Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Life

The past two weeks, I have been dealing with this...


Yes, my car was shot up four times and dealing with that to get fixed has been a cluster fuck from Hell.  Yes, I am the manager that was on duty and I am also the "employee" who said "No comment" and to call corporate.

How am I?  I've never in my life been involved in a shooting.  I've never in my life saw someone that I know (or anyone for that fact) get shot and in the face at that.  I'm not sleeping well and there is PTSD as when I hear the balls on the pool table being slammed down, it sounds like the gunshots being fired that night.  

I do have amazing support in that the company that I work for is amazing.   Also, I have many patrols from JPSO when I am working.  

Also, getting back into the dating scene has been interesting.  Gone on a few dates with one guy as he has piqued my interests.  Key is to date a few people and not settle.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

We take care of our own.

Talk about very humbling...

Thursday, I got a text from a friend asking me if I wanted to go help deliver food to some LEOs (Law Enforcement Officers) and civilians in Ascension and Livingston Parishes.  I was off of work and have been feeling a bit withdrawn as a lot has been going on in my life and decided to push myself to get out and help.  I met him at Dragos.  The owner of Dragos has gotten with a few other people and they are loading up meals from his restaurant into SUVs and his trucks and heading to East Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge, Ascension, and Livingston Parishes (to name a few) with these meals to feed the people who were devastated by the flooding of the storm two weeks ago.  

As we were driving through Ascension/Livingston Parishes to get to the drop off points, I was reminded of how it was after Hurricane Katrina when it hit New Orleans.  The debris from the flooded houses were curbside.  Flooded vehicles.  My husband and I were very lucky in that we didn't lose our house, but he did lose his job.  He got another one quickly and it was towing flooded vehicles from Chalmette, Gentilly, and New Orleans East, the worst hit areas of Katrina.  That being said, I would work with him on Saturdays and I saw some crazy things with regards to devastation.  So riding through Ascension and Livingston Parishes and seeing the debris and devastation brought flash backs.  

Dragos is still sending meals to the parishes devastated due to the flooding, just not sure where the next drop off will be.  If I am off when they do it, I will be there, again, to help.  It's what we do down here.  We help our own in any way possible.  

Monday, July 25, 2016

Blessed and Grateful

I sit here feeling blessed and grateful for this past year.  What I thought was the end of my world was just the beginning of something more beautiful.  The obstacles that were put in my way, I came through them with wounds and battle scars, but I also came out a stronger person for it.  

My marriage is over with.  I have filed for divorce last week.  

My job that I had for 14 years, I was let go a month and a half ago.  Got my last severance check on the 15th of this month.  I've been working my ass off at the bar full time and lots of over time for the last month and a half and for peanuts. I started sending my resume out like crazy the last couple of weeks.  Looking to stay in the legal field which is my passion, but, I decided to take a leap and I sent my resume to a company that I had no clue about.  Got a call back the next morning, went on an interview Thursday morning, got a call back Thursday evening for another interview, which was this morning and I got the job.  I have to take a state licensing test before I start working, but I have been hired.  Start the online classes tomorrow. Once I get my license...I start working and being mentored.  Something totally out of my comfort zone, sales.  I am really looking forward to this change.  Not to mention, the income...there isn't a limit and it's all up to me.  I'm a hustler!

I have amazing friends and family who have been on the sidelines rooting for me.  I also have an amazing person in my life who has been a Godsend.  To be able to bounce ideas and tell this person everything without the fear of being judged or told something is nice.  No jealousy or insecurity and is comfortable with me learning about me and helping me (mentally) every step of the way is amazing.  For the first time in a long time, I have not been this happy.  Especially this past year.  God is closing a lot of doors that I couldn't do myself and is opening new ones because I have put it ALL in his hands.  I am taking leaps in life that I would have never dared to have done.  I'm flying, not falling.  I am truly blessed.  I know that I am and I am grateful for this life that I am living because through Him, all good things come and I give Him all my thanks and praise.

Monday, June 13, 2016

You just never know...Another new chapter...

