"Why can’t you just be miserable like the rest of us?" - This I suspect is a common theme. Far too often, humans can't be happy seeing someone else being happy.
This is one benefit of being a relatively obscure person. The entire social media industry ignores my life (and I like it that way even if I do cause a little stir now and then).
Reminds me of something a young priest once said upon taking over a new parish: "I probably won't be able to make everyone happy, but I'm pretty sure I could make everyone miserable..."
Hey, thanks!, St. Alia (may I call you St. Alia?)!
I needed a little help with this because for many of us "There's only one RUSH, in all caps!"--even though they're probably different. (To give but one example, for Rush Hudson Limbaugh III it was Rush Hudson Limbaugh II...)
Your particular RUSH, if grok.com is no fool, refers to "the Canadian progressive rock band Rush" and your quote to a line from their 1978 song "The Trees" which goes "And the trees are all kept equal / By hatchet, axe, and saw."
According to grok[.com], the lyrics were penned by RUSH drummer Neil Peart and "are a libertarian-leaning allegory critiquing forced equality (often interpreted as a jab at collectivism or unionism), where shorter maples demand 'equal rights' to sunlight from taller oaks, leading to violent enforcement that levels everyone down." [a libertarian-leaning drummer in a progressive rock band/hope that worked out...]
[FWIW conservative standard _The National Review_ wrote: "...before there was a Rush Limbaugh, there was RUSH..."]
[My particular RUSH came in 4th grade, with Karen G**l**h, but you don't have to read down this far.]
Not a fan of Limbaugh because in the opening for his show (yes, I listened for a bit) he said "I will do the thinking for you." My response, of course, was "he!! no, you won't" and waited for Neil Boortz's radio show (look him up; he's great). Love RUSH's music, BTW.
We have 3 rescued cats. One from a rescue group, 2 that the cat distribution system gifted to us. In fact, the youngest one my husband found ON THE FREEWAY last year on the way to work, in the breakdown lane of all things. He’ll never be non-skittish after going through that at 6 weeks old, but we love all of them. I do hope my husband quits finding cats, though. Two was fine and 3 is really one too many, lol.
nice, we have had pure bred Cornish Rex kitties since 1991. Each of them was a gem. We have little Princess Cornish Rex at present. Hubbs and I are 70. I would love more Cornish Rex kitties but... Princess is snuggly enough
Ours definitely hike us! And yes, our life too is designed around their need for action, their ability to tell time and their way of not letting you rest until you've fulfilled your commitment, lol.
I was a child in the 1960s and any information on celebrities was in glossy movie magazines and tv. If there was outrage, there was no online social media where all this outrage could be so concentrated. People might have been upset but they might tell a neighbor but that was it. They went about their life and that was much healthier.
It's amazing that you can write such a thoughtful article about such a silly thing lol. Your ability to butter up every nook and cranny on any topic is an awe inspiring superpower!
We are rescuers ourselves but we definitely understand the need or want to buy a pure breed for all sorts reasons.
We already know that the masses are asses and this is further proof that they still are. However, it's also totally possible that a lot of the hoopla that we are seeing on the internet these days is contrived by algorithms and bots instead of real people. 2026 is going to be crazy.
Jenna, your writing has ascended to an extremely high level of influence. Against the longest imaginable odds, you may have turned me into a Kim Kardashian fan.
I basically couldn’t care less about Kim Kardashian or her chosen presents for anyone — not with any malice, just with what I think is a healthy disinterest in someone who, before becoming a billionaire, was highly mediocre (and yet, who am I even to judge her as such??!!). I basically agree, however, with everything you’ve said about the situation, @Jenna McCarthy, except that I tend toward wanting to tell Kim to — just once! — let a private moment of family interaction… Just. Be. Private. Why is it any of our business that her children got puppies for Christmas, let alone what type of puppies they got? I think she could save herself and her children a lot of headache, heartache and future therapy by occasionally just SHUTTING UP. Not everything is worth an internet-breaking insta post. And I’m sure there were 1000 other beautiful holiday photos she could have posted instead. That said, I wish her, her children and those puppies all the best. I’m sure they’re loving the heck out of those little fluff balls.
This is why I no longer post on social media. It's no one's business what my family is doing in our lives. The people who I want to know about it, will know about it.
A very long time ago I admired PETA because I thought it was honestly advocating for animal welfare. But they became nuts. Or maybe they always were and I just didn’t see it. Everyone on the left needs to stop with the moral tyranny.
