When we last left off on my excellent, adventure-filled day, I was suckling my old friend, Lenny Lamb.
But so much more happened.
Ma said, “Let’s go, buddy! The students from Bryant Zhuhai want to meet you!” Yes, if you haven’t heard, Bryant University has a campus in Zhuhai, China!
No, YOU’RE silly, Ma!
So we met the first group, and they were all like, “OOOOH!”
Note my tie… I like to look my best.
Okay, maybe that one girl didn’t look so happy, but she is afraid of dogs, she said. š
Look at this group in their Bulldog gear! šš
In between, I ran into some Volleyball Bulldogs.
Go, Bulldogs!
I want to chomp mini-Tupper!
I don’t know what I was looking at, TBH…
I MET SO MANY FUN PEOPLE! But wait… there’s more. Watch for it tomorrow. (To be continued…)
OMD! It’sĀ Jess Kline ’14. And she’s so happy to see me!
This article originally appeared in the October 29, 2015, issue ofĀ The Archway, Bryant’s student newspaper.
Good old October. The leaves begin to turn vivid reds, oranges, and yellows. Or so they say. I mean, dogs arenāt really colorblind in the way youāve heard we are. We donāt see as many colors as humans, but we can see them. So I see browns and yellows instead of red, orange, and yellow. Learn something new every day, donāt you, humans? #TheMoreYouKnow
Besides the fact that itās pretty, there are a few really pawsome things about October. Well, this list refers to THIS October.
I present to you āTupperās Top Five Favorite Reasons to Love Octoberā:
LEAVES. They get really pretty. Then, the best part, they fall down. Itās so fun to sniff under each one of them, attack the rake when Maās trying to put them in a pile, and then run through the pile until itās all spread out again.
HALLOWEENIE. In October, all the little boys and girls dress up like their favorite superheroes and go door to door, collecting hot dogs. I donāt enjoy wearing costumes, but if I got a bag full of hot dogs, Iād consider it. As long as I didnāt have to walk around the neighborhood. Ohā¦..Ma says itās just āHalloween,ā and they get chocolateā¦.which I canāt have on account of it being poisonous to dogs. I miss all the good stuff!
REUNION @ HOMECOMING. WOOHOOO! A lot of my old friends come back for Alumni Weekend. And they scratch my bum and hug me and tell me how much they miss seeing me. Sigh. Itās tough when the kids grow up and leave the nest.
PARENTS & FAMILY WEEKEND. Every year, the parents seem more excited to see me. Apparently, they follow me on Facebook and Twitter and they already know ALL about me. They kiss me and take my picture and tell me how handsome I amā¦.who doesnāt love all that for 4-5 hours straight?
And my number one reason to love October is:
TAILGATING. Food on the grill. Hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, sausagesā¦oh my! And everyone wants to feed me. Now if I could just get Ma to let me have some of that food. Quick, someone distract her!
So there you have it. Tupperās Top Five Favorite Reasons to Love October. Donāt forget ā Iām on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. Get at me! Iāll see you soon. āTil next timeā¦WOOF!
It’s 55 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny, and breezy. Let’s never leave the lawn chair, Ma!
This article originally appeared in the October 8, 2015, issue of The Archway, Bryant’s student newspaper.
No, weāre not going to have THAT conversation. You know which one. The one where you tell me how terrible the Pats are. I am Boston-born and raised for the first four months of my life. I think thatās the equivalent of 15 years in humans. Whatās that, Ma? I was born in Raynham? Thatās not Boston? I thought every town/city within 50 miles of the actual Boston was considered Bostonā¦no? Oh, I guess thereās some sort of rule, but Ma doesnāt know because sheās from Rhode Island.
Anyway, my point is that youāre not going to get me to drink your Haterade. BOOM! I bleed red, white, and blue. Actually, my blood is only red. Please donāt cut me. BOL! But one week every football season, three to four hours miraculously opens up, and I can choose a variety of other activities. Pawsome.
