WELCOME TO 2011 (a little late of course)

Happy New Year!

Oh wait...that was 3 weeks ago? WHOOPS. Guess I have not posted anything for THREE friggin' weeks. Wow. Dropped the ball on that one, eh?

I hope to make up for it by sharing one of my resolutions which is to post even more than I already do! The goal will be two times a week. That sounds pretty doable, yes? I think I was already there before I encountered a double dose of "job transitioning" with two different job changes and "wedding planning crunch time" and "becoming a kitty-parent" all in the last few months. Things get busy and stress levels rise and suddenly, I just don't have the strength after the workday for much more than multiple glasses of wine and perhaps a two hour zone-out session while watching the train wreck that is "The Bachelor" (don't judge).

So that is where I am at. Unfortunately, all I am craving writing about is how emotionally taxing the last few months have been and all I want to do is whine about the shit I have been going through lately. But this is not the sort of thing you write about on a blog that is open to the public, obviously. I have learned to try to attempt to have more class than that. So that being said...

HERE IS A LIST OF GREAT THINGS ABOUT HAVING MY CAT BURKE THAT I HAVE DISCOVERED:

-When I wake up in the morning, he is the sweetest he will be all day. He shoves his face into my fingers and dives and leaps to be petted and purrs like a little motor boat. He will jump into my lap (even if I am peeing or something) and just curl up and want to be with me. Too bad it is when I have allowed myself the least amount of time for cuddling (I hate mornings). I usually have to push him away eventually to drag myself into the shower to prepare for another taxing day of work.

-When I come home after another taxing day of work, he is usually curled up on my desk chair right in front of the door, waiting for me to come home. He looks up at me groggily and his eyes are little slits and he is pretty sweet then too.

-Nothing makes another taxing day at work seem farther away than when I have him on my lap and he is sleeping belly up so I can rub him. That and wine and "The Bachelor" have been helping me along this journey of mine, and I am eternally grateful for them.

-He is a super agile, super sporty kitty. He loves chasing things, playing with a stuffed football, and one of his favorite games is leaping onto the top of his scratching post when we toss toy mice at him. He will leap up, catch the mouse in both paws, and bring it to his mouth, all while balancing on top of the post. I think we should nickname him Sporty Spice.

-Speaking of nicknaming, man is it fun to call him whatever the hell we want to at that moment. "Kitty Koo Koo," "Boo," "Boo-face," "Burkalicious," 'Burkey," "Burkus," "Drunky," "Stupid," "Silly Face"...this list goes on and on and gets better and better the more wine we drink.

-We can leave him alone for long periods of time and he is just fine. This is the best part about him. He is a friggin' cat! He is practically self-sufficient. I am never worried about him when I am out, I never have to take him to pee outside, yet he is still sweet and cute and (mostly) cuddly and waiting for me when I get home at night! This is why I think that cats are the far superior pet choice for city folk such as myself. Just sayin'.

Well, that list worked out well. I was able to express my joy for Burke's presence in our lives, and I only mentioned my frustration with work a couple of times! In my perspective, that is a success.

Here's to a happy, healthy, prosperous new year filled with thinly veiled references to job woes and wobbly attempts to make it sound like I have it all figured out! Huzzah!