Merry Christmas, Dear Readers!

Dear Readers:

Today is Christmas, and I wanted to wish you all a very merry one!

My Mommie brought me home a huge haul of loot! A new food dish, a new collar, some new toys, a big bag of organic catnip (because I ate the plant she was growing me), TWO big bags of my favorite cat cereal, a GIANT box of my favorite litter, and a MEGA bag of my favorite treats, along with a few other things. I am truly a blessed kitty, because in addition to all of this, she continues to give me a warm and happy home at a time when many people are turning their beloved pets in to the shelters because they cannot afford to keep them - or worse, abandoning them to the streets. How lucky can one kitty get?

My hope for all who celebrate is that your Christmas is as wonderful as mine; and that you remember to share the love with those who have less. (I plan on giving snuggles to all who come to visit me, even though they claim that they are there to see the humans! I think we all know that is just pretense!).

Snuggles,
Tazi

A Memorial Day Message From Tazi

Dear Readers:

Today is Memorial Day, a day to remember those who fought and died for our freedoms, including the freedom to protest our own government. Whatever your political stripes are – Republican Red, Democrat Blue, or Third Party White – please take the time today to remember those who gave all on foreign soil to ensure the continued safety of those back home; for they are not here to remind you of their sacrifice.

We live in an era where war on foreign soil is questioned. Why are we there? What business do we have invading a sovereign country and establishing a new government, modeled after our own no less? Our military who risked all and even gave all may also have asked these same questions, but when duty called they answered; putting aside their personal feelings in favor of support of their country. How many of us today would be willing to submit to conscription as a requirement of citizenship?

There is a reason that the men and women of World War II – it was their forefathers for whom Memorial Day was started – are called The Greatest Generation, for it was they that put liberty before their personal beliefs; before their own lives; and accepted the role into which fate had cast them - willing or not, they answered when called. Who will replace them, now that they are almost all gone?

Heroes are now being forged on the battlegrounds of the Middle East. Will we recognize them when we see them? Or will we bring our protests to their feet upon catching sight of their uniform? We all praise Seal Team 6; want to be like them! How many children dressed up as them for Halloween; how many men joined training camps that pushed members through a Navy SEAL workout? How many of us know the names of the individual members of Seal Team 6? How many of us know the names of the casualties who served with them? How many of us have thanked them for their service and sacrifice? How many of us have thanked any veteran of the Gulf Wars, for stepping up when asked?

All the flowery words and heartfelt sentiments that will be published today will mean nothing if we do not take the time to think of the history behind them; if we do not take the time to ask ourselves, “What if…?”

What if...
The United States did not enter World War II?

What if…?
The United States had not entered the Korean War (aka the Korean Conflict)?

What if…?
The United States had stayed out of Viet Nam?

What if…?
The United States had stayed out of the Middle East – both times?

None of these wars were fought on American soil; none of these wars affected the day-to-day lives of the average American – they were not our business, yet we made them our business and by doing so changed the lives of those whose day-to-day lives were affected by war and dictatorships; we changed the lives of Americans who bore the brunt of the sacrifices that war brings. Whether these lives were changed for better or worse, only history can judge; but still, I am left to question…

If not for American involvement…
Would Great Britain and France have fallen to the Third Reich?
Would Nazi Germany, empowered by victory over the European continent, dared to have attacked American soil?
Would the Jewish religion still be in wide practice today, or would it have fled underground out of fear of extermination?

These are questions I prefer not to think upon, and thanks to the sacrifices made by our Veterans they are questions I do not have to ask. I wish you all a blessed Memorial Day, offer a humble thank you to our veterans, and ask that you remember those who went before...because all gave some, and some gave all.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Happy New Year 2013 From Tazi-Kat

Dear Readers,

I have a New Year's wish for you! It is similar to last year's wish for you, with updates to reflect the changing times!

May your year be filled with good health, good friends, and good luck. May you always remember to appreciate the happy times, and each other. May sadness fade with the support of friends, family, and community; and may outpourings of love and compassion salve the bitter sting of tragedy.

And belly rubs! I also wish you belly rubs!

May work be plentiful, but not overwhelming; may your pockets be so full of coin that you do not hesitate to share with those less fortunate; and may there always be time at the end of the d.ay to enjoy some quality time with your loved ones (including belly rub time!)

May your cup of life always be full, and its contents ever sweet; may all of your dreams come true, and your nightmares fade with the dawn. (Belly rubbing a cat can help to accomplish this end!).

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, blessed 2013 that is full of abundance, joy, and plenty of belly rubs!

The kitten has spoken!

