A Thursday With Maggie

My heart is nearly broken. Today I called the vet's office and said, "It's time." Those words were heart wrenching. Thank God I have a vet with a staff who knows each patient and their respective humans so well. I imagine some places would have made me say the dreaded words I refuse to say or even type today.

I've tried to distract myself today while desperately wishing I still had a class to teach. Damn you, summer block class. I know I should cherish each moment I have left with Maggie, but taking care of all the things I need to do before going back to school and buying donuts and Don Taco is much easier than laying here while Maggie ignores me. This is the first day she's ignored me so blatantly. My mom says she's preparing me for the future. Perhaps my mom is correct. Maggie has always been in tune with my feelings. So it's entirely possible she knows what is to come tomorrow and wants me to be ready for the first time she isn't here to head boop me as I cry. Maggie is the kind of cat who would do such a thing for me.

I'd like to think I taught her how to be so kind, but I didn't. She came that way. Jeff and I've even joked that she's part dog. She is literally the friendliest cat I've ever met in my entire life. We love cats, even cats with diva streaks, and while Maggie has one, it's never diminished her capacity to love us unconditionally. It's so great that my mom, who does and always will accept me for who I am and become even when she doesn't agree with certain choices, offered positive words upon hearing that I planned to get tattoos of Maggie's paw prints (even though I already have one of her silhouette!) on my shoulders in honor of the Maggie hug. I don't know if I'll ever have another cat who literally hugs me, but at least I've had Maggie and can honor the memory with the blessing of my mom no less!

Earlier in this process, I wrote about knowing when "it was time." When people tell you that you'll know, they mean it. You will know. However, I'd like to add two sub-points.

1. If your pet has two human parents, "the time" is less exact.

I knew before Jeff. However, I could not force Jeff into knowing with me. He had to see it on his own. This made me sad and angry. Don't be like me. I hate that I might have made Jeff feel like a jerk (I'm sorry, and I'm sorry that I can't tell you right this second because you are currently having a busy day at work.).

As I said a few weeks ago, shortly after getting Maggie, Jeff and I had a talk, agreeing that under the right circumstances, euthanasia is the best route to take with pets. If I could go back in time, I would talk about it more. Or I would make us agree to create an agreement of how we would decide when the time was right. It is vastly more complicated than simply agreeing that pet euthanasia is humane in certain cases. For instance, one of the things experts say to consider is the ratio of good days and bad days. However, what constitutes a good day to me is likely not the same as what constitutes a good day to Jeff. Because our schedules conflict, we've been seeing two different versions of Maggie. These are just a few examples as to why I wish we had talked more in depth or had set up a plan, even if it wasn't until the day we found out she was sick. Perhaps if we'd been more clear about our expectations, the time between me knowing and he knowing wouldn't have been as long. I could be wrong about all of this, but it's something to consider.

2. If possible, make sure your friend can go out with a bang.

Despite our sadness, we've been working to make the last stretch of Maggie's life as great as possible. She's been a wonderful friend and deserves nothing but the best. I refuse to wallow in my sadness until it's time tomorrow. I've allowed myself many tears, but we must, even if between cries, for her and for ourselves, enjoy the moments we have left.

Today we purchased a can of organic tuna. Tomorrow part of it will be put on a "good plate," and she will eat like a queen. I may even put the plate on the kitchen table. We're also going to grab a pie from our favorite coffee shop if they have one of her favorites-- she's a fan of lemon cream. If they don't have a flavor on her list of favorites, I'll bring her home a shot of their homemade whipped cream that she loves so much. I think we might take her out for a walk too. She loves the great outdoors.

And finally, on her last ride in the car, we will rock out like a hurricanes with a variety of tunes including the afore-refereneced (why yes, I made that word up!) Scorpion. It all started because (I have no idea how or when) at some point Maggie entered a room, and Jeff said, "Here I am!" to the tune of "Rock You Like a Hurricane." She must of been entering the room like a bad ass. Regardless, it became a thing. She is and will forever be our badass, sweet, friendly, hurricane kitty, and we will always love her.

Tuesdays With Maggie

I've often thought it would be neat to write a book about Maggie and her effect on my life, but the market's flooded. However, I recently figured out how to give it a new spin: I'll begin each chapter with a haiku about Maggie. 