I present to you āTupperās Top Five Favorite Activities on a Patriots Bye Weekā:
APPLE PICKING. There are a ton of apple-picking places in Smithfield. And beyond. A lot of places offer hay rides and hot cider and ā OH-MY-DOG ā apple cider donuts! Whatās not to love? Especially because Iām too short to actually have to do any of the work. I DO love my apple snacks.
NAPS. Naps on naps on naps. This is EXCELLENT weather for napping, donāt you think? Gotta re-charge the batteries. Check the inside of your eyelids for anomalies. If Iām being honest, though, I nap a lot in all types of weather. BOL.
SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATE. I got A LOT of followers. And Iām on Facebook, Twitter, Vine, and Instagram. I donāt always get to see what my friends are up to, and itās nice to catch up. And my followers demand regular updates from me. Itās the least I can do ā share my extreme handsomeness with the world.
DVR DELETING. Catching up on the fall television shows is imperative. What happened to Deacon? What is going on with Castle and Beckett? Why is Gibbs crankier than ever? Inquiring dogs want to know!
And my number one favorite activity on a Patriots bye week is:
QUALITY LAWN CHAIR TIME. What an excellent way to spend an hour or so on a beautiful fall day. And Ma usually takes advantage of the face that weāre outside to give me a good brushingā¦.ahhhā¦the Kong brush is awesome. The fur is flying. Donāt stop, Ma!
So there you have it. Tupperās Top Five Activities on a Patriots Bye Week. Donāt forget ā Iām on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. Get at me! Iāll see you soon. āTil next timeā¦WOOF!
This post originally appeared as a Tupper’s Tidbits column in the September 23, 2015, issue of The Archway, Bryant’s student newspaper.
Iām not going to lie ā summer is, like, the WORST time of year for me. I know, I know: You humans LOVE summer. Hot weather, beer, pools, vacations ā all the staples of well-enjoyed human summer.
But put yourselves in my paws for a few minutes. Hot weather can kill me in 5-10 minutes because of my smushed-in face. We dogs cool off by panting, but if we have no snouts, we have less ability to cool off. We sweat through the pads of our feetā¦which are on pavementā¦which boasts temperatures upwards of 125°F in the summer. Beer? Ma wonāt share. Something about it being toxic for dogs. Thatās what she SAYS, anyway.
THIS is how I feel about pools.
Pools? Fuhgeddaboudit! Bulldogs sink like stones. We canāt swim. Too much ā ahem ā MUSCLE densely packed. Most of us. Some bulldogs can. I donāt like water at all though. Wonāt even go in the kiddie pool Ma got for me. Vacation? Try again. Ma says she can afford bulldogs or she can afford vacations, but she canāt afford both. So we stay home. Thatās even worse for me!
Anyway, even though summer isnāt my favorite season, I enjoyed a few things this year. I present to you āTupperās Top Five Favorite Summer 2015 Eventsā:
DAD HAD SURGERY. Now I know what youāre thinking: Tup, thatās terrible! But hear me out…he needed those new kneesā¦and I got to spend a few weeks with the Momma because she was lonely. AND THEN SHE TOOK ME TO WORK EVERY DAY! So much fun.
BOXES. A lot of stuff gets delivered to Academic Records in the summer and that means I get to shred the boxes they came inā¦I HAVE CONQUERED CARDBOARD!
CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION. Yeah, sure, we had to take a lot of detours to get to the office, but more construction equals more construction workers equals more people to pet me because Iām so awesome.
HOME MAINTENANCE. Ma had a few things done around the house. Of course, they all fell in love with me. And asked for me so they could pet me. Maās favorite was when the pellet stove cleaner came and ran his industrial vacuum for two straight hoursā¦and I angrily barked at it for the full two hours. Fun!
And my number one favorite event this summer was:
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM STUDENTS. Folks, this masterās degree program is challenging. They needed me all summer for pet therapy. Which I gladly provided. Iāve never felt so loved over the summer! So glad Bryant started this PA program!
So there you have it. Tupperās Top Five Favorite Summer 2015 Events. Donāt forget ā Iām on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,Ā and Vine. Get at me! Iāll see you soon. āTil next timeā¦WOOF!
