Debate-Facebook Style

The following is a cut and paste that was on my son's Facebook wall.  I have been following it and felt like it needed to be shared here in my blog.  You may question why I would share it, but I thought that it was an interesting dialogue between today's college students.  Even the digression about Pokemon is significant, in that I feel the young men were trying to use humor as a coping mechanism for the angst and anxiety that the 'discussion' seemed to be inciting.  I also think that this exchange reflects the polarity that is prevalent in our country right now.  Those involved in this dialogue are betwee the ages of 20-22.  I only left my kids' names, the others I have merely initialed.  If anyone reads this and has an opinion, please comment.

Our son started it by posting this video clip of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzfE4YWXKMQ, along with the comment:  'LOL, Fox news is soooooooooooo bad'.  That started the ball rolling:

M. commented: and all the others are better?? Hopefully you're not relying on MSNBC or the Washington post for your news. Fox News is the only news organization that delivers fair and balanced coverage. Watching any other news media is simply buying into the liberal agenda

Josh commented: oh yeah, they're the most fair and balanced. That's why Hannity didn't let the guest with a different opinion finish a complete sentence. Civil discussion's for liberals and pussies. USA! USA!

M. commented: what's the best news to watch then?

P. commented: faux news ;)

M. commented: good point...it makes sense that they're the most watched news in the country. the most trusted. and almsot all of their shows deliver views from both sides of the aisles. yeah, they are soooo bad...and yet they are killing all the others in the ratings. makes sense!

P. commented: people move mountains for fear and fox loves to deliver that ;)

Josh commented: Fear against a common "enemy" (in this case, Muslim Americans) is unifying ;)

Popular != Best

P. commented:  if only we lived in pokemon world where all disagreements were settled by battling sentient monsters and when you defeated your opponent he would give you clues about how to get out of the building youre in.

Josh commented: Pokemon is the ultimate gentleman's world. Even criminals follow the rules of the Pokemon battle. I mean, when I burst into Giovanni's office, instead of shooting me or swarming me with goons, he challenged me to a battle. When I won he just admitted defeat and gave me a silph scope. Pretty classy.

P. commented: it's true! and his thugs drop lift keys for elevators.

Kirsten commented: bahahahaha sooo ridiculous.

MK commented: M., I'd like to address your arguments and I'd appreciate a rebuttal.

First, Josh never says another news organization is comparatively better, he didn't even imply it.

Second, Fox does not deliver fair and balanced coverage. The organization as a whole has a narrative. This narrative drives their coverage, determining what stories they choose to broadcast, how they portray the stories, who to interview, etc. For example, each morning a Fox News executive sends out a memo to all on-air anchors and reporters. Theses memos generally instruct the anchors to use positive language when discussing tax cuts, the war, pro-life viewpoints and more. Does that sound like unbiased, "fair" news? Also, the vast majority of Fox News guests are self-titled conservatives. Let's take Brett Hume's Special Report as an example. In a study of the show during a 5 month period, fair.org determined that 50 of his guests were Republicans and six were democrats. An 8 to 1 imbalance.

Furthermore, Fox has successfully argued that there are no written rules against distorting news in the media, and that it was their first amendment right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on public airwaves. Why would a news organization that is "fair and balanced" have any reason to argue that they can lie on the air? If their tagline is accurate, then that's unnecessary and nonsensical.

To answer your last question, unbiased news is tough to come by. No cable news organization provides it. You have to work to uncover truth, by always considering the bias of the organization reporting, the reporter and your own bias. Al Jazeera does a decent job, so does the BBC. All in all though, news corporations are after profit, and not strictly interested in reporting the news "fairly" or with "balance." Fox is the prime example.

http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/11-the-media-can-legally-lie/ (media can legally lie)

Cnn vs. Al Jazeera

http://i.imgur.com/NVih0.jpg

Fox Nation - Fair and Balanced? Not in the least

http://i.imgur.com/icTqU.png (Join your local tea party!)

http://i.imgur.com/fdtbh.png (A blizzard means climate change is false?)

