I feel so relaxed right now. I just got home from volunteering for hours out at the Ching Farm Animal Rescue & Sanctuary with a few friends, which is located in Herriman, Utah - about a 20 minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City. It's more exhausting than it should be. I know that feeling this way is entirely a byproduct of being pampered city folk. I whimpered so much lifting things and coming across spider webs and trying to avoid slipping in poo that I was told that I "need more testosterone" and, "Aww, are your man muscles just developing?" Oh my friends are loving this new genre of masculine stereotype jokes.
I have it coming.
The sanctuary, by the way, is actually the home of an adorable couple who moved out there years ago with absolutely no intention of becoming a sanctuary. Low and behold, one injured, heart-wrenching farm animal after another came their way and it became the place that it is today where a bundle of pigs, horses, cows, mini horses, a donkey, turkeys, chickens, goats, sheep... on and on all get to run about enjoying their dopey cute lives.
Some blankets were brought out that had been donated for the pigs and there were so many that we had to cart them along in wheelbarrows. I, of course, got ganged up on by two massive excited pink pigs who would rub up against the blankets, almost toppling my dinky barrow over. I think they were a little too excited to cut to the chase and get their blankies soaked in mud, but I held strong in my slippy slidy chucks, and those blankets got to their destination as soft and clean as they were delivered!
I love volunteering out there. It's been a while, but, after a day around all of those silly rescued animals, I always feel all warm n' refreshed and optimistic.
On the way there we had stopped at the gas station to get some drinks. As we walked in a guy was on his way out holding one of those massive 52oz. mugs of soda, and then hopped into a massive truck and drove off. This reminded me of a Gina story:
Once upon a time Gina got one of those mugs just to celebrate the horror of it. I felt so embarrassed holding it for her while sitting in her passenger seat that I literally got out, buckled it in to the passenger seat and sat in the back. Every time the car would come to a stop she'd lean over and take a sip from it.
While we were getting drinks, something absolutely amazing was pointed out to me:
Do you notice something here? PER GALLON. $1.99 per gallon. They charge for soda refills BY THE GALLON!
Moving on...
While showering off sanctuary poo I noticed that I'm developing hairs on my chest and a little slight trail of hair down to my stomach. I also noticed a bit of chest and upper back acne. Also, on a good-for-my-body-but-bad-for-my-mind note, the lining of my uterus started shedding again on Friday, the 9th. The cramping that usually comes along with it, however, was barely there.
Speaking of Friday, I was out and about with the 'rents that night and have developed new threats to coerce my poor mother into remembering to call me 'Mel'. I told her that if she's unable to do this, I will have to have my name legally changed to something like 'Dewey' or 'Christian' (I'm bluffing). After whining, "Nooooo!", she then told me she'll use a little trick to memorize it by repeating to herself, "Mel is male, Mel is male..."
Whatever works.
We were invited to a baby shower that night and felt guilty that we were unable to go and, as we were discussing visiting them later next week, my dad chimed in with saying that if I'd identify as male, I would no longer have to go to baby showers. Now THAT is incentive.
Something very cute and interesting happened at the pet store later that evening. Ganymede, our family pup, happens to be a vegan pup - he eats Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance vegetarian kibble. While running around the store like it's a Puppy Toys-R-'Us, he came across an aisle that has pig ears. He got close to them, sniffed, then his ears went down and he literally cowered in response, backed away from them, and left the aisle. He was scared! When I asked my dad to walk him down the aisle again so I could film it, Gany resisted, his ears down again, and he pulled away, looking between my dad and I all confused and upset. We didn't make him walk down the aisle again.
Poor veggie pup. I love it.
Also, I didn't photo document after my last injection. Instead of taking photographs every 2 weeks, I'd much rather take them once a month. 2 weeks seems excessive, and I also like to rationalize delaying taking strange and scantily clad photos of myself in unflattering lighting. Next time.
I have it coming.
