got my mentor at a garage sale.

Once a month, Alanis Morissette holds contests with questions for fans to answer. If she picks you as the winner (at www.alanis.com), you get a care package from her in the mail. This month's question: "Do you have a mentor?" My letter follows the picture. I'll let you know if I win!


Alanis,

I'd have to say my main mentor and role-model -- besides my amazing mother -- is my dog, Luna. Luna's a one-eyed Jack Russell Terrier who takes the world by storm, and is willing to take on all pirate jokes in the name of staying sassy.

Luna lived in an abusive household for many years, where she was forced to live outside 24/7, under less-than-desirable circumstances and where another dog regularly attacked her. Eventually, Luna was taken in by a loving woman, Brenda, whom my mother Janice and I refer to as "Mama 2". After Brenda decided to move to Mexico, she and her husband Charles decided that Luna needed a home as giving and warm as theirs. They also decided to hold a garage sale and sell off their material possessions. Little did Brenda know that Janice not only loves garage sales but was on the lookout for a companion for Ollie, our goofy Fox Hound. Janice and Brenda, previously strangers, ended up chatting for a bit, and -- as they moved onto the topics of dogs and pets in general -- Brenda said, "I get a good vibe from you! You should have Luna stay with you for a few days and see if you'd like to give her a home!" And the rest is history: We literally got our dog at a garage sale.

Within weeks after moving in, it turned out Luna had a disease in one eye, and there was pressure building against the eyeball, and it was going to explode from her head if we didn't get the eye taken out. Janice noticed that Luna was walking with lots of tension in her neck, and Luna seemed to be having headaches. Brenda, just days before moving to Mexico, joined forces with my mother and another friend, and -- voila! -- Luna had a successful surgery and now looks like she's permanently winking, hence her nickname, "Winky Lu".

Luna is my mentor because she's been through so much -- physical abuse, neglect, serious health complication, unstable home of both the literal and figurative varieties -- and yet she maintains a nice balance of go-getter-ness and tenderness. She's loving, sweet, funny, smart, and loyal, while also being full of tomboy tendencies; she's never afraid to explore the bushes and flowerbeds, to dig under that next leaf pile. (I'm constantly giving her baths and wiping stray leaves from her face hair.) Even when she falls down a step, or off the bed, she just bounces back up and kind of says with her expression, "Oh well! Shit happens! Bring it on! I'm ready!" She and Ollie are boyfriend/girlfriend (and step-siblings, but we'll side-step those Flowers in the Attic overtones for now), and they always look out for one another. Plus, Luna follows Janice around, always making sure Mom's okay and that she has company. They're two peas in a pod, that's for sure.

Thanks, Alanis. Loved your show here in Portland, by the way! I will forgive you for not playing "Torch" (smile) since you busted out "Versions of Violence" for me. Both songs got me through a lot this year; you may thank India, but I'll stick to thanking you:)

Warmest Regards,
Nathan Buck