Taking Advice

A trainer who evaluated my 8-week old puppy (she checked out the rest of the litter as well) suggested we hold him like a baby--with his back against our stomach, while we watch TV. She said we should do this as often as possible. This was not a time to rub his belly or ruffle his fur or pet him. This was a time to help him feel secure. If he wiggled to get down, we were instructed to firmly tell him, "No," and not let him down until he had stopped struggling. This was to cement it into Radar's head who is boss. (Duh! Obviously, Radar is the boss.)  

This is Radar and me at a fine arts festival. (He wore a donation vest for our rescue group.)



Now Radar is 45 pounds. His legs are as long as a teenaged (human) boy. I am developing a hernia each time I hoist him up onto my lap. Perhaps he's no longer a lapdog. Maybe once they get Shetland Pony-size, they shouldn't be snuggling in my lap.

The trainer gave wonderful advice. Radar is quite secure.

Here is some other advice I've gotten recently from a variety of friends:

• Don't downplay your successes--no matter how small or how temporary. If an editor wants to see something, don't start wailing to everyone that the editor certainly is not going to like what you send them. You have something to celebrate, even if it's just for a moment. You never know...

• Use a tea bag to help extend your hair color. Are you overdue with Clairol? Is L'Oreal late? Dab that tea bag (after it's been dipped into hot water) on the "skunky" parts...and pray that no one sniffs your head and is then tempted to ask if you want cream and sugar with it. 

• Take a chance. (TakeaChanceTakeaChanceTakeaChanceTakeaChance. Can't you hear Abba in the background?) Try something new. Think outside the box. Again, you never know what the results might be. There was a call out for "potty training" stories a while back. I dug into the recesses of my memory, and gave the editors the scoop on my poopy story about my son. It's being published in an anthology put out by Monkey Star Press. You never do know...

• Stop chewing sticks. If I have to reach into your mouth one more time so I can pull out chewed-up pieces of slobbery sticks, I'm gonna throttle you. (Oops. That is not meant for you. I apologize.)

            What has a friend (or specifically a writer friend) given you that has proven to be good (or bad) advice? Inquiring minds are dying to know...