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Quirky Folk - October 2007

Cat Pencil Sharpener

October 31st 2007 21:39
Found: one cat pencil sharpener in a gift shop at Sydney’s Potts Point. It miaows when you sharpen a pencil and the shavings fall into the accompanying litter tray. I must show it to my cat-hating workmates one day. The miaowing will drive them up the wall.
Cat Pencil Sharpener
Cat Pencil Sharpener



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The Day the Higgins and Miggins Went Missing

October 30th 2007 20:53
I cat sit for my neighbour from time to time. It is a joyful task. I get to play with Higgins and Miggins, feed them and clean out their litter trays. I also find it good practice as I am planning on having some cats of my own one day so I treat them as if they were my children and take full responsibility for them. Another of my tasks is to make sure the cats (especially Miggins) don’t escape. So I walk around her flat making sure all the windows are locked.

One afternoon I was in the kitchen preparing their meal. This involves scooping out half a can of Whiskas into the cat bowl, followed by some pieces of raw kangaroo meat. I find looking at the raw meat pretty gross but I think about how much I love them and how they are looking forward to dinner and think, looking at some raw meat for a few minutes is a small price to pay for the joy they bring to me.


After I had their dinner prepared I came out into the living room and noticed both cats had gone missing. I checked all the locks and windows and sure enough, they were shut so logic told me they had to be in the flat some where. So I checked the kitchen and bathroom. No sign. Then I checked their favourite hiding places: under the side table that sits adjacent to the window, inside my neighbour’s wardrobe and behind her Japanese screen. Still no sign. Where the hell were they? I called out their names. No response. Then I remembered my neighbour telling me when they were little they liked to sleep in her drawers. So I opened the drawers and there was still no sign of them. By now I was beginning to panic. My neighbour would kill me if anything happened to them. I finally thought the only place I hadn’t checked was above my head. That was when I happened to look up and I almost gasped from shock: there they were, sitting right on top of my neighbour’s 6 foot high cupboard!

I took this photo to show my neighbour. But when she came home she told me they often propel themselves upwards with their hind legs onto the cupboard so she wasn’t at all surprised to see them sitting up there.
Higgins and Miggins on Cupboard
Higgins and Miggins on Cupboard
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The Sad, Sad Story of Lily the Pug

October 29th 2007 21:10
There’s an old lady called Mabel who walks her black pug, Lily, every day near my place.

Whenever she meets someone who is interested in her dog, she will tell them about how she came to own Lily: she was walking in a field one day when she found the pug with all its teeth knocked out and her puppies killed. Shocked by the brutality, she decided then and there to adopt the pug.

Mabel says she has to be careful what she feeds Lily, since she can only ear mushy foods.

When I look at how cute and gentle and harmless Mabel’s pug is, I cannot believe someone could be so cruel. If the previous owner didn’t want puppies, why didn’t he/she get it neutered? And if the previous owner was too lazy or tight to do that, why didn’t he/she try to give the puppies away or even leave them at the local animal shelter or vet? And why was Lily’s teeth knocked out? Was this the previous owner’s idea of entertainment or did someone else coming across the abandoned pug and puppies decide it would be fun to harm her and kill the puppies? The senseless brutality saddens me. On the other hand, I am touched by Mabel’s kindness in adopting a poor little dog that could have otherwise would have died alone and childless on the field.
Black Pug
Adoram The Bogey Man owned by Mrs A. Clark. Photo by sannse at the City of Birmingham Championship Dog Show, 29th August 2003
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Dog Spread out on the Pavement

October 28th 2007 21:18
I was walking past the hairdresser’s near my sister’s place when I came across this cute dog moaning pitifully at a passing dog. I reached down and patted it and tried to calm it down. The dog then spread itself out like one of those dried flat pressed ducks you see for sale in Chinatown. I took the following picture as I thought it looked so cute:
Dog Spread out on the Pavement
Dog Spread out on the Pavement
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My Mate is Afraid of Swans

October 25th 2007 21:38
One of my mates is afraid of swans. No bull. When he first told me I couldn’t help but burst out laughing; it sounded so stupid. When most people think of phobias they think of heights, spiders, needles, dentists, bugs. But swans? One of nature’s most graceful animals? Swans are probably the last thing anyone would list as being terrifying.

