Creative November Challenge Day #19: Dog people versus cat people

I've always thought of myself as a cat person. Until the Sausage (aka Jackie) arrived, we'd only ever had one dog - years ago when we lived in Papua New Guinea. His name was Canuck and he was an awesome mixed breed boy who smiled constantly. We inherited him from fellow volunteers returning  to Canada, and passed him on to other good-hearted folks when it came time for us to do the same. Honestly, as much as we loved him, I never thought we'd invite another dog to live with us given that, before and after Canuck, we only ever had cats.

If you'd asked me why I was a cat person, I would have said it was because cats are smarter, more interesting, cleaner, and easier to care for. I might also have mentioned that I feel more comfortable around cat people, who I generally think of as more intelligent, sensitive, introverted, creative, independent and - yes - more neurotic than dog people.

Many of my cat-loving friends express the firm view that they'd never have a dog. Take my friend, R., for instance. He's a cat person all the way, as you can tell in this photo.

Wait. What? Isn't that a dog into whose eyes he's gazing  so lovingly? Why, yes. Yes, it is. How strange. Because I assure you R. would never want a dog. He's said so dozens of time so it must be true. He prefers cats because they're independent and "stay out of his face"- a sentiment I've heard other cat people express often.

Now, some might characterize R's attitude as essentially selfish because he makes it sound like he doesn't want to commit the time and energy needed to care for a dog properly. But I know better.  The real reason R. and most of the other cat people I know can't bear the thought of having a dog is that they're so caring and sensitive that they can't imagine coping with the anxiety and guilt that come with having a dog.

Almost without exception, cats are independent and self-reliant enough to get along on their own for lengthy periods of time. Sure, they're happy to see their caregivers when they arrive home, but they don't go out of their way to make them feel guilty because they had to be gone all day working to pay for food and litter. Cats understand that their people have responsibilities, and do what they can to reduce their stress at the end of a long hard day.

Dogs are entirely different. When their caregivers arrive home - whether it's been 15 minutes or 6 hours since they left - they go out of their minds with happiness, whining with relief at their people's long-awaited return, insisting they must never ever leave them again, and so on and so on. Though such intense doggy affection can be endearing, it's positively disabling for cat people, who are simply too kind, sensitive and caring to cope with the emotional responsibility of a dog.

So the next time you assume that dog people as a group are more caring and loving than cat people, think again. Some dog people are every bit as caring and sensitive as cat people, but it ain't necessarily so. In fact, it's quite possible for a dog person to be a cold-hearted narcissistic jerk who doesn't give a damn about the health and well-being of his canine companions so long as they shower them with love and affection. Sad but true.

Creative November Challenge Day #18: Selfie reflections

Selfies are ubiquitous on social media and I have to admit I've shared more than a few over the years.

For me, selfies aren't about showing off - or not usually anyway. Rather, they're a means of expressing my existential angst by communicating who I am and what I'm experiencing at a particular moment in time. It's only looking at the photos later that I realize, more often than not, that the woman peering into the camera isn't anyone I recognize.

Creative November Challenge Day #16: Stealing peaceful moments

I had one of those days where I went from one meeting to another, reading emails on the run, my mind going in a dozen  directions at once. Suddenly, it was 1:00, I hadn't had lunch, my next meeting was at 1:30, after which I'd be tied up until suppertime. In flash of sanity, I threw on my coat, grabbed my purse and hurried up the hill to my favourite coffee shop, Le French Fix.

Upon arrival, I was disappointed to discover they'd sold the last of their ham and cheese croissants for the day but, fortunately, there was still plain croissant on offer so I ordered a latte to go with it and stole upstairs to sit by a window and enjoy my snack. I'd deliberately left my smart phone on my desk so, aside from snapping this photo, there was nothing to distract me from savouring a few minutes of peace and quiet in the midst of the busy-ness.

It doesn't often occur to me to slip away as I did today. More often, lunch is a sandwich and fruit eaten at my desk while I read an online newspaper, and I rarely take myself out for coffee or a short walk though I know how helpful it can be. Stealing such peaceful moments lets me to breathe deeply, clear away emotional and psychological clutter, and return to my desk more relaxed and better able to work.

