Puppler Pies

He could almost fly with those ears!

He looks kind of squatty from this angle, but he's all legs. Gangly and lean like a tall teenage boy. Clumsy and sweet. He is such a Scooby.

Well, I changed the water on the chamber of death and things look pretty good. Guppies must be really hardy little fish. There's nothing skankier than a groady looking fish bowl. The fish looks better but only time will tell.

Love, Heidi

Death Chamber

We're down to our last fish and she, she is on her last legs. Unless she's gonna drop some frye or whatever it is. She's a live bearer facing the creep of the chamber of death. Garfield's plastic fish bowl belly is proving too toxic for life.

She isn't moving too fast and I'm afraid the pH adjustment may have just did a number on her. O, I dosed the tank again as a preventative. I thought she looked a little skanky, a little rotten. She looks better than she did, just not moving as fast. Yikes.

I never thought having a 'cute' fish tank would make me feel so guilty. As small as they are, they're still little creatures that depend on you. I am no fishkeeper. I'll tell you that much.

Love, Heidi

Scooby

A little blurry, but cute. Adorable in every way you can imagine. Charming, sweet and smart. Mellow and chill. We're totally in love!

Garfield Stinks

For reals.

This cute little fish tank has turned into a skanky nightmare. Sharpie got the burial at sea early on when my friend came over to see why the water was so cloudy. I removed a filter like thing from the bottom and that made things better.

Then, the Guppie, Nemo gave birth to mystery fish. Over the next day or two I start to wonder why the scum eater hadn't been moving. He was dead. Sick! Leafy, the little black fish developed a freaky white fungus around his mouth. I ran out to Petsmart last night to buy something to treat it.

He was floating in the tank this morning.

That leaves, Nemo, the guppy as Darwin's Grand Champion. I cleaned everything this morning, adjusted the pH and put it all back together. Except I didn't put the gravel back, just some colored stones. That might just be the killer.

We'll see how long it lasts. I think we would have been better off just getting a Beta fish. As Prissy might have said, "I don't know nothin' 'bout keepin' no fishes'.

Saturday is the big day. There is a big storm coming our way, but we should be home before it gets really bad. Maggie, I wanted to tell you that the shelter I am getting the dog from rescues dogs from high kill shelters in Chicago and NW Indiana. She takes the ones that she feels deserve a chance from "Death Row"(her words). She didn't tell me which one it was, but I will try to find out. Ro-ray?

Love, Heidi

Somebody Approves of Me

I know I'm on repeat here. But hey! I was approved for adoption...the adoption of a 6-7 month old boxer boy that came from a high kill shelter in Chicago. SF and I will schlep the pugs in the landship and head south about an hour to meet him on Saturday. If everything gels, he will have his forever home. This is the photo from Petfinder. He already weighs 50 lbs. He also has his long natural tail. He really looks like a German style boxer and not AKC. I can actually say "He's so Euro" as a REAL sentence!

SF wants to call him Scooby. For some reason, I think that name might just stick. Lord grant me the patience to deal with big dogs that aren't housebroken. I also hope this isn't doing any disservice to the memory of the one and only Chidler. I just can't be without a boxer. Life is too short.

Love, Heidi

KraZy?

Okay. I've been a real fiend when it comes to looking at dogs since December. I can't explain it. Maybe it does have something to do with falling off the horse. I filled out an application for a boxer(origin unsure...he LOOKS like a boxer) from a rescue. He is 6-7 months old, loves other dogs, kids and even cats. Is he housebroken...that is the question. As we all know, big dog = lots of pee. And don't forget the poop.

According to the rescue, he was at a high kill shelter and they rescued him. He was an owner surrender. Anyone who has gone through the infamous boxer puppy phase and has lived to tell the tale knows it's no walk in the park.

It can be more like walking through the fragmented remains of what used to be furniture and throw pillows. Or underwires from your bra glinting in the sun on the living room rug. Survive pulling things out of his patootie and you're virtually guaranteed to be an EXCELLENT parent. Trust me.

He already weighs 50 lbs so they think he is going to be a big boy(currently called 'Sprout'). I wonder if he is the dog for us? It's so easy to just go an buy a new puppy. They are like the blank hard drive in a computer, usually. But these adolescents that people buy as puppies only to figure out that they are WAY more than just cute. They don't know what to do with that energy and poof! Somehow they become the wrong dog. We shall see...(will probably be kicking myself hard).

Love, Heidi

Breathing Room

I dropped four credits worth of classes and I feel a little better. I didn't need to take them, I just wanted to. Instead of stressing my way through the next four months, I'm going to go with the flow and chill like a dill.

Love, Heidi

Bummer All the Way Around

One of SF's fish died. My friend came over and changed the water and we took out this sponge/fliter pad thing and things are apparently on the up and up. Why? Well, I looked into the bowl this morning, and there, hiding in the fake, glow in the dark sea grass was a small black fish that looks nothing like any of the fish we have. Can anyone 'splain this to me?!

Friday I picked up Charlie's ashes finally. The vet's office left a message saying I should call them, but whatever. I just showed up. Thankfully there wasn't some doggie crematory mix up. Yeah, I cried some more. I saw a guy with his ancient beagle mix with a tumor the size of a small watermelon under its armpit. I overheard them say the dog was on morphine. He still had a waggle in his tail. I looked into his eyes and he seemed okay. Was I wrong?

I just feel so pissed off. It's everything. And on top of it all I am sick. Faithful to the neti, but it just isn't doing it for me.

