Search Results for: blog whats your dream pet

Dangerous Exotic “Pets”

Exotic pets have been in the news lately. I define exotic pets as wild or barely domesticated animals that you’d sooner expect to see in a zoo than someone’s home. They’re often illegal to own. Even then the classification gets tricky; I’ve previously written about potbelly pigs and hedgehogs, two uncommon pets, that are sometimes illegal in certain states or counties. In these cases, however, the illegality issue has to do with invasive species; certain types of hedgehogs and pigs are not native to the country and officials want to keep out the non-native breeds. When I’m talking about exotic … Continue reading →

Do Your Pets Factor into Your Holiday Plans?

Do you make your holiday plans around your pets? That’s an assertion that the Associated Press recently made in an article: pet owners revolve their late-December events around their pets. Examples given by the AP include taking holiday-themed photos of pets, using these or other pictures with the animal for seasonal cards, buying pets gifts (the article maintains that just over half of pet owners do this), and even creating special menus for the pet so it can have a holiday meal alongside its human family. There are two sides to this: one, in which a little holiday cheer is … Continue reading →

Repetition

Wash, dry, fold. Wash, dry, fold. Shop, cook, clean. Shop, cook, clean. Put toys away, vacuum, dust. Put toys away, vacuum, dust. It’s this monotony of motherhood that drives most to the brink of… well; you fill in the blank because to some, the endless repetition of parenthood is not as hard to swallow as it is for others. I tend to place myself in the latter group, namely because I waited so late in life to get married and start a family. By the time I gave birth to my daughter I was well aware of what I was … Continue reading →

Disney Dreams Can Come True

On October 4th, a family got to enjoy the experience of playing in the Magic Kingdom all by themselves. This is the first time in history that guests of the park were able to walk in and see Main Street, U.S.A. empty. There were no other guests. There was no Disney cast members. There was just this long red carpet stretching out to welcome them to the most magical place on Earth. The family was given their pick of attractions and they endured no lines. This remarkable moment in Disney history is a part of the Disney’s “Year of a … Continue reading →

Clothes Cleaning Conundrum

I love my daughter more than life itself, but, oh, the laundry that kid creates. Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate that parenthood would make me a slave to my washing machine. Then again, I never dreamed that I would one day have to padlock my laundry detergent in order to keep my kid alive. Apparently, convenience comes with a price. According to doctors across the country, those new mini laundry detergent pods could do more harm than good, especially if you have curious, young children at home. The Associated Press recently published an in-depth report on the … Continue reading →

Mothers: A Sorority of Complainers?

(Sweeter than a Dyson.) You are looking at one of the lovely Mother’s Day gifts I was presented with yesterday by my adorable daughter. As you can tell, it can’t be used to suck up strewn Cheerios from hardwood or carpeted floors, nor can it separate dust by cyclonic action and spin it out of the airstream with the simple press of a button. Also, it doesn’t rhyme with Dyson. Regardless, I love my card, especially the handwritten note scribbled in bright pink crayon inside. It will forever help me remember Mother’s Day 2012. The holiday has come and gone … Continue reading →

Attractions at the Animal Kingdom

Today, in acknowledgement of the fact that I talk so much about it, I’m going to start a new feature on the Animal Kingdom. I’ll profile its various aspects: the attractions, entertainment, food, and lodging. The most obvious place to start within the Animal Kingdom is, of course, with its animals. Given that there are a ton of such attractions at the Animal Kingdom I won’t have time to dwell on any for very long. Also, because I’ve already covered the Wild Africa Trek, I’m not going to go over it again. The attractions at the Animal Kingdom can be … Continue reading →

Speed Dating, Animal Lovers Style

I know people who aren’t comfortable with adopting pets from shelters. They have good reasons, such as being uncertain about the animal’s background. Some of them even had specific negative experiences, encountering severe behavioral problems that sometimes come with shelter pets. After all, animals sometimes end up in shelters after leaving neglectful or abusive homes, and that leaves a mental mark. I try to reassure my friends in these situations, tell them that honestly as long as they don’t buy from pet stores or puppy mills, that reputable breeders are always a positive source for pets. But I try to … Continue reading →

The Gift of Professional Cleaning

Forget the Dyson; I now have a new Christmas wish gift-—a maid. My BFF got the best Christmas present yesterday: six months’ worth of professional housecleaning services. She is entitled to five regular cleanings and one heavy seasonal cleaning, which includes: Dusting corners, ceilings, and walls, including photo frames and artwork Cleaning windows, window screens, and window treatments Scrubbing interiors and exteriors of kitchen cupboards and drawers Cleaning ceiling fans, light fixtures, and vents Cleaning the oven, microwave, and dishwasher Shampooing rugs, carpets, and upholstery Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. I have never dreamed of asking for … Continue reading →

Get the Kids Involved in Holiday Gift Giving

The other day my 6-year-old daughter informed me of her plans to raid her father’s coin container, so she could make my Dyson dreams come true for Christmas. I strongly discouraged her thoughtful, yet immoral plan, explaining that he had already gifted me with a vacuum cleaner a few years back and that I didn’t think he had $500 worth of coins in his container anyway. Still, the fact that my daughter actually thought of someone other than herself this holiday season got me thinking about ways parents can foster a child’s spirit of giving. Instead of choosing, wrapping and … Continue reading →