Welcome to Chaos !!

It's almost 5 AM and I am about to take a warm bath and relax in it for a while. Got home from a night of work that felt like it was dragging on forever. But it's over now and I am back at home, munching on a salad.
I had a lingering headache all night long and then somebody blew some nasty cigarette smoke really close to me while I took a breath and I inhaled that smoke and got super nauseous and was close to throwing up the last hour I was at work. I must have looked miserable because guys were acting very "concerned" asking the other dancers and the bartender why I looked sad/upset/sat by myself and bla bla bla. Exhausting! A few sent over drinks. I only drink soda water and cranberry juice at work (occasionally coffee) so it's not like I am going to have a shot and feel much better right away. Well, the miserable look must have been popular tonight because I left with close to the amount of this years Permanent Fund Dividend, or maybe they just felt sorry for me? Oh well, either way.
I wish work was smoke free, I do not like to be subjected to cigarette smoke - it's gross and unhealthy. When I was 13 I smoked for about a month, thinking I was a cool little girl or something. Well, I felt ill every time I took a drag of a cigarette, I am happy that it didn't become a bad habit.
It is time for that bath now.......I feel like a tired ashtray.

"In the city of Syracuse in Sicily there is a spring called Arethusa that has an interesting story. Once, Arethusa was not a spring but a beautiful young Greek huntress and a follower of Artemis. Like the goddess, she would have nothing to do with men. She loved running and hunting in the forest. One day after an exhausting hunt, she came to a crystal clear stream shaded by silvery willows. She decided to take a swim, and slipped into the water and swam about in utter peace for a while. Then she seemed to feel something beneath her in the water. Frightened, she scampered out of the water, and heard a voice that seemed to come from the water. "Why are you leaving, fair maiden?"
Now terrified, she ran into the forest as fast as she could. She was pursued by one stronger, if not swifter than she. The voice of the unknown told her that he was Alpheus, the god of the river, and that he was only following because he loved her. She ran on, but she could never escape; a river, after all, can run longer than any mortal. Finally, completely exhausted, Arethusa called out to Artemis, and the goddess answered by changing her into a spring, but not an ordinary spring. Aretmis cut the earth so that an underground channel was made from Greece all the way to Sicily. Arethusa plunged down and emerged near Syracuse where the spring bubbles forth today, on land sacred to Artemis. Alpheus, being a river god, turned himself back into a river, and plunged down the same channel. Arethusa was not free of Alpheus. Their waters mingled. Even today, you can believe it or not, that Greek flowers are sometimes seen in the Sicilian spring, and if you throw a wooden cup in the Alpheus river in Greece, it will reappear in Arethusa's spring."
(Source - Wikipedia)



"A nymph in Greek mythology is a minor female nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. There are 5 different types of nymphs, Celestial Nymphs, Sea Nymphs, Land Nymphs, Wood Nymphs and Underworld Nymphs. Different from goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing; their amorous freedom sets them apart from the restricted and chaste wives and daughters of the Greek polis. They are believed to dwell in mountains and groves, by springs and rivers, and also in trees and in valleys and cool grottoes. Although they would never die of old age nor illness, and could give birth to fully immortal children if mated to a god, they themselves were not necessarily immortal, and could be beholden to death in various forms.
Nymphs tended to frequent areas distant from humans but could be encountered by lone travelers outside the village, where their music might be heard, and the traveler could spy on their dancing or bathing in a stream or pool, either during the noon heat or in the middle of the night. They might appear in a whirlwind. Such encounters could be dangerous, bringing dumbness, besotted infatuation, madness or stroke to the unfortunate human."
(Source - Wikipedia)



Photographer Gutierrez Photography.

The other day I read an online article about 92 puppies that were found abandoned along a country road in Texas......a few days later 42 more dogs were found.
SO SAD! 😥
All the dogs are believed to come from a puppy mill operation. All of the animals were filthy and "may have lived under horrible conditions." Yes, most likely they did live under horrible conditions because puppy mills are just that - HORRIBLE.

Or how about the guy that went on a difficult climb up a mountain with a friend and took his dog up there. When the conditions on the mountain supposedly became bad and the dogs paws were full of sores, he just LEFT his dog up there to die. Two other hikers found it and organized a rescue group to take the severely injured, very scared and probably sad dog down from the mountain. The original owner wanted the dog back, he was denied the rights to his dog, instead she got adopted by the couple that rescued her. Good call on that one I say! And how can you just leave your dog like that? Unbelievable!

