STOP the Madness! It's Time for Affirmations and Meditation With Maddox (My Thumbed Cat)

Note: 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....

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.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow - Thickets and Thickness

A couple days ago I took advantage of good weather and snapped gobs of a few photos of currently blooming flowers in my back yard. Here are a few.

Peony - I have three, one each of pink (like this), red and white. This particular plant has never bloomed in three years, until now. What a fun surprise!

Saying "hello" to the sun.

Can anyone guess what the purple herb is? Cat people? Okay, it's catnip (or Nepeta). I suppose I could harvest it for my cats, but it's actually in my yard for the butterflies. Certain species' caterpillars find it to be delicious.  (Back to the catnip, though. Did you know that not all cats have the "catnip" gene? Click here and scroll about halfway down the article for more fascinating information about how catnip affects cats.)

This is a close-up of my white Peony. See the ants? Peonies produce a nectar on their buds that is terribly attractive to ants. The ants are harmless to the plant and will leave the flower as it matures.

This is a Rhododendron. These flowering shrubs love part-sun to shade and thrive in the mountains of the eastern U.S.

This is my red Peony. Its flowers have a strong damask rose fragrance (unlike the lighter sweet fragrance of the pink and white varieties in my yard). It is heavenly.

I like the contrasting blue background here.

Just beyond the Peony is purple Salvia (nemorosa) in bloom. Just beyond the Salvia are two Butterfly Bushes, no where near ready to bloom.

By the way, in case you haven't noticed, I have a big thing for watching butterflies and bees in my yard. :)

In about a week or so, this bud will open up to be a bright yellow Daylily. :)

This is a wall/thicket of roses (Knock Out variety). My patio is framed with these stunning bushes.

There are still many buds waiting to open up.

And now, the reason for the title of this post: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow...

Flat roses. The night after I took the previous rose photos, the water weight from a soaking rainfall caused all the shrubs to bow down and kiss the earth. :( I've spent a good part of the morning trying to free each of the entangled, thorny branches in hopes that the drying sun will lure them all back into the upright position. [sigh]

And this is Jon Farleigh. :)  His fluffy Corgi coat is was a thick, unruly mess.  (Doesn't he look like he's channeling 1990s Fabio here?) Since I'm not nearly as brave as Pamela of Something Wagging This Way Comes or Lori at According to Gus, who recently blogged about their respective dog's DIY summer haircuts, I opted to drop my fluffy JF off this morning at "Salon de Bermuda Hundred Veterinary Hospital." Although he won't be getting the full-on summer shave (sorry RDM and UHM; I'm too chicken), he'll come home distinctly lighter and brighter this afternoon. :) (Pictures tomorrow)

This is JF's buddy Dewi wondering where the heck his bro has gone... (Actually, he's watching the neighbor's cat and probably not thinking about JF at all.)   :)

...But, I am.  ;)

See you tomorrow, as long as we're here and not gone. :)