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0426/entertainment-fox-news-simon-schuster-glenn-beck-inc.html?boxes=Homepagelighttop (Story about Glenn Becks mentality and approach towards his work)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtGSXMuWMR4 (humorous short video about how cable/local news functions)

http://videos.mediaite.com/video/Jon-Stewart-Goes-After-Fox-Frie (Jon Stewart exposing Gretchen Carlon's fake on-air personality, Fox and friends incompetence)See More

P. commented: I don't think I am gonna be able to sleep tonight. I made the mistake of watching this again right before bed.

K. commented:  MK,  I attend Western and have sat through countless hours of Media discussions and fox news bashing. I understand the talking points on how the big media outlets are overwhelmingly owned by for-profit conglomerates. I am a political science major and have taken a big interest in watching as many news networks as possible.

I will argue that Fox's News is not completely "fair and balanced" as it has more conservative commentators in its nightly broadcast. But when compared to all other major networks, it is the only one in my opinion that isn't in bed with the Obama Administration. The 2008 election showed us how completely biased the mass media in this Country was when it gave Obama a complete pass on almost every level. Instead, the media focused their attention on making the Vice-President on the Republican ticket look like a complete incompetent fool. They didn't bother to ever ask Obama about his controversial past. They covered for him and I believe he owes his Presidential win to them. I believe that Fox was the only network that addressed some of these controversies and did a decent job of actually providing news on these issues.

I feel that if you have a problem with Fox News, you also need to have a major problem with MSNBC, as they have one of the most biased line-ups on television.See More

P commented:  Pics or it didn't happen!

K responded by posting: www.youtube.com/watch?v=no9fpKVXxCc

P commented:  What a compelling 30 second clip.

K commented: Josh I liked your deleted comment... real classy

Josh commented:  The one where I said Hannity's still a douche?

K. commented: ummmmm... Yep

P. commented:  Well, it's kind of true. The next time I scream at an old man without letting him get a word in edgewise and and twist his words and call him an extremist for defending the constitution please just drag me out behind the woodshed and kill me with a shovel.

B commented:  Old yeller style

B commented:   and gentlemen, shake your dicks, this pissing contest is over. aka mk continue the roast

MK commented:   K.,  I am an economics major at Seattle University intent on going to law school, so I too have studied the issue both formally and on my own time (I suggest Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent").

It's hard to quantify media bias, just as it's ...hard to quantify "In bed with the Obama administration." There is no doubt that MSNBC has a liberal bias, just has there is no doubt that Fox has a conservative bias. I did not claim otherwise, as in my previous post, I said "...unbiased news is tough to come by. No cable news organization provides it." This includes MSNBC as well as CNN, etc. You'll notice a couple of my links compare the Al Jazeera front page to CNN as well as Fox.

Did MSNBC and CNN favor Obama in the last election? The answer is most likely "yes." Did he win because of them? No. Did they do so because they prefer his policies? No. They have a target audience, and are bending, censoring and twisting the news to fit what that audience wants to hear. Fox does it as well. A large part of Fox viewers want to hear that the President is a Muslim, that he goes on to much vacation, that is destroying America, that he is Hitler, that he's not a Christian, etc. This is just as MSNBC viewers want him portrayed in a positive light. This isn't surprising or unnoticed. All I can say is "turn off your TV." Cable news is a distorted portrayal of reality. I will sometimes watch for entertainment purposes (as Beck, Olberman, O'Reilly, Hannity, Maddow, etc are entertainers), but any attempt to discern legitimate and unbiased news from these networks is foolish.

The partisan nature of their coverage has only gotten worse in the last couple years, with Murdoch leading the charge.

P.S. Sarah Palin is unintelligent, incompetent and illogical; if she ever won the party's nomination, it'd be Republican political suicide, George Will has admitted as much. She didn't need any help being portrayed in a negative light. I'm sure she's a nice person, but she's not in the same dimension as higher political office. I do hold somewhat of a grudge against her, as I believe that her rise to fame along with Fox News have unleashed a new wave of anti-intellectualism, branding a college education as elitist.

