Thursday, December 23, 2010

No Room at the Inn


Merry Christmas!

With three funny cats and one perfect dog (vacillating between forty-nine and fifty-five pounds depending on the pecan crop) there's no more room to responsibly house more pets here at the 1952 house. We have a pet hiring freeze. However, I fall in love with different cats and dogs almost every time I go to Austin Pets Alive to volunteer.

Here are my top pet-crushes, just in case you have room at your house to adopt a new friend. Click on the orange names to view their Austin Pets Alive biography and get the email address for adoption information!

Cats:

Vada - Update: Vada and her brother, Vivaldi, have both been adopted! I cared for this lovely long-haired lady at the bottle baby nursery. I love her so much because she purrs and snuggles with people, giving lovey-looks. She also plays with other kittens like a mischievous monkey meets the cutest ninja ever. Hiiiiiiya! Gotcha!

Xylia - Another bottle baby nursery alum, this sweet girl was a singleton (no litter-mates) with an eye infection. She wasn't eating, and seemed lonely and sad. One night I had a little extra time and decided to give her some extra attention. I sat her on my lap and scratched her back and pet her. It took a few minutes, but she started purring. The next day I saw her, I got her out to cuddle before her meal and she started purring instantly. She was so sweet and clearly so appreciative of the attention. The more I and the other volunteers cuddled her, the more she ate, and the healthier she got.

Ernestina - When this tiny muffin arrived at the bottle baby nursery, she only weighed 100 grams, the runt of seven kittens in her litter. She was so small, she looked like a mouse, not a cat. Honestly, I didn't think she'd live. She proved me wrong. This feisty little lady surpassed one of her sisters in weight at five weeks old. She loves to jump from high tables and crates, always landing on her feet with ease and grace. She has giant eyes. She purrs when you love on her. She loves to play with other kittens, especially to chase their tails and pounce on them.

Dogs:

Skittles - Update: Skittles has been adopted! A shy, sweet black and white Pomeranian. I love this gorgeous girl! I grew up with an orange Pomeranian, so I have a soft spot in my heart for these yappie puff-balls.




Update: Cooper has a forever-home! I'm so happy for him and his new people! Cooper - We walked this lovable (love-a-bull) Pittie this evening as part of our Christmas volunteering. He is gorgeous, strong and so, so sweet! His coat is super-soft, and he melts when you pet him. I love his black and white markings. Maybe we could make room for him...

Lulu - Update: Lulu has been adopted! This exotic looking pup is learning to love again after she was abused. Ugh, my heartstrings are being pulled.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I Won't Be There, But You Should


I'm taking the night off this New Year's Eve to celebrate with some non-theatre friends. You should celebrate with your friends (and some of my theatre friends) at a dinner mystery show and DJ dance party.

MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE! FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2010
Dave & Buster's at 9333 Research Blvd, Austin
Appetizers at 7:00, Dinner & Show at 8:00, DJ & Dancing at 10:00
Balloon Drop, Champagne Toast & Dessert Buffet at Midnight
ONLY $70.00! (Price does not include tax or gratuity.)
Reservations and Information (512)346-8015


Can you Say Murder?

On New Year’s Eve, all of the top children’s show television celebrities, Helen Nice, Hubert Quackenbush, Louise Moppet and Richard Hodges, have been assembled to see who will win top honors as the best kids’ show host according to the Parents’ Watchdog Association for Children’s Television Programming. Pirate Pete, whose only reputation is that of teaching kids how to rob their parents blind, is very sure he’s winning that award. To ensure that he walks away with the prize, Pete counts on blackmail to keep each of his fellow hosts from taking home the award. When the pirate gets deep-sixed by a suspected heart attack at the winner’s podium, Detective Safety takes on the challenge to see if Pete’s death was child’s play or foul play.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dear Santa


Dear Santa,

As you may have observed already, I'm stuck at home today with a suspected cold. I take this couch-bound opportunity to write to you.

I've mostly been a good girl this year: volunteering for Austin Pets Alive, not scratching too much when I had those awfully itchy hives, going to the gym, taking care of the house and pets, learning my lines for different dinner mystery shows, going on lots of auditions, being nice despite the looooooooong hours on that commercial shoot, making the trek to visit my family twice in one year and generally doing unto others as I would have them do unto me.

Yes, I confess, I got two warnings for driving too fast this year. I was very polite to the officers who pulled me over, and did NOT trot out the fake tears, even though we all know I could have. I resolve to watch my speed in the future, even when all the other cars barreling past me are speeding even worse than I am. I also confess I made the occasional smart-aleck remark when I should have held my tongue, but as I told my mom countless times, better to be a smart-aleck than a dumb-aleck!

This year for Christmas, I have the usual charitable giving requests:
Capital Area Food Bank - they do great work feeding hungry folks in the Austin area.
Emancipet - controlling the pet population with low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, and offering other affordable vet care.
Save the Children and Unicef - to help all the world's children, not just relatives.
Austin Pets Alive - they have a fun Christmas tree set up at 2807 Manchaca Road where you can choose a pet to sponsor.



For my own selfish wants (because we both know I have all that I need), I'd like to request cashmere-blend socks, and I'd like to direct you to my amazon universal wish list. Just in case you won the lottery this year, remember to err on the side of extra horsepower and torque; instead of carat-size.

As Chad and I are fond of saying, stank you smelly much, Santa. Be safe as you travel. If you get pulled over for speeding in the sleigh, be polite and apologetic. Don't pout or cry, but then, you knew that already, didn't you?

Love, your friend and fan, Jenn