Peanut Economics: Rockin' N Rollin' With the Punches

Hi there friends! In 2013, I thought I would mix things up a bit and kick it old school in trying to find myself a means of employment. Last year's efforts were a bit of a let down, so I thought I would try out for something a little more traditional to help me bring home the bacon.

I decided I was going to join an 80's rocker band. It made perfect sense to me, and there seemed to be so many pluses to the career move. I made a mental list for myself to weigh all of the potential benefits.

1. Job security. You gotta figure, if a rocker hasn't disappeared into obscurity after twenty years or so, there's gotta be some kind of cool secret to their career longevity. 

2. Savings on hair grooming. Rockers NEVER cut their hair, or wash it very often, so I would save tons of money by not having to get groomed. There might be a small monetary offset on cans of hairspray and eyeliner, but hey, sometimes, it's a trade off.
3. Great singing talent is not necessarily a requirement. Apparently, when kicking it old school rocker style, the moniker 'if you can't sing good, sing loud' really can work for you.

The more I thought about it, the better I felt. I really thought I could do this. The big question though was what kind of rocker did I want to be? I tried to channel a little classic rock with Credence Clear Water Revival but found I didn't quite have the right sound for it.

Next, I gave my best rebel yell at the first white wedding I could find, but the ushers threw me out before I could even get to the chorus. Apparently, the guests were not a big fan of my rendition of Billy Idol.

I finally decided, if I was going to be a rocker, I needed to go all the way and commit myself to Rock And Roll All Nite! I kissed my good girl image goodbye and unleashed my Peanut Poison Pie...... rocker and roller of all things round and squeaky. Nothing could stand in my way!

I played HARD at all hours of the day and night.........the way a real rocker should.........and I didn't care what anybody said about it! Squeaka! Squeaka!

I even had the attitude going on....you know the one they say you hafta have as a celebrity rocker to help set you apart from everyone else?

I had the moves and the grooves on stage.....you know the kind that say 'look but you can't touch'....

They were great times, being on the road, unskinny bopping (whatever that means). It was what a Peanut Poison Pie rocker's life should be.....

But just as every rose has it's thorn, this rocker life of action was beginning to feel kind of empty for me, and I was starting to miss my mommy alot. She had always encouraged me to follow my dreams, but had always reminded me to stay true to myself in the process.

I realized as I squeaked my squeaky ball that life on the road as Peanut Poison Pie just wasn't for me. I liked being just plain old Peanut Pumpkin Pie, squeaking my ball with my nicely groomed hair.

I like being just plain me. I decided to hang my up hair and pass the flaming baton on to someone else.

It's not that there is anything wrong with being a rocker. It just wasn't a good fit for me. I guess I wasn't enough of a fallen angel. When the last song was sung and my shooting star landed, I picked up the phone and told my mommy I was coming home. I will always look back on my rocker days with fondness as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I will always be grateful for the decision I made to leave that rock and rollercoaster life behind.

It is so important to know who you are in your own heart; not based on how someone else defines you but on how you define yourself. People's opinions of you will come and go like the flashes from a pyrotechnic's flashpot. What you think of yourself is the thing that matters most. It is the opinion you will carry with you the rest of your life. As long as you know who you are and are happy with the person you see looking back at you in the mirror, nothing else matters.

Here's hoping that today when you look in the mirror, you love what you see. And don't forget to rock and roll with the punches!

Peanut Economics: Exploring the Arctic Tundra Outbackside

Hello dear friends! This is a special edition of Peanut Economics, and you will understand why it is special in just a second. As many of you know, I am a snow dog, or at least my ancestry goes back to the great snow dogs of old. Although I may be too little now to pull the giant sleds in the Adirondacks, my heart is as large and as fierce as the giants I was bred down from. I still love the snow, and I often dream of the day when I too would get to explore the frigid wonderland we know as the Arctic tundra.

This winter unfortunately has been for us devoid of snow, and so this little snow dog had only her dreams to cling to. That is until one morning when I woke up super early to this....

I was elated! Could it be? Was the day finally here? I could feel the promise of fulfillment of my dreams within my very paws. But I had to be careful. This was not an undertaking for the faint of heart. Conditions had to be perfect, or else I put my very life at risk. I went through my mental checklist, and I prayed that all would be as I hoped it would be. First, I tasted the snow to make sure it was ready. If it had an off flavor, I would know it wasn't time. Nope....tasted great. CHECK!

Then I walked through the snow to make sure it had the right crunchy sound beneath my paws. Perfect crunch with every step. DOUBLE CHECK!!

Then I did the full body plunge to make sure it was the right temperature and consistency for exploration. Super cold and perfectly packed. TRIPLE CHECK!!!

