What your dog's name says about you

Forbes magazine published an article recently explaining what your dog's name says about you. In the article, Stephen Zawistowski, a biologist with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said, "Naming a dog is often geared towards what the owners want to see expressed." 

Based on a 2008 survey conducted by the ASPCA that suggested that "new dog owners choose their pet's names based on their interests and on how they want to be seen by others," the article included a list of the 10 most popular dog names and what they say about their owners.

One of our dogs made the list, and here's what it said:

Bandit  - "You are probably looking for mischief and excitement in your life--things that are currently lacking ... You have your life under control and everything is in order, but you want people to think you have a wild side."

As they say, be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Visit the Great Chicken Adventure blog and the It's A Dog's Life blog. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter!

Creatively bipolar or just plain lazy?

I'm starting to wonder if I'm a little bipolar - creatively speaking. Last week, I was in a funk. I was tired. I couldn't think straight. It was all I could do to get through each workday.

This week. I'm firing on all cylinders. I've got so many ideas working I have a notebook with me all the time. I'm working on articles or columns until my hands can't type any more.

Part of me thinks that I'm just lazy, which may be true.  But my doctor also thinks I'm having migraines without pain every month or so, which completely explains the problems I have every 4-6 weeks. Dull headache, fatigue, light sensitivity. When they hit, I'm worthless with words.

Anyway, this is a good writing week. I'm getting a lot done. I'm also spending a lot of time chatting with friends online, mostly via Twitter. We're talking in real time about the Olympic athletes as they compete.

Maybe what I also need is more time with people instead of dogs and cats.

Visit the Great Chicken Adventure blog and the It's A Dog's Life blog. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter!

Everybody has a story, but what about me?

Watch CBS News Videos Online

This morning, journalist Steve Hartman did one of his Everybody Has A Story segments on" CBS Sunday Morning, "this time introducing viewers to their neighbors around the world.

From high above the earth, space shuttle Commander Jeff Williams selected the locations randomly by pointing to an inflatable globe. Hartman then went to that country and city, closed his eyes, picked out a name in the phone book, and told us their story.

I've always been a huge fan of Hartman's Everybody Has A Story, and watching today I realized that if I could do anything - that's what I'd do. Travel around the country and tell people's stories.

Winter Olympics in Vancouver

I didn't realize what a Winter Olmpics junkie I am. When the promos were on last month, I kind of blew it off. I'm not into sports. Then the events started, and I remembered how much I really love watching the games.

There isn't an event that doesn't fascinate me - from the moguls to figure skating to the snowboard cross to speed skating. I'm fascinated that history is decided in 100ths of a second. Literally, in the blink of an eye!

The world's just a tweet away

Every weeknight at 6 PM, my husband and I watch the BBC World News on PBS. I'm always curious to see a European news outlet's take on America. Then I switch to network news and watch the American left spin.

The other day while we were watching, I said to my husband, "You know that anchorman, Mike Embley? He's getting a Border collie puppy."

"Really," David said. "That's so cool." Pause. "Wait, how do you know that?"

"We're Twitter buddies," I said.

New blog look!

As you know, I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to techie things, especially web design. But I've managed to find and upload a new template for my blog, and if I do say so myself, it looks pretty good!

But what do you think?

It was time for a change, that's what I think.

Visit the Great Chicken Adventure blog and the It's A Dog's Life blog. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter!

It's American Idol time again

I hate to say it, but it's American Idol time again. You know what happened last year: I covered the Christian angle for my Gospel Soundcheck blog at Beliefnet and got more media attention than a girl like me is comfortable with. Not to mention getting roasted by non-Christian readers.

But what can I do? It's my job. Plus, I love the show, and am excited that Ellen is on the judge's panel. So for the last few weeks I've been blogging about the auditions, and last night kicked off Hollywood Week.

If you're really bored, or if you're one of those Idol viewers who waits until Hollywood Week to start watching the show, head over to my Gospel Soundcheck blog where I'm blogging live during tonight's show.

If you've missed any of the shows, here are the links:

What's in a name? A random musing ...

Once upon a time there was a guy named ... oh, let's call him Joe.

Joe managed a store for a very well-known company. It was a good company with a good reputation and good benefits. It was the kind of job a person would want to have.

At his store, Joe had a dozen or more employees under him.

Joe was not a very good manager. Joe spent a lot time making his employees miserable. In fact, most of his employees wondered if he stayed up late at night thinking up ways to make them miserable.

Why copyright violation is such a big deal, even for Christians

OK, I'm about to vent.

I spent an hour this morning tracking down contact information for a website that's running - without my permission - a column I wrote last summer. Another publication then picked up the column and is running it on their website.

To their credit, they both did give me a byline. Although neither one linked to my website.

But they both are in violation of copyright law.

Stinky stores and shopping diversions

By and large, I try to stay out of stores. I end up spending money I don't have to spend on things I really don't need.

But today I needed to get some paraffin wax refills for my hand dipper thing and the next book in the Stephanie Plum series that I'm reading.

I say "needed" a bit tongue in cheek. I mean, really. Who "needs" books and beauty products?