What's In A Name?

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Seanchai

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Hi gang *waves* Back after a whirlwind of illness (mine and mom's - we're sorted now!) death of our beloved kitty, adoption of two more fuzzballs, writing angst, a vacation to texas to see my great aunt, disability services red tape stuff... just an avalanche of little things that would have been okay in isolation but dealing with them all at once added up to not getting online for a while. This looks like as good a thread as any to jump back in, so...

Seanchaí is the Irish word for storyteller. It's a title I'm not worthy of, to be honest; in ancient Irish society, the seanchaí was one step below the bard, who was one step below the tribal chief. Together, the bard and the seanchai were responsible for maintaining the oral history of the tribe.

When I'm writing well, that's my goal; to tell the experiences and history of where I come from, but where my characters come from, too.
 

Megan Kogijiki Ratchford

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Hi gang *waves* Back after a whirlwind of illness (mine and mom's - we're sorted now!) death of our beloved kitty, adoption of two more fuzzballs, writing angst, a vacation to texas to see my great aunt, disability services red tape stuff... just an avalanche of little things that would have been okay in isolation but dealing with them all at once added up to not getting online for a while. This looks like as good a thread as any to jump back in, so...

Seanchaí is the Irish word for storyteller. It's a title I'm not worthy of, to be honest; in ancient Irish society, the seanchaí was one step below the bard, who was one step below the tribal chief. Together, the bard and the seanchai were responsible for maintaining the oral history of the tribe.

When I'm writing well, that's my goal; to tell the experiences and history of where I come from, but where my characters come from, too.

Missed you sean!!! *TACKLEHUGS* :wub:
 

chainvapor

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Well mine was pretty easy to come up with. I was just amazed it was not already taken. Over 4 years ago when I started vaping all I had was a basic 510 starter kit ( "cig-a-like" size but black in color ) and I had to vape constantly to stay off the stinkies! Was also vaping at 24mg at the time. Thankfully I am down to 12mg now mostly due to better equipment. So Chainvapor was definitely appropriate for me. I still vape more than some, but now that I have WAY better equipment I do not "need" to vape constantly. Of course I still do on occasion because of Nicoticket flavors that are sooooooo good, hehe.

CV :vapor:
 

Seanchai

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Missed you sean!!! *TACKLEHUGS* :wub:

Missed you too, Megan! *hugs back* I think of you whenever I load up a fresh tank of GCD. :D

Here, have some kitten cuteness to start your Saturday...

9wGmnpH.jpg



On the left is Banphrionsa (Irish for Princess, and she is quite the imperious one!) and on the right is Malarkey, also aptly named.
 

StacyInOkla

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Missed you too, Megan! *hugs back* I think of you whenever I load up a fresh tank of GCD. :D

Here, have some kitten cuteness to start your Saturday...

9wGmnpH.jpg



On the left is Banphrionsa (Irish for Princess, and she is quite the imperious one!) and on the right is Malarkey, also aptly named.

They are adorable! See you stuck with Siamese. Sorry to hear about everything that's happened. Hope you, your mom and sister have better times now.
 

catmomma

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Missed you too, Megan! *hugs back* I think of you whenever I load up a fresh tank of GCD. :D

Here, have some kitten cuteness to start your Saturday...

On the left is Banphrionsa (Irish for Princess, and she is quite the imperious one!) and on the right is Malarkey, also aptly named.

Oh my, I'm squeeing here. There is nothing cuter than a meezer baby, unless it's 2 meezer babies!! My boy was once that small and now he's a middle aged man-cat of 11. I'm so sorry about losing your beloved kitty, and congrats on the adorable babies.
 
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Megan Kogijiki Ratchford

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Missed you too, Megan! *hugs back* I think of you whenever I load up a fresh tank of GCD. :D

Here, have some kitten cuteness to start your Saturday...

9wGmnpH.jpg





On the left is Banphrionsa (Irish for Princess, and she is quite the imperious one!) and on the right is Malarkey, also aptly named.

Oh sean they are so adorable!! :wub:
 

Seanchai

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They are adorable! See you stuck with Siamese. Sorry to hear about everything that's happened. Hope you, your mom and sister have better times now.

Aren't they just? It's a good thing, too, cause I'm the one on the night shift with the little buggers at the moment - we just got back with them a week ago today, so they're still getting used to the house and want their people to stick close. Last night was full of crying because they lost their cricket toy (which I was not going spelunking for at 2am!), and then crying because they found a bug and lost it again, and then crying because they both wanted to sleep in my right armpit and sharing it or having one on the left would not do! But they've brought a lot of laughter and love to the house already, so it's worth the lost sleep and then some.

