Friday Feast and Depressed Dogs

I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better. They fight for honor at the first challenge, make love with no moral restraint, and they do not for all their marvelous instincts appear to know about death. Being such wonderfully uncomplicated beings, they need us to do their worrying. ~George Bird Evans, Troubles with Bird Dogs

Feast One Hundred & Sixty Nine

Appetizer
What was your first “real” job?

I had work experience my senior year of high school -- the school set up interviews, and you could actually take it as part of your credits. We had two hour classes T-F (1-3-5 periods T/TH and 2-4-6 periods W/F), so I had my job in 5th and 6th periods. I took the bus (yes, it's TRUE! I didn't have a car, even as a senior. My unreasonable parents thought I should actually, yanno, earn the money for one myself. Go figure.) to a restaurant called "The Old San Francisco Express" and worked as a hostess.

I can't tell you how grateful I am to have never had to work in fast food. I went from hostessing there to becoming a waitress at eighteen, and then taking a second job as a teller in a bank.

I still LOVE to wait tables. And, if I ever go back to work, that's most likely what I will do.

Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?

Good heavens -- anywhere. If I'm alone, I think things. If I'm out, I people watch. I find creativity driving down the street or watching TV or weeding the garden. I honestly don't think there is one particular place that would do it for me.

Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when…

Hmmm... I don't embarrass easy. I don't care if I have broccoli in my teeth, or if I stumble down the stairs or say something silly. I spent my entire growing up years in drama and choir and have no problem being in front of people. And, I really don't care much what people think about me -- and isn't that a requirement to be embarrassed?

Okay... how about, I'm embarrassed when I complain about bad grammar on my blog, and then use it! LOL...

Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?

The Golden Rule. It sounds trite, but it's true. I do tend to think as much as possible about how I would want to be treated when I interact with people.

Also, a deep respect for life -- all life: human and creature. So, yes, I scoop up spiders and throw them outside, and feed the squirrels. I will admit to killing black flies and Japanese Beetles with great abandon, but otherwise, I pretty much leave critters alone.

Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.

I grew up in the late 70s/early 80s so I could totally, like go to town here. #1: Valley Speak (remember Moon Unit Zappa?). I'm from California, where we totally thought it was gnarly to talk that way. You didn't? Well, gag me with a spoon!

#2: The Saturday Night Fever dance -- we actually learned it IN SCHOOL in one of my classes.

#3: Shoulder pads. OMG. Remember Linda Evans on Dynasty?? Was she styling or WHAT?

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My dog is off her food. I think it might just be that she'd depressed. Her medication for the urinary track infection (see Monday's post) requires that I split a pill, and the sound from the pill splitter scares her (*snap*!). She wouldn't eat yesterday, even when I doctored her food with meat and gravy. This morning, she watched as I pulled out her pills. She was good when I got her usual arthritis meds, but the moment I pulled out the envelope with the anti-biotic, she ran away and WOULD NOT come back.

She sat at the top of the stairs and refused to budge. I pulled, I grabbed, I called her a shameful-bad-dog and still she just sat and wouldn't move. She had the good grace to look embarrassed, because she really doesn't ever misbehave, but those pills have pushed her over the edge. I finally picked her up and carried her downstairs (understand, she isn't a small dog -- she's 70 pounds) and made her lie down. Then I got out peanut butter (something she doesn't associate with her pills) and rolled up the antibiotic inside. She took it. Then I put her glucosomine in the wet dog food and gave it to her and she took it. But... she still won't eat her regular food.

Looks like I'll be calling the vet AGAIN.

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Your Preppy Name Is...

Sexton Goodloe Vanleer the Fifth But most people know you as Gigi

What's Your Preppy Name?