The Genpop will forever remain judgmental of everything. Especially of those with means greater than the GDP. At the same time I feel sorry for those puppies. They’ll never know what it’s like to get their paws muddy, chase a squirrel, poop outside, eat cat poop and cheap dog treats….. You know, those character building things all dogs should experience. But they will fit nicely in a purse on a private jet so they got that going for them 😎
When people who have never had a dog tell me they want a dog I ask them "do you know how gross dogs really are?" BTW, I have two large shedding black Flat Coated Retrievers. And yes, they came from a breeder who is a friend of ours who let select people have their dogs after they are done with their show and puppy careers. They are no longer show dogs, they are show-off dogs.
I would have warned her that getting puppies for your children means you are getting puppies for yourself. In my case, it was 2 rescues from a meth house in Eastern Kentucky with all sorts of issues for my youngest son. As a big dog person, I am merely judging her decision to get those ridiculous small dogs.
We have a garage cat, due to allergies. She is an amazing hunter. I know some cat people frown upon outdoor cats, but she loves her 10 acres & would prefer not to come inside to deal with our 3 obnoxious dogs. She lets us know when she wants attention, and husband provides it (he is not allergic).
That’s what I was a thinking too. She needed to get them dog-sized dogs. Got my first dog when I was 12. Feeding and poop scooping was my regular duty, rigorously enforced by the parental units.
I'm not a fan of small dogs (my 85 lb. lab is also not a fan of small dogs - he hides between my legs when we come across one. Personally, I think that speaks volumes). When we were looking for dogs, I kept saying I wanted a real dog, not a toy.
We tried to adopt once. They wanted to come to our house to inspect it first. I'm sorry... what?? Absolutely not! Did they want the dog to have a home or not? Apparently not. So we purchased a lab and after 12 1/2 wonderful years with him, we then purchased another lab and he's almost 9 years old and our calm, typical-lab-temperamental dog and we love him to pieces. I would rather pay $1000 for a dog and know what type of temperament I'm getting, than have some stranger come and inspect my house to determine whether or not I'm worthy of adopting a dog who could go on to maul one of my kids. My daughter adopted and guess what? As sweet as her dog is with us, he's very unpredictable so she can't let him be around strangers, she can't take him to a dog park, and when she wants to introduce a new person to him, she has to do it very slowly and in stages. It's incredibly stressful and it limits where she can go with him (clearly no kennels, ever - that would be a nightmare). She's already said she'll never adopt again.
I too am a rescue dog person. I have volunteered at an animal shelter and loved every moment. Learned a lot. I’ve also owned so-called purebreds - had nothing but health problems. Heart breaking. I’m happy to see any dog/pet in a happy loving home.
Funny to see how many are judging right here in the comments. The puppies are ridiculously small… etc. lol 😂
Side note: small dogs - even ridiculous ones - need care, feeding, attention, and poop scooping too. Dogs are angels on earth. Maybe they will provide some grounding. For once, I’m with Kim lol
I look at this situation as an indictment against social media. You put something innocent out on social media and you immediately get flamed by haters from one side or the other with nothing better to do all day than scold and ridicule. There is simply no winning by publicizing everything you do. I realize Kim Kardashian made her fortune by allowing the masses to wade into her personal life, but next time perhaps she’ll think before posting and keep her personal life to herself. Ok, I admit that’s not happening because clearly her motto is any publicity is good publicity.
Lots of unwanted clothes, furniture, and vehicles out there, too. Anyone buying anything new should be equally shamed if you follow this logic. The Instagram critics wouldn't have many pictures to share themselves if they stopped buying new.
"Why can’t you just be miserable like the rest of us?" - This I suspect is a common theme. Far too often, humans can't be happy seeing someone else being happy.
This is one benefit of being a relatively obscure person. The entire social media industry ignores my life (and I like it that way even if I do cause a little stir now and then).
Reminds me of something a young priest once said upon taking over a new parish: "I probably won't be able to make everyone happy, but I'm pretty sure I could make everyone miserable..."
The trees are all kept equal - by hatchet, axe, and saw. RUSH
I have thought of that song many times over the past few years, particularly in the past year watching the woke Left's purity spiral.
So many great songs and lyrics. One of my all-time favorite bands.
Hey, thanks!, St. Alia (may I call you St. Alia?)!
I needed a little help with this because for many of us "There's only one RUSH, in all caps!"--even though they're probably different. (To give but one example, for Rush Hudson Limbaugh III it was Rush Hudson Limbaugh II...)
