Monday, January 29, 2007

Catism losing its personal touch?

Part of the appeal of Catism as an academic movement was the personal charisma of its founder and leader, the cat Gergiev. Many early blog postings that began the movement had a sense of humor and gave insight into the daily life of the cat Gergiev. Unfortunately, the blog has degenerated of late into little more than a repository of quoted and paraphrased news stories involving cats. Although there is certainly a place for cat-related news, readers of the blog are missing out on the added interest and instruction that Gergiev's editorializing could provide. As evidence of this declining reader interest, one has only to compare the number of comments on recent blog posts to those on earlier posts. Return to us your wisdom, O great Gergiev! The next generation of cats (such as Nello) await your instruction and wit.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Another random survey

1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?

I don't want a house anymore. I want a quaint, 2 bedroom apartment in a lovely old building in San Francisco.

2. What's your favorite article of clothing?

Little black dress. My old, frayed, torn jeans. My comfy tennis shoes. My long, grey princess coat.

3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite (same) sex?

I'm not sure I really have one. I've never been able to figure out exactly what makes me attracted to some people and not others.

4. What's the last CD that you bought?

Beborn Beton.

5. Where's your favorite place to be?

I am partial to San Francisco and Woodward Park when I feel like being out and my cozy apartment when I don't.

6. Where is your least favorite place to be?

In a classroom teaching a group of bored students.

7. What's your favorite place to be massaged?

I have never had a professional massage and have no desire to ever have one. I do like having my back and shoulders gently rubbed by my significant other.

8. Strong in mind or strong in body?

Can't you have both? A guy who can carry me is sexy as hell!

9. What time do you wake up in the morning?

If I have anything to say about it, then around 8:00 a.m.

10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance?

My coffeemaker. It is the best looking and most used appliance I own.

11. What makes you really angry?

Spending money on things that I don't particularly enjoy. I don't mind paying rent, buying groceries, etc., but I despise spending money to fix my car . . . which I will be doing today.

12. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?

I would like to be able to play guitar and violin.

13. Favorite colour?

Black for clothes. I sometimes think that I should discontinue buying clothes that are not black, grey, navy, or white. Maybe someday, I'll own nothing but black dresses.

14. Which do you prefer...sports car or SUV?

Neither. I've started walking to school some, and I much prefer that to any car. Now I just need to live somewhere with no ice.

15. Do you believe in an afterlife?

Nope. The world ceases to exist when I die.

16. Favorite children's book?

The Velveteen Rabbit.

17. What is your favorite season?

I enjoy the change of seasons. Funny then that I should want to move to SF where there is basically only one season year round.

18. Your least favorite household chore?

Yeah, it's gotta be laundry.

19. If you could have one super power, what would it be?

To be able to change into a cat at will.

20. If you have a tattoo, what is it?

No tattoo. I do have 8 earrings, which a lot of people don't realize with all my hair.

21. Can you juggle?

Probably not.

22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?

I need to track down one of my old college roommates.

23. What's your favorite day?

Those when I have plenty of energy and spare time--and friends to spend them with.

24. What's in the trunk of your car?

Jumper cables. Empty box.

25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?

Hamburger. Never got up the nerve to try sushi.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

What I learned in SF:

Flowers (and I don't mean pansies) can bloom outside even in January. Just not in Oklahoma.

Real Chinese food can mix black beans and water chesnuts with sweet potatoes . . . and the result is wonderful. Also, generic "Asian" food should be done away with. Tei Kei's, I'm looking your way.

If you can't find your bus stop in the ghetto, go to an intersection and head toward the street in the distance that looks the least scary. Then look to your left.

Ham and swiss are best when baked inside a flaky croissant and eaten outside on the wharf.

It is possible to catch a bus if you run fast enough.

Ghiradelli chocolate is far better when fresh and when poured over ice cream.

Cities can be, as I always suspected, grand and eloquent like nothing else.

Tag, Part II

I tag the cat Gergiev, though I suspect that she is too immersed in her celebrity status to do such mundane things anymore.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Tag

1) If you had to choose one vice in exclusion of all others, what would it be?

Writing sentence fragments.

2) If you could change one specific thing about the world, what would it be?

Rent in San Francisco would be as cheap as it is in Tulsa. Also, I would be there. In SF, that is. I might make all my friends move there too . . .

3) Name the cartoon character you identify with the most.

Bugs Bunny.

4) If you could live one day in your life over again, which one would it be?

The day last September when I went to SF with a certain law student and realized it was the most lovely city in all the world. Beautiful old buildings. Flowers everywhere, even in the alleys.

5) If you could go back in history and spend a day with one person, who would it be?

The cat Hodge. Oh yeah, and his lowly human companion, Samuel Johnson. According to legend, Johnson personally went to town to buy oysters for Hodge so that Hodge would not have to fear resentment from the servants who would otherwise have been assigned the task.

6) What is the one thing you lost, sold, or threw away that you wish you could have back?

I don't generally have remorse over things that I discard.

7) What is your most important contribution to this world?

Not having children.

8) What is your one hidden talent that almost no one knows about?

I can play a pump organ. But since it's not much different from a piano, it's more a matter of owning a pump organ than being able to play it. So it's really more of a secret possession than a hidden talent.

9) What is your most cherished possession?

I don't have any one thing that I am particularly fond of, though I am rather fond of my apartment as a whole. I also adore my feline companion, Gergiev, and fresh flowers.

10) What one person influenced your life the most when growing up?

How can this answer really be anything other than your parent(s)/guardian? I mean, really. Who taught you how to speak? Who taught you not to drink Draino? See, there you have it.

11) What one word describes you better than any other?

Jeni.

Monday, January 08, 2007

At last . . . Christmas pictures


The trendy Gergiev, sporting the latest Christmas fashions. Velvet collar trimmed with faux fur and gold-plated jingle-bells.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Tomorrow is a tragic day . . .

To celebrate the last day of vacation, I walked to Braum's and got a chocolate malt, which I shared with my cat Gergiev. My cat loves chocolate. Mochas, chocolate muffins, chocolate malts. She is sad that I must go back to work and leave her at home alone. At least she has her catnip mouse to keep her occupied. Maybe she'll even get bored enough to write some interesting blog entries.

Jeni's new career

Last night, I hypnotized a cat named Blocks. He sat and purred in my lap for over an hour whilst I communicated with him telepathically, and today he shall do my bidding, terrorizing dogs and squirrels all around the world (ok, maybe just Tulsa). We shall soon see how my little experiment worked. I used a little known hynotic technique referred to as scalperiosis, which involves the skilled use of long fingernails to soothe the patient. Perhaps once I perfect my powers, I can attempt to conquer the daytime talk show circuit as a cat-whisperer . . .

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

The horrors of dissertating

Dissertating has recommenced, though it is going slowly. I wrote one whole page yesterday, which I guess is one page better than nothing at all. Apparently Hester Prynne is not as inspiring a Stoic as Uncas. Sigh. Perhaps I lack the proper encouragement of a loyal cat. But alas, my cat does not desire to entertain me by blogging anymore. She is neglecting both me and her public. How sad. Come back, little Gergie! Even MS-F came back eventually in private blog form.