Spotlighting cute dog coffee lover

Zoey the cute dachshund is a coffee hound!

My BFF Shelley wrote about writing and coffee and how it’s best to describe things, and she put a photo of me with her article, so I thought I’d share.

Here’s her blog for this week:

I hate when I order a fancy coffee drink and the cup gets bathed in the overflow.

But I love that my drink has a flavor, an appearance and a texture inside the cup and that observing those details gets rid of the annoyance.

Observing, absorbing and noticing details are essential to writing, giving a caffeinated thrill to the development of plot, character and dialog. Describing the details is essential to storytelling instead of hurrying the story along through the action of the plot. Description brings to life what happens along the storyline.

To provide that description, use the senses and choose words carefully, making sure every word has a purpose. That purpose can be establishing setting, developing character or moving the plot forward.

Verbs are a key component of description, much less so than adjectives, which qualify a noun or noun phrase to provide more information about the object being described. The river spit onto the rocks is more descriptive than the bubbling river.

Adjectives, when used, should be kept simple and not layered, such as the “blue-eyed, blonde-haired, tongue-tied girl.”

There are a few other things to avoid in descriptions, such as:

• Using adverbs, which weaken writing when they are not specific. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. For example, saying that your character slowly walked across the room (here “slowly” modifies walked) does not give the reader as good of a mental picture as: “She shuffled to her bed, falling into it after working 12 hours.”

• Writing in the passive voice, using “he was,” “they were” and the like. The passive voice slows down the action, while distancing the reader from what’s being said.
• Using general words, instead of concrete details and specific nouns and verbs. Tree and bird are general nouns, as opposed to a birch oak or maple and a cardinal or robin.

Description is what fills the pages of a story. Without it, action would fall flat, simplified into an outline of this happened, and then this and this.

That’s why I like my coffee fancy.

The Work (and Poetry) of an Assisted Living Facility

Zoey the Cute Dachshund is her BFF Shelley Widhalm’s co-pilot when she does her writing.

My BFF Shelley Widhalm wrote about me in her blog about poetry, assisted living facilities and how everyone thinks I’m adorable. Here is her blog:

Every time I visit my mother at her assisted living facility, I walk down the halls, feeling wonder at the corkboards filled with cutout magazine pages.

One of the residents, Deloros, considers it her job to fill the white walls with images of wildlife, birds, historic ruins and travel—and sometimes people at work. She cuts out the images, tapes them to construction paper and highlights the text, turning routine magazine articles into art, education and entertainment.

Deloros says she needs to finish her work before lunch as I stop to talk and let her pet my dog, Zoey, a long-haired miniature dachshund. I commiserate, because I know I would want the same thing in my retirement years—some sense of work and purpose. She tells me it helps her get up and going with her day.

“Some feel lost until they have work,” is a line from a poem that perfectly fits our weekly encounters.

Good Work! Poetry Reading

The poem is about life at an assisted living facility and one of 15 that poets read Sept. 23 at the seasonal poetry reading hosted by the Community Poets in Loveland, Colo.

The poetry reading, “Good Work!—A Post-Labor Day Celebration,” featured an open mike and the reading of poems focused on the autumnal equinox, work and going back to school. The poems were on subjects as varied as working in a mailroom, doing a long list of random jobs, going to a job interview, questioning choosing college over steady work, disliking repetitive factory tasks and seeing the act of pushing a pencil across the page as heavy work. My poems were about doing dishes and taking the trash to the trash room.

“It’s easy to get lost in your career,” was a line from one of the poems, and I related.

I find that working too much pushes out real life and fun if the hours become too many—and then I realize I need to work less to be a little more balanced. I wonder what I will do when I retire and how I’ll fill my days. Will I think I have to work, just like Deloros does? Will I be writing my novels and journaling because I believe it’s incredibly important? Will I be published and have “my work” continue bringing in money? Or will the work be something that gets me up to be doing something, anything, just as long as I keep busy?

One of the poems was about Bud, whose job is listening to stories—and it turns out Bud is a dog. Zoey’s jobs involve going on walks, doing tricks and offering comfort to her human companions and those she passes by, like Deloros. She stops to visit Deloros and listens to her stories about her work, wiggling her body at the excitement of being included. I always smile, fascinated by the Deloros’s artwork and the love she gives Zoey.

