Laurel R
Encyclopedia of My Ordinary Life
Ants
Ants annoy me. When I see them on the ground, I just want to squish them to a pulp. So I do. This may sound violent, but it’s true. Keep in mind that I see ants once in awhile, so this only happens on occasion.
Bacon
Bacon is one of the most delicious foods on the planet. I love everything about it; the smell of it being cooked, the taste, and even the way it looks when fried to perfection. Turkey bacon is another story. That stuff is limp, tastes bad, and smells horrible. No matter what, I will always stick to regular bacon.
Cats
I’m definitely not that fond of this animal. I wouldn’t say that I hate them, just strongly dislike. However, at home, I have seven cats. Four are ferrell, and three are not. I don’t mind having them around the property, as long as they keep their distance.
Dog Training
I’m a dog trainer. It’s one of my many passions. Currently, I’m a volunteer for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Freesia is a Black Lab female that I have been training for about a year. She’ll go back for formal training soon, and then I won’t have her anymore. I will be sad, but I know Freesia will go to someone who needs her.
Eggs
I’ve always liked eggs. They taste good and are fun to cook. Whenever I have some time in the morning, I experiment in the way I cook them. Recently, poaching eggs has been a lot of fun. Poaching is very timely, but pays off in the end.
Fish
When I say fish, I’m talking about the raw fish, sushi type. Fish tastes better when it’s raw. My favorite is salmon. It has a nice flavor and tastes really good too! Every time I go for sushi, I make sure to get a few pieces of my favorite fish.
Grandpa
My grandpa is really awesome. I go to my grandparents’ house a lot in the summer, and we always do fun stuff like swimming, taking bike rides, and going to the zoo. I can’t wait to go there this summer!
Happy
I always try to be happy in whatever I do. Sometimes it’s difficult because I feel irritated or annoyed at the moment. I think that when you look and feel happy, other people feel the same way.
Ice
All of my dogs love eating ice. Whenever I open the freezer door, they always run to me, begging for a piece of that delicious frozen water. I can’t stand looking into their eyes. My only solution? Give them what they want!
Jam
My family loves making jam in the summer, especially with fresh boysenberries. It’s always fun to help. After we’re done, the beautiful jars glisten perfectly on the countertop. I don't always like the way jam tastes, but it’s nice to look at.
Karina
This is my middle name. I always thought that it was prettier than my first name, Laurel. My parents chose this name because Karina is Karen, my mom’s name ,in Swedish.
Laurel
As this is my name, it’s also a type of Bay Tree. I grew up with one in my backyard. The leaves of a Laurel Tree are sometimes used in seasoning meat. When we moved, we picked a lot of leaves from the tree, dried them and made sure they were preserved right so that we could still use them in season mixes/sauces.
Marina
My grandparents on my dad’s side live here, and Monterey is the next city over. Marina is always pretty cold, and smells like seamist because it’s a beachtown. When we visit them, I always make sure to see the ocean.
Natural Balance
This type of dog food is healthier than other dog food brands. I like to use Natural Balance treats when training dogs because treats really give them an incentive to do well. They probably taste good too!
Ocean
The ocean is a very nice place. I especially like to collect shells and pieces of glass while I’m there. Sometimes I come across items that have been collected over the years at the ocean and remember all the fun times spent there.
Potato Salad
The most disgusting food in the whole world just happens to be potato salad. The flavor makes me want to vomit just thinking about it. The texture feels cold and slimy on my tongue. Plus, potato salad even looks like vomit! As you can see, potato salad is my least favorite food.
Quiet
I don't like the quiet. For me, I prefer loud/noisy settings. Whenever I’m somewhere quiet, I always try to make the surroundings louder. The only time I ever want it quiet, is when I'm trying to sleep.
Raisins
Even though potato salad is my least favorite food, raisins aren't very high up there either. The taste is entirely wrong. Dried up and sour are not good qualities in food. The aftertaste is also pretty bad.
