Puppy Love

This is Lily.

We're fostering a little puppy again and I'm completely in love with her. Whenever one of these tiny creatures comes into my home, I understand the term "puppy love" in a whole new way. What I really love about Lily is that she's very bright, she loves to nestle in your arms, and she seems to be thriving in our family. Watson, our "real" dog, is patiently tolerating her existence although no one would think that he was a huge fan.

 

I'm trying to be a grown up with my "this-is-such-a-sweet-puppy-we-must-keep-her" emotions. I do need to see it from my husband's point of view (who is the obvious grown up in our house) and remember that taking another dog into our home would truly add complications. Of course, we're not sure how Watson would take to her if she were allowed free rein and she might end up getting pretty big. So....it wouldn't really be a logical choice to adopt this little girl.

 

I am, unfortunately, a puppy love poster child. I get exceedingly excited about new ideas and new projects. Hand me a new relationship and I'm over the moon.

 

Yeah. It's sort of an issue for the mature people who have to live with me. One never knows what the next Jenn-obsession will entail. Honestly, though...look at that sweet face. Wouldn't you be obsessed also?

Emilie

Here's my second attempt at Friday Fictioneering...thanks once again to Madison Woods for this brilliant exercise! (I forgot to mention this last time, but comments and criticism are welcome.)

Emilie settled herself on the hill, pulled out a notebook, and peered through the foliage.

There was nothing to see, but Emilie didn’t doubt the report. This spy was never wrong. As she sharpened her pencil, she could almost hear André's criticism. "You are putting all of us at risk by using pen and paper!" Emilie shrugged defiantly. Before la résistance, she was a bookkeeper. Recording details on paper was as natural to her as breathing. What was the harm? She planned to burn her notes in André's kitchen later that evening.

The soldiers entered the valley at precisely three o'clock. Emilie began to count grey uniforms.

The ninth soldier in line jerked an old man forward, forcing him to kneel. As the other soldiers raised their rifles, Emilie forgot la résistance and even forgot André. Her scream reverberated across the valley. "Grand-père!"

Lists

My life is just a bit hectic. It's not nearly as bad as some other lives out there (thank goodness I'm not ambitious or it would be horrendous)...but I still have quite a few balls in the air most days. And I remember little things I need to do at the oddest hours. Typically it's when I'm at home and I really don't want to go out again - possibly (okay...probably) because I've already had one glass of wine. Which is too much for me to safely drive. Because...well...it just is. But I digress.

I try to survive life by making lists. Tons of them. I've attempted mental lists but I barely remember my co-workers' names so it's laughable to think that I'd remember the fact that I need to pick up dog food unless I write it down. I've attempted to keep my list on a website like Dropbox but then I forget to go to the website to check my list. As a result, I always end up resorting to messy lists on scraps of paper. Here's today's list:

When I say "today's list," what I really mean is that it's the list I've carried around with me for almost three days. First it was stuck to my cell phone, then it fell off into my purse (which is a nightmare and probably a breeding ground for Ebola). Sometimes I end up taping a 3-day old list to my cell phone because the magic sticky note stickiness no longer works. This time I decided to stick it onto my work desk, which is beyond ridiculous, considering the mess covering it. On Monday I scratched "shoe holder" off the list. Yesterday I scratched off "allergy meds." Today I really need to scratch off "call Humane Society" and "article" - but I have my doubts.

Here's the truth about my lists. As a general rule, something needs to be on my list about three times before I'll finally do it. The uncrossed items on this list are first-iteration items. They've only existed on ONE sticky note. They haven't really paid their dues. The next step is for them to be transferred onto a much bigger piece of notebook paper (where they will be joined by a much longer list of things I must do) and then transferred back onto another sticky note (possibly a pink one) before I cross them off. By that time, they will be mixed in with other (as yet unknown) chores I'm ignoring.

Here's the other thing about my lists. I don't list the things that ACTUALLY MATTER to me. I don't, for example, write: "Spend 15 minutes working on novel." Or...."audition for a play." Both of those are huge priorities for me. I know that if I do those things, I'll be much happier than if I call a jeweler to find out how much it will cost me to fix the gold necklace I broke when I was brushing my hair last week. (Said necklace is traveling around in a ziplock bag in my purse, and most likely will stay there until we get our first Blue Norther in November.)

In short, lists are the only way I can make sure I accomplish anything during my waking hours. However, I still fight them tooth and nail and I don't even put my priorities on them. If any of you have a better idea, I'd love to hear about it.