FrostFrog

I miss Keillor's advice column on Salon. He stopped doing it a little while ago, and if Garrison was ever good for anything it was sound, reasonable, fatherly and wise advice. A modern Solomon if you will. I just can't stand to hear him sing.

Perhaps Frostfrog should make his own Pet of the Day advice column. It would be full of winsome prose and sage advice, I imagine. But perhaps it would get too controversial for this crowd. My brief time on this message board has already shown me how delicate most posters are about anything mildly opinionated. It would be fun to try though.

New Zealand is full of natural beauty, as is Alaska, but luckily here people are more conservation minded. It's a refreshing change from the typical development mindset of "gobble, gobble, gobble". When will we learn to create any sort of balance? Oh well, Frostfrog, I too will refrain from going on about this subject on Pet Talk. Perhaps it will be email fodder?

The "little guy" coincidence is strange. I don't think there's a better way of describing him, and I call him that all the time. Yeah, I was once one of the "baffled" and sometimes even now I find myself baffled that I have a cat. I don't know if it would have worked out with any other cat. Mine has such a distinct personality that is hard to find in a cat. We hope to take him with us when we return.

While I'd welcome Frostfrog's family on Pet Talk any day, it could hardly be a substitute for the real thing.

Keep on truckin, FF.

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Originally posted by Soledad

My brief time on this message board has already shown me how delicate most posters are about anything mildly opinionated.

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I gently beg to differ with you Soledad. I think that perhaps we do not suffer fools too well here on Pet Talk. And in the few years I have been posting - we have had our share. Differing opinions - is the spice of life and we respect the great freedom that we have in expressing our own opinions. Pet Talk is an oasis, where people really care about each other and take the time to express just that. Many very good personal friends have been made here that go way beyond Pet Talk and extend into our personal lives and include personal meetings and personal phone communications.

Stay with us for a while and read...........and "hear" the love.

This is a very special and unique forum and we all welcome anyone who cares to join and share their opinions.

Frost Frog and his family are obviously a welcome and refreshing addition to our forum.

I don't doubt that many loving relationships have been formed on PetTalk. I know people here have long time friends and are generally concerned about each other. But I don't think anyone could mistake Pet Talk as a message board dedicated to social change. It's Pet Talk, it's not about world affairs, or sustainable development. It's meant to be light hearted, I get it, but on the few occasions that a heavy issue has been raised (in my tenure) I have seen things get sticky if they are not worded in the most sugar coated of ways. So be it, that's just the way it is here.

I will again, gently say to you - stick around. You registered with us just recently, however, I realize you may have been reading posts for some time.

Social change - if you mean for the care, love and respect for animals - just you watch when there is true action to be taken.

This forum is about PETS - FIRST. You will be amazed how we can gather our energy and respond to a problem. I hope you will join us when the time comes.

When you have the time, go back to the archives and read up on some of the events that have occurred. Sure, there is some tripe, but you will find most are wonderful people, you might like to call friend.

My dream is to visit New Zealand, over Australia frankly. Why? It is the natural beauty of the country that is the draw.

I see what you're saying. I have been observing Pet Talk for nearly nine months, so I'm not a total newbie.

People here obviously care about animals, and to a degree that does deal with social change. But this is not PETA, and people do not group here to organise or make changes in the system, per se. I guess that's what I meant by social change.

I still stand by my previous point as well, as it has been my experience. But I am open to seeing things differently and plan on participating in Pet Talk for a while.

Again, I don't want to be misunderstood. I am not calling into question anyone's caring nature, I am just saying this isn't a forum I feel comfortable expressing political or religious views. That was the reason for my original comment. I'm sure it wouldn't be wanted, either.

It's just not the appropriate place or audience. In my time here I have observed the absolute truth that the vast majority of people on Pet Talk are truly caring people, so please don't mix my words.

New Zealand is spectacular. When I first came here all I could think was "it's like Narnia!!"

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Originally posted by Soledad
But I don't think anyone could mistake Pet Talk as a message board dedicated to social change. It's Pet Talk, it's not about world affairs, or sustainable development. It's meant to be light hearted, I get it, but on the few occasions that a heavy issue has been raised (in my tenure) I have seen things get sticky if they are not worded in the most sugar coated of ways. So be it, that's just the way it is here.

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Interesting comments Soledad and thanks for contributing them. My personal belief is that kindness to self and others (human, animals and earth) is one of the greatest contributions to social change a person can make.

There are so many inspirational people in this forum who care for far too many pets that have been abused or left on the streets for dead, petitions for people charged with cruelty and there will no doubt be many tributes and comments/discussions on peace closer to September 11 as we are all from different parts of the world.

I think it's just a different type of social change. Politics and religion aren't the only ones :)

PS where in NZ are you from? We are thinking of going there for our next holiday.

