THIS has been a long week. A great week, but a long week. When friends hear that we had 40 dogs at our place, they think, how bad can it be? They all have their own place. No, that's not correct. We are a cage free facility, so all 40 dogs were in two play areas together. With that many dogs, we have to be extra vigilant to keep them occupied and happy. Otherwise, just like kids, they get cranks and start fighting over little things. Keeping that many dogs happy is not easy. We did it and we did it well. We had a plan and we followed it and we were very successful. And along the way, we realized that we were having a lot of fun. It is so rewarding to see our timid clients come out of their shell and run and play with their new friends. This is why I built Dog World. And it's rewarding to see it work.
Someone told me last week that when I first opened the doors, they didn't think I would succeed. But that obviously I had a vision in my head that noone else saw. The only vision I had was to have a facility where dogs could run and play and not be caged up. Beyond that, it was nothing more than learning from our screw ups and doing better the next time. I have a great staff to help me learn and I have a great support system with family and friends to help keep me sane.
I just read about the violence during Black Friday. A shopper using pepper spray, and man hurt for allegedly shoplifting, the list is long. I was going to spout my usual diatribe about commercialism, but then I read more and it really made my blood boil. I read an article on Yahoo about this violence and in the comments from readers, several blamed the Obama Administration for this happening. Please note that the following is not politically based, but rather disbelief.
Black Friday has been happening for more than 20 years. And for the last 8-10 years, I have been reading about escalating violence during these shopping hours. The last I checked, the Obama Administration has not been around for 10 years, so how can they be blamed for our greed? We can't blame the retailers either. They are following the simple economic principle of supply and demand. We need to blame ourselves. Shoppers, and shoppers alone have caused this to happen. We are the ones who camp out in the freezing cold for 2 days just to get a great deal on the latest new toy for little Jimmy. And if somebody gets there before us, look out.
What is this teaching our kids? That it's ok to go to any lengths to get what we want? That it's perfectly justified to trample someone just to get the last computer game? Is it any wonder that today's generation is known to be materialistic? Who taught them that? I can already hear many parents already arguing that Black Friday is the only way they can afford to get little Jimmy that computer toy he wants. I say baloney. When I grew up, I learned that I can't always have what I want. My mom didn't spend hours or days standing in line to get me the latest whatever: She bought what she could afford and that was the end of it. I learned to work for everything I have. And I still do that. I don't expect things to be given to me. I expect to work for them.
As for the commercialism of Christmas, I won't even start there. Last year, I was unemployed and decided that I was not going to go into debt just to buy Christmas presents. Friends and family either got a card, a phone call or a hug. I'm employed now, but I am going to continue my new found tradition of remembering what Christmas is all about. I am not buying presents. The people in my life will get a heartfelt "Merry Christmas" and my love.
Isn't that what Christmas is all about? Love?
THIS has been a long week. A great week, but a long week. When friends hear that we had 40 dogs at our place, they think, how bad can it be? They all have their own place. No, that's not correct. We are a cage free facility, so all 40 dogs were in two play areas together. With that many dogs, we have to be extra vigilant to keep them occupied and happy. Otherwise, just like kids, they get cranks and start fighting over little things. Keeping that many dogs happy is not easy. We did it and we did it well. We had a plan and we followed it and we were very successful. And along the way, we realized that we were having a lot of fun. It is so rewarding to see our timid clients come out of their shell and run and play with their new friends. This is why I built Dog World. And it's rewarding to see it work. 
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