But like many phobias, this came from a bad experience he had.
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Defending One’s Territory

October 24th 2007 22:00
Why is it humans think they can treat someone badly and simply expect the target to take it? Certain people tend to be guilty of this more than others – namely certain bouncers, security guards, ticket inspectors etc.

One example: Last weekend I saw two security guards holding a man down while another two stood menacingly in front of him. I had missed the start of the incident but a person who had witnessed it said the man had been travelling on a train without ticket. Needless to say, the man was screaming at them to let him go. Irrespective of the fact he was trying to catch a free ride, did it really warrant a physical altercation and that many security guards? I and other witnesses thought the security guards were literally being heavy handed.
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Very Cute Cat Miaowing like a Siamese

October 23rd 2007 21:51
Here is Rudy the Tonkinese cat, my all-time favourite cat, miaowing like crazy:


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Why Would Anyone Cut off a Cat’s Whiskers?

October 22nd 2007 22:36
This is probably one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. I was flicking through the November 2007 issue of Cat Fancy magazine and there was a story telling people not to cut off their cats’ whiskers. But why would anyone want to do this in the first place? Cosmetic reasons? Because they think it makes the cat feel more comfortable? I say, if it ain't broke, don’t fix it.

So why do cats have whiskers? According to The Idiot’s Guide to Getting & Owning a Cat by Sheila Webster Boneham, it’s because they help the cat navigate so it is able to work out whether it can fit through that narrow cranny or to move around in the dark. Whiskers enable cats to sense objects without having to touch them. Whiskers are attached to muscle which enables the cat to move them back and forth. This is useful for feline body language: when a cat is defensive or angry it will flatten them against its cheek and point them forwards when it is feeling aggressive. On the other hand, when a cat is relaxed it will point them outwards and downwards.
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Waking up to Some Tonkinese Cats

October 21st 2007 22:12
Something very cute happened over the weekend. I was hanging out with a friend who has two Tonkinese cats. Anyone who knows me knows I prefer the company of animals to humans any day. I like how animals keep things simple and are always there when you need them. They may not necessarily be able to articulate their feelings but they can certainly calm me down when I am feeling angry and make me feel loved when someone has hurt me.

So after a couple of hours of hanging out I was beginning to feel tired and ended up falling asleep on his sofa. When I awoke I found two sandy coloured, furry bundles curled up alongside me, also asleep. It was cute beyond words.
blue point, platinum mink and champagne mink
photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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The Time I Dumped a Guy Over a Cat

October 18th 2007 22:55
It sounded like a good idea at the time. I’m a huge fan of Air Crash Investigation (AKA Mayday Air Disasters) so my neighbour decided to set me up on a blind date at her place with an acquaintance of hers, who just happened to be a pilot.

It started off well. He told me about his job and how he almost ended up in an Air Crash of his own. He was also a fan of Air Crash Investigation. I was a little disappointed when he told me he flew small planes; I was hoping he would fly a 747 or MD-11 but never mind.
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Are Animals More Intuitive Than People? (part 2)

October 17th 2007 22:38
Lion in Nambia - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Lion in Nambia - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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Are Animals More Intuitive Than People? (part 2)

October 17th 2007 22:33
We tend to trust the intuition of animals but funnily enough, we will often discount our own. Whether you call it gut feelings, hunches, or that weird feeling of the hairs rising at the back of your head, we would rather believe the best of people to the point where we put ourselves in danger. Some might even call this giving others the benefit of the doubt but how useful is this philosophy when you end up attacked?

