The tiger in my dreams

My sister texted me asking me what was my dream and what did I ultimately want to be. I told her I wanted to be a tiger in the savannah, being left alone to roam the earth without burden or worry.

She told me to be serious to which I told her, it is my dream. It just isn't at arm's length, not possible, that's it. But if it was, it would be a feasible dream. Yes?

What would you say if you were posed that question? I certainly don't want to be a tycoon of some sort, or a nun in solitude. I just want to be somewhere I am comfortable. That's nice, at least in thought. 

Bathing the cat

I remember once upon a time, my Physics teacher said something like energy cannot be created, so you'd be best conserving it. It rings so true for cats, if any of you took the time to notice the behavior of a cat.

Unlike dogs, where they'll jump up and wag their tails the minute they see you or jump into a puddle of water, cats would very much prefer to stay somewhere up high, where they'll neither need to move nor bathe.

It is not like they cannot take water, or they hate water, but if they can avoid using any energy to go take a bath and fight off the person trying to bathe them, trust me, they will. I have however, discovered an easier way to bathe cats.

First off, do not give tell tale signs that you are about to bathe them. My cats know that bath time is coming when we untie the longer end of their leash to tie them to the pipe so that they cannot climb all over the bathtub and sink and what not, making it so much harder to bathe them. Second tell tale sign for them would be opening the back door and not tying them up.

You may be shocked to learn cats are superbly intelligent and extremely cunning. The best way is to get them in fast, without giving them time to react to the tell tale signs.

Next, when bathing them with soap, gently place one hand on one side and using the other, massage the soap gently into their fur on the other side. That way, you are not too rough with them and they will still feel that supporting hand on one side.

Do not splash their faces with water until the very end when you are about to turn off the pipe and wipe them. Even then, do not pour a stream of water on their face. It is akin to the drowning sensation you would have if I stuck your head in a pail of water.

When wiping them, do it in the bathroom itself or they will take the advantage to literally climb all over you. Wipe them gently and when you reach the tail, do not wipe them vigorously. They feel pain and discomfort there, really.

Many people stay far away from cats, saying that they are not as friendly or as fun as dogs, but animals to us, they are not only pets. They're family and they have their ups and downs as well.

One cat in my house is so close to my sister that she sleeps, eats and keeps the little girl company all day long. The cat can even be entrusted with bacon (which happens to be her favourite) and she still will not eat it if that little girl commands her not to.

Cats are just different. They're no lesser pets than dogs are. I have both cats and dogs, and I love all to bits.

Swapping of homes

Home exchange, like the one featured in the Hollywood movie, The Holiday, is something which is picking up pace. If you have yet to watch the movie, it is a movie about two women who put their houses up for listing on a website that does this home exchanges.

What it entails is actually putting your house up on the market for someone you do not know from halfway across the world and then you move into the stranger's house for the duration of your stay in that country and hers/his in your home. Of course, you can always say no until you find that one which you want to exchange with.

The attraction of this is actually to minimize the cost of travelling. We all know that the biggest fraction of any travelling cost is lodging. This home exchange thing would cut your spending and gives you more to sight see, or whatever you plan to do in a foreign country. 

There are many websites that offer this services for a fee. The fee is a joining fee for a year or two or three. You can see listings for free, but if you wish to contact the person and swap homes, then you've got to suscribe to it. In the many listings that I came across did list countries of their choice. Some would leave it open for suggestion. 

It would be a good experience going over to someone else's house. I do wonder if they have to be certified genuine or not. It might be the case of someone putting up someone else's house for swap and then swapping for real. That would need more checking up on. 

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Fantastic friends are like asteroids from space. They do not appear very often and it is even more rare to have one in your possession, at least from this part of the world, they do. 

Last night was Valentine's, where couples roam around and show extra love and affection to each other, parents take the night off to go do something for themselves, older parents take their kids out for a stupendously overpriced meal, and so it goes on.

Getting my heart recently shattered made Valentine's harder because of the radio ads, billboards around town, icky couples snuggling up to each other and everything reminded me that I am back to a single life. 

