The Dog Dazed of

My one and a half year old, yellow Labrador mix dog, Daisy, broke her tooth last year and then broke another one a couple weeks ago.

How?

Well, last year while she was still crate training, I think she broke it chewing on the metal crate door. It's the only explanation I have. It was one of the large canine teeth. The vet said to leave it until it started to bother her or got infected.

A couple weeks ago, I threw a toy and she went to catch it. Bam! Face first into the wall. Poor puppy. She was visibly shaken. And when I looked at her to see if she was okay, I noticed her front little incisor was cracked. I called the vet and they said they would like to see her, but the surgery wasn't an emergency. Throughout the day, the cracked tooth turned into a chipped tooth and then a broken tooth that was broken all the way to the gum line.

Yesterday was Daisy's surgery and she had both teeth removed. I was a nervous wreck. I don't know how parents handle a child's injury and/or surgery. I realize she is just a pet. But to us pet owners, we know there is no such thing as "just a pet." I was nervous for days leading up to the surgery, the morning when we woke up, when I dropped her off, and throughout the day.

One of my silly concerns was how she would act the morning of the surgery since she wasn't allowed to eat. It's not like you can explain things to dogs. I thought she would be a nut. But she wasn't. She was absolutely calm and laid under my legs as I primped in the morning, just like normal, chewing on her bone. Chewing that now isn't allowed to happen for two weeks. Poor pup.

After I dropped her off, I almost cried driving to work. I tried to rationalize. Seriously, I'm glad I'm not a parent. Kids get hurt much more often. It was difficult to focus and my fear got the best of me at times. "What if they're not calling to update me because something serious happened? They probably don't give bad news over the phone. I'll be devastated died on the operating table." Yea. Rationality. Gone.

They called. Everything went well. She was awake. And the teeth came out easily.

I picked her up after work and she was very loopy. Her eyes were not focusing; she was definitely drugged. Her bottom eyelids were droopy. She was constantly blinking and struggling to keep her eyes open.

As the night wore on and her pain killers let up, she would whimper quietly. She also was continuously licking her bandaged leg where the IV fluids were injected. It was a long night of: "Good girl, Daisy. It's okay." and "No. Leave it. Stop."

We cuddled a lot. And went to bed early.

Dazed Daisy. At bedtime.

This morning was tricky. The vet gave me painkillers to give her at breakfast for seven days. No problem. This pup will eat anything covered in cheese or peanut butter. But her food needs to be softened (or she needs to eat canned food. Sorry, I just paid for this surgery, expensive food is not a financial option). Softening the food wasn't easy because she is used to the morning routine. When I scooped her food and, instead of giving it to her, left it on the counter with water, she was not happy. She ran around like a crazy dog. She whined at me. And then sat and stared (and whined some more). Those puppy eyes are very powerful convincers.

But overall she is doing well. Recovering. And hopefully not too mad at me. "Bitch, you stole my teeth, I better at least get $1 for each!" Nah - Daisy doesn't curse.

Please send positive thoughts for a quick healing. Thanks!

YouTube-sday: Talk to Animals

Foto Friday: Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mad Fashion's Erie Connection

Erie's own Maria Sansone asks Chris March (famed by Project Runway) to transform her into a 1950s housewife for Animal Fair Magazine’s annual Paws for Style fashion show during his new TV show Mad Fashion. Sansone not only needs March to create a runway look for her, but also a complementing look for her cockapoo, Ralphie.

Some of you may remember Maria Sansone at age 11 when Mike Gallagher of WJET-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania, hired her to host her own children's sports show, Down to Size. Sansone now works for TV Guide Network. You can learn more about her on her website.

Mad Fashion is in its first season on Bravo and airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. eastern. From start to finish, viewers see March and his eccentric crew create one-of-a-kind designs for his high-profile clientele.

Check out the photos from last night's episode:

Looking good, Maria! Keep it crazy! And P.S. Ralphie is A.dor.rable!