I prefer thinkers whose conclusions lean right like Greg Mankiw (in the field of economics), and George Will (Journalist). I regularly read the Wall Street Journal (even after Murdoch bought it) and the Economist (my favorite publication, to be exact). I enjoy reasoning with people, and sadly Sarah Palin seems incapable of this. I hope to see the birth of a new conservatism which embraces higher education and uses it to its benefit!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/17/AR2010021703507.html

For your entertainment...

http://www.globalissues.org/article/163/media-in-the-united-states

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=media-bias-presidential-election (one of my favorite articles on bias)

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/9993.html (detailing a study of networks covering presidential races from 1992 to 2004)See More

K. commented:  You make some great points MK and I totally respect your opinion. I disagree with several of your points, but arguing on Facebook isn't the best haha. I do strongly believe the Mass Media in 2008 branded and marketed Barack Obama to his victory... but it isn't worth getting to on here.

MK commented:  I have to disagree with you. Facebook isn't a bad place for a well-thought out discussion as long as it's between two reasonable people. If it's the audience that bothers you, send me a message with your arguments and substantiation specific to my points you disagree with.

Top 10 Oxymorons

This morning as I made breakfast, I chuckled to myself as I looked at some of the pantry items I was using.  I got to thinking about oxymorons and some of my favorites.  I felt compelled to compile a Top 10 List of the ones that make me smile.  So, my top 10 list of Oxymorons:. 

#10  Boneless Ribs

#9  Artificial Intelligence

#8  Jumbo Shrimp

#7  Clearly Misunderstood.

#6  Dying is a part of life. (isn't it really the end of it???)

#5  Volunteering is Mandatory (because if we left it to you to actually volunteer, not many would show up)

#4  Aunt Jemima Light (have you seen the picture of Aunt Jemima???)

#3  In Out Burgers (and I thought Burger King was the home of the $.99 enema, aka Whopper)

#2  All natural artificial flavors (as opposed to the all un-natural artificial kind)

and my #1 favorite oxymoron is:

Fair and balanced reporting.

Babies, and all that come with them.

Recently I had a discussion with a good friend. She, unlike me, is young and of childbearing age. She was sharing with me that she was not in any way, shape or form, feeling the need to reproduce. I’ve known her since she was first married and she had the same feeling then so it didn’t really surprise me that she was still not ‘feeling it’. However, she finds herself in the midst of procreating peers and she admitted, it was sometimes a little hard to take.

As we talked further, I could sense that she wasn’t opposed to the idea of building the next generation, instead it seems her peers and the way they were plunging into parenthood was emitting negative vibes. Bottom line, she didn’t think she could ‘keep up with the Joneses’ when it comes to babies and all that comes with them. So, for now, she was just saying no and enjoying her life.

I admitted that I knew exactly how she felt. I was never one to overly conform, although I will readily admit that if I was to do it over again, there is a lot I would change. There is a lot I would not purchase. While there are exceptions to those that follow the ‘rules’ of today’s parenting, the rules and not the exceptions are what bothers me. I should give a few examples, because my thought process is probably clear as mud right now.

First, the schedule. Again, I will admit that I like schedule. However, I like the schedule to be based on MY schedule, not my schedule based on someone else. (Yes, I often chant: I’m a control freak, I can change if I have to, I guess.) When we first started having kids, the books contained suggestions for how to set a schedule for your child. There are immense benefits in having some sort of routine. What I take issue with is the parents of today (again not ALL parents) following the routine to the umpteenth degree EVERY WAKING AND SLEEPING HOUR. I am here to say that I raised three babies into young adulthood and all of them slept thru the night in early infant-hood without me following a schedule that included NO exceptions. That’s right, there were days when I was on the run and they weren’t at home for their 10 am nap. They survived! There were nights that I wasn’t able to feed them exactly at 6 pm. They survived! AND there were even nights that we were out and we were not able to put them to bed at 7:30 pm. Guess what? THEY SURVIVED!

Second, the stuff. In my opinion, there are only a few special items that every parent must have. The list is rather short. These items include, crib, pack-and-play, car seat, stroller, and some sort of feeding chair, and some sort of chair/toy that keeps them up off the floor and in one spot. If you never plan to leave the house, you can omit the pack-and-play, car seat and stroller. That’s it. I realize that my idea would put Babies ‘r Us out of business, but that is my list. My sister made the mistake of using a baby swing with her oldest. Our niece wouldn’t go anywhere without the baby swing. It made packing up and taking off a little bulky. These little white noise machines that simulate the sound of being in the womb. I’m not buying it, not at all. Sooner or later, they have to learn that it’s a cold, harsh world out here, deal with it and go to sleep like we all do, whimpering ourselves into a catatonic state.

