October 30, 2012

Doggie Halloween 2012...

Happy Halloween from alfred lives here!

This year Alfred is a little convict, and yes he is guilty.... guilty of cuteness!

Each year I dress Alfie up in a Halloween costume and take pictures. I enjoy it because he is so darn cute, Alfred doesn't particularly enjoy the experience. He does however enjoy the bits of cheese I continually feed him during the whole process.

This year's cute little convict getup comes compliments of our friend Mina, who also gave Alfie his orange pumpkin sweat a few years back. The convict outfit consists of a striped t-shirt with a convict number, which was easy as Alfie is used to winter sweaters, and a cap with the words "Bad Dog" on it which he totally hated. I included an outfit pic because the cap did not last long on the little guy.







Yep, the last one is totally a "okay dad, enough with the pictures and the silly getup already... just give me cheese" look....

October 28, 2012

Doggie Halloween: The Past....

Alfie is five years old, and yes every Halloween I have dressed the little dude up in costume. I wrestle it on him and then take a picture, and then never put the costume on him again.

And yes I know some people disapprove of costumes for pets; and nope I don't really care, as I find it so incredibly cute, and yes another small way I am trying to support the economic recovery by shopping.

Alfie is not especially a fan of this, however he does enjoy the treats and cheese I bribe him with to get a half-decent picture.

I just took this year's pic (will post soon), and bribed him with grandma's meatballs. He still didn't like the costume much, maybe because it involved a hat?

Here are the past years to catch you all up:

Last year, my cute little bumblebee...

Two years ago, the cowboy outfit with the adorable tiny cowboy hat; this getup became known as Brokeback Alfred...

The classic pumpkin outfit, an orange sweater with a jack-o-lantern on the back; this one was a gift from our friend Mina, who also sent Alfie his costume for this year...

Year one, when a six-month-old Alfred was a very small Superdog...


Stay tuned for this year's costume coming soon!


October 26, 2012

I'm with Eminem... wait, what?


This is from the Facebook group "Fight For Equality".... and while I am not usually an Eminem fan, I gotta say I am loving this quote!

October 23, 2012

Catwoman & Captain America On Gay Marriage



I love these quotes from actress Anne Hathaway (Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises) and Chris Evans (Captain America in The Avengers).

These are young wildly successful actors who have nothing career-wise to gain by stepping forward with their honest and liberal views. Both have out gay brothers who they publicly support and embrace.

I've shared the Hathaway quote before on my Facebook page, and the Evans quote here, but boy in these sad and scary times they are worth looking at again...

October 21, 2012

Read this book: Gone Girl...


Prior to Gone Girl, I cannot remember the last time I stayed up really late because I couldn't put down the book I was reading... this one kept me up hours past midnight.

Here's the setup: after losing their jobs in New York City, a young couple reluctantly moves to small-town Missouri to save money and to be near his family. He likes it, she hates it, and their marriage is under a lot of pressure. Then on their fifth wedding anniversary, she disappears.

These are smart characters, and twisted characters, and they are hyper aware ---- of themselves, of what other people think, of the media and of reality TV. Gone Girl is a very modern take on a classic woman-in-jeopardy thriller.


On the morning of their anniversary, Amy is cooking crepes and setting up clues for the treasure hunt on which she sends Nick every year (Amy loves “games, mostly mind games, but also actual games of amusement,” Nick notes). By afternoon, Amy has disappeared, leaving behind a trashed living room and blood in the kitchen.
The novel alternates between the voices of Nick and Amy, Nick in the present and Amy in flashbacks through a diary. Insecure lonely Amy desperately seeks happiness and reinvents herself to suit the life she wants. Pretty boy Nick is, as he admits, “a big fan of the lie of omission.” 
Gone Girl burns at a fast pace, and twists itself into new shapes; it works as a page-turning thriller, and it’s also a study of marriage at its most destructive. Nick and Amy, both troubled to begin with, bring out the worst in each other.
These charters are complicated and human, pushed and pulled in directions they can’t quite predict, and subject to decisions they’ve made without knowing the consequences.  Nick and Amy are unhappy, they are sneaky, and they both lie, to the families, to each other, and to us the reader. 
This book works, and works at the level of Patricia Highsmith's classic twisty suspense read The Talented Mr. Ripley.
I can't say much more without giving away much more, so let me just say this... read Gone Girl.

October 19, 2012

Katy Perry, Life On Her Terms...


The hubby and I are away on vacation for a couple of weeks, so this blog will look a bit different for now...  I have pre-written a couple of things, and I have asked a few fab bloggy friends to guest post. They will class this joint up for sure.

Please continue to read and comment and tweet these posts out, I will catch up on all of it when we are back!

Here's some wisdom and spirituality from the smart and sassy Kelly of Naked Girl In A Dress, who is apparently totally pop culture deprived... we gotta do something about that!  Kelly asked me to guest blog earlier this year, and I am not above calling in a favour, people!

