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What is He Talking About? Chris Cree on Kids and Dogs

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“Anyone who hates dogs and kids can’t be all bad.” –W. C. Fields

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Before I get started on this one a little background is in order. I’m a guy who’s cresting 40. I’ve been married for nearly 9 years (first marriage – I was a bit of a late bloomer, I guess) with no children. Oh. And we have two cats in our house (no dogs).

My situation is a little outside of the norm, sure. But some folks have been known to make some faulty assumptions about my attitudes on the subjects of kids and dogs.

The Subject of Children

Some folks jump to the wrong conclusion that my wife and I have been unable to have children for some reason. They assume that we desperately want kids and therefore even talking about the subject of children must be emotionally traumatic for us, particularly for my wife.

That mistake seems to be more common among church folk and personally I am a bit amused when I see someone dancing around the subject. I’m just devious enough to let them squirm a bit before I explain that we aren’t traumatized by that. For us the child free thing is something that my wife and I have consciously chosen with much thoughtful discussion.

Then there are the folk that err on the other side and assume we are somehow anti-kid because we don’t have any of our own.

Again not true.

I’ll admit that I can sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed like Arnold Schwarzenegger in a room full of kids. But one on one I do just fine. I’ve even changed a diaper or two in my day.

We like kids, we have just decided not to have any of our own at this point.

About Dogs

Then there are the folks who hear we have cats in our house and automatically assume that somehow makes us anti-dog.

Nope.

In fact I was a die-hard dog person before our first cat adopted us. Back then I would have told you that cats were pretty much only good for drop kick toys (not that I ever actually kicked a cat, mind you.)

Now, even after crossing over to the dark side, I still like dogs. Although I’m not sure they really are the ones that should be called Man’s Best Friend.

I think cat’s have gotten a bad wrap. Maybe it’s the company they tend to keep. But in reality they are in many ways a better pet for a guy than a dog.

Think about it. Cats are low maintenance. Put some food and water out, clean the litter pan from time to time and, with a cat, you are good to go. You can even get some gadgets to automate those tasks if you want. What guy isn’t into gadgets?

I haven’t seen a viable dog-walk robot yet. I’m just saying.

With cats you get the feeling that they can make it without you. Go away for the weekend and leave a little extra supplies out. They’ll do just fine. Now there’s a basis for mutual respect. They tend to come by for a little rubbing on their terms. What guy wants his buddy to be at his beck and call?

We hang out with guys we respect, not guys we control. Cats just have a PR problem as far as guys are concerned. I’m pretty sure they don’t much care, though. They can make it without us.

But in spite of the fact that I am a converted cat guy I still enjoy a little good, dirty, slobbery dog playfulness from time to time. I’ve got no problem with dogs.

Some dog owners, on the other hand, give me fits. When I see a misbehaving dog I figure there is usually a human associated with the animal. And it is probably the person that has somehow caused the poor canine behavior. I wan to give them a copy of Cesar Millan’s DVD’s so they can become the pack leader in their house.

But just like with misbehaving kids I figure there is an adult that is probably more responsible for what is happening.

What do you think? Is W. C. Fields on track? Are children and dogs really the menace that he claims?

–Chris Cree, SuccessCREEations.

The Joys of Family Roles

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Road Trip

Family vacations. Sometimes they take come in the form of visiting special places for fun and relaxation. Or maybe they are wonderful holiday pilgrimages to see family and friends.

My wife and I just got back from our 11 state Holiday Tour and the whole thing has got me thinking about the different family roles we take on.

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I’m not talking about the traditional formal roles that fall to each of us such as husband, wife, mother, father, bread winner, etc. But after nearly 9 years of marriage I’m beginning to see some patterns in our informal roles each time my wife and I get ready to go on a trip.
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What Is He Talking About? Chris Cree on Facing Our Hidden Prejudices

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“No matter how horrid a person may appear on the surface, if you dig deeper, you will find some nice, unexpected little quality.” —Brooke Astor

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One of the biggest causes of conflict in this world is the snap judgments we make about people based on ridiculously limited information.

As we go through life, it is only natural to lump people into categories instead of treating them as the unique individuals they really are. And, when left unchecked, that mental lumping together creates a fertile ground for prejudice to blossom.

