L.S. O'Dea's Blog, page 2

*NOTE: As much as I enjoy writing these blogs, writing one every day is just too much. I’m not getting my book writing done. So, I’m going to shoot for 3-4 days a week.

Scratch? Yes.

But bite, no.

They’ve never bitten anyone.

Ever.

Until last night.

I don’t blame Salem though. I blame my sister.

She was over this weekend helping me around the house and she was definitely nervous around some of my cats.

I have two calico cats.

Connie-Cat had been a stray at my niece’s house. I took her in a few years ago. For some reason she sits around with her tongue hanging from her mouth (lol).

Mix jumped up on the desk near where my sister was sitting.

SISTER (cringing away from the cat).

ME: “Are you afraid of my cat?”

SISTER: “Yes. She bites.”

ME: “Mix doesn’t bite.” (she playfully nips because she likes you,but I kept that to myself -lol)

SISTER: “I can’t tell her and the other one apart and the other one bites.”

ME: “Connie-Cat doesn’t bite.” (I’m actually a little nervous around this cat. She’s just not all that tame or used to people yet but we’re working on it. However, I’m talking to my sister so I have to poke at her fear and make fun of her. It’s what our family does.)

SISTER: “She used to bite when she lived at my daughter’s house.”

ME: “Well, she doesn’t bite here.”

Later, my sister shies away from one of my other cats, Salem.

ME: “Are you scared of Salem too?” (he growls and hisses but he’s never bitten anyone – ever).

SISTER: “He looks like he might bite me.”

ME: “Nah, Salem is all talk.”

Still later, my niece came over to pick up my sister and she brought her son, D . He’s six.

He’s sitting on the couch petting Salem who’s stretched out on the back of the couch. I’m sitting two places over and keeping a haphazard eye on D. to make sure he’s not going to be mean to my cat. He’s a sweet boy who likes animals but he’s still only six and sometimes little kids can be mean. But today, D’s being a good kid and is just trying to pet Salem by wiggling his fingers along the side of Salem’s face when suddenly D stands up, crying.

He hurries over to his mother, mumbling words only a mother can understand.

ME: “What’s wrong? Did Salem scratch him?” In the past that’s how my cats have shown the children that they’ve had enough – a quick slap on the hand, claws out enough to hurt but not enough to draw blood.

HIS MOTHER: “No, Salem bit him.”

ME: “What?”  I look at Salem. He is not a happy cat. His ears are flat on his head and he hisses.

I should’ve paid more attention. I’m always super careful with my dogs and children but I never really worried about my cats.

D is fine. It was a small cut on his thumb but next time, I’ll watch more closely. I’m sure Salem gave D warning signs but D was too little to understand them.

I do take some of the blame but most of it I pin on my sister (just kidding – lol). The cats never bit until she kept bringing it up. I’ve had Salem since he was a kitten. He’s ten now.

I think Salem understood her and thought, “That human keeps talking about us biting her. I didn’t think it was allowed, but it must be.”

So, be careful what you say around your animals. They may understand more than you think.

The post I think my cat understands human-talk appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

I’ve been out of blog-writing commission for a few days but I’m back….

Kind of.

If you’re signed up for my newsletter, you might recognize this content. (if you’re not a member and want to join click here)

I had a huge response to this email so I thought I’d share it with everyone. Hope you enjoy.

Let’s talk about cats.

Why?

No reason except I read an interesting article about these weird creatures that share our homes and I think you’ll enjoy it.

And you have to admit, cats are weird.

Like babies, they can have hours of fun with an empty box.

Whenever I go to Costco, I grab a few boxes for them. They like it and they’re cheap toys.

But, let’s talk about how cats communicate with us.

Did you know that cats only meow for humans. They don’t meow to each other. It’s a special language they use for us.

I have to wonder if it’s something like the way adults talk to babies.

Did the cats all get together and discuss how to dumb down their communication so we’d understand?

