My cat Ziggler

I know people say their pets have distinct personalities, but my chihuahua Ziggler takes it to a whole different level. He doesn't think he is the man of the house, nor does he act like a little kid trying to stay out of trouble. Instead he apparently thinks he isn't a dog at all, but the complete opposite - a cat. How could a dog do something so low as to act like his species' natural enemy? Maybe he doesn't know he is not acting normal, and needs to be informed that dogs do not normally arch their back gradually as they are being pet. Maybe Ziggy doesn't know that it's cats, not dogs, who climb on the back of chairs and couches to sleep on.

While he does do some things like a normal puppy, such as licking everyone's faces and barking at the most random noises, even his bark doesn't sound much like a dog. Now yes I know he's just a little guy, but my Ziggler brings a whole new meaning to the term "yippy dog." Not only is his bark far from fierce, he doesn't even use it very often! Instead he usually just uses his "cuteness" to stare at me and quietly wimper; almost as though he is trying to talk to me. Honestly, I am just waiting for him to start purring....

This has made me ask myself the question "so am I really a dog lover?" I mean, I love Ziggler, but he is so close to a cat that maybe I have been owning the wrong pets for years. What if a lazy, boring, lay around all day cat is what I need. Or maybe I just have a unique love for Ziggy, and I enjoy how weird he is. I enjoy knowing that when I come home he will whine like a baby and wag his whole body, not just his tail, in excitement... until I call him a kitty.

Finding Random Poems on My Computer

I found the following poem in a random folder on my laptop. I wrote it in tenth grade for my English class. At least I have proof that I've been a "nerd" for quite some time, now.

Best Addition to Nintendo

Mario and his companion,

Yoshi, the green dinosaur.

Not a dog or a stallion

the duo that knows how to score.

Mario can magically grow

Mario magnificently masters missions

and with Yoshi, he is never slow.

Clearly, Nintendo’s best addition.

Adorned in blue overalls and a red saddle.

Jumping holes, grabbing coins, winning lives

killing those mushrooms in every battle.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll both survive.

Mario, your first appearance was in Donkey Kong.

Yoshi, yours was ten years later in Super Mario World,

and if I could, I would make this poem into a song.

Itchy... Feet?

Obviously, I would love to travel all over the world and see all that it has to offer. However, it is financially impossible to make this happen. I would love to take a long and leisurely road trip around the United States and stop wherever I desired. I want to travel to each state and see what has been surrounding me for the past twenty years. Who knows, maybe I'd find a place that would make me think about moving from Minnesota. After I finish traveling the country, I would love to travel throughout Europe. Some say visiting another country changes a person and their outlook on things; I wonder how true a statement that is. If anyone has the funds to travel the world, think about bringing me along with. I pack light and love driving :)

Likes versus Dislikes

My Likes:

Being happy and maintaining a positive outlook; playing cards with my mom’s family; a full tank of gas; a clean apartment; reading comedians’ autobiographies; reading books written by Harlan Coben or Lisa Gardner; driving with the windows down; the first cup of coffee in the morning; thunderstorms; bubble baths; napping with my Chihuaha, Ziggy; painted nails; posters; having a lot of pillows and blankets on the bed; a fully-charged Nook; lighting incense; my boyfriend’s beard; watching baseball; playing the Sims 3 all night long; roadtrips; receiving generous tips at work; anything my dad cooks; anything my mom bakes; iced tea; making lists; having certain television shows I watch with my mom; watching comedies; collecting elephants like my grandma; grocery shopping; brand new pens; seat warmers in vehicles; playing video games with Jordan; sleeping in and staying up late; colorful rugs; vacuuming; Mountain Dew Baja Blast at Taco Bell; stuffed animals; The Tea Garden in Uptown Minneapolis; reading outside; going through a carwash; going out for breakfast; running outside; word-finds; watching HGTV; a picture-covered refrigerator; my sister’s homemade ice cream cake; picture frames; all of the fattening food sold at the State Fair; Christmas Eve; good-smelling shampoo; watching WWE; watching girly movies all day with my sister; my Tempur-pedic mattress; shimmery lotion; Victoria’s Secret sweatshirts; taking my dogs for walks; eating dessert first; crockpot food; handmade cards; laugh attacks; decorating for and celebrating every holiday; watching documentaries; going to thrift stores and garage sales; brushing my teeth; finding money in pockets; warm laundry, fresh out of the dryer; people-watching; parade candy; a color-coordinated closet; the cold side of the pillowcase; peanut butter; watching game shows, wine; expensive toilet paper; board games; when Ziggy falls asleep in the crook of my neck; handwritten letters; when Ziggy hides his treats and pieces of his food in our shoes and bags; over-sized towels; 90s cartoons; playing little kid games with my three year old cousin Kenlee; Easter egg hunts; handmade jewelry; floral fabric; coloring books; discovering a new author; birthday discounts; warm weather; reading blogs; hearing old songs on the radio; teaching Ziggy new tricks; going to the library; the $5 movie bin at Walmart; bubble gum; witty fortune cookie fortunes; Cosmopolitan magazine; small town cafes; hot showers early in the morning; and sore muscles after a successful workout.

