I put Lola down a few weeks ago.

I thought that after I did I would have this craving to write a blog entry about her, or about the experience of putting her down, but I haven't had any such craving.

It's strange because the lead-up was so intense, so troubling, as close to a moral crisis as I've ever experienced, and maybe my hesitance is because I don't think I can do justice to all the different feelings and thoughts I had in the months leading up to the decision.

She was one of the most wonderful creatures I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, but she was also bound up with painful memories about my family, and uncomfortable memories about my behavior when I was a young adult and a teenager.

So I had a disagreement with a writer I respect on Twitter today.

We argued if you can believe it, about the Bryant story and about something I posted on Twitter regarding that case.

I had tweeted: "So the precedent we are setting here in Ontario is pro-vigilantism? So I can go tell that to some battered women right?"

And the writer replied: "your battered woman analogy is SO inappropriate."

I am a harsh critic of my work as far as the stand-up habit is concerned. So while you might think I have let that activity lapse the opposite is true, I have been working as hard as ever, it's just that I think most of my sets are kind of crappy when I review them at home.

Last week however, I finally did a set that I think hit all the bases. It was funny, quick, in time and on topic. Yay!

Let me know what you think:

Comedy Brawl Gauntlet set from Miriam Verburg on Vimeo.

As far as the rest of my life is concerned, things are okay.

By okay I mean, not exactly as I would like them to be, but I am learning some interesting new life lessons that I think are going to serve me well in the future.

I know I am being cryptic aren't I, well fuck alls y'alls I am not writing a relationship blog am I?

From: 9 Social Media Topics That Need to Die

I like anything that wishes death on social media memes but this one in particular rang true:

Joining the Conversation

This was probably a great phrase at the emergence of all of this, but it’s become so diluted that it means little anymore. Join which conversation? For what purpose? With whom? And what then? Let’s start talking about the INTENT behind the conversation in the first place, and the underlying value of being present and engaged with the right people who give a rip what you have to say, not just anyone with a frontal lobe and an internet connection.

I'd like to get that tattooed on my upper arm, so when I hear other people say 'start a conversation' about a project I am invested in, I can just flex my conversation-stopping pipes and we can start talking real strategy.