Everything happens for a reason.  I've been trying for years to leave the law firm that I worked for, but the whole thought of starting over again when I had awesome benefits, I could just never bring myself to do it.  Well, today, while I was at lunch, I was brought into the conference room and let go.  Shocked because I honestly did not see this coming as I thought everything was ok, despite people treating me differently the past few weeks, but I just hunkered down in my office and did my job.  Apparently that wasn't good enough.  

So, God closed this door for me.  Lord knows that I couldn't do it as I always made excuses.  Thankfully, now, I have time to find something that I want to do and not settle.  So, now I need to get my resume updated as I haven't had one for 14 years.  

Thank goodness for the managing the bar part time.  That is going to turn into full time until I figure out what my next move is.  As in what do I want to be when I grow up?

Decisions, decisions but at least for this week, I get to take an easy.  Spend time with friends and family as it's been forever since I've been able to do that.  
In all honesty, life is truly good and I am truly blessed.   

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Just can't seem to let go.

Yesterday was NOT a good day, mentally, for me.  It was the first time in months that I just couldn't change it no matter what I did.  I hate that I love someone so much, yet it really doesn't matter to him what he's done/doing to me.  As I've said before, for the first time in my life, I am doing really well.  I've gotten my shit together financially, I've gotten my credit to where it is finally getting really good, I am 100% on my own with no help from anyone.  It's a nice place to be and it can only get better from here, right?  

I hate that I love a man so damn much that I allow him to control this whole thing.  I don't have the nuts to file.  I do not have the nuts to take control of this situation and file for divorce.  I have no clue what is holding me back either.  We've been separated for a year.  No shot at reconciling.  He hasn't spoken to me since Good Friday when some "friend" felt the need to contact him about some bullshit lies and he chose to believe them.   That right there should tell me something.  Not to mention, how he has treated me since, he hasn't changed one bit, yet for some reason, I can't let go.  I just can't.  It's like I made all of this effort and was doing so well and then I had a set back.  A major one.  Maybe it was going to a funeral on Monday.  That whole situation hurt me to my core and it made me really think.  Maybe that is why I've had this set back.  

Good thing though, I know that I am strong because I didn't turn to drink like I would have.  Key now is to not turn to drinking because I am a stress drinker and nothing good comes out of it.  I've learned to identify the triggers and I am learning how to deal with it all healthily.  

I'm also cutting my hours back, tremendously, at the bar because I really do not need that job anymore.  I would quit, but things are so hectic there with being short-handed manager wise, my supervisor helped me out in rehiring me because I NEEDED that job badly to help supplement the loss of being in a two income household.  But now, not so much.  So, I'll stay, work a couple of shifts a week and help out when needed until I can leave.  So ready to have a life of leisure, lol.  Well, I still have my paralegal gig, but . . . 

I guess I should just start planning a get away trip for some rest/relaxation, maybe with the girls or maybe by myself, and that will put me in a better mood.  Key West, it is. 

Monday, April 25, 2016

Weekend with Friends.

I actually had a whole weekend off.  Not used to having that as I bust my ass working 7 days a week.  Sometimes working 9 hours a day and sometimes working 16 or 18 hours a day, depending on the schedule from the part-time job that I have.  
This weekend, I had some friends come in from out of town (Texas) for Jazz Fest.  Friday night was so much fun.  As a "local" one does not usually go down to the French Quarter as we spent our teenage years down there drinking illegally.  Until you became 18, which at that time, back in the day, you could drink legally at bars but you could not purchase alcohol at the store until you were 21.  Weird law.  Anywho, I went down and met a friend and her family.  So much fun just people watching.  Oh the sites.  Met some locals but most were tourists.  
Saturday, I spent the day laying out by my pool.  The water was freaking freezing, but it was a beautiful day and I took advantage of same.  Then ended the night with eating boiled crawfish at a neighbor's house and then going to bed early, snuggling with my Noles.
Yesterday, more fun... laid out by the pool for a couple of hours, then went to a childhood friend's house.  It was there that I got talked into maybe going to the 610 Stompers cruise that is in early September.  Her husband is a Stomper.  There is also a pub crawl as well.  I may do that as well.  Funny thing is that I'm not drinking nearly close to like I was, if at all.  I have fun at these events people watching if anything.  I like the sober life way too much.
Booking a girls' trip to Biloxi for Memorial Day weekend.  Looking into a few other long weekend trips as well.  Something that I am learning about myself is that I love to travel and now that I have the means to, I can do it and enjoy it.  There is a whole world out there to explore and nothing is holding me back.  Time to get that passport too.  There is more than the United States that I'd love to see. Life is too short to not enjoy and I got a second chance at doing it.  Going to take it all in and enjoy the journey. 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

