Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance!

I've got that toe tapping, song from the heart feeling today! In a time when our world is changing and sometimes the outlook is bleak I think back to the musicals of the 1930's,in particular, Busby Berkley movies. The 1930's were a very dark time for the US and the world in general. We had the depression, people were living in Hoovervilles, the stock market crashed (sound familiar?) and yet there was a ray of hope, an escape for a few hours and Busby Berkley was happy to provide it to us.

Berkley was one of the greatest choreographers in American history. His films were elaborate and over the top yet the common man at this time didn't mind. They loved seeing the struggle of good guy overcoming obstacles and still getting the girl, the job and the song. The majority of his movies had one grand musical finale that was "suppose" to be on a tiny stage and yet were so spectacular you really didn't mind that he fudge a little and was on a huge sound stage.


42nd street is probably one of the most well known of all of his films. A Broadway director wants to do one last show before his leaves the business due to health reasons. Unfortunately he has to borrow the money from a rich man who only has eyes for the lead of the play. At the last minute the lead breaks her ankle and the sweet understudy takes the over the part and saves the day. The last 20 minutes is worth the price of admission alone, don't miss it.

Footlight Parade showcases James Cagney's musical and comedic talents. Cagney plays a Broadway producer having to compete with the new era of talking film. He does this by putting on three plays on three different stages, each more lavish than the last all in one night.
You will see a lot of the same character actors, dancers and singers as seen in Berkley's other films.

Gold Diggers of 1933 was the beginning of the Gold Digger films for Berkley. Of all of the Gold Digger series none of them are sequels, but each stand alone as their own adventure. My favorite is Gold Diggers of 1933 which originally started as a play in 1919 and ran for over a year and a half. Once again, a Broadway play is about to go belly up and honest, hard working good guy saves the day. We also get to see a young Ginger Rogers play a glamorous "tramp"-ME-OW! The story, although may seem aged, transcends through each decade and is relevant in 1919 or 2oo9.


So put on your dancing shoes, shake off those blues and kick up your heels to the Busby Berkley sound. Who cares if you don't have a job and your 401K is in the tank, we still got eachother and a song in our heart.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

This week's wonderful Scrap-a-nator happens to be a little guy that has my heart wrapped around his little paw. His name is Sparky and his story has a happy ending. It's starts off in a sad place,,,wait a sec, what am I rambling about, I'll let Sparky tell you in his own words (I swear on my mother's grave this little guy has a Scottish accent)


So, Sparky, tell us a little about yourself?
Ah Lass (see, told ya) I am 15 solid pounds of gentleman. I am known to the European world as a Teckel. It's a type of Dachshund that really looks more like a mix of a wiener dog and a Scotty. I love barking at the wind, other dogs, birds. You name it and I'll bark at it.

Do you have any brothers or sisters?
I have a younger brother named Max. Not the sharpest tool in the shed but fun to play with until he starts bouncing around and then I have to let him know who's boss.


Your tale started off as a sad one but has a happy ending.
Yes it does-I lived with a family and the children were very mean to me so I barked backed at them. Their mom didn't like that so she sent me to the pound. A nice old man came looking for a friend and found me. We have good years together. We played, watched TV, ate steaks. He would take me for rides. It was the best years of my life! A sad day came and I lost him but don't be too sad for me cause I got another old man. He takes me on trips to the beach, feeds me bacon and eggs in the mornings, steaks at night and I get my own bed AND get to chase a cat around. Yep, life is pretty good in the world of Sparky!

What are some of your favorite things?
Holidays! I love them! I love being with my family and friends. I also love exploring, barking and sun bathing.

Anything else you want the masses to know Sparky?
Please adopt a rescue animal-they will love you forever and you get to be a hero! It's a win-win situation, but please be sure your life style can handle a pet. We are not disposable, we are little people with fur that have feelings and need love too.

Thanks Sparky, you are a real diamond in the rough.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend,,,,Mr. XStitch

You know him, you love him, you can't get enough of him...that's right, this interview is for the ladies in the house. Can I get a "Aw yeah". Okay, enough of the sexist comments-geez Pam! Jamie Chalmers is not only an excellent stitcher but also a really sweet and incredible witty guy. I'm sure just reading this introduction is making him blush. I'm proud to call him my friend and love it when he tells me to give OMP a hug or a smooch. Ladies and gentlemen, without hesitation, I give you, the man, the myth, the legend-Mr. XStitch.


