The news about Tiger Woods’ indiscretions has taken over the airways for well over a week now. And it’s no surprise that the media and many of us are so interested in the story. As soon as the story broke, all I could think of is: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

We tell our kids all the time that there are consequences for their actions. Tiger is now experiencing his own self-inflicted consequences. Does the punishment fit the crime? His punishment includes humiliation and embarrassment on a global scale; and possibly a financial impact if he loses endorsement opportunities. His fame for his positive accomplishments created the environment where his transgressions are now also played out for the world to see.

I am sure there are plenty of people on earth who have gotten away with terrible actions. But I’d like to think that in some way even those people face their own unpleasant challenges due to their actions. What was Tiger thinking? How dumb was that of him to leave a voice mail on one of his mistresses’ cell phones? Did he honestly think he could continue his “transgressions” and not be found out? And it doesn’t appear to be one solitary incident or person involved, but “several.”

All famous people are deeply sorry when they have been humiliated all over the world. Was Tiger sorry the day before he was busted?  Men who cheat sometimes attend sex addiction rehab as though their infidelity is a disease. Famous couples that include a cheating husband immediately go to marriage counseling. Naturally, the cheaters then truly and deeply love their spouses, their “soul mates.” The affairs meant nothing to them.

There is a price for fame, and it is HUGE. If you project integrity when you face the camera every day, you better walk the walk and talk the talk.  Secrets are awfully hard for a famous person to keep. If one other person knows something, that something is no longer a secret. I think some ultra successful people acquire such large egos that they believe they are invincible. The public puts them on a pedestal and the pressure for them to be perfect must be stressful. Famous people are human too.

I’m not sure why most celebrities get married. You’d be hard pressed to find 10 celebrity couples who have been married for 30+ years. How about even 10 years? Why bother? Why not just stay single and date any and everyone you please? I guess on some level they want stability that a marriage can offer, but that rush of excitement of getting away with something forbidden, may be worth the risk for some.

Tiger Woods is an amazing golfer and has unparalleled discipline and motivation. I don’t even like golf, but I like to watch him golf. But now, for the rest of his life he is going to be known as the best golfer of all time who had some trouble driving (and with his putter). Whether he insists on keeping his privacy or not, he will be asked to comment about this recent situation for years to come. It will really never go away. It will never be like it was. The respect people had for him is never going to be quite same. And he worked so hard for what he accomplished professionally.

“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I don’t know if the reaction is always equal, but it is something to always keep in mind.

I love the fact that I can sit in my PJs and shop for Christmas gifts on my computer. You can find things online you cannot find locally and you can browse without the exhaustion of mall shopping. Here are some tips:

• If you shop on a mega website like Amazon, know that some items are shipped from the individual merchants. So you may have different shipping times and fees. One year I ordered a bunch of items only to find out 10 days later some were out of stock. Not good.
• Try to order from places that offer low/free shipping costs only.
• Group purchases together so you do not order 10 items from 10 websites. You don’t want to spend $100+ on shipping fees.
• Read product reviews before making a purchase online. If a bunch of shoppers were disappointed in a product, you will be too. And if everyone loved it, you will too.
• Beware of costly electronic purchases online. I’ve read horror stories. It is better to buy a TV at a store, where you can see it, touch it, and know you are getting a new one rather than rebuilt. And that there is a physical place to return it if problems arise.
• Consider the  possibility of returns. It is hard to buy clothing as gifts, and you don’t want your gift recipient to have to pay to ship the gift back.
• Know the return policy. I ordered something off a bike website only to later discover that there was a restocking fee. Also note the return deadline. If it is not 30+ days, don’t buy it.
• When you are using a credit card to order online, verses cash in a store, it is easy to overspend. Print out every order receipt and make note of the total cost including taxes and shipping. It can really add up!

Have fun shopping!

© 2009 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

Click here to read last week’s comic.

My husband was on his way to the YMCA a couple of nights ago, and he saw a dog wandering through a busy intersection. So he put the friendly fella in his car and brought him to our back yard. We could see that he was old and a bit scared and was hobbling around. The dog was wearing old tags with a Broward County FL number, but there was no name, address or phone number. Eventually I let the little guy in my house, even though I am allergic to him. We fed him hot dog buns which he devoured.

Naturally Animal Control and the Humane Society were closed; It was 9 pm. My husband drove around the streets where he found the dog and asked if anyone knew who he belonged to. He even met a man who was searching for a dog – but not the one we found!

Found dog, Shadow

So what should you do if you find a dog?

• If the dog is unfriendly or you are unsure about the dog attacking you, don’t go near it. Call Animal Control. Click here for great safety info from the Humane Society.
• If the dog is friendly, check for a collar and ID. If you’re lucky enough to find an address or phone number then you can easily return the pet.
• If the identification is insufficient, like it was for us, check for at least a county registration number.
• Call Animal Control in your area. If they are closed, leave a message with a description of the pup, tag number and your cell phone number. There is generally a lost and found message board. If they are open, they will come to your house to pick the dog up. They will check county computers to try to find the pet’s owners. The owner generally has 5 or more days to claim a pet, and the agency will work to try to find the owner if the owner does not find them. They will eventually put the dog up for adoption if no one claims him.
• Call the NON-EMERGENCY local police number. Many people call there when they lose their pets. I called, and the officer is the one who contacted Animal Control for me after hours. As Animal Control pulled up to our house, we ended up finding the owner by searching the tag number on the dog on the Broward County web site. It listed the address and phone number of the owner. The owner was unaware of the fact that her pet got out of the yard, so she did not know that he was missing. This can happen to anyone. Today, the owner delivered a beautiful basket of chocolates to thank us for finding and bringing her dog back to her. How nice was that?

What should you do if you lose your pet?

• Call the police NON-EMERGENCY number to see if anyone reported finding your pet. Know your pet’s tag number if he is indeed wearing a tag.
• Contact Animal Control and the Humane Society to see if anyone found the dog. Then if someone calls who finds the dog, they will know how to find you.
• Solicit help from neighbors and friends to search the neighborhood. Someone should remain home to answer the phone.
• If the dog is not found within a few hours, make fliers with a photo of the dog and place them around your community. To make sure you are posting them legally, check with your city government.
• Sometimes wandering dogs are taken and not reported (stealing). But if you are fortunate enough to get your dog back, make sure your fences and doors are secure, so you do not have a repeat experience. Talk to your vet about having a microchip put in your dog, so he can be tracked if you lose him. And by all means, make sure your dog is wearing a collar with updated tags and an ID with your phone number on it. No one wants to lose his best friend!!

Click here to read my article about San Juan’s incredible Del Morro Castle, on the Wandering Educators website.

This is what 173 “I Love Costa Rica’s Rain Forest!” contest entries look like . . .

We’ve got our hands full here at Smart Poodle Publishing. We are reading and enjoying a huge stack of essays and art work! Thank you to everyone who entered!

Check back with us on December 15th for contest winners.