hello all,
Here it is Thanksgiving Day and the durian i bought yesterday is ready to go.
I really dislike the Friday after T-day because it marks the beginning of
the frenzied shopping that so many Americans partake in.
I was at the mall (a forced trip) a few weeks ago, and while I was waiting
for the person who I was with to do his shopping, I watched everyone just
 milling around from store to store.  By the day's end, people have collected
little bits (Zephyr, I'm trying to edit this, but I think there's a problem
here because a $ shows up when I even out the sentences, sorry!!)
of stuff from this place and that.  Now comes the part where you have to
do some creative visualization.  Imagine that all of these people were
roaming the lands ages ago, a land before malls when people were hunters
and gatherers, people walking around collecting bits of food from here
and there.  When I saw the mall people, I wondered if that was instinct
shining through, you know, that desire to "go shopping" for something,
but not knowing specifically what it is. The desire to spend a whole
Saturday, or some other free day, just walking around:some people even
feel driven to do this. Is it instinct? And there is the stereotype of
women loving to shop and men hating it.  You know, they want to go in to
the particular store and get whatever it is they need quickly.  Seems
very hunter-gathereresque, don't you think?

On a completely different subject...Is there anyone out there who lives
with animals (cats, dogs, etc) on a raw diet or non-commercial animal
food diet?  I have two cats who have always had the freedom to eat
whatever is on my plate.  One will eat almost everything minus citrus
whereas the other one is much pickier.  Both of them go crazy for nori,
dried fish, and romaine.  The one cat (who eats compulsively at times and
has had a unrinary tract problem) will eat almost anything including:
canteloupe, bread, rice, persimmons, asparagus, kale, miso soup, herbal tea,
junk like chocolate, etc. etc.  I've heard that commercial catfood has
essential ingredients like taurine, so I am afraid to give them fresh food
exclusively because I may be neglecting some of the foods in their
instinctive range (they'd only have access to the food I have in my
apartment).  I also believe that cats aren't meant to be vegan or
vegetarian; there's proof every time I give Sushi a piece of dried fish
and starts growling when Yuki tries to steal it.  Any thoughts on this
and Pottengers cats?  Is this an appropriate topic.  If not, sorry. Have
a restful day.
Stay Healthy,
Meredith