Decision Time

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje is thinking about serving one more term before stepping down. Who could be Ann Arbor's next mayor in 2014? Three names come to mind. Read the story.

I Hate Everything About Them

Vintage Hollywood Take 3

This was the scene Friday night at the Michigan Theater during the third-annual Vintage Hollywood event. You know, just raising more money for the Neutral Zone in Ann Arbor and having a good time doing it.

The Duke

I wanted to name my puppy Duke, which seemed fitting since I got him while visiting a friend at Duke University and he's part boxer — with all the boxer fighting instincts, putting up his dukes and such, etc., etc., and so on. But the shelter named him Stan, which seemed kismet considering my last name is Stanton. I laughed out loud when I saw his name scribbled on his info sheet hanging from Kennel No. 6. So, while he continues to go by Stan for short, his full name is Stanley Duke Stanton. And by no doing of my own, Stanley Duke Stanton has his own Facebook page. Go here to follow him. Oh, and yes, he follows me into the bathroom.

Stan The Man

These are the most recent pictures I have of Stan, taken on Feb. 20. He's definitely grown a bit in less than a month, and he's lost at least four of his puppy teeth. I can see only one puppy tooth left that needs to come out.

Give A Dog A Bone

Crazy Eyed Pup

Puppy Power

Here's Stan at the shelter on my first visit with him in late January. He's a boxer/hound mix. I was told he was about five months old when I adopted him, which dates his birthday back to around mine, Aug. 18, so we're just saying we share a birthday.

Say Goodbye

I think Stan was just as sad to leave my old downtown studio apartment as I was. He still keeps wanting to go up the steps every time we pass the building now. Here he is on the day I was shooting photos to market the place on Craigslist.

Stan In Asheville

So this little guy here is the reason my blog has suffered for the past several weeks. I adopted him from a shelter in North Carolina on Feb. 1 and life has been pretty chaotic ever since. I wasn't planning on getting a dog, nor did I think I was ready, but I took one look at the cute, mild-mannered pup in Kennel 6 and couldn't help but take him home. The shelter has a high kill rate and Stan, as they named him, had been there for more than a month, since being dropped off Dec. 21. After rescuing him and spending a couple of days hanging out in Durham, where he held his own play fighting with a couple of his new doggy friends, we drove 11-plus hours together back to Michigan to my apartment where unfortunately dogs aren't allowed. After a few weeks of hiding out with him, watching him 24/7 and not being able to leave him home alone, and even taking him to work with me for a week, I was finally able to sublease my apartment and move into a new place on Feb. 17. He's still quite a handful but he's brought so much joy to my life that the sacrifices I'm making, including giving up my downtown bachelor pad and paying more money for a place I like less, are worth it. Here are a few shots of Stan in Asheville, N.C., where we stopped on our road trip back to Michigan. We ended up crashing there for the night at a Ramada Inn because, after driving an hour out of town, we found I-40 West was closed at the Tennessee border and had to turn back. The trip was a good bonding experience and now he won't let me leave his side without a fuss.

Representing The Deuce

Representing Ann Arbor, Michigan, at The Pinhook in Durham, North Carolina. Photo credit: Thea Neal.

Nerdy Sanchez

It was trivia night at The Pinhook in Durham, North Carolina, and the theme was TGIF. Team Nerdy Sanchez made a valiant effort but came up short despite all its years of collective knowledge about classic ABC television shows such as Full House, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Boy Meets World, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Step By Step, and Hangin' With Mr. Cooper. My shining moment was remembering the name of the dad from Dinosaurs: Earl Sinclair, a.k.a. not the mama!

Whatever, I Do What I Want

Sometimes Stan sleeps on his back. Here he is on an afternoon slumber on Feb. 7.