Like Maggie (and Purrcy because I couldn't resist throwing in this one), you're probably wondering how on Earth I came up with such an idea. It all started because the Family Video Jeff and I pass by on the way home started listing exactly three movie titles on their sign, and they were listed in such a way that each week it was as if there was a new poem on the sign. Things really started to spiral when they posted this:

Get Hard

Maggie

The Warrior

If you know either of us, this title caught our attention for two reasons. The obvious: we have a cat name Maggie. And we're both immature at times which I believe is good because we have stressful jobs. Our sense of humor helps keep us alive. So we ran with it, reciting the "poem" in different ways to create different meanings. The notion of Maggie as a kick ass warrior... amazing!

Eventually the sign changed (twas a sad day), and we were less interested until I decided that Family Video should start making haikus out of movie titles. Somehow this led to Jeff making haikus out of Star Wars titles, and that somehow led to haikus about Maggie. It may sound strange, but she's totally a haiku worthy cat. I've got two so far, but I feel like with time and some solid theme development, I could come up with enough to give my future "cat teaches her human lessons about life" memoir a decent twist and edge in the market. I'm still working on a title, but for now, here are some lovely, wisdom-filled Maggie haikus.

Maggie has cancer

She's living life to the max

Cause that's how she rolls

Maggie is so dope

Cancer or not, she's chilling

Like it's a Tuesday

Maggie, The Doctor
Are chilling in the TARDIS
Prepping for stardust

I know the last one had no real wisdom, but I couldn't resist. See you next week!

Geronimo!

Allons-y!

The TARDIS arrived! Granted it is missing a light and a more permanent details, but for now this is perfect. 

Besides, the kitties don't care. Maggie's even mocking me, "Neener, neener! The Doctor picked me to be his companion! Not you, mom!"

"Purrcy can you believe it? I thought The TARDIS was just on some silly show mom watched... but it's really here!" 

I know Maggie and Purrcy actually have no clue why there's a giant blue box in the living room, but they don't seem to care-- it is a box after all. Maggie is content to just chill inside.

Purrcy on the other hand... well, he's gone nuts. Especially after I hung up a toy. 

I'm so thankful my step-dad was able to make my dream come true for Maggie (and that Purrcy is benefiting too). Not every cat can say they've been inside a TARDIS! I'm also thankful he's willing to help me update it and make changes. I have a feeling it's going to get lots of love for a long time... so she'll need to be fixed up every once in while. But for now, she'll do just fine. 

"Get your own TARDIS, mom."

Tuesdays With Maggie

Since "re-booting" Tuesday With Maggie, I've done a lot of research and contemplation. I've also made some memories with the Mags-- I'd like to think I'll look back at our ridiculous poses and smile.

Because her condition will likely require us to essentially "pick a date," I've Googled all sorts of phrases involving cat cancer, pet euthanasia, and when it's "the right time." I suppose I hoped it would give me a more definitive answer than what our vet gave us-- "You'll know." Apparently that is the most definitive answer one can get unless you find yourself in an emergency situation.

Before we'd even had Maggie for a year, Jeff and I talked about our feelings surrounding pet euthanasia. Thankfully we were both on the same page, agreeing that sometimes it's the best thing to do for your furry friend. It isn't about the number of years we spend with our companions but the quality of time we get to share with them. Neither of us thought to discuss it any further. Why would it be any more complicated than that? Unfortunately it is vastly more complicated, and not just in our case. There's even a scale designed to help owners determine when it's time.

I don't want or need the scale-- it seems too clinical, at least it is for me. But I understand why it exists. It was made for the very same reason I started researching when and what to do. We are humans, and we want to be in control with all of the answers. For me, my research only confirmed what I didn't realize I already knew-- I simply would, as the vet said, "know." I know with absolute certainty that today is not the day, but I know it could be tomorrow. I know this because I know Maggie. I doubt tomorrow is the day, but I see it coming soon. It scares the shit out of me. That is why I am sitting here writing this. Maybe some day someone will be just as scared as me, and they can find comfort in my words. Maggie is still enjoying life, but rather than eating out of a bowl, she prefers her food on a flat surface. She doesn't follow me around like my shadow anymore either. Stuff like this, the so-called little things, tells me the day is nearing.

