shellilockhart's Blog

He loves me unconditionally. He always greets me enthusiastically when I come home. His favorite place is next to me. He is always in the mood to cuddle. When I'm sick or sad he is compassionate. He is Oliver, my dog.

I saw Marley & Me during the holidays. It gets my nomination for best movie and best leading actor. Marley is the real deal. Not like a fantasy "Prince Charming" in a love story. The audience can believe in this character. Dogs, no matter how rowdy, really do steal your heart (and your underwear). They teach us how to really love.

I laughed and cried my way through the book last year and was excited to see the movie. Movie's never measure up, but the dog does. Marley, the world's worst dog, is every much as endearing on the big screen.

President-elect Barack Obama held his first news conference today. The two issues the media has focused on; the economy and the soon-to-be family dog.

Obama says the family needs a hypoallergenic dog because his oldest daughter, Malia, is allergic. But being politically correct, the Obama's want to adopt from a shelter. Since pet adoption is my soap box, I swiftly sent an email.

As a volunteer at Wayside Waifs, I am totally against purchasing a pet from a store or breeder. Save a life, adopt from a shelter.

I recommended petfinder.com to the Obama's. The website searches for the pooch of your dreams across the country. You can pick the size, breed, age even the sex of the dog and Petfinder will find one at a shelter or rescue group. They do the same for cats, but this is a dog blog.

I got a generic response thanking me for supporting the Obama-Biden ticket and about how many emails and phone calls the new administration is getting. Nothing about the dog. We will see if they take my advice. Then I will apply for the job of "first dog walker."

I hate clichés! This political season has created a few whoppers.

Regardless of your political affiliations, aren't there terms you are sick of hearing? How about a ban?

Let's start with "maverick" I have not heard that uttered this often since the 1980's movie "Top Gun." I am sick of the discussions at the "kitchen table" about what's happening from "Main Street to Wall Street."

I know we in the media are guilty of some of these clichés. But if we can all "reach across the isle" and vote against these criminally offensive clichés we can make a "change" that is good for America.

I'm willing to bet glasses are going to make a comeback. Republican vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, is giving eye fashion a boost.

Remember when a person in glasses was subjected to nicknames like "four eyes?" Or the saying "boys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses." Now those observations on optical needs are a blur.

In the 1990's MSNBC anchor, Ashleigh Banfield, made bold, black frames famous. Now the GOP VP is bringing them back into focus.

Already, optical stores calling the maker of the rimless frames the Alsaka Governor wears to place orders.

Sunday will never be the same. We spent many weekend morning's together, dishing politics over coffee. I would be sleepy. He was always on his game.

Tim Russert, host of NBC's "Meet The Press" died this afternoon. He had a massive heart attack at his Washington D.C. office. He was 58.

When the news crossed the associated press wires, I gasped. I could not believe Tim was gone. The interviewer who's thorough research could intimidate anyone into refusing an invitation to appear on his show. In this,the most exciting presidential race of my lifetime, how could Tim leave?

Journalism lost an icon. Young reporters lost a mentor. The Russert family lost a husband, father and son. Farewell friend, we will all miss you.

When I was a green television reporter my colleagues and I talked about how we would know we'd made it in the news business. I always said I 'd know I'd arrived when I saw my face on the side of a bus. I also wanted to host the Today show. A girl can dream.

So when I saw a FOX 4 live truck with my face on it (Phil was there too) I thought, does that count?

I remember when I was in Dallas, wishing to be in some kind of promotion for our news that started at 5 o'clock in the morning. We were the first station to start broadcasting at that ungodly hour. In the six years I spent getting up before the roosters, we took our little newscast from number three to number one. The newscast got lots of promotion, the anchors didn't.

Then I moved to Boston. And wouldn't you know on my first visit to Dallas... a huge billboard of my former co-anchors greeted me on the highway. Slap in the face.

I'm not tooting my own horn. I don't need to see my face everywhere. And I'm not saying Phil and I are the best team in KC... if you want to say that, fine. But that young reporter's dream never really died. So when I saw the live truck I thought, it ain't a bus, but I'll take it.

I pride myself on being able to communicate with animals. My husband says I am "bow-lingual". I insist all dogs like me, that was until I met Harriet.

My brother and his family adopted the yuppie puppy last year. She is one of those designer dogs, the ones that don't shed. Harriet was well researched. She had good breeding. Harriet came already trained.

Within five minutes of meeting Harriet, she bit me. Not a scratch, not a nip, she drew blood. The 10 pound beast made a meal of my nose and forehead.

Like a true dog lover, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Fear of a new person, I thought. The next day I took little Cujo for a walk, she repaid my kindness with another bite. This time on my lip.

Forget Pit Bulls, I live in fear of Cockapoos.

Sink your fingers into the squishy, stretchy doughy, material and take a sniff. Instantly you're a kid again. Play Doh is like that.

One of our producers, Heidi Schmidt, brought a box of Play Doh to work. The Friday fun also included cut outs and shapes. It was a hit.

Web woman Meagan Kelleher and I giggled like five year olds as we smooshed and squeezed every color of doh into animal shapes. My favorite is the horse with the black mane.

Thank you Heidi for the use of your magical time machine.

The time has come for me to part with my foster kittens. They are almost 12 weeks old, cute, cuddly and into everything. I found one in my closet last night.

Just in time, Wayside Waifs is having "Feline Frenzy". The first 150 kittens are $60. Any cat over six months old is also $60. The shelter is bursting with kittens.

Because of our warm weather, cats have continued to multiply late into the year. The foster program coordinator at Wayside says she's tried to counsel the cats on at least holding out for dinner and a movie before consumating their relationships. It hasn't worked, therefore feline frenzy. It's supposed to go down to the 20's tonight so that may put a freeze on the cat canoodling.

If you are looking for a cat or kitten. Here are the ladies... what a deal!

Naomi 

Reba 

Winona 

Dolly 

I recently became a foster mom for animals at Wayside Waifs. My first charges are two seven week old kittens, Niles and Frazier.

They came from a litter of nine. Fighting for attention and food from their mother left them underdeveloped. So the shelter split the kittens up, and they are flourishing.

It has been a thrill watching them discover the world. In the last two weeks, they've learned how to use the stairs, jump on everything and chase their tails.

Oliver is a wonderful manny (male nanny). He chases, licks and herds the cats. I think he is partial to Frazier as he is more active. Niles loves to cuddle.

It's almost time to put Niles and Frazier up for adoption. They will be available through Wayside Waifs. It will be hard to see them go. I will be comforted knowing I gave them the love they needed until they find their forever home.

My parents survived Hurricane Dean. Thank God! The category 4 storm was headed straight for Jamaica. It moved south in the final hours and Jamaica missed the eye of the storm. Most of the island however, experienced 145 mile per hour winds.

Now here is the craziness. While their children and friends, here in the US waited anxiously my lunatics... I mean my parents... waited out the worst part of the storm in their living room. It has sliding glass doors. On two sides! Hello people, Mother Nature does not play. They insisted they had to see what was happening.

I tried to explain, it's not the high wind. It's what is in the wind... ie: trees. They lost one tree at the house. No one is my family had hurricane damage or any injuries. They are very lucky.

I have since begged them, for the sake, of those who love them... not to do anything else silly. They have promised not to drive though high water or go to a store if it is being looted.