Who is the real "Mr. X Stitch"
It is rumoured that there is no real Mr X Stitch and that he is merely a collection of urban myths gathered together in the guise of a man who stitched. However, the truth is that he is a 34 year old male by the name of Jamie Chalmers, who lives in Milton Keynes, England. It is also (possibly)true that he prowls the streets at night, protecting innocent citizens from ne’er-do-wells armed only with John James twin pointed quick stitch needles and several skeins of glow in the dark thread.


How long have you been stitching and what inspired you to start?
I’ve been stitching for about six years now. It all began with a vacation to Canada – I wanted something to do on the plane journey and ended up getting a cross stitch kit of an art nouveau head. I found it surprisingly enjoyable and once I’d finished it, framed it and given it to my Mum (as all good sons do) I just carried on.
My frustration at the lack of funk in the cross stitch field led me to create my own graffiti cross stitch pattern, which I’ve nearly finished (after two years) and it all went from there really.
Finding Craftster was a big deal for me, as it opened my eyes to a whole community of stitching that was new and fresh and edgy. Which was a terrific boost and probably the one thing that stopped me from giving up on the whole thing.

Define the term "manbroidery"
Manbroidery – it’s a lifestyle, it’s an ethos, it’s a political movement, it’s an important part of the Nu Craft Revolution, it’s a great opportunity for soundbites.
I think there’s a few different aspects to the concept of manbroidery:
- First of all it’s about men being proud of doing stitching, and overcoming any perceptions that it’s just for girls. Stitching is relaxing and it’s the act of creation, and these are both important facets of a healthy lifestyle. You can spend an afternoon in the garden stitching, and not only will you have gotten nicely chilled out, but also you’ve created something that you can share with others. So that’s pretty groovy.
- It’s also about changing the content of stitching to make it more manly. I’m fascinated by the difference between male and female graffiti artists, and how they explore the same medium in different ways. And the same thing is happening with stitchery. Manbroidery buddies of mine like Johnny Murder, Kid Missile, Whatever James and Benjibot are all transforming the genre in ways that only men could. There’s a distinct sense of humour to their works that is a breath of fresh air in many ways, and it’s always great to see how these talented stitchers evolve their works. And then there’s legends like Jerry Lee Types, William Schaff and Bascom Hogue who have been manbroiderers for a long time and are having a well deserved renaissance.
- And somewhere there’s the combination of these two things, and the fact that the concept of manbroidery gives us a chance to make the wider world realise that stitching for men is cool, and it’s okay to stitch your favourite swear words and put them on your wall, and that you can get as much enjoyment (if not more) from an x-stitch than from an x-Box. I’m taking this on as a bit of a personal mission and using whatever influence I might have to promote stitching far and wide, and use the experiences of me and my fellow Manbroiderers as examples of how good it can be.

So, you have this awesome website, tell me about it.
Yeah, it’s all about people, like me, who like to dress up like ponies from time to time…
Oh wait.
You meant Mr X Stitch? D’oh!

The success of Mr X Stitch blows my mind, particularly that it’s only been going since August 2008. It started out as a normal blog about me and the patterns I make and stuff, but somewhere down the line I started posting about people who were doing really cool things with needles and threads. And somehow that aspect of the blog has overtaken everything else and become the focus of the site.
I will confess to having done a bunch of research about professional blogs and learned a few top tips on how to do things, which helped me focus on themed posts and putting in a structure.
But I mostly blame Beefranck for the success. And for that I have to blame Joss Whedon, because it was his Dr Horrible stuff that inspired Bridget (my sista from an American mista) to do the classic “All the birds are singing that you’re gonna die” pattern, which I liked and asked for a copy of. Somewhere down the line, and possibly influenced by listening to Emergency Pants, we became good friends and I asked her to help me with the blog. She said yes, and the rest is history.
We’ve got a brilliant relationship for two people that have never actually met, and we’re always bouncing ideas off one another.
That’s why the site’s awesome. I started it, Bridget took it to the next level.

I feel blessed that the site has turned out the way it has. It’s given me a great opportunity to learn a lot about the craft, and to showcase new talent, but most of all it’s given me the chance to get to know loads of amazing people. The community of regular posters on the site and at our Flickr group, the Phat Quarter, is terrific, and that’s the thing that makes the process worthwhile.