Safety expert and author Gavin de Becker believes that people are far more intuitive than animals. However, this sixth sense, if you like, is often not put to good use as people have a tendency of discounting their gut feelings. It sounds simplistic but de Becker believes that since animals lack judgement, they will always act on their hunches so in this respect, they are smarter than humans.
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One Cute Cat

October 16th 2007 22:36
Go check out this video on You Tube of a cute Tonkinese (half Siamese, half Burmese) cat. It lifts my heart every time I watch it.

I’d love to have a cat like that one. My workmates say cats are boring as they don’t do anything but just sit there on there own. However, Tonks are one of a kind and if they ever encountered one, it would change their minds. If there ever was a cat made for humans it’s the Tonk. They love people and are extremely inquisitive. One of my friend’s Tonks will literally stick their noses into my bags whenever I am visiting.
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Are Animals More Intuitive than People?

October 15th 2007 22:15
Miggins - photo by Q. Rosenberg
Miggins - photo by Q. Rosenberg
Are animals more intuitive than people? Good question. I know that my (female) neighbour’s cats dislike men for some reason. Weird. It would make sense if they had been mistreated by a male but they haven’t. In fact, they have always been cherished by their owner. Maybe it’s the lack of contact with men that makes them cautious.

One time I was with a male friend when I had to quickly return a newspaper to my neighbour before we went out. I quickly knocked on her door and returned the newspaper. The cats, Higgins and Miggins, sat still in the room and seemed to freeze up.
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Getting in Touch with my Inner Cat

October 14th 2007 22:15
Higgins
Higgins


I did some soul searching over the weekend and realised I was just like my neighbour’s Bombay cats, Higgins and Miggins. Like them, I don’t like to be approached by people. Often, when I am being introduced to new people by my friends, I am quiet to begin with as I like to sit there and try to suss the new person out. It takes time for me to open up to people. I have no problems with animals; I am often joyful when I see a cat or dog on the street and will not hesitate to stroke it, but with people I am more cautious.
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People Who Relate Better to Animals

October 12th 2007 01:15
I was watching RSPCA Animal Rescue on Wednesday night and they did a story about how prisoners cannot relate to people but will respond to animals. Some of these prisoners cried when they lost animals they looked after as part of a prisoner rehabilitation program. It was an instant moment of truth as I often cry or feel sad when I see an injured animal and I love my neighbour's and friends' pets as if they were my own flesh and blood. I carry pictures of their pets around with me to look at whenever I feel stressed. Thinking about them help me chill out. The thought of deliberately hurting or neglecting an animal sickens me; I don't even like it when my friends spank their cats when they keep scratching the carpet or rummaging through the bin. I am sickened when I hear stories about people who abandon animals with no food or water.

But if something bad happened to a person affects me less emotionally. I do feel sad but not the extent I would feel if the same thing happened to an animal


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Networking? Not me!

October 11th 2007 00:05
Please don't ask me how I am because the chances are, you don't really want to know. Which is why I hate networking.

I can't stand small talk or inanities. There's a careers seminar I go to every month as I want to learn about career development. I try not to talk to any of the attendees because they have a tendency of stating the obvious: 'You must be hungry' one person says to me as I reach for the chips. 'You must be busy' says another as she watches me taking copious notes. And, finally, 'You must be hot' says another while I reach for the Coke. Because the same people come every month, you can imagine how annoying this can be after a while. Can't they understand I just want to be left alone to listen to what the presenter says? Why waste words anyway


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What Makes a Happy Workplace

October 10th 2007 01:57
Readers of these pages know I’m not big on people. But funnily enough, I have lots of mates at my current workplace. The people here are very friendly and helpful. We look out for each other, which is ironic as our jobs are very solitary and don’t require much interaction with anyone.