Had to stick with Siamese, as I'm violently, anaphylatically allergic to all other cats! Finding "traditional" applehead Siamese was a hunt and a half, as everyone is breeding wedgeheads now (the dark-faced, "Egyptian" looking ones). We considered getting wedgeheads and ruled it out when we discovered the myriad of health issues they tend to have. We would have liked to rescue, but my allergies are hit-and-miss when it comes to Siamese mixes, and I didn't want to fall in love with a kitty I couldn't breathe around.... so we trekked all the way to Louisiana for some purebreds that are now the "fanciest" thing in the house... and boy, do they know it! :D

We're on the upswing now, thanks. And my sister is extra, extra excited because she finally has a girl kitty who has decided that my sister is her favorite person. Our old cat was supposed to be "her" cat, but the old cat was not on board with this plan until, literally, the last week of her life, when she curled up on my sister's lap and wouldn't leave. The previous 21 years, she delighted in antagonizing my sister in particular, lol! But they made up in the end, and now my sister has a kitty who comes running when my sister calls. I'm thrilled for her - she waited a long time for that!

Malarkey has decided he's "mine"... and he likes to sit nearby when I'm vaping and watch the vapor float around. I suspect he'd try to catch it if he could, but I intentionally blow it well away from him. They're too little yet to realize it's okay to stomp off if they don't like the smell, so I don't want them uncomfortable.... nor do I want them too interested in my vape gear, for obvious reasons!
 

baseballmom

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Yes, appleheads tend to have less health issues than the wedges, my mom bred years ago, the litters were a lot of fun, I rescued a chocolate lynx point at work before my oldest son was born, she was a character...some might not consider true Siamese cause her lynx points vs solid traditional(blue,lilac, chocolate,seal)...would love to find an applehead chocolate point, but we don't have any good Siamese breeders at my work anymore or even locally really...used to be a few around, but they stopped...if the right one comes around someday, hopefully. otherwise hope you continue to share photos so we can enjoy their antics :) This has been the longest stretch of time my mom hasn't had at least 1 seal point...sort of weird since she's had at least 1 since I was born.

I also like Abyssinian too:)
 
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Ms.Cruzer

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Adorable kittens! I've never heard of someone being allergic to cats but not certain breeds. That's so great for you! They sound like little live wires. Aren't cats nocturnal or did I dream that up? And you took the night shift? :) Our old 18 yr. old cat with one kidney sleeps about 20 hours a day now. She's used up 8 of her 9 lives and even my vet refers to her as the million dollar cat.

My dog Zip (in avatar) is also fascinated with vapor. The other two couldn't care less. Zip is a fruit and veggie lover. If the vape has fruit, she's in my face, trying to get as close as she can to my mouth or sniffing my device in what could be an attempt to steal it. I can't wait to see how much she loves the smell of my AA that's coming! I have to keep all devices and juice put up in a very high drawer because of that little beggar.

Sorry you've had such a rough few months Seanchai but glad to hear the kitties are making you smile now.
 

baseballmom

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Yeah, having allergies to some dog/cat breeds and not others is common, some are more hypoallergenic than others, guess it depends on the individual and their unique sensitivities though...in dog breeds, I believe Labradoodles and Bichons are considered better breeds for those with allergies. 18 year old cat with one kidney, wow that's great!!!!
 

Seanchai

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Yes, appleheads tend to have less health issues than the wedges, my mom bred years ago, the litters were a lot of fun, I rescued a chocolate lynx point at work before my oldest son was born, she was a character...some might not consider true Siamese cause her lynx points vs solid traditional(blue,lilac, chocolate,seal)...would love to find an applehead chocolate point, but we don't have any good Siamese breeders at my work anymore or even locally really...used to be a few around, but they stopped...if the right one comes around someday, hopefully. otherwise hope you continue to share photos so we can enjoy their antics :) This has been the longest stretch of time my mom hasn't had at least 1 seal point...sort of weird since she's had at least 1 since I was born.

I will definitely continue to share photos - my animals are the closest to kids I've got, for now, anyway, and mom has always proudly referred to our cats/my service dogs as her grandbabies. :) When we knew Cushla's time was getting short, we debated a bit about when/whether to get new cats, but now that my dogs are gone too, it was nigh *unbearable* around here without something four-footed running around. We just couldn't hack it. It's been four years now since I've had a golden retriever, and that's bad enough. (My choice, I could get a new service dog whenever I choose, but right now my health is such that I wouldn't be able to be fair to the dog, so I'm waiting... and you can't get a service dog placed if you have an existing dog in the house, so no service dog means no dogs, period; at least until I get a service dog first.

Adorable kittens! I've never heard of someone being allergic to cats but not certain breeds. That's so great for you! They sound like little live wires.

