Tuesday, May 27, 2008

A Cat's Eye View


Baxter here. I've had a busy week. My Humans went away for a couple of nights and left Me here Alone. However, I managed to Get By without them. Luckily That Dog went with them so I had the place to myself, always a Pleasure.

I hear they went up to that Place called the "Adirondacks" again. They told me they are "House-Hunting," whatever that means. After all, they have a perfectly good House right here. Why would they be Hunting for Another one? At any rate, they said they didn't find Anything yet so I guess Nothing is Changing right now. They did tell Me that once they find Something they may bring Me up there with them on Vacation. I am not enamored of That Idea. We shall see.

This is a new Picture of Me. How do you like my Piercing Gaze?

Let's see, what has been going on this past week? Oh yes. The Hillary Clinton Human made another Unfortunate Remark. In discussing why she is staying in the Race until June, she brought up the Fact that the Nomination was not Decided until June when her Husband, Bill, was nominated in 1992, and then talked about the fact that Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June of 1968.

Although she probably Didn't Mean It Like That, and she eventually gave a rather Perfunctory Apology (you know, the Kind that go "I apologize if I offended..."), it has to make you Wonder What She Was Thinking to bring up such a Subject so Matter-of-Factly, when she should know that People are Worried about the Obama Human being in Danger.

Now Me, I wasn't even a Twinkle in my Momma's eye when Robert F. Kennedy was shot. But my Humans remember it well, as well as the assassination of Martin Luther King, and of course they also remember when John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963. So to bring up such a Traumatic Event in such a Troubled Year as the Humans are in right now, seems Tasteless and Insensitive on her part, especially since the Obama Human is often compared to either Bobby or John Kennedy.

Many supporters of the Hillary Human are protesting that the Remarks were taken Out of Context, as so many Remarks have been in the Primary Race, on both sides. And yes, that is Probably True.

But for someone who is supposed to have So Much Experience and be So Much Better at playing the political Game than the Obama Human, she seems to be making a lot of Remarks that People are being Upset about. Does she really not know how her Remarks will be taken by Others? And if not, then how would she be at Negotiating with our Enemies or trying to get Congress to do Something? Makes me wonder, and I'm just a Cat.

Oh well, I know Most of You have been talking about this for almost a Week now so you are probably Tired of It. So we will Move On to other subjects.

I found an Interesting Article about a scientist who was the Victim of a Stroke and discovered "Nirvana" here on Earth. Jill Taylor was a neuroscientist working at Harvard’s brain research center when she had a Stroke that affected the Left Side of her Brain, which is responsible for all that Stuff that Humans have cluttering up their Heads all the time: Judgment, Time, Ego and Analysis. Suddenly all that Stuff was Gone and she was left with her Creativity, Empathy and a Sense that she is One with the Universe. As a Cat, I can imagine That pretty well, except for the Empathy part. I certainly don't have much Empathy for That Dog, for instance.

Although she has since Recovered, she is still able to Channel her Right Brain and block out the Left Brain when she wants to - a perfect compromise. She has taken to Speaking about her Experiences. You can watch a video of her being Interviewed by Oprah by clicking on the Link below:

Interview with Jill Bolte Taylor

In Surfing the Internet I was reading a Blog that I Truly Enjoy, as one of my Species is an Important Part of this Blog. Recently the Human who writes the Blog had a Whole Bunch of those Quizzes that Humans love to take. As a Cat, I usually avoid those sorts of Introspective Things but for the Fun of it I took one of the Quizzes, to understand My Catlike Personality better. Here is what I Learned about Wonderful Me, Baxter, the Cat:



Your Five Factor Personality Profile



Extroversion:

You have low extroversion.

You are quiet and reserved in most social situations.

A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you.

You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people.


Conscientiousness:

You have low conscientiousness.

Impulsive and off the wall, you don't take life too seriously.

Unfortunately, you sometimes end up regretting your snap decisions.

Overall, you tend to lack focus, and it's difficult for you to get important things done.


Agreeableness:

You have low agreeableness.

Your self interest comes first, and others come later, if at all.

In general, you feel that people are not to be trusted.