Snuggles to all,

Tazi-Kat

Tazi's Corner #20 - Remembering The Spirit Of The Season

Dear Readers,

First we had Black Friday, then we had Small Business Saturday; tomorrow is Cyber Monday.  Does that mean that today is a day to sit back and reflect on the true meaning of the holiday season? I hope so, because those are the kind of thoughts I will be sharing with you today.

As I have mentioned so many times in the past, I have a wonderful home, full of people who serve - I mean love! - me and want me to be happy.  One of the people who makes me happy is the little girl who lives next door.  "Missy" is unlike any child I have ever met; she is "seven going on sixty" as my Mommie describes her, but that is okay with me.  I am generally not fond of young children; they chase me under the furniture and try to pull me out by the tail. (Yeah, there's a good way to endear the cat to you!  Torture it!).  Missy, however, is not like that.  Missy is like an adult in miniature.  Like many children of a certain age, Missy is starting to doubt the existence of Santa Claus and the magic of Smiley, her Elf of the Shelf.  It is for all the Missys out there that I say this:

To all of you raising the Missys of the world, to all of you struggling to conquer your own personal battles; to you I would like to say that I understand that it is hard to keep believing. I know how difficult it can be to keep trying when all you want to do is give in and hope somebody else can pick up the slack, if only for a moment.  I may be just a little kitty, but I witness the trials of my humans, and the anguish of those who write to me.  We live in a world where it is so easy to lose our faith. Disappointments in our personal and professional lives sap our desire to keep trying; trying moments sap our reserves to the point where we wonder where we will find the strength to go on another step.  I say, keep trying, in spite of the hurt; you never know which attempt will lead to success.  

Don't be afraid to take naps between tries!  Just remember to try again when you wake!

Discouragement is a natural, human emotion - everyone feels it, but remember this the next time you feel the need to verbalize yours: Children - even those that are not your own - can have mighty good hearing when it comes to things we would rather they not hear; once spoken, words cannot be unsaid. The next time you catch yourself losing your temper or drowning your spirit over something you cannot control, think of the lesson you are passing on to a child. Better yet, if you find yourself stressed to the point that you are losing your temper or drowning in misery, maybe it is time that you have a "time out".

Remember that you will quickly reach the point where you can do no good for others if you refuse to first be good to yourself.  Brew a cup of coffee or tea; take 15 minutes to yourself with a newspaper or a good book; make time for yourself! While you are indulging in your "time out", ask yourself: Are the gifts you "need" to buy really so necessary that you must toss civility to the side to get them?  I'll bet you a Cabbage Patch Kid, a Furby, and a Tickle Me Elmo that they are not.  Do you really want to give your child a gift that required you to stampede over others to get it?

Zombie apocalypse or Wal-Mart on Black Friday?

In the consumer culture that has developed over the past several decades, is it any wonder children no longer believe in the magical?  Or do they?  As I overheard Missy explain to my Mommie that she didn't think her Elf was real, that her Mom moved him around after she went to sleep, I saw a glint of doubt in her eyes at the sound of her own words; a small fear that maybe - just maybe - she was wrong. Something tells me that there is a seven-year-old underneath that serious demeanor after all...a seven year old who wants to continue to believe, in spite of a gut feeling to the contrary.   Hope springs eternal in the hearts of youth, but just as with adults those hopes need to be nurtured.  Is there any way that we can make the magic last just a little while longer?

Please ignore the bad hair and take a minute to listen to the message!

Santa Claus, The Elf, and other characters of Christmas (does Hanukkah have any?) are only symbols of a greater good that dwells within our hearts, a good that often gets shoved aside in favor of other responsibilities, real and imagined.  This year, don't let the stresses of creating a "perfect" holiday season shove aside the reasons that we celebrate the season - the miracles, big and small, that come about as a result of faith, hope, charity, love, and the indefatigable strength of the human spirit. At seven years old, Missy and most other children her age are still too young to understand the spirit of good will behind the concepts of Santa and the Elf on the Shelf; it is up to you humans to illustrate it for them.  Are you up to the task?

Snuggles,
Tazi

P.S.  It is exactly one month until Christmas; thirteen days until the start of Hanukkah, so don't wait too long to start displaying your holiday spirit!  --T.K.

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

A Thanksgiving Message From Tazi-Kat!

Dear Readers:

Today is Thanksgiving, a day set aside each year to give pause and think about the blessings in our lives. Whatever your personal beliefs about the holiday - political, religious, or a lack of either - today is a day to give appreciation for those who make our lives special. Today, I would like to use this space to offer praise to those who make my life special; and thanks for the things that make me a happy kitty!

I am thankful for:

My Mommie, who rescued me from the shelter when I reached out to her - literally. More dead than alive when the shelter brought me in, I would huddle in the back of my cage; fearful of everyone. When she walked in, something about her attracted me. My instincts told me she would be a good Mommie, so I rushed forward; stuck my paw through the cage; hooked my claws into her sweater; and pulled her close to me. We have been inseparable ever since.

