A Dog First

     It really ticks me off when people are surprised when your guide dog moves without you giving him/her a command. Have you ever seen a living being staying statuesque? If people are people, then why can't dogs be dogs? Can working dogs not have lives outside of those lead to assist their human companion? Can they not move their head or stand up when they need a break?

     I wish people would understand that these dogs are nothing close to robots. They have feelings and they have needs. Standing up is not considered "freaking out". Shaking is also not considering "freaking out" or "misbehaving". The world has a skewed opinion on the definition of such things.

     Before it is assumed that the service dog inside the grocery store is "misbehaving" just by it not being in a perfect sit-stay, consider that it has a right to have range of movement as a living being.  Unless it's causing a disturbance, these dogs are doing exactly what is being asked of them. If they aren't, it is not on the dog, but on the handler.

     Think closely before you judge. 

I Officially Won....

The worst public blogger award.

     Hey all!
     It's definitely been a while since I've last posted... Many apologies to those of you who have been awaiting a post from me. Some new things have arisen. They will be listed below because I'm too lazy to write about each and every item.

• I've updated almost all of my blogs and journals. I have joined numerous websites/forums such as beardeddragon.org, runteamkina.org, goodreads.com. I have also uploaded numerous videos on Youtube. I am feeling rather accomplished when it comes to social networking and blogging. 
• School has yet to claw out my insides. I was sick recently, but I am fairing pretty well. I am feeling much better and have been chugging right along with productivity. 
• Miles is doing splendidly. He is now 16.75 inches long and at 7 months of age, that's a pretty good size. If I didn't mention this before, Miles is my citrus morph bearded dragon. He came home with me from Scott Smith's All Animal Expo on December 18, 2011. We are both seeminly very happy with each other. 
• Degus are getting an upgrade on housing. My roommate, a friend, and I are building a custom enclosure for them. I will be sure to post pictures. 
• I joined the YMCA in my area. ActivTrax is in my near future. My goal is to lose 20 pounds by my birthday. My present to myself? Skydiving. Boo ya! 

That is all for now. How are you? Post a comment below. You don't have to have a blogger account to do so.

     Thanks for reading and I'll try to post soon. 

Nearing the End

     The end of the semester is approaching and to be honest, I was just barely able to squeeze in this entry. There have been new experiences in the last couple of months. How was your autumn? JDog and I did not have a chance to play in the leaves like we did last year.

     According to JDog, the leaves taste like burnt grass and the grass smells better than it did in the summer. The seasons change and so do the scents. It seems as though we both enjoy autumn and its' colors. However, classes and homework (mine, not his) restricted our time outside. I now reside near railroad tracks instead of an open field. An area to romp and play with JDog is not readily accessible to us. By the time I have time to play with him outside, it is dark. Daylight savings time assisted in our hesitant decision to stay in during most days. Night classes are another culprit. Curse you, three hour classes. 

     As for me, I took a risk on November 18, 2011. My right eyebrow is now pierced. I was anxious about going through with the procedure, but finally after much thought, I endured the poke of the needle. It actually doesn't look horrible or crooked like I imagined and feared. Not to mention, I have an intense needle phobia. But I think it looks pretty good. Come December, I will change the ring to a bar. JDog hasn't tried to bite it off yet.

     This shall be a short post because I have to get back to my homework. Lamesauce...

Confident Strides

     I don't believe I wrote an entire entry about JDog before. Well, I can't inflate his head any bigger. He's more than just a dog. We've all heard that dogs are a man's best friend. It's true. Dogs are so intuitive and love unconditionally. Because of this, they work splendidly as service animals.

     A guide dog prevents their handler from running into obstacles and act as their eyes. Contrary to popular belief, these dogs are not restricted to individuals who are totally blind. In order to be eligible to work with a guide dog, one must have an acuity of 20/200 or more. If you would like information about guide dogs, please feel free to leave a comment. Trust me, I will get back to you.
    
     Let me move on to my amazing experience during the wee hours of Monday morning. Irony is at it's best considering how late it is right now. The incredible work of my dog deserves to be shared with the world. This is a great place to start.