After you read Kelly here, you can read here here, and follow her on the twitter at @NkdGirlinaDress



As a fan of Alfred Lives Here, it was an honor to be asked to write here this week. Immediately following the invitation, I asked Brahm for a suggested topic. He told me, as only Brahm can do, that unless I have a secret gay past I wanted to confess to, probably something pop-culture related.

I actually considered fabricating a secret gay relationship from college just to make this an easier writing assignment for one simple reason:

I don’t watch TV, read People or Us magazine, or watch the news regularly. 

As a result, pop culture is foreign to me. This made the parameters for the post a stressful writing assignment, which might amuse people, knowing I write on my blog, Naked Girl in a Dress, and spend time daily on social media sites. 

This week, though, I was saved from my writer’s angst for this post; I watched the Katy Perry concert documentary with my daughter. As the mother of an almost-13-year-old girl, I did know who Katy Perry was before we settled in to watch the film. {Full disclosure: I did have to Google Russell Brand to learn whom she had married as well as details about the romance that led up to their wedding in India.}

What struck me as I watched the documentary (beyond Katy’s amazing costumes, concert sets, and talent) was her unwavering commitment, even against significant odds, to succeed in her personal and professional life.  

While many think of Katy as an overnight success, this young woman has been working hard for many years to achieve her dream on her own terms. When record label executives directed Katy to model herself after current stars, to be the next Alanis Morissette, for example, she continued to give the same response:

“I don’t want to be the next anyone; I want to be the first Katy Perry.”



Having a strong belief in who she is and keeping her resolve is a big part of why Katy is now successful. The kid-friendly, party-like atmosphere at her concerts is uniquely her.  She creates a special experience with her candy-filled pre-concert parties for children, and scores of fans are given the opportunity to dance on stage with Katy. 

While Katy is inspiring in her rise to stardom, she is equally impressive in how she has dealt with disappointments in life; Katy does so with grace and dignity. Handling her divorce privately and respectfully is something not seen in everyday life, but even more rare with celebrities. It was a commendable and mature decision.

I have heard her songs hundreds of times before seeing the documentary, never thinking beyond the enjoyment of the music while watching my daughter sing along with Katy. What I know now is that this young girl in her 20’s has a depth to her that isn’t readily apparent on the surface. 
Billboard recently named Katy Woman of the Year, which seems fitting for all she has accomplished as well as the message she sends through the choices she makes in her own life. She inspires all of us, not just children, to be courageous, choosing to be who we are unapologetically. 

Thank You Naked Girl In A Dress..... This is Kelly, she is awesome, and now I gotta go watch that damn Katy Perry movie!!



October 14, 2012

Keep Calm and Alfred On...


I've been seeing those Keep Calm and Carry On red signs everywhere the past several months --- on t-shirt's, journals, in advertising, and of course everywhere online.

And then there are all the remixed versions, telling you to Keep Calm and Chive On, Keep Calm and Rock On, Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes, Keep Calm and Phone A Friend, Keep Calm and Stroke The Furry Wall (?), Keep Calm and Get Your Pirate On, Keep Calm and Fake A British Accent, and so many more.

According to Wikipedia, Keep Calm and Carry On was a propaganda poster produced by the Government of the United Kingdom in 1939 during the beginning of the Second World War, intended to raise the morale of the British public in the event of a Nazi invasion of Britain. It had only limited distribution, and thus was little known. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-issued by a number of private companies and advertisers.

My favourite of course is the one I did, Keep Calm and Alfred On. What does it mean? Continue to be cute, furry, fuzzy, loving, clingy, and costing your pet parent an effing fortune in toys and treats and doggie daycare....

What will your Keep Calm and.. sign say? Tell me in the comments, and then design it here.

October 10, 2012

Rest In Peace, Mr Quinnster



Last week we said goodbye to my step-dog Quinn.

When K and I met, Quinn was eight and Alfie was one, so their relationship was established instantly... Quinn was the pack leader, Alfie became the beagle-wannabe.

Quinn was a 13-year-old beagle, the love and longtime companion of my husband K, and now big brother to Alfie. After a loving, energetic, spirited life, Quinn's health turned and it was time to say goodbye peacefully.

We brought Quinn home from the animal hospital for one last night. There were hugs and tears and lots of pizza.

Mr Quinnster... sweet, smart, shed like crazy, loved to cuddle, food obsessed, up too damn early every morning, self-appointed pre-wash cycle for the dishwasher, stampeder for treats, big brother for Alfredo, howler at hot air balloons... he brought many years of joy and love to our family...




Rest in peace, Quinn, you were loved....



October 8, 2012

Why I Should Be Queen Of The Fag Hags...


The hubby and I are away on vacation for a couple of weeks (vacation blog posts to follow), and Alfie is being spoiled by his grandparents, so this blog will look a bit different for now...  I have pre-written a couple of things, and I have asked a few fab bloggy friends to guest post. They will class this joint up for sure.

Please continue to read and comment and tweet these posts out, I will catch up on all of it when we are back!

