Roaring Corgi

I’m just going to go there: Why birth control is not a religious issue.

This argument over Catholic-based companies and organizations not covering birth control as part of healthcare has been all over the news recently. And here’s the thing: religions should be allowed to do whatever they want, provided it doesn’t harm anyone else. Simple.

But these guys want to not cover a medication that, yes, stops people from getting pregnant, but it also has other medical benefits. 

I get that they fundamentally disagree with the use of contraception (as a religious principle), and if you are Catholic and follow that, then you can make that employer extra happy by not buying it. Never mind that most Catholics these days use some form of birth control.

Where I think the problem lies is in their refusal to cover it for their own religious beliefs, when not only do their own followers use it, but there are in fact many non-Catholics who work for Catholic organizations.

In my own experience, I used to work for a Christian organization (not Catholic obviously, but there is a parallel). They had health insurance and it didn’t have any prejudices about medications or care. This is a good thing. Especially since I’m not Christian. If there had been limitations on the care I could receive medically because of their own religious convictions, I am not sure I would have continued to work there. Which would have been a shame because I had some great experiences and met great people.

Here is my take: If you want to not cover it, then you can only hire Catholics who agree to the same principles as you, and you need to disclose this to potential employees. If you are willing to hire anyone else, and are actively doing so currently, then I don’t think you get to bring religion to the conversation. 

(cartoon credit to Mike Luckovich)

Almost Four Surgeries! Also: Drunk Corgi!

For the last week Roxy has been walking on only three legs. She decided to jump off of my partner’s lap to charge downstairs and set the neighbor dogs straight, and in doing so did something to her leg. The same leg that has been operated on three times. She’s a glutton for pain.

We decided to give it a week. Because we are, by now, very experienced dog owners. If it’s soft tissue, it will heal up quicker and we can save on x-rays. If it’s still a problem in a week, then fine. She can see a vet.

And fast forward to this last weekend and she still hobbling around on three legs, though she does it happily. Don’t be fooled. Three legs is all she needs to still be playful, bossy, and loud. I think it’s time to cut off that leg once and for all give her a cart. She’d be rear-wheel drive. She’d be the fastest damn dog on the block.

We made a vet appointment for her orthopedist.

YES. MY DOG HAS A SPECIALIST. <--This is why I’m poor.

This orthopedist is an hour away and only works nights. So we did a Sunday night appointment and hoped for the best. After waiting for 2.5 hours, we saw him around 11:45pm. Whee.

X-rays were ordered. But not before he stabbed a tranquilizing shot into her butt. (He did this because he knew the position of her leg for x-rays would be painful. Also drugged dogs are funny. He didn’t say that. I did.)

Here she is as the tranq takes affect:

After the X-rays we were told that she probably cracked the fragile bone in her leg that has had the previous operations. The vet thinks she needs to heal on her own. Good thing? No surgery (for now). Bad thing? For the next month we need to carry her up and down stairs and keep her from playing, chasing, jumping, and running.

She is a corgi.

This is not possible to do.

When I brought her home she was so messed up. She looked like it felt AMAZING. She kept trying to give us kisses but as you can see in the video below, she lost the function to control her tongue. (Also, apparently, my partner lost his ability to stand upright while holding a dog):

An open letter to Westminster. The dog show. Not the Abbey. But hell, they can read this too.

Just, what the eff. 

The Westminster Dog Show has severed their relationship with Pedigree because their "adopt a shelter dog" commercials are too sad. 

News flash: SHELTER DOGS ARE SAD.

Screw you Westminster. You and all of your richy bitchy, too important, nose thumbing participants. I'm sorry shelter dogs aren't living in pink houses with sparkly collars and cupcakes so you can feel better about watching TV.
 

I can say this because I have participated in dog shows as a handler, including the string of Westminster ones (though not the big ones they show on TV). Pedigree attends these shows and promotes adoption events (as well as selling their stuff). Practically everyone involved in these shows - save for a few exceptions - are richy bitchy, too important, nose thumbing people. 

While I think that it's fine to still do shows like this, even if it hovers on the line of taste (a la child beauty pageants), I don't think it's okay to purposely go out of your way to denigrate shelter dogs. 

