A Dog's life - A Day in the life of Chaka

Hey, I'm Chaka.

I'm sure many of you have heard about me. That mom of mine, boy, she's a talker (I hope she didn't say anything embarrassing). I thought you may be curious about what I do here at 4213 Rose Ave., so I put together this schedule to give you a look inside my life. Enjoy it.

My Weekday Schedule - by Chaka

6:30 am - wake up w/mommy to go outside for the bathroom

6:35 am - go back to bed and rest w/pops

8:00 am - wake up and go see what mommy's doing in the office

8:15 am - go to the bathroom again (maybe #2), hang out outside for a few

9:00 am - have some breakfast and a drink

9:30- 10:30 am - hang out with mommy, make sure the office is secure, chew my toy, lick my feet, maybe take a nap

10:30 am - Sunbathe in the backyard, try to lure mommy to play frisbee

around 11:30 am (depending on how hot it is outside) - come back inside, play with my squeaky toy and roam around the house, maybe take a nap in the guest room or under the bed.

12:30 pm - encourage mommy or daddy to take me for a walk

1:00 pm - chill at the house in 'the office' with mommy, brainstorm about work ideas (this takes a lot out of me), grab a drink

1:30 pm - Afternoon nap, sometimes I gaze out the front door, thinking about the neighborhood

3:00 pm - snack time (sometimes), go outside, practice football, rest, chew on sticks, jumping practice (high jump).

3:45 pm - come inside take a nap under the futon or bark at the front door

4:30 pm - Work (I work security at the front door), watch some television

6:45 pm - get ready to take a walk (mommy tells me about 5 times that we're leaving before we actually do), visit Zoey (my lady down the street, she's a black lab, don't hate!)

around 7:30 pm - have some dinner, try to steal mommy and daddy's dinner

8:30 pm - play in the house, lay down

9:30 pm - cuddle with daddy, he rubs my feet and nose

11:30 pm - go check on mommy in the bed, go to sleep under the bed

2:30 am - hop on the bed to make sure everything is secure

I can't complain, my parents love me, what more could a pup want? I work hard but play harder. I have the best job on the planet and sometimes my dad shares his food, ma...she's another story. Hope you all visit real soon.

A few of my favorite things...

I was reading some of my recent blogs and saw that I've become so serious lately, which is what happens when you bury yourself in a hole to make something big happen. Anyway, to relieve some of that musk that has come over the blog, I decided I needed to be a little bit more frivolous by sharing just a few of the things that I love (partly inspired by Cupcakes and Cashmere's Five Things).

Brooks Green Silence Running Shoes, my most recent footwear purchase. I got them at Sport Chalet, but you can get them at Zappos.com. Minimalist shoes that change the way you run and make you feel barefoot without looking like an alien with those foot glove things.

I have always loved Orchids, but never know how to take care of them. This baby is nearly a month old and lookin' strong. I'm proud of myself and she is beautiful.

My version of 'the little black dress'. Diane Von Furstenberg blessed me with this little number from my favorite place, Nordstrom, of course. She didn't bless me herself, she led me to it is more like it...in spirit. LOL

What's more important to go with a fancy dress, than some great shoes!?

Vera Wang Lavender Pumps. I stalked these shoes online and waited for them to go on sale before I bought them. When I put them on my feet, it was more than worth the wait.

Okay, so I inherited this from a previous beau, but I'm so glad I did. Getting through long work days when you're working from home, is much easier with your turntable at your side. You can find them for reasonable prices on Craigslist or even from Guitar Center.

One of my more recent finds was this earring stand and the necklace stand behind it. Where did I find this phenomenal creation to organize my jewelry? Marshall's of course. I'm not so keen on going through racks of clothes at Marshall's, but when it comes to knick-knacks and home goods, its not too shabby.

Last but definitely not least (his ears must have been burning, because he came in here just now)...

My trusty sidekick Chaka. The love of your pup is something that NO person can give you. I wouldn't give this guy up for anything...unless he pees on me again...he's out tha door!

Happy Friday!

I took a hiatus....

But now I'm back. There's so much to talk about, but so little blog space. I should really write more regularly. Well...this will be an update on my furry friend, Chaka. We took him to the dog beach yesterday for the first time (for all of us). It's crazy to see how dogs interact with each other, and great to see my pup enjoy the beach as much as I do.

Rosie's Dog Beach in Long Beach is awesome. It is the only legal off-leash dog beach in Los Angeles county, which had me astonished with the amount of dogs that are in LA County. I am lucky enough to live right there and be within 15 minutes. It was a beautiful fall Sunday when we went over to Belmont shores. I never knew that Long Beach was so beachy, even after living here for more than 5 years of my life.

I was so used to beaches like San Clemente and Salt Creek, that I never even fathomed that there would be pretty beaches in Long Beach. But Alas, there were some really nice areas that you can run, walk, play volleyball, sun bathe, all that jazz and moreover, take your pup. Chaka got a very thorough bath that day, but he loved every minute of the beach. The more time I spend with my cute lil' guy, the more I understand and appreciate how much people love their pets. They are really like an extension of your family and they have their own personalities and they are there for you when you need them.

It takes a little adjustment to get used to a pet and how to take care of him, but for the most part, he is no trouble at all and has made me way more productive and focused in my day-to-day life. Now, I just have to get back on my workout track and everything will be kosher.

I'm working on Ronjini 2004, that was a good year for me physically! :) Wish me luck.