An open letter to you:

I do have to say that you've taught me a lot over the last 12 years.  Actually, more over the last year than anything. 

I'm not going to be bitter about anything because, honestly, there isn't anything to be bitter about.  I am on my path and you're stuck where this all first started.  Which brings me to unconditional love.  You taught me that I can love someone who I am not blood related to. I thought that I would never be able to love someone unconditionally like I do my daughter.  I was wrong.  This last year has taught me how wrong I was about that.  I hurt because you hurt.  I hurt because I can't fix it and I hurt because you are not doing anything to fix it either.  You're looking for excuses and buying expensive things to fill the void when reality is, Baby, it's within.  Everything is within.  

I loved you through your darkest days.  Your darkest.  I lost myself in trying to fix you.  When everyone told me to give up on you and to move on, that you do not deserve me...I couldn't.  I never gave up on you.  I prayed every day that God would put us back on the path together and that we'd be good again.  The obstacles got harder and I went down a dark path, myself.  It wasn't until I was slapped in the face with consequences that I woke up and started taking care of me.  How can I take care of anyone else when I am slowly trying to kill myself because I lost what was the best thing that happened to me, aside from my daughter?  I started getting my life back together and I get stronger everyday.  I work my ass off working two jobs (damn near full time) and I work hard and play harder.  Life is too short to do anything else other than live it and live it to its fullest.  

For the first time in my life, I am independent.  No one to answer to, my bills are being paid and I'm doing it all on my own.  I have to say, our last exchange during Good Friday opened my eyes to a lot, Love.  We are in two totally different places.  As I said before, you are still where you told me where to get off and now I am farther ahead.  I have no clue what the future has for us and I'm not really focusing on that right now.  If we are meant to be, we'll find our way back to each other.  If not, it was nice knowing you and I hope that you find the love and happiness that you deserve.  You're not a bad guy, we are just not meant to be together right now, if at all.  I get that.  I just hate looking into your eyes and seeing how much you do love me and at the same time the pain and misery that you're struggling with.  Again, I hope that you find whatever it is that you are looking for.  I love us enough to let go of the rope.  

Love Always

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Pondering thoughts...

Figuring out where I am suppose to be and who I am supposed to be in this life has been quite interesting.  It's been a very crazy journey. Honestly, one that I wouldn't change either.  At my weakest moment, I found strength that I never knew existed.  I love a man unconditionally and therefore he is my one true love, but I've also learned that in order to continue my journey, I must let go.  Letting go is the hardest part, but the way that I see it, I have to in order for him to find himself and his happiness.  If we end up back together, great.  If not, he taught me what I needed to learn and it was a valuable lesson that I will never regret nor forget.  

I have the itch to travel.  Badly.  So traveling I will do. New Orleans will ALWAYS be my home base, but maybe I was meant to explore something more deeper.  I've always had a gypsy kind of soul, so maybe now, that there isn't anything tying me down here, I can do just that.  Experience life as it should be experienced.  Living, loving and laughing.  


Tuesday, April 12, 2016

My Sunday working French Quarter Fest

I worked French Quarter Fest this year.  It was so much fun and such a beautiful day (Sunday, the last day of the festival).  I work for New Orleans Original Daiquiris as a manager and we had a few booths out there.  We were so busy.  It was non-stop, but where our booth was situated, we were on the river front which was nice as it was breezy and sunny.  

