Current events, National Blog Posting Month

Midterms matter

I was going to write something today about the midterm elections and why I think you should vote, and then in a Facebook post my little brother said pretty much exactly what I wanted to say.

Alright, y’all. Tomorrow is Election Day in America. Make your plan to go get it done.

Because there are a finite number of times in your life when your opinion really means anything.

Because it’s the only way you get to continue to be proud of living in a country that serves as a beacon for the democratic form of government.

Because it’s how you earn the right to complain when the government isn’t doing what you think it should do.

Because you will never regret going to the polls.

Because you get a great sticker.

Because it will make you feel part of something bigger.

Because I promise you that you will feel a great sense of accomplishment – and I’m not sure there is anything easier in the world that gives you a great sense of accomplishment.

Because most of you have the ability to use Google to find their sample ballot and then do ten minutes of research into the things that are on it. And if you can’t? Call me. I’ll help you.

Because you are a Patriot.

Go vote.

I also wanted to say this: I know the outcome of this election — even if it goes the way I want it to go — won’t make everything perfect. But it could make it better, and better is always good. Even if we just do a little bit better every day, that’s good. A lot of small, positive movements can add up to big, positive change.

National Blog Posting Month

A happy Caturday to you and yours

We had a tough couple of months in the feline realm. We lost both of our 16-year-old cats, Marsha T. Cat and JJ T. Cat, in the space of a few months. Marsha had a heart condition that we’d been aware of for a few years, and it finally became apparent that we couldn’t keep her comfortable with us anymore. She had a peaceful passing. JJ we lost in the true sense of the word. One day he was here, the next he was gone. I held out hope that he’d come home for all summer long. I miss them both terribly, still.

As we reached the end of the summer and it because more apparent that JJ wasn’t coming home, I started to try to get myself used to the idea of getting a new pet. It felt like a betrayal, and I didn’t think I was ready. I still don’t think I was quite ready, but everyone else in our household was. The timing was right, too. I wanted a kitten who’d been raised in a loving environment, and a friend had been fostering a litter of kittens who had just been taken back to the shelter and were ready to be adopted.

We were on our way home from vacation when I called about Hamachi, a sweet little tabby.

“Yes, she’s still here!” the lady at the shelter said. “Did you know she has a sister here? Her name is Tobiko. They’re the last of the litter.”

No, I did not know that.

But I didn’t really want two kittens. I didn’t believe I’d form an attachment to even one after losing my precious MTC and JJ.

Turns out I needed two kittens, though. Hamachi’s sister is sitting in my lap as I type this. I needed a lap cat.

We got them home and they reminded us that kittens are wild and crazy, and then we took them to the vet and found out they had ringworm, and then they shared the ringworm with me before we managed to get rid of it. The first few weeks were a bit of a trial.

They’re six months old now, and I am fond of them. They’re sweet little things, and they only cause a small bit of mayhem. Zobrist Hamachi Cat is a big fan of food and likes to lay in the dish of the automatic feeder dish, fishing kibble out of it one bit at a time. She goes by Zoey most of the time, but it’s a firm “Ben Zobrist” when she’s scratching something she shouldn’t. Loki Tobiko Cat is slightly less food-driven. She enjoys cuddles and jumping onto counters to steal bites of butter. She does not enjoy the subsequent squirt from the ever-present water bottle, but she persists.