Earlier tonight I went down with a migraine that hit me like a freight train. I was gaming at the time, and it was all I could do to stow my stuff and exit before it blinded me.
Anyway, while I was laying in the dark trying to remember to keep breathing, I started thinking (not much else to do). In the game, I had been talking with my college friend, D (see previous post), and I had told him how lucky he is to have such strength of faith. I mean, the guy moved all the way to Israel!
I began examining (as I sometimes do) my own beliefs, and wondering why it's so hard for me to have any sort of faith in ....well, God. And in my slow process of picking through the rubble that is me, I think I have an inkling why. I'll try to explain it, but it will probably come out more simplified than it was when I came to this conclusion.
Take a child whose father is beating her, whose mother is mentally/emotionally cruel, and who is being sexually abused, and send that child to Sunday School, where she is told that God made the world and God sees all and that God loves us and will protect us. Talk about confusion! The message I ultimately came away with was that I must have done something terrible and was being punished by God for it. It was the only thing that made sense to me. So, along with the guilt that is common in abused children, I carried the guilt for some unknown awful thing that I was being tormented for. I think some part of me still looks for an absolution that will never come.
Later, I found that there were people who didn't believe in God (and hey - they weren't struck down, either!). For the granddaughter of a Baptist pastor, this was an amazing bit of news! After consideration of this new view, I started gravitating toward the agnostic side of things. There just couldn't be a God, because what kind of God allows children to experience what I did?
So, that's where I'm stuck now. I'm still not sure if there is or isn't a God. I still feel like I need to be punished and absolved of something that was never my fault to begin with. I am still seeking that truth that will ultimately set me free.
So yeah, D is VERY lucky he has such strong faith, whether it turns out to be true or not.
Old Friends, Birthdays, and Other Happenings
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Yesterday I got the weirdest urge to play in a MUD (that's Multi-User Dungeon for those that didn't know). I had played in one a few years ago, but stopped playing when I got too busy. I couldn't remember the name of the MUD I'd played in, or the name of my character, or the names of any of my friends in the MUD (except Belgarath - that name stuck in my head, but only because I like the books).
So, anyway, I started looking up MUDs, and in a list a half-mile long, spotted the name of the MUD I'd been in before. It was one of those 'recognize it when you see it' things. So I went on as a Guest (I still couldn't remember my own darned character name) to look around. Of course, I've completely forgotten the commands to do just about anything, so I sat in Central Park for a while. I walked around a little bit. Somehow, I ran into my friend from college (D), that I hadn't talked to in years! We spent some time catching up, and he updated me on what the folks I used to hang out with were doing. I found out that my old roommate is now in a state mental facility, but the rest of the gang seems to be doing well. D moved to Israel, so it was the middle of the night for him while we were talking.
I just find it amazing that he and I connect and talk ever few years or so. It's really neat and fun! We emailed pics - I sent some of myself and my kids, he sent one of himself in Israel with beautiful old buildings in the background. He says I haven't changed. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I mean, does that mean I am stuck looking like something from 1990 or that I'm aging well? lol
I don't seem to get in touch with anyone else from high school or college. Then again, I really don't really want to hear from the high school crowd. I don't go to class reunions or anything. I figure that everything between age 0-17 is a chunk of my life I'd rather forget! Sometimes it all seems like a nightmare that happened to someone else, and maybe, in a way, it did. I'm not the same person I was then, and many of the memories seem so...surreal. ::deep breath:: OK....change of subject.
Today is Little Red's birthday. She's all excited, of course, and I like to make a big deal of birthdays. She's exempt from chores today, and can pick what we have for dinner tonight. She pretty much rules the roost today, but that's neat. She's the middle child, and she sometimes feels left out - not young enough to be babied like Little Man, not old enough to be able to do what She-Who-States-the-Obvious is allowed to do. So today, it's all about Little Red. :)
Last night, the Queen of Crochet (my best friend) and I made one of our late-night WalMart runs to go get Little Red's cake, ice cream, and presents. I was looking for a DVD, and the electronics section was torn apart for floor cleaning. At least, that's what I think it was. There were three people scraping the floor, and about nine people standing around watching them. I had to climb over several racks to get to what I was looking for, but I found it in spite of them! I also got her a book and two computer game sets, since I recently put one of the spare computers in their room. I would have gone for something more along the line of toys, but really, I couldn't bring myself to get them more junk! They share a room, and they have too much as it is (at least until the garage sale QoC and I are having in three weeks).
