If anyone has dogs or knows about medial stuff... Cookie has been developing spots on her skin under her fur. I noticed more today when I bathed her. They're dark, like black spots, but not raised or anything. Is that normal for older dogs?

I guess I'll ask at work too, but they might just suggest me bring her in and I don't get reduced vet care until sometime in January and I can't afford another 'emergency' vet visit that reveals nothing like with my cat. :P

Anyway, the spots don't look like a rash, they look permanant, except for two of them that look raw and kinda scabby like a hot-spot. I was afraid it might be melanoma... but when I looked that up it sounded like they are usually more like bumps.

I guess this is just a post of me rambling about being worried about my dog. Sigh!

Did cookies. Hooray. It was a pretty good weekend, except for weird nightmares and this irritating shortness of breath thing going on. I think it might be anxiety. That's the only thing that makes sense. But. It's scary. Unless maybe the cold is bothering my asthma, but there is no wheezing involved and I've been inside for a few hours now and still have it. Blerghhhh.

I'll probably end up in bed early tonight. I'm tired.

Ngngngngngh. I came home from work. Listened to music. Went to bed. Woke up at 2 am. Ate dinner. Drew a commission sketch (I got really behind... ugh). Now it's back to bed (nearly 6 am), only to wake up again soon! Woof. My schedule for the weekend is already fubarred.

This is a song from the 70's. It makes me giggle. It's definitely a song a coyote would appreciate.

Crossin' the highway late last night
He shoulda looked left and he shoulda looked right
He didn't see the station wagon car
The skunk got squashed and there you are!

You got yer
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high Heaven!

Take a whiff on me, that ain't no rose!
Roll up yer window and hold yer nose
You don't have to look and you don't have to see
'Cause you can feel it in your olfactory

You got yer
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high Heaven!

Yeah you got yer dead cat and you got yer dead dog
On a moonlight night you got yer dead toad frog
Got yer dead rabbit and yer dead raccoon
The blood and the guts they're gonna make you swoon!
You got yer
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high Heaven!

C'mon stink!

You got it!
It's dead, it's in the middle
Dead skunk in the middle!
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high heaven!
All over the road, technicolor man!
Oh, you got pollution
It's dead, it's in the middle
And it's stinkin' to high, high Heaven

In other news. We watched 'A Boy and His Dog'. (From 1975, it must be 70's night). We picked the film off Netflix to watch on the computer because it sounded awful. It was... well... actually I kinda liked it. The ending is what makes it, so if you are going to watch it you have to sit through to the end and not read spoilers. What we read before watching was this basic premis: A boy and his telepathic dog (!!!) are living in a post-apocalyptic world struggling to survive when he ends up in a subterranean cult where they want to use him for his sperm. C'mon, with a synopsis like that you HAVE to watch it. It was bad. There are no good guys. But I guess if the world were in that state there wouldn't be. If you are squeamish or highly principled you will hate it. It's also pretty fixated on sexual stuff and somewhat graphical. So. Yeah. It's not too gory (blood-wise) or scary though (like those suspense and music things), so I was fine with it. Casey and I had a good laugh over it too. Maybe that means we're terrible people too. X3

I'd been following darkwolfie's saga for many weeks and it just ended. He'd been in the hospital originally for H1N1 and things got complicated. His wife, Tashabear, kept all his friends on lj updated as to his progress, and was by his side. I could feel their bond just through her words, and I was praying for him to pull through all along. He fought so hard for so long. Sometimes life isn't fair. I don't even know Tasha, but I feel closer to her after reading her words and feel so badly for her... I wish I could help. I know nothing can help her right now, that kind of loss is just overwhelming and hers to deal with for now. She does have a lot of people letting her know they're there though.


I met Wolfie at AC 3 (or was it 4? time flies...) years ago. We chatted about art at a party, and he introduced me to the wonders of Southern Comfort (haha, how can I hate peach but have liked this drink???). He was such a nice guy. I went to the party with another friend, who of course knew everyone there and got distracted, and I wound up on the balcony feeling alone and awkward, til Wolfie came over and started yapping with me. I was really grateful to have someone to talk to about something I love, and turned an awkward night into a nice one. I followed his lj ever after that, though we never really talked much.