Puppy mills are very bad business. Please do not get a puppy that might come from a puppy mill. Do some research first.
I also have a very hard time with people that breed their dogs to make a quick buck with no qualms whatsoever about what's going to happen to the puppies. ESPECIALLY the people that breed pitbulls like that. I have a soft spot for pitbulls since my Chhaya is a pitbull. SO many of the dogs in animal shelters are either pitbulls or mixed pit breeds. Many people get a pitbull and then don't have the means or don't know how to take care of one and then abandon the dog.
Recently a dog fighting ring, described as "horrific", in Bronx got busted and yes all the dogs were pitbulls. HORRIFIC is just a scratch on the surface, people that treat animals like that should be put away for at least ten years, they do not belong in society.



I could had made a small fortune breeding Chhaya, I've had MANY requests to do so. I would never do it, what is more important? The well being of my beloved dog and her puppies, or money? My dog of course!!!!
The best thing you can do if you want a dog is to get a rescue dog. Hands down. Kudos to those who do! ❤
I did not get Chhaya from a shelter. I got her from a couple in Vegas that I strongly suspect let their female pit have many puppies for a nice profit (at least two litters I think). Both of Chhaya's parents were on site, the puppies were well cared for and the place was clean. But still.
Chhaya is the light of my life, I do everything for her. Before you get a dog, stop and consider the responsibility that comes with that. You have to invest both financially and time wise. Chhaya eats a lot, needs care like brushing and going to the vet. She needs a good long walk every day (though she doesn't like walks when it's raining) and fun adventures. Play. She has been on top of Mount Charleston outside Las Vegas and Mount San Gorgonio in CA, Flattop outside Anchorage, many fun hikes and visited hot springs. If you are a lazy and unmotivated person in general then a large breed dog or a high energy dog might not be the right fit for you. Get a toy breed or a cat, or maybe a lizard or a fish.

So the people living in Alaska, that qualify, got this years Permanent Fund Dividend. The amount? $ 878.00. About $ 300 less than last year, how much it is each year depends on the return on some big investments......or something like that.
So, everybody is clear on what to do with their money right? Come and give it to ME this weekend. Ok, GOOD!
What am I doing with my dividend? Not sure.....adding most of it to my savings account probably.
My trip to South Dakota next week, including the rental car is going to cost me around $ 1320. And that's not counting bag fees for flying and my hotel room. This is all coming out of MY pocket. Most people that travel for work get all of, or at least most of their travel expenses covered by the company they work for. But as a dancer you are self employed. Some clubs, not many, will pay you an hourly wage or a flat rate weekly salary. Also, the majority of the clubs will charge each dancer a "house fee" each night. Not to mention the tips that you give to the other people you work with in the club. Like "house moms", dj and (sometimes) bar staff.

I have been out and about since 11 AM and achieved a lot today. But my day is far from over - I am only taking a small break to squeeze in a blog and get some rest. Then I need to fix Chhaya some food, she is getting steak today. I also want to go for a run, it is nice out and later on I am going to work.

And no, I did not drink that Absolut bottle in the window, it would probably take me two years to finish a bottle that size. Absolut is a Swedish vodka and the plastic flowers I put in the bottle are blue and yellow - the colors of the Swedish flag. And then I have some Polish stuff in the window too. The candle is called "Baltic Amber". I was born in a town on the Baltic Sea. Now you know!

Here are a few of the pics from the shoot I did last month in Eagle River. I might look relaxed and like I fully enjoyed the refreshing water swirling around my feet. The truth is that my feet were frozen and numb from the ice cold water, towards the end I was shivering and my teeth were chattering. It took a while for my toes to feel normal again after that adventure. But.....I like the pics, so no regrets!





Photographer Gutierrez Photography.

Ok, before I fall asleep I need to tell you about my latest endeavor. I am collecting $ at work that will go to the local spay and neuter fund for cats and dogs. No, not for men - though some men should be neutered (castration) and to be fair, I think some women should get spayed (tubal ligation).
So......I just started this tonight (though I have been thinking about doing it since a while) and I donated a little over $ 40 myself, each night I work I will give some of my money and also collect from others. Yes, I will ask nicely if people want to help out......
I am happy to report that many donated tonight - Thank You! And in a few months all of the money collected will go to a fund here in town (Kenai) that helps to make lives better for our friends, the animals.
I love animals and it makes me happy to do something for them. ♥
But I am really tired now - time to enjoy some sleep......zzzzzzzzz......