In the paper!

It's fun to be in the newspaper about something I'm really proud of! (I've had problems with media in the past...boo hiss to underhanded reporters...)

But regardless! Check out the article that was written in the local Florham Park paper about the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter (http://www.njshelter.org/)! It's a great shelter that I've had the priviledge of volunteering at since this January. You can read the article by clicking here.

I even got my picture in the paper - not that it's anything to write home about. I look a bit like a neckless...well, a neckless something with white polka dots. But Callie, the cat in the picture, looks adorable! She's a wonderful creature - I wish I could take another one home, but with three cats and a rabbit in the apartment already, so we're full up. :-(

This is a better picture of Callie. She's been at the shelter for a while, but only because she has a heart condition. She just needs a pill once a day - that's all. I'm thinking that she would be a perfect match for my grandfather - he is recovering from a stroke and is relatively mobile, and improving every day. Callie is a wonderfully affectionate cat who doesn't get too overly worked up about anything - I think they would be very happy together. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed for now.

With them in mind in particular, but all the animals that need adoption (and all the people that would be so much happier with an animal companion) in mind, I'm going to throw these runes out there...

Why Norn is the coolest cat in the world...

Well, she affirmed it the other day. Norn is the coolest cat in the world, (aside from Frigga and Feyja). Check out this awesome picture that she posed for - it was absolutely spontaneous!

I especially like the green gazer-beam eyes that say , "We're totally winning the championship this year". (For those who are not in-the-know, the 20 is for Tony Stewart's number 20 Home Depot machine in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series).

Norn gets to go to the vet today to have her hip looked at thoroughly. She is missing one of her back legs, and the other back leg has a very bad hip. When I took her home from the animal shelter, they said that she would need surgery, but I'm beginning to suspect that it may be unecessary and perhaps even traumatic for her. Hopefully Dr. Wolf, (yes, my vet's name is Dr. Wolf) will be able to help me assess her from a more holistic standpoint.

Anyway, any crossed fingers in general would be a good thing. Norn deserves a chance at a pain-free life - she's been through a lot. ::FINGERSCROSSEDTOESCROSSED::

Since I'm trying to learn these runes anyway, let's stick three of 'em together for Norn. We have Uruz, for strength and vitality. Laguz, for healing and renewal. And Algiz, for protection.

Sales People - Modern Hunter/Gatherers

Sales as a throwback to hunter-gatherers

I was sitting in a rather long teleconference that is regularly held among our company’s sales team when I had a revelation.

The sales director sitting next to me, who is a very bright and engaging guy, started fidgeting in his chair, to the point of actually lifting himself up off the seat to crack his back. With a guilty smile, he said, “I’m antsy…have ADD”.

And my immediate response was “No you’re not, you’re just normal”. As the teleconference continued to swirl on, I reflected on the specifics of the salesperson’s role. In today’s modern business world, it seems that salespeople are the throwbacks to the hunter-gatherers of our beginnings as a civilization. We’re not all built for the traditional stay-at-home, 9-to-5 position, and we still have those impulses that kept us alive thousands of years ago.

I’ve always considered it unreasonable for society to expect anyone, be it a 6-year-old in first grade or a high level executive stuck in an all-day meeting, to sit still and be quiet and have their full attention on whatever’s going on. We’re human. We’re designed to be up and about and interacting on a regular basis, not just sitting and staring at a teacher of a projector screen.

If we adapted the ways we conduct ourselves personally and professional to the needs of our basic human functions, I think the incidences of ADD and such would drop ENORMOUSLY.

Thankfully, however, there are still plenty of jobs for those of us who like to wreak havoc from inside the office. :-)

Awesome Post on BoingBoing

Trust BoingBoing to promote an amazing stop-animation synopsis of the world's major conflicts (starting with WWI), using native food from the countries involved. Totally worth a look-see.

http://tv.boingboing.net/2008/04/17/best-of-bbtv-food-fi.html

I am...

Hoverocerus.

Why Zune Rocks my Socks...

Guess what's on Zune...

"The Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail"

(yes...that's the real title...)

Aaaaa...Monty Python...making the workday more bearable for over half a century...

And on that note, I think it's time for another lolcat...

The Quest for the Medical Records...

What is it about women's health that makes it so unbelievably impossible to obtain your records in a timely and orderly manner? I sent in a request for my records weeks ago, and they just haven't been able to get around to sending them, apparently. I understand that offices can be busy, but with medical records, isn't there sense of urgency when it comes to making sure everyone has the appropriate information?



I bet if it was a testical wellness clinic of some sort they'd have the records teleported directly to my new doctor's office. Tune in next week for "Sexism and the Medical Industry: OLD NEWS!!!"



But at least I have my lolcats...

Awesome Bouquet

I guess I haven't exactly mentioned that my sister is getting married...MY SISTER IS GETTING MARRIED! HUZZAH!!

This past weekend we went to a special silk-flower outlet (it was fascinatng), and she got a bunch of awesome flowers from which to make her bridal bouquets. You can go and see them by clicking on the picture I have here:



Oooing and aaaing is encouraged.

Movie Recommendation: The Painted Veil

There are WAY too many movies out there today that portray either an unrealistically perfect romance, an unrealistically imperfect romance, or a comic distortion of love in general.

The Painted Veil is a real breath of fresh air in an otherwise murky and often formulaic Hollywood landscape.

It takes place in early twentieth century China, during the British occupation and in a time of significant cultural conflicts and turmoil. Against this backdrop, the main characters of Dr. and Mrs. Fane make their way through an unfortunate pairing that leaves the young Kitty Fane wishing for more out of her life and falling all-too-willingly into an extramarital affair.

Once Dr. Fane discovers her adultery, he brings her with him into mainland China during the worse cholera outbreak the country has ever seen. The naive, faltering, and often selfish beginnings to this relationship are stripped away in the unrelenting turmoil caused by the disease - and the impact it has on the couple is amazing to watch.

An excellent view, especially for anyone looking for a real, more honest romance. Be prepared for some sadness, though - cholera makes for an unforgiving storyline.

First Post - Huzzah!

Welcome to the very first post of Doran's Path! After having managed several blogs sporadically, (I sometimes have a little bit of trouble keeping up wih them), I'm dedicating my attentions (or attenshuns, depending upon your lolcat status) to this blog in an effort to better get my thoughts down on paper.

Things to look forward to:

• lolcat of the Day
• Rune of the Day
• Various thoughts and introspections