With winter looming, I suppose I should make a point of visiting Le Fix more often. Hope to see you there!

Creative November Challenge Day #15: Past imperfect

I was too tired to write when I got home from work last night. Four day weeks often feel hard because I end up trying to cram five days' worth work into them, and I headed home later than usual because of a late afternoon meeting. Fortunately, I had my camera with me so I was at least able to capture a few image.

I prefer the colours and composition of the image above, but the image below is the more evocative for me. I took it while walking from my meeting to the ferry. Normally, I prefer to walk outside along the waterfront boardwalk, but it was cold and windy enough that I opted to take the pedway that connects Purdy's Wharf to the Marriott Hotel, then make my way through the hotel to Historic Properties instead.

It amazes me how memories come flooding back when I visit places I haven't been in awhile. The Marriott is such a place. Over the years, I've attended numerous conferences and special events there, including a memorable black tie fundraising dinner as the guest of an old friend, but I rarely have reason to go there now. Walking through the foyer last night, I found myself remembering that dinner and how much fun I had. I so enjoyed getting dressed up, chatting with our fellow attendees, and going dancing after. The memory still makes me smile, though that particular friendship hasn't withstood the test of time.

It's interesting to think about which memories get stored and why. There was nothing especially remarkable about that dinner - other than that I attended it with a friend who's no longer a friend. How can I have almost no memories of some people and events and such poignant memories of others? Why it is so challenging to recall the details of a deceased loved one's face, yet so difficult to erase memories I'd as soon forget?

I think I'd like the power to edit my memories - to decide which to preserve and for how long. My perceptions of the past would be no less imperfect, of course, but at least they'd be imperfect in ways of my choosing.

Creative November Challenge Day #13: Running woes

It was an odd weekend. Since I had an extra day off (today being a holiday for us government workers), I thought there's be plenty of time to do all the things I wanted to do - cooking, running, yoga, reading, painting, writing, and photography. Instead, most of the weekend got eaten up walking and playing with Jackie, discussing renovation ideas with Husband and tackling various chores. As we prepared to return to the city tonight, I was feeling more than a little frustrated that the time had gone so quickly and I had so little to show for it.

It wasn't a total loss. I managed to do some reading yesterday - finishing Hillbilly Elegy and making my way about halfway through Fifteen Dogs - and this morning I did some baking so we had fresh cheese biscuits for breakfast, then spent most of the afternoon practicing yoga, writing and painting.

My frustration mostly stemmed from the fact that I didn't run all weekend. I headed out first thing Saturday morning intending to run 5k but only got about a hundred metres from the house before the cold, windy conditions prompted me to turn back. Since I hadn't remembered to bring warm gear with me, I thought I'd try again Sunday or today when I hoped the weather would be better. As it turned out, the weather was better but still not warm enough to run without the headband and gloves I'd left in the city.  

After skipping my run today, I have to say I felt pretty discouraged and disappointed with myself - until it occurred to me that maybe it's time to stop beating myself up just because my running's not going as well as I'd like it to. The reality is I've trained consistently most of this year, despite health and other issues - so not running for a week or two isn't really such a bit deal. In fact, it might even be a good thing if I use the break to rest and make plans for the winter season.

The trouble is I don't feel like a "real" runner if I'm not running 3-4 times a week, including a long weekend run - which is ridiculous when I stop to think about it. After all, I've run regularly for more than 15 years now and completed dozens of races - including 8 full marathons and a 50k ultra. Not a real runner? Clearly, I need a more sensible definition.

Given my age and how little time and energy I have for training these days, it's no surprise running feels harder than it used to but that doesn't mean my running days are over. It just means I may need to change things up a bit, set more realistic goals and be patient as I work towards getting back into shape this winter - hopefully, with Jackie along for company on at least some of my runs. We've only tackled short distances together so far but she really seems to enjoy it so I'm hopeful she'll be inspiring me to get out the door a lot more often when she's older. Until then, I'll try being a little more gentle and patient with myself and trust that my inner runner will feel more like hitting the road after a few weeks of rest.

Here's a video of Jackie on the beach last weekend. As you can tell, she loves to run. I hope I can teach her to run slowly enough to let me keep up!