YouTube-sday: We Still Are

Monster Monday: 10 Words that Ruin a Resume

10 Words and Terms That Ruin a Resume
By Charles Purdy, Monster Senior Editor

Your resume needs an update -- that is, if your resume is like that of most people, it’s not as good as it could be. The problem is language: Most resumes are a thicket of deadwood words and phrases -- empty cliches, annoying jargon and recycled buzzwords. Recruiters, HR folks, and hiring managers see these terms over and over again, and it makes them sad. Wouldn’t you rather make them happy? It’s time to start raking out your resume, starting with these (and similar) terms.

1. “Salary negotiable”

Yes, they know. If you’re wasting a precious line of your resume on this term, it looks as though you’re padding -- that you’ve run out of things to talk about. If your salary is not negotiable, that would be somewhat unusual. (Still, don’t put that on your resume either.)

2. “References available by request”

See the preceding comment about unnecessary terms.

3. “Responsible for ______”

Reading this term, the recruiter can almost picture the C-average, uninspired employee mechanically fulfilling his job requirements -- no more, no less. Having been responsible for something isn’t something you did -- it’s something that happened to you. Turn phrases like “responsible for” into “managed,” “led” or other decisive, strong verbs.

4. “Experience working in ______”

Again, experience is something that happens to you -- not something you achieve. Describe your background in terms of achievements.

5. “Problem-solving skills”
You know who else has problem-solving skills? Monkeys. Dogs. On your resume, stick to skills that require a human.

6. “Detail-oriented”

So, you pay attention to details. Well, so does everyone else. Don’t you have something unique to tell the hiring manager? Plus, putting this on your resume will make that accidental typo in your cover letter or resume all the more comical.

7. “Hardworking”

Have you ever heard the term “show -- don’t tell”? This is where that might apply. Anyone can call himself a hard worker. It’s a lot more convincing if you describe situations in concrete detail in which your hard work benefited an employer.

8. “Team player”

See the preceding comment about showing instead of telling. There are very few jobs that don’t involve working with someone else. If you have relevant success stories about collaboration, put them on your resume. Talk about the kinds of teams you worked on, and how you succeeded.

9. “Proactive”

This is a completely deflated buzzword. Again, show rather than tell.

10. “Objective”

This term isn’t always verboten, but you should use it carefully. If your objective is to get the job you’ve applied for, there’s no need to spell that out on your resume with its own heading. A resume objective is usually better replaced by a career summary describing your background, achievements and what you have to offer an employer. An exception might be if you haven’t applied for a specific job and don’t have a lot of experience that speaks to the position you’d like to achieve.

Foto Friday: Changyon

As I mentioned in my last Foto Friday of the Grand Canyon, the vista is constantly changing because of sunlight, clouds, shadows, fog, etc. But I wanted to provide you with an example of that.

Here are two almost identical shots of the Grand Canyon taken twenty minutes apart.

April 7, 2011, 5:46 a.m.

April 7, 2011, 6:09 a.m.

Also, please note the snow on the branches. It was cold! I wasn't prepared for the winter-like conditions and basically was chilled-to-the-bone for two and a half days of ridge walking.

what do turtles do in the winter?

Question: What Do Turtles Do In The Winter?
Answer: It's called "brumation," and we should leave them be while they do it.

As the leaves turn colors and fall off the trees and the temperatures start to get colder, most of the migrant birds have left  for their wintering grounds and many mammals have fattened up and found dens or other shelters.

But, what do cold-blooded animals like turtles do to prepare for the difficult winter ahead? Cold-blooded animals rely on their surrounding environment to keep warm. When cold weather hits, turtles go into a hibernation type state called “brumation” to help them survive the winter.
“Brumation is triggered by cold weather and shorter periods of daylight,” said Jenny Dickson, a wildlife biologist with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Wildlife Division.

Turtles in the northeast United States generally begin brumation in late fall.  During brumation, turtles become less active, their metabolism slows, and their body temperature drops. However, turtles will often “wake up” to drink water.

