Q-tip

I gave Charles a q-tip this morning.

Hehehehehehehehehehe… I love this cat.

This was possibly the best toy ever. Better then the hair tie I gave him yesterday. Although that could fly from my fingers at a fascinating speed it wasn’t multi-textured. I gave him a bobby-pin the day before that and that was pretty cool, it’s shiny, slides across tile well and it’s easy for him to toss in the air but it is not very chew-able.

His take on the q-tip? Soft cotton on both ends and a soft yet straight stick in the middle; this was the superior toy.

He threw it in the air and threw himself under the curtain. He dashed into the hallway, catching it as he went by and rolled around growling at it in the funniest way.

Bravely he torpedoed his generously proportioned little self from the table legs, but he miscalculated and crashed his head into the garbage can instead. After a shocked moment of staring at this mysteriously placed item he turned and raced in the right direction and caught it as it slid away. Busily he chewed at the cotton head until it stuck in his teeth and then he hurried to me to extract it before leaping back into the battle.

Satisfied, and a little winded, he surveyed the twisted stick and then …he copied Sally. Charlie parked his little tubby behind down and grumbled, growled, groaned as he scratched his ear with his back foot.

I laughed out loud.

I grinned and scooped him up for a morning cuddle. He cuddled back, drooling a little as he does when he is very happy and then he remembered he was a dangerous and heroic hunter and indignantly pulled away. For forgiveness I let him down and then tossed the q-tip back under the table and he hurried to snatch it up before it could get away.

Drool

I know my cat loves me because he drools on me when I cuddle him...

Moscow

I had a dream Sunday morning that I was in Moscow not by plan but by a series of spontaneous incidents that resulted in my arrival.

I have a half remembered memory that there was a fuss about this by other parties and that the unintended visit created headache and worry for a few but selfishly I was only excited in the dream.

Because the visit was impromptu, my entrance was by subway and train through a neighboring country.

I entered the city by a bridge in the late evening and saw the most strange and gorgeous city along a river. There were bright lights in store fronts, people walking everywhere and statues of unfamiliar characters posed about in squares and streets.

Cold air bit my cheeks as I grinned at the incomprehensible dialogues circling around me and the serious looks I received back. There were shadows, far off shadows that I could see were towering building complexes that ominously reminded me of the New Orleans housing projects.

Perhaps this is all a figment of my imagination but I really would like to see Moscow now. To see if this idea is true and that if it is a center of human nastiness and human aspiration.

Pay or Go to Jail

http://biggovernment.com/2009/11/06/committee-confirms-comply-with-pelosi-care-or-go-to-jail/

“H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax.” [page 1]

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“If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…” [page 2]

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“Criminal penalties

Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses. Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:

• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

Colors

4am

I woke up at 4am to think about a dream that involved a thick jungle and a mansion that was alive as well as occupied with shadows.

The shadows were malicious and the house was mischievous and between the two it was a very dangerous place. The tricky part was that the jungle would prove deadly to stay in for any duration of time.

I woke up and thought about the elegant wood mantles, door frames and soft waving white curtains. The deep fire places, the ominous corners, the threatening stairs and the misleadingly soothing colors on the walls.

The dream meant something but I am torn. Was this a place that existed as I saw it or was this a representation of a physical space or was this a reflection of something inside me?

The house was breathing with life. The individualism of each detail was startling and, even after several hours of absolute boredom, I still find them easy to readily recall correctly.

The shadows were separate from the life of the house but they were trapped in the same space. They were lethal in their desires and goals. In the dream, I tried to figure a way out of the house that would not include a trek through the murderous surrounding jungle.

And there was something about a painting. A portrait painting, that was the key.

Friday

Every day I walk into an office full of people that fall into two categories.

Lot number one are generally stressed beyond what I would consider normal and healthy -every single day. They hurry and rush to meetings, take three or four ice runs and never ever mention anything remotely personal. If you make the mistake of asking what they are doing for the weekend you will get a cross eyed look and a cool silent response.

Lot number two laugh and sing the day away. I think that they do work sometimes but because of their light hearted approach at everything, they are completely ostracized by lot number one.

Compounding these issues, are yearly reviews of employees that have been ongoing this week. Now add to that the newest policy that you must be in business dress unless you would like to make a ‘voluntary’ contribution to a foundation of the company’s choice.

Side note: I don’t mind wearing dresser clothes. I Do mind when it is a pesky maneuver attempting to get to my cash.

But today is Friday and Friday is a magical day.

On Friday Lots one AND two are smiling. I walk around and I see members from both lots speaking to each other… granted lot one is determinedly picking topics that are work related and lot two ignores the work part and chats about the other’s cute shoes but the point is that they are talking… amiably.

I love Friday. Someone has brought in cake and someone else brought in homemade cookies. Two pots of wretched cheap coffee are freshly made and happily guzzled. I wore jeans too, but brought dress pants in the car as back up.

But today is Friday.

And today even one of the bosses cheated and wore jeans.