Animal Abuse

When I saw this picture and read the caption my heart got all tight and I almost started crying. This poor 3 week old puppy was used as a “football.” Two teenagers may be charged with felony charges of animal abuse. The poor puppy died. ::shaking head in disgust:: That is one of many things, that I can’t grasp. Why do people abuse animals? I know with teenagers, and young kids (mostly boys) it is a pre-cursor to major issues later in life. Mostly criminal offenses that usually mean they’ll spend life in jail, or many years in jail.

But when I hear stories about kids throwing animals around, or shooting them with pellet guns, or dousing them in petrol and setting them alight, I get so angry. So angry because the law does absolutely nothing about it. They get a slap on the wrist, or a few months in jail. But regardless of where these kids do it, the government doesn’t do anything to stop it from happening again. Kids get away with it, and then because of that, they just keep on doing it. There is obviously something wrong, in these kids’ minds, for them to do this. But that still doesn’t take away from the fact that what they’re doing is so mean and cruel. I just can’t fathom the idea.

I have a real soft spot for cats. Dogs, more so puppies, I absolutely think are adorable. I hate going to pet shops and the Humane society because I see all these hopeless dogs and cats, and I want to take them all home. I know it’s an impossibility, and I wouldn’t be able to manage. But just seeing some of them, especially at the peet stores..they look so hopeless and sad. I often think about what they’re exactly thinking and feeling. I think back to my kitty Toby. I got him from the Humane society. He had only been at the Humane society overnight I think, and I adopted him. So he didn’t get much of a chance to “experience” that sort of life, to know any different. But I’m sure that he understood that he had been taken from his home, though his sister was still with him. But he got adopted out, and he absolutely loves his home now.

But how do other cats and dogs feel? I know in Australia, there doesn’t seem to be as many “free kittens” signs as there are in the states. I know here in Australia, you have to register your cat, and it’s vital to get them de-sexed. Even though there still are a number of cats and dogs at the humane society, not nearly as much of an issue as in the states. But I still get so sad when I hear that the RSPCA has to put down so many cats and dogs a day because there just isn’t enough room. There’s more animals than there are homes. Well, not really, but there are not as many people who are willing to take in animals, and love them…as there are animals.

Some people think that taking care of an animal is an easy responsibility. They feed it, and that’s it. But there is so much more to taking care of an animal. You have to love it and nurture it. You have to let it go outside, and you have to make sure it gets all its shots and vaccinations. I understand how some people are not animal lovers. But don’t take on the responsibility of caring for an animal if you’re not going to do it 100%. It’s not fair on the animal. They too have feelings, even though they can’t verbalize it like we can.

I wish there was more we could do, to help prevent animal abuse, but all that can be done, is to voice ourselves when we hear of people doing these cruel things. The law isn’t going to do anything to these repeat offenders. Hopefully one day, the law will catch up with these idiots, and they’ll get taught a lesson. They need to be taught a BIG lesson or two. SOMETHING needs to be done though.

-current mood-HAPPY, got the DSL working.

Car Problems ALREADY

I thought I’d be able to get away from car problems, at least for a little while. NOT the case. We are all aware that my car has been acting “funny.” You go around the corner really slow, or you creep out of the petrol station and the car starts to act like it’s dying, but doesn’t. I thought that I’d be able to “toughen it out” for a little while. Just until I’d be able to get some money behind me, to be able to afford the repairs. Not the case…I don’t think.

Tonight, I decided to go home a different way. Instead of my usual route, where there are not many roundabouts. In truth, I don’t know why my car acts like it’s going to die, but it usually happens when I’m going really slow. But anyhooo, I decided to go home a different way….I was at a roundabout, and my car decides to die. I turned the car off, tried to start the car back up, and it wouldn’t go. The car key ignition turns, the engine sounds like it wants to start, but it doesn’t kick over. (Any readers out there, who are mechanic savvy???) I ended up putting my hazards on, to let people know, so they’d quit honking at me. After about 5-6 tries, the car ended up starting. But it didn’t sound like it wanted to. I went to fill up with petrol, and when I went to start the car up again, it acted like it didn’t want to start. But the second time, it started up.

So I have a feeling I will be ringing the mechanic in the morning, to see if I can get in. I was planning on having a tune up, but I was hoping later. Because the car is able to be started again, I thought I’d be okay. But I would much rather get the car fixed, and not have to worry about whether I’m going to be stranded or late. Lucky it was just on my way home. But my partner might take a day off, to take the car in for me. And worst comes to shove, if they have to have it a second day….my partner will be able to take me to work again, and hopefully someone will be able to pick me up from the train station. It’d only be one time. But we’ll wait and see what happens tomorrow. I’m really hoping that I’ll be able to get the car in, and they’ll be able to fix it. So keep your fingers crossed!!

-current mood-STRESSED about my car. I can never seem to be stress free when it comes to cars!

Pay day

Today was yet another wonderful pay day. We get paid fortnightly, and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to start saving. If I pass my 3 month probationary period and get the job permanently, I will put in my notice for my holiday time in December. Then I’ll have to start saving like mad to pay the plane ticket. I won’t be able to pay the cheaper rate because I’m no longer 25 or under. Plus I’ll have to save about 2000 to have enough cash when I go over. As much as I’d love to visit my family more often, the budget won’t allow for it. But there is a small sense of security, knowing that I get paid every other week.