     Roughly about 35 hours ago, we arrived at the train station in my hometown. I had spent the day in Chicago for the Annual Chicago Jazz Festival. During the train ride, I had tried to contact friends in the area to see if I can hitch a ride home. No such luck. I was totally OK with this. The only option was to walk. Fortunately for me, my parents' house was a mile away.

     JDog and I hadn't done a night walk in a very long time. To my surprise, we flew home. Each step was measured and confident. Usually, it takes us 15 - 20 minutes to get home. It took us 12 minutes. There were points during the walk when I couldn't see at all. It was dark and a part of me was nervous. I couldn't let these feelings go noticed by JDog. It's best to be confident when you are handling a dog. Staying calm also gives an extra boost to a working team. He knew the route all the way to the house. Needless to say, I was impressed.



     The above experience is what defines a team. Communication between the handler and their dog ensures the perfect match. I couldn't be more thankful for my dog. He never ceases to surprise me with his intelligence and ability to problem solve. I didn't trip at all and there was no hesitation. With JDog by my side, I can only walk forward with confidence.

Burn, Baby, Burn

     I began the school year by changing my major to communications. (Reminder to self: change blog bio) This change occurred because I realized that I would rather work with adults, not children, and go deeper into my passion for advocacy. Classes have been finalized as of Tuesday. School started a week ago. It's been a struggle to manipulate my schedule, but I am much happier with my decision. After obtaining my BA, I will enter into the grad program for Rehabilitation teaching for blind and visually impaired adults.

     Last week, I injured myself and ended up going to the ER twice. The microwave in my unit is located high above my head. Soup should not be a meal that I should prepare to spill all over myself. Unfortunately, America's staple "feel better soon" soup, chicken noodle, landed on my neck, chest, a bit on my stomach and right forearm. Thank you crappy depth perception and precariously situated microwave. Anyway, I had to strip my shirt in my kitchen. Then my friend rushed me to the ER. I ended up with 2md degree burns. Recovery time is 1 - 2 years or so I was told by the doctor. The blisters finally popped over the weekend and the burns resemble sunburns. I no longer resemble well done steak. I want to scratch my skin off, but will refrain. 

     JDog was amazing during this entire ordeal. He wasn't able to work for a week and a half due to my injuries. Words cannot express how sorry I am. One incident in particular stuck out from last week. My father took JDog out for the last time before bed. I was resting on the couch. Upon coming in, JDog immediately came to my side, laid down on the floor, rested his chin on my arm, looked up at me, and sighed as if to say, "It'll all be alright. I will take care of you." He is an incredible nurse. I don't know what I would do without him.

      So, you're wondering what classes I'm taking, right? Well, I'm going to list them anyway.

• Introduction to Students who are Blind & Visually Impaired 
• Anatomy, Pathology, & Functionality of the Eye
• Introduction to Orgnizational/Corporate Communication Theory
• Critical Interpretation of Film/Television 

     There you have it. I have two communications courses and two vision courses. I'm hoping this semester is simple and not overly taxing, but school is never like that. Hopefully, complications with the burns don't ruin my semester. I want to be done soon. Full course load brings a lot of work. I am also still completing the abacus course I had enrolled in last May.

     I need to update more. I've just been so drained because of the accident. JDog and I send hugs and eyebrow dances. Tschüß!

Light Painting

     I've seen light paintings before, but never did I make an effort of making my own. My sleep schedule has been skewed for a couple of days. Countless hours were wasted watching YouTube videos. Some of my favorite channels include those created by Freddie Wong, Philip DeFranco, MysteryGuitarMan, NicePeter, Wong Fu Productions, KevJumba, Kina Grannis, Julia Nunes, etc. The list is endless. I usually find most of my music on YouTube as well.

     Anyway, let me get back to light painting. Freddie Wong's channel showcased a short movie titled "Light Warfare". The video is attached to this entry.

     I watched the "behind the scenes" video on his second channel. Wong described utilizing light painting. My curiosity got the better of me. Thus, I began researching the inner workings of light painting. It is a fairly simple concept. Although, I must admit that it took me forever to figure out how to actually do the painting without a DSLR camera. My dog probably thought I was crazy when I walked into the bathroom, closed the door, didn't turn on the light, and waved a beam of light around.