In fact, Giddy Girlie’s comment in response to Bridget’s post on here typifies this, and was one of the loveliest things I’d heard in a long time. Stuff like that, where the stuff we’ve posted about has inspired people and made them happier, that’s the best bit.

Are there other sites you contribute to?
I was blown away to be invited to be the first guest blogger on Craftster, given the significance of the site in the whole Nu Craft movement. Every Wednesday you can check out a new Cutting (& Stitching) Edge post from me on there. It’s such a wonderful site that to become a part of that family was a big deal and a massive honour for me. I still haven’t quite got over that one.
I also do blog posts for Cross Stitcher Magazine’s website, which is the biggest cross stitch magazine in the UK, and that’s a big honour as well. I’ve had great feedback from the readers, who are your more traditional type of stitcher, and I’m hoping that the relationship between the magazine and I will develop.

Any good advice for people just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to try new things. Take inspiration from wherever you see it and if you want to stitch something just do it!
While I like the security of cross stitching and the safety of those tiny little crosses, it’s a bit much for some people. But with this stuff you can really do whatever you want these days, and with sites like Craftster, there’s plenty of people who will give you great feedback and inspire you to do new things.
Modern embroidery is only as limited as your imagination, so if you feel like doing something, and it’s not gonna hurt anyone, go for it!


Okay,,,now for the totally embarrassing question. How do you feel about being a sex symbol in the embroidery world? Are you aware that thousands of girls have your picture on their wall right next to Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson? YES! You have to answer this!

The best thing about being considered a sex symbol in the embroidery world is that it leads to a redefinition of the concept of sex symbol in the widest sense, and will provide scope for many other traditionally unattractive people to also be considered the same.

Honestly? It’s not something I’ve ever really thought about. It goes to show that there aren’t many of us in the field, and while it’s very flattering (if it is at all true) I’ll try not to let it go to my head. And I’m sure my wife will help me. Possibly by using violence..!

I’ve got a lot of love for my stitchy friends, and I know there’s a lot of love out there. And that’s something I cherish.

There you have it ladies and gents. Jamie is a real stand up guy with mad skills. If you have a chance, drop by the website and the flickr group and say "Hello". I'm sure he will give you a friendly wave back and make you feel like you are long lost friends.

Tie One On Tuesday!

Temperatures are heating up and you're heading out to camp or to cool off at the lake! What better way to enjoy the festivities than with some home made Sangria. This recipe is very simple but packs a nice punch (get it, punch...ahh...I've been tasting too much of the Sangria).

Basic Sangria

Ingredients:

1 bottle of Dry Red Wine

1/3 of a cup of Brandy

1 TBS of Sugar

Juice of one lime

Juice of one large orange

Juice of one large lemon

Orange slices

Lime slices

1 cup club soda or sweetened soda pop

Combine all ingredients (except the Soda) into a glass pitcher (or plastic if your traveling with it) mixing well. Refrigerate overnight (or until you reach your camp site). Right before you pour the concoction into the glasses mix in the club soda.

When preparing the initial mixture, you can also throw in different seasonal fruit like berries or peaches for an added fruity wine elixir!

This recipe makes about enough to serve 4 or 2 if you are a Sangria hog.

Say that fruity stuff isn't your style. You're a man's man! You once killed a wild animal with your bare hands! You need something stiffer? Well how about some dog piss...you heard me right! Quick side note, I refused to allow OMP to make this in our house cause, well, cause YUCK! So, here are the ingredients, make at your own risk and if you say it's good, we might not be able to be friends anymore....

3 oz vodka
12 oz beer
4 oz Southern Comfort peach liqueur (I really didn't need to know that they made this)

If you start hearing dueling banjos and someone asking you to squeal like a pig, just remember, I warned you.


So there ya go! Two drinks for two different camping adventures. It's up to you to decide what you want your night to look like when you staring at the campfire, wanting a little snuggle action. Cheers!

The Great Outdoors

Ah camping, the great outdoor experience. The campfire, the lake, the homicidal maniac. What could be more fun then running for your life while a hockey mask wearing, machete wielding murderer chases you?

That's right campers! We are off to Camp Crystal Lake for drugs, alcohol, premarital sex and murder. The original Friday the 13th is so campy and gory, yet it works. It works so well that the franchise decided to do it over, and over, and over again.