-current mood-HAPPY, I got paid.

March already

It’s already March 1st, and I’ve already been at my job for almost a month. I can’t believe how quickly this time has gone by. Every week seems to be going by quicker and quicker. I’ve started working on budgets this week, and I’ve also started working on “change of address” procedures. I did budgets on Monday, Tuesday and today, but tomorrow I will be working on change of address. I had a quick “training” on change of address and will hopefully remember how to do it tomorrow.

Next week is week 5, and that’s when J said that we’d start getting a case load. But she said that we’d be doing mail all next week, and we’d also be learning how to do section 61 reports. So I wonder if we’ll have a case load, as well as doing all this stuff. There is still quite a bit to learn, but yet we might be getting a case load. It’s hard to believe that it’s almost been 5 weeks. I say this, because the first 5 weeks is pretty intensive training, and then they “let us loose” but I don’t quite feel prepared to just jump in. We have yet to learn how to make payments as well. Maybe they only teach us the major things, and then that will sort of give leeway for us to learn other stuff. Nonetheless, I’m quite happy to be working. Still a lot to learn, but it’s going by pretty quick.

-current mood-TIRED, and a bit STRESSED.

Stinky People-For post on February 28, 2006

I didn't get to post last night, because my wireless keyboard batteries went dead on me. And I didn't have a spare keyboard handy. We're back in business today though.

I can’t emphasis enough, HOW much I HATE people who smell. How can one possibly NOT know when they stink? ::shaking head:: I’ve always been a very conscious person when it came to my own body odor. Lucky for me, I’m not one who sweats a lot, nor does my sweat smell. But dear me, there are some people out there, that have NO idea what a shower is, or what deoderant is. I know there are certain health conditions, that causes someone to sweat and smell a lot, and regardless of how many showers and baths they take, they still will smell pretty off. But I know that it’s a small portion of the population that suffers from this health condition. So what excuse does everyone else have??

Being a passenger on the train, on the hot afternoons, where the trains are absolutely packed with people, it’s inevitable that I’ll stand or sit next to someone who stinks. I had a passenger today who smelled like pooh, to be truthful. I tried not to make it so obvious, but I was covering my nose, so I could avoid the smell. I thought about breathing through my mouth, but I was afraid the stench would permeate into my mouth. I know, I know, not going to happen, but the thought of it, was enough to gross me out. The kid was busy talking to his friend, and I was thinking to myself “am I the only one that can smell this??” I know it wasn’t me…..but uggg, I hate stinky people.

So thought of the day..be aware of your own body odor. If you tend to smell at times, wear extra deoderant, take a couple of showers a day, bring deoderant with you….do SOMETHING for the LOVE OF GOD!! This may sound harsh, but there are other people around you, and I don’t think you want to be causing this much of a disturbance. I’m one of the quiet ones, I won’t tell someone they have a body odor problem, I’ll just suffer in silence. But you may not get me standing next to you in the train, but someone who will verbalize the smell.

-current mood-FEELING YUCKY, remembering the stinky kid I sat next to.

Do you ever get the feeling...

…that someone is looking at your crotch?? I know, I know, a strange question huh? But I have a feeling that today, someone was doing just that. I don’t know if it was intentional, but it made me feel REALLY uncomfortable. I’d rather have someone look at my chest (though there isn’t much there) than my crotch. I was on the train tonight, and this male kid (probably 20-22ish) was sitting in front of me. I was in the very back of the train, where there is a little cove in the center of the back of the train. I like to go there, because I usually don’t get squashed there. I was busy reading my MX magazine, when I kept lookin over my MX magazine and this kid’s face was in the same line as my crotch. And he just kept looking str8 ahead. Even if he wasn’t looking at my crotch, could he have at least turned his head another way??? When I finished reading my newspaper, I ended up sticking it in front of me..so I didn’t feel so violated. ::shaking head:: I could be throwing this way out of porportion, but at the same time, it seriously made me feel like my space was being invaded. Maybe if I had my arse to him, then I wouldn’t know whether he was staring at me or not.

-current mood-FEELING RUSHED. I just finished preparing dinner, and haven't eaten yet. But yet, I go to bed in 1 hour.

Queen Victoria Market

Yesterday, there was a raid at the QV Market. There are many people at the market, who sell items that have name brands, but sell for exceptionally cheaper. But the thing is, is the items are not the name brands they say they are. So for argument’s sake, there are shirts that say Gucci, and have a Gucci label. But in truth, they were probably made at sweat shops, or stolen off of trucks, and had these Gucci labels put on them. It’s a criminal offense to sell these sorts of items, I believe, because you have to have a special license to be able to sell these products. Plus, these vendors are selling something, with someone else’s name on them, but the name brand isn’t getting any of the profits.

We went to the QV market today, and it was considerably quiet. I don’t know if it was because of the raid yesterday. Usually there isn’t any walking room, to walk down the aisles, on a typical weekend. Today there was a bit of room, though there were still people around. I personally won’t buy from vendors that sell “fake” name brands. I am a name brand sort of woman, but I’m always buying them at the stores that buy them, and of course, at sale prices. Very rarely do I ever buy something of name brand, at full value. I still like the name brands, but don’t feel the need to pay full price.

-current mood-CONTENT, though I know tomorrow I have to go back to work.