Your particular RUSH, if grok.com is no fool, refers to "the Canadian progressive rock band Rush" and your quote to a line from their 1978 song "The Trees" which goes "And the trees are all kept equal / By hatchet, axe, and saw."
According to grok[.com], the lyrics were penned by RUSH drummer Neil Peart and "are a libertarian-leaning allegory critiquing forced equality (often interpreted as a jab at collectivism or unionism), where shorter maples demand 'equal rights' to sunlight from taller oaks, leading to violent enforcement that levels everyone down." [a libertarian-leaning drummer in a progressive rock band/hope that worked out...]
[FWIW conservative standard _The National Review_ wrote: "...before there was a Rush Limbaugh, there was RUSH..."]
[My particular RUSH came in 4th grade, with Karen G**l**h, but you don't have to read down this far.]
Not a fan of Limbaugh because in the opening for his show (yes, I listened for a bit) he said "I will do the thinking for you." My response, of course, was "he!! no, you won't" and waited for Neil Boortz's radio show (look him up; he's great). Love RUSH's music, BTW.
but we did read that far, so kindly elaborate
The sad truth.
My wife & I have 3 dogs.
3, 6, 18.
Rescue/purebred/mixed breed.
Rescue from Georgia is a peach, and 40 lbs. of gentle patriarchy.
Keaton is pure bred Shih Tzu, walleyed, intelligent & girl friend of Niko, the Rescue.
Peanut is 18, 98% blind, but healthy.
A little bit of extra work.
My wife hikes them, & I cook for them.
We're all happy...
We have 3 rescued cats. One from a rescue group, 2 that the cat distribution system gifted to us. In fact, the youngest one my husband found ON THE FREEWAY last year on the way to work, in the breakdown lane of all things. He’ll never be non-skittish after going through that at 6 weeks old, but we love all of them. I do hope my husband quits finding cats, though. Two was fine and 3 is really one too many, lol.
nice, we have had pure bred Cornish Rex kitties since 1991. Each of them was a gem. We have little Princess Cornish Rex at present. Hubbs and I are 70. I would love more Cornish Rex kitties but... Princess is snuggly enough
hikes them. yes, I've pretty much designed my life around hiking border collies. bliss (more likely they hike me)
Love border collies!
In my 70's I could never keep up.
I presume if you hike 4 miles, the borders will do 12...
I love Border Collies, too, but I'm not smart enough to have a Border Collie :)
Ours definitely hike us! And yes, our life too is designed around their need for action, their ability to tell time and their way of not letting you rest until you've fulfilled your commitment, lol.
I was a child in the 1960s and any information on celebrities was in glossy movie magazines and tv. If there was outrage, there was no online social media where all this outrage could be so concentrated. People might have been upset but they might tell a neighbor but that was it. They went about their life and that was much healthier.
It's amazing that you can write such a thoughtful article about such a silly thing lol. Your ability to butter up every nook and cranny on any topic is an awe inspiring superpower!
We are rescuers ourselves but we definitely understand the need or want to buy a pure breed for all sorts reasons.
We already know that the masses are asses and this is further proof that they still are. However, it's also totally possible that a lot of the hoopla that we are seeing on the internet these days is contrived by algorithms and bots instead of real people. 2026 is going to be crazy.
Jenna definitely has a superpower! Who else could bring us amusement on a Tuesday about a gift of Christmas puppies?
Jenna, your writing has ascended to an extremely high level of influence. Against the longest imaginable odds, you may have turned me into a Kim Kardashian fan.
Likewise.... I've been a decades long "Kardashian ignorer", but this piece of Jenna's makes her sound like a nice mother.
I agree. I have never even thought about Kim Kardashian but Jenna has made her so much more interesting.
I basically couldn’t care less about Kim Kardashian or her chosen presents for anyone — not with any malice, just with what I think is a healthy disinterest in someone who, before becoming a billionaire, was highly mediocre (and yet, who am I even to judge her as such??!!). I basically agree, however, with everything you’ve said about the situation, @Jenna McCarthy, except that I tend toward wanting to tell Kim to — just once! — let a private moment of family interaction… Just. Be. Private. Why is it any of our business that her children got puppies for Christmas, let alone what type of puppies they got? I think she could save herself and her children a lot of headache, heartache and future therapy by occasionally just SHUTTING UP. Not everything is worth an internet-breaking insta post. And I’m sure there were 1000 other beautiful holiday photos she could have posted instead. That said, I wish her, her children and those puppies all the best. I’m sure they’re loving the heck out of those little fluff balls.
