The One With the News

Here are some highlights from the last three days:

• I have a job interview with the Orange County Municipal Water District next Wednesday. It's the same job that I have now, but no Joanna, more money and a much longer commute. It would take me farther from my dog training, but I think I could make it work, especially if our move next year was just to Long Beach, which is still in the South Bay.
• We installed a window unit AC this weekend. It was too big for the window, technically, but we finally got it to work. Now we can cool down our house during the day, which is nice.
• My friend at work commented to me about how common plastic surgery has become in L.A. This is interesting. He said he was at a bar the other night and noticed no "average-sized" women walking in. He mentioned it to his wife, who has some sort of doctor's practice. She told him that if you have a Ph.D., you can just take a short course to learn how to do boob jobs. The guy who has an optomology practice across the street from hers was struggling with his business, took the course and now has more business than he can handle. Since they're so common, they're down to $3,000, which you can just put on a credit card. Lots of women are doing it. Isn't that crazy? Stuff like that would never happen in the Midwest.
• I finally have an appointment with an ear specialist this week to tell me why I can't get rid of my earaches. I've been waiting a month for this appointment! Also, it's the end of the fiscal year, so I can collect on my hundreds of dollars of dental bills. Just in time for my next appointment a week from Saturday.

Muggsy's Training Diary, Day 40 June 27, 2005

As I mentioned in my previous post, I took Muggsy to the vet's office today in his muzzle. I didn't want him to be too surprised when I did this tomorrow and it ended in him going in the vet's office and going behind a door. It would be way out of the ordinary since we usually train at night. He did well, and we walked around the outside of the building. I'm not sure what to expect tomorrow since he will be asked to go behind another strange door with another strange person there. I won't have anyone handle him until Thursday, and then it will just be Elaine, who wants to see his progress in the office setting. I'll also make morning visits Wednesday and Friday. We then have another appointment Tuesday afternoon before the appointment Wednesday. It's rapidly approaching.

We also practiced Door! with the muzzle. He's doing so great with that, it's barely worth talking about. Now we're ready to see what happens. This weekend vacation will also be good because it will give us the chance to practice behind yet another door in another strange situation. By the end of this, he'll be a pro. Keep him in your thoughts for the next week. He's going to need all the help he can get. And so am I!