Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 212

January 1, 2020: Goodbyes!

Thanks to everyone who left a message regarding Lulu, on twitter, instagram, facebook, and here on this blog.  Over a thousand well-wishes received.  Thanks so much.  It’s nice to see my gal was so well-loved.

On the other hand, at times like these, it’s hard not to second-guess, decisions made and not made.  So it was with my previous pugs and, despite the suddenness of her passing, so it is with Lulu.

I often refer to Maximus as the BEST dog.  And he really was.  Although stubborn in his refusal to go for lengthy walks and possessed of an affinity for food that often lead him into trouble (he once ate an entire take-out container of curry fussili he “rescued” from the garbage while we were out), you couldn’t ask for a sweeter, gentler, friendlier, laid-back pug.  When we would return home from trips and swing by our dogsitter’s place to pick him up, we’d invariably find him, sitting side by side with the house cat, sunning on the back porch.  He was wonderfully patient with kids, playful with other dogs, and loved nothing more than climbing into a stranger’s lap.

After Max received his cancer diagnosis, we tried everything we could to help him, but it was clear that he was fighting a losing battle.  He lost weight, his previously prodigious appetite waned, and he looked generally unwell.  It’s always a struggle to choose when to let go but I recall the moment Maximus followed me out to the backyard and then dropped onto his belly, looking up at me with plaintive, weary eyes.  I decided it was time.

In Max’s case, it wasn’t the timing of the decision that troubles me to this day but the fact that he was trembling when we brought him in to the vet.  It’s something he often did when visiting the vet, out of fear a borne from previous trips.  But this time, I thought, he had good reason to fear because I was bringing him there to die.  In the end, he went peacefully, but the fact that he passed away, fearful, still haunts me.

I like to say that Jelly was my longest relationship at 16.4 years.  She was my first pug and the opposite of Maximus.  Whereas Max was easy-going and affable, Jelly was impatient and demanding, free with her barks and bossy attitude.  At doggy daycare, they nicknamed her The Ref because of her penchant for jumping in whenever two other dogs started mixing it up.  In some ways, she reminds me of Suji.  They’re so much alike in many ways that I think that if the two had been alive at the same time, they would have downright hated each other.

Jelly suffered from a host of ailments in her later years, everything from hip dysplasia to spinal issues, but, in the end, it was a string of infections that ravaged her kidneys that proved too much for her little body to handle.  I remember seeing her go downhill and deciding the time was right, only to have her bounce back for several weeks.  The next time, I waited, and when it was clear she wasn’t getting any better and she started crying through the night, we brought her in.  She too went peacefully, but I’m still reminded of how bewildered she looked in her favorite pink bed as the vet techs fussed around her.

Bubba was originally intended to be a present for my ex’s brother but, after falling in love with the little guy, I decided to keep him and we got her brother a toaster oven instead.  I definitely got the better deal.  Bubba was neurotic, fearful of everything from skateboards and bikes to other dogs and parking lot entrances.  Sure, he was my dog in the beginning but, after Akemi moved in, he became her’s.  She doted on him and he became so attached that he would never leave her side.  When she would go out, he would cry himself hoarse.  I’d often come home from work to find the two of them sitting together – her working, him contentedly snoozing.

Bubba was incredibly healthy until almost the very end.  He developed a cough and, what at first we assumed to be pneumonia, turned out to be cancer.  I was working on Dark Matter’s third season at the time, away from home for much of the day, so I left Akemi to monitor his condition.  She knew him better than anyone and she would know when it was time.  And she let me know, texting me while I was on set, shooting one of our latest nights.  In Bubba’s case, he was clearly having trouble breathing, so there was no second-guessing the timing of the decision.  But the night did offer one of the saddest photos I’ve ever taken of Akemi saying goodbye to her favorite boy.

Lulu was different.  She could be aloof yet loving, obstinate yet playful, patient yet extremely determined.   Although scrappy in her early years, she grew disinterested in other dogs outside of her immediate pack family, preferring instead the company of people, guys in particular.  She was a bit of a flirt, at times capricious with her affections, but a tough cookie who always backed her pack-mates and proved a great companion to Suji, especially when she was first settling in.

Lulu was also different in that, unlike the pugs, her passing was sudden.  She’d developed a cough that we’d been treating with antibiotics and her condition seemed to improve in that regard.  Still, it was clear she was having trouble breathing (an issue she’d struggled with through most of her life), so we’d purchased a bronchodilator for her.  It was the first thing we used as we, at first, assumed she was struggling for breath, but when her pupils started flicking rapidly from side to side, I knew it was something far worse.  We whisked her up and rushed her to our bet, only two blocks away, but were too late to save her.

All signs point to a stroke and, as others have suggested, it was fairly quick and perhaps preferable to the suffering from an extended illness.  But I still can’t help but wonder IF we’d gotten to the vet sooner, IF we would have taken her to the vet immediately upon our arrival from Montreal for a check-up, IF it would have made a difference.