Third, the activities. Recently I heard about a franchise that organizes Moms (or Dads) and their precious prodigy into group stroller outings. That’s right, people pay a monthly fee (I was quoted $60/month) to go and ‘stroller stride’ with other parents. Apparently they teach you simple exercises that you can do while you push little Rosemary down the sidewalk. I checked the website, and learned that I could start such a franchise in my area for a $5000 franchise fee. Amazing. What happened to people asking their friend to go walking with them? Better yet, what happened to husbands and wives going out for a stroll in the evenings with their child? I guess I’m just old fashioned because that is what I used to do. The thought of paying $60 a month to have someone tell me where to show up to walk with other parents once a week seems ridiculous to me. I am sure everyone can think of another activity that seems to be a requirement of young parents today.

I don’t understand why today’s young parents (again most, not all) get sucked into the mountain of consumerism that surrounds child-rearing. In my Mom’s day, all she had was Dr. Spock’s book of dos and don’ts. (Ok, maybe not a good example, Mom could have used a little more help at times but that is another series of blog entries.) I will again readily admit that we fell into some of it. But I would NEVER have told visiting guests that we needed to go out to eat at 5 so little Betty Lou could be home and to bed by 7. It just never occurred to me to do that. Ever.

I wonder if the availability of information today makes it more difficult for new parents. Instead of having only a few friends to ask, you can now overwhelm yourself with suggestions and information. In my opinion, it seems like this wealth of knowledge has only served to erode new parents’ confidence in themselves, not empower them. I wonder what will happen with the next generation? I’m a little frightened to stick around and find out.

Disclaimer: I know there are parents out there who are sticking to just the basics. To you I say THANK YOU. To those that have been overwhelmed and feel the pressure–remember, YOU are the expert on YOUR child, no one else. Thank you and good-bye.

Is there still value in education?

I had a conversation with a friend the other day. It turned into a somewhat spirited debate (our conversations often go this way and I enjoy this immensely!). If I had to summarize it in one main idea, I would have to say that my fellow debater takes issue with government backed student loans being used for things other than education that results in direct employment. While I agreed wholeheartedly that it is frustrating when you hear of people taking their student loan money and government grant money and using it to fund vacations, I disagreed that government grants and loans should only go to students that are pursuing degrees in the sciences or business and/or economics. I also took exception that there was no point of pursuing degrees in the humanities and/or liberal arts.

Our son started college with the intention of pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. The middle of his sophomore year, he came to us and said that while he was able to do the course work, he was not enjoying it, AT.ALL. We were a little concerned when he told us that he wanted to change his major to sociology and linguistics. I readily admit, I too had bought into the belief that to chose a field of study other than something in the sciences, business or economics meant that he was acting against his own financial self-interest. When people ask us what he is studying, I admit that we joke that he has chosen a path that will potentially warrant a lifetime of working for minimum wage.

We hear a lot about changes in the world of academia. Universities are changing their focus more and more to teaching vocations, not fields of study. While degrees in the humanities and liberal arts realm provide the learner with a broad knowledge of sciences, cultures and society, they are increasingly seen as less and less important in the academic world. Is this right? Is this another casualty of economic downturn? What will become of our society if no value is placed on learning about each other and our cultures and history?

Later that night I kept thinking about our conversation. Was my friend’s view of what type of educational pursuits the government should back how most of our country’s population feels? I began to think about history and other areas of the world. The one that came to my mind was the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia. Under Pol Pot’s leadership, almost the entire intellectual society, including teachers, writers, artists, and musicians, was killed. Schools were closed. Books were burned. Those that wore glasses were often killed because this was seen as a sign of literacy. I know that this is an extreme example and maybe its not related  to what I am talking about, but I couldn’t help but ponder this historical example of an educational value structure, or complete lack thereof. Is our academic society and its switch to primarily teaching vocations on the proverbial slippery slope? If our government student loan and grant system were overhauled to allow for funding to only be given to those students pursuing degrees in the sciences and business, what would then happen to our society?  Is it possible this could happen?