This is why I no longer post on social media. It's no one's business what my family is doing in our lives. The people who I want to know about it, will know about it.
Kim is certainly not alone in publishing trivia from her life on Social Media. We live in an age of "Look at me" screaming on social media.
A very long time ago I admired PETA because I thought it was honestly advocating for animal welfare. But they became nuts. Or maybe they always were and I just didn’t see it. Everyone on the left needs to stop with the moral tyranny.
The Genpop will forever remain judgmental of everything. Especially of those with means greater than the GDP. At the same time I feel sorry for those puppies. They’ll never know what it’s like to get their paws muddy, chase a squirrel, poop outside, eat cat poop and cheap dog treats….. You know, those character building things all dogs should experience. But they will fit nicely in a purse on a private jet so they got that going for them 😎
When people who have never had a dog tell me they want a dog I ask them "do you know how gross dogs really are?" BTW, I have two large shedding black Flat Coated Retrievers. And yes, they came from a breeder who is a friend of ours who let select people have their dogs after they are done with their show and puppy careers. They are no longer show dogs, they are show-off dogs.
I would have warned her that getting puppies for your children means you are getting puppies for yourself. In my case, it was 2 rescues from a meth house in Eastern Kentucky with all sorts of issues for my youngest son. As a big dog person, I am merely judging her decision to get those ridiculous small dogs.
Cats! Get cats! They are far more independent and loving! 😇
We have a garage cat, due to allergies. She is an amazing hunter. I know some cat people frown upon outdoor cats, but she loves her 10 acres & would prefer not to come inside to deal with our 3 obnoxious dogs. She lets us know when she wants attention, and husband provides it (he is not allergic).
That’s what I was a thinking too. She needed to get them dog-sized dogs. Got my first dog when I was 12. Feeding and poop scooping was my regular duty, rigorously enforced by the parental units.
I'm not a fan of small dogs (my 85 lb. lab is also not a fan of small dogs - he hides between my legs when we come across one. Personally, I think that speaks volumes). When we were looking for dogs, I kept saying I wanted a real dog, not a toy.
We tried to adopt once. They wanted to come to our house to inspect it first. I'm sorry... what?? Absolutely not! Did they want the dog to have a home or not? Apparently not. So we purchased a lab and after 12 1/2 wonderful years with him, we then purchased another lab and he's almost 9 years old and our calm, typical-lab-temperamental dog and we love him to pieces. I would rather pay $1000 for a dog and know what type of temperament I'm getting, than have some stranger come and inspect my house to determine whether or not I'm worthy of adopting a dog who could go on to maul one of my kids. My daughter adopted and guess what? As sweet as her dog is with us, he's very unpredictable so she can't let him be around strangers, she can't take him to a dog park, and when she wants to introduce a new person to him, she has to do it very slowly and in stages. It's incredibly stressful and it limits where she can go with him (clearly no kennels, ever - that would be a nightmare). She's already said she'll never adopt again.
I too am a rescue dog person. I have volunteered at an animal shelter and loved every moment. Learned a lot. I’ve also owned so-called purebreds - had nothing but health problems. Heart breaking. I’m happy to see any dog/pet in a happy loving home.
Funny to see how many are judging right here in the comments. The puppies are ridiculously small… etc. lol 😂
Side note: small dogs - even ridiculous ones - need care, feeding, attention, and poop scooping too. Dogs are angels on earth. Maybe they will provide some grounding. For once, I’m with Kim lol
I look at this situation as an indictment against social media. You put something innocent out on social media and you immediately get flamed by haters from one side or the other with nothing better to do all day than scold and ridicule. There is simply no winning by publicizing everything you do. I realize Kim Kardashian made her fortune by allowing the masses to wade into her personal life, but next time perhaps she’ll think before posting and keep her personal life to herself. Ok, I admit that’s not happening because clearly her motto is any publicity is good publicity.
My old and cynical self says KK never does anything "innocent." She wants the clicks, attention and outrage. Which is fine. Everyone needs a hobby.
Forget about the puppies- I cannot believe that Jenna would admit that she owns even ONE Skims underwear.
🤣😇
Just as long as it’s not the underpants with the fur front to simulate pubic hair that is probably waxed off underneath.
Imagine the joy on their faces when they saw those adorable things on Christmas morning!? I would have been beside myself
Lots of unwanted clothes, furniture, and vehicles out there, too. Anyone buying anything new should be equally shamed if you follow this logic. The Instagram critics wouldn't have many pictures to share themselves if they stopped buying new.