Maine

I live in Maine, and today I was reminded why I will never venture far. My mother and I decided to spend the day outside, so we went to Two Lights, which is a SMALL beach, mostly rock, that you have a magnificent view of the ocean from. It was my grandmothers favorite spot. We grabbed some seafood and enjoyed the view. When we finished our lunch we went to Fort Williams, which is another beach/old forts on the ocean. I tried to fly my kite, but that didn't go over so well haha, but we had a fun time trying. Then we drove to yet another beach, this one more sandy and swimmer friendly than the others, and we walked looking for sea glass and other things. It was such a beautiful day. It got us out of the house ALL day, and we had a great time together. We also visited my mothers old church. It was a very beautiful church. Inside it was slightly breathtaking. It was sort of a shocker to really enjoy the day with my mom, but we both had a great time. I just love the views you get from Fort Williams. The old forts you see are so cool, as lame as it sounds. It's a wonderful park. Then you can look out on the water..I don't know, just something about the whole scene is a little breath-taking, and I live here...I always joke that tourists should go home because my state is invaded, and hard to enjoy. Now when I think of it, I don't think they should leave, they should see everything. When I was younger, my family did a lot of far away traveling, and I saw some pretty awesome sights. I can only hope that other people can appreciate my state, my home, as much as I do. It's fantastic, weather it be a blizzard out, or a beatiful day. I think it has character!

Love vs. In love

So this one will be completely different from my first post. This one is more about relationships than anything else.

When you say you love someone, do you mean that you love them as a person, or are you in love with them? I always thought there was this huge abyss of a difference between plain old love, and in love. As I have come to learn they are not much different. I think if you love somone (a romantic partner, not a family member or friend by the way) that you have felt that first spark. I believe those first butterflies that never seem to leave your stomach when you are around that special person are what tells you that you are in love with them. I think it's how you know you love them. I used to believe that if you are not in love with me, you don't want to be with me, and possibly don't love me. I stewed over this, and realized that it may be possible for the feeling of "in love" to be confused with all the excitement of a new relationship. When that excitement dies, it's possible to think that the feeling of being in love has gone with it. I think, however, that if you still look at that special person and still think that you love them, and maybe always will, that you are still in love with them at that point. Just because the butterflies flew away and only return every now and then, does not mean your love is fading. I think it means your love is changing.

Every new relationship is like a new adventure. The person you are on the adventure with is likely just as nervous as you, and, hopefully, wants it to work out as much. In the begining you think you could never even argue with this person, but as time goes on, you learn you can't always see eye to eye. Learning that lesson is sometimes a toughy. It sort of stinks to have the innocence and newness of the relationship taken away, but it's also a great thing! You have gotten the chance to be closer with an individual, and you are no longer afraid to disagree.

I don't know why I am writing this, I am frankly not sure people will read it and think that I am some awesome person. I don't even expect people to agree with everything that I say. I just want to write, and to be able to think that somebody out there might care about what I have to say.

On another note, I have to say that even though girls are said to be the confusing ones, I have found boys to be just as confusing, if not more so. For example, my boyfriend of almost 2 years goes on about these random reasons why we shouldn't stay together, but then he wants us to be together again afterwards...he seems very undecided on the issue. I always thought it was girls that caused that drama. I have to laugh a bit at the irony though. Two years ago I would have been on here wondering if it is possible to love to people. I would have been the one confused and juggling with my thoughts back and forth on the issue. I find it quite Ironic that as I am sure of what I want, he is suddenly unsure. My threory (I hope it's on the right track) is that as a 21 year old he is seeing our relationship turn more serious since we will be together for 2 years in a month and a halfish. I think that it gives him cold feet to think that he could settle down with me, since we act as if we are very settled together sometimes. I know it's hard for him to think serious, because the whole idea of marriage and children are enough to send the boy running for the hills. His problem is that at a young age, out of nowhere, his mother left his father. He feels that somehow his childhood was never as perfect as it should have been. As a result, he does not want to get married, have kids, and then be divorced. My parents are still together, yet argue a lot, or are always complaining about the other one to me when the other is not around. I am not saying I wish my parents were divorced, but sometimes it is better than watching them argue, and listeing to the not so friendly remarks made behind the others back. I just keep reminding him that if he thinks he is going to get married to someone, do not go into it with the thought of an impending divorce, because at that point, what was the point of vowing "til death do you part"? I am NOT saying that everyone who is divorced is without good reason, but I think it to be ridiculous to think of a marraige as an impending divorce-doom.

Now I have a question. I may never get a reply to this, but I am going to ask anyways. What is something nice you can do for someone that is not too expensive, but is just a really great way to say I love you? I always try to think of something nice for my boyfriend, but I either chicken out, or can't think of anything for him. I think corny girly girl things, but I need something that he might actually enjoy that is not a girly girl, corny thing to do. If that makes any sense.

Well, that does it for my ramble tonight. Hopefully it wasn't to awful.
~Katy

Breed Specific Legislation

Over the years I have been doing some light research on a personally troubling issue. Breed Specific Legislation is a way to impose a punishment upon an entire breed of dogs, because of the actions of the OWNERS of a few dogs. Let me explain. The most poster dog for breed specific legislation is the vicious pit bull, with it's teeth gritted and beast-like drool dripping from it's impossibly sharpened teeth. The picture painted by legislators pushing this bill is that without these dogs around, dog attacks will cease to exist. That is not a solution. It is unfair to every last bit. This is a slightly personal issue for me, I will give any critics that. However, listen to the story first.

