Tuesday, December 17, 2019

A Perfect Fit

Revised from original, published 6/6/11

I have lots of  photos from Jon Farleigh's dad Sam's 13th birthday party yesterday, and I plan to share them later this week. This magical one, though, simply refuses to reside on my hard drive for another second. Please enjoy it and its beautiful back story. 

*****

While most of us were busy reacquainting with the "Samily" of red dogs, there was a young boy, maybe 12, taking a Sunday car ride with his family.

Not just any car ride, though. It was a ride that, as he anticipated it in bed the night before, probably, had deprived him of sleep. But in a good way.

It was a ride that, on any other early-morning Sunday, might have been short, mundane-maybe even a nuisance. But not this day.

No, on this day, the ride lasted F O R E V E R. Until that last little stretch, when the pounding of his heart and racing of his mind, swirled all the colors of the passing landscape into a blurry image from his dreams...

(Can you hear the whisper of his every shallow breath?)

And then, JUST LIKE THAT!

The boy and his family had arrived...to the place where they'd been instructed to look for the red-coated dogs with "uncanny" resemblance. That's how they'd know they were in the right place.
  
The boy was about to meet his puppy.
The puppy was about to meet his boy.


little boy lying in grass with puppy's head resting on his leg

~~ ❈~~

I wonder how the boy knew it was his puppy?

Perhaps it was because his hand and thigh, together with the puppy's head (not unlike the slipper and Cinderella's foot), were a perfect fit.

*****

Note: The Cardigan Welsh corgi puppy in the photo is Sully, and Sully is with his new boy, Max. At last update, they are getting along beautifully!

Saturday, April 20, 2019

The Curious ("Colorful"?) English Meanings of Words We Use for Dogs and Cats

Originally published 9/16/13.

Have you ever stood in your bathroom and thought about all the different words we use in English for dogs and cats? No? Well, I have, so no worries. 

Don't ask me what sparked it (I can't remember), the point is, if one starts with the basic English words "dog," "cat," "puppy" and "kitten," and continues to list derivations of these words, one could possibly be left with some interesting questions to ponder. 

See if you agree:


Pup




Puppy








Doggy




Kitten




Kitty







kitty in feather boa

Catty*?

Things that make me go hmm:

<> Was "catty" ever a term of endearment?
<> Would dogs call other dogs catty?
<> Would cats call other cats dogs?
<> Why is English so dumb sometimes?


P.S. The "catty" photo caption is a modified pop culture reference. 25 (brag) points to the first person who can correctly say from where! (Fine, it's Mean Girls-25 points for all!)

* IMPORTANT UPDATE: It occurs to me that a (sort of, with an added "naughty/bad-girl," connotation) synonym for the term "catty" is "hussy" (defined HERE, Google, and HERE), which, if one were trying to use covertly--perhaps to sell something, could change to "husky," which is, in fact, a dog breed. Point being, let's give credit to both cats and dogs for the female slang terms that we've all come to appreciate, mostly, in a lighthearted** way. 😉

** Lighthearted, in a sarcastic way, if you prefer, or not. I mean, it depends on the context of how the slang word is used, and who's saying it, and to whom, right? (My gosh, I wrote the original of this post in 2013, before Me Too. I had NO idea how relevant (in a satirical way) this post would become, five years later, at the time.


Wednesday, June 20, 2018

STOP the Madness! Affirmations and Meditation With Maddox (My Thumbed Cat)

Editor's Note: I don't know why cat-led meditation with Maddox didn't take off in 2015, when I first introduced it to the public. Perhaps the world wasn't mad enough. Or I didn't bother with SEO. None of that really matters now, though; the important thing is, Maddox can help you calm the flip down! Will you let him?


Notice: Neither I, nor Maddox, are certified meditation instructors. Frankly, we don't know what the heck we're doing. This is a parody. That said, we dare you not to smile.

Welcome, friends! It's been a tough go of it (your day, life, endeavor to become a professional magician, etc.) and we want to help! Do you have three minutes (of course you do; you're on the internet looking at social media)? Yay! Let's meditate for a bit. But before we start, here are a few helpful hints:

  1. Sit down. If you can't sit (because you're standing in a subway, for example), for dear life, tether yourself to something, so you don't doze off and fall on something sharp! (Note: You won't doze off. Unless you're on the toilet, in which case, I hope you doze off, and your reading device falls in. Because ew! That's just wrong.)
  2. Imagine you're sitting beside a picturesque waterfall, NOT Niagara Falls, though. Too violent.
  3. Get over any issues you might have with giant tabby cats who have thumbs. Especially old ones named Maddox, with crooked whiskers and eyes slightly cocked. Maddox and his paws are a gift to stressed humans. Trust me.
Alright, you're almost there! To start, Maddox will say several affirmations directly to you (feel free to read them out loud; no one will care), and then he'll lead you through some calming imagery. Ready?! OK, shhhh....


waterfall graphic with cat face avatar

affirmations

The sun is shining through your window and through your heart.



Today you will take one step toward your dreams.


Snacks make you smile.


You feel a deep connection with your feet.


Today you will be pleasantly surprised.


You are in a state of pure joy.


You are grateful for your breath, no matter how bad it might smell.



You are a calm airplane passenger.


You look for humor and fun in as many situations as possible.


Meditation is calming and will help you not have road rage.


meditation

And now, repeat the word "catnip" while viewing the following photos (and remember to breathe).

catnip


catnip


catnip


catnip



catnip


{Now, do that again, in reverse.}

end of session

Please use caution not to stumble while exiting, and have a pleasant day. ☺

Note: Maddox will not accept money.

Bonus Sound Effects


Maddox is a former shelter cat. We adopted him in 2012 from the Richmond SPCA. He was nine years old and on a prescription diet to maintain his urinary tract health. He is a polydactyl, and my soul man.

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