I looked to the heavens and thanked the good Lord for smiling on me. My dream was finally coming to pass. Now all I had to do was get my supplies together. I was burning daylight, and there was no time to waste!

I got my gear together as quick as I could. There was no telling what I might need in the frigid arctic tundra. Since I had never been there before, I took everything I thought might come in handy. I brought extra blankets, a pink kiddy pool (never know when you need to go wading), a red tool box, a cardboard box, and a small animal crate with a scary stalking kitty already inside. I had everything I needed!

As the fearless explorer, I said my goodbyes to my mommy, complete with hugs and kisses.........

and I headed to the great Arctic Tundra Outbackside........

Oh the beauty of it all! When first I laid eyes upon the great white expanse, it took my breath away so that I had to take a moment to soak it all in....

With as beautiful as it was, I could not forget I was an explorer first and had to see what I could see while daylight was on my side. So I wandered through the frigid wasteland......

Seeking new and wondrous things........

Pushing myself to my physical and emotional limits in this lonely, barren world of ice and snow......



Where a snow dog can be forced to do things for the sake of survival they wouldn't ordinarily do.....shameful things......like eat snow.......raw snow.......uncooked even........

Oh wait........I do that all the time anyways.......okay.....never mind.......back to the tundra and blowing snow and survival in the vastness of the Arctic Tundra.......

It was a long day, filled with the taste of an icy victory. My paws were turning into pawcicles, and it was time to head home. As I gathered my supplies together, I did so with a full heart, savoring the knowledge that I had fulfilled my dream of being a real life snow dog in the Arctic Tundra Outbackside!

I couldn't wait to tell my mommy about my many adventures. She would be so proud.....maybe not about the snow eating......but about everything else......her heart would swell with joy for me. I raced home to share everything with her.

How wonderful it was to share the day with my mommy....the triumphs.....the tribulations......it made the whole experience that much richer for me. A dream fulfilled is a gift indeed. A dream fulfilled and shared with someone you love is a treasure that is beyond compare.

Today, I had a dream come true, and it was amazing. The thing that made it extraordinary was the fact that I didn't experience it alone. I got to share it with someone I love and who loves me in return. My prayer for you today my friends is for you to live out a dream (no matter how big or small it is) and to have the gift of sharing it with someone you love! Happy dreaming!

I Dreamed a Dream of Friendship

Hello dear friends! Being a little dog, who lives in a more rural community, I don't have as much opportunity to get out and see the world like some of my canine brethren like Lassie, Rin-Tin-Tin, the PetMeds dog, Bella, and some dog named Boo who has his own line of planes. For me, my life is a tad simpler. I tend to rely more on the internet to 'see' the world and make new friends. It has been a real blessing because I have made friends the world over, from countries and continents I cannot even spell much less travel to. For a little dog like me, that is a really big deal.

I have shared my triumphs and tragedies with my far-flung friends, and they have proved through it all to be faithful and true, just as if they lived next door to me. This great information age we live in has made the world a much smaller, cozier place, and has given this little dog so many opportunities to discover how spectacular the world and all its people really are.

I wanted more than anything to find a way to express how I felt about all of my wonderful friends, so one night, I closed my eyes and I dreamed a dream. When I woke up, the words of the following poem just poured into my heart, and I share them now with you. I may not be the best poet, but it is certainly the best this little dog has to offer from her heart. So here goes......it is called 'I Dreamed a Dream of Friendship'.

I Dreamed a Dream of Friendship

I dreamed a dream of rose and gold,
I dreamed of friends, both young and old.
The kind of friends who know no bounds,
for they are cats, birds, people, & hounds.
I dreamed of friends, both far and near,
The friends who make my smile appear.
I dreamed of joys that fill my heart,
As lives are shared though lived apart.
You are my treasures, near and far,
It matters little where you are.
My heart belongs to each of you,
So, know I love you when the day is through.

by Peanut Pumpkin Pie
(c) December 27, 2012

 

Well, dear friends, I hope you liked it. It was my little love poem to you to thank you for being the fabulous friends you have always been. For being there through thick and thin. I love you all!

Peanut Wisdom - The Gift of Friendship

Hello dear friends. There are few treasures in this world that can compare to friendship. It is a fundamental truth I have known my entire life, but recently, I was reminded about it when I received a very special package from a very special friend.

It all started a few weeks ago when I bid on my dear friend Jiff's picture that was up for auction on an animal rescue site. The picture he had posted was one of my favorites. The money was going to a great cause so my mommy helped me put a bid in. And guess what? I won! I was so excited. I received notice the picture was on its way, but little did I know, my friend had sent me something extra special. When the mailman delivered an entire box and I discovered it was from Jiff, I did a big happy dance in celebration!