I don't know if we'll pick the "right" day, but I know we won't pick the wrong day. Almost every site discussing this issue states something along the lines of "Better a week too early than an hour too late." I've found peace in this statement. I'd rather take away a few good days than give her even one extra bad day. Maggie cannot recover from this. So all Jeff and I can do is give her the best life in the time she has left and trust our instincts. We know Maggie. I've given her permission to let go, and I'd like to think that when she is ready, she will tell me. I told her (yes, I actually verbalized this) to just let me know. Sometimes humans need permission to let go, so I gave the same respect to Maggie, and I know that someday soon I'll get a look, one that doesn't go away.

For now, I am soaking up all the cuddles I can get, and I'm ensuring Maggie gets the most out of her last days, checking off as many bucket list items as possible. On Monday she got organic tuna served on a good plate. Maybe it's silly, but as humans we talk about our last meal. So Maggie at least deserves organic tuna on a good plate!

Jeff snapped this picture. Clearly we made a solid choice because this was the clearest shot he could get. Maggie has a few other items on her list (Taylor Swift has yet to get back to us, and her trip to the park has been delayed because of the heat-- if nothing else, she'll get one more trip to our back yard), but I'm really looking forward to her reaction to the TARDIS cat condo. I've always wanted to get her a cat condo because I thought she'd enjoy being perched up just a bit higher than normal. Sometime this week, we will find out what she thinks!

If she's not a fan of the TARDIS, I know she'll love the toys that I got to go with it. Both cats practically mauled me to get to these as soon as I opened the box. Wet food is usually ranked above catnip and toys. So they must be made with some strong nip!

No matter what happens--with the TARDIS or with Maggie-- I know everything will be okay. We've given her a good life, one filled with good food, toys, treats, sometimes human food (I'm pretty sure she's getting ham and gravy this week!), laughter, and lots of cuddles. She'll always reside in my heart, and I know she'll always be with me. I always thought she'd be here to watch my future human children grow up, at least part of the way, but I know she'll keep an eye on them from above. I don't actually know that, but in a way I do because if Maggie can't be with me, she has to at least be laughing at and watching over Jeff and me while lazing about on her catnip and tuna filled clouds. A life without at least her spirit is just too sad to even consider.

Tuesdays With Maggie

As you know, my step-dad is building a TARDIS cat condo for Maggie. I could really use an actual TARDIS right now-- I think this is the third post in a row that has been posted late. Ah! But hey, it's technically still Tuesday at least.

I've been on a Doctor Who kick lately, probably because I get daily updates about Maggie's TARDIS, and I'm also wishing the new series was out already. I need my fix! I still find the theme fitting, albeit in a sort of sad yet wise way.

At least twice during the current run of Doctor Who, The Doctor has been asked about his companions and their eventual departure--whether through choice or not. In "School Reunion," explaining to Rose why he left Sarah Jane behind, The Doctor said, "I don't age. I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone you..." The sentence only needed completing for a naive Rose, "You can spend the rest of your life with me. But I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on, alone. That's the curse of the Timelords."

And perhaps even more heartbreaking is the exchange he shared with the character of Jackson Lake in a Christmas Special:

Jackson Lake: Tell me one thing. All those facts and figures I saw of the Doctor's life, you were never alone. All those bright and shining companions. But not any more?
The Doctor: No.
Jackson Lake: Might I ask why not?
The Doctor: They leave. Because they should or because they find someone else. And some of them, some of them... forget me.
[pause]
The Doctor: I suppose in the end, they break my heart.

Obviously none of us are The Doctor. We could only hope to meet such a being let alone be anything at all like The Doctor. But we are like him in at least one way: we often refer to our pets as companions. Perhaps it's because they are more than just animals to many of us. They are our friends, our family, and we love them. We bring them into our homes knowing that eventually they will break our hearts. At some point, no matter how it happens, we will all feel like The Doctor after a companion is gone. If we didn't, this wouldn't exist.

The Doctor can fix and upgrade K-9, but our companions are more vulnerable and vastly more complicated than K-9. The Doctor cannot break the rules of time and space to spend forever with Rose, nor can he fix Donna. And I cannot heal Maggie. It's just not how it works.