My Co-Mommie, who is actually my Grand-Mommie, but she does not like being called that. Every night, after a long day of napping (on my part, not hers) she provides a lap for me to curl up in and cuddle. I love my evening snuggles! Every morning, Co-Mommie wakes early to keep me company and take care of my needs. She claims that she wakes early to get ready for work, but I know the truth: she just wants some alone time with me, before my nap schedule kicks in for the day.

My "Uncle Person", who comes over every day just to visit with me! (He claims he comes by to see my Mommie, but I know better!). He is my very favorite person in the whole, wide world, and I know that he feels the same way about me! How could he not? I hope that someday, he comes to live with us!

For something my humans call "treats". I am not sure why they taste so much better than my cat cereal (what my humans call "dry food") but there is something about them that makes me want to gorge myself...and then throw them all up on the rug to make room for more!

For cat-nip; and for the fact that humans have yet to discover how awesome it is!

For soft blankets, on which I take my naps, and for something new I recently discovered: a hole in the wall where warm air blows out of when it is cold. What a great invention!

For all of you, who read my column; write me letters; and leave me comments. I truly enjoy writing this column; and thank you for letting me be a part of your life!

Once upon a time, I was an abandoned kitty; left on the streets to fend for myself in the cold and the snow. Now, I am safe and warm; pampered and attended to; surrounded by people who care about me, who love me no matter what (even when I jump on their pool table in the middle of a game!). I have a lot for which to be thankful...and it is my hope, dear Readers, that you do as well! A Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

-- Tazi-Kat

P.S. Reduce, reuse, recycle! Think globally and act locally by giving your turkey scraps to the cat in your life!

A Special Veteran's Day Message From Tazi-Kat

Dear Readers:

Today is Veteran's Day. Whether your political stripes are Republican red, Independent white, or Democrat blue, today is a day to remember those - living and dead - who put our country and Her interests above their own, and signed on to serve in the U.S. Military.

The jobs of our Soldiers, Airmen/Airwomen, Navymen/Navywomen and Marines are not like our own. They cannot call out sick because the weather is nice and they wish to take a personal day. If, after signing on, they decide they do not like the job, they cannot simply quit - they must honor the multi-year commitment they have made to serve. When they are told that they are being transferred or deployed, they cannot say "no". They go where their leaders send them, be it across the country and away from family and friends; or across the world and into imminent danger. How many of us show such loyalty to our employers?

Whether an enlisted member or an officer, employment in the U.S. Military is more than just a job, more than just a career: it is a way of life. When they leave the "office" for the day - whether the office really is an office, or whether it is a ship or a training field or a battle site - the members of our U.S. Military do not stop representing, even if they are out of uniform; and even when they have long since retired from active duty. How many of us show such pride for our profession?

Our country's laws protect our civil rights, preventing our employers from forcing us to complete tasks that we find morally objectionable. The members of our U.S. Military give up many of these protections when they join the service. For the most part, they do not get to choose their job assignment; it is chosen for them based upon their abilities; and they do their job to the best of their abilities, even if they would prefer to be doing something else. How many of us are so accommodating of our employers?

If we, as civilians, disagree with a decision our company leaders make, we can openly argue. If a Military Journalist finds the U.S. position on foreign affairs objectionable s/he had better keep that opinion out of the articles, Editorials, and opinion pieces they write; and keep cheering for the decisions of their Commander in Chief, regardless of their true feelings. The rest of our U.S. Military must also tow the "company line", and keep dissenting opinions out of their blogs and away from the ears of their commanding officers. How many of us are so supportive of our Chief Executives? And how many of us could learn to keep our mouths shut so well?

Being a member of our U.S. Military involves sacrifice that civilians will never understand; but it also provides rewards that civilians will never experience. Being a member of the U.S. Military means you are part of a brother-and-sisterhood that goes beyond self-interest, beyond cultural background, beyond the color of your skin. It is to know that whoever you are, and wherever you are, there are those who are willing to put their life on the line to protect the importance of your mission. How many of us can say that about our co-workers?

Whatever your political stripes; whatever your beliefs on war and military spending; please take the time to say "Thank You" to a Veteran for the sacrifices they make to secure, protect, and preserve our American way of life. In the words of one Veteran - who I am certain speaks for more than self - a Veteran of the U.S. Military has "defended those who hate me, fought those who where afraid of me, aided those who didn't know me, and took shots for those who were with me". How many of us can claim to be so selfless?

Wishing you all a Happy Veterans' Day, and sending a great big THANK YOU to all of our country's Veterans!

--Tazi-Kat