Cheer season starts in two weeks. I don't think I want a squad this year (dealing with obnoxious parents sucks - that's a whole 'nother post). I want to do what I did last year, and be Stunt Coordinator for the competition squads. I want to sent a squad to Nationals this year! Last year we made it to Regionals, and placed well, but not quite high enough to go to Nationals. For this year, I've got several new stunt ideas, and one killer opening sequence! ::grin:: We have a dance team this year, and I've been asked to help out there, too. This stuff is just way too fun!
So, anyway, I started looking up MUDs, and in a list a half-mile long, spotted the name of the MUD I'd been in before. It was one of those 'recognize it when you see it' things. So I went on as a Guest (I still couldn't remember my own darned character name) to look around. Of course, I've completely forgotten the commands to do just about anything, so I sat in Central Park for a while. I walked around a little bit. Somehow, I ran into my friend from college (D), that I hadn't talked to in years! We spent some time catching up, and he updated me on what the folks I used to hang out with were doing. I found out that my old roommate is now in a state mental facility, but the rest of the gang seems to be doing well. D moved to Israel, so it was the middle of the night for him while we were talking.
I just find it amazing that he and I connect and talk ever few years or so. It's really neat and fun! We emailed pics - I sent some of myself and my kids, he sent one of himself in Israel with beautiful old buildings in the background. He says I haven't changed. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I mean, does that mean I am stuck looking like something from 1990 or that I'm aging well? lol
I don't seem to get in touch with anyone else from high school or college. Then again, I really don't really want to hear from the high school crowd. I don't go to class reunions or anything. I figure that everything between age 0-17 is a chunk of my life I'd rather forget! Sometimes it all seems like a nightmare that happened to someone else, and maybe, in a way, it did. I'm not the same person I was then, and many of the memories seem so...surreal. ::deep breath:: OK....change of subject.
Today is Little Red's birthday. She's all excited, of course, and I like to make a big deal of birthdays. She's exempt from chores today, and can pick what we have for dinner tonight. She pretty much rules the roost today, but that's neat. She's the middle child, and she sometimes feels left out - not young enough to be babied like Little Man, not old enough to be able to do what She-Who-States-the-Obvious is allowed to do. So today, it's all about Little Red. :)
Last night, the Queen of Crochet (my best friend) and I made one of our late-night WalMart runs to go get Little Red's cake, ice cream, and presents. I was looking for a DVD, and the electronics section was torn apart for floor cleaning. At least, that's what I think it was. There were three people scraping the floor, and about nine people standing around watching them. I had to climb over several racks to get to what I was looking for, but I found it in spite of them! I also got her a book and two computer game sets, since I recently put one of the spare computers in their room. I would have gone for something more along the line of toys, but really, I couldn't bring myself to get them more junk! They share a room, and they have too much as it is (at least until the garage sale QoC and I are having in three weeks).
Cheer season starts in two weeks. I don't think I want a squad this year (dealing with obnoxious parents sucks - that's a whole 'nother post). I want to do what I did last year, and be Stunt Coordinator for the competition squads. I want to sent a squad to Nationals this year! Last year we made it to Regionals, and placed well, but not quite high enough to go to Nationals. For this year, I've got several new stunt ideas, and one killer opening sequence! ::grin:: We have a dance team this year, and I've been asked to help out there, too. This stuff is just way too fun!
More than you wanted to know about your birthdate
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Birthday Calculator
Here's what came up for mine:
You were born on a Wednesday
under the astrological sign Pisces.
Your Life path number is 5.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2441377.5.
The golden number for 1972 is 16.
The epact number for 1972 is 14.
The year 1972 was a leap year.