But I knew this. Jeff knew this. Why did we set ourselves up for such heartbreak? Why do any of us? As humans we will eventually "wither and die" just as The Doctor says, but our furry family members will always do so before us (and none of us can even take comfort in knowing our pain and sadness can look so good in a GIF). I'd like to think it's one of our redeeming qualities as humans. We choose to find the capacity to love an animal knowing full well that he or she will depart our world before us, leaving what feels like a giant gaping hole in our world and soul. The animals may need us, but we also need them. We are better with them, better for having them even if only for a short while.

This doesn't make it any easier. It certainly doesn't in a situation such as this. I previously mentioned that Maggie reminded me most of Donna Noble. Shortly after posting it, I realized how fucking depressing having cat remind me of Donna truly is. Sure Maggie is sassy and fun, but as the days go by I notice changes in her that mean the conscious decision we must ultimately make to end her life is nearing. It's not a choice we want to make, but it is a choice we must make in the coming weeks or months. At least I've had the pleasure of knowing the most important cat in the world-- she's changed my life in so many ways, all for the better. My spirit animal might be the thirteenth doctor, but Maggie's, no matter how tragic, is Donna Noble-- the most important woman in the whole of creation.

So here's to you, Maggie.

Tuesdays With Maggie

Normally I would be upset with myself for failing to get to this blog post until now-- I had intended to work on it about two or three hours ago. However, my nap lasted longer because in my haze of fatigue I set an 8 AM alarm rather than an 8 PM alarm. I don't usually like to take evening naps, but I clearly needed it! Oddly enough, my not being upset is because I had the best napping buddy a gal could wish for-- Maggie!

If I'm going to "oversleep," now is the best time. Each nap and moment of snuggles I share with her is a gift. I suppose it's funny it happened on the day I planned to blog about enjoying each moment and day like you may not have another. 

We haven't managed to check much off Maggie's bucket list yet, but we've at least made strides. Ever since I became a Whovian, I knew that I wanted a TARDIS cat tower. My step-dad had agreed to help me make one, but I never really knew when it would happen. It was one of those plans that I knew would eventually happen, but it might be a year or two before it came to fruition. It's not that my step-dad doesn't care, but life is complicated and busy-- for both of us. It doesn't help that we don't live near each other! 

After finding out Maggie was ill and there was nothing Jeff or I could do, I asked my step-dad about the cat tower. I told him it would be amazing if Maggie could be in a TARDIS before she died. Because he's the best step-dad ever (no joke), he agreed to start work on it. I had no idea he'd go out the very next day to purchase wood! Since asking less than a week ago, he's got a frame and two shelves (as of late afternoon today). 

If Maggie wasn't sick, this would not exist yet because I simply wouldn't have asked my step-dad to start work on it yet. Obviously I hate that Maggie's sick, but even in sickness, she's taught me a lesson. It's such a trite lesson, yet it's one that I still needed to learn. Life can be taken away at any moment (You'd think as a 28 year-old Doctor Who fan, I'd have figured this one out already-- the end of series two! All of the Donna episodes! Hello!). I can't just live out all my dreams and do as I wish at any given moment, but I should treasure each moment-- even the ones spent napping on the couch with Maggie. 

So aside from stepping into a TARDIS, what else is on Maggie's bucket list so far? 

• Eat Grandma's ham and gravy on one of the "good" plates.
• Take a trip to the park.
• Take a trip in the car without the kennel.
• Marriage equality becomes the law.  

Maggie apparently has her own bucket list. So far I've only figured out two items which isn't bad considering she's a cat, and I only recently discovered its existence. Number one appears to be the standard item of passing down knowledge to friends and family. 

She appears to be teaching Purrcy to how to properly pose. 

I'm pretty sure world domination is legitimately on the list. Thankfully I do not have photographic evidence of the events that led to what is clearly a post-domination chat and modest celebration. 

