So word has broken out that Austin will soon have a for-profit aquarium to add to the list of attractions the city offers.  I am beyond saddened and disgusted by this news (my feeling for zoos, circuses, and aquariums are no secret).  The two owners of this upcoming aquarium are already in legal trouble for their other ventures.  The Austin Aquarium Facebook page claims no connection to the Portland or Idaho Aquariums, but, pardon the pun, this is very fishy since all three are owned by the same two people.  Complaints about the Portland Aquarium abound, and there is even a Facebook page to boycott:

“The one in Portland is atrocious. It is too small for animals and visitors. Staff do not have to have a background in marine biology and they don’t care how people treat the animals.  A hammerhead shark pup was already killed by kits grabbing it and picking it up out of the water. And you can’t even wash your hands after touching the animals.”

We have no right to imprison these animals in an environment in which we profit.  Would the world really suffer if there were no Circus, no Sea World, no Zoos?  You take an animal from a home where the boundaries are endless and place them in a tank to simply put on a show for you?  How dare these places profit from a wild animal’s captivity.  In the wild, sea creatures can swim hundreds of miles a day in the open ocean, can have complex family networks, and enjoy their specific ways of hunting/interacting/living.  In captivity, their natural instincts and ways of being are completely suppressed, their life expectancy is much shorter, and their quality of life is abysmal.  The same can be said for all the species of animals kept in captivity at zoos, circuses, aquariums, and places like Sea World.

I’m sickened by the excitement of those who want to take their children to see what is really nothing more than a disgusting freak show of abused animals in tiny jail cells.  Children learn nothing of value by seeing the row after row of tanks filled with depressed fish and animals.  If you wish to have a day out with your children and enjoy nature, visit a local park or volunteer at the local animal shelter.  If you are at all concerned for the treatment and  welfare of fish and animals, please make a point to boycott this upcoming Austin Aquarium and help spread the word about this disgusting venture.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)

Many believe Memorial Day is just a three-day weekend that signals the unofficial start to summer, where one goes out to the lake on a boat, bbq’s, and drinks a few beers.  Truth is Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.  At the very least, please take a moment during your holiday to reflect and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for you and our nation.

I am honored that both my grandfathers served our country.  My Grandpa Fred Riedi was a marine and my Grandpa Al Loper was in the army.  I am beyond proud to be their granddaughter and truly wish I could have known them.  Happy Memorial Day.

Yep, you guessed it – the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area nominated me to represent our organization at a charity bowling event.  Probably because I’m a northerner and they believe all Wisconsinites are good bowlers.  Oh how wrong they are!  So the event is July 13th and I am looking for sponsors to support me.  Until then, I’ll be looking for anyone and everyone to bowl with me so I can try my best to get over 100…

Please visit my fund raising page and consider supporting me in this embarrassing endeavor. 🙂

Nothing is scarier to me than the thought of indirectly bringing harm to one of my pets.  This can obviously happen multiple ways, but the one I think about the most is the food I give them.  If you are a pet owner, I am sure you have seen at least one of the many pet food recalls that have occurred over the past few years.  It’s a terrifying situation, learning that the food you have been giving your pet may be killing them.

So I have tried my best to research the food options out there and find something both safe, affordable, and healthy for my pets.  This is definitely harder than I originally expected it to be!  This picture offers a great start to finding a safe and healthy food for your pets.  I currently feed Loki Blue Buffalo canned with Castor & Pollux dry and Monty gets both wet and dry Blue Buffalo.  What do you feed your fur babies?

“How long should you try?  Until.”  ~Jim Rohn

You are not good enough.  I have literally heard this, in one form or another, in all aspects of my life.  And lately, I have been hearing it with much greater frequency.  It stings and definitely messes with my personal and professional goals when it comes from someone I care about and respect.

So you would think this would deter me in my goals.  But it does quite the opposite.  Because I am a stubborn bitch.  I have that blind, raging stubbornness that drives me to prove others wrong.  A few times along the way, it has gotten me into trouble but overall it’s more than worth it in the end.

I’m not writing this for a pat on the back.  I’m saying it because we should all strive to push past the “you are not good enoughs” and use it as fuel for our fires.  I’m also writing this so I can read it from time to time when I need to be reminded to never give up.  If someone ever says that you aren’t good enough, prove them wrong.  It makes the successes that much sweeter.

“One dog goes one way and the other goes the other. And this guy’s saying, ‘Whaddya want from me?'” ~Goodfellas

As a huge fan of the books, I am very excited to have the tv series back!  In celebration, here is an amazing compilation of major characters and their cat doppelgangers: