10:50 p.m. - 2003-11-23
Sight
Whoa was I cranky today. All work and no play. Well partly, I really wanted to wrap up everything today on the Election assignment and get the paper part shipped away (I love e-files) but the kittens wanted to cuddle and play with me. Like two year olds they seemed to know that I was stressed a bit and that was their way of comforting me. Only, of course, all the interruptions meant everything I tried to do took 3 times as long as they should have. I finally got out the door at about 4 pm and hit both the post office and the grocery store. I think the cranky thing was because I wanted some play time too. I usually do crosswords and logic problems on weekends just to keep the brain exercising a bit and I like to play Mah Jong - pattern recognition, you know. Somehow I don't feel rested unless I can invest some time there.
The kittens seem to think that after a shower - I have at least one a day since I find them very soothing - that their grooming skills are necessary too. I'm usually surrounded by two or three who want to lick my feet and arms, while a couple more want to work on my hair. I can understand the skin part because of the salt content. My Dad used to tell stories of working with the seismic crews up north. Often the men would plant the "jugs" that held the explosives along the line where they wanted to blast the dynamite - ok so that probably isn't a very good description, but I've never actually seen it done. Anyway, quite often they would find that the readings they got off the "shoot" were wonky. When they'd go back to check the lines to figure out what had happened, they would discover the "jugs" laying on the ground on their sides. Coyotes or wolves had pulled them out so that they could lick the salt left from the workers'sweaty hands. Better that than chewing on their hands I guess. Anyway it's an animal thing. But the hair grooming? Right now my hair is midway between my shoulders and my waist. Those kittens chew it and then try to work my scalp too - they seem to think the scent of the shampoo is a problem. Problem is it hurts when their claws or teeth make contact with my skin even if they are just expressing their acceptance of me as part of their tribe. Today it was a bit of a battle as they tried to groom while I was trying to write legibly. Oh well.
Interesting uses of language in the news - interesting how it subtly molds one's perceptions of things if one isn't conscious of the tactic. I was reading the Arab News. Reports about Iraq events use the words "freedom fighters" and guerillas to describe the bombers and attacks on western soldiers. Ditto for the comments about events in Turkey and Afghanistan. Also in that newspaper a story about a woman who broke the law. During the last bombing attack on a compound she and her sister took seven people in her father's vehicle and drove them to the nearest hospital. The paper reported that the doctors had said some of the victims they brought would likely not have survived if they hadn't reached the hospital when they did. In that country there are severe penalties for women who drive a vehicle. There was a vigorous debate going on in the story among residents about how severe the punishment of the woman should be for breaking the law. Should there be consideration given to the fact that the woman acted out of humanitarian concerns. Interestingly it was other women who were most vociferous that the penalties should not be softened. Curious.
Often, it is very difficult to listen to a point of view that is so divergent from one's own. At work the other day someone made a very racist comment about a new Canadian community here with the observation that all their children should be apprehended because they don't parent like "us". I know that community and yes their processes are different, but their goals for their children and the outcomes are the same. Should they lose their children because they don't follow a North American timetable? I swallowed hard and noted that I'd never followed the standard North American rules either - six boys, one parent and very tight resources meant that I simply could not. That didn't mean my sons were deprived of what they needed - it was just delivered differently. My sons are all working, law-abiding, contributing members of society and they are in functional, healthy relationships. Obviously the timetable issue wasn't a barrier for them. In another forum on astrophysics a new theory about solar flares was being offered up by a research team out of an eastern US university. The viciousness of some of the responses from people who declare themselves bound by the techniques of scientific enquiry was astounding. They attacked the characters of the researchers instead of assessing the ideas. Sometimes the most important thing we need to do is shut down the mindless culture induced bureaucrat living in our heads and become open with the eyes of a child again. When I get frustrated with the kittens I remember that is what I love about young children and young animals so much - their willingness to see just what is in front of them with curiosity and gentle discernment. Unless ye become as a little child once more.....
�
�
