Am I Dumb? (Don't Answer That. Answer This.)

Here's a random question for you: Where, exactly, is the "lower left-hand corner" of your windshield? I have to place my Foothill parking permit in just that spot and I have no idea where it is. Is it the left-hand side as you're sitting in the car? Or as your standing outside, facing the car? The words I'm looking for here are "driver's side" or "passenger's side," people!!! So, I'm taking a poll - which side do YOU think Foothill is referring to?

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Be the Change for Pets

You've probably noticed my little Petfinder widget in the right-hand sidebar. Well, as you can see, Sunday marks the start of Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week. The event was created by Petfinder.com in order to help encourage the adoption of "less desirable" pets. What kinds of pets fall into that category? Seniors, those with special needs, certain breeds and colors of animals. In fact, Petfinder surveyed their adoption groups to reveal which animals are the hardest to place and here are their results.

I myself have a "less desirable" pet - a big, black dog. I have always been drawn to black dogs of all breeds (maybe because my first dog, Ziggy, was a black Cocker Spaniel) so Garfunkel caught my eye immediately when Robert and I looked at his litter. When I asked the 'litter monitor' if he was a popular guy (after all, how could he not be?!), I was told that he was not. In fact, he was the least popular - a runt of his litter and shy to boot. Well, you know me - I love all things underdog!!! :o) So that just sealed the deal. We love Garfunkel to bits, of course, shy, black, big and all. But for every person who compliments us on his coat or his physique, there is a person who thinks he is intimidating, scary, mean or vicious. For some, the fact that he is a rescue dog just compounds the prejudice; people have visions of all rescue dogs being abused animals with deep-seated emotional problems. Luckily, there are lots of great rescue dog ambassadors out there (who have fewer idiosyncrasies than Funk!) to show them just how wrong they are. Just because a dog isn't perfect doesn't mean they're not perfect for you.

I read about Adopt-a-Less-Desirable-Pet Week at Pawcurious. Dr. V went to the BlogPaws event in Denver last week and BlogPaws, via Be the Change for Pets, is encouraging all bloggers to highlight a "less desirable" pet in their area. I'll be doing just that in a separate post; for now, I just wanted to share with you a few interesting videos I've discovered while researching BlogPaws and Be the Change for Pets over the past couple days. (I'm well aware that most of you won't be interested in this and that's totally fine. I won't take it personally. :o) But I was touched by these videos and felt it important to pass them along.)

First up is a video of the keynote speaker at the BlogPaws conference. His name is Mike Arms and he is the President and CEO of the Helen Woodward Animal Center in San Diego. His speech is about 35 minutes long and I enjoyed the entire thing; he's just so passionate about what he does and has all sorts of ideas to help eliminate shelters and shelter killings. There is a particularly moving story about that at the 26-minute mark (the person reading the letter is Dr. V, in case you care). You can read the same story here (Dr. V doesn't get through the entire thing) but I must warn you - it's VERY difficult to get through. I blubbered through it and the rest of the video. It makes its point, though, that's for sure.

(The video starts @ 10:35; the keynote speaker begins @ 13:50)

While you are still teary, you can watch this tribute to the Search and Rescue dogs of 09/11. (Why did the dogs not get masks like the humans?! Poor things. And why do bagpipes make everything seem so much sadder? Yeesh. Actually, the conference video also has a little story 09/11 - about a guide dog that helped a man on the 86th floor of the WTC. You can find it @ 34:23.)

To cheer yourself up a bit, here's a video of before and after shots of various shelter dogs. Volunteer Seth Casteel professionally photographs shelter dogs to give them a better chance of finding a forever home. SO SWEET!

Of course, after I spent so much time watching such heart-tugging videos, Robert came home from work to find me a big pile of goo on the office floor. I don't know why I do this to myself! I am a Sucker (note the capital S).

R.I.P. Free Time

Today is my last official day of vacation. :o( Mew. True, school doesn't start until Monday so I still have the weekend but everyone gets weekends off so it doesn't count as "vacation" vacation. I haven't bought all of my school supplies yet (notebooks, etc.) but I do have my textbooks and thought you might like to sneak a peek (you know you do!!!).
(That little book on the right is a flip book of veterinary instruments. In a convenient travel size!)

