Do your animals compulsively lick or pee when you're out?

If you don't know me, I have 3 puggies, Admiral (dad), Arcona (mom), and Anoo (son), whom I adore more than anything else! And yes, they're named after Star Wars aliens.

Anyhoo, thought I'd take a couple minutes to share with you a couple things I've learned with them... 'Cause if there's something wrong with them, then there's something (emotionally) wrong with me! If you're a pet lover, I assume you feel the same!

Anoo (youngest) was potty trained early on from his mama, Arcona, and daddy, Admiral. Plus, they have a doggie door, to boot. He was born here, so the transition to adulthood seemed pretty easy for him. He never had to break that bond that other siblings do. So why, after being potty trained, would he elect to piss all over my kitchen when I'm away?

If you understand that animals don't do things out of spite (sorry, that's a human quality!) then you understand that the dog isn't peeing because he/she is mad. With that out of the equation, I was hitting my head trying to figure out WHY this could be happening. There's nothing worse or more unsanitary that coming home to a pile of nasty, smelly PEE, and in your kitchen, no less.

After lots of digging I came up with this. If you're having trouble, perhaps it will work for you, too. Grab a shirt or something that SMELLS like you (an article of clothing works best, I think). Make sure it's safe (no buttons or anything they can swallow) and place it near them when you leave. The theory is that (some) animals have anxiety and pee out of nervousness. Thankfully, I was too exhausted for my ego to tell me this was silly, so I tried it, and it WORKED!!! Still does.

Now, if they pee trying to cover up another animal's scent, this is entirely different. They're spraying. It only works if ANXIETY is the issue. But point is, it does work! yippee!!!

Next obstacle I've recently overcome is the mama, Arcona, compulsively licking!! Why? Well, the vet says she could be licking outside stuff off her (allergy-related) which I don't think is the case, since she does it when she's been in most of the day. OR, they say anxiety, because they fear darkness (is it close to bedtime?). That IS when she licks, so I'm thinking this MIGHT be the case. I've discovered if I hug her snug up against me, she slowly STOPS licking. Think about if you're upset or anxious and someone gives you a hug.. how do you feel? Better, right? It's the little discoveries I tell ya, that make a world of difference.

Thanks for reading.

Pugs & kisses.

xo Jentri

Humanizing swords

Just realized I haven't written about whatever the hell I want to in a while - so here I am! ;)

The last month's been crazy. Through some tough emotional (work-related) stuff, I've been reminded of how much I appreciate the people that mean the most to me - and why.

Sometimes, we let our ego's care about other people's perceptions of us. And that's never a winning situation. So I asked myself one question:

Why would I be mad or sad if someone said something about me that wasn't true?

Can you imagine how celebrities must feel? Sure, they've got glamour and money, but I think we forget they're humans, too.

Recently, we had to let someone go on a project, (for a logical, valid reason) and that person questioned my loyalty and character. I had to stop the (email) conversation right there. I couldn't/wouldn't respond to that. It felt too much like blindly throwing sharp objects without knowing even knowing what was being aimed at (besides my head!).

Does this person not understand this is a business decision and not a friendship decision? Would this person have acted this way, or said these things to someone else, whom they maybe respected more?

Truth is, I don't really know this person that well.

This is the conclusion I've come to though. If someone doesn't really know you, they can let their mind run wild with false perceptions of who you are. And let's be honest, it's much easier to throw swords that way, instead of just taking responsibility for your own actions. But there's good news (hidden in) here.

I know who I am.

I'm a sister, daughter, wife, aunt, and lover of all sweet life... a human being, though never perfect, that has some friends other people would die for. I've been married for over 10 years in a loyal relationship to a strange, loving human being. When I give a compliment I mean it. And when I send out loving thoughts, they're sincere.

People are not one dimensional. And just because you see something one way, doesn't mean it's the right way.

People are colorful, and complicated.

But, when someone's on fire, sometimes you have to surrender to "it's better to be kind than right."

Their fight is not your fight. Their feelings are not your feelings. Let them work it out.

I say this because we all are complex beings. We all have baggage and pockets full of surprises. But if we're smart, we learn to deal with it, put it aside, and don't let it dictate how we run our lives.

It's so easy to judge, laugh, criticize or even love strangers from a distance, when they haven't been humanized, isn't it?

Every once in a while, I get frustrated in traffic, too. But then I close my eyes (while I'm stopped of course!) and imagine if the person driving the car were my dad or mom.. and it changes everything.

