Dogsitter

I've never had a dog. I've never had a pet that needed to go for a walk a couple of times a day, or depended on me for food or even expected me to play with it. I've never been able to join in when the other kids talked about their pet's names, or how cute they were when they slept, or even the mischief they got into over the weekend. And yet throughout my life I have been a dogsitter. I have tried to cross the line that stands between pet owners and the rest of us.
Every summer my neighbor would go on vacation, giving me more money than I'd ever made before to watch their dog. At first I was nervous. I'd get scared each time I turned the key in the lock and heard her bark, but as time went on I started to enjoy the walks and playing the backyard. I looked forward to their vacations just as much as they did.
Today I find myself again dogsitting. This time Ollie is staying with us. Making herself at home on our couch and learning the route to the dogpark just a few blocks from our place.
The exciting part of all this is for the next 3 weeks, I can pretend that I'm not just a dog watcher, but a dog owner. I can join the special club, and stand tall with all the other dog owners in the park. Smiling proudly as Ollie plays with the others, finds the ball, and rolls in the dirt. For just 3 weeks I can pretend to be the pet lover I've always wanted to be.

Are you a singer?

I have always secretly wanted to sing. I have no desire to become a real artist, or go on tour. I don't even want to sell albums, I just would love to be able to sing in the car, sing for fun with friends without embarrassment, but I just can't. When I was younger I was a member of the elementary school chorus. Wasn't every girl though? I'd always stand towards the back and pretend to be singing at the Holiday concert. It was partly because I knew I wasn't any good and partly because no matter how much I practiced I could never remember the words. So I lip-synced, which at 8 and in the gym in front of parents who would smile and clap no matter what happened, is fine, but why do real artists always lip-sync? Why do women with amazing voices, who have made thousands, sometimes millions by singing go on talk shows, or other shows and only pretend to sing? Often they say they wrote the songs themselves, so it can't be that they can't remember the words.
And why, if that's the plan don't they at least learn how to fake it better?