Charley

I am a pit-chow-labor-wiener (aka mutt). I love food, walks, and any water I can find. I enjoy a bit of rascalin’ every so often.

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@Beata_Azlan Ooooooooohmygoodness!!!! Absolutely precious!! Henlo freeeeend!

[WeRateDogs @dog_rates]

we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@Beata_Azlan I had my hookah re-read this a few times, thinking this cannot be right!! Our hearts break for Az & Family (immediate and Tweeps). He was a gentle force of love and adventure. We will miss him so!! Love and peace, 🐾🐾😘 Charley & Steph

[Mr PitBull Stories @MrPitbull07]

"My kid came home from school talking about the weird lunch lady.
"Mom, she's so strange. She memorizes everyone's name by the third day. Like, all 600 kids."
I figured she was exaggerating. Teenagers do that.
Then parent-teacher night happened. I was running late, hadn't eaten, saw the cafeteria was open. Grabbed a sandwich. The lunch lady, older woman with gray hair in a hairnet, was cleaning tables.
"You're Zoe's mom," she said without looking up.
I stopped. "How'd you know?"
"Same eyes. She sits table seven, always picks the apples nobody wants because they're bruised. Drinks chocolate milk even though she's lactose intolerant. Hurts herself rather than waste food."
I stood there, stunned. "You know this about my daughter?"
"I know it about all of them."
She kept wiping tables. Started talking, not to me exactly, just... talking.
"Marcus, table three, his dad left last year. Always takes double servings on Fridays because there's less food at home on weekends. Jennifer counts calories out loud to punish herself. Brett throws away lunches his mom packs because kids make fun of the ethnic food, but he's starving by sixth period. Ashley's parents are divorcing, she stress-eats in the bathroom."
"Why are you telling me this?"
She finally looked at me. "Because you're all at parent-teacher conferences talking about grades. Nobody's talking about this. About who's eating, who's not, who's hurting."
"What do you do about it?"
"What can I do? I'm the lunch lady. I make sure Marcus gets those extra servings without asking. I tell Jennifer the calorie counts are wrong, lower than they are. I pack Brett containers of his mom's food labeled as 'cafeteria leftovers' so he can eat it without shame. I bought Zoe lactose-free chocolate milk with my own money, tell her we're trying a new brand."
I felt like I'd been punched.
"Does anyone know you do this?"
"The kids who need to know, know. That's enough."
I went home and couldn't stop thinking about it. Started asking Zoe questions. She confirmed everything.
"Yeah, Mrs. Chen just... sees people. She stopped my friend from... she helped when nobody else noticed."
Turns out, Mrs. Chen had worked at that school for 22 years. Made $14 an hour. Knew the story of every struggling kid who came through her lunch line. Never reported it, never made it official, just adjusted portions, swapped items, paid for things quietly.
Teachers didn't know the extent. Administrators had no idea. She just showed up, served food, and saved kids in ways nobody measured.
Last year, Mrs. Chen had a stroke. Had to retire.
The school hired someone new. Efficient. Fast. Didn't learn names.
Within three months, the guidance counselor's office was flooded. Kids breaking down. Nobody could figure out why.
Until one kid finally said it: "Mrs. Chen knew when we were drowning. She threw life preservers disguised as extra tater tots. Now nobody's watching."
The school brought Mrs. Chen back. Part-time. Not to serve food. Just to be there. They called her position "Student Wellness Observer."
She's 68 now, walks with a cane, can't lift heavy trays anymore.
But she still memorizes all 600 names by the third day.
Still knows who needs what.
Still saves kids during lunch periods when everyone else is just serving food.
My daughter graduated last month. In her speech, she thanked Mrs. Chen.
"Some people teach math. Some teach history. Mrs. Chen taught us that being seen is sometimes the only thing standing between surviving and giving up."
The whole cafeteria stood up.
Turns out, weird lunch ladies who memorize names?
They're the most important people in the building."
.
Let this story reach more hearts....
.
Ai image is for demonstration purpose only.
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By Grace Jenkins

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@TheGoldenRatio4 BIRTHDAY PADDLE!! 🦮🏄🏿‍♂️🏄🏼‍♂️

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@dog_rates 1000% focus

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@dog_rates 1000% focus

[Essence ✦ @essencebydaniel]

That insight is spot on — and here's why:

Men aren’t less emotional.
They’re just taught to process emotions differently.

From a young age, boys are often told:
“Don’t cry.”
“Man up.”
“Get over it.”

So instead of feeling sadness, disappointment, fear —
they internalize it.
They convert it.
And often, it comes out as anger, withdrawal, or control.

But here’s the kicker:
Instead of recognizing those as feelings, many men treat them as truth.

"I'm angry — so you must’ve disrespected me."
"I'm anxious — so something must be wrong with this relationship."
"I feel disconnected — so I need space, not a conversation."

They don’t say “I’m feeling this way.”
They say “This is how it is.”

It’s not that men are cold or detached.
It’s that they were never given the tools — or permission — to sit with emotion, name it, and separate it from fact.

And that’s the real work.
Not becoming more emotional —
but learning how to own the emotion without becoming it.

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

Look what I got!! Introducing my brother Knox!! He is a little bitty face terrorist right now but I love him!

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@NiallHarbison Man Niall! Britney may your biggest achievement yet. I didn’t think the old girl could turn it around but look at her go in the high grass in Scotland! Kudos to you for a superb job well done!

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@NiallHarbison She looks so much like Hope!

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@terri_zorn @dog_rates I understand the confusion, since dogs always exceed our expectations Matt (the guy who runs the site) always gives outstanding ratings. Google “they’re all good dogs, Brent” to see the origin story.

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@bunsenbernerbmd Love these little scientific nuggets!!

[The Golden Ratio @TheGoldenRatio4]

Sad news today, friends. We said goodbye to Chief Brody yesterday. He couldn't get comfortable anymore and his body was tired. We took him for a final soak in the ocean & fed him chocolate as we said goodbye. He's been our sweet old man for 5 years. We will miss him like crazy🤍

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@NiallHarbison So gentle taking the chicken. Amazingly good girl!

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@NiallHarbison Hang in there Niall, you’re doing God’s work.

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@_B___S This is a male dog

[Charley @boxercoloredlab]

@NiallHarbison Alba, it is almost tomorrow your time but I can hear just to check on you! Waiting on the 4th sunrise report. 🥳🌞

[WeRateDogs @dog_rates]

The Dogs of 2024

[BlackCat @TheTigerCubb]

@kristapley Honestly even if he doesn’t believe anymore, the fact that you’ve put this much effort and continue to put this effort in will continue to add a bit of magic to his Christmas. Sometimes the ‘make believe’ (not sure how else to put it :/) is the best part.