To Cat or not to Cat...

Good morning, fans. Viggo here! 
My woman is a bit out of sorts, due to the fact that she has too much to do in too short a time. (At least, that's what I heard her sigh)

So, I've decided to take matters in my own paw and seek direct contact with all of you.

The question I would like to propose to you is the following, existentialist one:

To Cat, or not to Cat?

Do you follow the traditionalist side, who believe cats should be cats, and not be dressed up in silly frilly dresses (to name just one abhorrence) or are you one of those humans who feel that it is okay to humanize cats in whatever way they like?

Take my woman, for example. She believes in letting cats be cats. But at the same time I see her giggle about the antics other cat lovers get up to. She follows this blog called Caturday, and corresponds with other cat lovers.

Now, I allow this, because I know she means well.

But at the same time I would like to take a stand, here.

I will bite, scratch and scoop out the eyes of everyone who tries to put a knitted hat on ME!

Just warning you.

Right. I wish you a wonderful day. Go feed your cat. Right now!

Viggo's Haiku on Gina

decrepit old dog

farting in your soft basket

wish you would cuddle

(this is not my photo; I found it floating around in cyberspace)

Viggo's Haiku on Voles

Cats have their own unique viewpoint of the dark, wet, Wetlands Winter months; at least...Viggo has!

Viggo in his custom-torn take-away bag

Q: You were an Autumn baby. Do you have a special affinity with Autumn?

V: Technically I was a late Summer kitten. And no, I prefer Spring. When the frogs and toads start to jump back to the pool, that's wonderful. And all those young birds that still cannot fly very well. And the butterflies, and the bumble bees, oh...bumble bees! And dragonflies! Poetry in motion.

Q: Do you mind getting wet so very often in Autumn and Winter? You never seem to mind the rain in our wetter than wet Wetlands.

V: Rain doesn't bother me at all. Must be my alleycat background. In fact, it is a great pleasure of mine to come in sopping wet and then curl up on your lap. As you well know. The way that you always dry off Gina, with one of those smelly dog towels...ridiculous. No towel needed here; I simply wait until my fur has dried out by itself.

Q: Most cats lick themselves dry. You don't seem to do that. Can you explain why not?

V: As I said, I prefer to lie in your lap, or your bed, and get dry. I wouldn't mind curling up next to Gina occasionally, but for some strange reason she doesn't want me in her basket. Every time I try, she growls most unpleasantly. Stupid, it's big enough!

Q: She's old. And you are allowed onto the furniture, she isn't, so...

V: So what? 

Q: Now don't get nasty.

  The reason for this interview is your latest Haiku. Would you like to share it with your readers?

V: Well... Yes. I'm quite content with it. It came to me when I was stalking one of those irritating voles near the shed, and I thought about it some, and finished it last Saturday when I was in my take-away bag.

Q: The floor is yours.

V:

Smallish brownish prey

its shivering whiskers twitching

walks into my mouth

Q: Thank you so much, Viggo.

V: Hey, you promised to feed me extra if I shared that poem. Move it, woman!

Happy 2015 to You! May it be a Peaceful Year.

Hi there, all you dreamers, lovers, thinkers and other assorted well-wishers.
It is Dec. 30th over here, but as I am aware that 2015 will be starting sooner with lots of you  'over there' than me 'over here', I will post this one day 'too early'.

So...anyway :-)

Frankly I dislike fireworks, unless it's the show from the Erasmusbrug in Rotterdam, which is the best fireworks display in the entire Wetlands. But I, like my pets, abhor these loud bangs, usually when I least expect them.

New year's resolutions? Do you have them?

Let's make a list.
# world peace
# peace in Europe
# peace between Ukraine and Russia
# peace....

Okay. That was a tad unrealistic, I know. So let's make the list more personal.

# appreciate the people around me
# eat more (Hah! Got you!)
# eat more vegetables and fruit/nuts than protein
# re-start my long-distance walking routine
# play the guitar
# play the guitar
# play the guitar

Also, since I know that he has quite a few fans, I asked Viggo for a selfie. Here it is. He was a bit drowsy, due to his usual over-eating. So I asked him for another one.