Gini - if you make the trip to New Zealand, you may as well pop over to Australia too - only another three hours and plenty to see

:)

Soledad...I agree with you 100%. If I am one of the "problem children" please accept my apologies. Egos do seem to be a little ouchy on here sometimes. But, then, on most internet sites they can be. I agree that "deep" subjects need to be saved for someplace else. Thank you for your insightful thoughts.

Hi Miss Meow.

I knew when I wrote that this was not a forum for social change that it would be a highly contentious statement. Let me clarify. Yes, small personal acts of kindness to animals are political statements. It's essential to the whole concept of animal rights. This is obvious. But I stand by my earlier point that this is not PETA (nor should it be...). This is not an organisation bent on protest and lobbying. It's a website for people to talk about how much they love their pets. In this way, it is not a major vehicle for change about how the world treats animals. But that is not to say that it cannot have some sort of impact in that direction.

Depending on what your definition of politics is, it can include pretty much anything. That's how I define it, as something pretty all encompassing and inclusive. To me, nearly every action is political, and religion or a general belief system fuels those actions. Being kind to animals, seems to me, to be highly political and dependent upon one's belief system.

Mugsy

Thanks for seeing my point. I know people disagree, but it's nice to know I'm not totally alone on this one. I don't know if deep subjects need to be kept out of here, but because of the mood and audience, it's probably best as it wouldn't be constructive.

Ok....I'm having Frost Frog withdrawals...Quebec can't be THAT far!! lol

Frostfrog withdrawals?

I suppose that Kuujjuaq, Quebec, is no farther away than any other place, once one gets on the net - but, I have been going hard from the time I get up early each morning until the time I go to bed early the next morning. And the internet connection here at Inuit Circumpolar media central is really, really, really slow so, up to now, all I have done is email.

But, tomorrow night I arrive home and after I spend a decade or two sleeping, hopefully with the black cat on my feet and my good woman at my side, I will get back on Cat of the Day and see if my dull brain can think up anything to say.

Kohala - normally, I do not back up to COTD's that I have missed, because my schedule is just too pressing. But, there has never been a Grasshopper on COTD before, so I will be backing up this time.

For what little they are worth, I will share my thoughts on the "debate" debate that got going briefly here.

I would visit COTD tonight, but it is 11:00 PM and I have many tasks to do yet before ending this day. Plus, even though nothing is happening tomorrow and the Alaska charter doesn't leave until after noon, I must get up early enough to go find a Kuujjuaq cat, for I have not yet had time to do so.

I have found plenty of dogs, however. Dogs are abundant all across the north.

YEAH you're back!!! I hope you get caught up on your sleep and are back with us soon. You have such a great outlook on life. I look forward to your posts!! I also look forward to a good debate!! I LOVE debates...just ask my kids at school...they hate it when I debate with them because I beat them everytime, but they actually go back for more ammunition...little do they know that I do it on purpose to make them think and they never know exactly where I stand on issues because I can argue both sides and it drives them nuts! lol

Anyway...welcome home!!! Hi to Mrs. Frost Frog and the rest of the family.

Let's see how you do against adults!!! :)

BE NICE NOW!:)

SANDY FROST

Go for it dude!!! lol:p ;) :D AAAAHHHHH how I love a challenge! what's the topic????

I agree with Soledad too.. I think of this place as one to come to and unwind and have FUN!!! I think a friendly debate would be fun! :D

To have a friendly debate here, I would just have the following suggestions:

a. Keep it pet-related. after all, that's what Pet Talk is about!

b. Move it out of poor FrostFrog's thread, and put it in whichever "General" would fit the topic.

c. Silently vow to not take things personally yourself, and refrain from getting too emotional to think - or post - clearly.

And FrostFrog, I am SURE there are cat-folk in Quebec! I am part French-Canadian, and I picture my Great Uncle, who was both great, and my father's uncle. French was his first language. The family came to Massachusetts before he was born, but stayed in a very insular Quebecois community.Uncle Mac had a beloved cat, she wandered the farm, mouse-hunted in the barn, had a best-friend cow, and was spoiled absolutely rotten by Uncle Mac and Aunt Adrienne. The cat would sit on Mac's shoulder while they ate, and one bite went to Mac, and the next to the cat, she'd cleany and delicately eat right off his fork, never touching the fork itself. I know, that image WILL give some germ-concious folks the willies, but they both thrived!

MY French-Canadian family members had spoiled cats, surely you can find one up there!

I did in fact find a Northern Quebec cat - a beautiful tuxedo that belonged to two exquisitely beautiful little girls of Inuit and French Candian blood. So, the trip was a success. I fear, however, that I am exhausted, am experiencing problems with my desktop computer that I am trying to fix (I am typing this on my laptop) and I must be in Anchorage early in the morning for a series of meetings that will last the next four days, so I am going to delay my return to COTD and any further comments just a bit longer.