I'm not exactly sure what I've been doing, but it certainly has kept me busy. I have a couple of talks to give, one at a refinery and one at a professional association meeting, and I've been spending a lot of time working on those. Fortunately, I have help.

Yoda actually does some of the typing for me. He specializes in "aaaaaaaaaa" and in hitting the Caps Lock button. He also likes to watch the cursor. But most of all, he likes the heat coming out of the computer.

Yoda leads a more balanced life than I do. He finds time for play, as well as work. Now that he has completely demolished the pink feathers on a stick that was his favorite toy, I bought him a 6-foot long pink feather boa. Now THIS is a toy! You can chase it when you find a human willing to run around the house pulling it; you can leap in the air to catch it; and when no humans want to play, you can find things to do all by yourself,


And in other Yoda news -- because that's the only kind there is around here right now -- he has obviously learned the word "fish" and when he hears it he comes running, sounding just about like a stampeding herd of cattle. He has always had a funny place on his nose, but it was growing at an alarming rate. The vet gave me some antibiotics, which have reduced the swelling but have not gotten rid of the original bump. She is going to look at it in a few weeks while he is under for his neutering.

Oh. Neutering. He heard that and I think he understood. He has been so sweet and trying so hard not to scratch or bite. See, Mama? I can be domesticated. You don't have to neuter me! At the vet's he was still being the Alpha Male, with a lot of scratching, biting and sqirming. She acted almost afraid of him and pretty much refused to touch his nose while he is awake. But he's been a different cat since that vet visit. Coincidence? Hmmmm.

I also wonder about this vet, who is new at the clinic. So my arm has a lot of scratches --- I told her I bruise easily. She had on long sleeves. If you are afraid to pick up an active kitten because it might scratch you accidentally, then I think you may be in the wrong profession.