My Dislikes:

Low water pressure, wearing contacts, weddings; laundry; being woken up in the middle of the night by Ziggy; pens exploding in my waitressing apron; writers’ block; buying too much at Target; being allergic to red dye #40; ham; car repairs; pouring a bowl of cereal and then realizing there’s no milk; chipped nail polish; workout videos; shoveling; dusting; having a dirty work uniform; arriving somewhere late; when customers pay in coins; peas; small, tight spaces; cotton balls; leftover food; unpacking; nightmares; migraines; completing financial aid forms; my procrastination; bugs on my windshield; being allergic to cats; mushy grapes; losing at Wii bowling; elevators; sleeping in socks, and wearing socks in general; dead batteries; sitting in cold weather for Jordan’s baseball games; when Ziggy insists on chewing his rawhide right by my face; scratched CDs, and when my car stereo eats my CDs and refuses to give them back; saran wrap; when I accidentally break the yolk of an egg and it quickly becomes a tasteless fried egg; when a book has a bad ending; watching scary movies; living five hours away from my family; waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and then not being able to fall asleep; people who give away the ending to a book or movie; wire hangers; high heels; losing the backs of my earrings; forgetting to pack a toothbrush; my inability to cook; the stupid Disney Vault; waiting for Netflix to get the newest season of a show; people who complain about everything; wrapping presents; roommates; forgetting passwords; tangled wires; not winning in McDonald’s Monopoly; buying the wrong type of light bulb; the trains in Crookston; when they forget to put Arby’s sauce in the bag; when you don’t have enough money for the ice cream man; the minimum wage in North Dakota; the horrible tickle that attacks your throat, and no amount of water can make it go away; how expensive growing up is; the day after Christmas; group projects; sappy commercials; an unorganized food pantry; local business commercials; serving tables with misbehaving kids; playing sports; itchy tags; grass that hurts to walk barefoot in; losing touch with once close friends; smudging wet nail polish; those times when it’s impossible to stop yawning; unknowingly obtaining bruises at work; unpleasant and nosey neighbors; green bean casserole; living without Chipotle for the past two years and having to settle on Qdoba; 3D movies, they make me nauseous; getting carsick as easily as I do; waking up in the middle of the night with both arms completely numb; how judgmental the world can be; missing Ellen Degeneres’ talk show; forgetting sunglasses; standing behind someone tall at a concert; muscle knots; when customers steal my favorite pens; cooking on an electric stove; stepping in soggy grass; forgetting to wash my face before falling asleep; wearing my hair up; large crowds; when I forget my planner; and movie sequels.

Full Reign

Since this blog post is entirely up to me and what I feel like posting to the world, I'm just going to choose a few pictures of my furry pal Ziggy. I hope they bring joy to your day/evening. Enjoy :)

 The kid sleeps, a lot.

A Favorite Memory of Mine

This past weekend I attended the best concert I had ever been to. My best friend, Colee, and I saw Fleetwood Mac perform in the cities. The entire weekend was pretty memorable, but the main focus is the concert.

Fleetwood Mac has been my absolute favorite band since I was a little girl. Sure, other bands filtered their way throughout my "favorites" list, but never has one replaced the wonder that is Fleetwood Mac. I was never allowed to attend concerts before I turned 18; living in the cities had hardened my mom's farm-girl shell. Therefore, I hurriedly bought tickets for Colee and I. Obviously, she would drop any plans she had for that particular weekend.

I dusted off all my Fleetwood Mac CDs I had collected over the years and loaded them into my car stereo. I proceeded to listen to them on replay for the next few months, causing my excitement to grow even further.

We linked arms as soon as we stepped foot in the venue because I was not about to lose my best friend in the sea of fans. As we hiked our way to the designated seats, it became apparent how cheap our tickets were. I guess the college lifestyle doesn't leave room for expensive concert tickets. We were upset to discover we would be sitting for the concert, but that didn't matter much to us. I don't think anyone else danced harder in their seats than Colee and I did. I love every member of the band, current and past, but Stevie Nicks wins most of my love. I can't even begin to express my love for her. My mom always teases me about it, but it doesn't bother me one bit. Colee loves her just as much, which is probably part of the reason we love each other so much :)

The best concert I have ever been to was put on by people over the age of 60. That is incredible! They've gone through everything over the course of 35 years, and aren't showing any signs of stopping. I promise I'm a normal person... outside my everlasting obsession for Fleetwood Mac.

A Quote for Your Thoughts...

This is such a great quote to remember. I mean, who would know better than the woman married to Marilyn Manson. Once you realize that not everyone is going to like you, life becomes much more enjoyable. Plus, you're able to live life the way you want to; who cares if someone else doesn't agree with your choices.