As of 7/6/2005 4:08:56 PM CDT
You are 33 years old.
You are 400 months old.
You are 1,740 weeks old.
You are 12,180 days old.
You are 292,336 hours old.
You are 17,540,168 minutes old.
You are 1,052,410,136 seconds old.
There are 238 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 34 candles on it.
Those 34 candles produce 34 BTU's,
or 8,568 calories of heat (that's only 8.5680 food Calories!) .
You can boil 3.89 US ounces of water with that many candles.
Your birthstone is Aquamarine
The Mystical properties of Aquamarine
Aquamarine is often used to experience love and mercy. It is said to help ease depression and grief.
Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewlers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Jade, Rock Crystal
Your birth tree is
Weeping Willow, the Melancholy
Beautiful but full of melancholy, attractive, very empathic, loves anything beautiful and tasteful, loves to travel, dreamer, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with, demanding, good intuition, suffers in love but finds sometimes an anchoring partner.
There are 172 days till Christmas 2005!
The moon's phase on the day you were
born was waning gibbous.
*******Wow! That tree thing nailed it! They missed Bloodstone in the list of birthstones, though. Interesting that Jade is there - I used to use "Jade" in my name when (::blushing::) pursuing ..ahem...erotic communication.
Here's what came up for mine:
You were born on a Wednesday
under the astrological sign Pisces.
Your Life path number is 5.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2441377.5.
The golden number for 1972 is 16.
The epact number for 1972 is 14.
The year 1972 was a leap year.
As of 7/6/2005 4:08:56 PM CDT
You are 33 years old.
You are 400 months old.
You are 1,740 weeks old.
You are 12,180 days old.
You are 292,336 hours old.
You are 17,540,168 minutes old.
You are 1,052,410,136 seconds old.
There are 238 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 34 candles on it.
Those 34 candles produce 34 BTU's,
or 8,568 calories of heat (that's only 8.5680 food Calories!) .
You can boil 3.89 US ounces of water with that many candles.
Your birthstone is Aquamarine
The Mystical properties of Aquamarine
Aquamarine is often used to experience love and mercy. It is said to help ease depression and grief.
Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewlers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Jade, Rock Crystal
Your birth tree is
Weeping Willow, the Melancholy
Beautiful but full of melancholy, attractive, very empathic, loves anything beautiful and tasteful, loves to travel, dreamer, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with, demanding, good intuition, suffers in love but finds sometimes an anchoring partner.
There are 172 days till Christmas 2005!
The moon's phase on the day you were
born was waning gibbous.
*******Wow! That tree thing nailed it! They missed Bloodstone in the list of birthstones, though. Interesting that Jade is there - I used to use "Jade" in my name when (::blushing::) pursuing ..ahem...erotic communication.
I bet they're wondering "Now why don't she write?"
Mood: annoyed
Music: none
Name the movie the title of this post is from - put your answers in the comments. Bonus points if you name who said it and the circumstances.
Now, on to my annoyance.
I must have thought up six good topics that I wanted to blog about today. All of them were topics that I found engaging and had lots to say about. Do you think I can remember a single one of them now that I sit here? Hmm??
Nope.
Never fails. I think "I should blog that" at least a dozen times a week. Unfortunately, I'm in the car, falling asleep, busy with other things, etc. The inspiration just never strikes when I'm sitting here wondering what to say. So, if you ever wondered why I don't post as regularly as other bloggers, now you know.
I'm too busy pounding my head on my desk, trying to recall at least one of the week's brilliant ideas. I should call this the Purple Forehead blog......
3...2...1....AHA!!!! Now you get it!
Music: none
Name the movie the title of this post is from - put your answers in the comments. Bonus points if you name who said it and the circumstances.
Now, on to my annoyance.
I must have thought up six good topics that I wanted to blog about today. All of them were topics that I found engaging and had lots to say about. Do you think I can remember a single one of them now that I sit here? Hmm??
Nope.
Never fails. I think "I should blog that" at least a dozen times a week. Unfortunately, I'm in the car, falling asleep, busy with other things, etc. The inspiration just never strikes when I'm sitting here wondering what to say. So, if you ever wondered why I don't post as regularly as other bloggers, now you know.