It should come as no surprise to any of you – I LOVE BEING BRYANT’S MASCOT!
What’s not to love? Adoration. Scratches. Treats. Scratches. Bacon. Scratches. Hot dogs…
When you’re “Big Dog On Campus,” it’s really challenging to go home, where your family may not keep you up on that pedestal that your students, faculty, and staff have had you on all day. In fact, I’m treated like ALL THE OTHER DOGS in the house! Can you believe that? Me? Mascot royalty!
Understandably, I’m often reluctant to leave campus. Okay, not just “often.” I’m ALWAYS reluctant to leave campus. Here are my three stages at the end of the work day:
1) No. No, I will not go there, no, I will not obey.
This is a total shock to me. How could you ask me to leave?
2) HA HA! I’m under the desk…you can’t make me move.
You’re an old human and incapable of moving my strong bulldog body.
3) Oh, SHOOT! I forget how strong you are, Momma T. And smart, to put me in this rolling chair and save yourself the aggravation of getting me to move three steps at a time.
They see me rollin’, they hatin’…. Nice to see you finally recognize my royal stature. Walking is for plebes.
You may have seen my recent post that I received the 2015 Bryant University Spirit Award. Or, rather, my moms did.
āThe Spirit Award is presented to a team that enhances the quality of life at Bryant by preserving, promoting, and carrying out positive and quantifiable values and traits. They go above and beyond what’s expected in serving Bryant University.ā
They got the award for taking care of me because I am an integral part of the Bryant community now! And they do it as volunteers ā they donāt get paid to do soā¦they just love me because Iām family. I remember May 2010 like it was yesterdayā¦I was a little, 20-lb nugget being introduced during Commencement and carried across the stage to receive my degree in āCharacter and Obedience,ā honoris causa (that means āhonorary degree!ā)
It took a couple of years before people knew about me. But thank Dog for social media!
I couldnāt have received this Spirit Award without my Uncle Ron and Auntie Kati Machtley, who had the vision to understand that a college needs a proper, live mascot. They searched until they found my moms ā Claire and Tina Senecal, mother and daughter and long-time Bryant employees ā who agreed to give me a home (or two).
Thank you to those who work in Academic Records for helping to watch me, entertain me, scratch me, and fetch me when students come in the office to get pet therapy before class or after tough exams. And thanks to those in University Relations who scratch my bum when I come in for a visit.
Auntie Kristin helping the tailor with my fitting
Special thanks go out to my Auntie Kristin and Uncle āDPā Penta. When she first started working here, Auntie Kristin fell in love with my squishy face. Over the years, the Pentas have supported me in many ways. They donated my stroller to me, they watch me when Ma has to do something āreal quick,ā they asked their tailor to make my official jersey, and Uncle DP built a āthroneā for me to use in the basketball stands so I donāt have to sit on Maās lap. Sheās not super comfortable. I know Ma appreciates all theyāve done, too!
And, of course, thank you to the students, alumni, parents, staff, and faculty who find me āirresistabull.ā The ones who invite me to their events and appreciate my representing this fabulous university. I’m thankful that you appreciate me and that you understand when I canāt attend absolutely everything Iām invited to (even though Iād love to be able to go to everything). Gratitude to all my friends on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Vine who have no connection to Bryant but who continue to support me and share my posts. It means the world to me!
With so many wonderful people here, I’m honored to call Bryant University my home. Woof!
Hanging out on my throne in the stands at the half, waiting for some scratchies.
Hanging out on my throne in the stands at the half, waiting for some scratchies.
This article originally appeared in the March 5 issue of The Archway, Bryant’s student newspaper.
To say that I love basketball is an understatement. Well, if Iām being completely honest, I love all sports in which a ball is being thrown around and might come tantalizingly close to my jaws.
You may have noticed that I often walk around with some sort of ball in my mouth. If you mentioned that fact to my mom, she might have told you that I refuse to move WITHOUT my ball. Hey, everybodyās got their āthing,ā right? Someone whoās insecure about their intellect might always talk about gradesā¦someone whoās insecure about looks might post, like, a THOUSAND selfies a day.