On my way to working the FQF (French Quarter Fest).

 

 

Brunch consisted of Crawfish Pasta...

 

I was slinging some drinks... and boy.... was I messy.  

 

Thanks to Auntie da Barbaras for taking this pic :)

Then, I scored a trade.  Love bartering.  Fried oyster poboy from Redfish Grill.   The best ending to the crazy, yet beautiful day.  

   

Working two jobs is insane sometimes, but...it does have its perks when you get to work festivals.  Next up... Jazz Fest.  

 

Monday, April 4, 2016

What a difference a year makes.

A year ago, my husband kicked me out of the house.  Told me to leave.  That broke me and destroyed me because I didn't see it coming.  Blind-sided.  Things were not perfect, but I thought that we were just going through a phase as things in life were changing.  My daughter was getting ready to graduate high school and was going off to college.  He had lost three significant people in his life within 9 months, was miserable at his job and the final straw, getting emergency custody of his son (which was the straw that broke the camel's back, so they say).  He rarely had time for me and he felt that he needed to give whatever he had to me to his son, so out the door I went.  Over the past year, he has come up with a million other different excuses as to why he did what he did.  I've had my thoughts on it and he has confirmed a few of them over the past year.  

I've been through so much in this past year and how I made it out alive, I have no clue at all.  None.  God and Nola (my dog).  Because without Nola, I would have never made myself get up every day.  I prayed to God to not let me wake up for the most part of this.  I wanted the horrific nightmare to be over with.  I just wanted to hear my husband tell me "come home, I miss you."  Never happened.  

In October, I had a wake up call.  Rock bottom, so to speak.  I started getting my life together.  Found an amazing counselor and have made great strides to get through one of the worst times of my life.  I had stopped drinking for 4 months.  Now, I have a drink occasionally, but it's nothing like it was when this started.  I lived drunk.  How I managed to keep my job (not to mention the second job that I picked up) amazes me.  It was really bad there for a while.  I'm not perfect and I've had a few slip-ups here and there, but each time, I've learned the lesson.  

I work two full-time jobs (damn near).  So when I do have time, I am very picky with whom I spend it with because my time is very precious.  I am mostly at home with Nola as I am rarely home.  She's become my rock in all of this.  I have no clue where I'd be without her.  A year ago, today, I put down my 15 year old dog who had been through everything with me.  I had to put her down because she couldn't handle the stress of moving.  He kicked me out and a few days later, I moved to my sister's house.  Roux couldn't handle the stress and she was beginning to become senile.  I miss her.  

I love my husband, still, despite everything that has happened.  I've respected my vows (and continue to).  My husband has my heart.  Always will.  I've given him a year and told him as long as he needed to figure it out.  He hasn't changed from the day that that he told me to leave.  He's full of hurt and hatred and it's directed towards me and I do not know why.  He's cut me off in communication at times and then feels the need to throw me a crumb to suck me back in, but it's not working anymore because I deserve more than the crumbs that he throws my way.  I deserve more than what he can give me right now.  I deserve better and I know that.  This last episode proved that to me.  He never believes me and takes the word of strangers or "friends" who tell him lies about me.  Honestly, I could careless who the "friend" was because I never once asked him who "she" was.  It's a lie and I know that it is.  

At the end of the day, I'm independent.  I'm paying all of my bills, living on my own, hustling working two jobs and doing whatever it is that I want.  I just got back home from vacation with my daughter, her friends and my friend.  Fun girls' trip to Orange Beach, Alabama.  I have plans of traveling this year and have the next two planned already.  I love my husband with everything that I have, still, although he really does not deserve it, but maybe he needs it more than ever right now, I don't know.  I hurt because he's hurting and he still isn't happy and I can see it in his eyes whenever I do see him.  I can also see that he still loves me more than anything as well.  I'm not perfect, but I'm picking up the pieces of the life that he destroyed and building a new one.  I like who I am becoming.  I'm not the same person that he married and I'm not the same person he told to leave.  For the first time in my life, I am alone and I am finding myself and who I am supposed to be.  I'm focusing on me and who I want in my life.  I have a select few who I have allowed into my very close circle because as I said, my time is precious. 

