All I Want for Christmas...is an Elephant?

(Pachyderm House 2009)

Times are tough and this year’s Christmas, my family is doing a grab bag for adults. Our limit is set at $50 and we are responsible to give some ideas to the gift giver. I have pondered many items. I have my nose set on Anthropology’s Amazing Grace perfume. I’d like some new movies or I could really use some new apparel in my ever shrinking wardrobe. But this is not a ploy for those items. I have found another thing I want and I mean WANT. So this is me begging my secret Santa, pretty please adopt me an Elephant from Riddle’s Elephant and Wild Life Sanctuary.

Last month, while watching Oprah I saw the most amazing show about animals. Part of the show was about a sanctuary in Africa. It was touching to see these hurt elephants rescued and saved at a sanctuary. It was even more unbelievable to learn about an elephant’s personality. They are truly a social creature and love other elephants. Their mourning ritual even made me cry. (Elephants pay homage to the bones of their dead, gently touching the skulls and tusks with their trunks and feet.) And who hasn’t seen that video about the bond formed between a dog and elephant? It’s awesome. If you haven’t scene it, Google Tara & Bella and you’ll find it.

I was just inspired to adopt an elephant. Why hadn’t I thought before now to get myself involved with them? I’m even inspired to learn more about these remarkable creatures. Unfortunately adopting an elephant in Africa leaves me no opportunity to actually visit if the occasion arises. So while researching I found Riddle’s Elephant and Wild Life Sanctuary. They are located in Arkansas and by adopting me an elephant I might actually get the chance to meet them. They also have internship programs, weekend long retreats and an International School for Elephant management. I could actually see myself taking care of elephants. I can’t imagine it’s a huge job demand but I sure would enjoy it. It’s something I’m keeping in mind and one small step in the right direction is adopting an elephant.

So Secret Santa, please adopt me an elephant for $50! How much easier could it be? You don’t even need to leave your home to purchase it for me. And I’ll let you pick which elephant to adopt, it’s too hard for me to pick anyways.

For more information on how you can adopt an elephant or make a one time donation, check out: http://www.elephantsanctuary.org/

To the left is a picture of my son's room...can you see the elephant influence???


Weight Update: I’m down 10.2 lbs since I started. I’ve officially lost the baby weight, now it’s time to continue losing the pre-baby weight. Yahoo!

9/28: 218.4
11/10: 208.2

Read and Send to 10 Friends or You'll Die

(I'm looking at you!)

I’m easily annoyed. Sometimes it’s justified but usually not. This is a short list of things yesterday that raised by blood pressure just slightly, caused my eyes to roll and made me think “Gosh I hate this shit!.” I realize my list incorporates a lot of my friends. I still love you all but know when you do the first two things on my list, I want to put you in a choke hold and yank on your hair.

First things first…chain emails. Please for my sanity please stop sending these. I’ll say right now to everyone…thank you for wanting my money issues to go away. Thank you for wishing me good luck for the next 40 years. But no thank you for wishing me an untimely death if I don’t send this email to 19 friends. Don’t count me as one of your 19 friends! Know that the moment I realize what you sent, I hate you for a tiny second and will until the moment I get it out of my sight. (Ok, hate is a little strong but I’m not changing it) Yesterday I received the same chain email from 3 different co-workers! Really!?! Really!?! Please choose to break the cycle. I do. And I can tell you that I’m not followed around by a black cloud; You’ll live!!! Stop being paranoid and delete that chain email or at least smarten up and stop sending them to me. Now I’ll be fair and say a few emails I do appreciate: LOLCATS, people you find at Wal-Mart, funny video clips or just plain forwarded emails containing something interesting. The moment it states “send this to…” I’m annoyed! So…STOP IT ALREADY!

As for facebook, they have their own version of “chain” emails. If you have ever posted “I have the best son, he is incredible. I want to eat his face. Re-post this if you have a wonderful son.” Then know I just flared my nostrils in aggravation and shot you with lasers from my eyes. I love sentimental posts on facebook. I would like to know you love your son and how he’s affected your life, but if you just repost that shit because someone else’s post told you too, I think you are lame! (I’m so sorry family because a lot of you are guilty of this.) So when you see those posts asking you to repost if you think you have the best husband, wife, mother, family, daughter, dog or whatever, please refrain. Find the uniqueness you have within and put something original about that special person; It’s more heartfelt and sincere and those are two things society could use more of anyways.

I have no idea why but the sight of George Lopez annoys me. It never fails that when I’m ready for bed and channel surfing, his stupid ass talk show is on TV. Sometimes I try and stomach watching him for a few minutes because I notice he has an actual guest I’m interested in, but it never fails, I must change the channel. Not only is he unattractive, his personality irritates me and I think he’s a lousy talk show persona. So if you watch George Lopez, I think you’re crazy! I also have a hard time watching Jay Leno and David Letterman. In fact, I didn’t start watching late night talk shows until Conan came around and what happened, nobody watched and he was booted out. WTF!?! Maybe I’ve got no taste.

What irritates you? Maybe it’s people blogging about what irritates them, or maybe it’s people who overuse LOL…you tell me!