My family was dogless for years after my black lab puppy ran away when I was around 4 years old. I begged my parents relentlessly for another dog for years and years. Constantly getting a no, and oftentimes being sent off to my room to force me to see a punishment in nonstop badgering. Eventually, my parents decided it was time to give owning another dog a whirl. We went out and looked around at local shelters for a dog needing a home that was not too old. Eventually we settled for a mutt named Shiloh. He was part blue tic hound, and black lab. He was 3. I loved Shiloh to bits and pieces, but he had a problem. Shiloh was very agressive, especially if it came to his food. He would bite any hands trying to stop him from snapping up the food that had fallen to the ground. My family loved Shiloh, so we tried to ignore his problem. All was well until the night he bit my younger sister...in the face. Every night she would go out to the mud room (an extension of our kitchen we blocked off to keep him from destroying the house in our sleep). She would give Shiloh a hug and a kiss and then return to bed. This night, she went out, as usual to give him a hug and a kiss, and he turned and bit her. He bit her hard enough to break the skin, but luckily not enough to do permanent damage. I was totally devastated. My parents but a rush on taking him back to the shelter. I cried and made childish threats, but in the end, my friend, was gone. I gave up, even though they promised we would get another dog.

So the hunt began..again. We checked out the uncle henreys for puppys, and called local veterenary hospitals to see if any puppies were born and not too expensive. Somehow, fate brought us 2 hours away, to another dog shelter. We had gone to see a lab/beagle mix. My mom was curious about her breed. We walked her, and found that she was not the type of dog we were interested in. I was taking the dog back to her kennel, when I noticed another young dog sitting back in a corner kennel. She was so cute, ears perked, tail wagging. She was not jumping on her door or barking like the other dogs, she was just..waiting. I saw immediately that she was at least part pit bull, and quickly asked the lady. She confirmed the suspicions that left my heart sinking. I knew my mother would never want a dog that is anything pit bull, not after a dog that was part LAB bit my sister. I opted not to say a word. My mom went back out to look at the dogs, and found the same sweet girl just sitting there. My mom fell in love with her eyes I believe. We took her for a walk, and immediately we saw that she was an excellent candidate for a family pet. She adored attention from anyone, and she did not pull you over when on a leash. We took her in, and my mom asked some questions. Apparently my mom was not as perceptive as I about her breed. When my mom heard pit bull she did as I feared. She started to not want the dog. My dad was taking her for a walk at the time, to see if he liked her too, as it was a family choice. When he returned, it was clear he loved her too. We decided to go out to lunch to talk about the choice. My mom was very reluctant to adopt a dog with a breed that is heard to be vicious. I reminded her how much she loved the dog before she knew what she was. My mom eventually caved, and we adopted out husky/pit bull mix. Her name is Mello. She has to be one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met.

So, that is the personal bias. I did my research on this bill. If passed in a city, any dog that is pit bull must be euthenized or moved to a new city. I can not immagine a dog like my girl being put down just because of what breed she is. Compared to our part lab, she is an angel. She is great with children, somehow understanding that they are more fragile than their adult counterparts. She knows how to be gentle. And this dog, has NEVER bitten anybody, and we have had her for 7 years now. We taught her young that we were in charge. When she was a pup, she got into SO MUCH trash, and we would literally stick our hands and fingers in her mouth to pry out her prize, and she let us. That dog is not vicous. One fourht of July, I was at a fireworks event, and met a man with a pit bull, I asked if I could pat his dog. The man said sure go for it, the dog literally rolled over for me to scratch his belly with his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. That dog was no attacker either.

My father and I got into a debate. He asked me what my solution is to a mother whose child got mauled by a pitbull. I understand that it hurts to see your baby hurt by anything, dog or otherwise. I understand the full rage of a parent. Wanting to seek vengence for the pain or death of their child. It would be strange if that did not happen. My solution is such: Put the dog(s) that commited the act down. Then arrest the owner and put them in jail, and take their rights to owning dogs away. Do not just slap a FINE on them! For their dog to become so awful that it could maul a human being, there is a LOT that that person neglected to do for that dog. You cannot blame an entire breed for the handful of careless owners out there! My dog loves anyone, and it breaks my heart to know that she would go, tail wagging, to give doggie kisses to the same people that would love to see her put down. I have made it sort of my mission, when I see another pitbull, to pet it and so far, I have not encountered one that does not love people, or the attention they get from them.

I don't know how to stop this from happening. I just want to say that it is unfair. We don't punish an entire human race for one killer. We do not even go as far to punish that killer's bloodline. Just because one guy is a socio-path does not mean his mother was, or his children will be. So why should we punish an ENTIRE breed for the actions of neglected dogs?

I did a report on this. I looked up one instance in Topeka, Kansas, where the bill was passed. A pit bull breeder had to get rid of all his pit bulls. Did that stop him from breeding? No. He went on to breed a dog more specifically targeted for gaurd dog, and known to have a much more vicous streak than a pit bull. The bill really did some good there wouldn't you say?