Morning Update: 10/24/24

In case you’ve not been paying attention, we have nine cats. They’re all rescues of one kind or another. Each has a very unique personality and plays a specific role in this family of ours. So, when Kat woke up a little before 3:00 this morning and saw a window screen lying on top of Jack-Jack, our mane coon, she quickly jumped up and started taking inventory. One of the front windows was wide open, so the odds that there had been an escape were pretty high.

Seven of the cats were found quickly enough, especially once I was up and moving at 4:00. The cats associate my morning habits with filling their food bowls, so they came running. All but one. Kronk, aka Pinball, was still missing. Kronk doesn’t miss breakfast so that was a sure sign that he was still outside… somewhere. I put on shoes and a coat and started looking, but came up empty. The air was a chilly 40 degrees. I assumed that he was curled up somewhere trying to stay warm. I came back inside.

Now, the dogs were awake and wanted to go outside. Fine. They’re pretty good at rousing any beast of any kind that might be wandering the yard. We went back outside and let them have a look around. Still, nothing. We came back inside, gave them treats, and I started a pot of coffee. There was no point trying to go back to bed when I knew our little guy had to be outside in the cold.

Kat and I were chatting when we heard a noise at the window. She jumped up to look and saw Kronk scamper away. Back outside I went. I saw him for a brief moment, but he darted under a large, bush-like tree and disappeared. Kat soon joined me, barefoot, and we continued trying to coax the little guy out. Finally, he came around the corner of the shed and Kat was quick to scoop him up. He’s now safe, curled up in the middle of my bed, sound asleep.

In the middle of all this, I started getting text messages from Tipper. Her leg hurt. Her arm was numb. She didn’t want to go to school. Her attempts to get out of school are becoming problematic, enough that I’m wondering what’s really going on. Why does she want to avoid school? I’m not getting an answer to that question. We went back and forth while I was looking for Kronk. I’m not letting her stay home today. I’m a mean ol’ Dad, I’m sure.

Kat’s finally back asleep, but I’m wired for the time being. Even on a good day, it takes my body some time to recover from being out in the cold. I’m sure I’ll crash after the kids have gone to school. Fat Guy is reminding me that it’s now the normal time for them to be fed. We have a schedule, you know, and we’re forced to keep it.

The headlines this morning are infuriating. The first set to assault my eyes were:
Israeli strike kills Lebanese troops as France hosts aid conference
Israeli strikes kill 42 in Gaza as tanks tighten siege of north
Attackers kill 5, injure 22 at Turkish aviation site
Election officials are fighting a tsunami of voting conspiracy theories
Hurricane Kristy strengthens into a Category 4 storm in the Pacific Ocean
Seoul vows response as North Korean troops head to Ukraine
Macron says France will provide a 100 million-euro aid package to support Lebanon
Boeing Workers Resoundingly Reject Contract and Vote to Extend Strike

If that’s not enough to give one a headache, there are all the follow-up stories:
John Kelly Warns Donald Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator
At Town Hall Event, Harris Agrees That Trump Is a Fascist
World Opens to the Taliban Despite Their Shredding of Women’s Rights
Seth Meyers Isn’t as Nice as You Think He Is
Study on Puberty Blockers Goes Unpublished Because of Politics, Doctor Says
Los Angeles Times editor resigns after newspaper withholds presidential endorsement
Nearly 25 million votes have already been cast as Harris, Trump hit battleground states
Indonesia says its coast guard drove away a Chinese ship that interrupted survey in disputed sea
Should elephants have the same rights as people? (Yes, that’s a serious headline)
People 50 and older should get pneumococcal vaccine, U.S. health officials recommend
More frozen waffles and pancakes recalled over possible listeria contamination

Dizzying, isn’t it? I’ve had plenty of reading time this morning so now I’m thoroughly depressed about the state of the world. With this comes the inevitable question of ‘what can I do about any of it?’ Answers to that question don’t come easily.

One thing we’ve done for the first time is put campaign signs in our yard. Kat came home yesterday with both a Harris/Walz and McCormick for Governor sign. We’ve been cautious about making such statements in the past. Putting signs in our yard, making any kind of political statement in this neighborhood, potentially makes our house a target. We both agreed that should we see anyone in the yard we’ll let the dogs out to wreak their havoc and terror. Hamilton’s been extra high-strung of late anyway and he’s fast for a fat dog.

What else is there? I don’t believe memes change anyone’s mind about anything, and quite honestly, I question the authenticity and origin of most of what I see online. Misinformation is so rampant this year that I hesitate to share anything that doesn’t come from one of the few sources I trust. If anything, I think it might defuse some of the tension if we saw fewer memes on social media.

But then, there’s this headline this morning: One Tech Tip: How to prepare your online accounts in case you die. That’s an above-the-fold headline. What it inevitably says, though its intent is otherwise, is that the world is going to hell without the luxury of a handbasket and you need to have your shit in order just in case we all become victims. In conversations with a friend earlier this week I admitted that I’m not making any plans of any kind beyond November 5 because I don’t trust what might happen. There are too many people who think they need to take back something that never existed. They won’t be happy until the US is covered in chaos and disorder.

Even religious gatherings aren’t safe anymore. I’m seeing an increase in the number of people stating that Christianity in the US is acting more like a political party than a religion. No, I’m not linking to any of those articles because, again, I don’t trust the sources. The simple fact that I’ve seen more than five related pieces, though, should be alarming. People shouldn’t have reason to ask such a question of their faith.

There is no crystal ball capable of predicting what happens next. Don’t trust the polls. Don’t trust the talking heads on television. If elephants have the same rights as people, does that mean they get to vote? At this point, there’s not much that surprises me.

Both kids are headed to school. Tipper didn’t bother coming in and talking to me as she got ready. We’ll see how the day goes. Life is hard for everyone. While I’m largely sympathetic, Frankie, the smashed-face wheezer kitty, reminds me that we have to overcome obstacles and keep our fur clean. No one thrives when their lives become a matted mess.

I’m still unreasonably wired. I’m going to eat something, take my meds, and hopefully catch a few Zs.

Stay safe. Drink more coffee.