From the article:
"You people that would rather remain silent, or turn away, or close yourself off from tragedies, or from information, or from discussion, or from things that may not affect you directly–you people are worthless. You people are the reason this world is so completely f---ed up. Because y’all grossly outnumber the people who actually give a shit. And then ignorance reigns. And then oppression reigns. Yes, this is just a commercial. But yes, I just took it there–to a political perspective, to a societal perspective–because at the end of the day, it’s all the same, it’s all relatable." 

By severing ties with Pedigree, which does a good job raising money for adoption events, Westminster is saying shelter dogs aren't worthy of the same treatment as their purebreds. 

And I don't have a problem with purebred dogs either. Breeds are developed for a reason and often have jobs. People who want to promote that breed and keep it alive and accurate are to be thanked. I think that's great. It keeps dogs diverse. 

Know what else is diverse? A shelter full of mutts. (And by the way, many shelters have just as many purebred pups too).

Look at these faces and then I will tell you about them:

These are my dogs. They complete my motley crew of a family.

The one on the left is Crazy Dog. He is undeniably mentally insane and probably a sociopath, and a drain on our patience on a regular basis. He is also the smartest dog I have ever met.
He is adopted.

The one on the right is Roxy. She is a joy and bursting with life. I am pretty sure if it was possible for dogs to shit rainbows she would do it. She is a purebred corgi, but she was a puppy mill dog and was only bred because there is a market for purebreds that is merciless. She was then dumped at a shelter when someone didn't want her and had genetic bone issues requiring three surgeries we had to pay for (so far).
She is adopted.

And they are both (despite my constant rant of the opposite) wonderful dogs. 

These dogs aren't any less important or worthy than the dogs in those rings. 

We need to stand up to this kind of bigotry against shelter dogs. 

I even started a cause page on facebook (I am one of those people now. I know.).

Join it and stand with me. 

 

 

 

More decoration to the master bedroom - Beatles!

I heart the Beatles SO. MUCH. I named a dog after one of their songs.

If I have a kid (<--hahahahaha!) I will probably name it after them as well.

That's right, my future child will be named Nowhere Pennylane Submarine.

^I guess you can tell what era I like as well. (Interesting)

DIGRESSION.

I wanted to put some kind of art above our bed to fill those gray walls. Even though I love those gray walls. How I love them. (licks wall)

I found these painted Beatles canvases on Etsy. The artist is in the UK, which means I had to wait forEVER. And I am really patient.

They look fabulous! (say that like Oprah would)

I get to sleep under John, my fave. Whee!

Another angle:

I feel like it's still a little stark and it might need a color block behind it or something like this.

Thoughts?

I used this new tool from Home Depot that is supposed to help you line stuff up on the wall easier. It was marginally easier.  Here it is:

I would say it's worth the $14 for it. I don't have one of those fancy laser levels so this was instead of buying one of those. It pushes holes into the wall after you line it up. It's a bit trickier than the instructions say though. Whatever. It's better than guessing, which si my normal m.o.

Next project is to finally to the little path through the planter that will connect our front walk to the driveway to make a little shortcut.  I need muscle for that. So... basically Jason will be doing and I will be photographing it.

Weight Watchers Week Two: More stuff

So I have been getting pretty good at guessing what things are worth as far as points and I am kind of proud of this and kind of disgusted with it as well.

Big news! I lost .8 lbs this week. I am up to ONE WHOLE POUND.

I still think about food a lot. Like today is Friday and starting Friday nights I eat fat. I don't count points until Monday morning again. I try to not snack as much still, but I don't worry about eating a bowl of pasta or whatever. And it apparently works since I am dropping weight.

I also stopped going to meetings. I changed my account to online only. Those meetings did nothing for me and a lot of it was super common sense.

I bought a scale and instead will weigh myself on that weekly and keep track of it.

Bonus! The scale I bought recorded me at 2 lbs lighter than the WW scale at the meeting. While I am sure I didn't lose 2 lbs in 48 hours, the numbers look less scary.

Ooh, maybe I will even see a movie this weekend and eat movie popcorn! I am so wild and crazy.