The Nicholberry Dispatch

Knock off books, Steve Aoki, and great news for canine ear infections

Welcome back to the Nicholberry Dispatch, where I bring you the latest insights into all things dog and a few things human. As always, I promise to keep it brief, but will also link to some great content that just might take you down a rabbit hole. And if you know me at all, you know I love a good rabbit hole!

BOOK NEWS

We’ve all heard of knock off luxury goods and electronic devices. But did you know that there is an entire market for knock off books? I first saw this when Dr. Mary Claire Haver (menopause goddess) published her book — she went on Instagram and showed images of her book on Amazon, followed by images of the knock offs. Some of them had terrible covers, but some looked pretty convincing. Recently, Stephanie Land (author of Maid) posted about something similar happening with her book (there, it is an AI-generated knock-off).

After going through the process of writing, editing, and preparing a book for publication, I can tell you that if Puppy Brain gets illegally copied, I’m going to have issues. LOL. On behalf of all authors, please verify when you purchase a book on Amazon that you’re actually buying the real thing. Not only will this support the authors you love, but you will get a true copy of the work rather than a wonky rendition. (And we won’t be supporting thieves!).

SOMETHING TO LEARN

Triangle Breathing Exercise

When my kids were little, a wise friend told me to “make sure you regularly visit their planet.” It became a guidepost that endures today - I try to stay current with what my young adult kids are listening to, reading, watching, and talking about. If you’re like me, consider this your visit to a different planet.

For at least 11.6 million followers on Instagram, Steve Aoki is a DJ legend (here is a fun example of one of his events). But what I was pleasantly surprised to learn about him is his support of and commitment to brain science and research through his foundation. This simple Triangle Breathing exercise is transformative. It has been shown to relax the body and mind, calming nerves when presented with something like a fight or flight response. I have some upcoming speaking engagements and you can bet that I’ll be using Triangle Breathing to ready myself! 

SOMETHING TO READ

New Canine Ear Infection Treatment

We are fortunate that our dogs do not suffer from ear infections, but my Instagram DMs are filled with people whose dogs chronically battle them. This is therefore very exciting news! The FDA just approved a new treatment for certain yeast infections that does not contain an antibiotic. 

The gel dissolves in earwax and is slowly eliminated from the ear, fighting yeast infections for up to 45 days. This will be a game changer for so many dogs!

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, '“What are you doing for others?“

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

SOMETHING TO LOVE