Taking Poetry Notes

During the poetry reading, I didn’t take very careful notes. I scribbled on tiny yellow and orange piece of papers with poems on them, writing on the back sides of “The Real Work,” by Wendell Berry and two copies of a poem by Gary Snyder, “Hay for Horses.” I forgot my work of being a journalist, absorbed in being a poet and a listener of poetry, marveling at the beauty of the lines and images the poets presented. In other words, I forgot to work.

“It was so much creativity and beauty and heart and soul put into versions of work,” said Lynn Kincanon, a member of the Community Poets, adding that the poets sharing their work was “a community gift.”

The Community Poets, a group of local poets and organizations that organizes poetry readings and workshops in Loveland, will hold the next seasonal reading Dec. 16 on Frosty Nights and the Pleasures of Winter, inspired by the poetry of Robert Frost, at the Loveland Museum. The poetry readings are held every season, and the workshops are held twice a year in April and August.

Birthdays and Presents (Oh My!)

My BFF Shelley wrote a blog about her birthday but made sure to include me, the cutest dachshund ever. I haven’t been blogging for a while but plan to get back at it. I got busy with my toys and rawhide!

Here’s Shelley’s blog:

Today is my birthday, and it is the last day of National Poetry Month.

Someone told me I’m lucky to have my birthday during this special month. I agree, though I can’t remember how old I am.

To celebrate, I thought I’d take a break from writing and editing and spend the day with my cute puppy, Zoey. She’s nine, so she’s actually not a puppy. I just think of her that way because when she walks, she bounces.

Here are some pictures of Zoey the cutest dachshund ever, including one of her as a birthday girl!

Zoey opens some of her presents for her second birthday.  She gets to open presents for birthdays and Christmas holidays and typically gets treats, rawhide and a couple of toys.

Zoey hangs out with some of her toys, including her favorite stuffed bunny!

Zoey loves teddy bears that are her size, but has a toy box full of them from mini to extra large.

Cute Dogs at Christmas

Zoey the Cute Dachshund is surrounded by the gifts she just opened a couple of Christmases ago and is seeking more!

My BFF Shelley wrote about me in her newsletter, Shell’s Ink Newsletter, about how I’m really cute at Christmastime.

Here is what she said:

Every Christmas, I wrap presents for Zoey and hide them in the closet, along with the other gifts for my family and friends—if not, she’ll unwrap them because the sound of ripping paper is so fun!

I wrap a couple of treats, some new rawhides—she loves to chew—and a ball or other small toy, plus some of the doggie bears I recycle from her doggie toy basket. She plays with certain toys and is in love with Big Bear, a stuffed dog with floppy brown ears and holding a pumpkin, so she has plenty of playthings.

On Christmas Day, I give Zoey her gifts one by one, and she opens each items, sees what it is and stares at me, as if saying, “What’s next?” She rips through the paper with her teeth, shaking her head and scattering the pieces. She moves fast and makes a mess, and I take a video of it every year. I also put on her Christmas T-shirt with reindeer, and she puts up with it.

(Note: I prefer not to wear clothes, something I wrote about earlier this year, but I guess I don’t mind if I get attention out of it. So, do you like my Christmas shirt? Do I look cute?)

Zoey the Cute Dashchund just opened all of her Christmas presents and now is at work chewing her Nylabone. She loves to chew!

Zoey the Cute Dachshund wants even more presents at Christmastime!

Dogs and the Holidays

I am opening my presents during a previous Christmas.

I love the holidays because my BFF Shelley takes me out to the dog-friendly shopping malls. I get to be carried inside the store, where I can see all of the sale items.

Being carried is advantageous when you’re a long-haired miniature dachshund with short legs.

What I see and smell is all low to the ground. I want the apex of vantage points to search out potential dog lovers, so that when they see me, they remark on my cuteness and want to pet me.

I want to be able to see everything from the human eye level to the ground, instead of relying on my sense of smell and knowledge of feet and shoes. That’s because my two aims in life are finding, eating and getting food (a top priority) and, second, getting attention. Attention results in petting sessions, playtime and cuddles.

Attention also reminds me that I’m cute, so I  never doubt my state of cuteness and remain confident at all times. I think we all need to hear positive feedback, whether we’re human or a dog or a cat.

