"Hello, my name is Fluffhead." These are the first words Fluffhead said to Alex. Sure he did not say them in the same way people do, but he definitely said them. Fluffhead had this amazing ability to connect with people. He'd look them in the eyes, and if they were paying attention, he would be able to convey exactly what he was thinking.
"Hello, my name is Fluffhead." At the time he was in fact more of a tufthead, but he knew how his hair was going to grow into a perfect heap of fluff. After he introduced himself to Alex and she thus alerted me to "look at this Fluffhead," he revealed even more of his charm. At the Petco off of I-10 in Chandler this little white ball of fluff was rooming with a much bigger red haired/eyed guinea pig who acted as the dominant one and was quite mean to Fluffhead. Fluffhead proceeded to trap the other guinea pig in the chube by waiting for the mean guinea to go inside the chube and then pushing on one of the sides so that the ends of the chube were blocked by the thinner walls of the cage they were in. The triumphant ball of fluff then began to spazz out, or so it seemed to us. We had not learned about popcorning, but after learning what it was we to this time have never seen a guinea pig popcorn in a pet store as much as Fluffhead did. From this chance encounter (Alex and I had been searching around town for a chinchilla without even stopping to notice guinea pigs) grew one of the most important relationships in all of our lives. Just seeing how smart and "weird" (actually happy and accomplished unbeknownst to us) made us fall in love with him.
In reality we knew absolutely nothing about guinea pigs. We bought all kinds of stupid things that night when we brought Fluffhead home. There was the tiny cage, which uninformed people (i.e. us) believed was a proper guinea environment. We bought guinea food with seeds in it that could actually perforate a guinea pigs intestines. The most stupid thing we bought that night was a ball for him to run around in which is actually harmful to a guinea's backs. We were stupid and clueless, but it was not all our fault (although we were entirely at fault for taking him down to Tucson in the ball in Alex's lap and then putting him on the floor of my parent's house filled with dogs. I will never forget the look in both Buddy's and Fluffhead's face. One of intense, mischievous inquiry, the other of absolute fear) . Companies make these products and advertise them as healthy, safe, and essential items for a guinea pig. We also did not realize that guinea pigs need an ever present supply of hay. We found this out by emailing a shelter asking if having a friend for Fluffhead would be beneficial since he seemed so lonely at times. It is simply amazing how little we knew. Lucky for us we had a wonderful and loving companion to teach these and many other things to us.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Once again I am not on top of this....
Oh, how things have changed since the last time I posted. I finally was given full-funding for four years to SUNY-Buffalo. I can't explain how happy/relieved I was. That was weighing on me big time. Being rejected from eight schools was really difficult. I don't even know if I made it far in the selection process. I suppose I did at some because it took so long to hear back from them. Maybe I was not notified because they needed to see what peoples' answers were. Whatever the case, I am grateful, excited, and ready to go to UB.
I really should begin to hone my language skills. I have been reading my Roman history book by Carey and Scullard, but I've slowed my pace recently. I need to get working again. I just finished the chapter on the Gracchi. What truly inspirational figures, and what fascinating events that took place during/because of their lives. Onward to Marius!
I am really ready to move to Buffalo. Part of me is very nervous. After all, we have to move all the way across country to a place we've never been before with the guinea pigs. I hope they don't get too stressed out by the trip. The trip itself is going to be a doozy as well. Alex and I want to get a 4wd vehicle for the winter's and the trip in general. The Grand Am has almost 150,000 miles now. The transmission seems to be having a bit of trouble during u-turns, and the trouble is spreading in other types of turns now. The car also says it loses its traction a lot. It sounds like it is time, but I'm not sure how we will afford one. I've got more student loan debt than I'd like, and not having a job has burned through my savings and given me quite a bit of credit card debt as well. I need the summer camp to start soon so I have a more consistent/higher income. It won't be much, but it will definitely help. I'm also thinking of giving plasma, which would just be a great story in itself. I have to see how much they give for donations, but I would definitely consider it. That is how desperate things are getting. I mentioned this to my dad, and he gave me some savings bonds my parents took out in my name when I was a kid. I'm reluctant to cash them in because they still appreciate and they have some personal value to me. I didn't even know there were any until this week. My dad also told me my parents would give me some others they had taken out when I move.
Before the big move, with its possible dumping of most of our stuff, Alex and I are going to take a great vacation. We start off in Pittsburgh for a week. Then we're off to Michigan for a bit over the week including the 4th of July. I can't wait, and I'm super excited that we'll be leaving in a month and a week.
Alex has just a week and a half left of teaching at La Cima. It has been a really rough year, but she has learned a lot about herself in the process. She really hated it at first, but now she is connecting more with the kids. She is even considering teaching in Buffalo. Something she made me promise never to let her do again. I'm still going to have her research grad schools in the area to keep options open, and I want her to look at other possible jobs as well as teaching in New York. Her number one goal this summer is to write a novel. I hope she does it. I know it would be good, and it may lead to more and better writing. She is overcoming her fears of a lot of things, and it is wonderful to see (mirabile visu). How is that for the use of the supine!
It is getting late, and I should probably get to bed. I have to help Alex get ready for tomorrow. I am glad things are looking up, and I'm very excited and nervous for the future.
I really should begin to hone my language skills. I have been reading my Roman history book by Carey and Scullard, but I've slowed my pace recently. I need to get working again. I just finished the chapter on the Gracchi. What truly inspirational figures, and what fascinating events that took place during/because of their lives. Onward to Marius!
I am really ready to move to Buffalo. Part of me is very nervous. After all, we have to move all the way across country to a place we've never been before with the guinea pigs. I hope they don't get too stressed out by the trip. The trip itself is going to be a doozy as well. Alex and I want to get a 4wd vehicle for the winter's and the trip in general. The Grand Am has almost 150,000 miles now. The transmission seems to be having a bit of trouble during u-turns, and the trouble is spreading in other types of turns now. The car also says it loses its traction a lot. It sounds like it is time, but I'm not sure how we will afford one. I've got more student loan debt than I'd like, and not having a job has burned through my savings and given me quite a bit of credit card debt as well. I need the summer camp to start soon so I have a more consistent/higher income. It won't be much, but it will definitely help. I'm also thinking of giving plasma, which would just be a great story in itself. I have to see how much they give for donations, but I would definitely consider it. That is how desperate things are getting. I mentioned this to my dad, and he gave me some savings bonds my parents took out in my name when I was a kid. I'm reluctant to cash them in because they still appreciate and they have some personal value to me. I didn't even know there were any until this week. My dad also told me my parents would give me some others they had taken out when I move.
Before the big move, with its possible dumping of most of our stuff, Alex and I are going to take a great vacation. We start off in Pittsburgh for a week. Then we're off to Michigan for a bit over the week including the 4th of July. I can't wait, and I'm super excited that we'll be leaving in a month and a week.
Alex has just a week and a half left of teaching at La Cima. It has been a really rough year, but she has learned a lot about herself in the process. She really hated it at first, but now she is connecting more with the kids. She is even considering teaching in Buffalo. Something she made me promise never to let her do again. I'm still going to have her research grad schools in the area to keep options open, and I want her to look at other possible jobs as well as teaching in New York. Her number one goal this summer is to write a novel. I hope she does it. I know it would be good, and it may lead to more and better writing. She is overcoming her fears of a lot of things, and it is wonderful to see (mirabile visu). How is that for the use of the supine!
It is getting late, and I should probably get to bed. I have to help Alex get ready for tomorrow. I am glad things are looking up, and I'm very excited and nervous for the future.
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