Repardoned
It’s been an off week in these parts. Getting over a cold. Getting back into a normal, non-holiday work routine. And I’ve felt behind in my blog reading for much of this week. So, instead of bringing you my typical Replay posts, I’m going to ask for yet another pardon and instead jot down a few thoughts that came to mind this week.
The other night, as Sweets and I were getting into bed, SoMi decided to chew her bone next to the bed. Not only was she annoying me, but I was worried our downstairs neighbors might hear her knocking her bone against the floor. So, I leaned over the edge of the bed and said, “SoMi, it’s time to go to bed. Leave your bone there. Leave it. Come up here. Up up. It’s time to go to bed.” I purposefully used some key terms I knew she’d recognize. Sweets was horrified, saying something like, “I can’t believe you’re negotiating with her. She’s a dog.” I smiled and laughed. Particularly hard when she immediately dropped her bone, jumped up on the bed and settled down for the night. I think Sweets underestimates my relationship with our dog.
It’s a new year this week, so accordingly there have been a lot of posts floating around involving resolutions. I generally don’t resolve to do anything. Well, that’s not true. I don’t use January 1 as a landmark for resolutions. If I’m going to make a change in my life, I do it when it feels right, whatever time of year that might be. However, Erin had an interesting post asking what is your Word of the Year (as it turns out, so did Kristi)? I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. And for a number of reasons which I’ll reveal in future posts, I think 2010 will involve a lot of restraint. What’s your Word of the Year?
Happy Friday and I’ll see y’all on the flip side!
January 8th, 2010 at 5:52 am
My word of the year is “spontaneous” because that’s what I’d like to be -- I don’t want to put too much thought into things, I want it to be a year of letting go. Which I suppose is the flip side of restraint, right?! :)
January 8th, 2010 at 8:00 am
My word for the year would be ‘adventure’ so I am reminded not to spend weekends sitting around the house. Yours would also work but I wanted something that would make me feel happy not purposeful.
January 8th, 2010 at 9:57 am
My word of last year would have to be either perseverance or growth. My word of this year… well, I resolved to do a lot of new things (cooking, reading, exercising, learning to drive…) so as well as ‘growth’, perhaps ‘willpower’ may be more appropriate for this year?
Have a wonderful weekend! (And yes, animal relationships can be just as strong as people ones -- I have one with my little cat!) :)
January 8th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Word of the year? Calm.
Some days I get too wound up and get myself hyped up for no reason. I’m trying to step back and look at everything a bit more calmy and rationally first, then react. (I’m not sure if this counts an excuse but sometimes the Sicilian/Italian aspect of myself can be over emotional and just act quickly without thinking about it.)
I owe it to myself to enjoy life a bit more, relax, stay calm and just go with it. If I could have a phrase it would be “Let go, let flow,” which is from the movie “Something New.”
January 8th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Torsten does this too. He is always telling me that I can’t possibly know whatever it is that I’m saying about the dog, or that she won’t possibly do what I’m trying to get her to do. But Montana is his first dog and he’s already learned a lot about how much you can communicate with a dog.
January 8th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Funny…sounds oddly similar to the things I say to Baby K after her bath. LOL!
I don’t do resolution and can’t think straight enough to come up with a word of the year, but I do have a goal and that is to re-start my professorial career here in Jersey by start of summer semester.
January 8th, 2010 at 10:44 am
What a great idea. . . But I’d have to think about my word. Motherhood comes to mind since that’s where I’m headed. . . . but then I want to think of some “bigger” word. . . . thinking, thinking.
January 8th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Job! :)
January 8th, 2010 at 11:02 am
Oh, and Pepe understands me too. Obviously they don’t “understand,” but they sure as hell know positive/negative reenforcement.
January 8th, 2010 at 11:06 am
ha, i like the somi story!
happy friday! have a great weekend!
