... owning a cat

I have been seriously procrastinating on grading this week. Something about knowing that I only had 18 exams to grade rather than the 320 of Biochemistry 440 from the fall increased my laziness. I mean, I graded 320 exams in one sitting (admittedly with a significant reduction of brain function and general life skills by the end of it), so 18 exams should basically grade themselves without any effort on my part. Sigh. I am returning them tomorrow, so I finally got myself to grade them tonight. Pathetic.

My efforts to avoid a (relatively) trivial task reached fairly epic proportions this weekend. Thankfully, I have had a cat to keep me entertained. Coming from a family that held being "dog people" with even more loyalty than we were "Toyota people," a cat is a strange creature. Hobbes is exhibit #1 that my mood swings aren't that bad. I don't really know what sparks the transition from the snugly kitty to the lion that looks with great distain on us lower life forms. Until owning a cat, I had never received such regular doses of distain. I try to affirm my own worth to the cat. "I am a person. I am bigger than you. I have a job. I have a Master's degree! I can buy things (like your food, you ungrateful beast)." This crescendo of self-defense is met with a blink or a yawn. And if I'm extra lucky, a sarcastic little meow. Maybe Hobbes has a point. I did just go through this conversation out loud while (otherwise) alone in my apartment... maybe talking to myself isn't the way to convince my cat he should respect me.

I also don't get how after hours of sitting contentedly on the couch while I am moving around, one of the times I walk back in the room is greeted with a startled meow and flight to the nearest box. By the way, apparently, boxes are the grand-daddy of all bases in cat-world. My mere presence could have been unnerving a moment ago, but now he is a BOX-CAT and box-cats are very brave and fierce. Box-cats dare you to try sneaking up on them again. Box-cats resolutely believe the best defense is a good offense against all strings (and hands) in the general area. Box-cats don't always keep claws pulled in while "defending." And. Box-cats aren't hampered by trivial things like not fitting inside said box.

By the way, when I finally got myself to grade the exams, Hobbes got jealous of all the attention those boring papers were getting and thought he was a much more deserving object of my devotion. With an adorable little purr/meow he laid down on my answer key and tried to bat my red pen off the table. I guess I can be a "cat person" too.