Here's some wisdom and spirituality from the wise and funny Mary McCarthy, aka MaryMac, one of my favourites, who is big-time blogger at pajamas and coffee, and super funny tweeter at @marymac. I love Mary, even though she calls me "Brahmy" in this post....


Although I am honestly a completely straight woman (believe me, I tried be a lesbian but unfortunately I’m not cool enough for it, plus I like dick), I love the gays.

I mean I really love the gays. Everything about the gays is the awesome. Your clothes, your hair, your shoes, your smell, your makeup, your cars, your houses, your decorating, your food… and I’d be remiss here at Alfred’s house not to mention… your pets.

I have never understood people who have a problem with gays. Other than the fact that they are obviously homophobic douchebags, I can only guess that they also secretly are gay and can’t admit it to themselves because their parents are conservative Republicans or something. Those people need to all be put on an island so that a.) we don’t have to deal with their repressed, boring asses and b.) they can all have big gay secret island orgies and then get the fuck over themselves.

As you might guess, one of the biggest influences in my upbringing was a 70s hippie lesbian acoustic guitar-playing, pot smoking lesbian aunt (she’s now actually a he and is my uncle, so I am a trans fan, too). Then-Aunt Terry brought me to the Philadelphia Folk Festival (I’m still high from the contact smoke 30 years later), played Grateful Dead in her incense-filled apartment for me, and bought me a subscription to Ms. Magazine for my 12th birthday. All of these things contributed to my love for the gays.




I will never forget my first gay boy crush. He was handsome and funny and charming and well dressed and brilliant and he had antiques and I wanted him to stop being gay so that he could marry me and I could get him to put some of his sperm in a turkey baster since he couldn’t get it up for me but so I could still have his perfect, gay baby. I was heartbroken to discover that he was really committed to penises and would not in fact embrace the concept of my vagina.


He was the first in many of my dysfunctional gay man crushes, none of which are perhaps as strong as the one I have for Brahm. Sigh. Thanks for letting me guest post, today, Brahmy. You know that you are my gay Canadian boyfriend and that if you ever turned straight I would take the first train to Canada (are there trains to Canada from Maryland?) to be with you even though I hate dogs. I guess the dog thing would be a deal breaker (especially in combination with the tits), but let’s just say I think you are magical and wonderful like the Wizard of Oz, only with a better shade of green because that Technicolor shit was tacky.


Anyhow, I would just like to say that if there is ever an election, or something tragic happens to Kathy Griffin, I am willing to stand up and represent straight women as the Queen of the Fag Hags. Needless to say I will expect a fucking fantastic coronation ceremony, stunning velvet robes and a crown that would shame Kate Middleton. And also really good food with bacon (real American bacon, not that shit you have up in Canada). And Grey Goose dirty martinis. And also cupcakes; I think red velvet, because they seem pretty royal.


I will represent you well. I will slander and libel conservative anti-gay douchebag motherfuckers every day, listen to you as you bitch and moan about one another being little bitches, and tell you how perfectly perfect you look and smell at all times. On Sundays, I will peruse the New York Times marriage section to look at pictures of the gay marriages and talk shit about who married up or down and who looks like death or looks fab.


And then mostly I will just sit in my castle (I mentioned there would be a castle, yes?) looking like the amazing Fag Hag Queen I am, and spend my days happily being surrounded by gays, because straight people are completely lame.



October 6, 2012

Gay Men Cruising...


Exciting days... today we are on an airplane headed towards this very big ship, the Celebrity Millennium, as we are heading off on a 15-night Panama Canal cruise.

K is a world traveller, I am much more limited in my experience -- outside of North America, I have been to only England, France, and the Caribbean -- so this is a whole new adventure for me. I have  cruised before, but not like this... in addition to the canal itself, we have stops in Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico.


K and I have been together more than four years, and talked about a cruise early on, prior to our first real vacation together. We went to Vegas instead. Why? Well, the lure of Elvis impersonators aside, I blame my best friend Kathryn. She warned... yes, warned... my future husband against taking a cruise with me. Or at least counselled him to be cautions about it (she totally denies this, by the way). We were at their house (Kathryn and her husband), and were listing vacation options, and when I suggested a cruise Kathryn warned my then-boyfriend that this may not be a great idea, as I had two serious exes in my past, and had taken two cruises in my life, and the timing was suspect so this may not be coincidental. Apparently yes I am that terrible to be locked in an enclosed space with! So every time cruises came up, my husband, who will eagerly travel pretty much anytime anywhere, came up with another choice, or insisted on a waiver of non-breaking up during or after said cruise. Well now we are more than four years in, two years married, have no pre-nup and a big-ass mortgage... so that my friends is a waiver of non-breaking up!

For the next two weeks, Alfred is with his grandparents, where there will be lots of love, pampering and maybe perogies.

Alfred the blog, alfred lives here, will be well cared for as well, with a few posts I have pre-written and some amazing guest bloggers... this place may actually be classier while I am away. Okay not classier, as I have seen their posts, but definitely fun!

Keep coming back, keep commenting, keep sending cash (unmarked bills), and see you in a couple of weeks when I came back with stories from the ship...