Musings, ideas, what are you thinking about?

[AvidFan]

I really think that therapy needs to be paid for or at least subsidized by government. But I'm in Canada where our physical health is already covered by medicare. There is also some coverage for medications, and for dental care for low-income children.

There's a reason so many companies now have an EAP program to help employees get counselling. Clearly it pays off in terms of less absenteeism and more productivity. Time the government figured out that providing therapy is an investment in its citizens.

They do this in the UK, as with physical healthcare, but if you've been reading any news from UK in last decade, the NHS is falling apart and mental health provision is just as awful as with physical healthcare with 2 year waiting lists for 6 sessions of therapy. Like everything else they went for the cheapest possible options, so now people do 6 sessions of therapy, feel a little bit better, score lower on anxiety/depression measures. And then 6 months later they're as bad, if not worse than before, and they're back on the waiting list. They call it the revolving door as it doesn't actually achieve much, it's like putting a plaster on a bullet wound for a huge amount of people. There are like a million and one therapists as mental health therapy isn't regulated in the UK (Anyone, absolutely anyone, can call themselves a therapist, counsellor, psychotherapist, mental health coach, etc - there are very few legally protected/regulated titles - it is only an offence to call yourself a psychologist, Drama therapist, psychiatrist, and a few others if you haven't got the right qualifications. You can call yourself a counsellor if you've done a weekend course, a 4 year course, or no course at all, and I know of completely unqualified people seeing people for therapy just because they feel they are good at it, and people are actually paying them because they're desperate and most therapists are fully booked...

You did the best for her. Hope the new owner keeps you updated.

I've had nothing but "yeah she's settling OK" responses from my niece. No pictures since the first day. I was kind of hoping for more, a picture of her playing with the kids or curled up happily asleep looking content, just something. I think I'm still the bad guy because I couldn't cope with Tiddles, so I'm being drip fed updates only when I ask and minimal ones at that.

I'm going to message my nephew in case he can ask the owner directly as she works for him, not sure my niece is interested in keeping me updated.

..

 

[Shelly]

I am grateful and appreciative of people who knows how to break the ice, and that they are conversational in a way that they talk to you to ease the tension/anxiety for you.

i absolutely hate anxiety inducing people. They really must have miserable lives

 

[Livelife]

I just heard on the news that they discovered a new earth sized planet called an exoplanet since it's outside the solar system. It only a few light years away, lol.

 

[Ziggy]

they discovered a new earth sized planet called an exoplanet since it's outside the solar system

Exoplanet? If it's a planet, call it a planet. And if it's not a planet then call it something else, like erm... Fred?
(Vegetarian bacon is not bacon, and non-alcoholic beer is not beer, so I'm having none of this 'exoplanet' nonsense!)

 

[Livelife]

Exoplanet? If it's a planet, call it a planet. And if it's not a planet then call it something else, like erm... Fred?
(Vegetarian bacon is not bacon, and non-alcoholic beer is not beer, so I'm having none of this 'exoplanet' nonsense!)

.....that's logical

 

[Astrid78]

They do this in the UK, as with physical healthcare, but if you've been reading any news from UK in last decade, the NHS is falling apart and mental health provision is just as awful as with physical healthcare with 2 year waiting lists for 6 sessions of therapy. Like everything else they went for the cheapest possible options, so now people do 6 sessions of therapy, feel a little bit better, score lower on anxiety/depression measures. And then 6 months later they're as bad, if not worse than before, and they're back on the waiting list. They call it the revolving door as it doesn't actually achieve much, it's like putting a plaster on a bullet wound for a huge amount of people. There are like a million and one therapists as mental health therapy isn't regulated in the UK (Anyone, absolutely anyone, can call themselves a therapist, counsellor, psychotherapist, mental health coach, etc - there are very few legally protected/regulated titles - it is only an offence to call yourself a psychologist, Drama therapist, psychiatrist, and a few others if you haven't got the right qualifications. You can call yourself a counsellor if you've done a weekend course, a 4 year course, or no course at all, and I know of completely unqualified people seeing people for therapy just because they feel they are good at it, and people are actually paying them because they're desperate and most therapists are fully booked...



I've had nothing but "yeah she's settling OK" responses from my niece. No pictures since the first day. I was kind of hoping for more, a picture of her playing with the kids or curled up happily asleep looking content, just something. I think I'm still the bad guy because I couldn't cope with Tiddles, so I'm being drip fed updates only when I ask and minimal ones at that.

I'm going to message my nephew in case he can ask the owner directly as she works for him, not sure my niece is interested in keeping me updated.

..

Forgive me for jumping in late, but I'm curious if you have thought about rescuing an older cat? Not to replace Tiddles, its just that you seem to geniunely care, perhaps you could provide a sort of retirement home for a more settled kitty? They do mellow out quite a bit as they age, generally content to sit aout all day, do nothing.

