Coco for Coco Puff

I would by no means say owning a dog is the same as having a child. It obviously is not. Nevertheless, there are undoubtedly similarities between caring for a child and having a dog. Pet owners absolutely go through “child-like” experiences with their pets. My baby’s name is Coco. Coco is a Chug and was welcomed to our family on Mother’s Day of 2008. When I brought Coco home to my daughter, Jennifer, just like a jealous sibling, she did not welcome Coco with open arms. In fact, she wanted me to take him back. Her arguments were that dogs are A LOT of work and that I did not know how much time and effort there was in raising a puppy. Coco is the first dog I have ever raised. I finally stated to my 21 year old that if I could raise her I surely could raise a dog! Upon the realization that Coco was here to stay, Jennifer gave a disclaimer that she would not be picking up dog poop or walking him. This reminded me of the grumblings of an older sibling who would protest to babysitting.

When Coco was a puppy, I woke up in the middle of the night to have him use the facilities. I actually set my alarm every day for 5 a.m. The time that Coco’s bladder had to be emptied. This process continued for 6 weeks until he was potty trained. No, it’s not the exact same as midnight feedings, nonetheless I did loose A LOT of sleep. And just like an infant, I had to provide toys for him to play with, feed & bath him, and most importantly offer a safe & loving home.

Yes, I often put Coco’s needs before mine, just like a parent does for their child. I may not always have the money for a monthly pedi, but I make sure Coco gets his nails trimmed monthly. Yes, it is socially acceptable to leave ones pet home all alone. A parent would NEVER leave a child home all alone. When I leave the house without Coco I feel guilty. I refuse to leave Coco unattended for more than 5 hours. I actually will drop him off at my parent’s house for them to babysit their Granddoggie.  I look forward to picking up my baby! No, Coco doesn’t need braces or a college education, but we do provide for him.

Just like parents loving their children and children loving their parents, We love Coco and Coco loves us! I give Coco unconditional love just as I do for my daughter.  Similar to children bringing joy and love to their parents, my dog has brought much joy and love to my family. I’m proud to admit that Jennifer did come to love and adore Coco. We often squabble over who Coco sleeps with at night. And yes Jennifer does pick up dog poop and has taken Coco for walks!

Someone That I Used To Know

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY 

It is so fascinating how lyrics can be so generic and applicable to everyone! How a nonspecific, verse can feel SO specific to yourself/situation at the same time! I just heard this song while on my way to meet some friends for dinner and instantly fell in love with it!!!! I actually had to pull it up on the internet and play the song for them while in the restaurant. I KNOW I can't be the only one that thinks about an ex whenever I hear the song “Someone that I used to Know” by Gotye. I can't stop playing this song.

To me, this song is about clinging onto an illusion of an old relationship. You thought the two of you were perfect for one another, and now they are “just somebody that I used to know'. After the death of the relationship you are still unable to let them go because your illusions clash with reality. You have an internal struggle between your heart and your head. Your brain is telling you to accept who they are and your heart is clinging onto who you thought they were. It is about that tiny little fiber in your body that cannot erase the memory of them. That ache in your heart that still yearns for them is what causes most of the conflict.

Your voice speaks and says that you shouldn’t be hung up over a person who can just cut you off completely. How crazy is it to be hung up over someone who treated you so badly when it ended, and yet, the entire song is dedicated to the memory of that person and the damage that they caused you. I am caught up on his illusion of what I thought was my soul mate. I thought I found “the one” my happy ending. I thought my search was over. I wanted so badly to be his everything as well.  

“But you didn't have to cut me off Make out like it never happened And that we were nothing  And I don't even need your love But you treat me like a stranger And that feels so rough… Now you're just somebody that I used to know”   

These lyrics resonate with me because my ex abruptly ended our relationship. I thought he was my soul mate he obviously wasn't. My soul mate wouldn’t have dissolved the relationship without an explanation of why. Obviously the relationship wasn't meant to be.

"Told myself that you were right for me, But felt so lonely in your company." For me this verse is me trying to move on from my ex, being in a new relationship because I NEED to move on but cannot and therefore am lonely in the company of another. I am still hung up on my ex and chances are I will continue this cyclic pattern.

You are hung up on them!!! That is the quarrel between your voice of reason and the left over feelings you still hold in your heart for them. I think that might be why there is such a huge play on body parts in the video clip. The assortment of colors for each body part represents all the different emotions the wounded party feels. The thoughts that keep running through your mind that are contradicting each other. He starts to paint himself and her in the same colors, trying so desperately for this to work and for her to be what he wants her to be. In the video he's naked at the start and in the end it shows the new girlfriend being hurt. I think it's describing a relationship where one person is damaged from a previous relationship and then takes it out on the new partner.

Usually a song is biased to one person’s interpretation. I love how both sides of the story are represented in the one song. I love how her response shows her perspective. How her reply differs from all the other verses and the chorus. This song is so clever!! Truly fantastically written and portrayed! I SO LOVE THIS SONG!!!