Monday, January 26, 2015

A passion for animals

This is Chase Bird sitting on my lap while we watched the Virginia/Virginia Tech basketball game Sunday. At one point, it looked like Virginia might lose. Chase Bird couldn't bear to look at the TV screen.


A journalism student at a local college recently contacted me about interviewing me for a class paper. Last year, she also talked with me for an assignment, and we ended up becoming Facebook friends.

In this latest batch of questions, she noted that she could tell from my Facebook page that I was passionate about animals.
That’s a fair assessment. A lot of my Facebook feed is made up of pictures of animals that need homes or stories and quotes that reflect my love of animals.

Which brings me to a project that I’ve taken on this year. When I was thinking about what writing goals I wanted to set for this year, I mulled over what I enjoy writing about. And one of favorite subjects to read about, learn about, and write about is animals.
I decided to deepen my knowledge about animal welfare and animal rights issues and also write about my changing relationship with animals.
I grew up on a beef farm. Pets were kept outside. My life is so different now. The way I view animals is so different. I’d like to explore those changes. And I’d like to do more for animals.

I know I haven’t given you many details in this post, but I remembered that I haven’t really talked about my writing goals lately.

I’m continuing my writing about mental health issues, of course. I have many interests. But 2015 will be a year when I focus more on animals than I have in the past. And I hope to share some of that with you.

I am still waiting to hear about the job. I hope to hear something by the end of this week. Fingers and toes crossed!

What is your favorite animal?



13 comments:

  1. well they better decide soon, my fingers are still crossed and that is making typing difficult!!!

    i am allergic to both dogs and cats, if i were able to have a pet, i would choose a dog. i have been yearning for a puppy for quite some time now. i do adore my yard birds. if they count!!!

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  2. i love all animals. favorites are dogs, cats, horses and birds. and just a few years back, i realized the dogs truly took more of my heart. :)

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  3. I'm a cat person, through and through. Always have been!

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  4. Hi Tina!! I am crossing my fingers and toes for you as well. I LOVE animals. They're a huge passion of mine. I think my favorite animals are the big cats. I think tigers are unbelievably beautiful. I love dolphins as well! And also koalas :)

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  5. I've had both dogs and cats, and love them both equally! I enjoy the deer that roam freely in our town, too, though the occasional coyote scares me a bit. We're also getting a lot of eagles this time of year. Having so much wildlife around is one of the things I love most about living in the rural Pacific Northwest.

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  6. It is a toss up between horses and cats. But I love all animals.

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  7. I'm passionate about animals, too. I love equines (horses and donkeys), Nubian goats (the ones with the floppy ears), Buff Orpington chickens, dogs (especially big, goofy ones), colorful Betta fish (I had one named Charlie), the mourning doves that nest in our crepe myrtle, and Harold the Haughty Heron who fishes in the pond out back. But I'm fondest of my two kitties. :-)

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  8. My fingers and toes are crossed for you. Hug B

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  9. I don't do pets. No offense though. I am a pasisonate naturalist. I work to see that the few natural areas we have are kept. In that way birds and animals have a small fragment of space to survive.

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  10. I've been thinking about that job and hope that the waiting is going to bring a good call! I love seeing photos of Chase Bird! And I look forward to whatever your write -- animals included!

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  11. I'm looking forward to reading what you have to write about animals. I have always been an animal lover, but didn't get my first pet until I was about 10 years old. Neither of my parents were "animal people," but they grew to love the dog my father brought home. My father was an old softy and even though he was afraid of dogs, he wanted us to have one. My first choice would have been a cat, but beggars can't be choosers and I considered myself lucky. Cats are still my first choice even though we are catless at the moment. One of these days, I will have another. My husband says I'm just one man away from being a crazy cat lady. He might be right. I love that Chase Bird has the sensitivity to turn away when things aren't going well for your team. Good luck with the job! I have my fingers crossed.

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  12. I will so look forward to hearing about the animals your write about. It is a very good topic to explore. Chasebird is as always just adorable.

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  13. Good luck!- I hope you get the job. If I had to choose a favorite animal, I couldn't, because I like most all of them. I have had a pet (either dog, cat, horse, cow, or pig_ every day of my marriage and most of my childhood. Have a lovely Sunday!

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