Study shows men also suffer from PMS (No kidding)

Well, here's a no brainer. Just like when Time came out with the fabulous headline that Men and Women were different - I have to say, "duh."

Perhaps the part of the article that really got me, was the following:

"When you are asking people to rate their experiences it is a little bit
subjective." What causes the men's symptoms is, at present, a mystery. They may
be triggered by stress but Dr Aubeeluck said the findings were significant
enough to warrant further research.

This isn't a mystery. Does any male out there really wonder why we feel the symptoms that are presented in the article, such as feeling antisocial and suffering poor concentration; depression; lack of arousal; hot flushes and pain - including stomach cramps, back pain and headaches?

We live with, work with, are surrounded by, women. What do women do on a monthly schedule? Thanks, I'll take my doctorate now. Yes, that's a capital D in my name.

UPDATE: Just saw this and had to comment: "It's really important for men that if they are suffering they feel they can talk about it and seek treatment."

What's next, Midol For Men: When the month is just to much to handle - save us.

The Golden Spitz II

Well, it seems the puppy will be fine. Thank goodness.

The doctors prescribed enough medicine to fill the inventory of a farm clinic and we've dispensed it accordingly. The whining, ear scratching, late night panting, and listless behavior are in the past now. She's back to being her good old ornery self.

The Golden Spitz

When our dog, Sasha, was only a few months old the Bean was watching the Westminster Dog Show and turned to ask, "Can Sasha be on the show?"

The answer was an instant, "No, sweetheart. She's not a pure bred dog."

Ah, but the (at that time) five year old mind is quick, clever, an always on the move. She countered my argument with a swift and rather tactful flanking maneuver.

"Dad (drawn out as Daaaaddd), she's a Golden Spitz!"

Well, there you have it. Our puppy, born on the auspicious eve of Hurricane Isabelle was officially a pure breed mutt. I didn't really have the heart to argue much about it and it wouldn't have mattered anyways. The Bean is a Taurus with red hair. Some things aren't worth going to the matt for, and if she wanted to believe our loving dog was worthy of a show, then hey -let's have it.

Sasha, is probably one of the best dogs I've ever had. She's very sweet and looks just like a miniature golden retriever, but with the Finnish Spitz tail. I can open her mouth and put my hand in it, pull on her ears, and the Bean 'wrestles' her all the time. Never has she nipped or even gotten aggressive. All very important qualities concerning the nature of children (both present and future) in relation to their loving pets.

She only listens to me. The Wife constantly complains and I have to 'get your dog' to do things all the time. Well, last night almost broke my heart.

I woke up to my puppy panting next to me in the bedroom at about 3:30. Last weekend we'd taken her to the vet for an ear infection of some sort. They'd given us medicine, the radar dish (around her neck so she couldn't scratch) and told us to have it checked out again. We were pretty confident nothing would come of it - animals get infections all the time right?

Well, she'd woken up throughout the night. Not able to sleep and her normal cheery and energetic manner had fallen away. Listless and dull, she stared at me, panting. So, I was up all night with her. Petting and talking to her - trying to get her to sleep. She'd lay down, then get up again as soon as I stopped touching her. Not sure if she was trying to comfort me by laying down, or if I was comforting her, but I kept it up even if for my own sake.

I'm getting the Wife to take her in to the vet again today although I do fear the worst. I slept on the floor, with my hand dangling in her little cage, the first night we got her. I hope last night was not the full-circle of her entrance/exit in our family.