Lulu’s passing brings to an end that old gang of mine.  And one of my best memories I have of them was at bedtime, how they would all sleep on my side of the bed – Bubba tucked up against my left side, Lulu right up against my right, Maximus down by my feet, and Jelly on the pillow beside me.  It was tight, not always exactly comfortable, but they were great times.

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December 31, 2019: Lulu

I hadn’t really planned on getting a french bulldog, but a series of fortunate events saw us welcome this little, big-eared frenchie into our home.

Lulu settled in quite nicely with the rest of the pack, but it was clear from the get-go that she was different.  Smarter, stronger, and spryer than our three pugs, she seemed to possess boundless energy, playing relentlessly until she would collapse in a heaving but clearly content heap.

She was also very sneaky.  There were times when I would come home to find her standing on the kitchen table, looking guiltily back at me with that “Shit, you’re home early!” look.

And while that adventurous spirit wasn’t always the cause, she WAS a regular at our local vet. Over time, the cone of shame became her trademark accessory.

She was an obsessive gal, enamored of her various toys.

And she developed her stick-fixation at an early age.

Throughout her life, Lulu played hard – but rested even harder.

Particularly in her later years, she loved a good snooze.

She wasn’t huge on walks, especially in her later years, but she did love the sun.  She would often park herself by the window and while away the hours soaking up the rays.

Despite her tough girl stature, she was incredibly sensitive.

But an overwhelmingly happy dog.

Her laid-back nature made her a great companion to our cantankerous special needs rescue, Suji, who took a quick liking to her.  It helped that in addition to being laid-back, Lulu was infinitely patient.

In her later years, she slowed down significantly, developing hip and spinal issues that made walking difficult.  And yet, despite her mobility issues, she remained spirited, spry – and very stubborn.

At twelve and a half years old, she had the distinction of being the oldest frenchie in the neighborhood.  And, while she no longer enjoyed the company of other dogs, ignoring them for the most part whenever she encountered one at the park, she  loved nothing better than the attention she would receive from passersby.

This morning, Lulu collapsed after finishing her breakfast.  I believe she suffered a stroke.  We rushed her to the vet only to be told her heart had already stopped beating.

I’ll miss her snoring and determined attempts at sleeping in, the way she would demonstrate her disdain for walks by turning around and immediately heading for home, her brilliant strategy of barking incessantly whenever I was on the phone until I would give her treats to shut her up.  But mostly I’ll miss the sweetest french bulldog I have ever known.

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December 30, 2019: Travel! Art! And BIG New Year’s Eve plans!

Five hours and forty minutes, ninety-seven kpop songs, and a smoked meat sandwich later we are back in Toronto.  And I am exhausted.  I may have to redeem one of the massage tickets Akemi gifted me for Christmas.

Our last full day in Montreal saw us all attend the special Van Gogh exhibition in Old Montreal.

Sadly, the gift shop offered no Starry Night cufflinks, so I went home empty-handed.

Super excited about New Year’s Eve tomorrow.  Throughout my life, it’s a night that has never failed to disappoint.  Even on occasions where I have absolutely no expectations, it still manages to underwhelm.  Except this year.  This year, will be the best New Year’s Eve ever!  I have no doubt because, this year, I’m going to be in bed by 11:00 p.m. and asleep when everyone else will be ushering in the new year.  Let me know how it goes!

I leave you with a few of the videos I snagged at the Arsenal Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal –

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December 29, 2019: Suji Sunday!

Suji doing her impersonation of Lulu.

Lulu looking dreamy.

That thinking look.

Snack time!

Table manners! –

Riding out early tomorrow to get ahead of the big storm!  See you in Toronto!

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The Top 25 Kpop Songs of 2019

Well, I could have easily done a Top 50 Kpop Songs of 2019, but elected to stick to half that for the purposes of this blog post.  And so, here you go – My Top 25 Kpop Songs of 2019…

25 – Violeta by Iz*One

Feel bad for this relatively young group which debuted in 2018 only to be caught up in the recent Produce scandal and placed on indefinite hiatus.

24 – I’m So Hot – Momoland

Their 2018 release, Baam, remains one of my Top 10 all-time favorite kbops. Members Taeha and Yeonwoo “left” the group this past November and it will be interesting to see how that will affect the group dynamics.

23 – Party Is Over by Giriboy

Fairly accomplished at age 28, Giriboy – who debuted back in 2011 – already has a pretty solid discography under his belt.

22 – Kill This Love by Blackpink

My wife Akemi’s favorite group (alongside the group sitting at #1 on this list), Blackpink are one of only a handful of Korean groups that have broken into the international market – and Blackpink has done it in a big way, their appearance at this years Coachella engendering a social media response that dwarfed that of any other performer.

