I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

awwwweeeeee....the lab on the bottom left looks like my darling Athena (may she rest in peace in dog heaven).

ETA: Just added an ETA to two posts above (if that makes sense).

Permission to rant:

Feeling absolutely hopeless about Christmas this year. I was going to do some productive "getting ready" today - er - like buy presents, for one! Then I make the mistake of visiting my mailbox and find a letter from the IRS saying I owe loads of money in taxes. Not loads. A relative pittance, actually, but I am not exactly swimming in cash at the moment. I've no idea why - my IQ on that topic is about 10. That is, they mention a reason but it makes no sense to me. So.....either I pay huge amounts of cash to a lawyer (again, the word "huge" being relative) - much more than the actual tax owed -- or I shut up and pay up.

Or I pen a sob story and hope for compassion?

Feeling very anti-government right now. I have two deadly illnesses, I do my best to pay my taxes (meaning, I used software programs that are supposed to do it all for me) and I an being busted in the kneecaps.

Write your congressman, you say? I live in the seat of government of the world's most powerful country, and my congressman --congresswoman, actually-- does not have the right to vote except in committee!

Even my normally serene psychiatrist was outraged - he gave me the kneecaps metaphor!

TYFLTMR!

(Thank You For Listening To My Rant)

I like the little gray one-and I think he looks most like a "Winston".

Mary

The one on the bottom has "poysonality" in spades, and a sense of humor.

The bottom one for sure - he's adorable and he's looking right into the camera - and he's interesting!

The gray puppy struck my fancy too.  But the truth of who is meant to come home with you will come when you meet them in person.   

The constant string of shootings is heartbreaking.    It's not one problem.  It's always a mix of problems coming together in the most awful way.  But it is foolish to deny that the easy access to guns is a big contributor to the ever increasing death toll.  Young men used to have lots of fistfights in my day ... and then get over whatever it was that set them off.  Now they have a gun in their pocket and shoot.  You can't take back dead. This country is awash in guns and we will never be able to put that genie back in the bottle.  Nobody is suggesting banning all guns.  I have no problem with guns for self protection or sport.  We have guns in the house too.  But the NRA needs to quit rabble rousing on the issue of assault weapons that have no purpose other than killing large numbers of people quickly.  Those weapons put all the power in the hands of the bad guy.  They needed to be banned long ago.

Blue, for some reason, the top picture, the bottom half is grayed out.  I can only see his ears and white-striped forhead.  I can hardly judge, but my heart sinks thinking you will leave one behind (though I guess the remaining one has a nice situation).  I like the bottom one though...those ears give him character.  I suppose to young to discern personality?  That would be my final deciding factor.

Athena - during chemo, I totaly forgot about my second car registration bill (it was piled with the rest of them).  Months later, I was getting to the pile and it was an oh crap moment.  I went to the DMV and mentioned I was late due to cancer and they waived the late fees!  I was shocked, since California is so in debt.  Knowing the feds (as I do), they might not be so forgiving, but you might try, to atleast, get rid of any interest or make a payment plan and mention your illness. It is worth a try.

p.s. Fossil - cute cute name