Dogster

Helen Ubinas

Until recently taking the icy plunge into freelance writing, Helen Ubiñas was a longtime award-winning newspaper reporter and columnist in Connecticut. She’s traded her corner cubicle for an antique harvest table with plenty of room underneath for her two rescue Golden Retrievers, Major and Max.

Full Name: Helen Ubiñas. And no, I don’t expect anyone to pronounce my last name correctly on the first try. But man, I’d be super impressed if you did.

Age: Hold on, let me ask my boys. As soon as they tell me, I’ll tell you. 

Location: Philadelphia via Connecticut via New York City. In my head, I am almost always on a beach somewhere.

Where You Can Stalk Me on the Internet: On Facebook. On Twitter. (Warning, I tweet a lot.) You can also read my blog at NewsWorks.org, the online home of WHYY News.

What I Do for a Living: After the aforementioned long newspaper career, I’m currently on what I’ve dubbed the Recreating Helen Tour 2012. Coming soon to a freelance gig near you. 

What I Do for Fun: Travel. Anywhere, even if it’s a short trip in the car. Like my dogs, I enjoy long car rides where I can just gaze out the window. Unlike my dogs, I don’t stick my head out the window because apparently it’s frowned upon. Or so I’ve been told.

The Furry Members of My Household Are: Major, aka My Handsome Prince. Max, aka Maximilian Butterworth III. After dubbing my big boy Handsome Prince, Max needed a fancy name too. He seems to like it and enjoys being treated accordingly. 

My Favorite Things to Write About Are: I like writing about people, places, and things that get overlooked. I love being able to write about those things in a way that makes people care. 

My Pet Peeves Are: People who don’t like dogs. Seriously, who doesn’t like dogs? That’s like not liking air. Also, people who look at me like I’m nuts for loving dogs so much. Seriously? That’s like not understanding why air is so important.

My Guilty Pleasures Are: Eating ice cream while reading health magazines with impossibly fit and beautiful people on the cover. Also, imagining them wanting a bite of my delicious ice cream.

How I Deal with Cat/Dog Hair: What hair? I don’t see any hair.

What I Want to Be When I Grow Up: As laid back as my Major and as excited about … everything … as my Max.