The Rake Magazine

I promised this story about my years as a figure skater awhile back, but I wasn't ready to fall on my ass -again- until I knew in my heart it was time. I could write a book on my years of experiences as a figure skater but from the looks of things as they stand now...I will blog instead.

Last night my daughter, her friend and I went into Downtown Mpls for our ballet class at Zenon Dance School. Bear with me because the juices are flowing here...

Downtown Mpls has always given me so much energy that this former figure skater was in no need of caffeine or any other beverage to give me liquid courage.

I fly when I am on energy (naturally) which is why I was leaping down Nicollet Mall past (our lovable Jason DeRusha's TV station) WCCO. Yes, there were looks of disgust from the yuppies that were having happy hour while enjoying the beautiful patios that grace the mall, but I didn't care. I was on my way to dance class.

When I arrived at Zenon, which is located in the Hennepin Center for the Arts Building, I was feeling that same feeling I used to when I would warm- up before a competition: Excited, sick to my stomach and happy all at the same time.

Last night was not a competition of any kind, but it was nerve racking to me because I was about to dance not only in front of my daughter and her friend, but also in a group with total strangers that were of all age groups.

You can think what you want, but wearing tights and moving your body into awkward positions in front of complete strangers is still really awkward for me.

Why? Well first of all, I am a "lefty" which means that since I was a little girl my coaches informed me that my body moves naturally in the opposite way of pretty much everyone else, including my skating peers.

For those skating enthusiasts, that means when you see everyone warming up at skating events --skating one direction, jumping one direction, and spinning one direction-- you would fine me skating, spinning, and jumping in the opposite direction. Being a "lefty" was hard for this reason...I had to fight my way for 15 years, trying to use the portion of the ice rink that I needed to skate-- at the same time everyone else was lining up for their turn to practice double axels.

Yes sir indeed, that last jump I was able to land (cleanly and consistently) was a Double Axel.

I was able to land a few Triple Toe Loop jumps but I would be stretching the truth if I said that I had perfected a jump that at the time seemed like a big deal but is now--- done a lot in skating competitions.

 

So tonight, as I stretch in my office and get ready to go back to class and attempt to share the floor with the other dancers, I am going to try to let go of the years of repression that have been holding me back from the one thing I fell head over heels, mind over body, music over talking-- in love with.

Skating.

 

Okay, so the above pic is not Bruno, but is the same (Morkie) breed. Could be a cousin. Or future ladyfriend?

Yes it's true: I am obsessed with Bruno the new family dog but not for the reasons you may think...At first the house seemed calm and picture-like.

Well that was last week. Now....not so much. Our new, little under-2 lb. Morkie is driving me crazy...After realizing that I have a job that requires me to be at an office and not playing at home--there was no choice today. Bruno was coming to work with me, his Grandma.

Don't get me wrong: After we dropped off his Mom at her work the car ride was fine. That is until his Mom got out of the car and it was just the two of us...

This dog has not made a peep since we got him. He has used his potty pads and has slept through the night really well. So what the hell happened?

Yip! Yip! Yip! at the top of his little lungs for the entire 30 minutes in the car while I was trying to keep my composure. When my kids used to "Yip" the pacifier worked wonders, but there is no pacifier for puppies!

I turned the music to a station I figured he may like (WLTE) and kept my voice calm. But I soon got to the office and was greeted at the door by one of my office mates with a, "He is so cute! Can I hold him?"

"Yeah you can hold him as long as you want. Are you busy for the next 3 hours?"

In and out all day long, Bruno has been greeted by everyone here at Jacobs Trading with love and kindness---the only person who is about to lose it is ME!

How on earth did I agree to this deal of my daughter having a new puppy? One she promised she would take care of all day? And here I am trying to catch up on e-mails and phone calls in between him finding pieces of styrofoam that I didn't know existed, finding spots that have hidden wires and, worse, using his puppy pad from a distance and spraying my new rug.

OY--Warning to all parents and grandparents--when the child you love begs and pleads for That Puppy...be very careful before you grant her wish or you could end up like me.

Ahh, he is finally sleeping...Back to work! :)

 

Note to "media types:" Your power by using sexual innuedno to get the "prized audience" isn't working so well...anymore!

I have been spending a lot of time lately doing research on what people read and why. There are a few important areas that seem to bug the future of this country and the ones who will ultimately be the ones to make or break the disastrous state of our economy.

First of all, kids, for the most part, are honest about everything. They are informed, sometimes too much, and can smell a phony from miles away.

I asked my "research group" to help me understand what drives them to the sources they use for information, besides what they learn in school. The conclusion of my study was not surprising to me personally, but may be to some of you "media types..."

Let me begin with this: The people I have been doing research with are teenagers from ALL walks of life and from different socio-economic backgrounds.

