Re: Inspections Arc

THE COLONEL Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:21 am

As predicted, Ronnie explosion. but..... O.K. ms Rabbit, open mouth, insert foot , to the hip. THE COLONEL Sad

Mr Ed Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:47 am

THE COLONEL wrote:As predicted, Ronnie explosion. but..... O.K. ms Rabbit, open mouth, insert foot , to the hip. THE COLONEL

So much for a "lucky rabbit's foot".

Poor Cat. On the one hand Ronnie is right; but that was REALLY badly phrased.
Temper, Ronnie; TEMPER!

(p.s. Couple of typos in the next-to-last panel.)

Sarah_TV Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:16 am

Mr Ed wrote:
So much for a "lucky rabbit's foot".

Poor Cat. On the one hand Ronnie is right; but that was REALLY badly phrased.
Temper, Ronnie; TEMPER!

(p.s. Couple of typos in the next-to-last panel.)

Remember, it's never lucky for the rabbit.

Cutekitty Sat Apr 13, 2013 4:17 pm

The J.A.M. wrote:The problem is, how do you tell an airhead she's an airhead?

I don't think Cat is an airhead. Sure, she's innocent, naive, childlike, maybe sometimes a bit oblivious, but that doesn't make her stupid. She's obviously smart enough to get into college and think critically, as is evident in that arc where she had to do a group project on the debate about immigration. Just because she identifies something differently than what it's technically supposed to be doesn't make her stupid, either. I mean, it's one mistake, and come on, if an earthy-smelling area is outside, on the ground, in a confined space, and contextual clues (i.e. her mother's comment) suggest that it might be a compost heap, then it's really not much of a stretch to assume that it is a compost heap--no more than it is to assume it's a balcony. It easily could have been either; composting is supposed to be an environmentally friendly way to dispose of waste by turning it into gardening material, so I think it would be reasonable to believe that ground-level apartments could have compost heaps as part of an environmental friendliness effort.

And regardless of all that, whether or not someone is, as you say, an "airhead," there is no right way to just tell someone that or judge them as such. A key thing about the human mind, at least based on what I have learned and experienced, is that it grows, changes, and learns over time, so if it's exercised enough, it can gain both intelligence and wisdom. I think the best approach with anyone is to encourage mental growth, not put them down.

Anyway, I pretty much agree with everyone else who said that Ronnie really opened her mouth and inserted her foot on this one. Bad timing for that burst of temper (though understandable), bad phrasing. I feel bad for Cat. Sad

And for Dawn and Ronnie, too; it'll suck if Ms. Pudelhund goes through with the fining.

Legalien Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:07 pm

Cutekitty wrote:
The J.A.M. wrote:The problem is, how do you tell an airhead she's an airhead?

I don't think Cat is an airhead. Sure, she's innocent, naive, childlike, maybe sometimes a bit oblivious, but that doesn't make her stupid. She's obviously smart enough to get into college and think critically, as is evident in that arc where she had to do a group project on the debate about immigration. Just because she identifies something differently than what it's technically supposed to be doesn't make her stupid, either. I mean, it's one mistake, and come on, if an earthy-smelling area is outside, on the ground, in a confined space, and contextual clues (i.e. her mother's comment) suggest that it might be a compost heap, then it's really not much of a stretch to assume that it is a compost heap--no more than it is to assume it's a balcony. It easily could have been either; composting is supposed to be an environmentally friendly way to dispose of waste by turning it into gardening material, so I think it would be reasonable to believe that ground-level apartments could have compost heaps as part of an environmental friendliness effort.

And regardless of all that, whether or not someone is, as you say, an "airhead," there is no right way to just tell someone that or judge them as such. A key thing about the human mind, at least based on what I have learned and experienced, is that it grows, changes, and learns over time, so if it's exercised enough, it can gain both intelligence and wisdom. I think the best approach with anyone is to encourage mental growth, not put them down.

Anyway, I pretty much agree with everyone else who said that Ronnie really opened her mouth and inserted her foot on this one. Bad timing for that burst of temper (though understandable), bad phrasing. I feel bad for Cat. And for Dawn and Ronnie, too; it'll suck if Ms. Pudelhund goes through with the fining.

Thank you! You took the words right out of my mouth, Cutekitty!

I feel bad for Cat. I mean, how in the heck was she supposed to know that mess wasn't a compost heap, especially with what her mom had said? This is obviously her first time out on her own, and she seems to have been significantly sheltered by her mom her whole life (in spite of her dad's efforts to let her grow and explore). We can assume from her statement of "So that's a compost heap," that Cat has never seen one before. Therefore, how in the world would she know otherwise? We can also assume Cat was the first girl to move in, based on Dawn's story of meeting her from an earlier arc, not to mention Ms. Pudelhund's story of Cat moving in being new to the others. Considering that, how would Dawn or Ronnie know about the mess and therefore be able to correct Cat's misunderstanding?

Anyhow, I digress. I feel bad for Ronnie too. She obviously feels awful for making Cat upset, and will likely be kicking herself for a while. She definitely needs to work on controlling that temper, even though it's understandable that she's so upset. After all, she didn't only upset Cat this time. She could end up getting all three girls into even bigger trouble. Even worse, she might make Ms. Pudelhund ticked off enough to give a bad report to Cat's helicopter mom when she next calls in (which could result in Cat being forced to move out unless the other two do some mighty fast talking and negotiating!). Then again, Cat might call her mom or dad to talk about this mess (I could see her talking to her dad, he seems to be the better listener), so who knows what'll happen? Either way, I wouldn't be surprised if we officially meet Cat's parents soon as a direct result of this whole mess.

