Wow! I'm so boring compared to you guys!

Right now my addiction is most definitely ball pythons. I cannot sleep at night because all I think about is ball pythons. I check all the Kingsnake and Fauna ads, just so I can see more pretty snakes. I frequent so many breeders' sites it's not even funny, just to see if maybe, just maybe they've updated their sites with "what's in the oven". I wish to win the lottery, just so I can purchase all the pretty snakes I drool over.

At any given time I'll have 10 Explorer windows open and all are pointed to a ball python related site. I spend my lunch hour at work surfing the ball python sites (and sneak in a few peeks during the day).

I am also, sadly addicted to food. I have struggled with this obsession most of my life. I know where it stems from, and it's deeply personal, but suffice it to say, I'm battling that demon on a daily basis, and have been a Weight Watcher's member for 21 months now and have managed to take off over 70 lbs so far (but did have some weight back on over the holidays). I refuse ever skip a weigh in, even if I know there will be a gain, because I know if I stop going, I'll lose control.

With that said, I LOVE Weight Watchers. I also obsess over their website and collecting recipes that even my picky guy will eat. Most of the time he doesn't even realize that what I've offered is a Weight Watchers recipe. Weight Watchers has taught me how to be more aware of how I eat, vs what I eat.

OK, off that soap box.

Other obsessions - I also volunteer with Canine Assistants, a non-profit organization here in metro-Atlanta that trains service dogs for the physically disabled. I've been a certified volunteer trainer with them for five years this month. We are assigned to staff trainers on a rotating basis (a team of volunteers for each staff trainer and rotated every three months between trainers). Only certified volunteer trainers are allowed to take dogs home and off the facility without a trainer or staff member present. So, I'll take dogs home for a weekend home visit, or for a week during recipient camp and take the dog to work with me to get them used to the workplace environment, as it's highly likely they could be placed with someone who is in the workplace. I'll be picking up a dog next Friday to come to work with me the week of the 16th in fact.

When we have the dog at home with us, they go everywhere with us. To the movies, dinner, grocery store, library, etc. They have the same access as seeing eye dogs and we assist the staff trainers by getting them exposed to various situations. It's gotten so when I go to the convenience store or the grocery store, the first thing the employees say is "where's your dog?" or "no dog today?".

While it's fun to love on the dogs and help them in their training, the real reward is seeing how these dogs change lives, how they make the wheelchair disappear for a teenager, how they allow an older lady the ability to leave her home now, because her dog, Lindsay lets her know that she's going to have a seizure well before it happens, how sometimes these dogs force our recipients to get up and get out (after all, the dogs have to go potty, and someone has to take them out - and well you're out anyway, so why not go do something with your dog?)

OK, enough rambling from me. I guess I DO have obsessions! hehehehehehe!