But if you had my friends, I'm sure you'd be pretty psyched up for Valentine's as well. These people were the sweetest of the lot, which made me one very lucky soul. To be in their company and to have people you like around you makes all the difference on this very commercialized day. 

The new convert

Meditation. Something I always felt that belonged to the monasteries in the sacred hills or hermits who lived in caves, clinging on to the hope of enlightenment. Forgive me for being so ignorant, but honest to God, that was what I really thought and believed.

Meditation, as explained in Wikipedia (something I constantly refer to though many has told me that it is not quite the most reliable source), is a discipline one practices mentally. It is to achieve that state of peacefulness, serenity or to attain greater focus.

So one fine day, I came across a notification about some people spreading the joy of meditation somewhere not so nearby, and being an absolute wreck after a heartbreak which is still breaking, I decided why not?

Off I went being very skeptical but hoping from the very depths of my soul that meditation would be something to take my mind of my physical state, the unusually messed up situation I was in. Silently, I was praying that it would make me more stable in so many ways.

When the facilitator started explaining the Sanskrit words and their meanings, I was drawn to her confidence in explaining it, the trust and faith she put in this meditation could be felt through her words. I was more intrigued by the minute. 

The class was not big per say, but it was a notable number of people who turned up. We started with explanation and directions of how to meditate and when we finally did it for real, I felt real silence, awareness of my surrounding and yet being so calm and surreal for 2 seconds. 2 seconds of which I can tell you I would do anything to get back.

The facilitator told us to place our right hand on top of our head, just a few centimetres away from the skull and then alternate with the other hand. I thought the heat I felt when I put my right hand up was the effect of being in such a warm room, but when I raised my left hand and did the same, I felt nothing.

I did it again, and the same results. A student later asked why was this happening and we found out that the right basically represents action, the dominant part of us, the "yang" of our being while the left is the complete opposite. A reaction to either one side and if it is not the same, then the subtle energy in us is not balanced and with meditation one could centre the subtle energy.

We were all encouraged to take 5 to 10 minutes of our time daily to practice this meditation and I have been doing it. Though I failed to achieve what I did during the first time, I am now an avid believer that meditation will soothe my soul and one day I will be able to raise my self awareness to enlightenment. 

You ask me why? I shall tell you this. I have been a wreck for the hours and days as far back as I can remember and have been constantly yearning for the lost love of my life. Him, blatantly ignoring me, has hurt me more than anything could. 

All I wanted after that was to have some calm in my mind, to have my emotions under control, to not break down at no moment's notice and to not beg and plead and most of all, to let fate have its way. I finally found something that I can do and which works. 

I know it only worked that one time, but I am sure, as long as I work on it, I will get to where I want to be. I need it, everyone needs it, a little peace in life. 

Question time

The concept of an underground kitchen was new to me. Alien, in fact. Until I suddenly decided that if I had a place of my own to do as I wish and when I wish, I would not hesitate to do it. This underground restaurant is also known as supper club in some places.

Basically the supper club is a restaurant where you come only by reservation or invitation to a stranger's house/home/place of interest and you pay a minimal fee or some prefer to call it donation, to enjoy the company as well as the food that will be served. It definitely beats going out to restaurants and paying stupendous amounts of money for mediocre food. 

This venture is not for profit, really. However, it does not happen everyday. The host may choose to host a supper club once a week, once a month, however frequent or infrequent they may like, and that is the attraction of a supper club. It is waited for anxiously and more often than not, more anticipated.

I already have that profound love for cooking, I just need the company that will come along with it. It is quite a brilliant idea, actually.

Imagine, you, being a quiet homely fellow for god knows how long, everyday going back for mommy's cooking without the slightest window of opportunity to meet new people, try new things and most of all, eat without paying the gourmet's price.

Or if you are alone in the big city, and have absolutely no idea to cook, or if you are a wonderful cook but no one to cook for and ends up eating alone every night or packing back something because you seem to not have the time for preparing dishes, would this not be a wonderful outlet?

Would you attend a dinner party with unknown people for a small price to pay?