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Pet Adoption Genius

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Finding love in the 21st century affords people more options. No longer does one have to wait for parents or other relatives to provide an introduction to a suitable mate, nor does one have to subject oneself to nights in noisy, crowded bars. Modern people turn to the internet to meet a far wider variety of people than they might normally come into contact with, increasing their odds of finding love.

Not only can we encounter a wider cross-section of the population on the internet, but we can harmlessly flip through profiles, casting aside those that we don’t find suitable with the swipe of a fingertip, with no hard feelings involved. Genius.

Well the amazingly smart people at PawsLikeMe.com took the same concept and applied it to dogs. Not only do they have extensive listings of dogs to love, but they’ve taken the time to gather information about their energy levels, their independence, their focus, and their overall needs. Next, they administer a quiz to prospective pet adopters, and they use the results to match people with pooches.

This is Sunday

This is Sunday, isn’t she beautiful?

If you’re a couch potato they’re not going to match you with a high energy dog. If you’re not home for several hours a day you won’t be matched with a dog with a low independence rating. It’s genius, really. Instead of falling in love with a sweet face and then finding out that he or she is a poor match, they find the personality traits that fit best first. From that point you can still fall in love with their sweet faces.

No, I don’t get any kind of anything from them. I just love the idea and wish I could adopt more of the darling dogs they’ve chosen for me (yes, I took the quiz, don’t tell Lila).

If you’re looking for a canine companion, I strongly urge you to check them out. Even if you aren’t, it might be fun to take the quiz and see the sweethearts that could be a good match for you. If nothing else, share their site. The more dogs that go into suitable homes, the fewer homeless dogs in the world, right? It just makes sense.


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The Beverage Industry Has Stolen My Idea

When my son was little this time of year brought about a special drink. We called it Christmas Punch, and we looked forward to it every year. The first time we would have it would be Thanksgiving, then it would show up again throughout the holiday season, all the way to New Year’s Day.cranberry sprite

We even would sometimes have it on airplanes. He would order one part and I would order the other, then I would mix it up for us. What a treat!

What is Christmas Punch? It’s just 7-Up and cranberry juice, in about equal parts.

It’s delicious, and it’s a beautiful deep pink color, just right for the festive time of year.

Well, apparently word got out, and the beverage industry now offers it pre-mixed and bottled. A couple of different versions are available. I broke down and bought a bottle today, just to try it. I brought it home, and my son tried it too. We’re in agreement, “homemade” Christmas punch is better. Maybe because we missed the pink, I don’t know. I just think that ours tastes better. Let me know if you try it.


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I Need a Little Shabbat

Last Friday night at this time I was sitting in a synagogue breathing out the stress of the week and breathing in the peace of the Sabbath. It was calming and energizing at the same time. It gave me a fresh perspective and a positive outlook. I was able to enjoy my family and count my blessings, while I offered gratitude for both.shabbat-candles2

Fast forward a week and I’ve just walked in the door from an eleven hour workday at the end of a busy week. I could have easily stayed another three hours, but frankly I’m hungry and tired and not good for much more work today. Still, I have the work to do, so I lugged it all home in my full-to-overflowing L.L.Bean canvas tote bag. That thing is a workhorse.

I don’t feel the peace of the Sabbath tonight. I feel the stress of too much work, and I don’t like it. I have a writing deadline to meet, some lessons to plan, an important document to deliver, and a suitcase to unpack (from last week!) in my immediate future. Throw in some laundry, a trip to the credit union, a trip to the grocery store, and a couple of chapters of manuscripts to read and review, and there goes the weekend.

I think I have to make a choice. I think I have to prioritize. I think I can send off my work, light my Sabbath candles, and take some time for reflection. It’s not perfect. It’s not even technically correct, but I think it just might work for me. I’m pretty sure that it’s okay. Even a little bit of Shabbat is better than none.