Syrup
I like to make my own syrup for pancakes. First, I start with very hot melted butter. Then I get brown sugar. Lumps are not good to have, so I always mash the lumps out. After that, the butter and sugar is mixed together. Yum!
Tests
I’ve always thought tests were kind of fun, especially when they’re timed. I always race against the clock to beat it to the finish line. Although this strategy doesn’t always work out, it’s still better than becoming stressed and agitated over something as simple as a test.
Unicorns
Unicorns are always fun to read and think about. I’ve always wondered where the legend of the unicorn started in the first place. Maybe someone saw a horse with a horn in its head and made up the legend of this magical creature.
Vases
Every time I even go near a vase, I accidently break one. I haven’t kept a record to see how many times I’ve broken one, but I can get a good idea of about how many. Now, whenever we want to keep some fresh flowers, we put them in bowls, not vases.
Wasabi
This spicy substance is something one might see or taste at a Japanese restaurant. Most of the time, wasabi is just horseradish with green food coloring. On rare occasions, the wasabi at a restaurant come straight from the wasabi plant. As I have learned in the past; a little bit goes a long way!
Xylophone
This was the only word I could think of that started with ‘X.’ Xylophones are kind of a strange instrument to use because they look like a child's toy. However, once you know where the notes are, any basic song can be played.
Yawns
Did you know that yawning isn’t caused by sleepiness at all? I’m not sure what causes yawning exactly, but I know that being tired doesn’t have anything to do with it. I’ve also noticed that when one person yawns, other people start to yawn as well. It’s contagious!
Zebras
The pattern on a zebra is pretty cool, and I think it would be even better if dogs had the same pattern. Someday I want to go see a zebra in person. It would be interesting to see how they react to human touch.
Ants annoy me. When I see them on the ground, I just want to squish them to a pulp. So I do. This may sound violent, but it’s true. Keep in mind that I see ants once in awhile, so this only happens on occasion.
Bacon
Bacon is one of the most delicious foods on the planet. I love everything about it; the smell of it being cooked, the taste, and even the way it looks when fried to perfection. Turkey bacon is another story. That stuff is limp, tastes bad, and smells horrible. No matter what, I will always stick to regular bacon.
Cats
I’m definitely not that fond of this animal. I wouldn’t say that I hate them, just strongly dislike. However, at home, I have seven cats. Four are ferrell, and three are not. I don’t mind having them around the property, as long as they keep their distance.
Dog Training
I’m a dog trainer. It’s one of my many passions. Currently, I’m a volunteer for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Freesia is a Black Lab female that I have been training for about a year. She’ll go back for formal training soon, and then I won’t have her anymore. I will be sad, but I know Freesia will go to someone who needs her.
Eggs
I’ve always liked eggs. They taste good and are fun to cook. Whenever I have some time in the morning, I experiment in the way I cook them. Recently, poaching eggs has been a lot of fun. Poaching is very timely, but pays off in the end.
Fish
When I say fish, I’m talking about the raw fish, sushi type. Fish tastes better when it’s raw. My favorite is salmon. It has a nice flavor and tastes really good too! Every time I go for sushi, I make sure to get a few pieces of my favorite fish.
Grandpa
My grandpa is really awesome. I go to my grandparents’ house a lot in the summer, and we always do fun stuff like swimming, taking bike rides, and going to the zoo. I can’t wait to go there this summer!
Happy
I always try to be happy in whatever I do. Sometimes it’s difficult because I feel irritated or annoyed at the moment. I think that when you look and feel happy, other people feel the same way.
Ice
All of my dogs love eating ice. Whenever I open the freezer door, they always run to me, begging for a piece of that delicious frozen water. I can’t stand looking into their eyes. My only solution? Give them what they want!
Jam
My family loves making jam in the summer, especially with fresh boysenberries. It’s always fun to help. After we’re done, the beautiful jars glisten perfectly on the countertop. I don't always like the way jam tastes, but it’s nice to look at.
