The Blind Side

The Blind Side was a great way to end the Thanksgiving weekend.

The extraordinary story of Michael Oher is incredible, at once heart warming and heart breaking. Despite such a harsh reality that hits all the major hot buttons of inner city decay (drug addiction, gangs, violence, multi-generational poverty, racism, a failed educational system and hopelessness) it manages to be a story about one family and how they became the family they are rather than everything that is wrong with the world.

Great story and I loved all the players, Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates, Lily Collins and Jae Head. (Young Jae as SJ pretty much steals the show; I can't wait to see where he turns up next.)

If you're looking for someone to look up to, go see The Blind Side, it's full of everyday heroes. Definitely worth the $9.75 (I have got to remember matinee prices end at 4:00 p.m.).

Home for the Holidays - A Happy Tail

Joey lived in the neighborhood, but he didn't really have a home. When a concerned neighbor approached a Pup Squad volunteer about Joey's situation a quick conversation with the people who sort of claimed him determined that Joey wasn't "their" dog and permission was granted to take him. Joey's rescuer quickly hustled him into her car and Joey started his new life. Despite the tell-tale scare down his back testifying that he'd had an ugly encounter with "humans" in the past, Joey was sweet and affectionate. The long line on his back caused by someone pouring acid down his back hadn't damaged his beautiful personality.

A couple of days later, I got to meet Joey when I dropped him off at the vet for a check up. He was such a sweet boy, a real gentle giant. We received further proof of Joey's neglect a couple of days later; he was heart worm positive. After getting up-to-date on all his shots and being neutered, Joey was reunited with his rescuer who found him a wonderful foster-home to go through heart worm treatment.

Then, right as Joey was finishing up his heart worm treatment and ready for adoption, Joey was gone. He'd managed to get out of the backyard, leaving his two foster-siblings behind along with his collar and his tags. We were all heartbroken, Joey was loose without tags who knows where. Unfortunately, there are shelters who automatically euthanize any and all Pit Bulls and it was getting colder. Lost Dog fliers were posted in the neighborhood and online and all we could do was hope.

Then, Joey's rescuer got a phone call from a vet in East Texas. A man had come in to their clinic with a dog matching Joey's description. When she was able to make contact with the man we found out not only did he have Joey, but the whole family loves him to death and they wanted to adopt him. He has a new sister, a lab/pit mix, he plays with and lays in grass "kissing" during rest periods. He also has a selection of manly dog t-shirts to protect his back. Apparently, Joey likes to wear clothes and presents himself to be "dressed" by dropping his head and lifting a paw.

Once Joey was healthy, he was ready to go find his new family and now he's home, just in time for Thanksgiving. Joey's new family desribe him as a blessing and a miracle and it doesn't get any better than that.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Stating the Obvious

Ya Think?

Precious

Beautiful

Tragic

Uplifting

Heartbreaking

Funny

Haunting

Joyous

Disturbing

Hopeful

IMPORTANT

All words that accurately describe Precious, the recently released movie based on the novel Push by Sapphire.

As was leaving the theater, I couldn't help but wonder if the story is based on fact. But, whether or not it is a true story, the fact is that there is enough reality in the story to be deeply troubling. So, while there is a lot more I could say on why this movie is so good, all I'm going to say is go see it. Go see the movie and then look around in your world, find one thing that needs fixing and start trying to make it better. It may feel like you're bailing out the Titanic with a teaspoon, but it's a start.

Baby Steps

I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting to my full-time-job schedule. (Darn this pesky work business.) As much as I am enjoying the new job, I miss the flexible schedule of my "unplanned sabbatical". Part of my problem is that I created a world where I was as busy, if not more so, than before I was laid off. It also doesn't help that I've got a bit of a high-maintenance foster right now whose response to my sitting down in front of the computer is trying to climb in to my lap or baking in my face. (Ever tried to type with 50lbs of dog in your lap? It doesn't work very well.)

As much as I've missed blogging, I've miss reading (and commenting on) other people's blogs even more. Scarfing down a Lean Cuisine at my desk used to be one of my favorite times to catch up on a blog or two; unfortunately all of the main blogging sites are BLOCKED at the new company. (Aggravating). So, unless you've got your own domain, I'm way behind. But, I'm trying to catch up.

I'm sure my juggling skills will improve. {Good grief, I've got friends who successfully juggle all of this AND a family!!!} In the meantime, I'm going to try to post a little more often.