I'm too busy pounding my head on my desk, trying to recall at least one of the week's brilliant ideas. I should call this the Purple Forehead blog......
3...2...1....AHA!!!! Now you get it!
Exes and Meds
Friday, June 24, 2005
Mood: Ok
Things are going ok so far on the Wellbutrin. It seems to supress my appetite, though, so heartburn now seems to be my new cue to eat. That, and when my blood sugar bottoms out and I get headachy, nauseated, etc. Guess I'll just have to get used to that one.
I dropped my daughters off with their biological dad for the weekend. Even though the little guy is still with me, the house seems so quiet without them. They add a rambunctious sort of vitality to the house, you know? Then again, the quiet can be a nice thing. I also get to spend more time with the little guy and Hubby - even though the girls are always in the back of my mind.
The ex only sees them once in a great while. He doesn't even bother to call them. Every two or three months or so, he remembers he has kids, and calls to arrange a weekend with them. He strings them along, popping into their lives just enough to never let them move on without him. Visiting him always upsets them. The miss him all the more after seeing him, and then they don't hear from him for months. It breaks my heart so badly for them, and makes me hate him all the more. I wish he'd just give up parental rights and let Hubby adopt them. Hubby loves the girls as though they were his own, and they adore him, too. I just want to spare the girls this never ending cycle. I went through it while married to him. He'd be such an ass for a long time, and then, like the sun coming out, would be all loving and great. Then he'd go back to being an ass again. He'd 'play nice' just often enough so I would be thinking "well, he does have his good times", and not leave. Just enough to keep me strung along. To see him repeat this cyclical love with them is awful.
I don't want to write any more for now. I'm upsetting myself, and little guy is going for the pretty lighted blue button on the puter.....
Things are going ok so far on the Wellbutrin. It seems to supress my appetite, though, so heartburn now seems to be my new cue to eat. That, and when my blood sugar bottoms out and I get headachy, nauseated, etc. Guess I'll just have to get used to that one.
I dropped my daughters off with their biological dad for the weekend. Even though the little guy is still with me, the house seems so quiet without them. They add a rambunctious sort of vitality to the house, you know? Then again, the quiet can be a nice thing. I also get to spend more time with the little guy and Hubby - even though the girls are always in the back of my mind.
The ex only sees them once in a great while. He doesn't even bother to call them. Every two or three months or so, he remembers he has kids, and calls to arrange a weekend with them. He strings them along, popping into their lives just enough to never let them move on without him. Visiting him always upsets them. The miss him all the more after seeing him, and then they don't hear from him for months. It breaks my heart so badly for them, and makes me hate him all the more. I wish he'd just give up parental rights and let Hubby adopt them. Hubby loves the girls as though they were his own, and they adore him, too. I just want to spare the girls this never ending cycle. I went through it while married to him. He'd be such an ass for a long time, and then, like the sun coming out, would be all loving and great. Then he'd go back to being an ass again. He'd 'play nice' just often enough so I would be thinking "well, he does have his good times", and not leave. Just enough to keep me strung along. To see him repeat this cyclical love with them is awful.
I don't want to write any more for now. I'm upsetting myself, and little guy is going for the pretty lighted blue button on the puter.....
Happy Pills, NeoPets, and Anguissettes
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Mood: fair to middlin'
Music: 80's music channel
I went to my doctor's appointment and I got through it without throwing up from the anxiety! I hate going to the doctor to begin with, but going to the doctor to tell them you're mental is so much worse, somehow!
Anyway, she put me on Wellbutrin XL and made me an appointment to see her again in three weeks.
Not a single one of my family or friends is surprised. Fortunately, though, they are also very supportive. My husband, bless his heart, called me four times today to see if I was ok. He worries (too much) about possible side effects. I told him each time that no, I hadn't started doin' the tuna yet. (and before anybody jumps my shit about that last phrase, I have a very good friend who has frequent seizures, and if she can have a sense of humor about it (the phrase is how she refers to it), so can you - so jump off)
Anyway.
