Top 10 Reasons Why It's Fun Being Single

"Marriage may be compared to a cage; the birds outside despair to get in and those within despair to get out." - Michael de Montaigne

Just six months ago, I received two announcements: one is from a dear friend and the other is from my favorite cousin. My friend was so excited that her long time boyfriend proposed to her (finally!), and now they're planning to get married. The wedding would be held at around May next year. On the other hand, my cousin (who seems to be a happy go lucky person) also found her man, and was excited to tie the knot this coming January. Of course, I'm happy for them but also nervous that they are not ready yet.

It makes me wonder if my friends, at one point in their relationship, had been embraced by some dark cloud that lifted them off the ground and made them forget the travails that plague so many married couples. Nothing comes easy. Think of all the fun only single-blessedness can give. If I were to get married now, there are thousands of things I'll miss, among them are the following:

1. Coming home at four in the morning after a night out with my friends without anybody worrying about me. With a hubby, I would have to go back to being Cinderella, unless I wanted to end my marriage.
2. Littering the bathroom with female things without some guy complaining about it.
3. Having all my money to myself.
4. Occupying the whole bed, using all the pillows and never having to share the blanket.
5. Disappearing during weekends without feeling guilty.
6. Thinking about some guy I fancy without feeling guilty.
7. Working overtime and going home in the dead of night without worrying about dinner.
8. Playing with my nephews and sending them back to their parents the moment they throw a tantrum.
9. Using the calendar to remind me of deadlines and not to count my safe days.
10. No pressure in all things.

Maybe I'm just having so much fun now more than ever.

I don't intend to knock marriage or discourage would-be brides and grooms. This piece is more of a warning. Like, look again before closing that door, unless you left something important that you can't come back for. I've seen some married couples acting lovely-dovey in front of people, even though the husband beats up his wife in the privacy of their home. One friend's marriage looks perfect, but in fact her husband is having an extra marital affair.
Maybe I have delusions about finding Mr. Perfect. Perhaps, I am just too much of a cynic. Maybe my two friends are really in love. Or they have grown more mature and found a deeper meaning in life, while I have been left behind.

I look forward to getting married someday, or more precisely, I like the image of me as a mother. I have very strong maternal instincts. Even now, I already feel a lot of love for my future children. And I fervently hope I will have twin daughters. But in the meantime, I think it's best to be realistic. It would be foolish to get into a situation that will cause one a lot of headache in the future.

Cham regularly writes about her life, marital affairs and all other "issues" around her. You can check her blogs through her http://pamcham.wordpress.com.

How to Have Fun With Your Dog on a Rainy Day

Sometimes it's nice to sit, comfy and dry, in your home and watch the rain replenish the earth's natural resources. If you happen to have an overactive pup in the house, however, you may find it a challenge to keep your four-footed friend indoors when he wants to splash outside. When the weather turns especially rough, and puddles are too deep to accommodate safe play, what can you do to keep your dog happy and entertained when you're stuck indoors?

With children, one can always prepare an emergency "rainy day" play box for just such occasions. Dogs, of course, have no use for coloring books and DVDs, so it's important to be prepared in a way that suits their needs. If you fear storms are capable of preventing you from leaving the house, be sure to have enough food and good drinking water on hand just in case. When it's time to play, keep handy proper indoor toys like a small tugging rope or chew bone. Choose a part of the house that is spacious, where there are few breakable items within reach.

If at all possible, choose rainy days as your dog's grooming day, too. As long as you have your dog in a place where you can check for knots in his fur, it's a good opportunity. Play calming music over the stereo, or switch to a channel on the TV that intrigues your pet (some people have suggested Baby Einstein videos for their music and relaxing imagery).

Rainy weather days need not equal disappointment for you or your pup. Use the time to bond over quiet play or gentle grooming. You may find you don't need to go outside to have fun.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on dog supplies and dog food.

Which is the Right Leash for Your Puppy or Dog?

Which is the right leash for your puppy or dog? With so many to choose from, picking a leash for your new puppy or dog can be confusing. There are really only a few things you need to know, and when you know them, selecting a leash for your puppy or dog is really quite simple!

The best general purpose leash is about 4' (120cm) long, and well made. Look for quality stitching, and a material that will not burn or chafe your hands. Leather is excellent quality and very long lasting if cared for properly. I prefer a cotton/synthetic webbing, the softer the better.

A 4' leash will not encourage bad habits. If you follow a pulling dog, that dog will learn to pull. There is no need for a 'training' collar or reprimands. Any flat collar or harness is fine so long as you are consistent and do not follow a pulling dog. Your dog should ideally walk by your side and not stray too far from that position, a longer leash allows your dog too much freedom.

That is not to say that we cannot give our dogs free time to explore on leash, and when we do give the signal, a longer leash is appropriate. A 'flexi' style retractable leash is great in this situation, although a very strong dog may damage a retractable leash. An aggressive dog is probably not safe on a retractable leash unless the leash is very good quality.

If you plan to do any tracking with your dog, then a good quality 30' (10m) leash is a good investment. Again, I prefer a soft cotton webbing although there are lightweight climbing ropes which do not get heavy when wet and will not chafe or burn. Two knots should be tied, one at the end to stop the line from running out and one about 6' from the end let you know when you are about to run out of line.

I also use my 30' tracking line when I am just ambling through the forest and have signalled to my dog that it is ok to explore within that length of line. Just putting that leash on is signal enough.

A 30' tracking line is also excellent for teaching recalls and stays when you are not in a safe off-leash training area.

The fittings on the end of the leash need to be very good quality. A strong snap-style fitting is best, as it is easy to use and generally trouble free. If you and your dog spend a lot of time at the beach, they will rust out and get jammed with sand unfortunately. I had a leash made with a brass diver's snap. Sand does not get caught in the spring and it does not rust, however it does not have a very strong spring and has come undone by accident. I think it's probably better to just wash out a good quality snap with fresh water and apply a little water dispersant (CRC or WD40) after a visit to the beach.

Cotton or synthetic leashes will need to be washed occassionally, which will greatly enhance their life. By the same token, don't store them in direct sunlight. The same is true of leather leashes. An occassional rub down with leather preservative is all that a leather leash requires.

If you have a dog who enjoys biting at the leash then training can be employed to bring this behavior under control. I favour deliberately teaching a dog to play tug with the leash and putting the behavior on cue, that way I develop control over the behavior and can use it as a reward for other behavior.

A quicker solution to biting the leash is to get a 4' metal chain leash, which is not nearly so enjoyable to bite on. Get one with a snap which attaches to a normal flat collar, some come as choker chains. If you are competent with a choker chain (check chain), then go right ahead and use it as such, but most people are not nearly so competent as they might imagine and would be better served learning positive reinforcement training methods. Positive reinforcement traning methods are far less likely to damage your relationship with your dog, your dog's spine and trachea, and your dog's enjoyment of working and walking.

Aidan Bindoff is Editor of http://www.PositivePetzine.com, a free resource for people training their own dog. Each edition features easy-to-use information on a particular behavior or problem behavior. Training methods are based on positive reinforcement techniques.