the boy so easily manipulated? How does she have enough money to afford an expensive high rise in New York City? Why did the producers think Curtis would be believable as a blonde?!), but I am drawn to them like flies on honey. 

Overall, I have to give thanks to all the films I watched last week, because without them (the good, the bad, the Jamie Lee Curtis’), I may never have moved, but remained a babbling mess in a sea of boxes in an apartment in LA that was no longer mine.

Merci beaucoup, Netflix Instant-Watch.

Merci En Papier

Thank you. I say it every day. You say it every day (the people who read this blog most assuredly possess manners). But friends… I have a bone to pick. 

Thank you notes… why are they going the way of the dinosaur and Kate Hudson’s credibility as a good actress? On the one hand, I get it. Email has definitely changed the uses and effectiveness of snail mail in our daily life and in many ways, I’m grateful for it. Less paper waste, online bill pay, faster communication… all progressive and positive things.

BUT (there’s always a but, isn’t there?) don’t you get excited when you come home, put your hand in the mailbox and find something other than the Albertson’s weekly specials mailer? I know I do! And isn’t it especially exciting when it turns out to be an invitation to a wedding or a baby announcement or a hand written note from a friend? Yes- yes, it is.

Let’s not forget the topic of gratitude. If someone gives me a gift or watches Moe while we’re on a weekend outing or helps me through a rough patch in my life, I like to express thanks on paper. A tangible, heart written piece of gratitude to the people I love and appreciate.

Is it that difficult to do?

Yes, it is time consuming and costs a little extra money, to which I say: so what? You can write a ‘thank you’ note while you watch TV or are waiting for your frozen pizza to be done baking in the oven. It is easy to find time if you try.

While looking at these photos, were you wondering to yourself, “Where did Elizabeth get this amazing stationery?” I have two words for you: Walnut Paperie. Brittany and Kimberly of WP fame are the only two I trust with all my paper needs, and they launched their new site last week. You should check it out. If you're gonna write a thank you note, you might as well do it in style, oui?

And for the record, Moe would write ‘thank you’ notes if he had an opposable thumb. Just sayin’ (but you know I use any excuse to post a picture of my dog, don't you?).

This is his "you should be writing instead of taking photos of me" face.

Happy weekend everyone!