So.... please keep Tashabear in your thoughts, even if you don't know her...

O crap, work soon. :/

Working on this paper is hard and reminds me why I hate school. I do wanna help Amy out though... so I'm thinking I'll give it another shot in the AM. 4 articles to summarize. It doesn't sound difficult. But I start losing concentration as soon as the numbers start rolling, percentages and statistics and I am zoned and having to re-read everything 3 times to make sure I did it right. It's like I'm dyslexic, but ONLY with numbers. It's weird.

Took a break from reading and worked on my drawing - 2 legs and re-inking left to do. Too tired to do much more. I think it's sleeptime. I was gonna clean at my dad's tomorrow but I may reschedule for Monday or something so I can work on those articles. If I finish them I might have enough time to finish my artwork, and maybe Friday night I can relax (music and chat online? it's been a while!) and Saturday I can print cards.

Now it's sleeptime.

So. Hm. Let's see. It's Thursday. Whew. I'm tired of this week already. It's bitterly cold out. I don't like that.

I fell asleep without meaning to last night, but at least it was in bed. I've been really tired. I wanted to get back up and do stuff, I FULLY INTENDED TO. But... it just didn't happen. This morning I helped Amy out with some research. Hopefully going to do more tonight. Got my medicine. Still working on this neverending Christmas drawing. :/ I made progress last night, I just have a lot of fur left to do. And re-inking over my colored pencil too.

One of the mice died. Down to 3. Casper in one cage and Rowan and Elvira in the other. Rowan and Elvira were snuggling today, it's soooo cute. The rats have new boxes to play in in their cage and are having fun, though their habit of gnawing on corrugated cardboard at 3 am is getting old. :P

I might lay down for a bit before work instead of drawing. I'm so tired and I spend the morning doing errands, sooo... meh. Tomorrow I clean at my dad's and it's also payday. I hope we get out of work early. I wanna sleep more.

I had to leave work early yesterday because I got a migraine. I do not usually get these. I tried to wait it out, but it was getting worse to the point I was afraid I wouldn't be able to drive if I waited any longer... so I left early.

I went to bed and Casey wrapped a cold wash cloth around my head and Merci brought me a coke and fries (believe it or not, it actually helped, I had a weird craving for salt throughout the headache and caffeinne is known to help headaches to start with). I felt positively pampered, though I was too dead-ish to really appreciate it at the time. I slept lots and lots and lots and today I feel better.

Still working on my Xmas card drawing. It is taking a LONG time. :( I am slower at drawing than I used to be. I guess I'm out of practice. :( I'm pleased with how it is turning out but annoyed at my slowness. I'm gonna keep this drawing, because it's my dog! I don't keep finished drawings, so it's kinda exciting. :3

If I had a house I'd try to save every one I could... okay, that's not really feasible, but I would foster, one at a time, until I made a difference.

It's really sad how folks are abandoning their pets because their financial status scares them. And the shelters are overwhelmed and having to euthanize.... I know people are scared but how an you abandon an animal who loves you so much and is so dependant on you? It's not like dogs NEED expensive things to be happy, a stick will please them as much as a fancy toy from the pet store. Feeding them cheap food is what they'd end up on at the shelter you give them away to, and they won't get very reliable vet care there either. Just keep your dog, pay for what you can, and when the vet bill is too expensive YOU have him euthanized - be a strong, compassionate responsible creature. That dog wants YOU to be the last thing he sees, not a noisy kennel, alone and unloved.

I want to save them all. I can't.

I had one of those days where I woke up after sleeping and felt like I didn't sleep at all. And then work was insane. Right now, I don't want to do anything, but I gotta.

Casey went to the temp agency today and filled out paperwork. I hope it leads to something. If anyone has any other ideas let me know. Meanwhile we'll search for other temp agencies. Geez.

I think after I make and eat dinner I am going to get a hot bath and read. Then probably pass out. First I need to go to the store to get suitable dinner. Hooray for #$%^ing 2nd shift. I need to start searching craigslist for an oven too, because things I keep daydreaming about eating need to be baked... mmmm, pasties and pizza and biscuits.