Whine, Women, and Song

[sisabet]

So it has come to pass that with the new career direction comes a need or a cheaper, simpler way of life. Since my apartment, while cute as a button, is already on the cheap side - this does not signal a positive change. However, I have looked at the numbers and the writing is so obvious that it doesn't even need to be on the wall. The apartment has to go - I have to find a place that is cheaper, I have to find a place NOW and I have to come up with next months rent, deposit, rent for the new place and money to move with. If anyone in the Lexington area needs me to clean their house, thanks to "Due South" and the episodes "Victoria's Secret I and II" I have recently discovered bleach. And gloves! And I swear that while my OCD tends to cause me to get trapped on one task while cleaning at my place, I won't let it affect yours. Much. If you have a curio cabinet or display of some sort of things, I probably will shift them around a little bit because I am only human and that kind of thing bugs me. Yeah, possibly you do not want me cleaning your house.

OH! If your dog is acting weird and you don't know why? I can totally help you. I am very well-versed in freaky animals.

Anyhoo, today was spent looking for a new place to live. I made Dawn come with me, primarily because I can't drive and see numbers on rent signs, but also because some of the neighborhoods were kinda sketchy even for me. I've got an appointment to see a property tommorrow and so far it is very promising. There is only one registered sex offender within the block (although 13 within a mile) and through the power of the internet I totally know what that pervert looks like. WHEE! It is farther from work than I want to be and I'm nervous because I won't get home from work some days until after one am, but it could possibly work. Maybe.

::suddenly remembers why she sold out to the man in the first place::

Goddamned social service pay! Hmph. I'll look in the paper tomorrow. Surely I missed some stuff.

Comments

[ficbyzee.livejournal.com]

I can't help you with the extra money front, but man, I empathize. liviapenn and I are trying to find a cheap two-bedroom apartment instead of squeezing into where we are now, and apparently the options are a) having a nice place, in a nice area, but having no money leftover to *eat,* or b) finding a lovely under-the-bridge cardboard box property. This is why we should all live in a cheap fannish commune, dammit!

[par-avion.livejournal.com]

Is there a craigslist for your city? I found my curent apartment through that -- often you can find owners listing it themselff, and no broker fee.

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

My brother has a new puppy named George (see icon.) He is 13 weeks old.

He keeps biting me. He occasionally bites other people if he is mad at them but me he bites because he loves me and I just can't get him to stop. I tried yipping in his ear like a mama dog. I tried holding him down on his side until he calms down. I tried spraying that bitter apple stuff on my hands but, he just licks it off and chomps away. If I ignore him he barks at me and then I get the angry biting. I have even tried spanking him (though it hurt me more than him).

If you can solve this bizarre pet behavior, you can name your price. I would like to still have my nose when he has finished teething.

Dog Psychology Hat On

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

It isn't bizarre at all! He is teething and this will be his behavior until he FINALLY loses his milk teeth. He chews on you more than any other because he *does* love you bestest and mostest.

It has been a long time since I've had a chewer (Sid is almost 10, you know) but I think the only thing you can do is come armed with something that is appropriate for him to chew on, like a nylabone, and as soon as he nips you to remove yourself from his reach, say "NO!" firmly and then shove the nylabone in his mouth. As soon as his jaw closes in on it - praise him effusely like he just solved for pi! He doesn't even have to chew it - just the fact that it is in his mouth is croon worthy. Repeat this a ZILLION times. Repeat this every single time he chews on you. Eventually he will calm down a little bit. The big thing is to do this fast and consistently- remove whatever body part, say NO!, shove appropriate toy in mouth and praise, praise praise.

The other behaviors just entice him to play harder or confuse him. The goal is to get him to realize that Aunt Jackie is for loving, not chewing and toy is for chewing. It is a really hard lesson to learn if you are a puppy cause chewing is the ultimate act of love.

Also? Eventually he won't be teething and that is the best fucking day in a young puppy's aunt's life.

Oh - final tip: when potty training do this every time you take him outside to pee - as soon as he starts to pee say "potty, potty, potty,..." as long as he is actually peeing. Do this *every* time. Eventually you can cue him to potty just by saying the word and taking him to his potty spot. This will save a TON of time later on as he will be conditioned to really go when you take him outside and not just run around marking a bit here and there.

Re: Dog Psychology Hat On

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

Well, I got George a really nice chew bone that had real meat in it. It worked very well until Bailey, the other dog that lives at George's house stole the bone. This left us with Mr. Booda Cow. I was only able to redirect the maw of doom about 50% of the time with that one. I suspect that I taste somewhat better than Mr. Booda Cow.

So now I know. The trick is to bring two chew bones - one for George and one for Bailey.

How much do I owe you?