The story is a simple one. If you are a bad teenager, you will be punished. If you are a good teenager, sure you will have to struggle,but you will come out alive. It's a tale as old as time. Bad people get what's coming to them and good people triumph. This is all done with big breasts, bad acting and Kevin Bacon.


So, you made it through a week at Camp Crystal Lake, outsmarted Jason and now you think you might need some R&R. How about hanging out with Bill Murray and the rest of the gang in the movie Meatballs. I remember seeing the movie poster for this and then seeing the movie and wondering why the girls in the poster looked NOTHING like the girls in the movie. Anyhoo, this is still a great film. Bill Murray plays Tripper, a camp counselor that helps an unpopular Rudy find his true self and triumph over his own fears. Sure it sounds sappy but the humor is very 12 year old and this is one of my favorite Bill Murray movies next to Stripes.

Okay, so feeling good about yourself and laughter is not your thing, how about doing a little investigation? Let's go investigate the Blair Witch! Let's go into the middle of the woods, get lost, find our friend's tooth, tell everyone how sorry we are while snot is running down our faces only to end up in the corner of an abandoned house . Oh yeah, this sounds like fun, send me back to camp at Crystal Lake! I do have to give props to this movie. It was very well done and somewhat a new concept. At the time I saw this, I was really disappointed, but the end scene kept playing over and over in my mind and I ended up scaring the hell out of myself.

So while you're getting your gear ready to head into the great outdoors, throw one of these gems into your DVD player and enjoy the possibilities that may await you at your next campsite. Wait, did you hear a sound...I think it came from over.....

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

Scrappiness isn't just a look, it's a way of life, an attitude. Take for instance, Merlin. He may not have a scrappy hairstyle but his attitude is all about the scrap!

Who's the real you?
Well my real name is Merlin J. Phineas Alberto, but mainly I go by Merlin unless I'm in trouble. ;) I also am known as the "white ninja" because of my stealth skills. I'm a sneaky one! I'm sort of hyper and very loving once I get to know you. I guess you could say I'm just cool.

What do you like to do when you're not looking cute?
I spend my time sitting in the front window of our house watching for perimeter breeches. I cannot stand anyone stepping foot on my sidewalk! I also hate motorcycles with a passion. I hear one coming and I go into a fit like you've never seen. I also love to play chase in the yard with Dad and hunt squirrels.

What's your favorite toy?
I'm the master of toy destruction! I can't have tennis balls because Mom refuses to clean up the fur I take off of them. I like tough toys like ones made from recycled tires. I've killed 5 of those stupid stuffed Bobo's from Pet Smart! Grama buys em' I tear out their guts in about 5 minutes!



If you could be anywhere, where would it be?
In my yard, or Grama's yard. I also LOVE the snow! So a snow bank is always great. I also love car rides! Nothing better than the wind in your face. Anywhere my people are is fine by me!


What's your favorite quote?
"SQUIRREL!" Just like the grandpa hollers on National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. They are the bain of my existence I tell ya!




Oh Mr. Merlin! You are 100% scrap! You get Lola's seal of approval! I think she might even have a little crush on you. Do you make home appearances?

A Fireside Chat with beefranck (aka Bridget) NSFW!

*Okay! You all have been warned! there are some naughty words that are going to be flashed around here. If you don't want to read them,,,,move along. If you are up for an ass kicking good time,,,please continue.
If you never encountered Bridget, you are in for a real spicy treat. She is one sassy lady who will wow you with her mad stitching skills while shock you with her saucy brand of humor. I have to give her mad props for turning me on to Dr. Horrible's Sing a Long Blog (thanks Bridget!) and of course for making me giggle like a 12 year old every time I see her work. Be prepared to be amazed!

Who is beefranck?

My name is Bridget and I live with my husband Jim (married 11 years this October) and cat in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Chicago 13 years ago after meeting Jim online, so the internet has always been a big part of my life. I've been a Recruiter for the last 12 years. It's the perfect job for me because it allows me to talk all day and ask nosy questions, two of my favorite pastimes. That's the normal stuff. In addition to that, my friend Shane and I have a podcast called Emergency Pants and I blog about contemporary needlecraft with my brother from a European mother, Jamie, over at mrxstitch.com


.

When did you get started stitching?