 

[Shelly]

shorthand is really fascinating and quite useful when taking notes during lecture classes but i dont have enough brain cells to memorize it.

 

[AvidFan]

Forgive me for jumping in late, but I'm curious if you have thought about rescuing an older cat? Not to replace Tiddles, its just that you seem to geniunely care, perhaps you could provide a sort of retirement home for a more settled kitty? They do mellow out quite a bit as they age, generally content to sit aout all day, do nothing.

It's a lovely idea. I might consider it down the line, at the moment I have to dig myself out of financial mud and then hopefully get a new bathroom put in and various maintenance work on house. I might also look into fostering as I imagine it could be quite rewarding and they'd pay for any vet bills. My colleague mentioned a charity that homes older cats whose elderly handlers have passed away and I think it would be really rewarding to do that instead of the cute kitten everyone else wants 😻 thank you so much for your thoughts on this 😍

 

[Angie]

I've been thinking about purpose. Like what am I alive for anyway? I feel there has to be some purpose.

I haven't worked since 2009, so I don't have that. I don't have any family, so I don't have that.

Is purpose simply surviving?

 

[Astrid78]

It's a lovely idea. I might consider it down the line, at the moment I have to dig myself out of financial mud and then hopefully get a new bathroom put in and various maintenance work on house. I might also look into fostering as I imagine it could be quite rewarding and they'd pay for any vet bills. My colleague mentioned a charity that homes older cats whose elderly handlers have passed away and I think it would be really rewarding to do that instead of the cute kitten everyone else wants 😻 thank you so much for your thoughts on this 😍

You're welcome!

 

[Astrid78]

I've been thinking about purpose. Like what am I alive for anyway? I feel there has to be some purpose.

I haven't worked since 2009, so I don't have that. I don't have any family, so I don't have that.

Is purpose simply surviving?

 

[HappyKitty]

tbh, i do not like getting jetlagged and it truly does take 1 week to recover, im just rly felt silly, tired and a little unconscious time to time. when im awake, it felt like achy and groggy and i think i think i shud finally be syncing to asia time right now. haha reminds me of watching the flash tv show- running across many timezones.

 

[KM76710]

It's a lovely idea. I might consider it down the line, at the moment I have to dig myself out of financial mud and then hopefully get a new bathroom put in and various maintenance work on house. I might also look into fostering as I imagine it could be quite rewarding and they'd pay for any vet bills. My colleague mentioned a charity that homes older cats whose elderly handlers have passed away and I think it would be really rewarding to do that instead of the cute kitten everyone else wants 😻 thank you so much for your thoughts on this 😍

I do believe that may be a great mix of ideas...fostering to get to know each other and an older and more laid back kitty can be a fine combination.

 

[seabird]

My large cat who until now was not afraid of anything, is sitting with its hackpes up staring out the back door. I can see nothing moving out thete & went out to check for orher critters. Brought the baseball bat with just in case. Nothing. Maybe he sensed a ghost? I don't like this.

 

[AvidFan]

My large cat who until now was not afraid of anything, is sitting with its hackpes up staring out the back door. I can see nothing moving out thete & went out to check for orher critters. Brought the baseball bat with just in case. Nothing. Maybe he sensed a ghost? I don't like this.

Oh no, I hope you're OK. Maybe cat just had a funny turn, like we do sometimes. Tiddles used to chase something on the walls I couldn't see at all, she certainly thought there was something up there she kept trying to get to!

 

[seabird]

His hackles and he's staring out the window but from 25 feet away.
Yeah, cats can be spooky at times, @AvidFan.

 

[Lady Wolfshead]

My large cat who until now was not afraid of anything, is sitting with its hackpes up staring out the back door. I can see nothing moving out thete & went out to check for orher critters. Brought the baseball bat with just in case. Nothing. Maybe he sensed a ghost? I don't like this.

Don't worry - cats can hear a lot of things we can't - it's probably just an animal

 

[AvidFan]

His hackles and he's staring out the window but from 25 feet away.
Yeah, cats can be spooky at times, @AvidFan.
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Aw - well maybe as a black cat he's just celebrating Friday 13th!

 

[Lady Wolfshead]

His hackles and he's staring out the window but from 25 feet away.
Yeah, cats can be spooky at times, @AvidFan.
View attachment 59697

p..s he's adorable.

 

[seabird]

p..s he's adorable.

Thank you. He is a rescue, still learning to communicate without biting. This cat isn't scared of most animals, he chases large racoons away. But whatever it is, perhaps he knows it's more than he wants to deal with. He won't go near the back door, when usually he insists on going out every evening for a while.
As long as whatver it is, stays out there so I can sleep.