this blog is about to get thrown to the (my) dog(s).

For real, it's like the most exciting part of my life since my 21st birthday last week.

Meeeet my baby, macca.

He's a two year old Australian Shepherd, named for his fellow countryman, Chris McCormack.
Dane and I rescued him from the City of Denton two weeks ago today, and i'm in love.

The unfortunate aspect to rescuing a dog from a city shelter is the part where I pick out the one I love and then they get shipped off to get the manhood chopped off. I pick him up last Wednesday in Prosper and he is awfully spaced out but pretty happy to be home. He was cast off by a divorcee who had no home for this furball.

The vet who performed the procedure didn't give him an e-collar since he was so laid-back and didn't mind his scar. Apparently that was a medically-induced aloofness, when we got home it only took a few minutes to start getting friendly with the new landscaping. I went out and bought pictured e-collar and it lasted about three days. The third day left the cone with duct tape attaching it since Macca ripped off all the clips and gnawed at it mercilessly in my absence. I would probably do the same thing if I had a cone on that made me run into literally everything. Then came the donut.

The donut seemed foolproof. It was bite-resistant, attached to the collar, and inflatable. Aside from the head wounds sustained during the inflation process, the donut was a success for about 4 days. the straps were gone before the infection was. This dog is relentless. At this point, pretty sure the only things he does are destroy self-control devices and sleep, all day.  I gave up on Sunday.

I think the pups is a little happier sans-protection.
And we definitely love all of our new friends.
Maybe except for Rio. We like Rio, but Rio seems a little bit jealous of all the attention.
And by a little jealous, we mean completely consumed with jealousy.

We're starting to move behaviorally beyond the standard sleep, pee, eat, drink cycle and today we added an attempt at fetching with cousin elephant.

We tried. We're too smart for fetch apparently.

I think we're gonna get along just fine, buddy.

therapy in familiar habits.

Finals week can be defined in my life with one simple phrase, etched on several wall-hangings in the clearance section of Marshalls:

What do I do when I get stressed out?
Mostly, I bake. Sometimes I clean my room, do tons of laundry, rearrange rooms, paint things, rhinestone things, abuse my hot glue gun. I find an awful lot of solace in my simple little stress habits. As I see it, things could be a lot worse. I'm not drinking my feelings or falling into partying habits. Baking is delicious and usually makes me more than a few friends at work. Cleaning gives me the feeling of productivity. I can do that.

Anyway, finals will come, no matter how many red velvet cookies I crank out. Biomechanics is open-note, but it's not going to be pretty at all. Senior Seminar should be okay. Anthropology shouldn't be a problem either. I should probably start my paper for Men, Women and Society, but mehhhhh. I would rather run, bake, and clean, and christmas shop. It's technically supposed to be study days right now, but I spent all day in meetings. Staff meeting at work at 8:30. Career Services resume review at 12. Sport Psychology Club at 1. CLP one-on-one at 4. They're all fun, all a little productive.

3 Exams, 1 Paper, 8 Days and I'm home free!

The Christmas List.

 

Awwwh here it goes. How convenient, I linked all of the items!

The Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker
I love coffee.
A lot.
I also love things that make my life more efficient.
This pretty much covers both bases.
Super practical, not to mention delicious.







Wii Karaoke Revolution: Glee
For all apparent reasons, I need it.
Mostly because the other Ellen needs it too.
I also would adore the Season 2 Soundtrack.
...or Season 1 DVD.

The George Foreman Grill.
I'm on a healthy [er] food kick,
I need me a grill.

Kenda Koncept Pink Road Tires
Kompletely Necessary.

Pink Leopard Saddle Bag,
perfect in every way.

Jon Hart ID Wallet
Just so cute and so functional.

awhhhh, here it goes.

Well, I figured since people frequently approach me about my occasionally witty statuses and comments and social commentaries, why not go big. I was trying to remember the last time I really diligently blogged, and that would be from 2004-2006 on my xanga page. I am so mortified about the deeply ridiculous things I said and wrote on that page I will not dare give anyone that URL, but here's a small snippet of my really complicated 15-year-old life.

And that would be why i'm just going to shut that bad boy down for good for the mutual benefit of society. I grew up a lot in five years and I don't think anybody really wants to see what a scene-ster hippie emo kid I was at 15. Really, it was unfortunate. Either way, I think with all of the stress and major life decisions being a college junior holds like whether or not to wear rain boots, thoughts need a stage.

I'm trying to schedule my next semester [three to go!], deal with the long-term emotional damage of senior seminar and biomechanics exams, come to a conclusion about my senior research, pay bills, muster up the confidence to cut off a lot of hair, take leadership in the triathlon club, qualify for the 2011 NY Marathon, hold on to friendships, hold down a steady job, and most of all trying to live life on the side. That would be the very short-hand version of what you will be seeing more of [or not] after reading this. My life is not exciting in any capacity, but maybe a little insight and a few visuals can get things going. 

In the spirit of full disclosure, let's go ahead and get the worst case scenario out of the way. 

I present myself in my 2005-2006 blogging days.

I played 8 years of volleyball before they decided I was to short to do so.

I make cool faces, given the opportunity.

I'm a big fan of the summer camp scene.

Right in the middle of prime scenester stage. My spoon was too big.

That is all.