I had heard of NeoPets before, but never known what it was all about. Well, somehow, one of my homeschooling email lists got on the topic of NeoPets, Yu-Gi-Oh, and other obsessions of youth. Somebody said she was having as much fun with NeoPets as her kids were, so I thought I'd check it out.
I'm now the proud owner of a sweet little tiger-lookin' thing (a Krouga, if I remember correctly). I have a little shop. I'm addicted to a couple of the games. All in the course of one day. I'm glad we have two computers set up right now, or the kids and I would be battling for NeoPet time. As it is, I might end up setting up one of the other puters with a wireless card so we can all be on at the same time (and play games together). Of course, we really need to get that third puter set up anyway, for this year's homeschooling. I have plans that will require both kids to have ready access, and right now they are sharing a puter with Hubby. My computer is off limits to everyone else, naturally. I'm the only one in the house that really knows more than the basics about computers, and Hubby has a blue thumb. He crashed my puter once, and went out that weekend to buy one for himself. He said he didn't want to bring down that kind of wrath ever again....... lol.
I suppose I'm done with the puter for the night. I'm going to plop myself down in the rocker and read Kushiel's Dart (yeah, I'm rereading it). Scintillating bedtime reading. ; {)
Love as thou wilt.....
Music: 80's music channel
I went to my doctor's appointment and I got through it without throwing up from the anxiety! I hate going to the doctor to begin with, but going to the doctor to tell them you're mental is so much worse, somehow!
Anyway, she put me on Wellbutrin XL and made me an appointment to see her again in three weeks.
Not a single one of my family or friends is surprised. Fortunately, though, they are also very supportive. My husband, bless his heart, called me four times today to see if I was ok. He worries (too much) about possible side effects. I told him each time that no, I hadn't started doin' the tuna yet. (and before anybody jumps my shit about that last phrase, I have a very good friend who has frequent seizures, and if she can have a sense of humor about it (the phrase is how she refers to it), so can you - so jump off)
Anyway.
I had heard of NeoPets before, but never known what it was all about. Well, somehow, one of my homeschooling email lists got on the topic of NeoPets, Yu-Gi-Oh, and other obsessions of youth. Somebody said she was having as much fun with NeoPets as her kids were, so I thought I'd check it out.
I'm now the proud owner of a sweet little tiger-lookin' thing (a Krouga, if I remember correctly). I have a little shop. I'm addicted to a couple of the games. All in the course of one day. I'm glad we have two computers set up right now, or the kids and I would be battling for NeoPet time. As it is, I might end up setting up one of the other puters with a wireless card so we can all be on at the same time (and play games together). Of course, we really need to get that third puter set up anyway, for this year's homeschooling. I have plans that will require both kids to have ready access, and right now they are sharing a puter with Hubby. My computer is off limits to everyone else, naturally. I'm the only one in the house that really knows more than the basics about computers, and Hubby has a blue thumb. He crashed my puter once, and went out that weekend to buy one for himself. He said he didn't want to bring down that kind of wrath ever again....... lol.
I suppose I'm done with the puter for the night. I'm going to plop myself down in the rocker and read Kushiel's Dart (yeah, I'm rereading it). Scintillating bedtime reading. ; {)
Love as thou wilt.....
Taking the Plunge
Friday, June 17, 2005
Mood: Apprehensive
Music: none
Well, I did it. I called and made a doctor's appointment about my chronic depression. I've been moderately depressed for.....well, for as long as I can remember. I used to think that's just the way I am, but as I get older and meet more people, I realize that my irritable, moody, mopy, unmotivated behavior is not normal. I've reached the point where I feel like something must be done. It took a long time for me to get the courage to make the call and ask to be seen for depression.
I feel like I just jumped off the high board and haven't hit the water yet.
I go in on Monday. I sure hope they can help. I'll keep ya posted.
Music: none
Well, I did it. I called and made a doctor's appointment about my chronic depression. I've been moderately depressed for.....well, for as long as I can remember. I used to think that's just the way I am, but as I get older and meet more people, I realize that my irritable, moody, mopy, unmotivated behavior is not normal. I've reached the point where I feel like something must be done. It took a long time for me to get the courage to make the call and ask to be seen for depression.