A Dog’s View: Controversy over Halloween Costumes

I am not a witch. I’m a cute dog! I just dressed as a witch for Halloween.

Halloween scares me a little for one big reason.

Though I love the treats I get—an extra rawhide that’s vet-recommended—I don’t like the tricks part of it.

My BFF Shelley likes to dress me up for three reasons: sometimes on Halloween, always on Christmas and whenever it’s cold and we’re outside or on a walk. I’ve been a witch, a mechanic with a pink bandana and a school girl with a tan skirt and white cable knit sweater. And at Christmas, I have to wear my green T-shirt with an image of Santa with one of his reindeer.

But I don’t like it. When I was little, I’d squirm right out of my clothes, or bunch them up, or get my little paw caught in one of the arms. Now that I’m older, I just put up with it.

I’ve done some research and found that dressing up dogs in over-the-top costumes is usually for the pet owners’ benefit and not for the sake of the pet. It’s OK to dress us up to be warm but not if the costume physically restricts our movements or causes discomfort. Shelley puts me in a warm jacket or sweater if it’s cold out, and I like it well enough after I get used to the extra layer and understand I can still walk.

But when large sections of our bodies are covered by material, it’s hard for us to communicate with other dogs, particularly because body language is one of our major methods for expressing ourselves. Granted, I really don’t like other dogs unless they’re smaller than me, though I do like cats. Still, I need to get my message across.

Some dogs become scared or confused when they are dressed up, and some won’t express themselves. Things on our heads, like hats and hoods, can be particularly disturbing, because they’re in the way and we’re not used to them.

Anyway, here are some photos of me in costume, but as you can see, I don’t look that excited. I’d rather have a treat and no tricks and silly costumes.

I’m not very happy in my witch’s hat. My BFF Shelley took a photo and took if off of me, thank goodness!

I am dressed as a mechanic. This costume isn’t as bad because it doesn’t have a hat!

Why am I wearing a silly bow that matches my silly shirt?

Dog Grammar—Or, What Errors Bug a Dog

I get lots of attention as one of my friends readies me for a walk. See my pink coat and leash!

I’m cute, and I’m a princess, and I’m also a Dog Grammarian.

That means I like proper grammar as much as I like proper pets.

First, I’ll explain how to conduct a proper petting procedure of a cute dog. I come up to you with a tail wiggle, or I invite you to rush over to me, employing the same tactic, and I gaze at you with my big brown eyes (think Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl”). I tell you to stop what you’re doing, reach out a hand and get down to the business of rubbing behind my ears, petting my belly and saying, “Isn’t she so cute?” Or “pretty.” Or “beautiful.”

Oh … I’m supposed to talk about grammar.

I don’t like run-on sentences, though I like to run around the yard and play tug-of-war and go on long walks, or not so long, because I get carried part of the way, and I like to be the center of attention, and I like …

I hate misplaced or misused commas. This is how commas are supposed to work: they separate thoughts and ideas, such as two complete sentences separated by the words “and” or “but.” They do not replace periods. They may or may not be used before the word “and” when a series of words are listed, but that all depends.

I don’t like missing periods at the end of a sentence Period.

I hate it when capital letters are used when the letters should be small or vice-versa, though I’m always a capital CZ for Cute Zoey.

I hate it when someone says “First,” without a “Second,” which I just did, but I was trying to explain …

I hate ellipses. I want to know what you’re thinking, not have to guess. I’m not a mind reader. I’m a dog.

I hate misspelled words or mixed-up words like “their,” “they’re” and “there” and “lie,” “lay” and “laid.” I lie down. I’m over here, not there. I’m eating my treat.

And last but not least I don’t like negative constructions. I like to be positive, or mostly. I am most certainly positive when I get treats. I am positive when I get petted. And I get extra, extra cheerful when my bowl is full of good things to eat.

Cute Dog Advice: How to Get Attention

I am cute waiting for attention at a coffee shop.

My favorite thing in life is to be petted, and I found the best way to get what I want.

Greet people.

This is how I do it. While my BFF and sidekick Shelley does boring work on her laptop, sitting outside the coffee shop, I sit on her lap and wait. I’m a lapdog, and she’s got me the lapdog alongside her laptop (or close enough). Or, think of it as Top Dog (and a lap!).

