Madonna of the Mills

As I "evacuated" in light of the hurricane--and came home to my parents', where there's always premium channel-watching to be had--I flipped on HBO just as one its latest documentaries, "Madonna of the Mills," was airing. As my dog Butters is from a puppy mill, as was Violet, I decided to watch. And as is usually the case when I dwell on the topic of puppy mills--or see those ASPCA commercials with Sarah McLachlan--I started to tear up. The topic especially infuriates me since such a large number of mills are concentrated in central Pennsylvania--my home state--and are largely run in that area by Amish. How one can profess such piety and then deny a living being a chance at a decent life--being able to roam outside of a cage, human love, NOT BEING ABUSED--is beyond me.

What I didn't realize until after watching the documentary is that in light of the fact that 99% of puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills, approximately 100% of these animals have parasites or other diseases because of the conditions they were born into/their mothers and fathers live in. Thusly when you buy a dog from a pet store, not only are you perpetuating the puppy mill trade--by necessitating its existence--but you're also unknowingly buying a dog with who knows how many diseases. That's not saying that these dogs shouldn't be given a chance to be loved, either. These are just things to consider.

Violet died last May because of kidney failure, which developed as a result of her never being given proper vet care in any of her (approximate) eight years of birthing litters at the mill that housed her. Apparently it's cheaper for mills to take dogs out back and shoot them, and then replace them (as they can be bought at auctions for only dollars) than to take them to the vet. When I can afford to adopt another dog, I plan on adopting a puppy mill rescue, even though I know that doing so can be a financial commitment (though Butters has been rather healthy, thankfully). And of course there are so many other dogs (and cats) that still need to be adopted that aren't from mills. But what would we do without PetFinder? I go on that site and browse just as often as I browse Etsy for new shiz to buy, or Craigslist for my dream apartment somewhere that isn't here (haaaah).

I sound like a total tool who has a stick up her ass on her soapbox, but THE PUPPIES, MAN, the puppies! More about "Madonna of the Mills" here, and 10 Things to Know About Puppy Mills.

patterns

Leah's Internet Girls zine / two custom colorations from Rachel / a pillow cover from Arcelia Home / my new Nümph dress

Whenever I see new work from Leah it makes me wish I knew how to draw/illustrate/what have you. I also wish I could see Internet Girls in person (you can if you're in San Diego!). But this zine is the next best thing, and it's chalk-full of some pretty amazing patterns. And it's just $5! / Rachel really does not disappoint with her necklaces. I've said it once, and I'll continue saying it, as I now want one of her not quite round necklaces (I'm so damn greedy.). / Found Arcelia Home actually through Leah's favorites on Etsy (stalker...). They're having a sale right now, so get on that and snatch up some handmade goodness before that shiz is all gone. / The pattern and colors of this dress caused me to do some impulse shopping last week online. It makes for a nice addition to the casual warm-weather closet, though I'm not sold on the material (viscose, ewww...) and that damn triangle in the chest (remind me again why I got those damn triangle tattoos? they're like the mustache tattoo of 2010.).

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And another pattern in my life: I'm broke, and endlessly pawning off my crap on this blog/LoGE. Just posted my Rachel Comey Winnie Wedges over there. Check them out if you want to be taller than all your friends.

I joined Twatter.

This shit is addicting.

I had to make a Twitter account for BDiH (for reasons that will be revealed in the coming year...mysterious), which I really didn't want to do b/c I hate Twitter. And Facebook. Though I had to make one of those pages, too. But I have never felt so alive. Just kidding. I'm never going to get off the internet now, though. How does everyone else do it? I was so repressed before.

I'm hoping to use this to befriend a bunch of romance novelists. Turns out there's a lot of historical sexy fiction out there, and I have always wanted to have more old lady perverts as friends.

The Museum of Broken Relationships

Someone needs to get me here, fast. And by "someone" I mean myself, after I cash that next unemployment check (oh, didn't I mention that?). I be makin' it rain.

When I first read (read: looked at its name) about the Museum on It's Nice That, I thought it was a kitschy little exhibit at a gallery somewhere, not an actual "institution" in Croatia. Croatia, of all places. I love that--as a result--the "Getting Here" page of the Museum's site includes directions to Zagreb's airport from other European countries, not like driving directions "from downtown" or something.

I really wish I owned a museum, you know, or lived in the appropriately zoned neighborhood so I could host the Museum's collection in my living room, because I want to see how they interpret some of this stuff. The blurb for the gnome was the first thing I clicked on (Lauren, I thought of you), and it did it for me:

"The divorce day garden dwarf. He arrived in a new car. Arrogant, shallow and heartless. The dwarf was closing the gate that he had destroyed himself some time ago. At that moment it flew over to the windscreen of the new car, rebounded and landed on the asphalt surface. It was a long loop, drawing an arc of time--and this short long arc defined the end of love."

So cryptic and culminating in such tired prose. I need to go.

P.S. It's in London now, the Museum's traveling exhibition. Go. And see if they have a gift shop.

in retrospect, this post is kind of pointless, but whatever...

Admittedly, I stopped watching the Tudors four episodes short of the series finale last year because the plot surrounding Catherine Parr bored me/made me yawn. Then enter last night--whilst awaiting the uploading of Logo's Monday night lineup--when I discovered that all four seasons of the Tudors are now available for streaming on Netflix (WATCH THEM. Before those damn plans change.). And, lord, how cheated I feel! I had denied myself THE BEST sex scene of the whole damned show. Skip to 5:47 in the above clip and partake in this mid-week gift from Showtime. Because Charles Brandon was the best character on that show, and how titillating it feels to see the good man finally attain happiness. Plus he's got damn fine hair in that season.

UGH, Henry Cavill...how I wish I were with your child!

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Edit: FUCK, the sex scene's shortened. I've failed you! Go on Netflix and watch episode 8 around the 22-minute mark (I've bookmarked it in my mind, b/c I plan on watching it again and again and again and again and again and again and again...).

things are happening around these parts

No. 1 Hands down, my two favorite purchases in recent months. I wore my POE dress about three times the first week it was in my possession; I love how comfortable and flexible (using "stretchable" = lycra = awful memories of junior high) the cotton is. And, duh, the pattern is killer. And I was ueber thrilled when seeing my not tuesday necklace in person, as the size, make, and color of the beads contribute to probably the coolest necklace I've ever beheld/owned. I haven't been wearing my necklaces that often lately, but this one I've also been wearing daily. And I may have ordered a few more.
No. 2 I bought (and love) two of Chau's Hoop Paintings during her shop restock. They're helping to fill out my walls, as I've done some redecorating. And after having bought a necklace from Caitlyn, I found in my mailbox her zine "Scribble Scrabble." Probably my favorite zine of the last few months. And said to be part of her upcoming shop restock (GET ONE).

I also watched the entirety of Geordie Shore (or at least what the internet would allow me), and have finished out season 4 of Ab Fab (it has filled the void of the Wire, strangely enough). It has been repeatedly pointed out how often I speak in a British accent to myself/the dog, something I had never thought to be out of place. That and apparently I make a lot of weird, vocal sounds. You know...