Cat Convos: Resolutions

Hiyu: We want to talk about our resolutions for the new year.

Me: Really? You guys have changes in lifestyle you want to implement?

Loki: No, silly. We have resolutions for everyone else.

Kuri: Yeah, we have a good long list.

Loki: We have a plan.

Me cautiously: Are you going to tell me the details of your plan?

Kuri: Last year we started our Cat Emergency Response Team. We’re going to talk a lot about emergency preparedness. We want all of our readers to be safe and prepared.

Loki: Even dogs and birds and hippopotami.

Me: Hippopotami?

Hiyu: That’s the plural of hippopotamus. We like to educate people.

Loki: We’re also going to help you lose weight.

Me: You could lose a couple of pounds too.

Loki: You have a lot more to lose than I do. Hiyu’s going to inspect your food and keep track of your exercise. 

Me: Anything else?

Loki: You need to take more pictures of us. My coat is perfect.

Kuri: We’re going to help around the house more.

Hiyu: We have a lot of surprises for you this year. It’s going to be fun.

Me suspiciously: Surprises?

Kuri flicks his ear. Hiyu gives me an evil grin and Loki gives me a tummy to pet.

Now I’m really looking forward to 2018.

~lisa

Purrs to All

Wishing all our readers a wonderful holiday season!

Purrs to all of you!

Cat Convos: Living with Bengals

One comes off even less sane when you report weekly on your Cat Convos. Fortunately, I provide a translation service for those who are not fluent in Cat. Our sub-dialect is Bengal.

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: Hiyu’s right. We like to be 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.

Loki: I have one! I have one! How many cats can you put in an empty box?

Me: How many?

Loki: One. After that the box isn’t empty.

Kuri: Good job, Loki! That was clever!

Me: Sometimes all three of you fill a box.

Kuri: I can explain: once one of us in the box, it’s no longer empty. Get it?

Hiyu: Knock. Knock.

Me: Who’s there?

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

Me: Really? Can’t we just play?

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

The first play session of the day then begins.

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

Cat Convos: Where’s the Tree?

Me: You guys sound like a herd of elephants.

Loki: You said I need more exercise.

Hiyu: I DO NOT sound like an elephant. It’s the twins, not me.

Me: You guys are making me dizzy with all this gallivanting about.

Hiyu: We certainly aren’t gallivanting. That means wandering aimlessly.

Kuri: Yeah, we’re running full speed, cornering fast, testing our speed and reflexes.

Me: Dare I ask why?

Kuri: We’re on a hunt for the tree.

Loki: We know it has to be here somewhere.

Me: We don’t have a tree yet.

Kuri: The Christmas boxes have been here a week.

Hiyu: We’re going to keep playing Cat Conspiracy Theory until it’s up.

Me: I thought you guys were having a blast playing The Floor Is Lava.

Loki: It helps having different stacks of boxes everywhere, but Hiyu still wins.

Me: Why do you guys want a tree? You aren’t allowed to touch it.

Loki: We like to lurk around the edges. That’s not really touching it.

Kuri: I like the smell of a tree in the house. Especially now that The Hill got rid of all its houseplants.

Me: I decided you three were more than enough work. The houseplants all went to good homes.

Loki: I miss them.

Kuri: She gave them away because you ate them.

Loki: I only took a few nibbles.

Me: You’ll get a tree next week.

Kuri: Why do we have to wait so long?

Loki: You hid it, we’re going to find it. 

Hiyu: What’s the point of unpacking the ornaments if you don’t have a tree to hang them on?

Me: We’re going to share the good fortune we have as much as possible. We’ve gathered too much of the detritus of living in our consumer culture. We’re going to be giving a lot of things to charities, including all these excess ornaments.

Loki: Are you going to give away our toys?

Hiyu: Are you going to get rid of my perching places? What about my hiding places?

Me: Don’t worry. You guys will always have a surplus of everything, however that doesn’t mean we can’t share with those who do not have as much.

Kuri: They can have my old jingle balls, but not our catnip.

Loki: Did you give away our tree?”

Me: I told you it’s coming next week. I suggest you ask our readers where they think we should donate all of this stuff.

Kuri: Okay. Hey Readers, what are good places to donate our ornaments and toys and all the other stuff we’re going to give away?

Hiyu: Question asked. Now back to Cat Conspiracy Theory. Ready, set, go!

Me: We would love to hear your suggestions of best places to donate.

~lisa

The Writer’s Paradox

The Hill is back meandering again. For those of you who are new, Rainbow Hill Meanders darts around with glee as the hill roams through the diversity of life, mythology, cultures and eclectic odds and ends.

