Real Dogs Don’t Whisper – Interview with Kelly Preston

About Real Dogs Don’t Whisper

Real Dogs Don't Whisper

The award winning book, Real Dogs Don't Whisper (www.realdogsdontwhisper.com), which highlights my life journey caring for four special needs dogs and the life lessons they taught me along the way.  The overall message within Real Dogs Don’t Whisper is about giving those with special needs a second chance.  The book touches on integrity, unconditional love, leadership, trust, stopping abuse and opening your heart to receive and give both unconditional love and friendship.  To lighten the message, I developed a co-author, Mr MaGoo; Mr MaGoo is my Lhasa Apso and he is larger than life.  He adds humor within the book; sharing with the reader how life is so tough for him being the only male in the house and living with a crazy lady, me.

Mr. MaGoo is a nine-year-old Lhasa Apso and the book’s co-creator and co-writer. He is, in his own words, “the alpha and omega of all dogs – in the cutest and sparkiest, most fun-loving package ever.” Ignoring Kelly’s persistent eye-rolling, Mr. MaGoo has forged ahead with this project in an attempt to, as he puts it, “present the facts from a dog’s perspective. In other words, the correct, most accurate, most interesting, only-one-that-matters perspective,” to which he adds, simply, “Woof!”

Interview

Q:  Can you tell us why you took in two more dogs, and tell us about the severe trust issues and the problems that come with it?

I just rescued two new dogs; one with severe trust issues, Mini Me and a blind Cocker Spaniel, Driving Miss Fancy.  Just like the rest of my pack, was not prepared for these two new additions,  Betty Boop and Buffy went on to Rainbow Bridge, after a year I was ready to add two new family members.  Mini Me came first, he was in my home for only 30 minutes and he quickly found the toy basket and proceeded to take each and every toy out.  I knew from that point, he was going to be a handful and I have not been wrong.  While he is very playful (he is only 3yrs old), quickly became apparent he has severe trust issues with strangers, being a fear biter.  I have gotten him past the biting, still working with him to stop the excessive barking; every day is a training session with him. Plus, taking him the groomers on a regular basis helps him understand that strangers will not hurt him.   Driving Miss Fancy just came into my life several months ago, when I first saw her; I fell in love with her as she reminded me of my beloved Buffy.  She is blind and that doesn’t slow her down; in fact, Mini Me and her have become BFF.  He has been teaching her how to play, helping her find her way around the yard chasing toys.  It is very interesting to watch the relationship they have formed; talk about trust, each and every day they display endless amount of trust towards each other. 

About Kelly Preston

Kelly Preston is, first and foremost, an animal lover. Raised on a ten-acre property in a small town in Pennsylvania, she grew up with horses, rabbits, and – of course – dogs. When she left home after college, she acquired Gizmo, an irresistible Lhasa Apso that started her on a journey full of joys and sorrows, hopes and tribulations, frustrations, endless lessons in patience, and above all else, love. All of this has come at the hands (more precisely the paws) of Gizmo, Betty Boop, Buffy, Carla Mae, and the inimitable Mr. MaGoo.

Website

Amazon

Kindle

Barnes & Noble

Nook

Bookshop Santa Cruz

Kobo

President Obama Accepts Nobel Peace Prize : News and Honors of the Past and Present

News

US President Barack Obama says his 'accomplishments are slight' compared to other Nobel laureates such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

• Print
• Comment
• Share:

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize during a ceremony at the Oslo City Hall in Oslo, 10 Dec 2009

Related Articles

• US President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Speech
• Obama In Oslo for Nobel Ceremony
• Hours After Obama Oslo Speech, US UN Ambassador Talks of Genocide Prevention
• Obama Nobel Peace Prize Fosters Controversy in 2009

Multimedia

Audio

• U.S. President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Speech
  
  • Listen
  • Playlist
  
  
  

Last updated on: January 08, 2010 1:25 AM 

U.S. President Barack Obama has formally accepted the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway.  The president spoke at length about the circumstances that push nations to war, and prompt them to seek peace.

President Obama says he accepts the peace prize with humility, well aware of the controversy that surrounded the choice of the Nobel Committee.

"In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage.  Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize - Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela - my accomplishments are slight," he said.

But he says the most profound issue surrounding the award is the fact that he is the leader of a nation in the midst of two wars.

"We are at war, and I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land.  Some will kill.  Some will be killed," he said.  "And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict - filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other."

He says there is nothing weak in the path of non-violence championed by the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Martin Luther King, Jr. Yet Mr. Obama says it cannot be the only path. He says he cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people.

"A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaida's leaders to lay down their arms," he said.  "To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism - it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason."

