my careless contagion

My favorite dog (a chihuahua) on TikTok recently passed away. I was filled with grief for the little creature and her people. Dogs mean a lot to mankind, and have for eons. They are wonderful animals, and earned the distinction "man's best friend" for a reason. We all know that. Here are some conclusions I came to about dogs, and there is a human application, as well, if you're so inclined.  For my work, I'm often in people's backyards, so naturally meet a lot of dogs. I think about them a lot. One principle is people's perception of their animals versus a stranger's perception. How many times was I told, "Oh, he's nice," only to have a dog attempt to tear me limb from limb? There is a dichotomy in that. Dogs are a protective force, fierce when protecting their people. It's their job. Always was, though we don't need them much for that anymore. They are loyal and gentle with their own but brutal toward outsiders. I qualify as an o...

Hang on. This may be a rambling, sprawling, insipid post. I'm sick and about to dig into some Theraflu. Normally, I don't stay sick for long and bounce back quickly, but whatever this is took hold and continues to waste me week after week. I need someone to take care of me. So, this post may not make a whole lot of sense. Or it may be brilliant and you will give a standing ovation! Insert wacky emoji here. Regardless, I plan on feeling good momentarily. Got my heater on my feet. Got myself looking out a window at the sunshine. Let's go. I say I'm sick, but I'm not laid up in bed. I'm quite well enough to do everything I need to do and many things I want to do. But it's also clear it's gone on too long and avenues to fix it elude me. It may have a psychological basis, but I also can't figure that out. So I gave the situation to God. I'll be fine.  Thunderclouds is not a new song, but it is fairly recent. LSD is considered a supergroup of talented,...

About a week ago, my dear Inky left us. She was the only pet I called my own except for a turtle (Scooter) I had when I was growing up. He disappeared under mysterious circumstances. One of my brothers later admitted he dispatched poor Scooter. I never understood his cruelty, and I feel there is a family-line curse of cruelty. All the men in my family and even some of the women have that trait, though it manifests often when they don't realize it. Which is worse, when you think of it. I tried to expunge myself of that trait over the years. Only God knows if I was successful.  Haven't had good luck with pets. And it's always sad when they leave. So, that explains my reluctance to get a dog or something. A dog would be the best bet, as I hear they are man's best friend. And I could sure use a friend.  Back to Inky. There were a few things I wanted to talk about regarding her passing. I felt God answered my prayers about the timing of her passing. I left it in His hands in...