What must the world be like as a Chihuahua?

As I look over at little Charles, and think about how adorable he is, I wonder, what must the world be like as a Chihuahua? And not a yelpy, high maintenance, nasty-barker. A lovable, cultured (literally, he travels everywhere with us), enthusiastic (he takes after his mama), ADD filled (he paces like his papa) Mexican Jumping Bean (his nickname and favorite pastime)- this is Charles Aloysious Cohen-Shields the First!

It’s a sleepy morning as he awakens and enters the day with a slow yawn, a long bodied stretch, and a large LEAP into my bed. After a nice cuddling under my chin and frisky squirming around on the bed on his back, he jumps up and is ready to conquer the day. A pee and poop later (around 6-8 minutes of door to door action) he’s exited the elevator onto the 18th floor and races around like a circus clown, playfully growling at me and leaping again into the air with anticipation of breakfast. Gosh he’s excited! A 1/4 of a cup of kibble and some chicken broth later, he cleans his bowl as only a good Mexican dishwasher could and sticks his ass in the air, ready to play!

When I have time, I engage him, take a few fun videos, vacuum and let him try bite at it like a distressed shark, practice a few fun tricks (seizure, bang! you’re dead, and high-five) and he turns in for his mid-morning nap. In the summers, he perches patiently on the stoop of our balcony, waiting to be let out so he may bask in the sun’s glory.

I really need to get him a reflector. When he’s tired of it, he pops onto my lap while I type away and settles inside shortly thereafter for what? A mid-afternoon nap. At around 4pm he’ll awaken, his head once hung upside down out of his firehouse now bobbing about as he bounds onto the couch to paw at my hand (still typing) in an effort for some attention. We take a quick walk around the block and it’s back to the drawing board, err firehouse, for this pup (after a treat of course). Once again, he naps. It’s incredible how much this dog sleeps! Oh, what a day! And it’s barely 5pm!

Once papa gets home, it’s play time again. The master is here! Finally- hurray! I no longer exist for the rest of the evening unless Charley needs to hide behind me because he’s pissed in the house and made papa angry. Ha! Otherwise, he nuzzles in the crook of papa T’s neck for the rest of evening, except for dinner time of course, and takes in a flick (Game of Thrones, VEEP, or the occasional Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2). He somehow manages to wiggle his way in between us in bed no matter how many times he’s ousted, not because he loves us but because he loves our bamboo sheets! We are onto you, sir, and that snuggie is in your house for a reason. Regardless, he usually pleads and looks like this.

Then he and Papa T have a talk that looks like this.

 Charley usually wins and it looks like this. But not before a fight ensued, looking like this. Then Charley’s punished like this.

He’ll retaliate and pee on his house. But I make him clean it in the tub like this.

But I feel badly, so ultimately he wins and it ends like this.

And we do it again tomorrow. Oh, Chawee!

Meditation for non-meditators

Just wait for it! I promise to make sense.

Today, I meditated with more energy than I knew possibly could be poured into meditation. I was so excited to do it because it had been so long since I’d done it consistently that I had so much to think about! It almost overwhelmed me and once again I had to pull back for focus, like the lens of a new camera I’m just getting the hang of. (Costco pricing, of course) 

I’ve seen so much positive manifestation come out of my visualization exercises this summer that I hope I can motivate or inspire you to create this greatness for yourself as well. I took my first meeting with someone I truly admire in the entertainment industry and I booked a national commercial- without auditioning! I made more money in a summer as an actor than ever before, our traditionally slow time of year, and more interesting characters emerged in my life than I could ever expect to pop in! To top it off- I got engaged!!!!

I love Melanie Roche’s short meditation exercises for non-meditators. She has actor specific guided techniques and ones for the rest of you sane folk. You can check out her site here – http://www.melanieroche.com/about.html.

Let me know what great results you’ve experience along the way! Below is a recent photo of me, after meditation, a bit more sane 😉

 

 

Dear Pollen,

Thank you for infiltrating my apt, my dog, and my life. Without you, I wouldn’t have lovely dreams menacing snakes at night and wake up from them sneezing like a banchee. You, in fact, created the snakes and saved me from them all at the same time. You might be God and the Devil all in one. My new beautiful balcony is now a home to your family, and I was wondering if you’d like to begin paying rent? I could really use a contributor to my Allegra purchases…and a cleaning lady, since I’ve now lost 130 sq ft of my living space to your spawn and I’m thinking of RECLAIMING IT. Oh, Pollen! Does it really have to be this way? Wasn’t there a time when you were a beautiful sign of Spring and precursor to a joyous Summer? I tell you now, beware old friend. Home depot is right down the street and I WILL buy a hose and wash your family away. Don’t make me do it, Pollen. Don’t make me do it.

Yours Truly,

Itchy-eyed F(r)iend