I like to hang out with a group of three boys. I am the only girl in the group but I love the feeling of kinship they bring. Each day we poke fun at and make funny faces at each other. We also make noises: I miaow like a cat while the boys burp. Whenever one of us hears some gossip we share it amongst ourselves. The ones who have been here the longest will pass tips to the younger members on what the boss expects and what annoys him. What a change from some of my previous workplaces where I was made to feel like an outsider


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Kitchen Hoggers

October 9th 2007 01:40
I hate kitchen hoggers. There's a girl at my workplace who brings a huge shoulder bag into our tiny, cramped kitchen and she will stand there for ages talking to her friend while she is waiting for her toast, oblivious to the fact there is a queue forming outside. I have no patience for people like that so I will walk in and use the filtered water tap. (Given that we have 60 people in our office all sharing one small kitchen, I don't see why I should wait for her). I, in turn, get banged by her enormous handbag while she swings to the side to stir her coffee. And, of course, she doesn't say sorry, which is very annoying and inconsiderate. I don't even know why one would want to bring such a handbag into the kitchen in the first place. Maybe she is trying to save time by dropping into the kitchen before she starts work.

My workmates get annoyed by people like her, too. Probably because we only drink water so we don't understand the fascination people have with standing around the kitchen, slowly stirring their cups of coffee while talking about the weather. I have no problem with this when the kitchen is not being used but these people seem to do it first thing in the morning - right when everyone else wants to use to kitchen to get some water/make some toast/put their lunch in the fridge etc. Maybe I'll have to start using the kitchen later on during the day ha ha


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Benefits of Doing Things on Your Own

October 7th 2007 22:19
Society seems to give people who like to be alone a bad name. Just look at the negative connotations associated with words such as loner, recluse, hermit, outsider, spinster. They suggest that being alone is awful and that the person must be a social outcast and incapable of forming, let alone sustaining, friendships.

It's only until recently that a neutral term for a person who likes to be alone has been coined: quikyalone


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The Love Animals Bring

October 5th 2007 02:04
My friend Gigi said to me that pets give unconditional love, unlike humans where often love does come with strings attached. Some might disagree but we all have boundaries. Imagine sleeping with your best friend's partner - I doubt any friend, no matter how many times they say they will always be your friend - will stick around after seeing this type of behaviour.

Come to think of it, animals have boundaries too but they tend to be more forgiving than humans. How often do you see a badly treated dog who is still loyal to its master? One only needs to watch RSPCA Animal Rescue to see this


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The Perfect Apsergian Job

October 4th 2007 03:55
What does a person do if they don't like dealing with people? It seems all jobs require some interaction with people which means having good people skills is a must. So how do those who prefer to be left alone (such as moi) make a living?

Writing would be perfect job but unfortunately it doesn't pay well and the chances of being published are slim. There's also data entry which pays better than writing but is dead boring; all you do is sit there day after day entering bits of information into a computer. zzz...I marvel at those who make a career out of it. Even working with animals involves dealing with people (particularly small ones), especially if you happen to work at the zoo, pet shop or the circus


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Leave me Alone!

October 3rd 2007 02:14
I love to power walk to the city, where I work and shop. Not only do I save money on public transport, I get to keep fit and to avoid people so I can be in my own little world and reflect on things. I feel so much calmer when I arrive at work now that I no longer have to be packed like a sardine on the hot, smelly train; breathing in other people's B.O. and watching someone pick their nose.

So I get annoyed whenever someone makes smart remarks such as 'Slow down, slow down', 'In a hurry, are you?' or worse, 'Hurry, hurry' which sounds like the person is mocking me


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My Aspergic Tendencies

October 2nd 2007 04:51
People annoy me. Especially those who waste words and time on social inanities. I have Aspergic tendencies (I'm socially awkward, clumsy, has a certain disregard for social convention and can be very literal) and could happily spend the rest of my life alone. Animals bring out the softer, patient side in me because there is meaning behind everything they do - unlike humans who waste time talking about the weather or asking dumb, meaningless questions such as 'How are you?' I call these questions dumb and meaningless as people asking such questions only want one answer: 'Good, thanks'. So why ask the question in the first place? And what if you're not having a good day?

One of my friends has the same problem. He is 6ft 4 and often gets asked, 'What's it like to be so tall?' It drives him nuts and he will often answer with ,'I don't know. What's it like to be so short


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