Hi, my name is Inna Tysoe and I have a pug named Monkey.  (It’s a well-deserved name, believe me!)  And if you’re a dog owner, I am sure you have often asked your four-legged companions for advice.  I know I have and that is (in part) how this blog got its name.

It also reflects the fact that this blog will be about—the different aspects of this thing we call life.  I am a pretty ordinary person but I am married—so I have a husband and have to work out how to live with him (and he has to do the same for me), we have three lovely little pugs and so have to work out how to do that, I work full-time and he freelances (another challenge) and we have a home we’re constantly renovating.  On top of that, I want to go back to school and we plan on going to Europe and I love politics.  All this is by way of saying this isn’t going to be a blog about one thing.  I want provide you with advice about what worked (and what didn’t work) for me in my career, about the kinds of products I use, about how to raise three rambunctious puppies, and about the books I read.  Along the way, I want to chat about politics and art and the really amazing people I have met along the way.

I know there are art blogs and travel blogs out there.  This isn’t that.  I will divide my pieces of advice into sections—so there will be a products review section and a book review and a politics corner and a career advice section but really this blog is about this messy thing without a manual called life.  In other words it’s the “what Monkey says” blog.

I hope you enjoy it and thanks for visiting!