It all started about 7 years ago, when I walked into a pet store and our eyes met. I now know that you’re not supposed to buy a dog from a pet store. (The hideous practice of backyard breeding is another post.)

His name would be Trotter, and I would spend the next 7 years educating myself about the breed, about dog handling, separation anxiety, gourmet doggie food, and how to choose between a pair of splendid shoes for myself vs. a lush sofa cover for him…(yes keeping him off the sofa is covered in the dog handling books, but I failed at that.)

I have never worked so hard at a anything in my whole life…not my career, not cooking and I dare say, sometimes not even my marriage. Why? Because I wanted Trotter’s life with us to be as fine and fulfilling as it possibly could. I wanted to understand that mystical bond between human and dog. And I wanted him to love me.

I’m not sure Trotter is able to understand love, but I think he does trust me. And I know that he always, always, always wants to be with me. Seven years later, I still melt when I look into his eyes and laugh at almost everything he does.

So, Happy Birthday Trotter…and I hope you enjoy your birthday sirloin, carrot, beef-stock and peanut butter burger. We will be having pasta.

Post from: Blisstree

The Doggie Wears Prada.

I used to be a suit and cute shoes kind of girl, durning my years in corporate-land; now my attire is made up of, what I like to refer to as, “active Lab-wear” — which is stuff you wear as a home-entrepreneur and “home Labrador Retriever mom, ” — jeans, rugby shirts, and sneaks. Before, I used to carry a Metro card in my pocket, now I carry dog treats. Nice, right?

The decision to leave Manhattan professional life for the life of working for myself was the best and only decision I could have made for myself…but I have been known to scan HotJobs.com and CareerBuilder.com once in a while. Why? A few reasons: 1). to see if I’m still employable and 2). To daydream about starting over in the world of business.

What if I had the opportunity to start my career over again? Would I do anything differently? And while I know that some people look at folks like me with a combination of envy and curiosity — meaning the notion of leaving your crap job to start your own business might seem attractive to you, right?

Again, it was the best thing I could have done, but sometimes thoughts of putting on a suit, getting on the train, sitting at a desk, having lunch in the city, cocktails with friends…seems attractive to me.

My question to you is — have you ever considered leaving corporate job to start a small business or have you had a business and wished you could return to a 9-5 position?

Post from: Blisstree

Change of a dress