Plague of cuteness.
The original title of this post was “500 photos of kittens”… which the kittens published for me, this morning, (accidentally,) by stepping on the keyboard… and I guess I should be glad they did not somehow email North Korea.
Kittens = wild hooligans of destruction.
I keep going with the kitten photos below, keep scrolling if you donāt care what Iām reading!
***
What I’m reading: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond
On the surface, this explores housing issues in Milwaukee, in the very poorest neighborhoodsā¦ but itās incredible insight into how the instability of poverty utterly destroys social structure; disproportionately affecting children and women.
If that sounds boringā¦ itās not. Itās amazing. And insane. And infuriating. And terrifying.
This is what poverty takes from you: the ability to choose from GOOD OPTIONS.
It reminded me of one of my favorite books:
Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx, by byĀ Adrian Nicole LeBlancĀ Ā
The reporting spans over 10 years and follows two young women from the Bronx.
Reading these stories makes you realize how EXHAUSTING poverty isā¦ how being poor is a JOB THAT LEAVES NO TIME FOR ANYTHING ELSE; the systemic nature of it, to escape is nearly impossible… especially when you had a baby at 13.
PS, if you are a “game” family, and have a favorite game, I would love some recommendations!! We like Balderdash, Spoons (the card game– it’s super easy and moves fast!), Taboo, Cards Against Humanity (limited audience, not for kids! and also not for parents, if your parents are like mine), stuff like that! And it’s nice to have a new one at the holidays.
December 15, 2017 @ 12:41 pm
Card Games – Manipulation, Spite & Malice, Sevens
Dominoes – Mexican Train
Board Games – Sequence
Marbles – Aggravation
December 15, 2017 @ 12:44 pm
Games! We always have really good laughs playing Headbands (I don’t know why, but it’s funny), Apples to Apples, and Pictionary (I have know idea what real rules are; we just take turns drawing from our cards and everyone guesses at once. No one wins, but our awful drawings elicit tears.)
I want ALL the kittens!
December 15, 2017 @ 12:54 pm
Cranium! A+ (from a Taboo-lover)
December 15, 2017 @ 1:01 pm
Game: Carcassonne is my favorite board game. There is not much setup (as opposed to Settlers of Catan, which I recommend but play it with someone who knows how to play). Carcassonne is also good for kids, my 6 and 7 year old girls play it well and love it, although I generally think of it as a game for adults. Not hard to learn either!
December 15, 2017 @ 1:12 pm
I want the other 475 photos š
December 15, 2017 @ 1:20 pm
Adorable!
As far as games…we play a *LOT* of Rummikub around here. And Apples to Apples is a family-friendly version of Cards Against Humanity. š
December 15, 2017 @ 1:27 pm
You must get Speak Out. Somewhat ridiculous, but hilarious!! fun.
We played it last year and seriously laughed so hard we were all crying. That, or we truly did pee our pants.
December 15, 2017 @ 1:33 pm
(song being sung by the charcoal/white kitteh in the middle of your sequence) ah feel fwuffeh, oh so fwuffeh … ah feel fwuffeh and pwetteh and bwight …! –suz in ohio and my five rescues
December 15, 2017 @ 1:48 pm
There is no better game than Catan.
How do you leave the house in the morning? I personally think you shouldn’t have to. You should apply for maternity leave.
December 15, 2017 @ 1:49 pm
I can’t handle the cuteness overload of this post. I need another kitten in my life!
December 15, 2017 @ 2:22 pm
Am I the only one who felt a yawn coming on when I cam upon the yawning kitten??
PS: we are adopting two “special needs” cats this week. Jake (#1) is diabetic and I pick him up today. Blossom was injured while being intubated for dental surgery so she coughs every now and then. She comes to us next week. Can’t wait to have kitties in the house again!!
December 15, 2017 @ 2:23 pm
if you like cards against humanity, i think you would also like joking hazard. it’s very similar in its gameplay, except you make cyanide and happiness comic strips instead of sentences. š
December 15, 2017 @ 2:47 pm
Wits and Wagers. Excellent fun!
December 15, 2017 @ 2:57 pm
We love games at our house. Ticket to Ride is a lot of fun. Not too complicated, but you definitely have to strategize. If you like cooperative games, you might try Forbidden Island. it’s an easy to learn entry into the genre.
On my list of things I want for Christmas is the game Cottage Garden. It’s new to the US and I think you would love it. You make lovely little Tetris gardens with cats. adorable cats and pretty flowers: it’s a winning combo.
December 15, 2017 @ 3:04 pm
I LOVE Quirkle. I even keep it in the trunk of my car for just in case I need a quick game.
Will Wheaton of Star Trek TNG game has a show on YouTube that reviews table top games.
There are geek shops (comic book stores) that hold table top game. nights and are a good place to try stuff out without buying it.
Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan are fun, but pricey. Youād be surprised how fun Connect4 and GuessWho can be with adults. And the old standbys of Monopoly, Life, Chinese Checkers, Mancala and Chess often get overlooked but are a BLAST to play with grownups.
December 15, 2017 @ 3:11 pm
Monopoly Deal – all ages, fast paced!
Apples to Apples is a lot of fun too. Lots of laughs.
December 15, 2017 @ 3:11 pm
Third generation of my family now is hooked on the card game “PIT”. It’s really fun if everyone is trading their commodities at once, screaming over each other to be heard. We also like Scrabble original and Slam.
ONLY 500 pictures of the kittehhhs? Come on, slacker!
December 15, 2017 @ 3:15 pm
Games: We LOVE castle panic, a cooperative game where everybody is on the same team. Sounds boring: Isn’t! There is also a version that is Star Trek or Wars or some such, which is also good.
We play Farkle a lot, everybody can play (even parents and kids, no censorship needed) and it’s a nice one to do while you are just visiting and catching up.
Captivation is a great word game, we also LOVE an older game we found called HuggerMugger. I think you would like the Frog riding a Penny Farthing on the lid.
December 15, 2017 @ 3:15 pm
I lost my very affordable apartment near SanFrancisco when the neighbors flooded theirs & the mold invaded mine. The landlord was VERY dishonest and dragged his feet fixing things until I had to move out. He then quickly fixed it and put it on the market for 3x what I had been paying. Even though I wasnāt experiencing true homelessness, it was impossible to find anything affordable within reasonable commuting distance. My job suddenly ended due to the company being sold and I was really in a tailspin. Again, not impoverished, i had a buyout and options! But I now understand better how quickly things can go to utter shit overnight. I ended up moving cross country and taking a job at 1/3 of my previous salary and none of the perks I was accustomed to. Iām still readjusting āas only an over educated and privileged white girl canā with a regular paycheck and a roof over my head. And before anyone Rises up in ire, yeah I get itā Itās NOTHING like being poor, uneducated and lacking good options.
December 15, 2017 @ 3:19 pm
I’m enjoying your kittens as I can imagine how sweet and fluffy they are but do not have to clean a cat box. ((hugs)), Teresa š