I started stitching when I found out about Subversive Cross Stitch ( http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com ) around Christmas in 2007. A podcast I listen to, PNSexplosion ( http://www.pnsexplosion.com ) uses the phrase "Go f**k yourself" as their sign-off statement, so I thought Julie's pattern with the same phrase would make the perfect gift for them. I bought her book, stitched everything in it, bought more patterns from her website and stitched those, and when I ran out of those I found a local cross stitch store and went shopping for patterns there. There was absolutely nothing there that interested me. I tried stitching a pattern with a cat on it just for something to stitch, but my heart just wasn't in it and I never finished it. After seeing all of the inspirational stuff in the Subversive Cross Stitch pool ( http://www.flickr.com/groups/scs/pool/ ) on flickr as well as the needlework section of craftster.org, I realized I had to start making my own patterns if I was going to continue cross stitching. I bought PC Stitch and after that, it was all over, I was hooked.

You work is pretty saucy. Why do you naughty words attract so many people?

I think a big part of the appeal of stitching saucy things is the contrast between the subject matter and the craft itself. Cross stitching has always been very traditional and has a conservative feel to it. What I try to do is make things that look beautiful and have an edge to them. Most of the time I try to avoid the classic naughty words while still getting the point across. Really, only a handful of my stitches have bad words, but they usually do have a either a naughty or sarcastic subject matter. There's something about that juxtaposition that just thrills me.


What kind of advice would you give the masses?

Make things. Don't spend time worrying about whether or not it's a good idea or if other people are going to like it. If you get an idea and you're excited about it, go for it, and if you fail, fail spectacularly. Don't be afraid to try new things, and don't be discouraged if you're not happy with the outcome at first. The more you try things, the better you get.

Look to others for inspiration. I can't tell you how many ideas I have had that have been inspired or made better by the good people at craftster.org or the Phat Quarter flickr group ( http://www.flickr.com/groups/phatquarter/ ). Seeing some of the amazing things other people make not only inspires me but also makes me want to be better than I am today. Also, being able to bounce ideas off of other creative and crafty people is priceless. Since Jamie and I have become friends we've gotten into the habit of running new ideas past each other. There have been several times that ideas I thought were just ok became excellent as a result of those conversations.

Tell me about your podcast

My best friend Shane ( http://twitter.com/sblaufuss ) and I have a podcast called Emergency Pants. ( http://www.emergency-pants.net ) It all started because I got hooked on podcasts myself and I realized that my favorite ones were the ones that seemed like you were eavesdropping on a few funny friends chatting with each other. It reminded me of the late night conversations I would have with Shane and others back when we were teenagers and had time to just sit and talk for hours. We both decided it would be fun to give it a try, and here we are a year later, still at it. Sometimes we have our old friend Tony or our new friend Jamie (Mr X Stitch himself) join us. We talk, we tell funny and/or embarrassing stories, sometimes on a theme and sometimes in a random kind of way. It's a lot of fun and we've met some lovely people doing it. At the very least it's a way for Shane and I to make sure we talk once a week, which is my favorite part of the deal. :)

Okay, so I'm gonna go all James Lipton on ya. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

It's okay. You don't have to explain anything. I get it.

Thank you Bridget for letting us not take ourselves too seriously. You are an amazing talent and I can't wait to see what's up next for ya.

Please make sure you check out Bridget's podcast and her sites-you will not be disappointed!

Tie One On Tuesday

Keeping up with the beach and summer time theme this week, I thought the best start for a "Tute'ing Tuesday would be "Tie one on" Tuesday with yummy fruity Tiki drinks. Helping me out this go around is a guy you all know and love-OMP! He is a drinkmaster 5000 as well as a Tiki drink history buff and he looks really hot mixing a drink, just saying.....

Let's start off with a regional favorite (okay, so it might not be a regional favorite in 2009 but it was in 1962) Panorama Punch.

Western Hotels set it sights on Panorama Punch for the 1962 Worlds Fair in Seattle . The drink was created by The Eye Of The Needle Restaurant (that's on top of the Space Needle kiddies) . I think after a few of these, you could see for miles and miles.

Panorama Punch
4 1/2 ounces Light Puerto Rican Rum
2 1/4 ounces Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice
4 1/2 ounces of Orange Juice
1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup

Blend with 8 ounces crushed ice for 10 seconds. Pour into two Collins glasses, topping each with two or three ice cubes and a lime shell.
You get two drinks out of this recipe. One for each hand.