     I've only just started this project. Light painting brings a certain amount of excitement for me. The contrast of the light against the dark is enough for me to see the shapes/art that I've created. Perhaps it sounds naive, but I feel like I can express myself finally. Light paintings can be very detailed or simple lines. All of it is beautiful to me. When attempting anything related to art, I've been obsessed with perfection. Maybe paper is intimidating? I know that if I mess up with light, it won't linger to remind me of what I didn't mean to do.

     Alan Rickman, an actor well known for playing characters such as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series and Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd, is a light painter. Interesting, isn't it?

     Someday I'll share my paintings on this blog. Practice and patience...*big breath*

Oh Gosh, Update Time

     I have a lot to write about. Holy crap, I didn't mean to put off writing in this blog for over a month.

     Well, let me begin by saying that school starts in 3 weeks. There is a lot to prepare between now and then. I have plenty of work to do and errands to run. Campus is close by, but my procrastination has brought me to where I am. Unfortunately, I need to fix my priorities. To my defense, it's summer. Distractions are inevitable. Thus far, this summer has been the best summer in a long time. I've been traveling to and from the Dog House and spending a lot of time with friends from both places. I did, however, attempt to write in this blog several times without success of actually posting. Funny thing is, I've been online almost every day. Go figure.

     Speaking of being online, Twitter has kept me busy. I feel like I have to keep up with tweets from everyone. Exciting news? I have Dat Phan, a famous stand up comedian, following me. Yeah, sounds rather corny, I know. If I haven't mentioned it, I am a stand up comedian myself. I performed last Monday at an Open Mic near where I live. I covered stereotypes of blindness and the stupidity of people distracting my dog when he's working. People from around town recognize me when they see me. It's nice to be noticed and asked questions about blindness and guide dogs.

     Oh, JDog says "Hi" and gives everyone eyebrow dances. You can tell he's a doodle. He has been a very good boy since I've been spending more time at home. I haven't left the house at all this weekend. The sun and I are arch rivals. We've been playing a lot and he's been sleeping a lot. No weight gain though. *big smiles*

     About a week ago, I found a kitten. She is with her new family now. I just recently got a message from them telling me how she's doing. July 24, 2011 will be a day to remember.

     First, let me tell you the story of how I found her.

     Last Sunday, July 24th, I heard an awful crying noise outside of my bedroom window. It was about 2 AM. I thought it was all in my head. I continued what I was doing and ignored what I heard.
 
     After a couple minutes, there was silence. I shrugged it off and told myself it was nothing. She started crying again which caused me to go downstairs and search outside. Again, the night was silent. I slowly ascended the stairs yet again only to return minutes later. This process went for about 10 minutes. I told my roommate that there was a kitten outside. The crying sounded like it came from a very young individual. Finally, I sat outside with a towel and waited. There was a storm coming and I really didn't want her to be out in it alone.

     With only my cellphone as a source of light, I sat on the stoop waiting for her to cry again. Hesitantly, she mewed. It was definitely a young kitten. I couldn't tell how young, but I listened even more carefully. She cried again and me being who I am, meowed back at her. She was hidden in the bush to the left of my front door. I meowed again and she answered. She sounded scared and unsure of what she should do. I reached into the bush and meowed. She answered but was in a different part of the bush. After a few attempts of reaching, I gingerly stepped into the bush. Placing my feet carefully and trying to scare her out. I moved her towards my front door. At the very last moment, she shot out and ran into the thorny bush that was in front of my neighbor's door. I cursed. Prior to the outside excursion, my roommate told me he didn't want her in the house. My first decision was to call animal control. That part of the story will come later.

