It Takes A Village: VNV Wednesday What Cats Can Teach Us About Resistance

March 1, 2017 MomentaryGrace Found on the Internets, It Takes a Village, Music and Art 38

The Village News & Views
Wednesday Get Over the Hump Free for All 

Did you #BLACKOUTTRUMP last night? Since I’m writing this before the actual speech, I’m sure there will be a number of blogs and news stories about it by Wednesday morning, however I’m going to give you the fun of finding them yourself and talk about something else.

What Can Cats Teach Us About Resistance:

“Never try to outstubborn a cat.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love

Not everyone loves cats. Since I respect everyone’s freedom to their own preferences, I suggest that if you aren’t a fan of the cat, when reading this diary, every time you see the word “cat”, you insert the name of your favorite animal.

“Of all God’s creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.”
― Mark Twain

Cats are natural resistors. I don’t mean like, transistors, rather, I mean that cats are universally known to do pretty much what they chose to do and if you want a cat to do something that cat does not want to do, you are about to experience a world of frustration such as you may have never before experienced.

You can try to coax a cat, you can coddle a cat, you may be able to trick a cat but beware, they are smarter than most non-cat people give them credit for.

If you Google cat intelligence you quickly discover that most of the articles written and perhaps the studies done try to measure cat IQ by comparing them to dogs and posing the question, which is smarter.

I’m not even going to go there. Dogs are awesome, and cats are awesome, and just like humans, they don’t have to be the same to have value or be clever each in their own ways.

However when it comes to resistance, cats are geniuses. As we look ahead to the possibility of weeks, months or years of resisting the Popular Vote Loser, and the GOP agenda, we can look to our feline fellows and their numerous examples of how to do it effectively.

 

 

Focus on things that are in easy reach – do what you can do. Pick an activity and add it to your daily routine.

 

“The only thing a cat worries about is what’s happening right now. As we tell the kittens, you can only wash one paw at a time.”
― Lloyd Alexander, Time Cat

 

 

 

 

When you’ve had enough, turn away from news, internet, even magazine covers in grocery store check out lines. Your regard should only be bestowed where you chose.

 

“The cat does not offer services. The cat offers itself.”
― William S. Burroughs, The Cat Inside

 

 

 

Find those who share your interests and concerns and enjoy their fellowship.

 

“Cats have it all – admiration, an endless sleep, and company only when they want it.”
― Rod McKuen

 

 

 

Think out of the box… until you are ready to climb into the box and take a nap.

 

“I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.”
― Hippolyte Taine

 

Cats do not have to think about resistance. It is built into their DNA. And yet they have made a place for themselves inside the homes of larger beings who ask almost nothing from them in return for maid services.

“Confront a child, a puppy, and a kitten with a sudden danger; the child will turn instinctively for assistance, the puppy will grovel in abject submission, the kitten will brace its tiny body for a frantic resistance.”
― Saki

It is who they are. And for now, it must be who we are. So take lessons from the cat. Don’t run yourself to a frazzle, take time, care for yourself, and know that resistance is a kind of adamant will, and once you have chosen it, you cannot be broken.

Thank you for your patience. Love and peace, Village! Enjoy your Wednesday gathering.

We are #StrongerTogether

We are #TheResistance and #WePersist

All are welcome!

About MomentaryGrace 41 Articles
I voted for the Democrat in every election since 1976. I appreciate honesty, kindness and courage. I loathe cruelty and indifference. I am Discordian. I mean you no harm. But if you are cruel, or indifferent, I may point and laugh. #stillwithher.

38 Comments

      • I love that picture so much!!

        I’m visiting my mom and sister in Singapore, and this afternoon while I was asleep one of the neighborhood cats came inside (she usually does that). She didn’t go into my room, but she did rub herself all over my shoes. :D

        • You have been blessed. I don’t know what it is with shoes. Master Wufei seems to think they are delightful. Smelling.

  2. love the diary Momentary Grace, there is much to appreciate about cats and what they can teach us. We have a cat family that lives in our garage, they’ve all been spayed or neutered so everyone gets along. The kittens will come in the house to eat in the mornings and laze around, the mama is still too wild for that but she at least accepts our presence calmly now and very much claims ownership of the property. I’ve gotten to where I don’t like people much as I do my critters, they’re much more reliable company.

    • Thank you wordsinthewind. I agree about the company. There are a few people, well, let’s be honest, one person, whose company I prefer above all others and next to her, yes, cats.

      • I understand that Momentary Grace, I’ve been married to the same guy for 48 years, 49 in July, we’ve always preferred each other’s company and then our critters. It’s worked for us and truly it’s the laughs that have carried the day more than once. If you can laugh in the face of adversity you can get through it without bitterness which in my opinion is the only win to be had.

