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officerstilinskihale: nocturnalzombie: They told me the big...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:52:30 -0400

nocturnalzombie:

They told me the big black Lab’s name was Reggie, as I looked at him lying in his pen. The shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. I’d only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street.

But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn’t hurt. Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie’s advertisement on the local news. The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn’t look like “Lab people,” whatever that meant. They must’ve thought I did.

But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes and a sealed letter from his previous owner.

See, Reggie and I didn’t really hit it off when we got home. We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too.
Maybe we were too much alike.

I saw the sealed envelope. I had completely forgotten about that. “Okay, Reggie,” I said out loud, “let’s see if your previous owner has any advice.”
____________ _________ _________ _________

To Whomever Gets My Dog:

Well, I can’t say that I’m happy you’re reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie’s new owner. I’m not even happy writing it. He knew something was different.

So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you.

First, he loves tennis balls. The more the merrier. Sometimes I think he’s part squirrel, the way he hoards them. He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there. Hasn’t done it yet. Doesn’t
matter where you throw them, he’ll bound after them, so be careful. Don’t do it by any roads.

Next, commands. Reggie knows the obvious ones —-“sit,” “stay,” “come,” “heel.”

He knows hand signals, too: He knows “ball” and “food” and “bone” and “treat” like nobody’s business.

Feeding schedule: twice a day, regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand.

He’s up on his shots. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet. Good luck getting him in the car. I don’t know how he knows when it’s time to go to the vet, but he knows.

Finally, give him some time. It’s only been Reggie and me for his whole life. He’s gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn’t bark or complain. He just loves to be around people, and me most especially.

And that’s why I need to share one more bit of info with you…His name’s not Reggie. He’s a smart dog, he’ll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. But I just couldn’t bear to give them his real name. But if someone is reading this … well it means that his new owner should know his real name. His real name is “Tank.” Because, that is what I drive.

I told the shelter that they couldn’t make “Reggie” available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. You see, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could’ve left Tank with .. and it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone call to the shelter … in the “event” … to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my CO is a dog-guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he’d do it personally. And if you’re reading this, then he made good on his word.

Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family. And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family, too, and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he
loved me.

If I have to give up Tank to keep those terrible people from coming to the US I am glad to have done so. He is my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades.

All right, that’s enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. Maybe I’ll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth.

Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me.

Thank you,

Paul Mallory
____________ _________ _________ _______

I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope. Sure, I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver
Star when he gave his life to save three buddies. Flags had been at half-mast all summer.

I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog.

“Hey, Tank,” I said quietly.

The dog’s head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright.

“C’mere boy.”

He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn’t heard in months. “Tank,” I whispered.

His tail swished.

I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my
face into his scruff and hugged him.

“It’s me now, Tank, just you and me. Your old pal gave you to me.” Tank reached up and licked my cheek.

“So whatdaya say we play some ball?” His ears perked again.

“Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?”

Tank tore from my hands and disappeared into the next room. And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth.”

That’s not even fair, I’m sobbing. Just fucking sitting here sobbing…

oh my god that’s so sad

I wanna cuddle my Milo puppy dog right now.

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:14:31 -0400

I wanna cuddle my Milo puppy dog right now.

storyboard: Fatshion Bloggers Make Plus-Size Chic This story...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:19:38 -0500

Photos courtesy of Fatshion Daily

Photos courtesy of Fatshion Daily

Photos courtesy of Fatshion Daily

Photos courtesy of Fatshion Daily

Photos courtesy of Fatshion Daily

Photos courtesy of Fatshion Daily

storyboard:

Fatshion Bloggers Make Plus-Size Chic

This story was produced in partnership with The Daily Beast.

Short of having a bucket of blood dumped over your head at prom, few things compare to the humiliation of being the only customer browsing the racks of an overpriced lingerie store and hearing the painfully chic saleswoman — who’d begrudgingly buzzed you in — loudly proclaim, “I wish people would realize we don’t stock sizes larger than a medium.”

Anyone who’s ever attempted to shop at a schmancy boutique in a body that’s larger than a size 10 already knows that buying big-girl garb requires a skin that’s nearly as thick as your waistline. Fat-loathing is the last acceptable prejudice, and nowhere is that more pronounced than in the world of fashion.

“I have a genuine hatred reserved for cut-out shoulders, drawstring waists, loud prints, cargo pants, waterfall cardigans and hanky hems,” says 28-year-old British blogger Lauren Ding. “It’s so difficult to find something that is not only my style, but that fits well.”

Which may account for the recent explosion of so-called “fatshion” blogging — the tag used by hordes of plus-size bloggers who are melding the two worlds. Until recently, fashion blogging had been the domain of straight-sized women. But sick of being ignored by fashion mags and relegated to sack dresses with screeching prints, a growing number of women — unapologetically plump, and tired of being treated like third-class citizens — are taking their musings online. They post OOTDs (outfits of the day) and ruminate on body positivity. Many of them, as a backdrop to skinny models storming the runways of New York Fashion Week, have started calling this month “Fatshion February” — and are blogging aggressively in its honor.