I feel like I just jumped off the high board and haven't hit the water yet.
I go in on Monday. I sure hope they can help. I'll keep ya posted.
Friday, June 10, 2005
Mood: half a bubble off plumb
Music: 80's channel (what else?)
I got this email with a whole LOT of sayings and bumper stickers. Some were the old standbys, but there were a few goodies in there. Yes, I'll share:
Music: 80's channel (what else?)
I got this email with a whole LOT of sayings and bumper stickers. Some were the old standbys, but there were a few goodies in there. Yes, I'll share:
- Last night I played a blank tape full blast. The mime next door went
nuts. - Right now I've got amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think
I've forgotten this before. - I like the insanity, but stop the stupidity.
- Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
- Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.
- I bet I can stop gambling.
- Few women admit their age, few men act it.
- If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made with meat?
- Comfort the disturbed. Disturb the comfortable.
- According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist.
- Warning: Dates on calendar are closer than they appear.
- Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot.
- At a nudist wedding everyone can see who the best man is.
- Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.
- Very funny Scotty. Now beam down my clothes.
- Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggy" . . . until you can find
a rock. - I don't get even, I get odder.
- If your nose runs and your feet smell you were probably built upside
down. - I like you but I wouldn't want to see you working with sub-atomic
particles. - If you can't baffle them with brilliance, befuddle them with
bullshit.
Anyway, that's my lazy gal post for tonight. I have to go do my blogroll and blog explosion rounds.
G'night!
Caffeine-induced Silliness
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Mood: so wired on caffeine that I can't quit clenching my teeth
TV: Deadliest Catch
Boy, am I wound up! I keep trying to relax my jaw, but every time I quit concentrating, my teeth clench again. I'm going to have a hell of an achy mouth tomorrow!
Had a little fun at hubby's expense tonight. Heehee! I tell ya, a man really hates it when you can't quit laughing when he has his penis exposed. I wasn't laughing at his penis, though - I was laughing at the expression on his face. It was priceless! I had put on some shimmering lotion earlier this evening. Later, I gave him a hand job (I wasn't hearing any complaints at that point). Weeellll, he went in to use the bathroom afterward, and I heard him say "What the hell did you DO? There's glitter all over my dick!" Ummm. Ooops!! He came out and showed me, and the look on his face was so...bewildered...that I couldn't quit laughing! I tried, really, I did!
So, anyway, a tip for the ladies - wash your hands after applying shimmering lotion, especially if you're going to handle your guy's goods!
Well, I can't sit still any longer, so I think I'll go run around the house for a while! Have fun, y'all!
TV: Deadliest Catch
Boy, am I wound up! I keep trying to relax my jaw, but every time I quit concentrating, my teeth clench again. I'm going to have a hell of an achy mouth tomorrow!
Had a little fun at hubby's expense tonight. Heehee! I tell ya, a man really hates it when you can't quit laughing when he has his penis exposed. I wasn't laughing at his penis, though - I was laughing at the expression on his face. It was priceless! I had put on some shimmering lotion earlier this evening. Later, I gave him a hand job (I wasn't hearing any complaints at that point). Weeellll, he went in to use the bathroom afterward, and I heard him say "What the hell did you DO? There's glitter all over my dick!" Ummm. Ooops!! He came out and showed me, and the look on his face was so...bewildered...that I couldn't quit laughing! I tried, really, I did!
So, anyway, a tip for the ladies - wash your hands after applying shimmering lotion, especially if you're going to handle your guy's goods!
Well, I can't sit still any longer, so I think I'll go run around the house for a while! Have fun, y'all!
Othello ~Jan 1990 - June 4, 2005~
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Mood: sad
Today my household is in mourning. We have lost a dear part of our family. Othello was our 15-year-old tomcat, and he died this morning. Hubby is especially devastated
My husband got Othello at the age of 6 weeks from some friends of his. He was a jet black cat with the most beautiful golden eyes. He was fearless - taking on large dogs and even a big snake or two. He'd walk right up to our black lab/chow mix dog and rake his claws across her snout just to remind her who was in charge.