I neglected to include the books I bought for spring quarter (which I will have to use this quarter as well) so here they are:


Looks like fun, no? Sounds like fun, too. Check it out - this quarter I'll be taking:

- Current Topics in Veterinary Technology
- Medical Terminology
- Comparative Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology for the Vet Tech
- Animal Management and Clinical Skills
- Animal Care Skills

You're sooooooooooooooo jealous. Don't try to hide it. Everyone wants to be me!

Chuck + Sequins = Diamond!

Sacha Baron Cohen is going to play Freddie Mercury and I think that's an excellent casting choice. I don't expect that Neil Diamond will be getting the biopic treatment anytime soon but when (or if) he does, I think Zachary Levi would be PERFECT! I have thought so for years. Don't you agree???

It would be fabulous!! And when it happens, just remember you saw it here first.

We Finally Have a Floor!

I visited Nora earlier this week and it was brought to my attention that I have failed to post any photos of our new floor. (Actually, Carmen and Bob asked me about floor photos right after we had them installed and while I had good intentions at the time... but then it completely fell off my radar.) We've had the floor for about a month and a half (it was installed at the end of July) and at first I was ever-so-slightly less than thrilled. It looked... darker than I remembered it being*. And I felt like it clashed with the weird yellow "blond wood" color of our kitchen cabinets. But everyone else - and especially Robert - seemed to love, love, love it and it has definitely grown on me. I am still not loving how loud everything is without carpet... or how the furniture is constantly sliding around... or how much dustier and hairier the laminate floors look than carpet did... But it's quite aesthetically pleasing, makes moving the air conditioner from room to room a snap and is what I'd wanted for flooring ever since we moved in (I knew carpet would not live long!). Poor Garfunkel absolutely hates it. He has no traction and slides everywhere! Tug-of-War is his favorite game and he really has no leverage now with such a slippery floor. Plus, he likes to do a little head scratch/wipe/roll on the carpet after he eats, and since we now only have carpet in the bedrooms, he's taken to doing it in our room. Or on our bed. Kind of a bummer.

Anyway, here's a photo of the floor on the day they were installed. We'd LOVE to keep our furniture arranged this way, but it's a definite no-go for TV viewing. Yes, the television is the center of my life and my living room. I'm okay with that.


And here is the floor today:



Garfunkel would NOT move out of the way while I was trying to photograph the fireplace, so here he is. (Darn, he's a good looking dog!)




So! There you go - a tour of our new, mold-free, odor-free, dry floor. What do you think? Keep your fingers crossed the stupid people upstairs keep their disposal celery-free...


* Because we decided to use a contractor that both sets of parents had used in the past (and because his rates were so reasonable), Robert was willing to go with an upgrade. So, we picked a middle-of-the-road-but-closer-to-better-than-worse laminate in a cherry wood color. It took us so long to get it all installed because we couldn't get the HOA to make the check out to us and not a specific company (or the company they recommended). I guess we took SO long that the HOA finally gave up and mailed us a check! We got the floors done the following week. :o)

Trailers! Trailers! Trailers!

This week has been a virtual extravaganza of trailers for movies with Hot Men! Unfortunately (for me), I don't actually find most of them hot in their respective films. :o( Johnny Depp is always a hit-or-miss kind of guy for me but Christian is usually pretty good, even when the movie is dreck. (Actually, that's a lie. As I was typing that sentence I thought of The Machinist and Rescue Dawn so I guess Christian's really rather hit-or-miss himself. Hmm. Depressing.) Andrew Garfield looks the most promising in his trailer, but his overall Hotness has yet to be confirmed. (Have YOU seen him in anything else? Didn't think so. He will, however, be the new Spider-Man so there's definite Hot potential there.) Still, I haven't had a Hot Men post in aaaages so here you go!

Here's a too-skinny-and-balding Christian Bale in The Fighter:

(Mark Wahlberg has never really done anything for me so his being a topless boxer isn't a huge draw.)