Thursday, March 3, 2016

It is what it is

Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh.  Some people just do not get it.  They really just do not.  Material things do not make a person happy and  buying someone's love and affection doesn't work either.  But what do I know?  I'm happy and settling down in this new life that I am creating and enjoying the ride, for now. Life threw me some crazy curve balls and I survived and came out of the storm stronger.  I'm not a victim, I am not a survivor, I am a motherfucking warrior.  God has been amazing to me on this journey and this past year he knocked me to my knees and brought me to a better place.  I'm not perfect, by any means, but I know that I am blessed in this life and I thank him every night before I go to bed as well as every morning when I wake up.  

2015 was one of the worst years of my life.  I found out who my true friends were, who "family" was, and acquaintances became like family and new friends were acquired along the way.  I almost lost one of my two jobs, but I came back swinging despite the odds.  I learned a few lessons the hard way and suffered the consequences of those bad decisions.  Like I said, I am a motherfucking warrior.  

So in saying that, I plan on doing a lot of traveling.  Especially this year.  I plan on making the minutes in this life count.  I am focused on myself for the first time in my life.  2016 is MY year and I'm going to live this life to the fullest.  You've only got one.  

Life, laugh, and love.     

 

 

Monday, November 16, 2015

Lots of Changes

There have been A LOT of changes the last almost 8 months.  My husband told me to leave because he cannot handle what life threw his way.  The final thing that he couldn't take was when he got emergency custody of his then 16 year old son due to his exwife having issues.  They are still in court fighting over custody of his now 17 year old son.  Hope that works out for the best with regards to my step-son.  

I am living on my own now, with Nola, as I had to put Roux (who was 15 years old) down two days after temporarily moving in with my sister for three weeks.  I landed on my two feet and am doing well.  Working two jobs to get out of the debt that my soon to be exhusband has put me in, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  

My daughter graduated high school (and with honors) and is doing well in college as a freshman.  So proud of her.  

Noles and I are enjoying our new life and the new chapter that we've been afforded.  Moving forward and not looking back.  It's my soon to be exhusband's loss and a blessing for me.  All of the baggage is being dealt with and having his removed (his exwife's craziness) from my life, I'm not as stressed and for the first time in my life, it's all about me.  No one to depend on me except for Nola and let me tell you, that dog has been a Godsend.  I have no clue what I would have done without her.  

Once my soon to be ex files for divorce and it's granted, because I'm not fighting it, saving up money and moving to the beach.  Key West, Florida has always been a dream and now a days, it seems more possible than before.  May take a while to get there, but I will get there. 

Enjoying this new lease on life and taking advantage of every single second that I have.  

It is true, the journey of life is best traveled with a dog.  At least she will never let me down or leave me because life gets too rough.  

Friday, March 13, 2015

Chevrolet Elite trip to Las Vegas

I had an amazing trip to Las Vegas despite my husband's exwife trying to ruin same.  She's a whole other story for another day.

We went to Las Vegas as my husband is part of a very successful dealership that is now recognized as Chevrolet's Elite.  We stayed at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, which I could spend a week in there, alone, and still would not see the whole hotel.  A mall, art gallery, spa, restaurants, bars and gambling.  It was definitely sensory overload for this girl, and I am born/raised in New Orleans!  

After his business meeting (where he met Keni Thomas who was a speaker), we roamed the strip for a bit.  Visited Caesar's Palace, at lunch at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant in the Paris Casino and walked through the mall and saw the Bellagio Hotel. Malls are everywhere in the casinos.  Also, went to Walgreens and we wandered around there for about an hour in itself because it was like walking through a department store.  They sold some high dollar alcohol there as well as makeup.  

