Stand In The Place Where You Live, Now Face North, Think About Direction, Wonder Why You Haven't Before

--"Stand", R.E.M.

I've been reading the Greywalker novels by Kat Richardson in the last couple of weeks. Not only do they fill the hard-boiled supernatural mystery niche like my beloved Dresden Files novels, but they've also got me thinking about a whole other aspect of my life I wasn't expecting. In the novels the main character, Harper, is this no-nonsense type of gumshoe who is continuously shutting out the various people in her life for various reasons and at various times. Yet there is one being who continually manages to keep a place in her heart.

Her pet ferret, Chaos.

Now I totally want a pet ferret.

Yes, I know they're illegal in California for some unknown reason. And, yes, I know they only live eight to ten years and usually involve at least one expensive trip to the vet towards the end of their life. Nothing in my recent history suggests that ferrets would've ever been on my radar aside from reading these books, but I still have this sudden urge to own a ferret or two. Perhaps it is merely my impulsive nature taking over again or maybe the books have really oversold how great ferrets are as pets. But I believe it has more to do with another aspect to their character.

Ferrets just seem to fit my nature, as well as they just seem to be the type of person I would totally get along with. Ferrets are just mischievous, like me. Ferrets very rarely stand still for any one moment, and I'm always putting something new into motion. Whether it be thinking of a new game, writing a new story, &c... I don't do well just sitting calmly twiddling my thumbs either. Lastly, ferrets don't let life's little setbacks hold them down for very long. If they fall off a ledge, they don't take the time to lick their wounds. They just scurry to the next couch to climb or hole to dig down into, and that's kind of how I see myself going through life. Yes, I may dwell on my regrets, but very rarely does that actually hinder me going on with my life.

I don't know--I guess part of me just thinks there's something noble about ferrets and identifies with them slightly. It may sound strange, but I think there's animals people believe themselves to be and there's animals people truly are. Everyone would like to see themselves as wolves or bears or hawks or something. But the truth is some of us are just ferrets and there's nothing wrong with that. There's a lot to be said about these fun-loving creatures. They don't stand still if there's no reason to it and neither do I.

I'm a ferret and I like it.

Yours Swimmingly,
mojo shivers