It’s been a long and exhilarating journey these last few months, but that is what brings me to today’s subject.
Writers are told to “write what they know.” I’ll be the first to admit compared to everything I want to know, I’m fairly ignorant.

The other adage is “write from your experience”, and I would add that there are so many things in life to experience, where will I find the time to experience all of it?

With a few caveats, I can agree with both pieces of advice.
It’s not easy to write about the ocean without knowing the taste of salt on your lips. Sure we can imagine the setting, but the details are in the sea breeze, in the force of the wind bringing sand against your skin and the air filled with the crash of waves and the call of birds.

I could perhaps write forever about the beach from so many experiences in so many climates. There are movements caught in the periphery of vision, and the smell of the sea life on each wave rolling in. All beaches smell a little different, sound a little different and all of them can surprise you with something new.

There are so many great experiences to try, bask in, absorb and feel. There are so many things to learn and find and revel in the knowledge of. There is so much life that we can’t ever experience all of it, but we can expand our experiences by embracing each other whom we meet, by bridging the gap and exchanging our experiences, our triumphs, our failures, and our moments of wonder.

Back to writing.

As a writer you read everything in your genre or subject. Mostly as a writer you need to write. Writing is the ultimate goal. So where do all of these writing adages take me?
We all struggle with work/life balance. Writers add on read/learn/experience/explore and then write. Sometimes this is a daunting commandment. Other times it is the richest gift life has given me.

I’ve tried many methods over the years. This meandering blog is one of my favorites. After all, being a writer encompasses the love of sharing with others. We share our stories, our imaginations, our experiences and our dreams.
If I can share through words the tickle of a crab scuttling sideways across your hand and leaving a small trail of abandoned sand behind then I have shared with you. When I read, it is the other writer sharing back. If I can share a lively detail of dodging a tornado with friends then they can share their own lively tales back.

And back to the writer’s paradox. There are all those hours and connections that enrich us beyond measure, but then there is the solitary art of going into the flow, of coalescing all of richness into a story to share with others.

My wish is that all of the writers out there forever enrich us with their words, their art and the dedication of what is mostly a solitary endeavor. My wish is also that they may enjoy the world and people around them in equal balance.

May tomorrow always bring new discoveries.
~lisa
What do you think the best strategies are for balancing writing and experience? Life and the work it takes to share our passions? I would love to hear your advice.

Cat Convos: CERT Inspection 1

Crash! Bang! Thud!

Me: What’s going on in there?

Hiyu: We’re doing an inspection and you aren’t passing.

Loki: Relax, you’re mostly passing.

Kuri: Where do you keep the crockpot and all the big kitchen appliances?

 

Me: What?

Hiyu: We’re doing a CERT Preparedness Inspection.

Loki: Remember, we formed our own type of CERT. We are now a Cat Emergency Response Team.

Hiyu: And you can’t help others until you take care of yourself.

Loki: Yeah, the mantra is “you’re number one”, then “what about you?” If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others.

Kuri: Found them. All heavy appliances on the bottom shelf where they can’t fall on your head. Good for you.

Me: You guys still aren’t allowed in the cupboards.

Kuri: Fine, I’ll get on them. Is that better?

Me: What makes you guys think it’s okay to destroy the kitchen?

Hiyu: Official business. We’re pretending to be an earthquake.

Loki: I like practicing opening things anyway.

Kuri: Who knew we would be so good at mayhem and mischief?

Hiyu: I did.

Me: You knock those dishes to the floor and there will be no laser tag for a week.

Kuri: We’re done with the kitchen anyway. Loki and I are going to throw our weight around and see how much furniture we can knock down.

Me: You’re getting a time out.

Loki: Does that mean you don’t have all the furniture attached to the walls? What about these bookshelves?

 

Me: We’re not getting rid of the books.

Loki: You aren’t going to stop us from making sure you’re earthquake ready.

Hiyu: I HAVE A BRILLIANT IDEA! You can rent us out as CERT Earthquake Inspectors. If we can destroy a house, then you’re in trouble if a big earthquake comes.

Me; (carrying three large, squirming cats in my arms): Enjoy the playroom.

Hiyu: Wait! At least run our previous post about how we created the Cat Emergency Response Team. Our readers will want to know.

Loki: Yeah, someone might have missed it.

Me: Fine. I’ll put the original post at the bottom of this one. Happy?

Kuri: May we come out now?

Me: Not yet. Run off some of that energy and then you can sit on my legs while I get some computer work done. Right now, I’m wishing all of our readers an easier time in their preparedness preparations.