His speech to a crowd of dignitaries in Oslo's city hall came just nine days after he ordered another 30,000 American troops to Afghanistan.  Well aware of the juxtaposition of events, the president focused on the notion of "just war", and the concept of sustainable peace.

"We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes," said Mr. Obama.  "There will be times when nations - acting individually or in concert - will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified."

He echoed the words of former U.S. President John Kennedy, who five decades ago spoke of a realistic, more attainable peace.

President Obama said rules and institutions are needed to keep military action in check.  He made specific mention of the need to adhere to strict codes of conduct, and to see that countries live up to their international obligations.

"Those who claim to respect international law cannot avert their eyes when those laws are flouted. Those who care for their own security cannot ignore the danger of an arms race in the Middle East or East Asia," he said.  "Those who seek peace cannot stand idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war."

President Obama went on to speak about nations that abuse their own people.  He said peace must be more than the absence of military conflict.

"So even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal," added Mr. Obama.  "We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran."

He said the search for peace must entail support for strong institutions, human rights and freedom from want.  But he said there is one other key ingredient for a more peaceful world.

" I do not believe that we will have the will, or the staying power, to complete this work without something more - and that is the continued expansion of our moral imagination; an insistence that there is something irreducible that we all share," he said.

In announcing its choice for the 2009 Peace Prize, the Nobel Committee cited the president's efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation.  It said he has captured the imagination of the world with his message of hope.

All the same, the award has been criticized as premature by some, and public opinion polls in the United States indicate many Americans believe the honor is coming far too early.

As the president began his Oslo visit, a group of Norwegians made the same point.   They gathered outside the Nobel Institute while the president was inside signing the guest book.   They chanted and cheered and held up a yellow banner that said "Obama you won it, now earn it!"

google.com

A Slaves Beginning by Janelle Morehart: Happy Nou Yan!

 

Freedom, freedom
All wrapped in chains
Written, Said
It's all the same
Once free and alone
Now bound with one
Chains with freedom
Screaming in my very soul
An oath
A desire
The song deep within
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom with chains

google.com

Books By or On Mish Robinson Obama

 

by Emily Jasper on May 15, 2012

A few weeks ago, someone sent me the book “What Would Michelle Do?” since they thought I might be interested in a collection of tips about life from the First Lady. I read the book, but not so it could stand on its own. Instead, I read it as I prepared to graduate from my MBA program. Michelle Obama was one of the graduation speakers this year at Virginia Tech, and I thought the book might give me a little context for her speech. So what would Michelle do?
Live your best life.
That is not a new concept by any means, but it seems to be one we need reminding of. Many people live day-to-day doing what they think they aught to do, doing what is expected of them. There can be pressure to fulfill outside expectations, and in following a predetermined path, you may suddenly find yourself wondering why you do what you do.
Michelle grew up with a family that instilled in her a belief that you have to take the opportunities that you have. If you don’t have opportunities, then make them. Her parents sacrificed to provide for her, but she held up her end of the bargain: attending Princeton and Harvard. As she said in her speech, she had a mountain of debt, so she got a job at a large law firm to start paying it down. After the personal loss of a close friend and her father, Michelle suddenly realized that in living the life she aught to, she wasn’t living hers.
I have to admit, I personally have struggled with how to manage external expectations and my own personal passion. Like many 20-somethings, I went to a good college, got a job, struggled through the worst of the recession, and put myself back through school to make myself a better leader in the workplace. I did what I was supposed to, now what?
You have to do what is best for you. It takes a lot of bravery to suddenly do that. You may find it is exactly the same path you had already been on, and then it isn’t that scary. But when “what is best” means changing everything, turning your world upside down, you have to trust that you can do it. “What is best” is not what is easiest. The best is where you have competence, strength, and passion, but still a lot to learn. Your best may mean taking a nontraditional look at careers that would allow you to thrive on this competence. You may not be a professional ballerina, but you could run a dance foundation that brings classes and scholarships to disadvantaged kids. You may not be a chef, but your love of food may make you the perfect producer at the Food Network.
During Michelle’s speech, she expressed how important it is to actively live your life. Virginia Tech is known for tragedy, but the community is active and thriving. That is the reason I chose to attend the university, and that is the impression we gave Michelle of the Hokie Nation. Active pursuit of your best life means that you will be a part of it. You will be at the heart of it, and that drive is infectious. If you want to live your best life, so will others.
Regardless of the political light that changes every message these days, think about what Michelle would do. Think of her as another person you might see on the street. Does her message of living your best life still resonate? It should. It is a message any of us can share, so I hope you pass it on.
Michelle would.

Michelle Obama’s 2012 Commencement speech at Virginia Tech is available to view online. The book “What Would Michelle Do?: A Modern-Day Guide to Living with Substance and Style” by Allison Samuels is available for purchase online. 

google.com