I Was Gonna Write Some Things About Stuff But Then I Didn’t, So: Look! Kitten!
Posted on December 16, 2015 Posted by John Scalzi 36 Comments
Specificially I was gonna write something about politics, but then a large wave of ennui swept over me and the next thing I knew it was, like, 5pm. So, here, have a kitten. Maybe I’ll write about politics later. If not, there are always more kitten pictures to take.
I think you need a new Star Wars movie to lift that ennui far, far, away.
Well, if you insist. Awwww!
Where do kitten-americans fall on the political spectrum these days? Were S&S anchor-kittens? Are they undocumented?
I would vote for that kitten.
Well, if you still feel that way tomorrow, you could give us an update on how Zeus is handling the still-kinda-new arrivals. Or describe the visit to the vet’s. Politics is just so depressing right now.
Aaaah, that’s more like it. Politics can wait a bit.
Sometimes I feel like Charlie Gordon after his IQ is increased & he realizes how badly he had been treated by people he thought of as friends; it might be better to not be bright enough to know what is going on. Ennui does not even begin to touch a hint of a whisper of an inkling how looking at the current political landscape makes me feel.
Also, they will not be kittens for very much longer, so get (photos) while the gettin’s good. Politics we will always have with us, unfortunately. I must say I’m enjoying the vicarious kitten-raising, and although I don’t have the warm naps and purring, neither do I have the needle-like claws in my jeans (and skin) as they try to scale the humans.
Now that’s a dignified looking kitteh!
That’s a very nice looking kitten you’ve got there. Very serious looking.
How did you get him (I think that’s him?) to stand still long enough for such a fine photo?
If you had a choice of blowing up somebody (the stuff you write can be lethal) or posting a cute kitten picture. The kitten wins. points.
Sugar has an almost Mona Lisa pose there. Or at least a Renaissance painterly pose, suitable for those old Catfantastic anthologies.
YouTube’s ads had an annoying ad asking “Texas Conservatives” to Vote Now. With Trump, Carson, and Cruz pictured. I abstained, as there was no, “Oh no you didn’t!” choice for None of the Above. I always click Close on those blasted ads anyway.
If Sugar & Spice were elected, at least we’d have a tuna casserole in every pot, yes? On the whole, I would much rather have cats than politics.
No wonder you are – rempli de l’ennui. – One hopes you are – rempli de la joie de vivre, le soleil de son sourire – rapidement.
Bright shiny!! Over here!! Bright shiny!!!
I like kittens better than politics, but… One of the last latin phrases I remember (and the only reason it came to mind recently is because it was in a Joe Haldeman book I just reread) makes me think about the wing-nut crowd: Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc, which literally translates to “after this, therefore because of this,” a logical fallacy that I usually describe as “If B follows A, then A therefore caused B” illustrates somewhat how they think, such as if we allow Syrian refugees into the country it means they’re going to become radicalized terrorists. There are a lot of other good examples of the misuse of this form of (il)logic on all sides of course. Many people believe that by owning a gun, you’re going to become a mass murderer. The public discourse is wildly off course. Thank goodness for “kittehs!”
This verges on KItten Exploitation!
Seriously, you were going to write about politics? Isn’t that kind of like “following the mainstream”? Everyone is writing about politics….hey, I have an idea, why don’t you write a story about an old man, say 75 years old, who enlists in the Army, goes off and fights all sorts of battles, and wins the girl in the end? Oh wait, you did that, already…..well, waiting on the next sequel….
This kitten is definitely a Liberal. Just look at that sweet face.
Politics is so incredibly ennui inducing right now. Usually during big election cycles I flood my facebook and g+ friends with politics. But this year… not so much. Kittens, on the other hand, are always appreciated. Always.
Also, that really is a great pic.
Kitten>politics.
Hey, when/if you have time one of your banner pictures is a brick path amid what looks like chaparral type bushes. Where did you take it? I assume you took it because it has yet to spread all over the internet.
Does anyone else hear Ashokan Farewell with this photograph?
The ennui are understandable, where politics are concerned. I can’t believe I am typing this, but sometimes what the Internet really needs is more cute kitten photos.
I’d far, far rather look at kitten pictures and read about their exploits than read another depressing political essay. Not to say that yours aren’t well thought out and beautifully written, mind you; they’re just so damned disheartening.
So no apologies needed for me at least, and in fact I’d be completely delighted if you returned to the daily posts you were making when the Scamperbeasts first joined the household. I realize that’s not the ONLY reason you host this site, of course. But if you ever decided you wanted to make Whatever all kittehs all the time, you’d get no complaints from me. Give ’em both a snuggle for me, will ya?
That kitten is bringing some serious cute to the fight.
I love seeing kitten photos, especially since I had four cats growing up (only two at any one time) and greatly miss them. My husband and daughter are very allergic, and we’ve been gone a lot, so having a pet right now just isn’t practical (and therefore would be cruel). So I live vicariously through your adorable photos of Sugar and Spice. Thank you for that. And politics? You did very well recently with the numbered list on Donald Trump. More posts just means higher blog moderation anyway.
I know about that political ennui. Happens to me a lot these days. I wonder how many friends I’m going to lose over the next 11 months or so :(
I hadn’t seen any Scamperbeast pictures for like a week and WOW! the girls are growing and looking less kitteny. Still adorbs.
Your kittennui is our win.
Honestly, right now I prefer kittens. By a lot. Politics is just depressing and scary. You have that American dude playing the xenophobia card for all it’s worth, the NRA using their sock puppets to tell us all that more and bigger guns is clearly the answer (a Sikh shopkeeper was shot for being a terrorist today) and the ongoing debate about whether invading the middle-east is a viable fix for the economy this time. Then you have the wonderful LNP here in Australia STILL denying that climate change is possible, insisting that more coal mines are the answer to any economic and environmental woes, legislating to allow large corporations to hide their tax details so as to more easily avoid paying taxes and trying to raise tax on low income earners and cut medical services to make up the loss. Oh, and refusing to discuss the $6billion plus dollars in subsidies being paid to mining companies to mine our minerals AND NOT PAY ANY TAX.
Much better to look at kitten pictures.
Since I mostly disagree with you on politics but like almost everything else you do, I, for one, appreciate teh kitteh pics.
KITTEN 2016!
At least The Kitten’s Cute….
How would the scamperbeasts feel about a run for president? We’re searching for some good candidates. And with those cute faces, we can wave the age requirement.
Rumor has it one of your Tor-contracted books will consist entirely of cat photographs. Nice!
I would read a Scalzi Cat Photo/SF book, @John Shea!
What an amazing shot. You captured her wild ancestors all in one perfect gaze.
So, what do the kittens think about the situation in Agrabah?