~lisa

As promised, the original post:

Cat Convos: CERT

Hiyu: You’re a CERT.

Me: Yes, and…

Kuri: We’ve decided we want to be CERT.

Me: You want to be a part of a Citizen Emergency Response Team?

Loki: Something like that.

Me: You guys aren’t exactly citizens and you don’t have opposable thumbs or…

Hiyu: We know all that.

Kuri: Yeah, we want to form our own CERT.

Loki: It’s brilliant and we can help other cats.

Kuri: Even dogs. We could help dogs.

Me: Let me explain a little bit about CERT.

Loki: We’re going to make our own CERT.

Hiyu: Yes, we’ve figured it all out.

Kuri: We’re going to be a Cat Emergency Response Team.

Me: Cat Emergency Response?

Kuri: I’m going to educate the public about having emergency rations & toys for all of their companions.

Loki: And I’m going to help with post-disaster mental health. I’m good at purring.

Hiyu: You can make little first aid packs for us.

Me: I’m not sure.

Kuri: We can help with search and rescue.

Hiyu: I can get to high places and I’m small enough to get into little places.

Me: That’s quite a dream you guys have there.

Hiyu: If it’s important to you then it’s important to us.

Kuri: You know how much we like to help. I even have an outfit for it. I can do security detail.

Me: You know I’ve got you guys covered. Your Emergency Go Crate is well stocked with food, water and toys. Your pictures, descriptions and up-to-date vaccination records are also there.

Loki: Why do we need more than toys and food.

Me: In case we have to evacuate. Human shelters only allow service animals and if I need to get you boarding then they need all of your records.

Kuri: I’m not going to be boarded. I’m going to be in the thick of it.

Hiyu: That’s why we’re forming our own Cat Emergency Team. We want to be part of the solution.

Me: My hope is that if there is a problem, you guys will take care of the house and the rest of the family while I’m out helping with recovery.

Hiyu: What if we agree to help birds?

Kuri: Or dogs or reptiles or–

Loki: Fish. I like to watch fish.

Me: I appreciate that you guys want to help.

Hiyu: So it’s settled. We’re your own Cat Emergency Response Team.

Me: I love you guys.

Loki: Purr

Hiyu: I can purr louder.

Kuri: Not as loud as I can.

Loki, Kuri and Hiyu: Purr, purr, PURR.

Me: May all you readers out there be safe and have a plan.

~lisa

 

 

Human Chrysalis

Every few years, it happens. All the experience, the learning, and the events reach a pinnacle of change where life itself needs to be processed, digested, and reinvented into the new being, the new me.

Some people do this once or twice a lifetime. They sit back, reflect and redefine. They always seem to know who they are. They know their goals and they stride forth confidently into the future. If you are such a person, I envy you.

 

Some of us never seem to settle on who we are, what we like and where we’re going. We go and we go and then we cocoon. We each become a human chrysalis. For a while, we withdraw into our burrow, our tower, the safety of what is.

We reprioritize, reassess, and launch. We unfold our wings, once again, confident for a while of who we are and what our purpose is.

,The Bengals have approved the new agendas, though they have a lot to say about the changes taking place (Cat Convo Fridays).

The Hill meanders once again through the space/time continuum.

Monday Mythology and Wednesday Writing will remain. Tuesdays and Thursdays can take us anywhere or may take us back to reposts of old favorites.

There will also be attempts to photograph pictures that tie in far better with metaphors used. Two weeks from now, the focus (pun intended) will be on butterflies and cocoons (better late than never).

Loki, Kuri and Hiyu say they will always fill in, if I don’t have an appropriate picture. The race is on.

As always, I love to hear from you. Send me your comments, let me know of great places to meander, what rabbit holes would be a delight to drop into, and the best adventures to be undertaken.

~lisa

Human Chrysalis

Every few years, it happens. All the experience, the learning, and the events reach a pinnacle of change where life itself needs to be processed, digested, and reinvented into the new being, the new me.

Some people do this once or twice a lifetime. They sit back, reflect and redefine. They always seem to know who they are. They know their goals and they stride forth confidently into the future. If you are such a person, I envy you.

 

Some of us never seem to settle on who we are, what we like and where we’re going. We go and we go and then we cocoon. We each become a human chrysalis. For a while, we withdraw into our burrow, our tower, the safety of what is.

We reprioritize, reassess, and launch. We unfold our wings, once again, confident for a while of who we are and what our purpose is.

,The Bengals have approved the new agendas, though they have a lot to say about the changes taking place (Cat Convo Fridays).

The Hill meanders once again through the space/time continuum.

