Monday, March 12, 2012

need for play

One of the most delightful things I love about Nahum is his insatiable desire to play. Above anything else, he loves to play. More than food, more than sleep, more than pets, more than anything! In Nahum's world, there is no such thing as too much play. Play makes his world go round.


He asks for play by dragging his favorite interactive toy across the house and drops it at my feet, looks up at me and makes his funny Maine Coon sounds. "Make it wiggle pleaaaassseese!!!" My heart melts, and of course I wiggle it for him! I so love seeing him drag his toys around - too cute!! Sometimes the other cats will chase the other end as he carries it!



My cats have taught me many things about life. I realized recently that like Nahum, I too have a significant need for play. I can happily spend the day playing with the cats. String toy, birdie toy, feather toy, building forts, chase... I also like playing with humans; goofy pranks, being silly and the like. It's really about not taking life to serious.

This little insight has helped me to understand more of what has been feeding my chronic depression over the last number of years. My current job doesn't allow for opportunities to play, so I need to find new ways of getting more play! Having a cat like Nahum has helped for sure, it's hard to stay depressed when playing string with my fluffy Nahum. He likes to play with his kitty friends but he prefers solo interactive human play. I too need to find more opportunities to play with fellow humans.


Here are a few examples of my style of play from years ago:

Feb 2002
I bought this classic van from a friend for a dollar. He had given the van a custom paint job and had proposed to his wife by popping the question on the side of the van for all to see. She painted the response. As I drove this thing around, I got lots of bizarre looks! These van colors remind me of the color-crazed humans over at the Katnip Lounge - this would be a color scheme they might choose!


A coworker's desk gets toilet-papered.                Apr 2003

Some beautiful yard art mysteriously appears on my friend's door step.   Jun 2004

 I made this film-themed cake for an Oscars party.   Mar 2004

A friend's office mysteriously experiences a major Peep infestation.    Apr 2003

 Sanding Block Man.                  May 2003

Snowman in bathroom of college dorm      Winter 1991-1992

12 comments:

  1. Excellent insight, thanks to Nahum. (The boys can't believe he prefers play to food. LOL.)

    I think a lot of us lose that sense of fun as we get older and get bogged down with "life," but of course that's what keeps us young, mentally. I never was a practical joker, never was light-hearted, but definitely I used to have more fun in my life. It's been in very short supply for the past oh, 14 years. LOL. NOT good for my own mental health.

    So good for you--and I hope you can bring some of that sense of fun into your life again.

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  2. P.S. You realize we've changed URLs (last week), right? The new one is http://keas-fuzzy-tales.blogspot.com

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  3. I think that Nahum would really enjoy getting into some of that toilet paper, don't you? Maybe the two of you could decorate another desk...

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  4. Cats are great at providing life coping insights...like you, the more clever of us pay really close attention! :)

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  5. My cats keep me young at heart, that's for sure. Now that we have Audrey running around I am having a blast. You were a joker...maybe the king of jokers. Great photos and is that a pic of you and friends in the bathroom? Deb

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  6. Enjoyed this blog (I enjoy them all..) because it touched on yet another wonderful thing our cats do with and for us. They give back 1000% over what we do or at least, just as much!

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  7. OK, that Peep office is giving me some wonderfully wicked ideas.. :)

    Nahum is one smart kitty.. I love that he walks around with it to find you to play.. that is so sweet!

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  8. There is a lot to be said for having fun. We agree that Nahum is probably smarter than most of us.... Love the office peeps.... MOL

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  9. What a darling Nahum is.
    Loved that toilet papered workstation! If I had done that when I was still with the corporate world, I think I'd been hauled up to the HR office.

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    Replies
    1. Such beautiful photos of Nahum. He sure is a beautiful cat.

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  10. Everyone needs at least one cat that loves to play. Nahum is such a handsome boy :)

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  11. there is much to learn from cats and actually, from reflecting on ourselves... great post. Helen, Darcy and Bingley xxx

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