OVER 200 SAVED!! THANK YOU!

WOO HOO Actually its 201!  After 7 months of joining twitter and Facebook as Patricksmovment we have managed to save OVER 200 animals!  We have not done this on our own.  All of our supporters have helped us by adopting, volunteering, fostering and spreading the word.  This is a victory for all of us  (Virtual Drinks for all)!

We are going to be announcing the name of our non-profit organization very soon.  We will be fundraising for various rescue organizations as well as continuing the work that we do ever day of the year.

I am keeping this one very short but VERY sweet.  We started with a mission of 1 million followers on twitter.  A week into twitter I knew that we could do more than just be a number.  Guess we could be like some of the celebs that have millions of followers and that will be awesome when we one day get there but the 2302 people on twitter alone that support us helped to save 201 animals so far!  That alone makes me feel like animal supporters should all have millions of followers, trend, and be verified.  A really nice celeb that I speak to on Facebook told me that the work that we do is way more important then worrying about a blue check mark.  Today that was confirmed by knowing that 201 animals are safe.  Yep I feel extremely verified!

There is a close circle of new friends that I speak to everyday on twitter that retweet, mention and #FF us.  You guys have helped me stay focused even when I was so depressed by the number of animal abuse victims I had seen that day.  Inspired By Ian you guys gave us the strength and determination to go non-profit and Kay Panabaker your love and support from your retweets have made a big difference.  Julie Benz, Mackenzie Phillips and Barbi Twins I am so appreciative of your early support before we had any numbers at all.  To my morning Save Lennox friends I smile every morning because of our little group.  We also have athlete’s that follow us to show that they care too.  Shannon Gross for letting me have a fun Sunday break every week. If I didn’t have you to worry to death about football, Sunday just wouldn’t be the same.

I hope that you will all continue to support us when we launch our non-profit organization!

WOOF!

The importance of grieving

This is going to be a very different then my usual animal based blog.  My son had a dear friend that was killed two months ago in a car accident.  He was 15 years old just like my son and had a promising future.  Fast forward one month to a student that graduated last year came home from college and shot himself in the head in his back yard.  His brother who came home off the bus made the discovery on his own.

Our small town has been turned upside down leaving a lot of grief in its path.  Tonight my son attended a grief counseling group with other peers his age that have had a hard time getting through this terrible time.  I came in during the last 15 minutes.  I realize how moving and helpful this group is.  The boy who shot himself was rumored to have been bullied which only makes it harder for some of the kids that are bullied in our schools.

We think of a grief counseling group for people who pass away.  While I was there I realize that grief hits us all in so many different ways and for so many different reasons.  Many people grieve their parent that may have left them when they were just a child.  Grieve for a pet that has passed away or grieve for people who are struck by natural disasters and tragedy.  In my opinion people who hurt or abuse animals and people have not allowed themselves a grieved process from something terrible that has happened in their life.

This may be the biggest part of me that I allow the public that I don’t know to see but I feel that is important for others that may be feeling the same way.  I was molested as a child and to this day I grieve for the death of that child.  That part of me that I lost forever and will never get back.  It happened over 25 years ago but I am still in a grieving process.  That part of me is forever gone. You have to allow yourself the 5 stages of grief.  If you don’t you will find yourself angry, destructive, lonely and empty.  I encourage everyone who has ever had any tragedy or death to go through these stages.  No you can’t skip 2 or 3 of them you must go through them all in order to not be a person that may never find peace.

-Denial-“this can’t be happening to me”, looking for the former spouse in familiar places, or if it is death, setting the table for the person or acting as if they are still in living there. No crying. Not accepting or even acknowledging the loss.

2-Anger-“why me?”, feelings of wanting to fight back or get even with spouse of divorce, for death, anger at the deceased, blaming them for leaving.

3-Bargaining-bargaining often takes place before the loss. Attempting to make deals with the spouse who is leaving, or attempting to make deals with God to stop or change the loss. Begging, wishing, praying for them to come back.

4-Depression-overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, frustration, bitterness, self-pity, mourning loss of person as well as the hopes, dreams and plans for the future. Feeling lack of control, feeling numb. Perhaps feeling suicidal.

5-Acceptance-there is a difference between resignation and acceptance. You have to accept the loss, not just try to bear it quietly. Realization that it takes two to make or break a marriage. Realization that the person is gone (in death) that it is not their fault, they didn’t leave you on purpose. (even in cases of suicide, often the deceased person, was not in their right frame of mind) Finding the good that can come out of the pain of loss, finding comfort and healing. Our goals turn toward personal growth. Stay with fond memories of person.

Social media the positive and the negative

It is close to midnight here on the east coast.  I am approaching my 14th hour of work with abused animals.  This is a normal for me for at least 5 1/2 days a week.  April of this year I took to twitter to help with adopting animals, education on pit bulls and BSL and helping people understand how to report animal abuse when they see it.

I also have a webpage, Chime.in, Twylah page, Google+ 3 Facebook pages and a Unthink page. Why so much you ask?  Facebook and twitter have saved so many animals that would have otherwise been destroyed or never released from their chain in their back yard.  I can tell you first hand that social media works for an animal rescuer so the more the better.  I find myself checking my phone when I am out to see what is urgent that must be dealt with that second.  Here is where the negative comes in.

I log in to twitter and find I may have lost a follower or two.  This used to stress me to think that those two people cannot retweet the animals that are in desperate need. Then there was the obsession of being a verified account.  No I am not a celebrity or known media figure but it was a way to be validated for the positive work we do.  I recently had a conversation with a celebrity on Facebook that I talk to from time to time that made a great point.  He told me that the positive work we do is more than a verification mark could do for us.  That moment snapped everything into place for me.  If we lose followers then they were never meant to follow us in the first place.  I started this to save animals and to date we have saved 177!  I can honestly say that is from the fantastic people who have followed us for months and the new people who believe in what we do.

I have a really hard time stepping away to spend time with the family, eat or have a few moments to myself to decompress.  A vacation is something that I only read about.  Then it happens!  Animals get rescued or saved and the payoff is more than money could buy.  I love what I do and I don’t think I have ever been more passionate about anything in my life.  This is where the positive comes in.

Most things I cannot tweet due to the graphic content but I do try to share animals and situations that remind you the importance of the work that so many of us do.  Since I am a real person I try to give you a glimpse into my personal life.  Sunday during football season I use that time to enjoy my family and friends.  I am always on social media and if an Urgent request comes in I am on it.  Not a miracle worker and no I can’t always help but you better believe I will try.  We want people to support us that understand our passion for animals, anything vegan and equality.

We have so many things that are in the works.  You all know that we are working on becoming a 501 3 (C) which is proving to be a bit more detailed then I first thought but we are striving towards our goal. I would love to grow wings and be able to save the world.  That one may be a tad bit harder but since I don’t believe I can’t do anything don’t be surprised if you see me flying over your city one day soon saving all animals in peril.

If you use social media be prepared for the ups and downs.  The best advice that I can give is to remember what your goal is and go for it.  The people who believe in you will never leave you.  It may be 5 people or 1,000,000 people.  The people who come and go you can only hope that you have touched their lives in some positive way.

How could anyone not believe in this?