I admit, I love debate, but I was frustrated with my friend’s line of thinking. If, as a society, we don’t encourage our children to study those things that help them learn about others' culture and language and arts, we become a closed society that has no one to learn from. For me, I will continue to remind others that knowledge is a valuable commodity, always, even if that knowledge doesn’t lead directly to a vocation. Knowledge of each other can never be a bad thing.  Right?

Notice, Notice..there is an expert in the building.

What do you do when you encounter someone who is an expert on E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G? I was in the presence of such a person recently and I found myself biting my tongue. I have known this person for many years, but that day I was about ready to call bull-**** on almost everything he said. Instead I listened as he had a comment and expert opinion on every topic that came up.

The first one was dogs. I know for a fact that this man has NEVER owned a dog. That didn’t stop him from providing a running commentary on how you raise and train dogs. Even though I have heard him impart his unending knowledge before, this time I have to admit I was a little flabbergasted as he went on and on. I’ve owned three dogs, but I didn’t feel as though I had any right to comment on how to raise a Lab/German Shepherd because I have never owned one. This didn’t seem to stop him, not in the least.

One topic after another, he had input for. I silently processed his responses but then I began to wonder, HOW.DO.I.SHUT.HIM.UP? He was beginning to look ridiculous. People were looking at me and winking. Why is it that some people feel the need to give input to ANY conversation topic? Arrogance or insecurity?

Generalizations are the ones that always get under my fingernails. I know that we all do it, and I try really hard to not fall into this trap, but sometimes you hear those generalizations and you cringe. Some of the best (best = completely inaccurate and/or inappropriate) generalizations I have heard that I feel are worth noting:

1) If you eat dinner with a child that is less than 5 years old, you will end up with spaghetti in your hair because ALL children will throw food at you (again imparted from someone that has never raised a child from birth thru age 5).

2) ALL teenaged and/or college couples are doing nothing but having sex 24/7.

3) ALL men need access to horsepower, meaning they ALL dream of working on cars, being at a racetrack, owing a hot rod, etc. Without this they apparently feel inadequate as a male.

4) ALL men are secretly looking at porn as frequently as they can and want to have as much of this stuff forwarded to them by e-mail as is possible.

5) Women (or men) who are nice and laugh at your jokes are secretly wanting to get in your pants (silly me I thought it was called being polite).

Maybe one day I will figure out the need of some to be involved in every aspect of conversation. Those that haven’t learned how to be a ‘learner’ and instead are stuck in the ‘teacher’ mode, regardless of whether or not they have any legitimate material to teach. Until then, I will continue to bite my tongue when I am in the midst of such a person. Some might think this is the wrong approach and instead we should call the obnoxious on this. I believe I could define that as ‘showing grace’. Well it sounds good doesn’t it???

Happy Birthday to Me.

Today is my birthday. That’s right, on this day, September 8, 1967, I was born. Did you do the math? That makes me 43 today. The big 4-3. Of course my youngest constantly wants to make me older, so it was a good reminder to her that I was in fact only 43. Then I had a nice Facebook post from a friend that reminded me I was the ‘baby’ of our group. So I guess in some circles I am still the younger one. Whew!

My mother likes to tell the story of the night I was born. Apparently, she and my Dad hosted a party that night. My mom relays that she was in labor all day and thru-out the party. Being my mother (and one who would never want to bother anyone) she never said anything, waited for the guests to leave, DID THE DISHES, then told my Dad they needed to go to the hospital. The details go on to reveal that her doctor showed up just in time, but he too had been at a party and ‘had alcohol on his breath’. Somehow it seems to fit, that the OB that brought me into this world had to get a little liquored up for the grand event. Then of course there is the detail that I was born at 11:58 pm, 2 minutes before my paternal grandfather’s birthday. Apparently Grandpa Purdy was none too happy with mom for not holding out the last 2 minutes. There was even delivery room talk amongst the hospital staff that maybe they should just cheat a little and say that I was born at 12:01 am on September 9. My mom didn’t think that would be right, so my birth was recorded correctly as 11:58 pm on September 8, 1967.

