Perspective makes all the difference

fastnoc

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Christmas day. It's funny how perspective can change your outlook on things.

Here I am, 30 days earlier I had to give my cats up to a rescue group because I was getting evicted. I had to move home to my mother's house at 41 years old.

Earlier this week I was going to finance a short trip to get my cats in wichita Kansas with my unemployment money for the week, the location is mapped at 410 miles each way. I was going to use the little bit left over to buy some groceries. It turned out there was a technical issue with my unemployment that is delaying it 3 weeks so I didn't get the money.

I didn't know what to do, but finally realized I could return the small tv i bought when i got here. So I went to walmart yesterday and returned it. I bought a litter box, litter, food and two small toys for the cats. I also bought enough food and drinks so i could make the trip without having to stop. For safety I bought a tracphone and a 60 minute card. This is so i can contact the driver of the cats as well as in case of emergency.

I have 100.00 left for the trip. Not enough for gas and a hotel.

Sounds like it's not a real good situation doesn't it? Well let's change perspective and notice the wonderful things that are happening.

I recieved a 50 dollar walmart card from a friend who knows I'm down and out right now. I also recieved a PM from someone here that has offered an ecertificate for either petco or petsmart. I also receieve a PM from another member that has offered to send me 40.00 to help. I'm not going to name those people as I don't know if they'd like that.

I got another PM here from someone who was hoping to help out but we found out that my destination city changed due to the rescue driver's route. Then I recieved a pm last night by another member who's been great to me anyway. She offered to donate some points from her own account to help with a hotel room so I didn't have to drive 14 hours straight. During numerous back and forth messages on Christmas Eve no doubt, I found out it was pretty cheap in points to stay at a pet friendly hotel there. I also found out i have about 75% of the points I need to stay there without paying. It turns out I had to only buy another 1700 points for 25 bucks. Now I've got a pet friendly hotel, that's a suite with a queen bed and free breakfast. The tracfone was 9 bucks and the minutes were 19. but it was a special so i have 140 minutes available and 6 months to use them

So if you really think about it. This is a pretty dang good situation. I get my cats back in about 24 hours. Through donations I can feed them, buy food for myself and my mother, pay for the gas and get a nice hotel to spend the night with the cats before driving back.

If you ask me, this is a pretty damn nice Christmas.
 

gemlady

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You never know when the kindnesses you have shown to others (of any species) will come back to you.

Have a safe trip tomorrow.
 

laureen227

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i'm so excited for you! what wonderful Christmas presents you got - i'll bet they're the best ones ever, too!
Merry Christmas, JT!
 

natalie_ca

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That is so wonderful!
It's all about good Karma. What goes around, comes right back at you, ten-fold. There are some very kind and generous people in this world!


I'm so happy that you will be getting your babies back!
 

carolpetunia

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I haven't fully caught up with your situation, but I love your attitude! And I'm so glad you'll have your kitties back again... everything's bound to get better with them around. Merry Christmas!
 

babywukong

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That's a wonderful post. It takes a strong man to be able to keep a level head and think this way in such trying times. JT, you're a great guy, I'm sure you'll be able to pick up the pieces of your life and start anew!
 

psjauntie

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Merry Christmas!! I am glad I got online, I have been thinking about you and your situtation, and here things have started working out for you! I was worried after the problem with unemployment you might not be able to get Tink & Wilbur. I think you attitude is wonderful and you deserve some good things. May 2009 be everything you deserve!!
 

clixpix

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I'm so glad you're going to be reunited with your kitties soon!
I also like your attitude about your situation. All to often it's easier to moan and complain. Your post shows that with the right attitude, and some effort, anything is possible, and even if your circumstances aren't what you would like, or what they were, it can still be good, with the right perspective.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas. It sounds like you're well on your way.
 
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fastnoc

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I sure appreciate all these nice responses! I have to say, this forum has been wonderful on so many levels to me. From the invaluable help with my foster labor, to the incredible generosity of the members, to the positive reinforcement in the posts. I sure like it here.