Me? I KNOW Iām smart and beautiful. And charming. And humbleā¦BOL! Some people speculate that I like to suckle on a ball because I was taken from my bulldog ma too soon, but thatās definitely not the case ā I lived with my bulldog mom till I was 16 weeks old. Thatās twice as long as most puppies! Most of my bulldog friends (I got tons on Twitter, IG, and FB!) like to suckle on blankets or stuffed animals, too.
Anyway, Bryant Basketball isnāt ALL about the ball. I present to you āTupperās Top Five Favorite Things About Bryant Basketballā:
BASKETBALL. I know I said it isnāt ALL about the ball. But itās a little bit about it! I love to watch the players run up and down the court bouncing it. Itās mesmerizing. Still waiting for someone to bounce it my way.
DRIBBLING. Glad to know Iām not the only one who does this. Dribbling, I mean. Ohā¦Ma says itās a different kind of dribbling. Waitā¦so Iām still the only one drooling at the games? Ma says other people might be drooling figuratively for different reasons, but Iām the only one who does so literally. Thatās cool. Iāve always been a rebel.
POPCORN. Sometimes, Iāll drop the ball when someone lets their kid carry his or her own popcorn ācuz that stuff goes EVERYWHERE when little kids try to walk and hold onto it at the same time!
MY THRONE. Do you see my throne in the picture? My Uncle DP made that for me. And he brings it to every game I go to so that I have someplace to sit because the benches are too narrow. Hey, my legs are too short to anchor me. Itās a ruff life being the mascot sometimesā¦BOL! My Uncle DP and Auntie Kristin are awesome. They are not only MY fans ā theyāre fans of all Bryant athletics and huge supporters.
And my number one favorite thing about Bryant Basketball is:
PEOPLE. Tons of people and most want one thing: To scratch my bum. I approve.
So there you have it. Tupperās Top Five Favorite Things About Bryant Basketball. Donāt forget ā Iām on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. Get at me! Iāll see you soon. āTil next timeā¦WOOF!
Okay, the semester is ALMOST over…Or maybe it’ll be over by the time you read this.
Take a little study or work break and check out my #TBT video. This is me, my brother, and two sisters on the occasion of my moms coming to check us all out to see if one of us had the stuff to be the Bryant University mascot.
My first human dad, Lou, trained us all to come to the song “Reveille.”
I was first.
I’m the smartest.
I’m also now the Bryant University mascot, and the most beloved English bulldog in New England.
In our last post, we left Mini-Tupper on the plane, headed to London, Englandā¦
*STRETCH* Oh boy! The parents and Mini-Tupper finally touched down at Heathrow Airport. Thereās just not enough room on the plane, Mini-Tupper confided to me. Especially because Daddy Del kept taking HIS arm rest!
āWot??? Our hotel is in the middle of Piccadilly CIRCUS??ā said MT. āHow are we going to sleep with the elephants and lions and loud music?ā Silly Mini-Tup! Piccadilly Circus is like Times Square in NYC. Itās THE place to be with lots of interesting things to see and places to visit. “Wanna check it out?” asked the parents.
Ahhh! This is the life! Is there room in the suitcase to take this home?
āLater,ā he said around a yawn. āI need a relaxing bath and a napā¦is there a spa in this place?ā
They had to call the conciergeā¦there were only two robes in the room initially. It was worth the wait, though, according to MT, because it was ālike being surrounded by a fluffy cloud.ā
Hey, I just met you…and this is crazy. But here’s my number…call me, maybe?
After his nap, MT wanted to check a few things out in Piccadilly Circus. As soon as he saw the phone booths, he realized he wanted to check in with Momma T and let her know all was well.
RT @Catsemail: Donāt get any ideas about bringing home another Chupacabra Mama! 4 days ago
RT @URMascot: I spent my morning with the family chickens, then I took a nap. It was a very good nap. How is your day going? #mascot https⦠5 days ago