Tssssssss. Not very interesting, is it?

So. Anyway.

I would like to wish you a marvelous 2015! May it bring you everything you desire; love, good health, wealth, fame, success, and...well, yes, let's...peace.

Happy One Year Anniversary to Rays of Light The Blog.

Hiya! By the time you read this, that means it has turned November 24th, and Rays of Light has been up in the air for exactly one year.
And what a year it has been!

Whether you have read just one post, or if you have been a regular reader, know this:

this has been an amazing journey!

I started out in November 2013 feeling not a little depressed, anxious, frazzled, morose, and-what-have-you. In short: not a happy little bunny!

Being an overzealous conscientious worker was finally catching up with me. In short: taking over and turning me upside down, inside out and generally pissing me about.

I started suffering (yes, really suffering!) from stress-related garbage, and traumatic events from my youth (long repressed) suddenly coming to the surface and costing me my peace of mind.

Still.

I do.

In the middle of all the shit, all the pain, all the heartache, there is good. I witness it every day.

It's in the little things. 

The smile in the street. The hand on my shoulder. The cup of coffee waiting for me when I get to work in the mornings. The warm greeting by a pupil. The palpable love given me. The wet nose of Viggo on my cheek in the night. The trusting look of Gina.

To get myself back into mental shape, I turned to three things: blogging, music and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

This is SUCH sound advice!

Hopefully you have enjoyed my blog. And you're welcome. I intend to keep on keeping on.

I'll post about music. About life in between the lines. And Viggo will join us from time to time.

I'll leave you with the soundtrack of my life. Just follow the link.David Bowie - Changes

Viggo On "Rotterdam City of 2015" Election.

Hiya. You have reached the blog of a very proud Rotterdammer. The city of my birth has been elected Best European City for 2015 by some London-based committee. YAY!
Now, obviously us born in Rotterdam have known for some time that Rotterdam is great, but it's nice to know that others recognise this as well.
So, to celebrate, I have asked Viggo for his opinion on this wonderful achievement.

Q: Viggo, so nice of you to grant us this interview, it being a Sunday and raining as well.

V: Always happy to oblige, for my fans.

Q: Can I ask you what your first thought was when you heard about this celebratory fact about Rotterdam?

V: My first thought? Hm... Couldn't care less.

Q:Aren't you the tiniest bit proud that the city that spawned your woman won?

V: 'Spawned'? Are you a tadpole?

Q: Viggo, don't be like that, please!

V: Oh, alright then. Well. I must admit that I do admire my predecessor, the  red cat Peter. The way he watched over your birthing... that was classy.  I don't now if I could face that scene; a red squealing smelly baby dropping out of a woman 1 foot away... I'm told he kept his cool admirably, didn't move a whisker. And I know he lived in Blijdorp for years, which is Rotterdam I suppose. It's a pity he has been dead for the last 53 years, it would have been nice to hunt together.

Q: I'm sure. Rotterdam?

V: Oh, yeah, certainly. Rotterdam... Rotterdam... You know, I'm totally blank.

Q: The Euromast, The Erasmusbrug, the Kop van Zuid, the Markthal, the...

V: Enough! You sound like a Tourism Board Advertisement. 

Q: Schmidt Zeevis, Andalus Vis...

V: Ah...that's more interesting. But I'm not really into eating the stuff, sorry.

Q: Anything to say about Rotterdam, anything at all?

V: To tell you the truth, nope. But you can post that selfie I took today.

Q: Already did, it's at the top of this page.

V: Right. Well, you can post the full length ones in the windowsill then, they came out quite well, I think. Pity about those ridiculous African birds.

Viggo Plays Guitar.

Hiya, happy Caturday to you!
When I told you I would start posting about music, I also promised to ask Viggo to make the occasional appearance, and I always keep my promises.