Here's Andrew (and Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley) in the trailer for Never Let Me Go:

The movie is based on the book of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro; and believe it or not, even though it sounds like a smart person's book, I've read it! Robert actually bought it for me several years ago because he'd read a lot about it and thought I'd enjoy it. I did like it but it's very... different. For me, anyway. And had I not read the book, I don't think I'd have any idea what's happening in the trailer. Which, on one hand, is good - nothing really gets spoiled. But on the other, I don't think I'd be drawn to the movie at all! The trailer that was shown at the London Film Festival sheds a little more light on the film's plot:

The big reveal is a little more revealed here and while it makes things seem more interesting, I feel like it sort of ruins the intrigue of the story a bit. Either way, I'm glad I've already read the book!

And here's Johnny Depp (and Angelina Jolie) in the trailer for The Tourist:

Johnny's character seems very cute, personality-wise, but I've never been a fan of shaggy men. And Angelina's British accent isn't the worst on screen but it's still sort of distracting. Will Robert see this movie? Eh. Hard to call. We haven't been going to the movies all that often lately and this one doesn't scream "ROBERT!" We'll see.

On a sort of similar note, here's a little behind-the-scenes video of Conan O'Brien's recent promotional photo shoot. You can read a little about it here.

Movie Morsels 62: New DH TV Spot

It doesn't add much to the already-released-and-super-awesome trailers but a new Deathly Hallows TV spot has been released. Only 70 days to go! Woohoo!!!

TV Tidbits 93: Fall Premiere Dates

I am hanging my head in shame today. I have been THE WORST infotainment blogger since leaving The Bay. I haven't been keeping up with my regular set of sites and, as such, have failed to bring you all I could in the world of TV Tidbits, Movie Morsels and the like. I am sorry. I was having a chat with my dad at the dog park the other night about upcoming new fall series and I realized that I know virtually nothing about what new shows are premiering in the next few weeks. Virtually nothing! And I didn't watch any of the Emmys last month, either. I didn't even tape it to fast forward through later. How can this have happened to me?! My very identity, the essence of what makes me ME is slipping away. :o( Mew. (I think this Dr. Quinn episode on a diphtheria epidemic is bumming me out. Maybe I should watch RuPaul's Drag U for a while...)

Ahem. As I was saying, I haven't posted anything infotainment-y for a while but I'm going to strive to do better from now on. And in that spirit I present to you the (two-week-old) Ausiello Fall Premiere Cheat Sheet:

Monday, Sept. 13
90210, 8 p.m. (The CW)
Gossip Girl, 9 p.m. (The CW)

Tuesday, Sept. 14
One Tree Hill, 8 p.m. (The CW)
Life Unexpected, 9 p.m. (The CW)
Parenthood, 10 p.m. (NBC)

Wednesday, Sept. 15
Survivor: Nicaragua, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Outlaw, 10 p.m. (NBC) NEW

Thursday, Sept. 16
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 10 p.m. (FX)
The Apprentice, 10 p.m. (NBC)
The League, 10:30 p.m. (FX)

Sunday, Sept. 19
Boardwalk Empire, 8 p.m. (HBO) NEW

Monday, Sept. 20
Dancing With the Stars, 8 p.m. (ABC)
How I Met Your Mother, 8 p.m. (CBS)
House, 8 p.m. (Fox)
Chuck, 8 p.m. (NBC)
Rules of Engagement, 8:30 p.m. (CBS)
Two and a Half Men, 9 p.m. (CBS)
Lone Star, 9 p.m. (Fox) NEW
The Event, 9 p.m. (NBC) NEW
Mike & Molly, 9:30 p.m. (CBS) NEW
Castle, 10 p.m. (ABC)
Hawaii Five-0, 10 p.m. (CBS) NEW
Chase, 10 p.m. (NBC) NEW

Tuesday, Sept. 21
NCIS, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Glee, 8 p.m. (Fox)
The Biggest Loser, 8 p.m. (NBC)
NCIS: Los Angeles, 9 p.m. (CBS)
Raising Hope, 9 p.m. (Fox) NEW
Running Wilde, 9:30 p.m. (Fox) NEW
Detroit 1-8-7, 10 p.m. (ABC) NEW