Read More

surlelac: #there are films about dogs #and books about dogs...

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:24:10 -0500

surlelac:

#there are films about dogs #and books about dogs #and entire television series about dogs #and not a one of them will ever explain dogs #as well as this one scene in this one kids movie that is not even strictly about dogs #explains dogs

hannahelizabethblogs: totallypandacoffee: thebrigadier: Neil...

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:20:00 -0500

hannahelizabethblogs:

totallypandacoffee:

thebrigadier:

Neil Patrick Harris | Punk’d 9x12

#THE AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN SOMEONE IS LITERALLY TOO CHILL TO PUNK #’RELAX’ DEAR GOD

Guys. Watch this video. This isn’t even a fraction of the hilarious moments.

“Is it rude to tweet this?”

NPH wins.

Did anyone else get the Doctor Who reference? Actually it took a few times to remember it, but I got it.

2013

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:07:17 -0500

Finally.

2012 really did suck. Understatement that is.

inothernews: IDGAF, Google’s tribute (and sendoff) to 2012 had...

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 19:58:36 -0500

inothernews:

IDGAF, Google’s tribute (and sendoff) to 2012 had me all choked up.

Photo

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 17:00:17 -0500

Photo

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:59:13 -0500

symphonyofdope: Nom LICK LICK LICK

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 17:03:57 -0500

symphonyofdope:

Nom

LICK LICK LICK

Annette Coyer twenty-something lady french father, american mother, both died raised by american...

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:45:00 -0500

Annette Coyer

twenty-something lady
french father, american mother, both died
raised by american grandparents starting when she was thirteen
old money, bahaha yes
dunno about her power but does yelling in french work?
she breeds dogs, champion show dogs or something like that
Elias can be given a puppy
civilian I suppose, depends on her ability
Katie McGrath face

WHOOOOOOOO 50 FOLLOWERS!

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 20:23:27 -0500

I’m just excited, ok? NO ONE DISS THIS.

Because most of this is just word vomit about my life and reblogs of random stuff. Mostly animals. And cute ones at that.

Alyx got me. Yes she did. But on the bright side it’s something to look forward to.

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 16:51:31 -0500

Alyx got me. Yes she did. But on the bright side it’s something to look forward to.

Milo’s finally eating. It took some watered down chicken broth on his food, mixed into the...

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:13:47 -0500

Milo’s finally eating. It took some watered down chicken broth on his food, mixed into the soft stuff too, but he’s finally eating the food and drinking the water in the bowls we got him.

And he loves his crate. He wouldn’t come out this morning and every time I got him out to take care of him he went right back in. Right now he’s plopped down on a doormat he claimed as his spot.

I love my Milo.

MILO! Our new puppy. A smooth collie mix. Five month old he was...

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:41:28 -0500

MILO! Our new puppy. A smooth collie mix. Five month old he was rescued from a puppy mill.

Parents came home with a puppy. A five month old smooth collie mix. And his name is Milo. He is...

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 19:28:22 -0500

Parents came home with a puppy. A five month old smooth collie mix. And his name is Milo. He is adorable and I love him.

The world can’t end for several reasons, mostly because I really do need to pay my parents...

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:12:17 -0500

The world can’t end for several reasons, mostly because I really do need to pay my parents back the $30,000 or so for my undergraduate tuition. That and I would like to go to grad school and get a full time music band director teacher job thingy and work said job for years and years and enjoy life.

There’s also the fact that a lot of people will be sad and I hate sad people. And a lot of hate in the world right now. So it can’t end like that. It won’t. I refused.

You hear me?

I refuse to let the world end.

How to Pull an All-Nighter Effectively and Still Do Well on Your Exam

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:44:49 -0500

threesmalldogs:

danielyang:

thisisjennn:

FOR ALL YOU STUDENTS THAT ARE BAD TRIPPING LIKE I AM

WHERE WAS THIS WHEN I NEEDED IT SO BADLY A YEAR AGO

See the problem here is that I had to pull the all night, write the paper, take all the tests, go to the classes afterwards, head back home, change, go back to school, get ready for a concert, do the concert, and then make to the next night on no sleep. While this would have been helpful, I don’t recommend all nights at all if you can avoid it. Proper planning and balance people. Plan ahead, do the work in bits and pieces over the entire semester, and you should be good.

26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 21:25:49 -0500

26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year:

galentines:

aka i just had a good cry and remembered that the world isn’t entirely awfulness

Today I woke up and there was an attack in a Chinese primary school, where students were injured...

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:17:23 -0500

Today I woke up and there was an attack in a Chinese primary school, where students were injured along with adults. In addition there was a shooting in CT where students and adults were killed.

I can’t deal right now.