CAT-E: “They just don’t understand that when I stare at them and blink slowly, everything is fine. They keep asking me what I want.  I don’t want anything. I’m telling them that I’m good.”

CAT-Z: “I know, I know but give them a break. They can’t smell worth a darn, they can’t hear anything less than a shout and their eyesight is terrible. Don’t get me started on their speed, jumping ability, agility, etc. The list of what they can’t do is longer than what they can.”

CAT-E: “Well, what are we going to do about it? We have to live with them. Okay, we don’t have to but they do have food and comfortable beds.”

CAT-Z: “Have you seen how they talk to their little ones?”

CAT-E: “Yes, makes me want to cough up a hairball on their pillows.”

CAT-Z: “I agree but what if we make noises like that?”

CAT-E: “Like baby talk?”

CAT-Z: “Exactly. Meow.”

CAT-E: “Ha, ha. That was so funny. Make that sound again.”

And so, they learned to meow to communicate with us.

They also communicate in other ways. For example, a nip is a sign of affection as well as them following you around and staring at you.

Still kind of creepy when you’re in the bathroom but now that I understand the slow blink stare, I guess it’s okay.

Oh, and let’s not forget…

the headbutt.

The article says cats do that to mark you as their territory, but I think they do it because they’re jerks.

Look at that gif?

Does that look like the white and gray cat is affectionately marking the black cat as his?

No, not to me either.

It looks to me like the white and gray cat didn’t like the other one meowing.

Well, they can be jerks but that’s probably because they’re so smart. They have 300 million neurons in their brains (compare that to 160 in a dog’s brain). Their brains are considered quite similar to human brains.

Check out the link below to read more fun facts about cats.

References:

https://honesttopaws.com/cats-real-message/?nogdprc=1

The post I only Meow for you appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

We all need to remember to take time for ourselves.

This is something that many parents and especially women struggle to do in normal times but it’s even more important now.

Yes, there are a ton of things to do — clean the house, work from home, take care of the kids, help the kids with school, take care of your fur-babies…

The list goes on and on.

Everyone is looking to you for help.

But, you won’t be able to help anyone if you don’t make time for yourself.

It doesn’t have to be a lot of time (I mean, who has that?). Maybe, thirty minutes to soak in the tub. Read a good book. Watch your favorite show on TV.

Something. Anything.

Just do it.

I have a friend who doesn’t even get the type of pizza she likes when they order for the family. I argue with her to get half a pizza the way she likes it.

She always says, “But no one else likes mushrooms and I don’t mind eating the other kind.”

Don’t mind isn’t good enough, ladies.

You deserve to have a few pieces of pizza exactly how you like it. Take a stand. Know that your happiness is just as important as everyone else’s.

Okay. I’m stepping off my soapbox for the day.

Take care of yourselves – both physically and emotionally.

The post Self-care is more important now than ever appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

Context is very important.

As a writer, I know this but as a human, I often forget.

I’ve been reminded of the importance of context every day in our family group texts.

I started the group as a way to send out important information about COVID-19.

It has taken on a life of its own.

It’s become a way for us to keep in touch and to have fun.

I have six siblings. All of them, except one of my brothers who refuses to get a smart phone, are in this group along with some of my nieces. With many of us working from home and all of us sheltering-in-place, texts have been going off like crazy.

Between my day job and my writing, I don’t have a lot of time to joke around through text messages. I’m glad they do and I wish I had more time, but I don’t.

Fortunately for me, I have no problem ignoring the pings.

Other people hear their phone beep and have to look. Not me.

I studied for my Microsoft certification while babysitting three young girls. I can tune out ANYTHING . (LOL).

The problem arises when I go back and skim through the messages.

This is where the issue of context rears its confusing little head.

These texts are flying back and forth. One statement could be answering a question from five texts ago. On top of that, as humans, we tend to use pronouns a lot and to assume that everyone knows what we’re thinking. It’s perfectly clear to us. It should be to them.

It’s not.

I’ve been guilty of this myself.