Monday Mythology and Wednesday Writing will remain. Tuesdays and Thursdays can take us anywhere or may take us back to reposts of old favorites.

There will also be attempts to photograph pictures that tie in far better with metaphors used. Two weeks from now, the focus (pun intended) will be on butterflies and cocoons (better late than never).

Loki, Kuri and Hiyu say they will always fill in, if I don’t have an appropriate picture. The race is on.

As always, I love to hear from you. Send me your comments, let me know of great places to meander, what rabbit holes would be a delight to drop into, and the best adventures to be undertaken.

~lisa

My Hyperbole of Life

Recently a new reader favorited “My Hyperbole of Life”. Now that the Bengals have redone their introductions it’s my turn. Many things have changed over the hill at the year and yet…

I still wear one million and one hats. I have eight million books, six thousand notebooks, and about a billion chores.

Let me explain.

Hats = roles played in life.

So maybe one million and one is a little exaggeration, but I think we’ve all been there.

Think of all the titles you have, not just a work title, but also titles of see (insert your name here), they’re the expert, your role in your family older generation and younger generation. Most of us have a role as someone’s child, sometimes labels that also include parent, cousin, aunt, uncle and all of us are some relation five times removed from our mother or father.

We have our role with friends (and once again our titles of expertise within our group).

Some of us have roles as parents, or volunteers, or community leaders, environmentalists or hobbyists, sports positions or… as you can see the list goes on and on and on.

That’s what I call a hat. If you had a hat for each role and title your closets would be brimming over with headwear.

Notebooks = Organization

Every hat you have comes with its own needs and supplies. As a writer mine usually come with a physical notebook to keep track of lessons, vocabulary, characters, etc.

If you play sports then your notebook is all the equipment required, the information about all the games and the contact info for everyone involved.

If you play an instrument then your notebook is your instrument, your sheets of music, your rehearsal time, and your schedule and contacts.

If you’re a little organizationally obsessive like me then you keep a line of notebooks ready to go for each committee or group to which you belong. A Saturday night writer’s group means: grab the blue folder on the way out the door. Or on a larger scale, going to an Anime convention means grab the yellow folder and the over-flowing garment bag packed with costumes, trinkets and smaller organizational bags.

Eight Million Books = a whole lot of books. Those I own, referenced and shelved and dusted. Sorted into read and ready to read. The eight million includes a pile of library books, recommended books, research books and loaned books.

One Billion Chores = just about everything else. With only a billion to do, I’m probably on the low end of the scale. There are always dishes to do, clothes to wash, gardens to weed, tables to dust, items like a car (or the random appliance breakdown) to fix and have serviced, carpools to drive, and papers to sort.

I’m not about to get into a contest on chores. I keep my life fairly stream-lined.

Despite all of the above, I also add lots of things in my life that don’t fall under a category of hyperbole.

I will and do write or edit two thousand words a day.

I spend at least an hour a day playing with cats. If I don’t the cats will find most vexing ways to get attention.

This year exercise is no longer allowed as a maybe. Email and social media are always checked every morning and always replied to.

I love to hear from people, to listen, and respond. Out of the trillion things above, my relationships whether person-to-person or from the ethereal internet will always gain my attention and a response.

~lisa

 

 

Cat Convos: The Floor is Lava

Hiyu: What are you doing?

Me: Sorting my books

Hiyu: You’re making huge piles of them. Hey, guys, look at the gigantic stacks of books in here.

Loki: Why? Why are you changing things?

Me: Because I’m a bibliophile. Every now and then, I’ve bought so many books that they need to be sorted and integrated on the shelves.

Kuri (in awe): Those towers of books are so tall.

Hiyu: The floor is lava!

Hiyu gracefully jumps to the top of a large stack of books.

Me: Oh, no! Stop! Don’t!

Kuri: Here I go.

Crash! Thud! Boom!

Kuri: I didn’t do that.

Loki: I’m on the cat tree.

Hiyu jumps to an empty shelf. The floor is lava! The floor is lava!

Loki: I’m safe on the cat tree.

Kuri jumps on the shelf with Hiyu.

Kuri: Where’s the stack of my poetry books?

Me: They’re already on the shelf.

Hiyu: I see epic fantasy. Watch me go.

Hiyu successfully makes the leap.

Loki: I’m still safe on the tree.

Kuri: I’ll take that stack of mythology.

Crash! Thud! Boom!

Me: How about we move some chairs and a sheet into the living room and you can play the floor is lava in there.

All three cats jump onto the chair I’m moving.

CHAIR RIDE! CHAIR RIDE! LAVA! LAVA!

Eventually the books will be sorted

~lisa