As members of a CSA we find ourselves in possession of a box of wonderful goodies each week. After moving items from the box to the fridge last Thursday, I noticed Maggie hop into the box. I didn't think anything of it even though it was on the stove top. The counter top region is typically off limits, but I'm much more forgiving because of the cancer. I was also much more forgiving upon noticing that she started to pee in the box. Instead of my normal, "Damn it, Maggie!" I put my hands on my hips, and offered up a "Maggieeeee." We threw the box outside to take care of later as we had dinner plans. We didn't think about the incident again until Sunday evening. 

I was innocently chopping up kohlrabi while wondering why there was a steadily increasing level of some strange odor. Just as I asked Jeff if he smelled it, I noticed a weird residue on one of the drip pans. "What is that?" I asked. 

After a slight pause, Jeff, with either a hint of uncertainty or concern or both, said, "It's not Maggie's pee is it?"

I essentially exploded. "Oh my God! Yes, that's what it is. Oh my God." I then left the room as the smell had become unbearable at this point. Jeff somehow managed to get the stove turned off, the drip pan outside, fans blowing, and the screen door open. 

Once the smell dissipated, it dawned on me that Maggie had figured out how to weaponize her pee. I have absolutely no idea how it happened (other than she obviously managed to get her humans to essentially boil her pee) because we double checked the stove after the initial incident. Maybe she has invisible pee? But holy hell, if cats want to take over, they should figure out how to get their humans to cook their pee.   

So Maggie is certainly living her life to the fullest! We'll see you next week with more updates on the cat tower!

Tuesdays With Maggie

Tuesdays with Maggie hasn't been "a thing" in quite some time. It started as a minor project for a social media course. In fact, this entire blog is a result of that class. It's a minor miracle it still exists in some capacity. But alas it does.

And of course there's no decent way to transition into what I want to talk about on this edition of Tuesdays with Maggie. Maggie is dying. I've "known" in the back of my mind for about a week or so, but we didn't get the official pathology results until today: Maggie has oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Now, I won't go into the details because that's not the purpose of this post (hence the link). This is meant to honor and celebrate Maggie and reintroduce Tuesdays with Maggie. I'm currently working on a bucket list for Maggie. So far I only have a few items, but as I come up with more and help Maggie check them off, I hope to share some of those moments with you each Tuesday (and throughout the week via Instagram).

Now some of you might be thinking, "A bucket list for her cat? That's weird." Well, Maggie and I are both a bit weird, and despite being different species, we are best friends. We both love naps, eating (although we generally only agree when it comes to dessert and my mom's ham and gravy), and Jeff. She has been with me for nearly my entire "adult life." By the time Jeff and I were engaged, Maggie was already a huge part of our lives, and if it was even remotely possible to have had her at our beach wedding, we would have had her there! From the moment she entered our lives, she's been nothing but wonderful. I will forever be thankful Jeff let me-- his girlfriend of only a few months-- get a pet cat... that I found on Craigslist. 

 

This image has always been a favorite of mine because even upon first meeting each other, both were curious (Jeff never had a pet cat) and welcoming. There was no adjustment period. Maggie just sort of slipped into our lives as if she'd always been there. 

Maggie has grown and changed with us. She even learned to love Purrcy, our attempt to help ease her anxiety (and if Maggie could talk, I think she'd agree that any human would struggle to walk past Purrcy and not give him a home). She's been there for every milestone, if not literally than in spirit. I even took a photo of her to hang on the hospital wall when I had to have major surgery. I'm pretty sure the nurses heard about her multiple times during my morphine induced haze.

Maggie is more than I know how to describe-- part of that could be the massive amount of sadness weighing me down. But if you ask the people who know me or the people who are lucky enough to know Maggie, they will likely give you a similar yet vague and wonderful description of her. She's just one of those once in a lifetime pets who changes your life forever. 

Her bucket list isn't long yet, and I'm open to suggestions.

But first up is a trip to a park. Girlfriend deserves a wild adventure! There will also be plenty more naps, wet food, and treats. And if we are lucky, Taylor Swift and Cat Olivia Benson will send us a tweet. Maggie may not be a famous Internet cat (I wish she was simply because I think she is so amazing. I mean look at those posing skills!), but at least I know that Jeff and I have given her an amazing life and will continue to do so in the next few months. Here's to you, Maggie!

Tuesdays With Maggie

I believe in working out. It soothes the soul, and burns off all those calories from my tasty treats. But it was a bit odd (at least to me) when Maggie appeared to take a liking to working out... or at least my treadmill.

