Country Gold

I've been getting a little antsy planning my big move to DC & thinking about the transition back to impoverished student (as if impoverished full time worker isn't challenging enough). 

In need of some inspiration today, I looked up the following Mary Chapin Carpenter song

We got this far

Darlin' not by luck

But by never turning back

and then stumbled across her 2007 This I Believe essay on gratitude. Just what I needed.    

(Furry) Babies in Need

I had an NPR Driveway Moment the other day as I pulled into the Humane Society parking lot. I was there bright and early to interview animal-loving volunteers on why they work away their lives for free.

The NPR story began with weekday host Steve Inskeep interviewing weekend host Scott Simon on his new book, Baby We Were Meant for Each Other.

The lives of both men have been touched by adoption, and Simon was choked up throughout most of the interview as he talked about his young daughters. (Part of the driveway moment experience, I think, is wiping away your own tears before interacting with humans outside of your vehicle.)

I immediately saw the juxtaposition of being at the animal shelter, and was anticipating the next 45 minutes of meeting and petting furry babies also up for adoption.

Animal lovers are dogged in their attachment to their pets. They care for their four-legged children as if they had given birth to them themselves.

Some important things I learned at the Humane Society:

• it's a no kill shelter, meaning unlike the county and other shelters, they do not euthanize to make room for more.
• there are plenty of small, pure breeds waiting to be adopted due to the recession.
• in an average year the shelter adopts out 5,000 dogs and cats. In this past year, they adopted out 7,000.

Click here to see free ranging kitties in the Human Society's "Real Life" room, courtesy of Fox 13's Kitty Cam.

Tampa Bay is blessed to have such a great shelter. Not only does it place all those animals into safe, loving homes, but they often have room to take animals ("literally out of time," according to volunteer coordinator Ben Moehnert) from the county shelter on Falkenburg, another kill shelter in Alabama, and as far away as Puerto Rico.

If you're interested in volunteering at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, check out their website or call volunteer coordinator Ben Moehnert at 774-4344.

Meatless Mondays

Last night I told a meat-eating friend I was going to make us eggplant parm sandwiches for dinner. He said he's never had eggplant in his life, and gave me that Don't-make-me-eat-tofu face.

I promised a BLT if he didn't like the eggplant. Then I commenced to chopping, slicing, breading and frying (which tends to make anything taste good), and smothered the veggies in fresh garlic marinara and fancy Parmesan cheese.

When we sat down and I asked him what he thought, he said he "didn't find it objectionable." I think that means I did alright.

So on the rush hour commute this fine Monday morning, I was very happy to hear the NPR story on Meatless Mondays. I'm not a vegetarian, but I prefer a meatless diet because I don't like the hormones in meat (there was a separate story on American girls now menstruating at 7 years of age), nor do I approve of factory farming (of animals or plants for that matter). It's also more expensive to eat meat - and not just the price you pay at the checkout line.

Gone are the days from my suburban Jersey youth when my grandma and mother would tell my meat-free self that: "You'll starve! You need protein!"

Ladies! Your girl knows how to cook up a fine bunch of cashews and rainbow chard (but I won't tell my meat-eating friend that just yet).