     I walked over to the other stoop next to the bush and started meowing. Feeling stupid and vulnerable, I hoped I could grab her before security got too suspicious. They had driven by twice. My nerves were acting up. I tried coaxing her out with food. She ate some of it and crept out enough for me to see her. Cutest, kitten, ever. Annnd, she was **TINY**. I was determined to get her into safety as soon as possible. Meowing seemed to be my only option. She was attracted to how I was meowing and I guess one particular meow was particularly interesting to her. She crept out of the bush and past the bars. I made a grab for her. She ran and I took chase. I followed her up the stairs, past the water meter which she tripped over, behind the complex into the back concrete porches of the units. I almost fell due to a step down and thus, had to slow my pace. Back to the meowing thing. *sigh* It was pitch black behind the units. She answered my calls. I found which porch she was hiding in. But had no idea of the exact location. I continued to meow, but it was so dark that I couldn't find her. Moving all over the place and removing my sandals multiple times, I worried and backed out. I returned several times to the porch thinking she would be out. Call and responses continued. Two plus hours had passed and it was 3:30 AM. People were coming outside and smoking cigarettes. Defeated, I crept out of the porch and went back inside my house, placed the towel in the laundry room and fell asleep with all the lights on. I slept on my big chair, worrying about her.

     The next morning, after only 5 and a half hours of sleep, I stepped outside. I told my roommate I was going to see how the weather was, checked out the parking lot to ensure no cars were there. Forgot to check the night before. No one from that unit was actually home for the weekend. Walking over the porch, I meowed. She answered! Mental fireworks were going off. Towel in hand, I walked over and continued to meow. Same motions as last night. Her cries grew closer and I pinpointed her location. She was under a blue tarp covering a motorcycle. (Shh... Don't tell my neighbors.) I felt under the motorcycle going through the holes. No kitten on the concrete. Then I felt the seat under the tarp. No kitten. I reached under the top and felt the tire. Something furry brushed my fingers. I did this regardless of the possibility of getting bitten. I grabbed the towel and moved a bit of the lumber anchoring the tarp down, slid the tarp up, reached in and found her nestled up against where the tire met the body of the motorcycle. Gently, I pulled her out and wrapped her up in the towel, and replaced the wood. Checking to see if I left anything askew, I returned to my house. My roommate was inside and I showed him the kitten. She was tiny. I could hold her in one hand. She weighed about 1.5 pounds. Her paw pad was the size of the tip of my finger and her toe pads were the size of a grain of rice. I estimated her age to be somewhere between 5 to 8 weeks of age. 

     I asked him if she could stay while I called animal control. He agreed and I fashioned her a box. She was very little. I fed her some milk and put her back in the box. It was 10:10 AM. The shelter didn't open for another 2 hours. Then, I called animal control. Their automated message system informed me that they were "not taking cats or wildlife at this time." A ride was scheduled to the local animal shelter. Animal Control was only open Monday through Friday.

     I got there no later than 12:20 PM. The door was heavy and the room was disorienting. I found the desk. Two girls were ahead of me with a kitten. They took him in. The lady at the counter then came to me and asked me if I was with the two girls. I replied no and she asked me what the story was. I told her that I found the kitten. The lady gave me a skeptical look and asked me if I could foster the kitten for now. Thinking this over, I knew I couldn't do it. I had two roommates and three dogs to consider. My jaw dropped when this conversation was happening. How can they not take her? Their excuse was that it was "kitten season". However, they took the kitten right before her. What. The. Hell... The lady proceeded to tell me that I could go to the surrounding shelters. If she was paying attention, she would've noticed my cane. How was I supposed to go to the nearest shelter half an hour away from my house? The girl in front of me gave me her number and said she would ask her parents if she could foster the kitten. (To this day, she has not called me.) I gave her my number and left with the list of shelters and the kitten in tow. I called my friend who just happened to have a car at that time. I had several people come out and ask me what was in the box. Some applauded me for saving her, others apologized, and/or ignored me. A vet walked past me and asked, "Do you need something?" I flatly responded with, "No, I've already been helped." She left, but I can tell she was thinking that I was rude.

     My friend arrived and I showed her the kitten. I suggested we bring her to PetSmart because I knew that they had an adoption center there. Once inside, I met a trainer/employee who answered all of my questions. PetSmart as a company could not take her. She did provide me with kitten food and cat litter just to get me by for a couple of days. She was also kind enough to give me some of the boxes that held canned dog food to pour the litter into. She also recommended resources to help find the kitten a home. I was skeptical at this point. Back to the Dog House we went.

