Page 9 of One Bossy Disaster

Alki Beach feels like walking into heaven, if heaven’s mornings are made of high winds and fresh salty air.

Soft sunlight spills across the ocean below a blue sky that yawns on forever, and there’s no one else around to interrupt my quiet time.

Beside me, Molly, trots along with her long pink tongue lolled out. Only the best dog ever.

Early morning runs like this are all I need.

Early morning runs and Molly.

Oh, the seals are a nice perk, too.

They’re half out of the water today, basking in the sunlight like overgrown potatoes with flippers. I’m too far away to see them for sure, but I’m almost certain their eyes are closed in contentment, despite the wind.

Beautiful.

I stop to catch my breath and Molly notices the seals. Her ears prick and her head cocks to the side.

“Not a chance, girl,” I tell her, wrapping her leash around my hand. “Those seals don’t need your kind of trouble.”

She whines in protest.

Of course, Mol would never hurt anything. But at ten months, she has a lot of energy for a rangy young husky and not a lot of common sense.

She doesn’t know she’ll definitely scare the seals.

This is a good photo op, though.

The lighting is pristine, soft and flattering despite my sweaty face. If I face the sun, I’ll even catch the seals in the background.

“Ready?” I kneel so Molly’s head rests next to mine. She huffs in excitement and licks my face. “Okay, on three. Smile for the camera. One, two...”

Molly looks to where I click my fingers, her pretty blue eyes sparkling in the sunshine as she huffs a breath.

I swear she’s more photogenic than I am.

I take several quick shots and skim through them as I start walking again. The seals come out best in the third shot, so I start editing.

It isn’t much, no more than a minute’s worth of flipping through filters.

My brand is candid, not overdone.

Just a little contrast tweaking to bring out the seals, a soft filter to make the most of the morning sun, and I bring up a box to post it on Twitter and then Insta. My tongue pokes out from the corner of my mouth as I type.

Big hello from Mol and me on our morning run! Anybody else spot the seals? Remember, when you see wildlife in its natural habitat, always be respectful. #AlkiBeach #harborseals #wildlifeprotection

Not too preachy, but some people need the reminder.

Just yesterday, I saw someone post a video of their friend trying to catch a seagull. They probably thought it was a little harmless fun, but they don’t know how fragile animals can be.

My phone vibrates a couple minutes later as Likes start pouring in, peppered with comments. Each one is a little dopamine kick, sharper than a double espresso.

For once, it’s not just the scenery or Molly’s cute face that has people lighting up.

It’s a cute selfie. My hair is all over the place from the wind and my face is pink.

“What do you say, Mol?” I show her the screen. “Cute or nah?”

She boops her nose against it, leaving a messy smudge I need to wipe away.

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