Categories
Critters

Cat’s worst enemy

Cats are by nature, brave and fearless creatures. Dignified, too, with a formidable composure. A dog, on the other hand, may be loyal and loving and can learn nifty tricks, but they whine. Hard to have composure when you’re whining.

A dog will whine when you leave and whine when you get home; they whine for a goodie, and whine to go out. If you’re eating something that smells good, or if you’re eating something that doesn’t smell good, or if you’re eating something that has no smell at all — you could be gnawing the draperies–they sit at your feed and whine for a taste.

Not a cat, though. If a cat wants food, they’ll sit at their dish and Look at you. Even if you’re in another room, they’ll sit at their dish and Look at you. You could be out of the bloody country, and right in the middle of a meeting in Japan, when you’ll get this crawly sensation in the back of your neck — that’s your cat, Looking at you.

They’re asleep when you leave the house, and asleep when you get home — except if coming home means food, and then they’ll twirl about your legs, making a nuisance of themselves until you give in and take care of what should be your number one priority: feed the cat.

If a cat wants attention, they’ll either jump up on your lap, or, preferably, your computer keyboard. If you’re cooking, they’ll jump up on the counter; if you’re sewing, they’ll walk in front of the machine. And if you happen to be in bed reading a hard cover book, well, whatever you do, don’t lay on your side, book open on the bed.

If you’re asleep and they want you up, they’ll jump on your stomach. No, i take that back. They take a running start and then leap on your stomach, all four paws landing in the exact same spot. I don’t know about other cat owners, but if I’m asleep and my Zoe wants something, she presses her cold nose against my mouth and then gives me a good lick, right on the lips. If you’ve ever seen what cats do with that tongue of theirs, this isn’t the most pleasant way to wake.

Dogs aim to please, and if you’re unhappy with them, a mild reprimand is enough to send them into dejection until they’re forgiven. When they are forgiven, or when doing their favorite thing (tug-away with your favorite shoe, ride in car with window down, go for walk in woods and roll in dead things), they shake their butt more than a hot disco dancer, and jump about more than a four year old having to pee.

Not a cat, though. No, a cat manages to convey most of their emotional responses through one simple form of communication: the purr. And let me tell you, a purr is a devastating weapon, capable of reducing even the coldest of us to smooshy faced indulgence. When a cat turns on all its formidable charm–wide eyed kitten playfulness, followed by cuddle-some eyes half-closed purring–you melt into a puddle of acquiescent goo.

No, there’s only one thing that will crack the composure of a cat: static electricity. Yup, nothing worse for a cat than a cold, dry climate and a house full of synthetics.

Categories
Events of note

Perspective, Lack of

I was stunned this morning, as we all were, to hear about the devastating earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean and all those people that have been killed. Already estimates of the death toll are at 14,000 and counting. My heart goes out to the people there. I wish there was something more I could do, other than send positive thoughts, sympathies, and what monetary or other help I can provide to organizations giving aid.

I suppose it will be too much to ask those of us from wealthier countries not to blame the victim in this tragedy. This type of event is extremely unusual in the Indian Ocean — and the countries hit are some of the poorest in that region; too poor to build elaborate alarm systems to warn of such a rare event.

The US government was a little late in responding but has said it would send help. I’m not quite sure what ‘appropriate’ help is, but I imagine this is nothing more than official talk, and we’ll send the help we have, and the help that’s needed. And looking at the pictures, and hearing the amount of devastation, there is a lot of help needed. I can’t even imagine what the people in the area are facing right now — it most be a nightmare without waking.

Let’s not lose sight of this, my friends. Or forget that another casualty of major tragedies such as these is that communication can falter and fail at times–in more ways than one.

Categories
Weblogging

Real link stuff

I’m not normally a link and comment person, but I’m feeling in a ‘chatty’ mood, so here we go:

American Street has created adjunct Perranoski award categories to the Wampum awards. There’s also a contest for best poem featuring the Rumsfeld infamous quote You go to war with what you have. Personally, though, I prefer my poetry sans Rummy, but the contest is still fun.

Just in time for the holidays, Ken Camp has posted a recipe for Tequila Cookies. I think I’m going to take liberties with the recipe, though, and create “Jug o Margarita” cookies instead.

I like Molly’s new Medusa look. But then, she used green — I’m partial to green. And her logo is fun. Looks like she’s been into Ken’s Tequila cookies.

Congratulations to Liz Lawley for the new Lab for Social Computing she’s been made director of at RIT. The creation of this lab is an impressive accomplishment.

I miss Phil.

Norm, I really like the book, Birth of the Chess Queen, and thanks for pointing it out to me. I need to get around to posting some great quotes from the book.

Uncle Joe, who has a very cute dog is having chicken enchiladas with his holiday meal this year, I’m having ham sandwiches, and PapaScott is NOT having lutefish — good choice, Scott. Dave is probably having the s**t kicked out of him by his daughter Catie for Festivus, while it sounds like this might have happened, metaphorically to Karl in comments. And I agree with the ‘better uses of time’, Karl.

Now is the time for music, friends, family, and fun. But then, every day is the time for music, friends, family, and fun. AKMA is listening to music such as U2’s “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”, while Halley is doing the angel thing. Stavros writes of the cassettes he has known and loved. (I’m dated — I think of the old single LPs when I get nostalgic–but at least it’s not gramaphones.).

Lottsa snow and cold about if the number of visits I’m getting to my old How to Drive in Ice and Snow post is any indication. Poor people — I hope sincerely they recognize tongue in cheek when they see it. Don is learning the joys of white snow with small black dogs, while Bill learns that furnace thermostats have batteries (I didn’t know this, either).

And I just had an email from Daliel Leite that the Rock on Rock On site, which I’ve contributed photos to, and mentioned in the past, was just pointed out as a Yahoo Pick, generating visits from over 90,000 people from 120 countries in the last few days.

I remember the site when it was a bare pebble on the beach. Good to see it getting the attention it deserves. Congrats, Daliel!