      The kitten had a good personality, a fighting spirit, affectionate, and was not afraid of people. I set up food, water, and a litter box in the upstairs bathroom. I researched on how to safely bathe a kitten and then gave her a bath. I read somewhere how to teach a kitten to use a litter box. Using the kitten's paw, you scratch at the litter. This continues for a bit until she gets used to the litter. I fed her as well. I never thought I would be excited to find that the litter box was used. I think I cheered. After caring for the kitten, I posted statuses and pictures on Facebook, begging my friends to adopt her. I got a response from my neighbor who lives next to my parents. I was relieved and almost started crying.

     Kitten had to stay with me for the remainder of the week until Thursday. My roommate agreed to let me keep her until she found her new home. Every day I socialized with her. Slowly I introduced her to JDog. He was all over her at first. After some time, he started to lose interest. She was interacting with my friends. I had given her a name. You know what that means, right? Intense attachment. A friend told me that she was not putting weight on her back left leg. I felt that it was swollen. I didn't know what to do about it. I looked into a vet appointment and couldn't afford taking her. I hoped that she would be seen as soon as she found her new family.

     Thursday arrived, we drove home, JDog in the backseat and kitten in a carrier on the floor in the front next to my feet. We were greeted by my two friends and they got to interact with the kitten. My friend B fell in love with her. She wanted to keep her, but remembered her allergies. They both left. I walked over to my neighbor's house. She answered the door and saw the kitten. Love was instantaneous. I came inside. Her dog was all over the kitten, but she didn't seem to mind him. He was different from JDog. He was also used to cats. I told my story to them. The mother came home. Words were exchanged and in the end I brought kitten back to my parents' house. My mother met her and cleaned the leg that was covered in pus. She told me that an animal had attacked her. I worried that my neighbor wouldn't want her. The father had said he didn't want another cat. It had started a heated discussion. We called my mother's coworker and she agreed to come over and take a look at the kitten and take her to a shelter. My pet dog liked her, but got a little jealous. JDog continued to be curious. My parents said they would adopt her if my neighbor's didn't want her. Mind you, my father is very allergic to cats.

     Friday morning came. My mother came to me telling me that my neighbor spoke to her and said they would take the kitten. I was flooded with more relief. My mother's coworker stopped by. She said that the kitten would be taken if we couldn't afford to take her to a vet. My mother called my neighbor over. My neighbor said she would adopt the kitten and take her in for an exam. My last words to the kitten as she went to her new forever home were: "Good luck, kitten. I love you. Don't ever give up."

     Since then, I recently got a message from my neighbor giving me kitten's new name. She is now named Buffy. I had named her Stormy when I found her. She had survived the storm, literally and emotionally. Her vet appointment was Monday. They found that an animal did indeed attack her and left a puncture wound. The wound was drained, but the leg was still swollen. An X-ray was taken and found that her femur was broken. The poor thing... *cries* I am relieved that her family is taking care of her. The wound is being cleaned every day. No cast is available at this time. She's doing well. I am happy for her and her family. The father is still getting used to her. Everyone else loves her. Happy ending to a tragic beginning.

*Photo 1 - Kitten on my Macbook Pro. She always resorted to standing on it while I was typing. It was her favorite place to be other than in my arms.Attention whore... *grin*
*Photo 2 - Close up of kitten's face. She has hazel gray/green eyes and is black with a brown tint in her fur. She has a tan ruffle in her chest.
*Photo 3 - Me (in a lime green shirt) looking down at kitten while smiling and petting her. Kitten is looking at the camera.

     So, this has been an intense week and a half. I am sore from working with a 30 pound kettle bell. Just yesterday I acquired a bicycle. It has been fixed up and is ready to ride. It now has new brakes, one new pedal (have to get a set because the other pedal is cracked), and new handlebar grips. Later tonight, I will go for a ride with a friend. Considering I've been in numerous biking accidents, I'm smart enough to ride with a guide from now on. Homework is still in existence, but will be hacked at consistently until school starts.

     I'll be sure to post again soon. Peace, love, and eyebrow dances.