Without giving away too much of the valuable information that I have accumulated over the last several months, I will share with you this, a portion of what I heard: "Don't think we can't figure out when someone has to use SEX in a headline to get our attention. If the writer has real experience and wants our attention, then it will happen naturally because we are inundated with images of SEX all day long and are numb to it. Thanks to the Internet, cable TV, bad radio shows...etc...We don't think that SEX is any big deal."

This, to me, a 40-year-old woman who is not embarrassed to say that I still feel shy about sex, is sad and disturbing.The allure of those great things in life we call "Chemistry" and "Love" seems to have hit the skids. And the adults who are using the innocence of young people to take away one of the pleasures we look forward to in life are responsible. This admittedly including myself at times.

Sex may sell to some, but after a lot of conversations with the young ones, the excitement of the unknown, the mystery of what makes you fall in love and experience sex are still right where they should be: in their hearts. They still want it to be experienced the old-fashioned way: through unconditional love, honesty, kindness, respect, compassion, and friendship. Not from a "media type" who clearly would not have to talk about something sacred if they were getting that something sacred at home.

As I was told by my parents and try to convey to my own teenagers: If you have "it," enjoy "it," and appreciate "it." The ones who don't have "it" are easy to spot; just go on your gut and your morals and you will know.

It's been one week and we have already discovered who runs the circus--I mean house. Is it Louie, the English Bulldog? My husband has always loved English Bulldogs, so when our son turned 10 he convinced the whole family that we should have one for the son's sake.
We ended up with the "stud" of the litter, Louie, because his brother Eddie apparently had issues...

When the breeder called and asked us to have Louie come back home and procreate more English Bulldogs, we declined. Louie was not a source of income for the family...He was family....NO hot English Bulldogs for him--

He is a very confident dog despite his lack of ...!
Moving on---

Next came Ernie. The backstory: Howard was trying to wind down from work by golfing with his buddies at Oak Ridge Country Club--yeah, I know, never name drop. But at this point in my life---WHO CARES?! So I took the kids to lunch at Figlio in Uptown. One crispy calamari, two homemade chicken soups, one order of grilled chicken wings, a huge plate of tortellini, and one of their great house white wines later.....
The kids and I ventured down the street and saw this adorable so-called "rare" white mutt in the window of what used to be the Uptown Pet Store----

With both arms twisted...the expressions from my kids' faces.....the wagging of his white tail---This little white $$$$$$$ dog was coming home. When we went to the golf course to show Howie .... let's just say after a few "very funny, take that rodent back" looks....Ernie was now another addition to the ........ family.

Smokey the rabbit, Bubba the guinea pig, and Freddy Fish (the 1st, 2nd and 3rd) were all now members of what I like to call the "JG Family Circus!"

In between all of this madness, we had a loving wheaten terrier, Elmer, who my sweet sister-in-law Marcia was kind enough to give a great home to. That is, until a year ago when he, too, went to the big animal sky filled with pets of all kind that have brought so much joy to so many people!

Bruno may be a teeny tiny little pupster, but make no mistake-----

If you even think about adding to this circus here...Let me stop you by saying we are officially closed until Bruno can get over his issues of being A SMALL BUT FEROCIOUS YOUNG DOG...

We are closed for business until everyone gets some sleep here at the JG Circus of Madness! Time for a nap or maybe a glass of wine from Figlio.

When my daughter asked if she could have a dog of her own, Howard and I were very apprehensive. We were finally starting to feel like we could make time for each other again, something we've had very little of since we married at age 21, and had our children. The sleeping in on the weekends, the watching TV and hanging out together were all the little things that we thought made life so much easier and more comfortable.

As young parents of teenagers we figured that we were pretty much on our way to having the dating life that we never had before our kids came into the picture. Wrong, wrong and double wrong! The reality is that our son and daughter are, and never will be far from our thoughts and hearts. There is, and never will be, a night NOT worrying about their whereabouts and the choices they make.

This last week was no different except in addition to being responsible for two teenagers and two dogs, we are now also responsible for this little love....



There were months of research (on our daughter's part) that made us convinced that this new addition to our family was meant-to-be in more ways than we could imagine. Our new Grandson "Bruno" is teaching our whole family once again about how important it is to be responsible and loving toward a living creature that you bring into your home.

I could go on and on about why this story is so wonderful, but I would rather turn it over to the two people that have filled our house with love, and helped ensure our newest family member is given security, comfort, warmth and unconditional love - even if this little "Morkie" puppy isn't even 2 pounds yet!