Ever since my tomcat Viggo trashed my brand new guitar to make a point (his point being that he wanted me to get out of bed at 3 am and feed him), Viggo and guitars have a somewhat fraught relationship. So I thought it an idea to ask him about this.

Q: Could you say that you dislike my guitar?

V: Yes, I could say that. But I won't. Because it isn't true.

Q: Then what made you decide to swat my guitar from its stand?

V: I simply saw an opportunity. It just stood there. You just lay there. I was hungry.

Q: Did you feel sorry afterwards?

V: Don't be silly. I cannot understand your weird emotions about that guitar. You almost cried, I mean...honestly. It's a thing made out of wood and strings, not a living being. And you should have spared a thought for me! You shouted at me! I was sooooo upset!

Q: I observe your somewhat...reluctance to come near my guitar nowadays though. Not that I am complaining. 

V: Yes, well, you would be reluctant too! That guitar crashing scared the bee-jeebies out of me. I didn't foresee that it would make that clanging noise. That, and you screaming! 

Q: But you take a wide berth when I am playing it, as well.

V: That's because you keep playing the same thing over, and over, and over....

Q: That is called practicing.

V: Oh...is that was it is. I thought it was simply bad music. 

Q: Watch your mouth!

V: That wasn't a question.

Q: I mean it, take care what you say, or I'll cut your ration.

V: WHAT? Even more? Don't you dare! It's barely a mouthful as it is! And Gina tries to eat it every time!

Q: That's your own doing, you keep leaving half!

V: I save it! It is for later! That's first cat rule, you save a bit for later! For when you want another little bite!

Q: Well, that's plain stupid, you should eat it all, because you know Gina tries to get at your food.

V: That's it. This talk is over! You can take your stupid guitar and stick it up your...Oh! What's that? Did you see that?

SWAT!

Q: Well. What can I say? And another dragonfly bites the dust. Did that taste good?

V: Mwah. A bit disappointing. It looked better than it tastes. So I think I'll leave the rest, if you don't mind.

Q: You just bit its head off, Viggo! You left the rest already anyway.

V: Pooh! Semantics! Okay, time for my wash. Oh...no...not the guitar, please!

Q: I'll put the headphones on.

V: Thanks. Tickety-boo, then.

Viggo's Philosophy

Hello, Viggo fans all around the world. Hope you have had an amazing day! By popular demand Viggo has dictated his words of wisdom.

Right. Hi. Hello.

My woman has asked me to speak to you directly. Basically because she is too skint to ask some reporter for yet another interview, so this time I am taking the trouble to talk to you cat to man, so to speak.

It being October, and those leaves falling, and humans getting all soppy and melancholy, she asked me to try to get my philosophy across to you.

For I am, according to her, the most laid back cat around. And she has asked me to whisper my secret into her ear.

Here goes.

First of all. It is all in the limbs. You humans are much, much too uptight and stressed and stiff.

Take a good look at a cat. Ever seen a stiff cat? 

Now, okay, right, I don't mean one of those cats which you are trying to get into a cat carrier in order to take it to the vet. Now those cats are stiff as a board, but they are thus for a purpose...Namely to stop you shoving them into that carrier in the first place.

No, I mean a cat in its natural habitat. On the sofa, say, or in a beam of sunlight, or in the tall grass next to a gently running stream, or...

Sorry.

Perhaps I'd better provide you with a visual. You humans seem fond of those.

My point exactly.

You roll on to your back, you stretch, put the paws loosely apart (as wide as you like, we cats know no shame), take a deep breath....and...purr.

See?

I assure you I am as loose as a floppy rug in that photo. 

One caution though: you must stretch again before turning right side up! And for Frith's sake do not attempt to lick yourself between the legs in the first lesson. You would only look very silly and probably have to be carted off to the hospital (and see if you like being put into a carrier - I bet you'd go extremely stiff yourself!)

Yes, I do a bit of teaching, in between my naps and meals.

Have a look at this session with Gina. She's quite a dedicated student!

Okay, once you've mastered the relaxed-back-position, you are ready for a touch of the mind set.