As customers of our favorite downtown Loveland coffee shop (or Starbucks, too) walk by, I stare at them and wiggle my tail, hoping they’ll notice me. If they look my way, I smile, showing off my white, nearly-daily brushed teeth, and look some more. They usually stop, and here’s the kicker, my BFF asks those being greeted by me if they want to say hello.

Duh. Of course they do.

I let them pet me, and I sigh with happiness. They use several adjectives to describe me: cute, adorable, pretty and beautiful. They say I have a beautiful coat (sable colored) and look like a girl with my floppy, black-tipped ears and two kohl black lines extending from the edges of my large, brown eyes.

Some say I’m spoiled.

Not.

I just need treats and love and attention, just like cats and humans.

Anyway, the customers who get my special greeting go in for their coffee and often come out for a second round. On it goes, my continual revolving door of hellos. I get to give a greeting and get back a big pet and lots of love.

This greeting tactic I’ve developed is mentioned in my BFF’s newsletter, Shell’s Ink Spot, which releases the first of the month. The section where I get a big spotlight and even more attention is called Puppy News (or a puppy update on Zoey, the CEO of Cuteness). For the July issue, she wrote:

Zoey is my sidekick and occasional writing partner. I like to take my lapdog to work on my laptop, sitting outside my favorite coffee shop. She greets customers as they come in the door with a tail wag and intense stares, welcoming anyone and everyone to stop and pet her. She loves people, and she helps me be more social. I still can focus, but I get fun little breaks of people saying how cute and adorable she is, and she eats it up, seeking even more attention. People remember her name first before they recall mine, though our names go together: Shelley and Zoey, or S and Z.

If you want to receive her newsletter, send her an email at shellsinkservices@gmail.com.

 

Back to Blogging (after a long PAWS)

I am really cute, and I know it. I also can write!

Hi Everybody, Friends and All!

I know you’ve missed me because I’m the cutest dachshund in the world. Call me Zoey or Cute Zoey. I know I’m cute because I get told. I hear through word of mouth, and that’s how I market my identity. Cute Darling Dachshund Me!

I wasn’t blogging for awhile because my BFF Shelley started a writing and editing business, Shell’s Ink Services, and I had to help her. That’s because I’m the CEO of Cuteness. I’m going to blog once a month about how to treat and love your dog and how to do dog behavior training–not that I need any because I’m all about goodness and being good. Just look at my face. Adorable, I know.

Shelley used a photo of me in her blog this week about creating a blogging voice. I have a loud barking voice, and I bark at big dogs and trucks and wheels and things that move. I don’t bark at cats, because I love cats!

Here’s the link:

https://wordpress.com/post/shelleywidhalm.wordpress.com/1574

Dog Blogger’s Year in Review

I’m opening my Christmas presents. I’m wearing my Christmas shirt!

I am a very talented and cute dachshund named Zoey.

Nearly every week in 2016, I “sat” at the laptop (I’m a lapdog, too!) and wrote a blog about … well, mainly about me.

It’s because I like to “shake” things up as I “roll” with the flow.

Am I funny? I can do tricks and write my trick words into my post.

I’ve been blogging since 2011 about my life as a cute dachshund, sharing stories and photos to demonstrate the fact.

In 2016, I blogged about several things, including:

• Being both a dog blogger and a canine poet able to write poems from a dog’s perspective.
• Understanding dog behavior and what dogs need and want from their owners. I wrote about how pet owners—I call mine my BFF—need to let us know how much we mean to them, pay attention to us (like all of the time) and give us lots of treats (even healthy ones).
• Realizing the elements of responsible pet ownership, like giving us healthy food without too many unhealthy table scraps, avoiding giving us chocolate and onions, and taking us on regular walks.
• And, most importantly, telling really interesting stories from my own life.

I also wrote about cats, even though most of them don’t like me too much. I like cats, birds, geese and anything else in the animal kingdom, but not dogs, at least those larger than me. I bark at them, and they look at me as if I’m silly, so I bark again, while also wiggling my tail. They then ignore me.

I don’t like it, so I’ve concluded that cats are safer; they’re not keen on dogs, and I can just pretend they are.

In 2017, I may take a small break from blogging as my BFF and I figure out our blogging goals for the year. Like her, I’m not getting very many Likes, which I don’t understand, because I’m totally cute and fun and the best dog ever!