I'm getting excited
. I'm going to leave about 5 or 6 in the morning. when I return I'm going to chronicle this mini-trip on my foster blog. Just for fun. I'm taking my mom's digital camera. She's got a nice 10megapixel camera she won. not a nice DSLR like mine, but it's PLENTY nice to use.

the only bummer is i want to post when i get there to the blog. but I had to sell the laptop. I think the hotel has a business center, and in some cases they'll have cheap PCs to use too. So hopefully that'll be there. Not much else to do in the hotel, but I want to let the cats get as much relax time as possible before cramming them into the carriers for the 7 hour drive home. They're putting them in a crate to bring them so they have litter food and water. They're bringing two carriers. one of them was mine. it's a cruddy cloth one which collapses when you put it down so i need to figure out how to keep it from folding over on the kitty
. But anyway, I'll take the crate into the room and close the door before transferring them. I realize the cats will be scared to death, so i think i'm going to put them in the bathroom, along with the carriers (open) so they might use them to sleep.

I'm also bringing that blanket that's in all the pictures. I washed it about a week before leaving the condo, but it'll still smell familiar to them so i'll put that in the room.

Should I not even consider letting them out of the bathroom and into the general hotel room? The beds usually aren't like home beds, you can't crawl under them. they use blocks at most placed to lock them into place and that blocks it completely.

Thoughts?
 

natalie_ca

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I'd keep them in the bathroom, just to be safe. If they are in the hotel room, they could get behind or under something and you won't be able to find them. Not to mention that if the door is the type that leads to the outside, one or both might get outside. In the bathroom you know where they are.
 

jcat

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I love your attitude, and am so glad you'll be getting your kitties back in just a few hours! I think I'd play it by ear as far as the hotel room is concerned. They might feel safer in the bathroom, but then again they might be so relieved to see you that they'll feel more secure being able to touch you/lie on you all night.
 
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fastnoc

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Originally Posted by jcat

I love your attitude, and am so glad you'll be getting your kitties back in just a few hours! I think I'd play it by ear as far as the hotel room is concerned. They might feel safer in the bathroom, but then again they might be so relieved to see you that they'll feel more secure being able to touch you/lie on you all night.
Man, what i would give to have them just smother me with affection? I'd be so happy! but I don't think that's going to happen
 

faith's_mom

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Fast, your story has me crying right now...

My husband and I are really uncertain right now, of our immediate future; he has been jobless since August, when he got layed off from his last job. And with the economy, my job, dog grooming, has not been extremely 'reliable'; our rental owners are really upset with us, because the last few months rent has been late; not that we could help it, but they are just not being extremely understanding.

We will be facing, the next few weeks with alot of fear and uncertainty, just because the $ just aren't coming in...

On the flip side, we have friends out in Utah who have offered up their guest home on their ranch, and would not charge us rent until we were able to get back on our feet. The 'best part' of that deal would be that the rest of my animal family could finally be right outside the back door.

However, the tough part is getting out there. I don't have a horse trailer, to haul my beloved horse, Pride, or my three goats, Mystic, Joy, and Magic. Even if I did, my Explorer needs work before I would deem it safe to haul a trailer, especially in the winter.

If we were to move, it would totally rely on faith, of course, so would staying here where we are at...

I am waiting until the 29th of this month to get a response back from a job out in St. George, where we would be moving to, and I guess if it is an affirmative, that they want me there, and can 'promise' me enough full time work, that would be my answer as to where we need to go. The details would have to work themselves out, that's for sure!
 

addiebee

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Good luck, JT. Have safe journey and I hope Wilbur and Tinker crawl all over you with joy!
 

kittkatt

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

I haven't fully caught up with your situation, but I love your attitude! And I'm so glad you'll have your kitties back again... everything's bound to get better with them around. Merry Christmas!
I'm not aware of what's going on, either, but I'm glad to hear that you're getting your furbies back!
And I love your positive attitude & outlook on everything! Kudos to you!


I think I'd keep them in the bathroom, too - just to be on the safe side.
Cats have a way of "disappearing" - especially in strange surroundings.

Good luck with everything, and keep us updated!
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by fastnoc

Man, what i would give to have them just smother me with affection? I'd be so happy! but I don't think that's going to happen
I am glad that you are getting your beloved kitties back. Please have a safe trip and let us know when you get back home to your moms and how everything went.
 

wookie130

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I'm not aware of your situation fully as I haven't been on here in FOREVER, but best of luck to you...and I love your perspective. Positive spin on these things can be a hard thing to do...
 
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