And you're skeptical that anyone else really feels differently.


Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.

You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.

Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.

Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure.


Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is low.

You're a pretty conservative person, and you favor what's socially acceptable.

You think that change for novelty's sake is a very bad idea.

While some may see this as boring, many see you as dependable and wise.




Hat Tip to Sometimes Saintly Nick and his Cat, Alex!

Until Next Time, enjoy some Catnip (Responsibly, of course!) and I'll leave you with a picture of a Fellow Cat who must also be a Blogger:

kitty
more cat pictures

12 comments:

Fran said...

After a stressful day and just too much of Hillary this and Obama that I am delighted to see you Baxter.

You are the only one who truly makes sense; can you be President?

Please?

Randal Graves said...

Oh great idea Fran, then we'd have to hear from the dog lobby, and you know how loud they can get.

Mary Ellen said...

That personality test was fun! Here's mine...

Extroversion:

You have high extroversion.
You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends.
You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation.
Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!"

Conscientiousness:

You have medium conscientiousness.
You're generally good at balancing work and play.
When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done.
But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it.

Agreeableness:

You have medium agreeableness.
You're generally a friendly and trusting person.
But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism.
You get along well with others, as long as they play fair.

Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.
You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.
Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.
Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is medium.
You are generally broad minded when it come to new things.
But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it.
You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.


Looks like I'm pretty much "medium" kinda gal. This part of my personality has gotten me into trouble from time to time, though...."Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!"They are spot on about how I like to goof off a bit and not always get my work done. That's how I ended up blogging in the first place!

Mauigirl said...

Fran, unfortunately I don't think the Constitution allows Cats to run for President.

Randal, yes, the Dog Lobby would be a big Obstacle to the whole situation. They would demand Equal Time.

Mary Ellen, glad you liked the Quiz. My Female Human has now taken it as well, and here is what Her Quiz results were:

Extroversion:

You have medium extroversion.
You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party.
Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences.
But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time."

Conscientiousness:

You have low conscientiousness.
Impulsive and off the wall, you don't take life too seriously.
Unfortunately, you sometimes end up regretting your snap decisions.
Overall, you tend to lack focus, and it's difficult for you to get important things done.

Agreeableness:

You have high agreeableness.
You are easy to get along with, and you value harmony highly.
Helpful and generous, you are willing to compromise with almost anyone.
You give people the benefit of the doubt and don't mind giving someone a second chance.

Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.
You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.
Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.
Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is high.
In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.
You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits.
A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

Cosa Nostradamus said...

.
So, didjya find a place up there? Was it still snowing? How far are you from Lake Champlain or the Finger Lakes? It's beautiful up there. Wish you luck.

PS "Cozy" means tiny, "quaint" means termites, and "rustic charm" means rednecks next door...

What you're looking for is an "executive residence" (plumbing works), with no "view" (can't see the freeway), in an "upscale neighborhood" (can't smell the town dump).

Send other realtor codes, and I'll use my old real estate salesperson's code book to decipher them for you. Happy hunting.
; )
.

enigma4ever said...

ahhhh Baxter...they are hunting for a little hideaway...that might have mice and birds and other interesting goodies..( I love Nostradamus's Code work..very nice...) Baxter I scored like you on that test....I dont know what that means ( probaly that I am part cat??)....Don't worry about the Hillary mess...it will settle down soon and people will start be nicer to each other and things will make sense again....say hi to maui...

The Future Was Yesterday said...

Howdy again, Baxter! Well, we survived another week, eh? A lot going on, for sure! I have three felines as well. Like all you cats, they act a little uppity (pull those claws back in, Mr!) once in a while, but maybe that's because of years of watching us people be such idiots. I've always wondered if us people remind you of That Dog? Cats and Dogs CAN get along, but it takes practice, and willingness from both of you. People too CAN get along, but this time of year they have another attack of their reoccurring illness: politics. It's times like this make me wish I wasn't a people, I was a cat. You guys don't get upset over a whole lot if your food dish is kept filled, you have fresh water, and a clean potty box. Plus all you do is lay around and sleep all day! That has to be pretty cool!