21 – Bon Bon Chocolat by Everglow

Everglow debuted in a big way this year, and landed two songs on this list. Despite the chocolate theme, I wasn’t totally onboard with this song the first time I heard it, but it’s really grown on me.  And the accompanying dance is one of the more entertaining offerings of the 2019 kpop scene.

20 – Side Effects by Stray Kids

Stray Kids delivered some solid hits in 2019, and multiple songs landed on this list, starting with this one.

19 – TMI by Hot Place

Formerly Badkidz, this group changed their name to Hot Place following the departure of 15 (!) of their group members, relaunching with this song in February of this year.  Love the song and the video is fun – if you’re okay with those videos that interrupt the music for onscreen action.

18 – Devil by CLC

CLC had three 2019 releases in my Top 50, but only one in my Top 25 – this one, their fourth digital single.

17 – Super Clap by Super Junior

Their 2008 release, Sorry Sorry, is one my all-time favorites (as is that insidious ear worm, Can You Feel It?), but they scored big time in 2019 with this terrific track off their ninth album.

16 – Double Knot by Stray Kids

And Stray Kids land a second song on this list with this 2019 single.  But, wait! There’s more!

15 – Congratulations by Eric Nam

Former Atlanta, Georgia native and current South Korean music star Eric Nam’s collaboration with former 2AM Club vocalist Marc E. Bassy takes the #15 spot on this list.

14 – Gogobebe by Mamamoo

My favorite Korean group lands at #14 with this release.  The accompanying video is typical of Mamamoo – fun, humor, lively choreography, and visuals that feature each of their distinct personalities.

13 – Astronaut by Stray Kids

Following the departure of Woojin, Stray Kids delayed the release of their album, Cle: Leavanter, eventually releasing the video for Astronaut, their first video without their longtime fellow group member.

12 – Picky Picky by Weki Meki

This one lands firmly in Akemi’s Top 5.  Another song that really grew on me the more I heard it.

11 – Snappy by Chung Ha

She’s been dubbed as The Korean Beyonce which, I’m sure, is intended as a compliment but really is just a lazy shorthand to describe one of South Korea’s most successful musical artists.  Delightfully distinct in her own right, she scored a huge hit with this song in 2019.

10 – Want It by Itzy

Arguably one of the biggest 2019 debuts in kpop was this group with their two solid hits, Icy and Dalla Dalla.  And while Icy and Dalla Dalla were in my Top 50, two other songs this group released were the ones to make my Top 25.

9 – Lit by Oneus

Mamamoo RBW label mates Oneus debuted with two terrific singles.  Lit was one.

8 – Valkyrie by Oneus

Any this song, Valkyrie, was the other.  I went back and forth on which one should take precedence on this list, and ultimately decided to go with Valkyrie.  But it was damn close.

7 – Psycho by Red Velvet

A late arrival in 2019, this is the lead single off Red Velvet’s new album, The ReVe Festival Finale.  It’s a particularly sad song to listen to in the wake of group member Wendy’s recent accident, the result of alleged negligence on the part of SBS.

6 – Ninety Nine by AOA

The official goodwill ambassadors to the 2018 Winter Olympics, AOA, released this single in late November and it quickly vaulted into my Top 10.

5 – It’z Summer

This B-side release didn’t even get an official video, but it was my favorite song from this debut group.

4 – Miroh by Stray Kids

Stray Kids lands no less than four songs on this Top 25 list.  All great, but this one’s my favorite.

3 – Gottasadae by BeWhy

South Korea’s pre-eminent rapper, BeWhy, lands a solid #3 with a great song and equally great official video.

2 – Adios by Everglow

One of the first kpop songs I fell in love with, it’s a killer bop and the choreography in the official video is nothing short of outstanding.

1 – Hip by Mamamoo

To be honest, this one wasn’t even close.  Fantastic song by a fantastic group with a fantastic video featuring fantastic choreography.

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December 27, 2019: Mundane books and more horror movie tagline!

Ah well.  An overnight ice storm has rendered the various streets surrounding mom’s place defecto skating strips (This morning, Akemi and I watched a squirrel literally slide down the driveway).  As a result, we are housebound.  No smoked meat lunch.  No going downtown to check out that condo in Old Montreal.  No walkies for the dogs.  Instead, it’s a lot of computer time.  I wrote about it, and did a little more reading of those two perfectly average novels which – surprise surprise! – were selected as 2019 Top Reads. It’s almost reached the point now that, if a book has received an award, that is reason enough to avoid it.  It’s almost as if people are giving awards for effort or what they imagine a well-executed version of the book COULD have been.

Awww, man.  Don’t get me started.  Let’s file away this rant for another day.

Okay, one final round of Name the Horror Movie by its Tagline.  This time, it’s the Foreign Horror Film Edition!