I came to know Othello when I met my husband in 2001. Even though I only knew Othello for four years, we had quite a history. First, there began the War of the Bathmats. Hubby had never had bathmats in the house. He'd just throw down a towel for each shower. I like bathmats, so I bought one for each bathroom. Othello wasn't having any part of it - he peed on both of them the very first day. Oh, yes....Othello was talented at expressing his displeasure! So, I rubbed the cat's nose in it, washed the bathmats, and put them back out. He shit on them. I chased the cat and washed them again. He soiled them again. This went on the entire four years. My darling husband - he started picking the bathmats up when Othello wanted to drink from the tub faucet, just to keep the peace.
Next was the Countertop Flying Lessons. I grew up always having cats around. They were never allowed on the kitchen table or counters, as this is considered unsanitary where I'm from. Hubby had been feeding Othello right up on the counter, and letting him drink from the running tap in the kitchen sink for years. He'd also get the cat a drink of water - get this - IN A GLASS (animals eating/drinking out of dishware grosses me out). Hubby would set the glass in the sink, and the cat would drink. I tried to convert the cat to eating from pet dishes on the floor. The cat refused to drink, and kept jumping up on the counters to look for his food. I'd set him down. He'd jump back up. Soon, he was taking flying lessons off the end of the counter. I think that cat had a degree in aviation by the time I won that battle!
Othello was the reason our windows have no screens. He shredded them long before I met Hubby. If Othello wanted to come back in the house in the middle of the night, he'd jump up and rake his claws down the vinyl window frame at our bedroom window. Now that, my friends, is a hell of a sound! It's like "OK! OK! I'm up, I'm up and I'm opening the door, just don't DO that again!" I suppose we'll be getting more sleep now, but that's not that big a deal right this minute.
Not everything was bad with Othello. He was quite a comical and quirky cat, when you get right down to it. He loved to drink from the tub, as I've mentioned. The water had to be a slow stream, and he'd stand in the tub in front of the stream of water, stick his cupped paw in, and pull the water to his mouth. It was adorable! He also used to tap us to get our attention. The first time he did it to me was in the middle of the night. We had pulled the mattress out into the living room in front of the couch so we could sleep near the crackling fireplace. I dozed off, and after a while, just about jumped off the bed - Othello was sitting on the couch above my head, and had reached down with his paw and tapped me on the head. When I sat up, I looked back to see what had hit me, and Othello was looking at me like, "Well?". Hubby laughed himself silly. Apparently, this was Othello's customary way of asking for a drink or to go out at night. I didn't think it was very funny at 3am, but later, I had many chances to observe Othello doing this to hubby, and it really was adorable. He'd get the most thoughtful look on his face, and oh-so-gently reach out and nudge hubby's face. If hubby was at the computer, the cat would reach up and nudge his elbow. Sweet.
About eight months ago, we spent $1500 at the vet for Othello. He needed surgery. He had somehow put a hole in his diaphragm, and his gallbladder had gotten pulled partway through and was being squeezed. We didn't know that at the time, though. All the vet knew for sure was that his bilirubin and blood pressure were high. Hubby wasn't ready to let Othello go yet, so we did the surgery. We're glad we did, since it turned out to be an injury that was relatively easy to fix. It was a close call, though, and I think it did a lot to prepare Hubby for losing Othello.
Othello moved to Colorado and back with Hubby. He got loose in a hotel parking lot on the way back, and amazingly wasn't killed (highway very close by) before he was recaptured. Othello once fell asleep in the back of a neighbor's car, and the neighbor got down the road and almost had heart failure when Othello jumped up on the back of the driver's seat and tapped him on the shoulder.
Othello, honey, you had spunk. While we didn't always see eye to eye, you were an interesting part of our family. We'll miss you, baby.
Rest easy, now little one.
