cat nature / 1/2 pi shawl p1

i sat with the black cat punitively cuddled on my lap and i pondered the way of things. i looked to where his tail lashed me, vertebra by vertebra – the envy of yoga practitioners everywhere. despite the fact that i had him over my arm with his chin and front hands resting on the same, this cat could not be imprisoned.

i watched as he watched the other cat; his swamp jungle eyes sharp on her as he contemplated the lint taste of her fur on his tongue. his viper tail twitched, timing her movements as he planned his own. despite his momentary incapacitation on my lap, this cat, as i said, was not imprisoned.

i think that time must work differently to cats, and all of the possibilities of the situation were working themselves through his head. he was both attacking her and not attacking her, all at once. this expresses the clear truth and symbolism behind using the cat as Schrodinger's (there's an umlaut in there somewhere, i'll see if i can't find it) box habitant. the possibilities of the cat in the box occur in one setting, one set, all at once.

this is also the truth behind the calendar page magneted to the refrigerator. it's a little tabby cat in japanese-ish garb. it almost looks like a kimono and scrubs made a little cat garment baby, and while normally i am opposed to dressing up cats, the cat in question doesn't seem to be too put out about it. anyway, the quote is “adapted from a Zen koan” which like okay sure, but reads:

Does the cat have Buddha nature?
This is the most important question.
For if you say yes or if you say no
You lose your own Buddha nature.

which like okay, wow deep whatever. and it's from a cat page a day calendar. but i still got a little bit of illumination there, and also from holding the black cat on my lap.

1/2 Circle Pi Shawl day 1:
i cast on today and have worked through all of the repeats of the paw print lace pattern. i haven't knit that before but it was fairly simple, and i love it. it doesn't look exactly like paw prints, but i still meditated on kitties (oh okay and Big Love too) while i knit it tonight. i love the concept of this pattern and look forward to the final result. i admit that i am already nervous about not having enough yarn, but i'll just enjoy it for now.