Ever since the treadmill arrived, she's been fascinated. First she watched me run, and then she tried to run with me. Or maybe she just wanted my attention. Either way, I had to remove her from the treadmill three times. Thankfully it was running yet! Her fascination continues to grow (and simultaneously scare me... something tells me if she were to hop on while I was running her nimble cat-self would escape with every whisker and hair in tack, but I would be smashed against the wall and broken into multiple pieces)...

I managed to catch her really pondering the idea... It's as if she's thinking, "How can I make it go?" Of course once she realized she couldn't reach or make the leap up safely...

She decided to rest. Even if Maggie didn't manage to work out, there's still a lesson to be learned. If Maggie can at least make an attempt to try and use a treadmill, maybe we all should try to jog on a treadmill or a ride a bike or even just go for a walk.

Tuesdays With Maggie

Maggie and I have been out for awhile, but we are back-- hopefully for the long haul. So, what advice does Maggie have for us today?

There's nothing wrong with a little affection. In fact, it's quite important! Just make sure you brush your teeth, and don't do it in public. I don't know about you humans, but as a cat, especially a Russian Blue cat, I have a certain reputation to maintain.

Regardless, show affection to those you love whether it be a kiss, a hug, an "I love you," or my favorite, the head-butt.

Maggie's Out... Julie's It's The Almost Weekend Words of Wisdom

In 7 days and about 3 hours I'll be twenty-five years old (I may not look it or act it, but that's okay!). I may not be that old or wise, but you'd be amazed at what you learn in the few years after leaving high school. So what have we thus far?

1.
Life lessons are not always pleasant. In fact, you're not going to like this first one. It is perhaps one of the worst life lessons: your mom (and maybe even your dad) is almost always right. You love her, but does she always have to be right? Yep.

She'll tell you not to move in with your best friend or go through whatever cockamamie plan you cook up, but you'll do it anyway. If you're like me, you move in with your best friend, you fight over when to pay the bills, he starts dating a very messy girl who uses your dishes and doesn't wash them, and pretty soon you don't have a best friend.

Now, the worst part is, your mom was right. The second worst part is no matter how many times you read this you will concoct a stupid plan, your mom will let you go through with it, and about two years later you'll ask her why she let you do it, and she will say something like this: "Well, you were going to do it anyway. I figured I'd let you learn the hard way." That's right. She will pull the learning-from-your-mistakes-card. Just remember, it's all because she loves you. I promise.

2.
Only pierce your earlobes. The other ones usually get infected. I mean it! Don't be like me. A man had to remove one of my ear piercings with a pair of needle nose pliers.

3.
This one's four-fold, incredibly important, and a little (maybe a lot) complicated.

If you're like me, your parents made you participate in some sport or activity as a child. My mom signed me up for gymnastics because I thought Shannon Miller was the coolest chick ever. I'm sure there was more logic to her choice, but that's not what's important. You see, I spent about ten or so years doing gymnastics with the coolest man ever: Leroy. When I joined team, my mom made me do tumbling (she had her reasons which again are not important) instead of all around. I was devastated. She totally crushed my Olympic dreams. But alas, I tumbled for a great seven years, and in those years I learned more than I ever thought possible...*

a. Some of you have probably heard this before: don't wear a hair-tie on your wrist. I missed out on a epic tumbling win because of a hair-tie. Neither Leroy nor I have ever forgotten this. We probably never will. So, seriously, don't wear a hair-tie unless it's in your hair.

b. Now, I'm not sure of Leroy remembers this one or not... if he ever reads this he'll probably yell at me because this was almost as devastating as the hair-tie incident. It was the night before a national qualifier, and I was craving a bowl of ice cream. I had my ice cream, but only after I dropped the entire gallon on my foot. Miraculously, I only hurt my toe, but you wouldn't believe what a difference a toe makes. My toe hurt, but I still tumbled, mighty well I must say. But the judges said my foot wasn't turned enough to be considered a double full. I still don't believe them, but nonetheless, it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't dropped the gallon of ice cream on my foot.