It is especially easy when someone rubs us the wrong way. The next time we see people who seem to fit into a category as the one who ruffled our feathers, we are much more likely to ride in with shields up and guns blazing. But all that does is further their stereotype of people like you.

Snap judgments only add fuel to the fire which can have a tendency to flare up from time to time.

I can be guilty of it myself. Interestingly my one big prejudice that I’ve had to work to overcome doesn’t have anything to do with skin color, nationality, religious alignment, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, economic status, or any of the other major categories that we tend to lump people in.

As a result, for many years I deluded myself into thinking that I wasn’t prejudiced at all. But my prejudice was more subtle and as a result much, much more insidious. [Read more…]

Tony D. Clark Is One in a Million!

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Chris Says So

One-in-a-Million by Trée George and Sandy Renshaw

For the One-in-a-Million-Category of:

Best integration of cartoons and theme with inspiration and encouragement. In addition to having a top notch theme that sets a perfect tone and a customized cartoon to help tell the story of every post, to qualify for this category a blog must focus in by choosing a particular niche group of people who especially need encouragement and tips on how to better balance life with work. Oh, and it helps to have the word “Success” in the title. Then top it all off by being as helpful as possible to every blogger out there.

The winner is Tony D. Clark, Success From The Nest.

This award was submitted by: One-in-a-Million Cohort: Chris Cree

Thanks, Chris, for seeing the one in a million in another blogger! Thanks Trée George and Sandy Renshaw for the logo that shouts it out!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

What is He Talking About? Chris Cree on Equality

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“Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box.”
–Italian Proverb

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Today’s quote is a great commentary on status and that final equalizer, death. It doesn’t matter whether we’re rich or poor, female or male, lazy or hard working, successful or bumbling, Donald Trump or Rosie O’Donnell, eventually all of us will breath our last breath.

You see in spite of Thomas Jefferson’s lovely sentiment we are not all created equal. It’s an empowering idea, to be sure. It’s the kind of thing that inspires a nation to seek it’s independence.

But it is simply not true.

In fact we are hardly equal at all. I’m taller than many folks and at the same time shorter than others. So we aren’t equal in height. Really most of us aren’t even close to equal physically.

Me, I’m not a very fast runner. Nor am I particularly handy when it comes to fixing things.

We all have differences in education, work ethic, economic resources, ethical understanding, and family size. We’ve all heard different messages when we were growing up, were given different amounts of encouragement to pursue our passions, and had different options presented to us along the way.

And that’s not to say that folks can’t overcome some serious handicaps in any or all of these areas to accomplish tremendous things. Or that folks of great privilege never experience big falls.

That old investment disclaimer always applies. “Past performance does not guarantee future returns.”

However, in spite of all of our immense inequalities that proverb above is true. When it’s all said and done, each of us will end up effectively in the same box. The probability of each of us dying is exactly 1. It is one way each and every one of us is created equal.

Think about that the next time you pass someone on the highway with a much nicer car than yours. Or one that is nowhere nearly as nice. Or someone who doesn’t even have a car.

Think about what really is important when it’s all said and done.

–Chris Cree, SuccessCREEations

A Sad Year for Our Solar System – Pluto Is No Longer a Planet

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A Sad Year

As 2006 draws to a close, I’m reminded what a sad year it was for our solar system. This was the year that the International Astronomical Union (slogan: we gaze when it pays) voted down Pluto’s membership on the Planetary Committee.

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I suppose we should have seen the writing on the wall for Pluto back in 1999 when the IAU last took up the issue of Pluto’s position. Back then the union caved to outside pressure at the last minute when the public got wind of their impending action.

However this time around Pluto just couldn’t muster the votes and was sent packing, a planet no more. But rather than go straight at the issue and risk a public outcry, the Union leadership chose a more effective indirect approach to oust Pluto. Instead of voting on Pluto’s status directly they redefined the requirements for office in such a way that Pluto couldn’t possibly remain.

Under the new Union rules Pluto has been relegated to “Dwarf Planet” status and no longer has the influence it enjoyed previously. Rumor has it the EEOC is investigating allegations of discrimination in the case.
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