Starving

When I was in high school, instead of eating lunch, my friends and I would sing, to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"-

Starve, starve, starve yourself

Starve until you die

If you don't eat, then you'll be thin

and find yourself a guy!

I know.  We needed therapy.  

As of yesterday, I have embarked on a new eating plan where I count my calories.  It's tedious, but I honestly didn't realize how many calories I was consuming before.  I had a vague notion of "too many," but I'm just realizing how many too many.  

Coming Down From the Mountain

Got back in town last night after a weekend trip with the family to the lovely Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I managed to avoid the tourist traps and enjoyed a fabulous weekend in a remote cabin in the mountains. I didn't particularly need a vacation, since I'm currently unemployed, but it was relaxing and rejuvenating nonetheless.

The dogs stayed with fabulous AARF board member Renee and seemed to have had a great time. She said that they were "perfect gentlemen." Makes a mother proud. Although I missed them terribly.

While in Pigeon Forge, my family went to see Magic Beyond Belief which I boycotted because of their use of wild animals solely for entertainment, something that I am strongly opposed to. In this case particularly, because they had a white tiger. My sister said that they talked some about how tigers were endangered, but I'm betting that they didn't mention the truth about white tigers. Click here to learn more about how white tigers are bred and the horrible deformities that result.



It's a sad sad plight and I urge you to also boycott any exploitation of these beautiful animals. That said, any reputable zoo would not participate in the breeding of white tigers and it is not permitted by the tiger species survival plan (SSP). If your zoo has a white tiger, it is almost certainly not participating in these breeding practices, but instead trying to provide a natural habitat for an animal that has been rescued. This problem is not with zoos, it is with private owners like magicians and circuses. I encourage you to support your local zoo, which does for more for wild animal conservation than you probably realize. Check to see if your zoo if accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). If so, it's a safe bet that it's breeding practices are ethical.