I go back to school tomorrow and I'm not sure if I want to take the 18 credit load. I don't HAVE to take everything I'm taking. Sometimes, on days like to day, I just feel lost. So completely lost. I had a friend say some weird stuff to me and I just don't know how to process it. Maybe just run away screaming.

Love, Heidi

Once More Down the Hole

As soon as things seem on the up and up, they spiral downward. Maybe I'm just too doomsdayish. I don't know. I had a great experience at another agency yesterday. The difference was quite astounding. Everyone I met was so entirely candid and sharing of their knowledge. I gained so many useful tips and sites I left there psyched out of my mind!

I met an award winning designer who has a background similar to mine and that alone was incredibly inspiring. The sucky thing is that it seems like things are slow all over so finding that internship may be more of a challenge than I thought.

Me, famous? Ah, Lisa you make me laugh. No, I won't forget all the true, cool genuine people I met if I make the 'big time'. Heavy duty rock and roll.(a la Spinal Tap)

Love, Heidi

Cat's Meow

A few notes before I rush upstairs to beautify myself for more job shadowing... I sent out a letter of inquiry to a company about a possible internship. Unfortunatley, they don't need anyone, but I did get a note back saying they liked my website. That alone is cool to me. Someone took the time to look at my work and comment. Most places would just not respond at all. So, yay!

I received a really surprising email this weekend from an award winning designer saying they were "blown away" by my work. On top of that cherry they said I "had a bright future" in this field. How cool is that? I was stoked and still am.

I bought True a vintage Garfield fish tank on ebay. It's pretty cute: his belly is a bowl and that's where the fish are. It's over 30 years old and doesn't leak! Last night my friend took him to Petsmart and bought him all the stuff for the tank: a heater, an oxygenator, rocks and three little fish he named Sharpie, Nemo and Leafy. Pretty cute.

Love, Heidi

And My Little Dogs, Too

I tried to take the pugs for a walk this morning. I bundled them up and they only made it a block and a half before they started freezing up. Those from The North would recognize the leg going up and the hobbling on three legs. I had to get them to jog so they'd snap out of it.

I sure miss my Chidle Bug. He was so hearty and cute.

It's just really weird not having a big dog in the house. It was always nice knowing that he was downstairs when I slept, guarding my little abode from intruders and ghosts. I've never been scared to be alone, but the house just feels different now. No one would really be intimidated by Frank and Ginger. Although as we all know, Clams Casino is an attack pug. Multum in parvo, as they say.

Love, Heidi

Headed Out

To see some mushers. In my puffy jacket, looking puffy.

Where Do I Belong?

I had some more job shadowing this morning. I hung out with an incredibly smart programmer and an amazing designer. And I think to myself, do I have the Right Stuff? What can I possibly have to offer these total omnipotent gods? I'm just Heidi. Heidi who likes to create 'stuff'. I'm more boutique than brand. Where am I going to fit in?

Love, Heidi

Adult Lunch

I had lunch with an ADULT. Unbelievable. It was really nice to chat with someone who is smart and educated and well traveled. Always excitement.

I'm just excited that I got my website updated(the gallery). What a bugger it was! Ugh. I downloaded a new copy of Cyberduck because Filezilla is just so unfriendly. Jeez. But now I'm off to bed because it's the only way I can function. A glass of vino would be so nice, but it would just wake me at 3am and that is no good. Sweet dreams.

Love, Heidi

Walking the Tightrope

I had a big cup of coffee this morning after dropping SF off at school. Ooo! I want to crawl out of my skin! On top of that, I received an email from a client that wants me to freelance a website. So, YAY! But I'm also feeling the pinch of balance chiming in. On the list:

1.) Being a Mom
2.) Continued job shadowing at several locations
3.) Finding an internship
4.) Developing this new website.
5.) Developing a website for some friends and their business
6.) 18 Credits starting January 18
7.) Developing a Portfolio
8.) Finding a REAL JOB

I'm excited about this website though. So I vow to switch to herbal tea and tame these beasts.

Love, Heidi

Paranormal Activity

Sunnyside Up

What a fantastic experience that was! Everything about that place was gorgeous and the mood really felt genuine. It reminded me of this Scandinavian glass designer for Kosta Boda who did a line called "Open Minds". Abstract.

Wow. It's just bizarre. An old friend works there. We used to be really close at one time. And I think we used to watch 'thirtysomething' together. It just makes me laugh in a happy smiley way.

Love, Heidi

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Today I'm doing some job shadowing for a few hours. I get to meet some designers and some programmers. My professor has hopes that it may parlay into an internship . I hope so. I can wait to get off the dole. I think I would like a bigger house, but when I look at what you get and all I did with mine, I think no gracias.

I've been chatting with a few boxer breeders. Even Charlie's original breeder. I am definitely going to get another boxer, but I'm just not ready. The stupid vet hasn't even called me yet to pick up his ashes. WTF. I don't don't think I should have to call and ask about my dogs ashes. Idiots.

Anyway, today is going to be a good day. And if it's not, there is always bedtime to look forward to.

Love, Heidi

The Year of Heidi

I was thinking of scrapping this blog altogether and then I thought nah. It changes as I change. And if I get really out of control or need to vent I can always go to my double secret posting place, Facebook.

I have intentions of going balls out this year. That said, I haven't exercised yet. I will though. Tomorrow I have some job shadowing at a pretty impressive place. I've also took the liberty of sending my information out to some Pie in The Sky Internships and a few jobs. Why the heck not?

Whatever the case, I am going to kick ass this year. And if you don't like it, you can
just suck it.

Love, Heidi