January 8th, 2010 at 11:48 am
I love that you negotiate with SoMi. I do the same thing with my dog. I literally talk to her like shes a little kid and I know she understands me. People talk and negotiate with their babies who obviously can’t quite comprehend, so why shouldn’t we talk to our animals like that? =)
I think my work of the year is going to be: Change
January 8th, 2010 at 11:53 am
i love when people underestimate communication skills with animals. most of the time, the animals get it. its about body language and what you said, the key words they do understand. without fail i can make any skeptic feel like an idiot when i ineract with Woody.
January 8th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I know exactly what you mean. I have been such a blogging slacker, reader, commenter. Next week I start back to school and can hopefully get into a good routine where my life doesn’t feel so chaotic. Odd that adding more responsibilities to my routine will make it more organized…
January 8th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
I tend to come up with an intention for each year. I still need to write my post about this year’s intention. But a word that resonates with me for 2010 is balance.
January 8th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
I love the story about SoMi. Adorable!
January 8th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
I think every owner negotiates with their pets. Our cat looks at us throughout the process until one of us gets out of bed, picks him up and places him on the bed (his hips are bad and he can’t jump that high anymore).
But overall, I think they understand what we are saying, to a point.
January 8th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
I used to know a pit bull who looked dumb as a stone. However, his human addressed him in complete sentences, and he seemed to fully understand. That’s a darn sight smarter than any cat I’ve ever known. (Unless the cats understand and simply choose to play dumb.)
January 8th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
If you tell Matt’s family dog “let’s go night-night!” he knows that means it’s bedtime. SO ADORABLE. (I love dogs.)
No resolutions here (except to continue coffee intake). Can’t even pick one word. Happiness. Faith. Coffee. Hope. Smiles. All sounds good to me!
January 8th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
I don’t make real resolutions either, but I’ve realized that I learned an invaluable life lesson every year. In 2008, it was about learning to truly like and accept myself. In 2009, it was learning to see men as people and not opponents in some cosmic dating game. In 2010, I’d like to learn to go after what I want and worry less about what others think of my choices.
January 8th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
I talk to my cats the same way. I often find myself saying things like “I do NOT want to tell you again…”
I dont’ do resolutions this time of year, either. I like to make small goals for myself throughout the year. We already put so much pressure on ourselves all the time, we’re just setting ourselves up for failure when we resolve to do BIG THINGS every year on January 1st.
BUT, I think my word of the year is AWESOME. And also, thankgodit’snot2009anymore. That’s one word, right?
Happy new year, Nilsa! (And Sweets and SoMi) :-)
January 9th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
I thought mine was going to be “risk” or “guts” but I’m not feeling that so much lately.
Right now it’s “solace”. But maybe I’ll switch back to “risk” or “guts” in a few months. ;)
January 9th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
My 2010 word would have to be “happy”. All of my goals this year are going to revolve around becoming that way again.
January 9th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
hmm… one word? let’s go with “appreciative.” i have a good life, and a good job, and i need to remember to be more thankful for it all :-)
January 10th, 2010 at 3:14 am
My word this year is pursue. I’m going to really pursue my dreams!
January 10th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
My word for 2010 would be “change”. My college d ays are coming to an end, and so it’s time to move and pursue graduate studies and/or start working. I have no clue how this year will end byt there will definitely be some major changes. I’m not stressing out about it too much I’m just going to “go with the flow” and try my hardest.
January 10th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
That’s too funny about your relationship with SoMi. Sounds like something I would say to Lucy. The fiance would laugh at me because of it, but Lucy definitely listens. Funny how we just understand them (and they understand us) sometimes, huh?
Hmm… I don’t know what my word of the year would be. Probably “change” because everything so far? Has been completely different, and I have NO idea what exactly I will be doing just yet. But it WILL be exciting.
Happy new year!
January 10th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Hope you’re feeling better! Getting back in a routine is tough right now. Hoping this week is better.
January 12th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
I like the word for the year thing. My friend at work and I do a “theme” for the year. Usually, it’s pretty snarky (think “Ass Suckage 2010″ for example). This year, my theme is “Out of Debt, Out of Dodge” because when my credit cards are paid off in April, I plan to travel far and wide with the money I no longer will be throwing at old mistakes. :) I CANNOT WAIT!