'Tis the holiday shopping season, as my mailbox groaning with catalogs attests. I get too many to look through, so many end up in my recycling bin.
But I came across one that I’m going to keep. It’s the Gaiam Living catalog, which sells products to make your life greener. Actually, as much as I love “green” products, the only reason I’m keeping this catalog is for the Pug on the cover.
I fell in love with this Toy breed while I was an assistant editor to Dog World magazine. When you work at a magazine that covers all things dog, it’s hard not to pick a favorite breed. My editor had an oil pastel of Rottweiler that an ex-boyfriend drew for her. The managing editor owned a miniature Collie. Those breeds are fine, but compared to a Pug, they do nothing for me.
What’s so special about Pugs? Their fur is short, soft and thick. When they wag their tails, their whole bodies vibrate. They are small enough to tuck under your arm, but big enough that they don’t look like a drowned rat when wet. And just try not to look into those soulful eyes.
Unfortunately, due to office politics, I had plenty of time on my hands wax poetic about Pugs. My boss wasn’t a great manager, so instead of teaching her underlings the ropes on how to produce a magazine, she kept most of the work to herself, and busied us with “busy” work. It was disappointing because I was just out of college and impatient to start my career.
On one particularly boring, frustrating day, I brazenly cut out some photos of Pugs and taped on the inside cover of my day planner. My editor wouldn’t have been too happy seeing me do arts and crafts on the job, but I was tired of worrying about what she thought. I just needed to keep the farce going while I looked for another job on the sly.
Those taped-down Pugs got me through a stressful time in my life. Looking at them on my cold, soggy Chicago subway rides helped me get my mind off whether my boss would figure out that my “dentist” appointment was really a job interview. Or if the job I really wanted would come through. Their sweet, furry faces always put me in a better mood.
Looking back, I can see how silly it was to worry about moving on from Dog World magazine. I did move on, and have had enough ups and downs to know that having a career is not what I thought it would be. And after six years of motherhood, I've realized it's not all it's cracked up to be either.
So that’s why I’m holding onto this Pug cover. Looking at it is a tried-and-true method to making me smile.
But I came across one that I’m going to keep. It’s the Gaiam Living catalog, which sells products to make your life greener. Actually, as much as I love “green” products, the only reason I’m keeping this catalog is for the Pug on the cover.
I fell in love with this Toy breed while I was an assistant editor to Dog World magazine. When you work at a magazine that covers all things dog, it’s hard not to pick a favorite breed. My editor had an oil pastel of Rottweiler that an ex-boyfriend drew for her. The managing editor owned a miniature Collie. Those breeds are fine, but compared to a Pug, they do nothing for me.
What’s so special about Pugs? Their fur is short, soft and thick. When they wag their tails, their whole bodies vibrate. They are small enough to tuck under your arm, but big enough that they don’t look like a drowned rat when wet. And just try not to look into those soulful eyes.
Unfortunately, due to office politics, I had plenty of time on my hands wax poetic about Pugs. My boss wasn’t a great manager, so instead of teaching her underlings the ropes on how to produce a magazine, she kept most of the work to herself, and busied us with “busy” work. It was disappointing because I was just out of college and impatient to start my career.
On one particularly boring, frustrating day, I brazenly cut out some photos of Pugs and taped on the inside cover of my day planner. My editor wouldn’t have been too happy seeing me do arts and crafts on the job, but I was tired of worrying about what she thought. I just needed to keep the farce going while I looked for another job on the sly.
Those taped-down Pugs got me through a stressful time in my life. Looking at them on my cold, soggy Chicago subway rides helped me get my mind off whether my boss would figure out that my “dentist” appointment was really a job interview. Or if the job I really wanted would come through. Their sweet, furry faces always put me in a better mood.
Looking back, I can see how silly it was to worry about moving on from Dog World magazine. I did move on, and have had enough ups and downs to know that having a career is not what I thought it would be. And after six years of motherhood, I've realized it's not all it's cracked up to be either.
So that’s why I’m holding onto this Pug cover. Looking at it is a tried-and-true method to making me smile.
