Too much information

I've been surfing around, looking at the Katrina info on the web & am overwhelmed by it. I've checked maps, donated money and asked J whether or not we can host a family from the region. I'm going to ween myself from the media blitz, since I'm spinning my wheels in the muck of the aftermath & can actually do more without the blitz. Donate, if you haven't yet & if you're thinking genius thoughts about how to help, feel free to share.

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J shaved his head on Friday, after he heard that his barber would be away until the 20th. He asked if I cared, because the results would be random, and I was able to say I don't.

I am very easy-going about what other folks do in their lives. When I think of why that is - it comes up that I am in a place right now where I'm observing my behavior, shaping it slowly - if at all. Overall, I think there's more value to observing oneself, given the idea that one's actions are largely shaped by untold external stimuli (think parents, significant others, coworkers, friends, etc). I remember thinking last December that I actually couldn't figure out what was driving me anymore, internally, because I had made efforts to adopt behaviors that other folks had recommended. I saw success from those efforts, but hadn't internalized them & so was relying on others too much to keep up with my habits.

I'm rounding out the end of three months off, three months to reflect on what I actually want and what actually drives me. It's been interesting to revisit unstructured time - I've been more ambitious & less productive than the last five years I spent working. I'm rested now, as a result, which is awesome. I'm looking for sustainable accomplishments - something I can do for, say, the rest of my life. I can look back and see what I'm capable of -- and I can see what it cost me. The rest of the year looks amazing - I'll have my hands full even if I only focus on baby steps.

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How to wash a cat

My oldest sister is an animal person. She practically raised me, so I'm an animal person too. I favor cats, which is tough cause I'm a friend to many who are allergic. That's not what this story is about, but it's worth mentioning.

My favorite cat is Jema. She's 16 years old and is having tougher times keeping herself clean. We've stepped up our brushing and general care - but she's getting dreds and so she needs a bath. A bath is a tough thing for cats, but can be tougher for the people giving the bath.

My sister had a tomcat when I was growing up - buddy. Buddy would show up sometimes, after thunderstorms, I recall. He'd be post-fight and covered with a mix of blood and mud. I remember my teenage sister closing the door to the bathroom, emerging after a while with scratches on her arms and a screaming tomcat, now clean but clearly unhappy. J had similar memories of their feral cat and baths that his dad gave - same screaming cat, same scratches as a result.

Jema and I have had a good time together & I don't like to freak her out. When she was a kitten, I made sure to touch her between her toes, to acclimate her to me giving care when it felt awkward. I haven't been a terrific care giver, I'm always going to hang my head about the terror of her litter box (although I'm always working to improve). But I have done well by her baths.

J was understandably concerned when first we bathed her together. The best thing for cats, really, is to let them clean themselves. But now we have our system down. We grab a bunch of towels, shampoo, J's added music to the mix (Try a little tenderness), and a bucket to keep the waterstream going. Jema is accustomed to this by now - after we load up the bathroom, we bring her in and set her in the tub without water at first. She kinda stands there for a while & looks at us with a "now what" look. I start the water, warmer now that she's arthritic and pour bucketfulls over her - smushing the water into her resistant fur. When she's soppy, she gets soaped, her face last. I let water fill to her kitty ankles, it's easier to get soap off with water in the tub. We usually have about 20 minutes before she meows to get out.

When we're done, there's a quick switch to the towels. Cats like to feel secure (and will scratch if you leave their claws in reach) so we wrap her tightly in towels at the end. I grab her first because I've known her longer. J follows up with another towel and another, until she's wrapped like a baby in a papoose. I take her into the living room and just hold her, while the towels soak up heaps of water. This time J read to us while we all sat in the living room. I would occassionally scratch Jema's ear, loosening the soppy fur on her head idly while listening to J reading. We usually get another 20 minutes while she sits - a bit stunned - in her papoose. Then she'll complain and I'll put her down. We've learned not to let her outside after a bath. I'm not sure what the impulse is, but when we've let her out before, she scrubs dirt into her wet fur, demolishing any apparant cleanliness. Instead she goes somewhere in the house where we can't find her. After a few hours, she comes upstairs again. Usually in a few more, she wants to be brushed and will hang out with us again. The best is that the next day - she's a few years younger - totally clean and very happy.

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We're heading down to Bumbershoot in a half hour. J is now pulling pics off his digital camera. We'll see Meredith Monk and a friend, in one of the bands he plays in -- Dauddah Guys.

It'll be great to get out & it'll be nice to kick the week off with an event like this. There's heaps going on through the week & we're hoping to camp in the Cascades this weekend. That's not all - I've got a list a mile long of things I'm working on - photo work, painting work, non-profit work. I've got my new biz card for astrology readings - I'm bringing some with me to bumbershoot. School's back in session & I don't know anyone who isn't taking advantage of the move towards getting things done.

Don't forget to donate, ok?