The next drink scared me while OMP was mixing it. This concoction packs a powerful punch! This drink originated at the Bali Hai restaurant in San Diego, CA and up until 1980's it was served in a Mr. Bali Hai mug. I'm sad to say that this drink is no longer available at the restaurant (a collective BOO!) but if you follow this simple recipe, you won't need to buy a plane ticket, rent a car, find the restaurant and demand to take hostages if you don't get the drink . Not that I have done this, I've just heard stories......


Mr. Bali Hai
1 ounce unsweetened pineapple juice
1 ounce sweet and sour
1/2 ounce Hiram Walker Coffee Brandy
3/4 ounce white Puerto Rican Rum
1 ounce Myer's Rum
Shake with a large scoop of crushed ice and pour into a Mr. Bali Hai mug. I promise you, after a few of these, you will begin to look like the mug.

If you like these drinks and want to be the envy at your next party, BBQ or office event, be sure to check out Beachbum Berry's Intoxica, a handy little booklet of vintage Tiki drink recipes. Dog and swizzle sticks not included.

Bottoms Up!

Life's a Beach!

Summer has officially started and what better way to beat the heat than to stay inside, turn the fan on high and watch a few movies.

Can't make it to the beach this year, well don't worry your pretty little head Gidget, I've got the cure for all that ails you. My first pick for all you gremmies is Beach Blanket Bingo. It is fifth in the series of Annette and Frankie beach movies and is possibly the best known. It has the standard, boy get girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. This is all done with fun little ditties, dancing and a mermaid. A few of the stars to grace the movie are Paul Lynde, Don Rickles and a very young Linda Evans. Frankie and Annette look ever so stylish whether it be surfing, skydiving or singing on the beach.

Still trying to cool down? Well, summer sizzles even hotter with Psycho Beach Party. This movie originally started as an off Broadway play and finally made it to the big screen. If you do nothing else with this movie, go buy the soundtrack. It's not a request, it's an order. Two words...Los Straitjackets. I digress, a very young Lauren Ambrose(before she was all dark and depressed) plays a Gidget style character with a twist. This isn't your father's beach movie. Don't expect a family friendly film. It has murder, mayhem and a little bondage thrown in for good measure. I didn't think it was possible to make those themes so cute and fun but somehow the movie pulls it off.

Afraid to go into the water? Well you should be cause there are strange things lurking in the ocean bottom. Horror of Party Beach will make you think twice of about sneaking off for that midnight swim or a day time swim for that matter. Hot rodders,toxic waste, rock n' roll music and a monster that looks like he ate all the hot dogs at your BBQ make up this mishmash of beach based crazy fun. Made on a budget of $1.98(someone had to pay for the hotdogs), this one gets the kittykill seal of approval.


So,pull the wedgie out of your bathing suit,slather some sun screen on your tender parts and head to the nearest video store to pick up these beach favorites. If you play your cards right, you'll be surfing like Frankie in no time.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

Today's scrappy dog is Dexter! Dexter is a ladies man wrapped in a fluff coat! Let's learn more about the man, the myth, Dexter....

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I'm a short glass of fluff and attitude. A little bit Pomeranian, a little bit Chihuahua... how can you go wrong? I love the ladies and love to show them my moves. When I'm not busy with that, you can find me napping on or under the bed, tearing the limbs off and stuffing out of toys, or just generally being super ornery and cute.


Pet peeves: getting haircuts, being left alone at home and squirrels.

What are some causes you believe in?

You're expecting me to say PETA, aren't you? Well, too bad. My mama talks about the Portland Women's Crisis Line a lot, and I've been there a few times to hang out with her. I don't like violence, unless its me using violence to show my toys who's boss, so PWCL is a cause I can get behind.

I'm also part of the anti-cat and anti-squirrel movement.

What's your favorite thing to do on a sunny day?
Lately I like chasing fresh strawberries, mint and basil leaves in the yard. I do enjoy going to the dog park, but sometimes I get grumpy with other mutts who get all up in my business. Sometimes I just like to sun myself on the porch.



What's your outlook on life?
Let's be honest. On the outside I'm a macho ladies' man, but on the inside I'm a soft little marshmallow. Life is great as long as I have treats, toys and my people around to keep me company. And no squirrels. I'll eat them (or try, at least).


One word to sum you up.
Debonair.

Oh Dexter! You have won over this lady's heart!