So, if you want ice cream the night before a meet, for the love of tumbling, have someone else get it for you.

c. Keep some tissue you in your gym bag. When I get angry, I cry. So, when I had a bad warm-up session before a meet, I cried. Do you know what happens when you cry? Your nose gets stuffy... mix that with tumbling, and you end up with snot coming out of your nose while you're trying to make a perfect pass down the strip. Thankfully, I caught my snot, and I even stuck my pass (and that almost never happened!)! Now, this might be funny, but it's totally gross. If I'd had some tissue to blow my nose, I would have been snot and embarrassment free.

d. You learn a lot from Leroy, tumbling, and gymnastics. After dropping a gallon of ice cream on your foot, you know not to do it the next day. However, there are things you learn but don't quite understand until several weeks, months, or years later. Whether you're a tumbler or an all-arounder, you aren't just learning how to do crazy flips and tricks--you're learning life lessons.

Before we can understand the life lessons learned from hanging out with Leroy, you need a back story.

I remember the day I quit tumbling team. I remember where I was sitting, where Leroy was sitting. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done--I loved tumbling, and I loved Leroy. I'd dedicated my life to this wonderful sport, and I had no choice but to give it up. I never told anyone the real reason I quit, at least not until recently.

I was an advanced tumbler, and my favorite first pass was a barani, whip, full, full, front. Unfortunately, a year before I quit team, I lost my full and my double-full. I never re-gained my full, and I was forced to get my double-back ready for competition. I'd worked on it for years, but never too seriously. I finally had it ready, and then one day I got lost. We all get lost in the air... it just happens sometimes. So, I tried again, got lost again, and somehow managed to bite my knee. I still have the little tooth-mark shaped scar. I was almost seventeen, and I had no idea why I was falling apart. It was as if I was regressing.

Only now do I understand what happened. My body had changed. I was growing up, and my brain didn't know how to adjust my skill set to my new body. Some people's brain and new bodies learn to communicate, but mine never did. So, after a year of not having a full and constantly worrying my brain would say double-full or layout, and my body would just keep turning, losing my double-back was the last straw. It was too mentally taxing. So, what is the life lesson? Well, it's a bit complicated, but I'll try to sum it up as best as I can...

There is life after tumbling. In fact, as I said before, tumbling and gymnastics aren't just about how well you can flip or do a beam routine. You learn self-discipline, you learn how to be independent, you learn to never give up, and you learn there is a difference between giving up and knowing what's best for you.

I didn't give up or quit. I did what was best for me--rather than go insane or continue to hurt myself, I took the discipline, the independence, and the positive attitude I gained from tumbling and spending time with Leroy and applied to other parts of my life.

I finished high school at the top of my class, I completed a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, and now I'm a part-time instructor at a community college. However, life isn't perfect. I suffer from clinical depression, fibromyalgia, and I've already started to develop osteoarthritis. None of this makes life easy, and it certainly doesn't help my search and desire for a full-time job. I cannot let any of this stop me though. No matter how hard it is to get out of bed, I don't give up. I find a way to get out of bed and continue on with life because despite my health issues and trouble finding a job, I love life--I love my part-time job, I have a wonderful family, I love my husband who ever so gracefully puts up with my idiosyncrasies, and most of all I think of what my mom and Leroy would tell me.

For years Leroy told me to stay positive and never give up, and my mom continues to remind me of this. In fact, she says life never gives you an obstacle you can't overcome, and the toughest ones usually make you a stronger, more resilient person. So, as Leroy recently told me, stay positive, work hard, and something good will happen. It may not be when you want it, but eventually it will happen. You just have to be patient. 

So, every time Leroy yells at you or asks to see your report card, remember he's not being mean. He's just preparing you for life.

*These life lessons apply regardless of your sport or activity. 

Tuesdays with Maggie... Belated!

Tuesdays with Maggie is back! I know it's Wednesday, but I got sidetracked yesterday... so this week, we shall have a belated Tuesday with Maggie.

Maggie and I have a new home. Maggie hasn't quite adjusted since her couch and favorite blankets haven't made it to the new place yet, but she appears to already have a new favorite spot. She sits in the window everyday.