"when she should know that People are Worried about the Obama Human being in Danger."
This is what I'm talking about. The way us humans are carrying on, you'd think our food dish had been empty for a week, and our potty box was overflowing! It's all because of that reoccurring disease us people have: politics. It makes us act like a cat that just got back from the vet - impossible to get along with, pouts, and demands they get everything they want. Save your hissing for somebody that hasn't heard it before, ole boy.:)

That's exactly what us humans are doing. Hissing and spitting at each other like a bunch of wet cats. And the politicians? They say stuff on purpose to keep us hissing and spitting at each other! Meanwhile, it wouldn't kill you to learn to get along a little more with That Dog, and stop acting so much like a people.

There is more than enough of us around already. Now c'mon out to the kitchen and help me make a toasted tuna sandwich. I always drop some every time I make one. And as we both know, everything is better after Tuna! Hang in there, Baxter!

Christopher said...

Baxter,

Make sure to find a safe place to hide where feet belonging to the Hillbots can't reach you.

Tomorrow, the DNC's Rules Committee meets and what I'm being told is they plan to only seat 50% of the delegates from Florida and Michigan.

Bottomline: the numbers for Obama and Clinton won't change. Obama's delegate advantage will become even more insurmountable.

Mauigirl said...

Cosa,
My Humans are very Grateful for your realtor Translations. They have also learned that "needs TLC" means it's an Uninhabitable Dump. They tell me they still have not Found what they are looking for.

Enigma, I am sure that Whatever they Find won't be Too Bad and I will get Used to it.

Future, you make a Lot of Sense and my Human and I will take your Advice and Chill Out about the Political Scene! However, I don't know that I will ever Get Along with That Dog. If she would stop chasing Me, I might Consider a Change of Heart.

Christopher, thanks for reminding Me that the DNC is meeting. It will be Good to settle that Issue and Move On.

Cosa Nostradamus said...

.
Dear Baxter & Co,

Some human-types of my acquaintance that have moved on up out in to the woods, have taken advantage of laxer bldg&zoning code enforcement and lower costs for local labor & materials to build relatively inexpensive but very nice homes: A-frames, log cabins, domes, even double-wide trailers.

That way, you can find a really nice piece of land for less money than it would be worth with a less-than-desirable house already on it, and build one to your own specifications with lower costs and less hassles than rehabbing or redoing an old house.

Post WWII construction is really not meant to last more than 30-60 years without major rehabbing, anyway. Pre-War is really getting old, and hard to find rehabbed or in rehabbable condition for a good price.

Some of the newer construction I've seen looks especially flimsy. At least with a "kit" or pre-fab home, you can see what's going into it, and spend your money on what's important to you (like a big kitchen or an enclosed porch instead of a formal dining room and an open deck, or whatevers.)

Hey, it's your dream home: You don't HAVE to do this. So, if you do it, do it right. (Every one of us will be dropping by.)

I always told RE investors, "Don't look for a house/bldg, look for the DEAL that fits your investment plans." Your case would be the opposite: Find or build your perfect place, and then start negotiating.

It looks like land in the Adirondacks starts at about $30,000/lot, and home-kits start at about $30,000. Don't know what your budget is, but it looks like you'll get a lot for $100-200,000 up there. If you go too cheap, you might end up with Larry Darryl & Darryl dropping by a lot. Too expensive, and you'll be living with a bunch of them snotty refugees from NYC & NEW JERSEY! In the middle, could be real cozy.

In the current market, you're in a better position than any seller. Don't wait for a sellers market. Have fun shopping.

KIT HOMES

LOG CABIN HOMES

A-FRAME HOMES

DOME HOMES

TRAILER HOMES

MODULAR HOMES

ADIRONDAKS BUILDERS
.

Anonymous said...

Ohhh Maui - get a dome home - we could revert to being the hippies we once were - LOL!!! And BMOC would not think you were a LOSER anymore!

Seriously though, Cosa does bring up a good point.

kuanyin333 said...

Yup, she's way too politically savvy to make a blunder. Don't buy it either Baxter, although you worded it very well! Piercing eyes indeed!