Turtles do not breathe during brumation, instead relying on oxygen stored in blood vessels in the throat cavity and anal sacs. To cope with the cold, turtles that live in aquatic environments move to the bottom of the pond or creek. It is advantageous if they can go deeper than the frostline, where winter temperatures tend to stabilize above freezing. Some turtles, like painted turtles, are tolerant of freezing to a certain degree. These turtles’ cryogenic properties, or cryoprotectants, are even being studied to determine if they would be helpful in preserving human organs for future transplants.
When spring arrives with its warmer temperatures, most turtles emerge from brumation, becoming active and seeking spots to bask in the sun.

Hatchlings
“Young aquatic and land turtles that hatch from eggs that were buried in the ground over spring can either dig out of the hole, or ‘nest,’ in the fall and brumate as the adults do, or they can remain in the nest, possibly digging further into the soil,” added Dickson. “This demonstrates why female turtles must choose an optimum site to place their nests – the female must be able to detect features of the area that make it suitable for the eggs. Therefore, whenever homeowners witness a turtle nesting in their yard or garden, they are encouraged to allow the turtle to dig its nest where it chooses and leave the turtle and eggs alone.”

Whether turtle hatchlings emerge from the nest in the fall or in the spring, the DEEP Wildlife Division reminds residents not to collect hatchlings for pets. Leaving turtles alone and observing them from a distance is best for the turtle and also for your own health, as turtles can transmit Salmonella to humans.

Source: East Hampton-Portland Patch

Panda Poop

A Chinese wildlife expert believes tea infused with panda poop may prevent cancer. An Yanshi, of Sichuan University, believes that tea lovers with be so enthusiastic about the new product they will be willing to pay up to $36,000 per pound.

The key is the panda's digestive system, which only absorbs about 30% of the bamboo the animals eat. An Yanshi says because bamboo contains an element that may prevents cancer, using bamboo-filled poop as fertilizer will confer that property on the tea.

According to Kevin Dooley, of Treehugger.com, it helps that he's making green tea, which has antioxidants that seem to prevent cancer cells from dividing. So by Yanshi's logic, the super tea will double down your protection against the deadly disease.

An Yanshi says that the tea will have "a mature, nutty taste and a very distinctive aroma."

Would you be willing to drink this?

Would you pay $36,000 for a proven cancer prevention?

Foto Friday: The House that Joe Built

As a Penn State alumna and employee, I will refrain from expressing my opinions on the scandals that are enveloping my alma mater. But I will leave you with a photo I snapped with my iPhone yesterday, November 10, 2011, outside of Beaver Stadium.

I just happened to be in State College on an unrelated matter the night the University announced Graham Spanier would no longer be Penn State's president and Joe Paterno would no longer be head coach of Nittany Lion football.

YouTube-sday: Who Done It?

Foto Friday: It's Grand

Unfortunately, photos cannot capture the grandeur of the Grand Canyon. And at some point on my trip I stopped trying to capture its enormous size with the camera, because even my eyes could not grasp the vastness. Don't get my wrong, I still snapped hundreds and hundreds of photos. But seeing the photos on the little display screen, and even now seeing them on the 17 inch monitor, doesn't compare.

This photo was take April 5, 2011, at 5:20 p.m. (45 minutes before sunset). It was only the eleventh picture I took of the Grand Canyon.

My favorite experience was witnessing how the Canyon transformed as the sun moved, as the clouds rearranged, and as the weather changed. While we relocated throughout our two days there, the Canyon also morphed with the breezes, precipitation, and atmospheric fluctuations. Twas incredible!

Unlucky Bill

The Daily Show's correspondent Wyatt Cenac highlights Erie's former representative Kathy Dahlkemper and reports on the death of H.R. 3472, a bill providing health insurance premium discounts for exercising.

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YouTube-sday: Laughing to Tears

This video made the rounds about a year ago, but if you ever need a smile, it is a great pick-me-up.