Today my household is in mourning. We have lost a dear part of our family. Othello was our 15-year-old tomcat, and he died this morning. Hubby is especially devastated
My husband got Othello at the age of 6 weeks from some friends of his. He was a jet black cat with the most beautiful golden eyes. He was fearless - taking on large dogs and even a big snake or two. He'd walk right up to our black lab/chow mix dog and rake his claws across her snout just to remind her who was in charge.
I came to know Othello when I met my husband in 2001. Even though I only knew Othello for four years, we had quite a history. First, there began the War of the Bathmats. Hubby had never had bathmats in the house. He'd just throw down a towel for each shower. I like bathmats, so I bought one for each bathroom. Othello wasn't having any part of it - he peed on both of them the very first day. Oh, yes....Othello was talented at expressing his displeasure! So, I rubbed the cat's nose in it, washed the bathmats, and put them back out. He shit on them. I chased the cat and washed them again. He soiled them again. This went on the entire four years. My darling husband - he started picking the bathmats up when Othello wanted to drink from the tub faucet, just to keep the peace.
Next was the Countertop Flying Lessons. I grew up always having cats around. They were never allowed on the kitchen table or counters, as this is considered unsanitary where I'm from. Hubby had been feeding Othello right up on the counter, and letting him drink from the running tap in the kitchen sink for years. He'd also get the cat a drink of water - get this - IN A GLASS (animals eating/drinking out of dishware grosses me out). Hubby would set the glass in the sink, and the cat would drink. I tried to convert the cat to eating from pet dishes on the floor. The cat refused to drink, and kept jumping up on the counters to look for his food. I'd set him down. He'd jump back up. Soon, he was taking flying lessons off the end of the counter. I think that cat had a degree in aviation by the time I won that battle!
Othello was the reason our windows have no screens. He shredded them long before I met Hubby. If Othello wanted to come back in the house in the middle of the night, he'd jump up and rake his claws down the vinyl window frame at our bedroom window. Now that, my friends, is a hell of a sound! It's like "OK! OK! I'm up, I'm up and I'm opening the door, just don't DO that again!" I suppose we'll be getting more sleep now, but that's not that big a deal right this minute.
Not everything was bad with Othello. He was quite a comical and quirky cat, when you get right down to it. He loved to drink from the tub, as I've mentioned. The water had to be a slow stream, and he'd stand in the tub in front of the stream of water, stick his cupped paw in, and pull the water to his mouth. It was adorable! He also used to tap us to get our attention. The first time he did it to me was in the middle of the night. We had pulled the mattress out into the living room in front of the couch so we could sleep near the crackling fireplace. I dozed off, and after a while, just about jumped off the bed - Othello was sitting on the couch above my head, and had reached down with his paw and tapped me on the head. When I sat up, I looked back to see what had hit me, and Othello was looking at me like, "Well?". Hubby laughed himself silly. Apparently, this was Othello's customary way of asking for a drink or to go out at night. I didn't think it was very funny at 3am, but later, I had many chances to observe Othello doing this to hubby, and it really was adorable. He'd get the most thoughtful look on his face, and oh-so-gently reach out and nudge hubby's face. If hubby was at the computer, the cat would reach up and nudge his elbow. Sweet.
About eight months ago, we spent $1500 at the vet for Othello. He needed surgery. He had somehow put a hole in his diaphragm, and his gallbladder had gotten pulled partway through and was being squeezed. We didn't know that at the time, though. All the vet knew for sure was that his bilirubin and blood pressure were high. Hubby wasn't ready to let Othello go yet, so we did the surgery. We're glad we did, since it turned out to be an injury that was relatively easy to fix. It was a close call, though, and I think it did a lot to prepare Hubby for losing Othello.
Othello moved to Colorado and back with Hubby. He got loose in a hotel parking lot on the way back, and amazingly wasn't killed (highway very close by) before he was recaptured. Othello once fell asleep in the back of a neighbor's car, and the neighbor got down the road and almost had heart failure when Othello jumped up on the back of the driver's seat and tapped him on the shoulder.
Othello, honey, you had spunk. While we didn't always see eye to eye, you were an interesting part of our family. We'll miss you, baby.
Rest easy, now little one.
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