That night, there was the awards dinner where we met people from our state as they had us sitting at the same table.  Love meeting new people and making friends.  Anywho, Howie Long was a presenter and then for entertainment, Jeff Dunham.  My husband was recognized as well as all of the other Chevrolet Elite dealerships that were there.  

The next morning, my husband went to Spring Mountain Motor Resort and rode in the Z06 Corvette and drove a Z28 as well as some go carts.  I had a spa day, where I enjoyed the BEST massage ever.  So relaxed!  THEN...We went to a dinner/show at the Venetian.  Rock of Ages.  OMG, LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!  Of course, I love 80s-90s hair bands, so that was right up my alley.  

Flew out yesterday and got home last night.  I have to say, from the moment that we got on the plane to go to Las Vegas for this event up through getting home, Chevrolet did an amazing job in putting it all together.  Oh, and the gifts that we got while we were there...AMAZING as well.  Thank goodness we had room in our luggage to bring it all back.  

Friday, November 8, 2013

My thoughts on the "attempt" to ban tattoos with police departments, namely NOPD.

I truly do not get this wanting to ban tattoos with NOPD (or any police department for that matter). I mean, I do not care if the policeman/woman is tatted up or not. They are there to do their job and do it well. If I need one for any reason, I'm not going to say "Oh, no, wait, can you get me a police officer that doesn't have ink all over them, puhlease?" Makes. No. Sense. 

Hate the judgment of some people when it comes to those who wear their journey of life on the outside with beautiful artwork proudly.

End rant. :)

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

No truer words have been spoken.

This is what I don't agree with and why I can't understand why some people do...everyone wants to blame something on Facebook...makeups, breakups, cheating, stalking, creating a double life for yourself (that in no way, shape or form actually resembles anything about you or your life, and then standing on your imaginary pedestal whilst throwing rocks), hoe activities, a sudden loss of any type of morals or codes of conduct, quite honestly having the courage to say things that you would never in your life have the valour to say in person, and generalized FUCKERY...at the end of the day, blaming a social media site for your problems is like blaming food for making you fat...the food DID NOT make you fat, your choice to eat it did...take responsibility for your own words, your own actions, your own problems and have enough respect for yourself to find solutions to those problems instead of taking the fool's route of blaming everyone else and everything else in the world, most of which is irrelevant for YOUR ISSUES...It is sad that so many people, in attempting to portray grandeur accomplish anything but...think for one second what is says of your own misery the need to constantly insult and demean everyone around you.
Taken from a very good friend, Rachel Padilla.  Could not have said it any better.  

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Parental Alienation Syndrome (a/k/a PAS)

 
Top actions of an alienating parent


•Doesn’t inform you of upcoming school activities (especially unexpected ones).

•Expresses no enthusiasm for fun events you’re doing with the child (vacations, amusement parks, etc).

•Limits child’s cellphone usage, so you’ll rarely get a call or text.

•Limits child’s email usage.

•Refers to you by your first name in their home (Dad becomes “David;” Mom becomes “Julie”).

•Accomplishes a post-visitation shakedown, extracting as much info as possible to find negatives.

•Hands the phone directly to the child when you call, avoiding even civil conversation with you.

•Pops anti-depressant pills (as many have a history of depression).

•Able to hold resentment towards young, innocent children (ie. your children from another marriage).

•Never calls you when the child is sick or taken out of school for a day or more.

•Teaches the child adult things to tell you, such as “I don’t feel comfortable about the duration of our summer visitation, Dad”.

•Teaches the child how to despise or hate another human being (that being you, of course).

•Labels themselves the “good” parent; label you the “bad” parent.

•Tells the child false stories about their childhood.

•Tells the child how he or she was victimized by you and your actions (while taking no blame at all for the divorce).

•Teaches the child how to lie to you (coating their little hearts with false malice and scorn).

•Diminishes your extended family’s worth.

•Says to you words like, “I always encourage her to see you;” “I’ve never told him you’re a jerk” while actually doing the precise opposite.

•Neglects to have the child call you for your birthday, on New Year’s Eve, or other important dates.