As Dr. Dyer says, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."

I see this (above) message as a way of honoring our bodies and minds. Choosing peace, and as a consequence - freeing our minds from clutter and unimportant drama. Knowing we all have a choice as to how we respond and handle things in our lives, even when they're not ideal.

And today, I choose to forgive that person for throwing swords, even if they choose otherwise. 'Cause the way I see it is, there are only two kinds of emotions: Love & Fear. Guess which one angry swords comes from?

Wishing you all love, laughter, light, and peace as you go into your week... stay reminded of what and who really matters... there's no greater time to give yourself the gift of love, honesty, and respect - than the present.

Jentri

Attempt at making homemade dogfood and saving a little $!

Here's a helpful link to make your own dogfood and save $.

Please make sure you look at what to AVOID as well.

Today, while Shad was making a carrot juice drink I had a thought - all the carrot that fell to the bottom that he was going to throw away shouldn't be wasted! So I sat it aside. I'm making some brown rice now, and going to buy some lean ground meat, or salmon later to mix in. I wish I could get around buying the 'meat' part, but I feel a responsibility to my canines to ensure their proper health. After all, what would they eat if we didn't domesticate them? hmmmm. It's hard for me to imagine green peas... but there are A LOT of veggies that can be added in - yay! However, I choose to include meat. I've read that soy isn't good for dogs, unlike humans, where soy can be very healthy. So, until I'm convinced otherwise, I gotta buy it. BUT, the good part is, I can make sure I buy ALL NATURAL organic meat and know where it comes from. That's always a plus, if you must.

Anyhoo, I'm adding the organic carrots, brown rice, natural meat and perhaps broccoli or peas. Then I'll mix their normal dogfood with it in halves. That way, they can get 'used to it' slowly. If they like it, and it makes sense for me financially, perhaps they'll have homemade dog food a few times a week - like a healthy treat on the weekends! If I don't have time, then they won't have to 'adjust' their bodies to a whole new type of food again.

The other half of my brain says, "Jentri, who are we kidding really? I see my dog eat poop and acorns, and lick pee off each other all the time!" Oh well, doesn't mean we can't try!! lol

Wish me luck! The nice thing is, they're not as picky as Shad. :)

It's easy being green-ish. :)

While I'm not the "greenest" person in the world, I do try. Really hard. I think there are EASY ways to contribute (or not take away, at least) to this earth. I'm an admittedly a recycle nut. If it can be recycled at this house, it will be! It's just LAZY to not. Same with using real shopping bags. I'm a bit of a real shopping bag whore. And when I can avoid buying products with extra chemicals, or any chemicals at all, I do. Whatever goes down the drain or sinks into your skin affects YOU. Don't be fooled. In the summer, yes, I hang my clothes outside. It's harder work, but probably saves $30 on your electric bill. And when money is slow comin' in - why not!? Consider it a mini-workout for your day. In addition, I started using the "light/short cycle" for washing clothes when it's not a heavy duty load. Saves water, too!

While I'm on a health kick, you may be wondering how to keep your sweet animals healthy, too. While this can vary with each animal's needs, I've found INNOVA to be the best brand I can afford to buy in Austin. In HEB, they even carry an all organic brand, Organix, which I use on occasion. Main thing to look for is that they don't use by-products, corn, or anything artificial. Also, dogs don't need salt & sugar - think about it. Plus, brown rice is always better than white. These quality brands can be found in most 'local' pet stores. For a while, my dad's girlfriend, Donna, was making her own. I'll get that recipe and post it later, too. When they had LOTS of animals to feed, she found this more affordable, and nutritious. I think most people want to take the BEST care of their animals, but there's so much misinformation to sift through, that it can be intimidating, to say the least. I happen to find it fun to learn, so I'll share. :)

I recently had a friend ask me what organic meant - I'm serious. I assumed that most people know, but that's not the case. Busy people, or skeptical people might think it's a money making scam, and rightfully so. There are plenty of those out there. So I'd like to refer you to a book - Eat This, Not That. Here, you'll be able to see which products/food to buy organic, and why it matters.

Part of me being vegetarian, I think, also contributes to this earth as a whole. I think a real misconstrued thing about vegetarians is that they must not eat, or eat good. I have smart friends that inquire all the time - "what do you eat?" and it's a fair question for meat eaters to ponder. Meat becomes such an easy, accessible food for us, that when it's taken away, people can't fathom what else to consume! I'm sure I thought the same thing once.