You start by realising you are master of your own universe. To obtain this realisation, I want you to find yourself a quiet corner (a cardboard box will do nicely, or if you don't have one large enough you can always shut yourself into a dark cupboard or hide yourself under a bed) and imagine you are into The Zone. The Zone needs some explaining, I suppose.

The Zone is a state of being which comes natural to cats. All our senses are heightened, our whiskers are quivering like antennae, our ears pick up the tiniest scratch of a mouse's claw or the rattling of the jar where the cat food is kept in, and we see things you humans do not see.

Do NOT believe we see dead people or some such nonsense. We don't. We do see auras though. That's the reason we can stare at a point just south of your head for minutes on end. We don't look at your head per se, we watch the energy field around your head, which tells us what kind of mood you are in.

I've asked one of my pals to demonstrate this for you. This cat is definitely in The Zone.

It takes dedication and practice, but if you apply yourself, you will be able to source The Zone. Eventually. After a lot of hard work. Perhaps.

Anyway. As soon as you have access, you are ready for lesson three.

Assert yourself.

Whatever you do, keep repeating this mantra:

Master, Master, Master, Master.

A good way to put this to the test (are you giving it the right stress?) is to jump onto the head of the person nearest to you and to firmly put your claws into the hair.

When they scream, curse or start crying, you know you have got it just right.

If you do this often enough you will come to believe yourself to be a proper master of the house. People will jump up to open doors for you, imagine that! They will vie for your attention! They will tempt you with treats! You will be able to sleep wherever you want, whenever you want. 

Oh...just one thing. Beware of cat flaps. I have it on good authority that humans are better off using doors.

Next time I'll teach you my hunting techniques, shall I?

In the Wetlands We Celebrate Animal Day Today.

October 4th used to be a magical day!

We would buy treats for our dog and cats, and as a girl I used to put a ribbon around the neck of my favourite cat Bobbie (we had 3 at the time), which he would graciously allow to be there for a while, until he'd had enough and got rid of it.

Our other animals would get treats as well; we gave the 7 goats water crackers, which they adored, and the chickens would get endive.

Nowadays I only have one cat and one dog around the house.

But today still is a special day for the cat, as we got our Viggo from the shelter exactly four years ago.

He has the best life imaginable, with a large garden, plenty of food, loving people and personnel to open doors for him. Not bad eh, for an alley cat?

Thomas O'Malley the Alley Cat

So, to celebrate today, I'll leave you with some of my favourite animal photos.

Thank you for caring for your animals.

10,040 Readers?! Wow-wee, So Nice to See You!

LWhen I started this blog on November 24th 2013 I didn't dare dream that so many people would bother to read my stuff!

I thought that if I could scrape or drag in a couple of readers a week, it would be lovely.
Not knowing that I would have hundreds a week, and sometimes more than 1,500 a month at any given time.

And the parts of the world that you live in amaze me as well. Hundreds of readers a week in Ukraine? I mean...sure, great, wonderful that you are reading my blog folks, especially in the event of politics going on (I try - and mostly succeed - to stay away from politics; I'm certain that you have noticed); keep it up by all means.

On the subject of statistics:
my American readers are the most numerous, 
closely followed by my own countrymen,
very closely followed by people from the Ukraine
and the rest is quite evenly divided between Australia, South-Africa, India, Germany, England
and the occasional reader in France, Poland, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Latvia, Russia, Ireland, Canada, Rumania, China, Thailand. 

Now wouldn't it be wonderful to have, say, Hawaii, or the Solomon Islands, or anywhere in Africa, or Surinam.

Anyway. For ALL of you, I have looked up one of the funniest little videos I could find. It is about cats... They are one of my pet interests, simply because I think they are so inscrutable and always doing their own thing. So if you hate cats, skip it.
(Although...you could try it anyway, perhaps you'll surprise yourself by laughing out loud)

Link: I dare you to watch this without at least smiling.

Well? Bet you smiled, or even laughed out loud!

Have a wonderful evening, until next time.