Everybody wants to be a cat, or at least wear the cat’s pyjamas – – right?
It comes as no secret that I like cats. This wasn’t always true; those of you that have been reading since the start know that my wonderful grump of a king, Smokey, completely changed my mind. It’s not that I didn’t dislike cats, but he made me realize just how fulfilling cats can be. Since he passed in 2018, many folks have asked if we will get another. While the idea of another furry buddy is appealing, both our bank account and our lungs say that might not be the best option.
And so, we love on others’ kitties as much as possible. Our friends give their purring companions extra pats and treats and say hello for us. And I’ve taken to collecting Pusheen. It started with a single stuffie: Pusheen reading a book. Now I have even more stuffies, enamel pins, lanyards, calendars, stickers, books, and wall art. Pusheen helps fill my happy place (along with books, music, TTRPGs, and running).
My cubicle at work is known for Pusheen. Where others have plants, I have 26 Pusheen stuffies, ranging in size from keychains to a large dragon, along with a large “Pizza Pusheen” vinyl pop figure. On the wall are two keychains, one 3D-printed Pusheen, and 3 enamel pins – one of these pins helps hold up my Pusheen calendar on which important days are marked by Pusheen stickers. Pusheen magnet kits decorate my file cabinet, I have Pusheen logos in my nameplate holder, and I wear a Pusheen lanyard with my work badge on it.
And let me tell you that my cubicle brings a smile not only to me but to others. Guests see it and smile, and I have coworkers that come to visit just to “pick up the calm vibes”. The other day I got a new Pusheenin the mail – one holding an avocado – and several coworkers asked if I was bringing her in because they were excited to see her.
It makes me happy when others find happiness in the same things that bring me joy.
Running In My Head 