The sanctuary, by the way, is actually the home of an adorable couple who moved out there years ago with absolutely no intention of becoming a sanctuary. Low and behold, one injured, heart-wrenching farm animal after another came their way and it became the place that it is today where a bundle of pigs, horses, cows, mini horses, a donkey, turkeys, chickens, goats, sheep... on and on all get to run about enjoying their dopey cute lives.
Some blankets were brought out that had been donated for the pigs and there were so many that we had to cart them along in wheelbarrows. I, of course, got ganged up on by two massive excited pink pigs who would rub up against the blankets, almost toppling my dinky barrow over. I think they were a little too excited to cut to the chase and get their blankies soaked in mud, but I held strong in my slippy slidy chucks, and those blankets got to their destination as soft and clean as they were delivered!
I love volunteering out there. It's been a while, but, after a day around all of those silly rescued animals, I always feel all warm n' refreshed and optimistic.
On the way there we had stopped at the gas station to get some drinks. As we walked in a guy was on his way out holding one of those massive 52oz. mugs of soda, and then hopped into a massive truck and drove off. This reminded me of a Gina story:
Once upon a time Gina got one of those mugs just to celebrate the horror of it. I felt so embarrassed holding it for her while sitting in her passenger seat that I literally got out, buckled it in to the passenger seat and sat in the back. Every time the car would come to a stop she'd lean over and take a sip from it.
While we were getting drinks, something absolutely amazing was pointed out to me:
Do you notice something here? PER GALLON. $1.99 per gallon. They charge for soda refills BY THE GALLON!
Moving on...
While showering off sanctuary poo I noticed that I'm developing hairs on my chest and a little slight trail of hair down to my stomach. I also noticed a bit of chest and upper back acne. Also, on a good-for-my-body-but-bad-for-my-mind note, the lining of my uterus started shedding again on Friday, the 9th. The cramping that usually comes along with it, however, was barely there.
Speaking of Friday, I was out and about with the 'rents that night and have developed new threats to coerce my poor mother into remembering to call me 'Mel'. I told her that if she's unable to do this, I will have to have my name legally changed to something like 'Dewey' or 'Christian' (I'm bluffing). After whining, "Nooooo!", she then told me she'll use a little trick to memorize it by repeating to herself, "Mel is male, Mel is male..."
Whatever works.
We were invited to a baby shower that night and felt guilty that we were unable to go and, as we were discussing visiting them later next week, my dad chimed in with saying that if I'd identify as male, I would no longer have to go to baby showers. Now THAT is incentive.
Something very cute and interesting happened at the pet store later that evening. Ganymede, our family pup, happens to be a vegan pup - he eats Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance vegetarian kibble. While running around the store like it's a Puppy Toys-R-'Us, he came across an aisle that has pig ears. He got close to them, sniffed, then his ears went down and he literally cowered in response, backed away from them, and left the aisle. He was scared! When I asked my dad to walk him down the aisle again so I could film it, Gany resisted, his ears down again, and he pulled away, looking between my dad and I all confused and upset. We didn't make him walk down the aisle again.
Poor veggie pup. I love it.
Also, I didn't photo document after my last injection. Instead of taking photographs every 2 weeks, I'd much rather take them once a month. 2 weeks seems excessive, and I also like to rationalize delaying taking strange and scantily clad photos of myself in unflattering lighting. Next time.
Ugh, back pimples, those are the worst.
ReplyDeleteScratch that, taint pimples are worse (especially if they form in the crease between the ass, thigh, and taint).
One of the few things I ever got from my father was pimply legs. They're not actually pimples, more like infected hair follicles (not ingrown, mind you).
I'm done talking about that for that rest of my life now, thank you.
Oh that sounds like bliss. I can only hope I'll be as lucky! ;]
ReplyDeletejust an fyi, because i think schmuck has more oomph with this definition in mind. my jewish grandmother told me that a schmuck is a dirty uncircumcised penis. nice, eh?
ReplyDeletelast few days our class held a similar talk about this subject and you illustrate something we have not covered yet, appreciate that.
ReplyDelete- Kris