In college there were parking spaces around the dorms. Some were “timed” in that you could park your car there only for an hour or so while you loaded and unloaded your stuff. Others were permanent. You could leave your car there almost forever.

One Friday, I was lucky enough to find one of the parking spots where I could leave my car. Unfortunately, I was going home that weekend. I decided to let my friend know so she could grab the parking spot when I left. She wasn’t in her dorm room, so I wrote a message on the dry erase board on her door.

“I have a permanent spot. Let me know if you want it.”

She found me in the lunch room. “What the hell is a permanent spot and why would I want it?”

My note had made perfect sense to me.

It had not to her.

There had been no context in my message except what was in my head.

Had I taken two seconds to add a the word “parking”, it would’ve been clear or at least clear enough.

So, I know we’re all in a hurry – although we have nowhere to go – but take a moment, even when texting, and add a word or two. Change a pronoun to a noun. Be clear because no one can read the context in your head.

The post Context Matters appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

I decided when I saw this “self isolation/work from home” coming that I didn’t want to squander the extra hours (no commute, home at lunch, etc) like I did after my two surgeries.

I was going to make the best of a bad situation and so far, I’m doing pretty well.

I had three goals. One was to exercise more.

I just ran four miles today. That’s the most I’ve run in a very long time.

I love running (even though my speed is more plodding – lol).

I don’t wear headphones or earbuds. There is nothing to distract me except my mind.

Worries and thoughts tumble through my head with each step.

Solutions are found. Compromises made.

New stories form. Unknown friends emerge.

Current works unfold and unravel.

I find the secrets the characters are hiding. The things they don’t want me to know. The things that give the stories life.

My mind returns to certain scenes. Finished scenes. Scenes I don’t want to think about. Then I see it. The problem. The inconsistency. The plot hole.

Blurbs are reworked, reformed. Better than before. More punchy. More poignant.

I get a lot more done on my morning runs than exercising my body. My mind is allowed to relax and roam free. To help me on my journey. To lead me where I need to go.

Writing is a sedentary life.

Many authors are overweight and out of shape.

Find a way to move your body. A way that requires no thought.

Who knows what stories you’ll find.

The post Create your own positive appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

On May 16, 2020 the universe is going to send us a message.

The Moon, Jupiter and Venus will form a smiley face.

The scientific term for this is an occultation and it’s when the crescent Moon is positioned directly between Venus and Earth.

Even though this did happen in 2008 and 2012, it is considered a rare astronomical event.

I know, I look forward to seeing it. If you decide to go out and take a look, do so early because it’s only visible in the evening sky right after sunset.

Here’s a video of this occurrence.

It’s pretty cool.

I am wondering (this shouldn’t surprise any of you who’ve read my books), is it smiling at us to help make us feel better or is it laughing at us?

Probably, laughing. I swear I see it stick out its tongue in this video (just kidding).

References:

Click here to read the article

Click here to go to the youtube video

The post In May the universe is sending us a sign that it’ll all be okay appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

I’m sure we’ve all heard the stories of the animals returning to the streets and waterways now that humans are absent.

The thought of that makes me feel good.

In general, I like animals better than people. Don’t get me wrong, I like most people as individuals but as a group we kind of suck.

So, I was thrilled to hear of the dolphins and swans returning to the waterways of Venice.

Click here to read the article where I found this information and pictures.

Unfortunately, that’s not entirely true.

According to snopes:

There are plenty of others out there. Some so recent Snopes.com hasn’t had time to check the facts yet.

Like are mountain goats really roaming the streets in north Wales? Did they roam the streets before the pandemic?

What about the herd of deer who decided to take a rest in London and other of their kin who are visiting the shops in Japan and India.

Click here to read the article where I got the pictures and information.

I’d love to believe these things are happening. And it’d be great if, when this is all over, we learn to share our world with the other inhabitants in a more fair way.

But one story that I know is true. Absolutely. 100%. This animal has returned with the absence of humans.

Could happen. LOL.

