Cat problems?

Monkey (our oldest) has been given the responsibility of scooping the litterbox in the basement (I don't think that that's an extreme responsibility for a 12 year old). She most often finds a way to not do this chore. Granted, a litterbox IS stinky and gross, but it is part of having a cat. This chore hs been delegated to her for a multitude of reasons. The most salient one is this: Lady Arat or I shouldn't have to do all such things round the house. If you have a cat you should scoop the litterbox. She claims one of the cats as hers. Therefore, we have delegated the litterbox in the basement to her. This is the ONLY dedicated chore that she has at present aside from keeping her room clean (which is another story altogether). She has not been scooping the litterbox with any sort of regularity. Yesterday, she thought that closing the bathroom door (where the litterbox is housed) was a good idea to keep the litterbox from smelling. Imagine what it was like when we opened the door. The level of ammonia made breathing nigh unto impossible. Really. We have tried all sorts of positive and negative consequences for compliance (or non) on litterbox duty, to no avail. We finally decided to let her know, in person face to face and IN WRITING, that if she did not hold up her part, that we were going to have to divest ourselves of one of the cats. This was to be done to make the litter that she refused to scoop last longer. WE are on a very tight budgetr with me having no employ, and anything we can do to save even a little is keenly felt. As one of our cats could not care less where it lives as long it is fed, we decided to let that one be the one finding a new home. It just so happens that that is the one that she claims as "her" cat. One might think that the loss of a pet might be a motivator for action. But not for Monkey. She has neglected to scoop the litterbox regardless. So this last week, Lady Arat posted the cat on Craigslist in the "free" section. Mind you, no one will really want this cat, though she is a pretty beast. She's old. She has some health problems. There is a reason we sometimes refer to her as "the booger beast". Cat boogers? Yup, it's gross. Here is where the problems have arisen. Will the removal of a beloved pet from inaction cause trauma in a child? Absolutely. But such removal can also be had when one leaves a pet turtle out in the sun, or a gate open for a dog that runs out into the street. This COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. There have been some whom I have spoken to about our decision whom have been very supportive. And there are some who have not been so. It happens in any parenting situation that someone else does not approve of another's methods. I do not ask others to approve of what we do as parents in regard to our children, so long as what we are doing is not abusive to our children. But I would hope that they respect us as people enough to understand that we all have a different perspective on parenting, and that those perspectives do not always jive with each other. But that does not mean that one is wrong and another right. They are just different. If my solution for lack of litterbox cleanliness was a close meeting with a fast moving belt, that's one thing. I'd kinda expect being called on that. That's abusive to me. But to remove a belonging from one's home that is not being cared for by the designated caregiver is quite another. I realize that a pet is different than say, a toy or a bicycle. But it is a pet. And if it is not being cared for as has been required, it should go to a situation where it will be cared for appropriately. If we REALLY wanted the cat gone, the consequence would be "don't keep the litterbox clean? Your cat goes to the shelter". At this point, Monkey needs to realize that a pet (or anything else) is a privilege one EARNS. And she is not earning this privilege.

When will I figure it out?

Lady Arat came home from a women's conference at our church, and came home with an... interesting observation. One of the speakers is a curator at the MOA at BYU. He was talking about how we need art in our lives and how so many don't differentiate between art, and craft. Lady Arat had the observation that I was not feeling fulfilled by what I havew been doing, is because much of what I have been making is craft, not art. Now, don't get me wrong. Craft has it's place and there is much to be enjoyed and valued there. But as an artist, doing mostly craft... It was not getting me what I needed. It was quite epiphanic for me. I sometimes wonder when I will figure these things out. I am so glad for my lovely wife who can hear something and realize that it is something that I would need to hear. That, and that she would pass it along to me as well... So I have decided to work on things that I can put part of myself into, things that bring me joy, first and foremost. Cool item for this post:

These pottery jewels have been a LOT of fun lately. They are tempermental, and do NOT always come out the way that one might like. But sometimes...

Intentional consumption

Y'know... sometimes... chicken soup is just SO good. (particularly when you made it yourself)! But I digress from the doings of the day... Though it does fit with intentional consumption... I MEANT to eat that soup!

I heard a speaker recently talk on the importance of interacting versus consuming media. It hit me rather forcefully, and with some thought (not to mention encouragement from my lovely wife), I am endeavouring to change my media habits. I have found (as have others) that when you just consume what is "out there", and don't interact in a meaningful way, it can get you into places you don't really want to be, literally or not. I think that that is one of the problems of the coming generations, how to deal with all of the media and information coming at you from all quarters at light speed, and still have real and worthwhile interaction with the world. So I choose to interact, versus consume. So there you go. My part is to do this blog, and to make and list stuff so it can be sold. I need to spread the nifty far and wide!

Nifty item for the post:


Sometimes they just come out SO nicely... These pottery jewel necklaces are kind of a crap shoot, in that I'm not exactly certain how they will ever turn out. This one is nice, though. White stoneware clay, pale yellow glaze and two colours of glass. About the size of a USA quarter (maybe a bit bigger) in diameter. Check them all out at:
http://www.mossbottle.etsy.com

Cheers!