I was the third of four children who would all find themselves maladjusted in one way or another as we left home and entered adulthood. Some of those things still creep up. For example, this morning when I finished doing my hair with the straightener, I looked in the mirror and said to myself, hmmmmm, mom would say that it looked like I just brushed my hair with a stick. This was a oft spoken comment of hers if I ever wanted to wear my hair straight and not in a mass of hard-roller infused curls. I think I still must have indents in my skull from those darn hard plastic rollers. Don’t even get me started on the home permanents. That chemical smell still gives me shivers.

As I turn 43, I have to take inventory. I have more aches and pains than I ever dreamed a 43 year old could have. Last night I had cortisone injections in both feet because of recurrent bursitis. Silly me, I always thought that bursitis was for people in the rest home. When they took my blood pressure, they informed me that it seems to be creeping up a little too much these days. Ah yes, another family inherited trait...thanks Mom and Dad! Then of course there is the cholesterol issues that require medication, and the bouts of tendinitis that seem to come more frequently and last longer. My favorite is when I complain of something to my doctor and he informs me, ‘well you are getting older’. Awesome Doc, that helps me a lot. So, the lesson in all of that is to apparently buy stock in companies that make ibuprofen because I am pretty sure I will be on a constant drip of the stuff before I am 53.

The inventory also includes good things. My marriage of 22 ½ years is one of the top things. We still enjoy just hanging out together, even if that means long periods of silence. Some may say that is boring, I think it is comforting. The kids. I look at some that are my age (or a little younger) who are chasing toddlers and while there are days that I may miss that, I am thoroughly enjoying the adults that our kids have become/are becoming. Josh leaves in a couple of weeks for his junior year of college. Kirsten just started her senior year of high school and is beginning to plan for her college years. Then Annika is finishing up junior high this year and is slowly becoming stronger and more independent. All in all, pretty good, pretty good indeed.

I guess turning 43 isn’t so bad. It could be worse, I could be turning 50 today. I KNOW I’m not ready for that yet.

shhhhhhhhhh

Today is Friday and I'm NOT at work.  It feels a little strange.  For the last many years, I have always worked on Fridays.  My reasoning for working on Fridays was varied.  I never liked to cook on Friday nights and this was acceptable to Dean so I didn't have to worry about that when I got home.  Often our office would quit working early on Friday afternoons and spend the last part of the day talking and sharing a bottle or wine.  Fridays were a somewhat slack day to be at work.  Now that has changed and I am at home.  ALONE.

I can't tell you how good it feels to be at home.  Is it wrong of me that I enjoy it A LOT when everyone is out of the house and I am here alone?  Sure I had to get groceries, do laundry and clean the house (we have weekend company coming), but being able to do all of these things on a Friday and NOT a Saturday feels so great.  It even makes me almost forget the part about how my paycheck is going to be pretty tiny when I get the next one.

I can't tell you how good it feels to be at home, ALONE.  I love my kids and Dean, but there is something about the solitude that is so nourishing.  I can think without interruption.  I can fix myself something to eat without being asked if I can fix someone else something too.  I can sit on the computer without anyone asking me questions.  I can sew (a renewed passion that I am thoroughly enjoying).  Wow, I can even read a book.  I can even go to the bathroom without someone coming and knocking on the door (yes, my youngest still does that--a door closes between me and her and she panics).

I am by nature a very social person, but I have a secret...I really love to be alone too.  Now its time to finish preparing for our weekend guests.  I can't wait for that time either.

Cat House

I never thought I could love a cat. My aversion to cats goes back to childhood. My father detested cats. Honestly, I don’t even think detest is a strong enough word for how he felt about these felines. He had nothing good to say about a cat, ever. I think this hatred was heavily influenced by his father. Grandpa Purdy (yup, that was his name, Purdy–he was the definition of country boy), told stories about ‘getting rid of’ kitten litters from his neighbor Elsie’s cats. You honestly don’t want to know the details of that. My negative view of cats was definitely molded by my paternal side.

