Some things I just won’t ever forget. One is that I owe this junior high girl $5,000. 
Well, she was a junior high girl. And I was just a kid walking around in my Starter jacket hoping to get braces one day soon. I’m not sure what the money was for, if she still remembers, or what inflation hikes the rate up to now… 24 years later. It’s funny though. You know how when you’re little everything seems bigger? Like the house you grew up in. If you saw it now, it would look small. This debt doesn’t seem any smaller now that I’m all grown up! $5,000 is a hefty chunk of change whether I’m a 12-year-old in Stafford, Virginia or a grown man in Tennessee. Let’s just hope she forgot, same with that girl I made cry. Man, I sure had a way with the ladies. I make one cry and owe another thousands. Maybe I can sell my Dan Marino rookie card I scored for $23 from Chris back in ’89. It’s gotta be worth more now. Hopefully around $5,003.49. $5,000 for the one friend, and a $3.49 box of Kleenex for the other.
10 Days of Top 10 Posts: #4
One of my favorite segments on Jay Leno’s show is the “headlines.” So this next post of mine is probably my favorite of the top 10.
#4: Funny Signs, Newspaper Blunders, And More
More about the post: I gathered these photos over the course of a few months. It was fun to finally post them all together in one post. Originally posted February 2012.
Man’s Best Friends
It’s been a while since I posted anything about my adorable best friends Piper and Asia. But rest assured, they are still adorable and make me laugh every day. Today I started teaching Asia to speak which is obviously just a bark. Holding a treat in my hand I say “speak” then I bark. She must’ve really enjoyed watching me bark like a dog for 5 minutes straight. Plus, I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn’t even close to barking. More work to be done there. Meanwhile, she’s really good at the “Where’s Piper?” question. She’ll run off to find her and then come back to me. I’ve asked her so many times, hoping that if there is ever a moment I really need to know where Piper is, Asia will track her down. Of course, I almost always know where Piper is… outside howling at the moon, on my bed, or by the space heater. She and that space heater go way back to when she was just a lil’ pup. It was a cold winter so she and I would huddle up there while we watched TV. I can’t believe Piper’s already 4 years old. I still remember the first day I saw her. It was a Friday when I checked out PetFinder.com. There she was in a basket with her siblings.
![BeaglePupsPam[1]](https://outofthewilderness.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/beaglepupspam1.jpg)
Saturday, we were together. Here’s one of the first pictures I snapped of her after picking out some goodies at Petsmart.
I also remember the first time I saw Mustard. Yep. That was Asia before she was Asia. Her blue eyes were stunning so I had to make a visit.
Less than a week later, she was home with me and Piper. Now she’s about 2 years old, smart as anything. And I truly believe she can jump over tall buildings in a single bound. I need to have her back legs x-rayed. I think she swallowed some springs or something. It’s like she’s jumping off a trampoline. Crazy dog. I can’t wait to sign her up for an agility course class.
Piper won’t be part of any agility training. Her strongest trait is her nose. Those nostrils could sniff out a Reese’s cup in a peanut butter factory. And she would love that, by the way. She’ll eat almost anything. I think it’s a beagle thing. She’s got the appetite of the morbidly obese.
It’s getting colder here in Nashville so most of our days will be spent indoors. I know Piper’s excited about the space heater. She must think it’s part of the family. When I go to plug it in, she gets all excited. Asia likes the heater, too, but not as much as Piper. Asia’s activity of choice right now is quite interesting. She takes out this old stuffed rabbit and nibbles on the stitching. I don’t actually think she’s trying to undo anything. She just nibbles meticulously, using her teeth very purposefully. It’s funny to watch.
Here’s to another winter with these awesome dogs! (Gallery below)
-Out of the Wilderness
10 Days of Top 10 Posts: #5 Dogs
If this were a Christmas song, we’d be up to 5 golden rings. Check out a post about why dogs would love to roll around on 3 dead French hens and 2 deceased turtle doves.
#5: Why Dogs Roll Around On Dead Animals
More about the post: My dogs, like many others, sniff around and sometimes roll around while we’re on walks. I wondered why and the answer took me to the wild outdoors. I guess sometimes we forget that dogs are wild animals that have been tamed… for the most part. This was posted summer 2011 and comes up quite a bit on search terms bringing people to my site. Anything from “why does my dog roll around on dead animals” to “why does my dog rub her face on dead bugs.”
Man, You’re A Lady Bug
Have you ever wondered how male lady bugs feel? (and if you’re a guy who owns a Volkswagon Beetle manufactured between 1997 and 2011, this goes for you, too)
It seems inherently paradoxical to be a male lady bug. Or a male cat for that matter but don’t even get me started on cats. You know, I heard a speaker once ask, “Do all dogs really go to heaven? Well, the better question is do all cats go to hell?” I won’t digress anymore, and for the record I like cute little kittens.
So back to the lady bugs, or as entomologists would prefer, lady beetles. Lately my house has played host to dozens of these flying polka dot insects. I’d say they’ve been a nuisance but how can I? They are a sign of good luck in many cultures. Perhaps I’ve been needing some luck in my life. Could’ve used it a few months ago when my fantasy football draft went horribly wrong! Yes, I drafted Shonn Greene in the 2nd round and yes, I’m still feeling the repercussions. I’m not sure why the lady bugs have sought shelter at my house. I suppose it’s a seasonal thing but this winter is the first I’ve encountered so many.
When I lived in Florida, “love bugs” were the pest we all complained about twice a year. Then a few years ago here in Nashville, it was the cicadas. Maybe it’s a one-time thing, I guess time will tell. But for now, I’ll just be glad the lady beetles are in my house and not in my driveway.
Out of the Wilderness 