The Fat Cat's Tale

I just saw a news promo about a fat cat.

No, literally, a CAT that is FAT. Otto the cat weighs three times what a normal cat would weigh or "500 pounds in human weight." Poor thing couldn't get up on his paws and was being helped to crawl along on some indoor turf. The news story (to be presented on the evening news) was about "What is being done to Save Otto."

Unless Otto has opposable thumbs (making him an evolutionary wonder), he has been badly abused by an owner. Clearly, he didn't get to that size by living off the land, catching and eating mice to grow that girth. Sorta makes me wonder what kind of person would overfeed a beloved pet that way.

I've always heard that cats have an innate signal inside of their head that stops them when they have eaten enough. Have cats now evolved to the point where they don't know they've eaten "enough" and stop? How did they become so much like people?

Yesterday, ThePioneerWoman.com's Ree Drummond announced that she isn't going to post daily on her blog anymore. Yes, she'll post recipes. And photography. And homeschooling stuff, along with her contributors. But in general, after more than four years of posting all her innermost feelings, thoughts, daily mental swervings and such, she's divulged enough. And well, she's got four kids that she loves more than blogging and wants to get back to paying attention to them.

It was the healthiest thing I've seen in a very long time. Ree Drummond has had enough.

I'm still looking for "enough." Thought I found a bit of something a few years back, but he was definitely not going to be enough. In fact, looking back, it seemed like was too much. Wrong stuff altogether.

I turn to the Internet almost daily in a search for "some," but I'm pretty sure "enough" won't be found on Facebook or LinkedIn.com either. It certainly won't be found in 120 character bursts on twitter.com. I do find a great amount of distraction there, particularly just lately. What a wonderful thing to be able to watch the creation of freedom in Africa and the Middle East as it unfolds, right?

I think lots of Americans are feeling the same thing. We're wondering what will be enough for us? Abroad, they seem to be happy just to be free, relieved of dictators and despots in those other countries. But we've had that for a long time and we're no longer satisfied. So what is enough? Where will we find enough? When we do find it, can we afford it? Can we eat it and use it to fill that gnawing ache that wakes us in the middle of the night to wonder whether we'll ever be satisfied? Thought about from that angle, it explains a lot, doesn't it?

I'm sure I don't know. I think a little more "People are Candy" might help fill my void. So we shall see. I do know I like people a great deal more than food and can't ever seem to get enough of you all.

Egypt Bows in Prayer

Did you see this one? I was tossing through the NYTimes.com's photo spread on Egypt as a break from my other chores and I saw this:

This is Tahrir Square in Cairo as the crowd bowed for prayer on Tuesday. I was impressed because of the uniformity of their faith. You don't see any dissent or unbelievers. Everyone is down on the ground. Everyone.

And also, this photo reminds me of the time period prior to when the USSR fell and became the various new countries that it is now. Specifically, it brought to mind a song by Sting, in which he said "I hope the Russians love their children, too."

It's hard for us to relate to Muslims sometimes. It's hard for Americans to understand why they are so angry. Why some small segments are take such hostile actions, adopt harsh positions and generally act destructively.

But in this picture, you can see so much evidence of their sincere humility before their God. Isn't that what many in this country aspire to? Shouldn't we be happy that they love God, hold their children close and want a better life for them, too?

This is only one picture of the events in Egypt that are offered on the Internet right now. If you find more and better, please share them.