So, I'd like to post at least ONE EASY VEGETARIAN recipe a week. Or do my best. :) Growing up, it was all about the pot. Whatever mom could cook inside one big one is what we ate. Always enough for friends coming over. And because she was busy, working inside the home cutting hair, and raising three kids solo for a while, it was the only way. We never had sit-down dinners, and that was OK. Plus, my mom's from Louisiana, so all our meals were super spicy with a Cajun flare. Yippee on the taste buds!

Think Rachel Ray's 30-min (or less!) meals meets Semi-homemade, with vegetarian, family-friendly size portions - and that's what I'll give you - straight up LA/TX style. :)

I'll also take my dad's delicious (that's an understatement) SOUP recipes, alter then to make sure they're vegetarian, and post them here.

FIRST RECIPE - 4-Bean Spicy Soup with Brown Rice (got your fiber & protein right here!)

Double for larger families.

4 cans of your favorite beans

I use navy, black eyed, pinto, and black bean

1 can of spicy rotel

Steam once cup of brown rice (or preferred type). Remember, if you boil your veggies & rice

you lose the nutritional value. Isn't that the point to even eating them? So steam! :)

Cook a couple links of veggie sausage (or preferred type) on the side.

Dump all your beans in a big pot with some veggie broth (or preferred broth) and

rotel. Add sea salt & spice to taste.

Once sausage is cooked, cut it up, and add to beans. Serve hot, over rice.

If you have a little more time, cut up some onions and saute in EVOO prior for more flavor.

If you're really thrifty and a good cook, try making your beans yourself. That eliminates

extra sodium & saves $ (fyi- I've only burnt the beans when trying to make mine, ha!). In fact, if you just rinse your canned beans, you can eliminate about 40-50% of the sodium, too. :)

Serves around 4 (can you say left-overs?!) or just double the recipe for larger families.

Also, most every soup or soupy dinner can be frozen, if you can't consume it all in a few days. So, try freezing some up, and enjoying it next week for lunch. I do that with the organic pancakes I make now, too, instead of throwing them away. Had an aha-moment. No preservatives, and you can warm it up for about 45 sec. in the microwave for your breakfast!

Enjoy!

Family

Perhaps it's the time of year. Perhaps it's my age. Perhaps it's my career. Perhaps it's an awakening. Perhaps it's just hormones. Perhaps it's just too damn much love in my heart. Or perhaps I was inspired by watching The Natives series (so great, btw).

But I've been thinking a lot about family lately, and what that means to me.

I've never wanted children. In fact, it was one of the first things I told my husband when we first met. The thought of being responsible for another human all my life was/is scary. I put everything I have into my relationship with my husband, (well, pugs, too!) and my career. My cup is pretty full now. But the question is: Will it still be full later, if I don't have a child/children?

Someone once told me that they thought that was our only purpose of our existence  - to have kids. I thought that was insane, and that was a shallow perspective. I suppose it's because I think happiness, love, and fulfillment can be found all around us, all the time, if we look. But I do respect that perspective.

One of my main concerns has always been the business I've chosen. Without the risk of sounding whiny, because that's not my intention, I'll still say it - it's a tough business for a woman. Mostly 'cause it's mainly MEN. But that aside, it's just flat out time consuming. Way more time consuming than any other job I can think of (and I've had a few!). You have to saturate yourself in it if you want to succeed. 

So, I tried to think of examples of people who've done it successfully - had it all, and I came up with a few... for one, my wonderful producer, Lorie, has a beautiful 2 (going on 3?) year old and does a great job of shifting back and forth. And two and three are some of my other role models - Nora Ephron and Nancy Meyers (writer-directors). They're brilliant at what they do, and they each have 2 children!! So, it must be possible... right?

I remember a good filmmaker friend of mine asking me a couple of years back - "how do film people do it.. have careers and families... they do it, don't they?" And honestly, I couldn't say YES. I thought that if we had kids in our 30's we were doomed in the biz. But then I found my producer... and now...?

Well, now I'm beginning to see how it can maybe be done. But I'm not there yet. We're all different, regardless of my 'examples', and all handle stress, work, and family differently. When I think of 40, I still picture myself being "busy." Maybe busy just changes with regard to how I'm 'being busied.' But at least I know that there's hope... if that's a direction I choose to take - I will look at these wonderful ladies and know that I don't have an excuse.

