Birds, Blog, Jasper, Ramblings

Birds

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If you could be any animal in the world what would it be? This is an easy question for me… a bird. Anyone who knows me will realize I am a bird lover and in fact owned by 8 birds. It all started in 1998 when my family was living in an apartment complex. To have a dog or cat meant paying an extra $250.00 per month which to me was absurd. I love animals but come on. When I asked the manager what animals could we have that did not incur the fee he told me anything I could put in a cage or tank.

That is how it all started. I researched cockatiels for over 6 months, making sure I was not getting in over my head with an animal I had never had before. Soon Maxie and Twopiece came into our lives, a bonded pair that puts most marriages to shame in their love for each other. As the years passed, more birds started to come into our home.

The reaction I got was mixed. Some thought it was cruel to keep birds in cages. This I do agree with but the ones I had were born and bred in captivity and it was all they knew. My birds are out constantly. Others said that they didn’t consider birds pets, and to those people I would say “ Apparently you have never been owned by one.” The last group were fellow bird owners who understood my fascination and love I had for my birds.

My birds are not just pets to look at and enjoy. They help me in ways that are immeasurable. With me being disabled, I do get my share of surgeries and treatments. These little feather animals always seem to know when I am hurting or not feeling good. They will sit on my shoulder and either groom me, sing softly in my ear or just keep me company knowing this is exactly what I need. They love me unconditionally and all they ask in return is love back- isn’t that one thing all family members want? I don’t even say I own birds, rather I am owned by them. Anytime I need to unwind, have a crappy day, or just need to forget they are there happily to share their joy with me. They each have their own personality which makes them stand out. I can now tell by the singing which one one my birds it is. They truly give me a joy that is priceless

I guess in retrospect my birds are not pets. They are in reality my family. I wake up to them singing and go to bed hearing their tiny snores. I would not have it any other way. Yeah I might be that crazy lady in the park feeding pigeons down the road, but it will be with a new understanding and appreciation of them then I have had before.

My finch Nilla

These are the boys. Left to right- BJ,Angel, Twopiece and Nye

Two parakeets I rescued this past Spring – Left to right- Snowball and Cory

The most famous bird on our street- Jasper

Books, Review

Book Reviewing

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I have been reviewing books for about 2 years now for Booksneeze.com. I think of it as art, I know what I like and what I don’t like. I will try to find something positive about the book for we all need a pat on the back. If I find the book lacking in whatever way, then tips on how to rectify will be included. However when author’s contact me to review their books, that is different for that personalize the exchange. No longer is that person just a name on a book, but someone who is a real person. One thing I will always say is “Do you want me to give what I honestly think or what you want me to think?” if it is the latter then I will not review the book.

I have come across some doozies. One book had a theme about a cockatiel who could sing over 40 songs, not just tunes. Now I have raised and bred these birds since 1998 and not once have they sang a tune using actual words. Now if the author had just mentioned this once in the book I could have moved along but every time the scene came where the bird was mentioned, this little fact was mentioned. It shows that this author had not research this small fact properly. That to me was an insult to my intelligence as a reader. The review got one less star.

A recent book I was reading was so full of grammar errors I kept having to reread some sentences. I am horrible at grammar and punctuation so I could sympathize with the author. I did not like the story and I was struggling to find anything positive to help him out. I contacted him through email and told him what I had come up with and if he really wanted me to post this. I just did not have the heart to do it. Fortunately the book was an e-book so he was able to pull it down and fix the errors that were there. Telling him was hard but I knew if this was me I would want to know regardless how it made me feel. But in the end he thanked me for being honest about what I had found.

My point is while I use to think reviewing was cut and dry, it is not. I am not going to like every book and I will not always be able to find constructive criticism. But I do try to be tactful and be as helpful as possible. Being a reviewer is more than just getting a free book. We are helping writers home in on their skills. Hopefully to the point that their book will be a successful.

memories, wrestling, WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment

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I am a huge fan of the WWE and all that comes with it. But wrestling has taken a dip over the years. The wrestling I grew to love started when I was around 6-7 years old. That is the time my mom and grandfather would bring me across the border into Canada to watch this sport live. The greats at the time were Andre the Giant, the Rougeau Brothers, and Emile Dupress to name a few. The hits were hard, the blood was real, the excitement in the arena was electric. I would remember eating popcorn as I sat between my mom and her father. All one had to do was look at either one of them to know they were having the best time of their lives. They would shout out loud as the good guys won while they would boo at the bad guys. The two of them sitting still was an issue. I mean this was wrestling. My grandfather would pound his fist in his other hand as he got all tense up when the bad guys would cheat in any way shape or form. Going to the bathroom or getting food was only done before or after the matches. The fact they included me into this world of theirs was magical. For a few hours the three of us bonded with our mutual love for wrestling.

Wrestling now is soap opera tv for men. While the athletes are conditioned well and practice hard at their craft- it is in my opinion a show for the fans. The mechanism behind it has been lost due to it being a business first. I still watch it, why stop now? I love it still. But I only watch it for I remember the times I had with my grandfather who is no longer with us. The memories are still as vivid for me now as if I have a video recorder in my head playing these scenes out. With my memory being a crap shoot- I am glad these times has not been washed away with the passage of time.

So while there are people who feel wrestling is fake and a waste of time, I will continue to watch and enjoy. For when I do, my grandfather is sitting next to me enjoying it as much as I am. Remembering his smiles and the pure joy on his face is something I don’t ever want to lose. If that means watching wrestling in the form it is as of today, so be it.

The Musings of A New Englander