        • You describe my relationship perfectly as well. She has the sense of humor, btw, mine is a little skewed, but she fills in all my gaps so nicely. ;) ♥♥♥♥♥

          We are blessed. :)

          • I like to see people recognize that we are blessed or lucky when we are fortunate enough to be with our life’s partner. I know in my case it wasn’t deserved but good fortune that caused my path to cross with mr w. Making it happen depended on us but the initial impetus was not.

  3. {{{MomentaryGrace}}} – wonderful diary and absolutely correct. (And seriously thank you for doing double duty.) If there is an animal in the nature world who can teach us the all-encompassing reaction of Resist to this ‘sudden danger’ (that Hillary warned us about and we saw coming), it’s our cats. At every level, in every category, the Rs are throwing Evil at us. So at every level and in every category we must, we will, Resist, we are Resisting.

    Got a chiro appt in a little over an hour. Hope one will do (I doubt it) as I really want to “prime the pump” for my community needs folks with that money. Also have my Street Prophets Helping Humpday diary at DK to finish before 3 central. Anyway, I’ll be in and out and back and forth throughout the day. {{{Village Peeps}}}

    • {{{{{{{{{bfitsinAR}}}}}}}}}}

      Hope your chiro doctor helps you feel much better!

      I have lots of work to do but I’ll be checking in as often as I can, my net connections seems a mite better today.

      • She usually does – although sometimes it takes more than one visit to do it.

        That Amazon server issue yesterday effected a whole lot of things you wouldn’t think it would effect – I hope both our spooks and military are looking into the security implications. And planning how to deal with a cyber attack that takes down a server that is connected to so many things. Hope your work goes smoothly. If not, take a nap. I know your cats would say to. heh. moar {{{HUGS}}}

        • Cat nap taking is an art that I am completely in awe of! They get so cozy, they luxuriate. I love watching our Gabby nap.

          • I’ve heard that stroking a cat can bring down your blood pressure, and I bet watching a cat sleep can do the same. :)

          • Yes, it can. The gif you post occasionally, of the cat settling in for a nap, lowers my blood pressure AND makes me sleepy :)

  4. Thank you, Momentary Grace!

    Cats are, indeed, The Boss of resistance – they resist instinctively and with grace. Like you said, ‘it’s in their DNA’. Love them!

    • Thanks for coming by inkaudlay! Today seems to be about normalizing fascism or seeing it for what it is. If I were a cat, I’d be throwing up a hairball somewhere. Or napping. ♥♥♥♥♥

  5. Good morning, again, Miss Grace! I am like Hillary in that I can look at cat memes, gifs and videos all day (if I don’t want to get anything done, that is). Thanks for the lighthearted start to my day. I’ve noticed that there are two things my cat can’t resist: tuna and my bed. Other than that? Master resistor for sure.

    • I so love that Hillary reference cat gifs as a way to get through tough times! I found it very empowering. ;)

      Master Wufei has the same feelings about tuna and beds. Also, inexplicably, shoes. Go figure. :D

    • Oh yes, so frequently apropos! And I am pleased to provide some enjoyment. We need all we can get these days. {{{{{{{shengig}}}}}}}}

  7. Good morning. Love the kittens, especially the one laying on his mama’s lap. So sweet.

    Leaving for the dentist to have some work done. ick.

    Thanks MG.

    • Oh dear. May the appointment be over swiftly and without negative events! ♥♥♥♥♥

  8. Thanks, MG. After trying to make a braunschweiger sandwich while preparing my lunch bag this morning, I would add another observation about cats/persistence: Know what you want, and be willing to be vocal in expressing yourself. (And yes, they did persuade me to share.)

    Our media fails us again, if Twitter is any indication. Chris Cilizza continues his sycophantic behavior; between that and his ongoing Hillary Hate, I really can’t figure out how he got his gig and keeps its. Others are praising the speech, because apparently as long as you can read a TelePrompter, the hateful scare-mongering content doesn’t matter. And oh look, suddenly the media is not looking at the Russian ties, because they’re so enraptured with the Pivot.

    I think this tweet and the accompanying article capture my feelings perfectly:

    • Hi DoReMI! And yes to your cat resistance tip!

      Maybe the point here is that no, Drump didn’t truly “pivot”… neither did the media. They cost HRC the election, in collusion with Russian interference and James Comey. And since DJT put on his “nice face”…

      They’re baaaaaack. :(

  9. Just a reiteration of something I mentioned yesterday…I’m going to OH to see my daughter this weekend, and between that and the piles of work on my desk, I won’t be able to throw together a Saturday post. If anyone wants to fill that gap, feel free.

  12. OK – report from the chiropractor – she said it was a soft tissue injury (pulled muscle) but that messed up my pelvic alignment. The soft tissue part is going to heal at its own rate but she adjusted the pelvis. I’m going back Friday to see if it holds as that pulled muscle could mess it up again unless I’m very, very careful. Which I plan on being since not being very, very careful is very, very painful. So definitely one, probably two, and maybe three more visits should wrap this up.

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