The One Where Everything Is Different in LA

For example, the grass is greenest in the winter and starts to die in the spring because of drought. People here complain that it's too hot when it's in the 80s and that it's too cold when it's in the 50s. And coming from living in the Midwest and the South, where admittedly I thought a lot of people sucked but they were pretty friendly in general, I can't believe how guarded and suspicious people are here. It amazes me how little people make eye contact with you or smile at you when they bump into in the grocery store or something. However, someone was nice to me this weekend, loaning me some money when stupid MasterCard was having problem with Shell gas stations.

The weirdest thing about LA to me, though, is the way that I have changed. This will be the first year that I know nothing about NFL football. I know a little about college football, but I'm not following it that closely either. Just a year ago, weekends were reserved for curling up on the couch and watching football all day, no matter what the game. Now, I have other priorities. I spend a lot of my weekends dog training, since that's when most people want to work with their dogs, and I also spend a lot of the weekends and evenings working with my own dogs. I rarely catch any television including sports. In fact, last year, I even missed a couple KU games to do dog training. It's a new me that I find very weird. I've always prided myself in being very sports-savvy. Anymore, I'm not sure I can keep up. I still love football and I was able to catch most of the Cowboys game this weekend (though I was exhausted and found myself snoozing during a very exciting fourth quarter -- see, a totally new me!). And I haven't completely abandoned my old interest. If I'm at home, I will try to catch some football on the weekends. I plan to watch most of the game tonight. But I also have to work with my dogs tonight, and I use the evenings and weekends to catch up on my reading. Isn't it weird how your interests and priorities change as you get older? If I could go back in time and tell my 13-year-old self with her Cowboys posters plastered all over her walls that I don't even have the NFL ticket because I'm content to see the Cowboys highlights on ESPN, she'd never believe me. (But she'd still be proud of me. :)

About training, though, I didn't have time to take Muggsy to Peck Park yesterday because I had training class (it was full!!!) and a couple of private lessons with my boss, but I did work with each of the dogs on some basic obedience in my home. I'm seeing definite improvements in all of them, not just Muggsy. I have three very smart and talented dogs. Muggsy hasn't had an attack in more than two weeks. To say I'm a proud mommy is an understatement. I guess those changes in my priorities are paying off, at least for my pups.