Karina
This is my middle name. I always thought that it was prettier than my first name, Laurel. My parents chose this name because Karina is Karen, my mom’s name ,in Swedish.
Laurel
As this is my name, it’s also a type of Bay Tree. I grew up with one in my backyard. The leaves of a Laurel Tree are sometimes used in seasoning meat. When we moved, we picked a lot of leaves from the tree, dried them and made sure they were preserved right so that we could still use them in season mixes/sauces.
Marina
My grandparents on my dad’s side live here, and Monterey is the next city over. Marina is always pretty cold, and smells like seamist because it’s a beachtown. When we visit them, I always make sure to see the ocean.
Natural Balance
This type of dog food is healthier than other dog food brands. I like to use Natural Balance treats when training dogs because treats really give them an incentive to do well. They probably taste good too!
Ocean
The ocean is a very nice place. I especially like to collect shells and pieces of glass while I’m there. Sometimes I come across items that have been collected over the years at the ocean and remember all the fun times spent there.
Potato Salad
The most disgusting food in the whole world just happens to be potato salad. The flavor makes me want to vomit just thinking about it. The texture feels cold and slimy on my tongue. Plus, potato salad even looks like vomit! As you can see, potato salad is my least favorite food.
Quiet
I don't like the quiet. For me, I prefer loud/noisy settings. Whenever I’m somewhere quiet, I always try to make the surroundings louder. The only time I ever want it quiet, is when I'm trying to sleep.
Raisins
Even though potato salad is my least favorite food, raisins aren't very high up there either. The taste is entirely wrong. Dried up and sour are not good qualities in food. The aftertaste is also pretty bad.
Syrup
I like to make my own syrup for pancakes. First, I start with very hot melted butter. Then I get brown sugar. Lumps are not good to have, so I always mash the lumps out. After that, the butter and sugar is mixed together. Yum!
Tests
I’ve always thought tests were kind of fun, especially when they’re timed. I always race against the clock to beat it to the finish line. Although this strategy doesn’t always work out, it’s still better than becoming stressed and agitated over something as simple as a test.
Unicorns
Unicorns are always fun to read and think about. I’ve always wondered where the legend of the unicorn started in the first place. Maybe someone saw a horse with a horn in its head and made up the legend of this magical creature.
Vases
Every time I even go near a vase, I accidently break one. I haven’t kept a record to see how many times I’ve broken one, but I can get a good idea of about how many. Now, whenever we want to keep some fresh flowers, we put them in bowls, not vases.
Wasabi
This spicy substance is something one might see or taste at a Japanese restaurant. Most of the time, wasabi is just horseradish with green food coloring. On rare occasions, the wasabi at a restaurant come straight from the wasabi plant. As I have learned in the past; a little bit goes a long way!
Xylophone
This was the only word I could think of that started with ‘X.’ Xylophones are kind of a strange instrument to use because they look like a child's toy. However, once you know where the notes are, any basic song can be played.
Yawns
Did you know that yawning isn’t caused by sleepiness at all? I’m not sure what causes yawning exactly, but I know that being tired doesn’t have anything to do with it. I’ve also noticed that when one person yawns, other people start to yawn as well. It’s contagious!
Zebras
The pattern on a zebra is pretty cool, and I think it would be even better if dogs had the same pattern. Someday I want to go see a zebra in person. It would be interesting to see how they react to human touch.
Congrats newly minted dog trainer! It can be hard to train your new puppy. These are some tips that I think you’ll find very helpful when training your pup.
- Never use any treats when first working with your dog. They hate all types food!
- Start with a hard command like, “roll over.” Your dog will be very confused which is perfect behavior when first training your dog. NEVER start with an easy command like, “sit.”
- When the dog doesn’t do the command on the first try, yell at him/her angrily. Your dog is smart enough, isn’t it?
- If the dog responds to your command correctly, don’t reward it with any praise or treats. The dog knows when he’s done right, so he doesn’t any praise.
- DO NOT repeat this exercise for another month. You once read that dogs have a great memory, so yours should remember it just fine.