September 2021

It may not be surprising to learn that whether or not it's good to sleep with your cat is... complicated. Isn't every cat complicated? Studies show that it can be beneficial as well as detrimental to sleep with your feline friend, depending on your own experiences and beliefs.

Lately I'm all about moths. I love when they land on me and I'll sit and talk with them until they're ready to move on. I fell deeply in love with the pink Rosy Maple moth, it saddened me to learn how short their lives are, which only makes me appreciate their beauty even more.

Those of us who dearly missed our game nights who are now vaccinated and ready to have them again are feeling joyous--but also anxious. It seemed all too easy to get into the habit of being alone and wary of company, which is disturbing, but what's even more worrisome is how we have to ease back into having company and fellowship. We will get there if we have patience.

Is anyone else just feeling done with straight characters right now, particularly in graphic novels? Last year I started feeling the same way about non-POC characters and now, after reading a few graphic novels that I really feel represented in, I kind of feel done with straight characters. I'm not saying they shouldn't be written... but after a lifetime of straight saturation, I think I'd be fine just reading about all queer characters for the foreseeable future.

This past year and a half has been difficult on almost everyone, and many believe we are at the brink of a mental health crisis. My teen and I were just having a discussion about processing feelings and the things people do--from staying busy to listening to music or talking about emotions with friends. We decided that keeping busy can be helpful, especially if you're feeling stuck, but that it's also important to sit with feelings, feel them and process in a meaningful way.

The fact that puppy mills continue to be allowed to sell so many animals in most states is worrisome, especially given how pet overpopulation leaves so many animals vulnerable and homeless every year. Some states are working to end the sale of puppy mill pets, which aren't limited to puppies but also can include cat versions of the same facilities. Banning puppies and kittens from being sold this way in pet stores helps limit the access that puppy mills have to the public.

Over the weekend, my family and I caught a little frog cooling off in our basement. It was incredibly hot. We had heat advisories for days. It was understandable that this little one wanted a nice, cool place too get cozy but we also worried that they would die of hunger and dehydration if left in our basement, so we took them outside.