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Just Jen
Careful with the pretty things

Friday, June 20, 2008
I don't think it was the bloodworms, as they got Gertie active again. I think it was fishy old age, but I'm sad to say that after 14 months, our Gertie has kicked the bucket.


Ryder hasn't noticed the missing fish yet, and I've been considering putting a new one in there to see if he even notices. But that would be deceitful. So, I'll just tell him the truth, ask him if he'd like to get another fish, and if he wants to, we'll go pick out one together.


RIP, Lil' G. You were a good betta.


Wednesday, June 18, 2008
So I returned from vacation, tried to catch up for four days, then hit a tradeshow (because, you know that's what the hip folk do) for a week. This brings me to last week which was busy with more of the catching up and with starting back with the hot-ass yoga, and then you know, I sold a house. And that Yoga is HOT. As I told a friend, it's like doing aerobics in a closed Texas garage in August. With the heat on.


YES, people, I sold the house we moved out of in December and currently own one property. You can imagine the weight this takes off my shoulders. This is not a post about an offer or a contract on the house (we had two before this one, so clearly having a contract means NOTHING), this is me saying, "I no longer own two homes." This is me saying, "It's a done deal," something to take off the list of things stressing me out. I can no longer blame the little house for all of life's difficulties.


Life does have a way of shifting things around a bit though, of keeping you on your toes, of removing one challenge just before another lands on your plate.


And the Yoga? It's HOT.


Friday, June 06, 2008
Should you ever find yourself with a pet fish who suddenly refuses to eat, perhaps my experience will be of help.


Gertie, the betta we've had for more than a year, stopped eating. I hadn't changed her food at all but suddenly she wouldn't eat it. She became inactive. (Though really, Gertie's activity level was never normal. She's always been a bit of a bore.)


At first I eased my mind with the idea that she would eat when she got hungry, but time passed and ... no eating. Naturally, I diagnosed her as anorexic. One particular symptom of her unhealthy relationship with food: she would, at times, go for the food pellet then spit it out. I've heard this referred to as the "chew and spit" technique. I became concerned and decided to visit my local pet store for some advice.


A friendly store associate recommended I try feeding Gertie freeze dried blood worms in order to stimulate her appetite. And stimulate they did. She pretty much attacks the lil worm as soon as I drop it in the water, and her activity level is off the charts. She's now a spaz like the rest of us.


Gertie compulsively swims; I'm compulsively compulsive. Life is swell.