Our old place had very little natural light-- we were surrounded by beautiful shade trees. They kept the house cool, but unfortunately for Maggie and I, this meant very little exposure to sunlight unless we left the house. Needless to say, Maggie never liked the house. It didn't help that we didn't live with Jeff either!

You may be wondering why I'm going on about the supposed wonders of natural sunlight and Maggie's distaste for so much shade. Well, cabin fever is not a myth. If you don't have enough vitamin D (or is it B?)--which you can get from... tada sunlight--- you may develop symptoms of depression. So the lesson of the day/week is make sure you get some sun... not too much though. We don't want any sun burns!

Tuesdays with Maggie

It's Tuesday again!



P.S.
If you want to see my reaction to tonight's DWTS results show please visit my YouTube Channel or follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onsv8nNA7Ao

Tuesdays with Maggie

Where's Maggie you ask? Well, she forgot about daylight savings time...

So, what is today's lesson? Don't forget to change your clocks! If you do, you may oversleep and miss your lesson!

Tuesdays with Maggie

Maggie enjoys reading. She is not, however, a Christian. What does this have to do with reading you ask?

Well, despite her indecisive nature in regards to religion, Maggie still understands the importance of the Bible in terms of literature. As a scholar, you should be able to pick up on various Biblical allusions. Also, whether Christian, Buddhist, Atheist, or Tree-Hugger, the Bible offers some insightful and nifty stories. You may take or leave the morals, but at least enjoy some well-crafted stories. Maggie's personal favorite is Song of Songs... it's quite the love story!

Tuesdays with Maggie

Wear sunscreen. If you don't have sunscreen, make sure your skin is covered with fur or a jacket. My personal favorite is my beautiful Russian Blue fur coat.

However, Julie and Jeff are not so lucky. Especially Jeff.

So, you humans wear sunscreen! Or you will burn like Jeff... or tan like Julie... which is just as bad!

I'm Back... Hopefully

Hello blogosphere. Welcome to my medicated life, a life where I drop off the face of the earth as I experience a medicated haze. But I'm back now, and off the Seroquel- I couldn't take the almost never-ending sleep.

Word to the wise, if you weigh a mere 100ish pounds, Seroquel may not be the sleep remedy for you. If you dare try it, stay on the look out for excessive sleeping, not realizing you're sleeping way too much, and a "funny feeling" you refuse to describe or just can't describe. There are probably other things to watch out for, but I have no memory of them... sorry!

Later, peeps.

P.S.
Maggie is on vacation this week. I know it's sad! But she got tired of carrying the blog while I was sleeping. A week off is fair I do believe.

Tuesdays with Maggie

In feminist theory we discussed various derogatory words and connotations.  One of the words happened to be "pussy." So, Maggie would like you to know, when you say pussy, you are insulting her as a cat, and as a woman! Now, think about what you say, and hopefully Maggie will stop acting so sad.

Tuesdays wtih Maggie

There is no pedagogical reasoning behind this video. Well, maybe there is one... sometimes you should just have fun.

Tuesdays with Maggie

Maggie is a natural predator. Her preferred victims are birds, but she is not allowed outside (and that is a whole other story!). So, what is a cat, namely Maggie, to do? 

Find a new victim. And who is this victim you may ask? Well, I was just about to tell you, and then Maggie sat on me and the laptop. Of course after several minutes of attempting to type with her ass in my face, she has finally moved. So, where were we? Her new victim. 

 

Bugs. Yes, that's right bugs. Take away one hunt and one protein, replace it with another hunt and another protein. Hence, the bugs. 

You're probably wondering where the lesson lies in all of this kitty cat bug hunting. Well...

1. Exercise (hunting is an outlet I suppose) is always important.
2. Protein is important. Maggie may not be a vegetarian, but she knows if you take away one source of protein, you should replace with another, even if it means eating bugs. 

*These photos are from her latest expedition. I believe the latest victim was a moth.

Tuesdays with Maggie

Please forgive me. I was taking a bit of a cat nap... and almost forgot it was Tuesday!

Since that was my reason for barely making the Tuesdays With Maggie deadline, I thought it appropriate to post this picture. As you can see, I enjoy cat naps quite a bit. However, there are still a few lessons...

1. People nap too.
2. Don't let your husband find your camera, or he will take embarrassing photos of you and your cat.