Wednesday, Sept. 22
The Middle, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Hell’s Kitchen, 8 p.m. (Fox)
Undercovers, 8 p.m. (NBC) NEW
Better With You, 8:30 p.m. (ABC) NEW
Modern Family, 9 p.m. (ABC)
Criminal Minds, 9 p.m. (CBS)
Law & Order: SVU, 9 p.m. (NBC)
Cougar Town, 9:30 p.m. (ABC)
The Defenders, 10 p.m. (CBS) NEW
The Whole Truth, 10 p.m. (ABC) NEW

Thursday, Sept. 23
My Generation, 8 p.m. (ABC) NEW
The Big Bang Theory, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Bones, 8 p.m. (Fox)
Community, 8 p.m. (NBC)
30 Rock, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)
$#*! My Dad Says, 8:30 p.m. (CBS) NEW
Grey’s Anatomy, 9 p.m. (ABC)
CSI, 9 p.m. (CBS)
Fringe, 9 p.m. (Fox)
The Office, 9 p.m. (NBC)
Outsourced, 9:30 p.m. (NBC) NEW
Private Practice, 10 p.m. (ABC)
The Mentalist, 10 p.m. (CBS)

Friday, Sept. 24
Medium, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Smallville, 8 p.m. (The CW)
CSI: NY, 9 p.m. (CBS)
Supernatural, 9 p.m. (The CW)
The Good Guys, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Blue Bloods, 10 p.m. (CBS) NEW

Sunday, Sept. 26
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, 8 p.m. (ABC)
The Simpsons, 8 p.m. (Fox)
The Amazing Race, 8:30 p.m. (CBS)
The Cleveland Show, 8:30 p.m. (Fox)
Desperate Housewives, 9 p.m. (ABC)
Family Guy, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Dexter, 9 p.m. (Showtime)
Brothers & Sisters, 10 p.m. (ABC)
Undercover Boss, 10 p.m. (CBS)
Bored to Death, 10 p.m. (HBO)
Eastbound & Down, 10:30 p.m. (HBO)

Tuesday, Sept. 28
No Ordinary Family, 9 p.m. (ABC) NEW
The Good Wife, 10 p.m. (CBS)

Wednesday, Sept. 29
Law & Order: Los Angeles, 10 p.m. (NBC) NEW

Friday, Oct. 1
Human Target, 8 p.m. (Fox)

Sunday, Oct. 3
American Dad, 9:30 p.m. (Fox)
CSI: Miami, 10 p.m. (CBS)

Friday, Oct. 15
School Pride, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Wednesday, Oct. 27
Friday Night Lights (DirecTV)

Wednesday, Nov. 10
Lie to Me, 8 p.m. (Fox)

I have done no research so I have no recommendations to give. All I can tell you is that in what little I have read, $#*! My Dad Says seems likely to be the first series to die an early death. Don't quit your Priceline job, Mr. Shatner.

First Day of School

Great googlymoogly. Today is the first day of school for my nieces and they are now officially 2nd- and 5th-graders. Good. Grief. My sister sent along some photos of the girls to mark the occasion and, just for fun, sent photos of the girls from the first day of school back in 2007. At that time, Sarah (the eldest) was entering 2nd grade and Claudia was still in preschool. Check it out:

Here are the girls in '07:And here they are now:
W O W ! The comparison really drives it home - the girls are so mature now! Crazy. I can't believe I have nieces that are so... big. I still remember when I gave little 1-year-old Sarah a bath in my apartment at UCLA. And now she's a tween! Dang. Time is flying! I feel old.

This Only Happens Once in a Lifetime...

Did you notice the date today? 09/02/10. Or 90210. That's right - it's "90210 Day," people.

I have to say - SOAPnet blew a perfect opportunity here! Sure, they're hyping that they're celebrating the day with episodes at 11, 12 and 5 but they're not having a marathon until Monday. I understand that a Thursday interruption of regularly scheduled programming might seem a little odd but c'mon! IT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OCCURRENCE here, SOAPnet!! Get it together. SOAPers would totally understand.