Friday was a bittersweet day. The arrival of the first box of books, like real, live books, y'all, was due at my publisher's office any minute. She told me she'd call the minute the shipment arrived. I tried not to think about it. I tried to remain focused on the pressing matters at hand, finalizing the last few tweaks on a video project for a corporate client: prison nurses -- the irony is just too rich sometimes. Of course the other thing that really had me … [Read more...]
We Cleave to Our Dogs
September 16, 2012 By
I just left my friend Michelle’s house. We took her dogs out just before I left. It’s almost gotten to the point where Roxie, her black standard poodle, needs to be carried down the stairs. The arthritis in her hind legs makes each step treachery. I don’t mind carrying her down. I’ll carry that dog any day of the week. She’s the Roxie, the queen dog at Michelle’s castle. She is as much the heart and soul of that home as Michelle and her son, Sam are. Roxie has been a … [Read more...]
The Dog Stays In the Picture
August 27, 2012 By
Just call me Jean Angsty Whatley, I'm so damn full of angst. Don't know why.. Oh yes I do. I am going to have to get a real J-O-B now that the book is being birthed in two stages, which could be considered by some to be cruel and unusual punishment. Oh the labor. Don't get me wrong, I am as happy as a little girl, but we're having cover issues, for the print edition of the book. The ship has sailed on Amazon, it's up there, for sale, a mere $4.99. At 100K words, … [Read more...]
Keep Pedaling
July 29, 2012 By
I have been struggling with what to say about Michael. Three times in the past two days, I sat down to write his story. Couple of starts, then I’d get distracted, decide to pull a few weeds out of a few thousand out in the back yard, or take the dogs for a walk, or maybe have a muffin -- for any of you who are a) writers or b) saw the movie “ADAPTATION,” you know the culinary procrastination I’m talking about. On the third try, I got four fairly good paragraphs down, … [Read more...]
Freedom from Fear
July 17, 2012 By
We had scattered like cockroaches when someone flips on a light. Well, okay, that's a terrible way to describe what happened to all my former news colleagues at the ABC affiliate here in St. Louis when the wrecking ball swung, one round of layoffs at a time, until they finished the old girl off by imploding the local news completely. Sucks when reruns of Frazier pull higher ratings than your early news. Rats from a sinking ship then, maybe that's the best way to … [Read more...]
Chi-Town Chicken Bones
July 8, 2012 By
A year ago today, I was in Chicago. Lovely city. With it only being day three of "THE TRIP" however, we were still in shake down mode. I'm not talking about robbing someone nor being robbed, I'm talking about learning how to navigate things like pooping in public, (her, not me) going to off leash parks and how to prevent her from choking to death on same damn old chicken bone. It would be a challenging, yet pivotal, two days. I'd had one of those oh shit moments … [Read more...]
Desperately Seeking Understanding, Maybe Even Fame
June 29, 2012 By
So Louie, the other dog has taken to jumping in through the open window of my car in the cool shade of the carport and sitting there like a cool cat, (even though he's a dog) waiting for me to discover him, which I typically do after a very short period of time, since I am so crazy about this crazy dog I miss him after about five minutes and thirty seconds. He apparently is expecting to go somewhere. If it's not an opportune time to take him and Libby for a spin, I … [Read more...]
The Last Detail
December 4, 2011 By
Here’s the thing about going on a road trip across America alone with your dog. She can vouch for nothing. When I say, “Hey Lib, remember that herd of big horn sheep in Colorado that were really close to the highway?” she just looks at me with this blank puppy-dog stare. I’ve been engaging in this a lot lately, this one-sided reminiscing. As other duties, like raking up the the 9,000 pounds of autumn confetti littering my yard, now supplanted by the terror of … [Read more...]
The Best Day of My Life, So Far (by Libby)
August 26, 2011 By
Hello humans, I figure it's about time you heard it from the horse's mouth, well really the dog's mouth. And by the way, horses are huge and scare the crap out of me and sometimes they wear these scary masks! Cows are worse. And elevators! OMG! So far no snakes, but we've got four more states to go, I heard Jean talking on the phone. But, what the hell? If Sean got a crack at a "guest post" then it's high time it was my turn. Nobody asked me if I … [Read more...]
Laurel Canyon Doggie Diva, only in L.A. Dude
August 20, 2011 By
Friday night in L.A. and I am WAY behind on my stories, y'all. BUT I did want to share this little clip to amuse you on a Friday night. Judy runs a service called Schmuttles. Check it out. I am SO homesick.... Love you all. Jean … [Read more...]
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