As children we used to go and visit Grandpa Purdy and Grandma Beuna (again, that WAS her name and she too was the definition OF country). They lived on the original family homestead out on the edge of nowhere west Yakima. Down the road was their slightly crazy neighbor, Elsie. Elsie defined ‘cat lady’. She lived alone in what once had been a beautiful house but which she had allowed to become completely overrun with cats. I remember Elsie was missing the tips of several fingers. As a little girl, I wasn’t afraid of this, but I was curious if maybe the cats had bit off the tips of her fingers. I don’t think there was ever an explanation given for the stump fingers. Hmmmmm.

Elsie’s house was full of beautiful antiques that were well worn by her collection of cats that roamed throughout her home. I loved Elsie’s house. It was a classic old farmhouse with a huge kitchen and beautiful parlor with beveled glass pocket doors. I think my love of antiques started at that place. So many treasures that were being ruined by those felines. Elsie’s favorite, was a siamese named ‘Sing’ that slept wrapped around Elsie’s neck. Sometimes, when we stayed with our grandparents, Elsie was out of town so we would go and feed all of her cats. One time we counted over 30 INSIDE the house. I can still remember the putrid smell. Then there were the outside cats and of course the 7 skunks that she also fed. Grandpa Purdy and my father could not stomach Elsie’s love for cats and the damage that they had done to her home. In today’s world, Elsie would have been the perfect subject of a reality show on animal hoarding. No one could understand how she could let those animals ruin her beautiful things.

I never thought I could love a cat. When I was young, I went thru a brief period of wanting my own kitten. This was mostly because my best friend Renee’ Lineberg received an adorable kitten for her birthday. I thought she was the luckiest girl in the world. However, the kitten grew into a cat and the attraction was lost on me. Ever since I have had an aversion to these creatures, that is until Kirsten’s boyfriend Marcus brought us a small black kitten to watch for a couple of weeks.

Kaja came to stay with us temporarily. Kirsten had been begging for us to add a kitten to our collection of animals. I told her ‘NO’ repeatedly. Kirsten and Marcus kept sneaking the little thing to our house for me to see and hold, hoping that I would give in. There is something pretty funny about a 6'3" 260 lb boy putting a tiny kitten in his cargo shorts pocket and watching her peek out. I thought I was in the clear when I told Kirsten the only way we were adding another animal to our household is if one of the existing animals found a new home and that DIDN’T mean getting rid of the swamp bowl (aka fish bowl). That slowed her down for a while, until Dean said that we could watch Kaja for 2 weeks when Marcus went on vacation. I was doomed.

I never thought I could love a cat. Kaja came to stay. This tiny, solid black furball with light eyes. She charmed us immediately. The favorite part was watching her stalk our Chihuahua Trini. Poor Trin. She would walk thru a room and Kaja would lay in wait in behind the sofa and as Trin would walk past her, she would launch herself over Trin. It was hysterical. Trin would just turn and look at Kaja with a look that said ‘you are such an idiot you dumb cat’.

After two weeks, we couldn’t bear to think of Kaja returning to Marcus’ house. We were afraid that the rest of the litter would pick on her. After a lot of debate, we decided to find a new home for Trin. One where she could be doted on and receive all the attention that she required. That’s right, we replaced the old girl with the new cuter baby model. Kind of like the CEO that takes up with his secretary. We wanted the new and flashy and younger pet, the one that everyone finds adorable. Not the cranky old hag.

Kaja continues to be adorable. She takes turns stalking each of us and then launches herself into the air as we walk past her. She is such a dope, laying flat on the ground thinking that she can’t be seen if she lays very still. Yesterday, she crawled into a mailing bag and hid, hoping we wouldn’t see her, then she would stick her paw out and scratch at our feet if we got close to her. The kids friends all love her, much different from the dog, whom no one could stand. We still cringe when the doorbell rings, so conditioned we were to Trin going into barking hysterics when guests came calling and that door chime button was pushed. I miss Trin, sometimes, but I do love this little cat. I would say that my father is probably rolling over in his grave that my house is now a ‘cat house’, but I don’t think you can say that about someone whose body was cremated, can you?? I’m sorry that was a bad joke, but the dark side of me couldn’t resist.

Trin, we miss you, but Kaja we are glad you came into our house to provide us with some much needed entertainment.