Spring is here...

...Here's hoping everyone enjoys it as much as Sammy and Rosie did in April 2003:

Cozy: A realtor's euphemism but not a cat's

To a person, this space might look too confining.  To a cat, however...

October 2004: Sammy fits into a space that's just right.

A linguistic irritant XLII

I once watched the debut episode of a comedy show in which the cast members introduced themselves.  One cast member said, "My handle is..."

I gritted my teeth when I heard that.  Why not just say, "My name is...," or "I'm John (or Jane?)"  It sounds too pretentious to say, "My handle is..."

Truth in advertising? XV

You've probably seen the Ad Council PSA promoting recycling via a soda can's musings. 

"Today, I'm just an aluminum can," the can says.  "But one day, I could be a stadium."

That's the best, least heavy-handed approach I've seen in a PSA about recycling.  Instead of hectoring or taking a self-righteous "Good people recycle" approach, the PSA reminds viewers of the potential new life a recycled item could assume.

I'm sure not every scrap of paper, cardboard, or aluminum I've recycled has been used for such an enduring purpose.  Still, it's nice to be reminded politely that they could be.

A good enough reason to vote

I had just voted in today's local election.

"Wait!  You can't leave!" the poll worker said.

I was puzzled.  I'd voted via touch screen in many previous elections, so I knew I hadn't made a mistake.  Why would I be detained?

"You need a Tootsie Roll," the monitor said, handing me a piece of candy.

"This must be the Christian charity I've heard about," I thought.  "During the 12 years I voted at City Hall, no one ever rewarded voters with sweets."

That was unexpected, but it was a considerate incentive for completing a civic responsibility.

A self-contained world

When you want to make your world feel smaller, try the vantage point of a file drawer:

It worked for Sammy in 2005.

Got to catch that toy...

Inflatable rabbits and eggs did not distract Rosie from pursuing the Cat Dancer, a favorite toy of hers, one Easter:

2007: Rosie, navigating the rabbits-and-eggs course in pursuit of the Cat Dancer.