•Uses a cellphone as a leash while the child is with you.

•Never gets the child excited about seeing you.

•Reminds the child of all that he or she will be missing while with you and away from them.

•Inflicts his or her unhappiness onto the child (as alienators are deeply unhappy people).

•Attempts via a lawyer to reduce visitation to that even below family court minimum standards.

•Takes the child out of state without a peep, while demands precise details whenever you travel with them.

•Monopolizes the child’s time for hours on the phone (if you let them).

•Views any event in the child’s life– a distant Aunt’s birthday, a friend’s birthday, etc– as more important than time with you.

•Teaches the children from their current marriage to despise you.

•Is jealous of anything fun and memorable you do with the child (as they view the good times as a “threat”).

•Gripes about things you’re doing as a parent to the child, but says nothing to you about it.

•Has outbursts around the child (extremely emotional and dramatic ones).

•Lacks a filter; spilling any adult topic into the child’s head.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Reason to NOT dump your pet at the shelter.

The shelter manager's letter:
"I am posting this (and it is long) because I think our society needs a huge wake-up call.

As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all - a view from the inside, if you will.  Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would change your mind about breeding and selling to people you don't even know - that puppy you just sold will most likely end up in my shelter when it's not a cute little puppy anymore.

How would you feel if you knew that there's about a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter it is going to be dumped at - purebred or not! About 50% of all of the dogs that are "owner surrenders" or "strays" that come into my shelter are purebred dogs.

No shortage of excuses.
The most common excuses I hear are:

We are moving and we can't take our dog (or cat).
Really? Where are you moving to that doesn't allow pets?

The dog got bigger than we thought it would.
How big did you think a German Shepherd would get?

We don't have time for her.
Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs!

She's tearing up our yard.
How about bringing her inside, making her a part of your family?

They always tell me:
We just don't want to have to stress about finding a place for her. We know she'll get adopted - she's a good dog. Odds are your pet won't get adopted, and how stressful do you think being in a shelter is?

Well, let me tell you. Dead pet walking!

Your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off, sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn't full and your dog manages to stay completely healthy.
If it sniffles, it dies.

Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with about 25 other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it.

If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers that day to take him/her for a walk. If I don't, your pet won't get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose.

If your dog is big, black or any of the "bully" breeds (pit bull, rottweiler, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door. Those dogs just don't get adopted.

If your dog doesn't get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed.

If the shelter isn't full and your dog is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed, it may get a stay of execution, though not for long. Most pets get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment.
 
If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles, chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because shelters just don't have the funds to pay for even a $100 treatment.

The grim reaper:
Here's a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being "put-down".  First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk - happy, wagging their tails. That is, until they get to "The Room".

Every one of them freaks out and puts on the breaks when we get to the door. It must smell like death, or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there. It's strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 vet techs (depending on their size and how freaked out they are). A euthanasia tech or a vet will start the process. They find a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the "pink stuff". Hopefully your pet doesn't panic from being restrained and jerk it's leg. I've seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood, and been deafened by the yelps and screams.

They all don't just "go to sleep" - sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves.  When it all ends, your pet's corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back, with all of the other animals that were killed, waiting to be picked up like garbage.

What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? You'll never know, and it probably won't even cross your mind. It was just an animal, and you can always buy another one, right?

Liberty, freedom and justice for all.
I hope that those of you that have read this are bawling your eyes out and can't get the pictures out of your head. I do everyday on the way home from work. I hate my job, I hate that it exists and I hate that it will always be there unless people make some changes and realize that the lives you are affecting go much farther than the pets you dump at a shelter.

Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I do my best to save every life I can but rescues are always full, and there are more animals coming in everyday than there are homes.

My point to all of this is DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!

Hate me if you want to - the truth hurts and reality is what it is.

I just hope I maybe changed one person's mind about breeding their dog, taking their loving pet to a shelter, or buying a dog. I hope that someone will walk into my shelter and say "I saw this thing on craigslist and it made me want to adopt".
That would make it all worth it."

Author unknown