I know several people who can tolerate Siamese to one degree or another but not other cats. I looked it up once after encountering the first Siamese mix that didn't set me off (all black cat, but round green eyes, and a heckuva talker, so between that and the fact that I could breathe, I knew he had some in him somewhere!). Apparently, there's a particular protein in Siamese dander that's different from other cats, and less allergenic. The more you know!

Aren't cats nocturnal or did I dream that up? And you took the night shift? :) Our old 18 yr. old cat with one kidney sleeps about 20 hours a day now. She's used up 8 of her 9 lives and even my vet refers to her as the million dollar cat.

My dog Zip (in avatar) is also fascinated with vapor. The other two couldn't care less. Zip is a fruit and veggie lover. If the vape has fruit, she's in my face, trying to get as close as she can to my mouth or sniffing my device in what could be an attempt to steal it. I can't wait to see how much she loves the smell of my AA that's coming! I have to keep all devices and juice put up in a very high drawer because of that little beggar.

Cats are definitely nocturnal, yes... and I took the night shift because I don't have a 9-to-5 job (I'm a writer) so I'm the one who can afford the lost sleep! I do my best writing at night anyway, so it works fine for me to write whenever they happen to be napping.

Our previous cat went crazy for Pumpkin Spice vapor, didn't care for mints or menthols, and was blase about anything else. These ones haven't expressed any flavor preferences yet, but I'm sure they'll let me know, lol. I got spoiled by our elderly kitty who never bothered the vaping stuff because she was just thrilled mom and I didn't smell like smoke anymore... but the last thing I did before we left to pick up the little'uns was to put all our vape gear and juice in a toolbox with a padlock, My MVP stays in my hand or in the pocket of my wheelchair, mom's gear stays in her pocket, and everything else is locked up tight. With how inquisitive they are and how high they can jump (natural birders!) I'm very, very glad I remembered to do so before they ever entered the house. It makes topping up my tank a little more of a pain, but it's worth it, because I *know* they'd find a way to get into it otherwise.

Speaking of Siameses' natural birding tendency, I had to stop typing this post because mom brought home a new cat toy (she spoils her grandbabies, what can I say)... a second feather on a stick. Malarkey promptly lost his marbles, grabbing it, growling for all he was worth, and spitting at his sister whenever she tried to play with it. The look in his eyes was a frantic "BIRD! BIRD BIRD BIRD BIRD BIRD BIRD BIRD!" It was funny for a few minutes, but he was getting entirely too aggressive, so I had to take it away. He promptly tried to launch himself through the dutch door to grab it back (he's fine, but only because I anticipated his lunge and grabbed him before he could crash into the glass... little doofus).

Three guesses which one of them is going to be welded to the windows as soon as he realizes all the birds are outside....gonna have to guard the front door big time when he's about!

Meezers are the best cats in the world. :)
 

catmomma

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Seanchai, you should get them a toy called "Da Bird" it has a feather lure at the end of a wand that exactly simulates a bird. My siamese used to leap 4 feet in the air when he was little trying to catch it. I used to have to hide it from him when not in use. He was also a fetcher as many siamese are. Siamese are different from a lot of other breeds in that they only have one "coat" of fur. They don't have that under layer that most cats have. Perhaps that changes their dander, or doesn't let it build up as much. I got very lucky finding my meezer. I couldn't spend 800 on a purebred wedge kitten, couldn't find a rescue although I wanted to, so I ended up looking in the classifieds. Found a lady who had a litter with 3 kitties, 2 chocolate point girls and my little seal point man. The sisters were gorgeous!! My baby looked a little dull next to those supermodel girls. Chocolate point kittens are white and fluffy and they look like someone smudged their noses with chocolate. He turned out to be a gorgeous seal point, quintessential siamese. For most people a cat is a cat, but we siamese owners know different.

 

Megan Kogijiki Ratchford

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I was raised with a lovely Siamese boy kitty who would let me do anything When I was a baby...such indignities he endured but never did anything more to me than climbing out of reach. Such a smart loving kitty! He looked just like yours catmomma, (i am sure I've told this story before actually, if so just humor me :lol: ) His name was Phineas which stands for "brass mouth" which he certainly had! :lol:
 

catmomma

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I was raised with a lovely Siamese boy kitty who would let me do anything When I was a baby...such indignities he endured but never did anything more to me than climbing out of reach. Such a smart loving kitty! He looked just like yours catmomma, (i am sure I've told this story before actually, if so just humor me :lol: ) His name was Phineas which stands for "brass mouth" which he certainly had! :lol:
That's lovely, Megan. I can get totally carried away extolling the virtues of siamese cats. I hadn't heard your story, but I'm happy to have heard it.
 

