Category Archives: Pets

Traveling as a Traveler

People everywhere take vacations. They travel down the street, across town, across state, across country, across oceans and soon across galaxies. Yet, many of these people will remain tourists and never become a traveler.

There is nothing wrong with being a tourist. You get to go cool places, see beautiful monuments and have great experiences.

But what is the difference between the two?

A traveler lets the travel experience change them. They seek out the travel in order to stretch themselves, try new things even while being a tourist. They go to the top of the Eiffel tower not to just see it, but to understand why the French wanted it torn down and why it was supposed to be temporary. They seek not to just pose in pictures but to let the picture become their life for a brief period.

Cats are travelers. This is evidenced by the difference in behaviors between the houses of CCL and Azeena. JC for example demands backyard access daily at Azeena’s house. At CCL, he demands he evening ration of Fancy Feast with Cheddar. Roxie used to have entirely different behaviors as well. At CCL she would frequently wake CCL up in the middle of the night. Azeena enjoyed peaceful nights but crazy mornings.

In every case the cats let themselves absorb the personality of the house owner.

We have a fixed core, but we can let those experiences while traveling, even just around the block, change us. Let us absorb them. Really try to see the world from their point of view. Why do they think differently? And you will too…

Expanding One’s Dimensions

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Yesterday was a restful, enjoyable Fourth catching up on some loose ends.  Tuesday, Roxie’s remains were removed from the alley. If only it were so easy to remove her memory.  Getting perspective has helped.     Jean Claude, the black Bombay cat,  seems to have settled down after time at CCL’s house.   I did a radio interview yesterday about the attack that killed Roxie.    DC Animal Control has expanded its case to find the dogs and their owner.  Healing continues.  There are a lot of people  I know who deal daily with grief, loss, the deteriorating health or sudden death of a loved one/and or family member. They handle their life situations with aplomb, letting joy not bitterness dictate their circumstances. They take the higher road to personal growth by expanding themselves and anchor themselves to new tomorrows filled with hope and promise.  The hurt and pain is still there over Roxie’s demise but I know I should  honor her memory  and I must continue to grow as well.

Superheroes Walk Among Us

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Finally, time permitting I went  to see the film “The Avengers.” The title reminded me of  the British television show with  Diana Rigg (Mrs. Peel) and Patrick MaNee (John Steed) from the 1960s.   Always a lot of fun but not quite as colorful or awe inspiring as the current version in theatres featuring the Marvel Comic characters, Iron Man (Robert Downey), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) , Thor (Chris Hemsworth) , and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).  The plot goes something like this:  Loki (adopted half brother of Thor) has formed a scheme with some other spacevillian types to destroy the Earth.    Nick Fury (Samuel L.  Jackson)  concocts a scheme to revive S.H.I. E.L.D, a sort of  space terrorist fighting organization with the reluctant heroes who  have been living on earth doing their routine – for  some extraordinairy –  routines.   In the film they come together and  save the world (or at least New York City) from destruction.  There are a lot of superheroes among us here on Earth.  Most  going on with their routine  routines  which are,  if not extradinairy,  at least awe inspirting but without special effects.   Those  persons in my life include  the male  co-worker with the even-handed humor who shows quiet strength and is always ready to do the right thing,   the friend who cares for his elderly uncle and mentors students  and my brother, a fairly new but  very present father, who is starting a business and cares for my  mom and my sister.   And of course Jean Claude,  the male Bombay cat, who  daily manages Roxie, the Japanese bobtail  and provides serenity to all he encounters.  Heroes among us.   Happy Father’s Day.

It’s A Guy Thing

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Men, regardless of race, ethnicity or sexual preference, definitely have certain points of commonality. Well first off they are men. As a woman who loves herself and loves men I must say with fondness I find  men amusing, wonderful yes,  but amusing as well.  I write this as Jean Claude has gone out for another run in the rain outdoors.  This morning he pulled all of the clothes out of my closet drawers (again).

Jean Claude Giving Instructions

The Stick on the Door

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There is a Twilight Zone episode “The Howling Man.” A seemingly innocent man is held prisoner.  There is no lock on his cell, only an easily removable wooden stick across the lock. hold.   The monks that guard the tower where the man is held tell a visitor to leave the man alone.  The visitor having sympathy on the man lifts the bar off the door and the innocent man is revealed to be an evil being who once freed,  injures the man,  grows stronger and dissapears in a puff of smoke.  Sometimes it’s best to leave the stick on the door and let the person  who seems to need help stay where they are so  they don’t damage or destroy you in the course of you helping them.   As a friend said long ago “If a person can’t bring you up don’t let that person bring you down.”