1 – They haven’t finished being alive.

2 – A tale of love.  A story of horror.

3 – Do you want to meet a ghost?

4 – Don’t let her inside…

5 – She always gets a part.

6 – Every family has its dark secret.

7 – Enter a world of madness and suffering.

8 – Some lines should not be crossed…

9 – Some people would kill for company.

10 – Fear will find you.

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December 26, 2019: Happy Boxing Day! Get out there and fight, fight, fight!

Guys, if there is one thing I absolutely must do in 2020, it’s curb my pistachio cream consumption.  It’s really getting out of hand!

Mallozzi’s.

Akemi doing the chipmunk thing.

Lulu

Sujiko

And Christmas dinner.

Alright horror aficionados, it’s time for another round of Guess the Horror Movie by its Tagline.  This time, it’s the Super Difficult Edition!

1 – What you can’t see won’t hurt you…it’ll kill you!

2 – John will never eat shish-kebab again.

3 – Get lost in these woods and you’re dead meat.

4 – Misery loves company.

5 – You have the right to remain silent.  Forever.

6 – Today the pond!  Tomorrow the world!

7 – In space, no one can eat ice cream.

8 – Take the stairs.  Take the stairs.  For God’s sake, take the stairs!!!

9 – It’s cheaper than a chainsaw.

10 – Fear is a place.

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December 25, 2019: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

At some point late last night, Akemi decided the guest room we were sleeping in was too cold for her, so she moved to the second guest room.  It wasn’t until 6:00 a.m. that Suji realized she was missing – at which point she freaked out, in turn freaking Lulu out.  They would NOT go back to sleep and so I had to get up just before daybreak on Christmas morning – like the parent of an actual kid.

Mom’s apple pie…

And the proper way to eat it…

Nothing goes hand in hand like Christmas and horror so, today, I present the next round of our Guess the Horror Movie by its Tagline – Difficult Edition!

1 – If only they knew she had the power.

2 – Your luck just ran out.

3 – She breathes, sees, hears, walks…but can she love?

4 -Once you see it, you can never forget.  Once it sees you, you can never escape.

5 – Ding dong.  You’re dead.

6 – …and remember, the next scream you hear may be your own.

7 – There are some very good reasons to be afraid…of the dark.

8 – If you’re not back by midnight…you won’t be coming home.

9 – Some towns should never be entered.

10 – In their world, adults are not allowed…to live.

Congrats to Paul Tarnecki for correctly guessing 10/10 in our last round.  Next time we cross paths, horror movie is on me!

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December 24, 2019: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

At some point late last night, Akemi decided the guest room we were sleeping in was too cold for her, so she moved to the second guest room.  It wasn’t until 6:00 a.m. that Suji realized she was missing – at which point she freaked out, in turn freaking Lulu out.  They would NOT go back to sleep and so I had to get up just before daybreak on Christmas morning – like the parent of an actual kid.

Mom’s apple pie…

And the proper way to eat it…

Nothing goes hand in hand like Christmas and horror so, today, I present the next round of our Guess the Horror Movie by its Tagline – Difficult Edition!

1 – If only they knew she had the power.

2 – Your luck just ran out.

3 – She breathes, sees, hears, walks…but can she love?

4 -Once you see it, you can never forget.  Once it sees you, you can never escape.

5 – Ding dong.  You’re dead.

6 – …and remember, the next scream you hear may be your own.

7 – There are some very good reasons to be afraid…of the dark.

8 – If you’re not back by midnight…you won’t be coming home.

9 – Some towns should never be entered.

10 – In their world, adults are not allowed…to live.

Congrats to Paul Tarnecki for correctly guessing 10/10 in our last round.  Next time we cross paths, horror movie is on me!

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December 24, 2019: Merry Christmas Eve! Guess the horror movie by its tagline – moderate edition!

Merry Christmas Eve from mom.  Here, have some Christmas cookies.

In case you missed it, check out –

View at Medium.com

Thanks to Rod T. Faulkner, longtime Dark Matter supporter, for the mention.

Alright.  It’s time for another round of Guess the Horror Movie by its Tagline.  Yesterday, we played the Easy Edition.  Congratulations to Colleen O’Shaughnessy for being the first to guess all ten correct answers.  Next time we cross paths, Colleen, horror movie screening is on me!

This time, we move on to Moderate.  Post your answers in the comment section.

1 – They won’t stay dead.

2- Whoever wins, we lose.

3 – Man is the warmest place to hide.

4-  Sleep all day.  Party all night.  Never grow old.  Never die.  It’s fun to be a vampire.

5- Scream now while there’s still room to breathe.  Terror has no shape.

6 – Be afraid.  Be very afraid.

7 – Exorcise your rites.

8 – Sometimes dead is better.

9 – Things are about to get a little hairy.

10 – Who will survive, and what will be left of them?

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