Cat Convo Friday

There is, incidently, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person.

– Dan Greenberg

or talking to cats.

Translation provided for those who don’t speak meow.

Kuri: Have you heard this one?

Me: Which one of what?

I continue down the hall with three cats running and leaping around me. Sometimes they get excited when I leave the computer.

Kuri: Why did the cat join the Red Cross?

Hiyu: Because he wanted to be a first-aid kit.

Loki: That was too easy. How about “What’s a cat’s favorite button on the TV remote?

Me: Paws

Hiyu: You shouldn’t make fun of us.

Me: I only answered the question.

Loki: He’s right. We’re smarter than you. You shouldn’t answer our questions correctly.

Me: Did you know there is a French proverb that says “The dog may be wonderful prose, but only the cat is poetry.”?

Kuri: I like poetry.

Hiyu: How about a knock-knock joke?

Me: Really? Can’t we just play?

YES! They all scream and scramble towards the box forts.

Hiyu: Knock, Knock

Me: Who’s there?

Hiyu: Neil

Me: Neil who?

Hiyu: Maybe I’ll tell you, maybe I won’t.

I shrug. It’s always this way. Hiyu takes a graceful leap plucking the feather stick out of the air. Kuri charges in the moment the feather stick touches the floor, but he is blindsided and bowled over by Loki who’s also trying to grab the feather.

I distract them from the beleaguered feather with red laser dot. Once we’re done, they’ll be ready for their naps and I can once again write in peace.

~lisa

Listening

Can you hear me now?

Despite this wildfire marketing phrase, people are listening to each other less and less.

Listening is a skill we can all learn and practice. Face-to-face interaction is still the best way to connect with others – if you can be in the moment and actually listen.

Ted Talks http://www.ted.com/ has a great series of talks on how to hone your listening skills.

My favorite is the talk by Celeste Headlee: 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation. http://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation

My favorite quote from her talk: “Everybody is an expert in something”

Another favorite quote: “There’s no reason to show you’re paying attention, if you are in fact paying attention.”

One of Headlee’s first rules of conversation is to stop multi-tasking. “Don’t be half in the conversation.”

In my household this advice is a bit controversial.

Grandma’s rule is “no cell phone when you’re with me, unless it’s an emergency.”

My generation is much more “it’s rude to multi-task, but the other person’s phone is like a third person in a conversation. They get a turn too.”

The kids are much more of an annoyed “Why did you stop talking?”

“Because you’re typing on your phone.”

Kids: “So?”

“We’ll wait for you to finish.”

Kids: “Just keep talking. We can do both. It’s annoying when you stop your thought.”

Ted Talks fall on my side of the equation, but what are your thoughts?

Do you multi-task?

Do you pretend to be in the conversation, but are skipping ahead to your reply, or just nodding and thinking of something else entirely?

Are you 100% in the moment and truly listening to and responding to what the person is saying?

I fall in all three categories, but I’m going to try to get better at the latter because all people are amazing. All you have to do is listen.

Please share your thoughts.

~lisa

Also try Ted Talks by Julian Treasure

 

Cat Convo Friday

Sometimes the completely-erudite Bengals dive right into Chaucer or Voltaire. Other times they prefer simpler classics. Hiyu uses Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham” as a jumping off point for his daily recital.

Pet me! Pet me! I am here.

Pet me! Pet me! Over there!

Pet me, pet me, anywhere.

Pet me, pet me in the house.

Pet me, pet me with a mouse. – Really, can I have one? Please?

Pet me or even Loki in this box.

Would you pet me with a fox? I’m sure I can run circles around one.

Pet me, please. In the rain, on a train, with a goat, or in a boat. Exactly what are those things?

Pet me in a car.

Truth is, I hate cars.

Pet me near and far.

Pet me in a park.

Pet me in the dark. That’s what the middle of the night is for, isn’t it?

Pet me here. Pet me there.

Pet me, pet me, ANYWHERE!

I don’t care how, just pet me NOW!

~lisa

Reminders

This re-post is from a wonderful blog I follow. Jade always nails it on the head. Enjoy and keep hoping. ~lisa

Bored Pandas & Ted

For those of you who don’t spend enough time online, I have a couple of suggestions. Warning! These are very addictive.

Bored Panda http://www.boredpanda.com/

Ted Talk Blog http://blog.ted.com/

One of my favorite talks & speakers. Follow Ed Young and get a science round-up post every Friday. Delightful as he brings you the best of the week’s science news.

http://blog.ted.com/how-parasites-turn-our-thinking-sideways-ed-yong-at-ted2014/

A recent comment said the cats have a “pretty good vocabulary”. Indeed, they are most erudite. Considering how many times they are into the books, they are also very well-read. This Friday on Cat Convos, Hiyu will share his rendition of one of the classics.

See you then.

~lisa

 

Zika

 

What is Zika?

From the Zika Forest in Uganda (1947) to media wildfire 2016, The New York Times has finally answered all of my questions in an exquisite, extremely well-researched report.

I thought this was worth sharing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/07/health/zika-virus-brazil-how-it-spread-explained.html?smid=tw-nythealth&smtyp=cur&_r=1

~lisa

 

Cat Convos Friday

The Bengals have been at it again. Translation provided for those who don’t speak meow.

Hiyu: This way! This way! It’s about time you got off that computer. Kitchen is this way. Follow me.

Me: Where are your brothers?

Hiyu: Who cares. The kitchen is this way. I get a snack, right? Kitchen, snack?

Me: Yes, it’s snack time, but we have to find everyone.

Hiyu: They’re in my place. They don’t deserve snacks.

I look around the kitchen. I spot the twins looking down at me from the top of the kitchen cupboards. They look smug. It took them a while to master Hiyu’s technique, but now they’re pretty good at it.

Me: Hey, guys.

Hiyu: Ignore them. Since you made my place cat-friendly it’s not really a challenge anymore. Even those two can get up there.

Me: They were already getting up there. I just made it safer for everyone.

Hiyu: We’re in the kitchen. I want my snack.

I pull the box out of the cupboard. The twins are uncharacteristically quiet, but they watch my every move. Hiyu jumps up on the stool. Anticipation is in the air.

Me: Snacks!

The twins leap as one in perfect synchronicity. Their front paws bounce off the top edge of the refrigerator as if they were in a tightly choreographed ballet, then they lightly bounce of the counter and onto the floor.

Kuri: Yeah, I want snacks.

Loki: I want them more.

Hiyu: I got them first. Did you see what they did?

Me: Yes, I saw. Normally they aren’t that graceful.

Hiyu: Look at the refrigerator.

Kuri: Hmm. Did I do that? Look! This is interesting.

Loki: More snacks please?

Kuri: What’s this new space to explore?

Me: I don’t believe it. No, you can’t go back there.

Somehow the Bengal twins managed to move the refrigerator out by six inches. Kuri pouts as I push it back. Loki keeps looking for more snacks.

Hiyu sports a mischievous grin and flicks his tail for emphasis.

I dare you to do it again.

~lisa