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	<title>Elle Draper &#124; Playa Blanca &#124; Lanzarote &#187; Be serious</title>
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	<description>I&#039;m not easily distracted, I just... Oh look! A puppy!!</description>
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		<title>Horrific treatment!</title>
		<link>http://www.elledraper.com/horrific-treatment/</link>
		<comments>http://www.elledraper.com/horrific-treatment/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:48:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Elle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Be serious]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.elledraper.com/?p=57</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I tend to steer clear of animal rights videos for one reason&#8230; I find it too shocking, and it always makesd me very upset. For the same reason I don&#8217;t forward emails because I don&#8217;t wish to upset people. However &#8211; this particular movie has upset me so much, that I feel the need to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I tend to steer clear of animal rights videos for one reason&#8230; I find it too shocking, and it always makesd me very upset. For the same reason I don&#8217;t forward emails because I don&#8217;t wish to upset people. However &#8211; this particular movie has upset me so much, that I feel the need to raise awareness!<span id="more-57"></span></p>
<p>Please do not click this link unless you are prepared for the horrendous effect this will have.</p>
<p>I am a strong woman &#8211; but this has made such a huge impact on me! I never wear animal fur anyway&#8230; but if any of you do &#8211; then you deserve to watch this&#8230; if only to stop you from ever wearing it again</p>
<p>Again &#8211; I repeat the warning &#8211; this really is horrific!</p>
<p><a title="Chinese Fur Farms" href="http://www.peta.org/feat/ChineseFurFarms/index.asp" target="_blank">Chinese Fur Farms</a></p>
<p>If you are upset by this, and feel the need to condemn&#8230; then please forward this link to everyone you know!</p>
<p>Signing off&#8230; a very VERY upset Elle xx</p>
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		<title>Food For Thought</title>
		<link>http://www.elledraper.com/food-for-thought/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:17:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Elle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Be serious]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.elledraper.com/?p=54</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m going to get serious for a moment&#8230; For 3 years now, I have chosen not to eat KFC, and I will never touch it again. This is due to the following website. http://www.kfccruelty.com Be warned, the video on this site is not nice, and is certainly shocking in places. Don&#8217;t watch it if you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m going to get serious for a moment&#8230; For 3 years now, I have chosen not to eat KFC, and I will never touch it again. This is due to the following website. <span id="more-54"></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.kfccruelty.com/">http://www.kfccruelty.com</a></p>
<p>Be warned, the video on this site is not nice, and is certainly shocking in places. Don&#8217;t watch it if you ever want to eat KFC again.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>A tail of a doggie&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.elledraper.com/a-tail-of-a-doggie/</link>
		<comments>http://www.elledraper.com/a-tail-of-a-doggie/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:21:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Elle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Be serious]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.elledraper.com/?p=13</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A man in Grand Rapids, Michigan incredibly took out a $7000 full page ad in the paper to present the following essay to the people of his community. HOW COULD YOU? By Jim Willis, 2001 When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">A man in Grand Rapids, Michigan incredibly took out a $7000 full page ad in the paper to present the following essay to the people of his community. <span id="more-13"></span></span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">HOW COULD YOU? By Jim Willis, 2001 </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was &#8220;bad,&#8221; </span></span></strong></strong><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">you&#8217;d shake your finger at me and ask &#8220;How could you?&#8221; &#8212; but then you&#8217;d relent and roll me over for a belly rub. </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because &#8220;ice cream is bad for dogs&#8221; you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day. </span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love. She, now your wife, is not a &#8220;dog person&#8221; &#8212; still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. </span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial"><img style="width: 150px; height: 147px;" src="http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Tiselle/dalmation1.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="147" align="left" /></span>Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a &#8220;prisoner of love.&#8221; As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch &#8212; because your touch was now so infrequent &#8212; and I would&#8217;ve defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway. There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">These past few years, you just answered &#8220;yes&#8221; and changed the subject. I had gone from being &#8220;your dog&#8221; to &#8220;just a dog ,&#8221; and you resented every expenditure on my behalf. </span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You&#8217;ve made the right decision for your &#8220;family,&#8221; but there was a time when I was your only family </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said &#8220;I know you will find a good home for her.&#8221; They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with &#8220;papers.&#8221; You had to pry your son&#8217;s fingers loose from my collar as he screamed &#8220;No, Daddy! Please don&#8217;t let them take my dog!&#8221; And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life. You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too.</span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home They shook their heads and asked &#8220;How could you?&#8221; </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. </span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind &#8212; that this was all a bad dream&#8230; or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me. </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days. </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood. She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured &#8220;How could you?&#8221; </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">Perhaps because she understood my dog speak, she said &#8220;I&#8217;m so sorry.&#8221; She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn&#8217;t be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself &#8212; a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my &#8220;How could you?&#8221; was not directed at her. </span></span></strong></strong><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">It was directed at you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you. I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty. </span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">A Note from the Author: <em>If &#8220;How Could You?&#8221; brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly &#8220;owned&#8221; </em></span></span></strong></strong><em><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">pets who die each year in animal shelters. Please use this to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal shelter and vet office bulletin boards. Tell the public that the decision to add a pet to the family is an important one for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and that all life is precious. Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage all spay &amp; neuter campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals. </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">Please pass this on to everyone, not to hurt them or make them sad, but it could save maybe, even one, unwanted pet. </span></span></strong></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">Remember&#8230;They love UNCONDITIONALLY.</span></span></strong></strong></em><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial"><img style="width: 128px; height: 179px;" src="http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Tiselle/SaraDalmation.jpg" alt="" width="128" height="179" align="left" /></span></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">This has been posted in support of our local Animal Charity in Lanzarote.<br />
</span></span></strong></strong><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">Please take a moment to visit the <a href="http://www.saralanzarote.com" target="_blank">SARA Website &#8211; Help Us To Help Them!</a></span></span></strong></strong></p>
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		<title>If&#8230; by Rudyard Kipling</title>
		<link>http://www.elledraper.com/if-by-rudyard-kipling/</link>
		<comments>http://www.elledraper.com/if-by-rudyard-kipling/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:19:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Elle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Be serious]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.elledraper.com/?p=12</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don&#8217;t deal in lies, Or being [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you can keep your head when all about you<br />
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,<br />
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,<br />
But make allowance for their doubting too;</p>
<p><span id="more-12"></span>If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,<br />
Or being lied about, don&#8217;t deal in lies,<br />
Or being hated, don&#8217;t give way to hating,<br />
And yet don&#8217;t look too good, nor talk too wise:</p>
<p>If you can dream &#8211; and not make dreams your master;<br />
If you can think &#8211; and not make thoughts your aim;<br />
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster<br />
And treat those two impostors just the same;</p>
<p>If you can bear to hear the truth you&#8217;ve spoken<br />
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,<br />
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,<br />
And stoop and build &#8216;em up with wornout tools:</p>
<p>If you can make one heap of all your winnings<br />
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,<br />
And lose, and start again at your beginnings<br />
And never breathe a word about your loss;</p>
<p>If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew<br />
To serve your turn long after they are gone,<br />
And so hold on when there is nothing in you<br />
Except the Will which says to them: &#8216;Hold on!&#8217;</p>
<p>If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,<br />
Or walk with kings &#8211; nor lose the common touch,<br />
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,<br />
If all men count with you, but none too much;</p>
<p>If you can fill the unforgiving minute<br />
With sixty seconds&#8217; worth of distance run -<br />
Yours is the Earth and everything that&#8217;s in it,<br />
And &#8211; which is more &#8211; you&#8217;ll be a Man my son!</p>
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