After all, whoever your family is, family is everything. And families are inspiring (I know mine are!). That's good for any business. :)

A few lil movie reviews: Funny People, The Ugly Truth, & Australia

OK, during TG you stay indoors a lot! :) So I have a few movie reviews for ya - what I did when I wasn't playing a board or card came during family time. These will be short and sweet, but hopefully serve as some insight if you're contemplating spending a couple hours (or 3!) of your life in front of the tube on one of them.

I always think it helps when you go into a movie without expectations. That is when you experience your untainted, unmotivated, true feelings about it. And this is how I went into this particular movie, Funny People, not really having heard much about it (which is usually a red flag).

Funny People: The tone of this film pleasantly surprised me. It was consistent and really well executed. It was funny, but not overt. The dialog was natural, and I enjoyed the story, also written by Apatow (Knocked Up). The reactions from the characters seemed really honest, and I was impressed at the fact that, although it wasn't just keeping me on the edge of my seat with curiosity, it never let me drift off. The chemistry was definitely there. I was invested in this little story of wanting to know what would happen to this man (Sandler) and seeing him change. It wasn't a really deep or completely unpredictable flick, but the performances were. And they didn't try too hard to be funny, which in my opinion, was what allowed it to be funny.

The Ugly Truth: I have to admit, I went into this one with a little bit of expectation, and it wasn't all good. It's one of those mass-appeal cute movies with not a lot of substance, right? My mom liked it, and Shad's dad thought it was a hoot, so I just dove in. Would it live up to its name? It was completely predictable, but it did have cute/funny moments, and overall, I give them credit for at least finding a new way to deliver the material - from mostly the perspective of the man. The actors are pretty good, and one can't help but love Gerard. Seriously, I didn't want to like him in this. But he won me over in 300, then P.S. I Love You, and it's been hard to deny him ever since. :) It's mindless entertainment, but worth a watch - once.

Australia: Ah, the epic 3 hour movie that finally came on cable so I could watch it. What can I say, it's hard to go rent anything that's 3 hours these days. Unless you get suckered into doing it in a theater (which is plenty!!) it just doesn't happen. I sometimes wonder how I watched The Sound of Music so many times when I was little, and what happened to my attention span!? Back to the movie. The first time I put it on, I only watched 15 min. and turned it off. I thought it was a serious picture, but it struck me as odd and corny - like a bad old western. There was too much smoke/fog, and far fetched scenes with wagons and kangaroos. I think the continuity problems with the introduction of Hugh Jackman's hair is when I stopped it. But I kept hearing that it was soooo good. Where was it? Where was the good? So I gave it another shot with my hubbie, and assured him it was supposed to get better, when he made ugly faces at the same things I had. Guess what, it does grow on you. And the actors are pretty great. They eventually make you forget about the distracting CGI, and cheesy narration. And the chemistry is quite wonderful between Kidman and Jackman. And the kid's performance, I must say, very impressive. There's also spectacular shots to appreciate - in an enormously beautiful kind of way. So, my advice is that if you can get through the first half (I know that's asking a lot these days) you will appreciate the last half so much more. After all, it's a Baz Luhrmann film. C'mon, who doesn't love him (Moulin Rouge)? :)

Happy movie watching!

New friends, old friends - it's complicated.

Today I met with an old friend. We used to be best friends, but I haven't seen her since she moved about 5 years ago. We sort of became disconnected a while before that though, and therefore distanced - both emotionally & physically. But reconnecting with her today proved to me a couple things. One - you can't force chemistry, and two - friends should be appreciated for who they are, period.

Like any relationship, people are people and people make mistakes. I think I'm a bit scarred from previous relationships & have been able to let go of people quite easily because of that. In the past, I've put up blocks to keep a safe distance from 'new friends' so that I won't be disappointed when they let me down. Or I let them down (?). It's a defense mechanism, and I'm working on it. It's not something I'm proud of, and consequently, I probably spend a lot of time alone because of it! Thank God I like to work. :) And write!

I'm not feeling sorry for myself, regardless of how this may sound, I'm just trying to make sense out of a complicated, complex song & dance. And to the contrary, I'm feeling really wonderful about my friends right now - both old and new. :)

When I met with my old friend today we laughed... and laughed... she just "gets me." And that may sound cheesy or whatever, but it's TRUE. How many people can look at one another and know what's up? Honestly. It's like an old shoe - it just fits.

And being around so many of my dear friends lately, I've also come to another conclusion - I'm damn lucky. Really lucky. Lucky to have them, lucky to spend time with them, and better for knowing them.