Seanchai

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Seanchai, you should get them a toy called "Da Bird" it has a feather lure at the end of a wand that exactly simulates a bird. My siamese used to leap 4 feet in the air when he was little trying to catch it. I used to have to hide it from him when not in use. He was also a fetcher as many siamese are. Siamese are different from a lot of other breeds in that they only have one "coat" of fur. They don't have that under layer that most cats have. Perhaps that changes their dander, or doesn't let it build up as much. I got very lucky finding my meezer. I couldn't spend 800 on a purebred wedge kitten, couldn't find a rescue although I wanted to, so I ended up looking in the classifieds. Found a lady who had a litter with 3 kitties, 2 chocolate point girls and my little seal point man. The sisters were gorgeous!! My baby looked a little dull next to those supermodel girls. Chocolate point kittens are white and fluffy and they look like someone smudged their noses with chocolate. He turned out to be a gorgeous seal point, quintessential siamese. For most people a cat is a cat, but we siamese owners know different.



He's beautiful! I'll definitely be getting them a Da Bird - probably two, since Malarkey is a toy-hog. They're a special breed to be sure. My friends think I'm nuts because I can spot a Siamese mix from a mile away. Admittedly, part of that is I can *breathe* around some of them, but most of it is because that Siamese personality is so easy to spot! I think our Banphrionsa might be a chocolate point - it's hard to tell for certain when they're this young. Her coat is just a little bit lighter than Malarkey's, but we'll see what happens over time.

Our last cat was an applehead seal point we got for *free* from the family of a kid on my mom's school bus route who bred the occasional litter. The kid in question had cerebral palsy as well (like my sister and I) so Cushla came to us already accustomed to the way we walk/move. Not so with the new arrivals. Malarkey has decided he doesn't care a whit (which means, inevitably, he's going to be the first to trip me!), but Banphrionsa keeps checking to make sure my feet are real feet and gives me that "my humans are possessed!" look when I come walking toward her. :D All things considered, they're doing remarkably well adjusting to being in a family where there's a whole ton of stuff they've never seen before... they've decided the wheelchairs are the coolest jungle gym/cat trees ever, and they don't run when we walk toward them anymore - something even my first service dog did for about a month when I first got him, and he was much bigger than I was at the time (he was a giant golden, and I was all of four, but he was scared I was going to fall on him any time I came near)!

We had no idea when we got Cushla that appleheads were just beginning to fall out of favor back then; had we known, we probably would have gotten another while it was still a... less expensive proposition, shall we say. There is a movement now to reclassify appleheads as "Thai" in the show ring, so that their value as show cats is regained, which would encourage a lot of breeders who used to breed them to be willing to breed them again. As you probably know, show cats are where a lot of breeders make enough money to afford raising the *rest* of the litter, so when the cats can't be shown (or can't compete effectively), the incentive to breed them is drastically reduced and the breeders switch to other breeds. A lot of applehead breeders are upset at the notion that they should be the ones who have to reclassify when the applehead is the original Siamese, but it's looking like that's how things will have to be if we still want appleheads around in the next 10-20 years.

There are some *really* good Siamese rescue organizations in Texas, DC, CA and CO that have incredibly reasonable fees and will even transport the cats *to* you, but since it's rescue, it's "lucky dip" as far as which cats they place with you - and since I don't know for sure whether a particular *mix* is safe for me or not until I'm in the room with them (and preferably only them), that wasn't a feasible option for me... but they're great people who do amazing work. The TX rescue was willing to draft people to drive cats to GA for us and potentially drive them all the way back if I happened to be allergic to the ones they chose... but I couldn't do that to the cats, or to the intrepid volunteers providing the transport!

(Sorry for all the cat talk, those who aren't interested... didn't mean to hijack the thread!)
 

Megan Kogijiki Ratchford

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That's lovely, Megan. I can get totally carried away extolling the virtues of siamese cats. I hadn't heard your story, but I'm happy to have heard it.

Oh good, I'm on allergy meds so am a bit loopy...lol.

And my husband's first kitty he fell in love with (and who fell in love with him) he found at a shelter and waited three weeks because "I'm not a cat person, I'm a dog person!" But when he brought Youki home he found he was very much a cat person after all. :laugh: She was such a lovely siamese lady but the shelter's estimate of her being 3 years old was wrong as she was only with us for three years before she went blind and her kidneys failed. My husband was completely devastated and swore he would never own another blue eyed kitty (because the vet said the problems that she had are found more often in blue eyed cats. Our vet also said the shelter was wrong as they thought she was closer to 12 years old as her problems are associated more often with elderly cats.)



But my hubby went right back out and adopted three more cats after we lost her...that made four in total and we took in a foster which ended up out fifth cat so the man who thought he was a dog person came to realize he was actually a cat person. :lol:
 
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