Here are the e-mails that were exchanged between a breeder (with the heart of gold) and our daughter who is really excited to be a Mom for the first time:

From Sandy at Tails Wagon on June 12th

Hello,

I am not sure yet which one is your boy: it is one of these 2 puppies. They are both very nice puppies and almost the same size within 1 to 2 oz's. The eyes and ears just opened so if the ears are standing up right now it is because they just opened up. They don't see or ear very well yet. They are still nursing off mom 100%. They are starting to try to sit and walk - very cute. Adorable boys. The coats will get fuller as they grow over the next few weeks.

Thanks,
Sandy

From Maddy on June 30th

Hi Sandy,

Bruno is doing great, although he is not eating very much, which worries me. He is not crying and has been playing a little bit and sleeping a lot.

I just wanted to make sure I heard you correctly that I have to feed him every four hours. Last night I fed him at 5pm, then 8pm then 12am then 4am then 9am and so on. He has been enjoying the Karo syrup and the Nutri-cal Gel and licks cottage cheese but spit the curds out, but that's it. I am worried about his blood sugar because I sure do not want him to get hypoglycemia. I have tried the scrambled eggs too and he just licks them but spits them out too. I want him to be as healthy as can be, but him not eating makes it quite difficult. Am I doing everything alright? Is there any advice you could give me?

The reason I was curious was because I was reading about small puppies like Bruno and they say to just keep food and water available at all times and make sure they eat at least three times a day so that made me wonder if feeding him every four hours was truly necessary.

I will send you a picture by the way as soon and I get the chance. Thanks so much for everything! Please e-mail back as soon as possible.

-Maddy


From Sandy at Tails Wagon on June 30th

Hello Maddy,

If you read the information I gave you it said to leave food out for him 24 hours a day: dry food, soft and water. Have it available at all times just like you read, just like I told you when you picked him up and just like all the information I gave you says.

What I mean by eating every 4 hours is to be sure he is not away from food more than 4 hours at a time. Examples below;

* like sleeping with him right now, that would make food not available
* in a crate away from food and water more than every 4 hours.
* out from the home more than 4 hours without food and water

Once he is 16 weeks old that is fine, right now he needs food frequently.

You don't need to actually feed him yourself. It is not necessary and should be avoided, you just need to be sure he has the food and water available so that he can eat.

You should have him in an area at night that he can get to the canned puppy food, dry food and water by himself. He does not need to be fed - he eats by himself.

He should not be put in a crate without food (dry & soft) and water for more that 4 hours right now.

What I mean is don't sleep with your puppy at this young age, he needs food - but you don't need to get up with him. He needs to be put in a safe place where he has access to food (soft & dry) and water.

CAUTION: Do not give him the Karo syrup and Nutri-cal Gel unless there is a problem. That should not be given unless he is not eating. Nutri-cal causes diarrhea if over used; don't use that as a food. Just have it on hand if you need it.

Again, you don't need to get up with him, he eats on his own: he just needs to have access to the food and water.

Soft foods can be any of the canned puppy foods on that list I sent.

As I explained when you were here: the cottage cheese, eggs, hot dogs, etc. can be fed if he is not eating the puppy canned food and dry food.

He was eating the canned puppy food and dry food and water only here before he left.

You don't want him to get use to being fed by you. Just be sure he has foods available and he will eat on his own.

I want to be sure you understand that I was not telling you to hand feed him or sit with him when he eats: I just meant be sure he has access to the food and water. You really don't want to be feeding him yourself.

I would give him soft canned puppy foods, dry puppy food and water only.

The Puppy's care information:

The puppy is on free fed: dry food is always available, water is always available. Once a day I soak 1/4 cup dry food in warm water until very soft until 16 weeks old for tiny breeds. I give the tiny breeds powered puppy milk replacer until 16 weeks old (you can purchase this at Walmart/Petsmart/Petco) Do not mix milk replacer with food. I also feed about 1/4 cup of canned puppy food (See New Puppy Supply List for brands) twice a day, be sure the canned food is puppy canned food: the tiny breeds need puppy food (Canned & Dry).

I also give the puppies:

· Plain yogurt (NOT fat free or NOT low fat or NOT low calorie)
· Scrambled egg (1) with cheese or an over easy egg diced.
· Gerber Baby Food hot dogs (in the glass jar)
· Skinless and Boneless baked chicken cut into small pieces
· Canned Puppy Food - See New Puppy Supply list for brands

I always have available dry puppy food, water, soaked puppy food (warm water) and one of the other items listed under "I also give the puppies", I alternate those items. I have these foods available 24 hours a day. Put them in bowls that will not dip over (low cat dished work great); there is puppy feeding dishes/bowls that are designed not to tip over.

The goal is to have your puppy eating only dry food and water by 16 weeks old. The puppy should not be carried around away from food for hours, they need to eat frequently, they must be in a safe warm place with food items and water available 24 hours at day until at least 16 weeks old, maybe longer depending on size and weight.

Thanks, Sandy