Love Actually is All Around

I found out today that Kahlua (my sister & sister-in-law's dog) has bone cancer. It's spread and her time left with us will be short.  Kahlua is an old dog - a lab mix, rescue dog.  She's about 11-years-old.  She's had a wonderful life and, though I am sad it is nearing the end, I am so thankful for this sweet pup.  I wanted to share a few stories about her, if you will indulge me. Photo credit: Marni Levinson Kahlua is a special dog - the BEST dog, if I may be so bold.  Am I biased? Of course. But she managed to win over my mom and my friend Sarah (who both don't like dogs), so that's saying something.  She is incredibly sweet and gentle.  She has always been very mild and her favorite thing is pretty much just to exist around people who love her.  ...And she also loves dry pasta and cheese as treats :)  I am Kahlua's primary dog-sitter when her moms are out of town, so we are buddies.  Before my niece and nephew were born, sh...

The introvert extrovert debate rages on.  Do you think I am an introvert or an extrovert? I am in fact an introvert, by definition.  I am an outgoing introvert.  Does that sound like a contradiction? It's not.  Introverts are individuals who draw their energy from being alone. Solitude.  That doesn't mean they can't enjoy being with people or that they have to be shy and quiet.  In the same way that being an extrovert doesn't mean one has to be the life of the party.  They draw energy from being with people. When I take the Myers-Briggs test, it declares me an extrovert...or I am right on the line, split 50/50.  This is one of many reasons why I hate these personality tests.  They can be tools to help us understand one another, yes. But we are all complicated beings.  I cannot be defined by a series of letters based on a quiz. I recently read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain) .  It wa...