The post Are animals really returning with our absence? This one certainly has. appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

Last year I won a calendar and it’s super cool.

The artist is Annie Stokes and she’s known for her fantasy drawings.

I like the calendar and have it hanging on my fridge.

I didn’t think much about it until I turned the page to show April.

That image seems pretty appropriate for what our April is going to be like here in the US and for those in many other areas.

So, I flipped it back to really look at March. I’ve seen it every day but I live mostly in my head. I don’t pay too much attention to anything else (I used to let my niece go to school with mismatched socks and clothes. Not because I was a jerk but because I just didn’t notice).

Here’s March.

I can very well see her as the “face” of the plague.

And this month we need to fight and pray to whatever deity we worship.

Next month…well, I’m not sure what this picture says.

It could mean that we are still journeying through the darkness but we do have friends – powerful friends – to help us.

I’m okay with that. I know this isn’t going to end tomorrow but it WILL end and we’ll all be renewed by our challenges. We’ll appreciate the little things. The things that really matter – family, friends, love, and freedom.

The post Am I going crazy or is my calendar predicting the future? appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

We all know that staying home during this pandemic is important.

We need to slow down the spread of the virus so the hospitals have the resources to care for those who need them. We don’t want to become like Italy and have to make the tough choices of who lives and who dies.

We all also know that this is going to cause a huge economic issue.

The government is going to be offering help to businesses as well as individuals.

I think that the help the government gives to businesses should be based on how those businesses treated their employees during this pandemic.

Did they pay them even if work from home was not an option?

Did they cut their pay? And if so, how much?

Or did send them home without pay?  Lay them off?

I’m not talking about the small “Mom and Pop” stores that don’t have the funds to continue to pay their employees.

I’m talking about the huge companies. They should tighten their proverbial belt and pay their staff even if the staff can’t work.

Because let’s face it, when the virus is gone the fastest way out of this looming economic disaster is if the “common” person has money to spend. The consumers need to spend and they’ll only do that if they come out of this without being months behind on their rent or mortgage, utility bills, car payments, etc.

So government, tell the big businesses that you’re going to hold them accountable for the care of their employees and tell them in the only language they understand — give or withhold money.

Here’s a link from March 13, 2020 listing what some of the major companies were doing in regards to their employees.

There are some good companies out there. Texas Roadhouse is one. The CEO is foregoing his salary and bonuses until January 2020 in order to pay his employees.

That’s the kind of company that should get some government assistance, if you ask me.

Here are some other CEOs who are giving up their salaries.

The post Deciding who gets government assistance appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.

Today was pretty uneventful which is fine with me.

In my life exciting = bad.

Like the fires this past weekend or the bird.

Since I don’t want to bore you with the banalities of my day, I’ll tell you a story instead.

This happened years ago and it was the first indicator that birds were out to get me.

I went grocery shopping and bought a can of soda on the way out of the store. After I’d taken a great, big delicious drink (I’m a bit of a soda addict), I lowered the can to push the cart.

It was a beautiful, Florida day. Hot. Just a few poofy clouds in the sky. A slight breeze.  Seagulls cawing overhead, looking for a scrap or two.

I felt something hit my arm like a raindrop but there were no signs of a storm. I looked at my arm and saw a smidgen of bird poop on my shirt.

I was not thrilled. I pulled a tissue from my purse and cleaned it off the best I could. I stopped at the car and started to raise the can of soda to my mouth. I don’t know why, but I looked at it first and I am soooo glad that I did.

There was a teeny, tiny drop of bird poop on the side of the opening. That damn bird had shit right inside my can.

If I hadn’t looked…(shivers and grimaces).

I do have to give kudos to the marksmanship of that bird. Had a bit not splatted onto my arm, I probably would’ve never looked at the can.

I bet the birds were flying overhead, waiting and watching, joking with one another (maybe, even placing bets) on which beakless (their term for humans) they could get to drink their shit.

The post The bird was out to get me appeared first on L. S. ODea | Author.