There were all kinds of goodies in the box! There were 2 beautiful pictures of my dear friend Jiff...

Including the pawtographed one which was my all time favorite that I won in the auction....

There were also lots of fun toys and nummy treats too that made my mouth water. Delicious!

There were so many fun things to play with, I had a hard time deciding which one was my favorite. I explored every inch of the wonderful gift box, thanking God for my sweet friend and the wonderful surprise he sent me.

Then I found the squeaky pig, and I knew I had the best friend EVER! After all who doesn't like a squeaky pig?

Of course, a warning for those of you who find yourself in the presence of a squeaky pig. They have been known to trigger odd, often scary fits of uncontrollable playfulness followed by unexplained memory loss when the fit is over. This could just be an urban legend, but I am not so sure....

Now, where was I? Shoot, I forgot what I was talking about. Well, at any rate, there was so much in my beautiful box, I decided to share.

There was way too much for just one little pup, so I brought the box out and let my puppy and kitty brothers and sisters enjoy the bounty as well.

It was a night to remember! We played games, we squeeked toy, we ate lots of treats together, all in honor of my dear friend Jiff. I won't tell you how many treats I feasted upon that evening, but I left narry a crumb to give me away.

In the end, the best gift was the gift of friendship....and the beautiful reminder that I was loved by my friend. Knowing that fact was better than all the toys, squeaky pigs or nummy banana treats the world could make.

Thank you Jiff for being so wonderful, but thank you most of all for making me feel special and for reminding me that friendship, above all other things, is the greatest gift of all.

Peanut Economics - The Shiver Me Timbers of Finding Square Fish!

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum raisin me maties! Shiver me timbers it has been a long time since my last post, but I have a mighty good excuse! I've been taking my fill of the salty sea air and trying my paw at commanding a vessel as a Gorton's fisherman.

Don't let the little duckies on my slicker fool you....it hasn't been all fun and ball games. Okay.... there were a few ball games, but even us crusty sailors need a break from time to time from the hard-driving grind of sea life.

At any rate ...... back to my salty fish tale. There I was, the great Captain McPeanut, tasked with finding a new source for the delectable flaky entree for the nummy blue and yellow Gorton's label .... but where does one find flaky square fish?

It was a challenge I was ready to take on, preservatives and all! Or my name wasn't Captain McPeanut!

My crew and I set off in search of a school of square fish. We searched high, and we searched low, but we could not seem to catch a break. I am ashamed to say at times, tempers flared a might warm, and I, as captain, barked a few orders now and then.....may the crew forgive me.

Finally, after weeks of sea and shame, AVAST! We caught our break. A crusty crab let loose he had spotted a school of fast moving square fish off the coast of Japan. We had nary a moment to lose. We set sail for the oriental seas, feeling as though fairer winds were behind us.

I knew when we arrived at our destination, we couldn't risk just dropping our nets and hoping a few square fish would happen into them. Oh no. I had to go the way of the great explorers like Jacques Cousteau who sought other elusive creatures in their natural habitat - creatures like the great white, the colossal squid, the loch-ness monster, the yeti, and the fair deal. I decided I had to step off my ship and go where the fish were, so I did the only thing I could do. I became a fish myself.

A hammerhead shark to be exact. It seemed a natural choice. They are always depicted as such happy fish with all those teeth. Always smiling. Always saying hello to all the other fish. Very sociable from everything I had ever seen.

I took my deep dive and started working my magic. I mingled. I charmed. I said hello to everyone. I talked about the weather. I wished each fish a good day. I asked after their mothers. The only problem was, every time I came near enough to ask any pointed questions about the square fish I was seeking, all of the other fish swam away in fright. As a matter of fact, no one would really talk to me, no matter how nice I was. Even though I smiled my best smile.

I felt so self conscious in fact, I went back to the ship without ever seeing a single square fish. And you know what I found out later? A big secret I wish I had known ahead of time. Sharks aren't really happy fish; they're scary fish! All those teeth are for EATING not SMILING! That's why no one would talk to me! They thought I was hungry, not happy. Boy did I feel silly!

You know what though? That's okay. I also found out the fish I was supposed to be looking for aren't naturally square, and they don't come breaded in the water. I wasn't supposed to be catching flaky, breaded, square fish filets. I was supposed to be catching real live fishies that are pretty and colorful, and I couldn't do that. (To be honest, I kept wondering how the breading on those square fish filets was supposed to keep from getting all soggy in the water anyways.)

So I guess I didn't make a very good fisherman, but I sure had fun shivering up those timbers. You know, you don't have to be the best at everything or even particularly great at most things as long as you can find joy in the things you do. Here's hoping you find your joy in the midst of your fish tales!