THE COLONEL Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:28 pm

cutekitty: very good points. Cats' problems seem to stem form her parents attitudes, especially moms. BTW, love the term 'helicopter mom', Haven't seen that one B/4, but it really fits. Now how ms. P reacts to Ronnies tirade is going tobe crucial. I am hoping for the best in this, but...... We'll see. THE COLONEL. Smile

Ellen-Natalie Mon Apr 15, 2013 1:13 am

Latrans Mon Apr 15, 2013 1:18 am

I spy a Derpy! Very Happy

The J.A.M. Mon Apr 15, 2013 8:36 am

Eeyup!

Cutekitty Mon Apr 15, 2013 8:36 pm

Derpy! 8D

I really, really want to give Cat a bear hug right now; the way she's running to her stuffed animals and the look on her face make it pretty clear that she needs one. And I found Kitty Feline's remark in that last panel very interesting. I wonder, how much did that stem from her own hopes of keeping Cat safe at home, and how much from not having confidence in her daughter's... well... confidence? What else might be going on in Mrs. Feline's head that would give her reason to say that?

Slim Shadow Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:26 pm

Yeah. I think after spending 18+ years with a child made by my own DNA and I would get attached to him/her. And I think the protective nature of women would amplify that drastically.

Also, I love Derpy 6v9

Mr Ed Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:45 pm

Poor kitten! Now is she rebuilding her safety nest or packing to go home?

I see Derpy in the bottom panel, but there appear to be a few ponies mixed into the group on top of the dresser in the first panel too! :-)

Ellen-Natalie Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:07 am

The J.A.M. Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:18 am

Must be something psychological...

THE COLONEL Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:41 am

Whoa...... Mom is Step-mom????? HO-boy!!!!! THE COLONEL Shocked

Ellen-Natalie Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:45 am

THE COLONEL wrote:Whoa...... Mom is Step-mom????? HO-boy!!!!! THE COLONEL

Oh boy, I didn't even realize that connection could be made ^^; She is definitely Cat's biological mother.

THE COLONEL Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:48 am

Actually, that makes it worse. WCJ

I'm really developing a dislike for Cats' mom. What does Dad see in her, anyway??? [Col., That is a truly silly question. not that it makes Cats' home life any easier!] do explain a lot, don't it?? WCJ

BTW, the answer to the "who will help her now" question is somewhat obvious. Dawn and Ronnie... I think Ronnie for the most part. There are "hidden depths" in that Rabbit.
side note. Cat as "Sakura" .... "purrrrrfect" Laughing

EDIT: Thanks for your comments, Colonel! To avoid multiple posts, I consolidated them all into one. Smile

Cutekitty Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:54 pm

Mr Ed wrote:Poor kitten! Now is she rebuilding her safety nest or packing to go home?

Looks like it's the safety nest. So she's basically curled up under a pile of stuffed animals? That's an interesting defense mechanism, kind of like fleeing to one's room and locking the door--but the space is more confined, and the walls are made of material that is meant to comfort. And the "door" is more easily removed by force, if one were to attempt it; in that sense, the stuffed animal pile's defense lies in its ability to conceal rather than blockade. A subtle distinction, but I think it may say something about how Cat attempts to cope with sadness. She tries to run and hide, but she does not as assertively shut people out as she would by locking the door, thus indicating, perhaps, a bit more willingness to let others in to help... or perhaps just more general timidity.

Either way, such action does indicate a desire to isolate the self, at least for a while, so I'm glad Ronnie isn't physically removing the stuffed animals, though she has gone after Cat and verbally initiated contact. That probably helps to make Cat feel more empowered and less invaded; Ronnie is indicating an interest in talking things out, but Cat has the choice of either staying concealed or opening the (metaphorical) door. I think that's really important when it comes to approaching someone in such a psychological state (and I'm speaking as a person who has been the one locking the door before): under no circumstances can someone be forced to truly open up, and a more forceful approach risks a more firmly locked door or even lashing out from their end. So props to Ronnie for how she's handling this.

And like the Colonel said, here's Mrs. Feline's answer. Cat's parents may not be around to comfort her at the moment, but her friends are. And that fills me with warm fuzzies. <3

Latrans Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:08 pm

The act of building a 'stuffed animal nest' is pretty easy to explain. When you've been put outside your comfort zone and/or feel threatened, you have a natural desire to surround yourself with familiar things that you find 'safe'. It also, as Ms. Kitty noted, indicate a desire to isolate oneself. However, this desire is largely psychological, rather than physical which is why one would choose things like stuffed animals over a locked door. Cat is essentially isolating herself from negative feelings.

Mr Ed Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:13 am

I think of Cat's nest as the psychological equivalent of "comfort food." I love you

THE COLONEL Mon Apr 22, 2013 11:15 am

Last time I looked, "comfort food" is psychological. I wonder if Ronnie's voice tone is helping here. Is she supportive, sympathetic, or sarcastic? It can be read in different ways. I truly hope it is not the latter. THE COLONEL Smile

BTW much hugs for the kitten. she really needs them right now. And Mrs. P should take a looong walk off the pier at Saltaire, pref when the lake is very high, and the salt content is at a record low. WCJ Twisted Evil

Mr Ed Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:51 pm

Comfort food? Cat's nest isn't fattening! Smile

From her words and expression, I believe Ronnie is there to be comforting, and probably to apologize (in her own way.) She's a good person really. Ronnie just got excited, talked too fast, and got her tongue tangled up around her eye-teeth so she couldn't see what she was saying. Rolling Eyes

Kynos argos Tue Apr 23, 2013 11:40 pm

I think I understand what Cat is doing. I have a bunch of blankets for when I am stressed. You can hide in them and they are warm, fuzzy, and no one can see you. It is very cathartic and it makes you feel safe. Never the less, everyone needs to start being nicer to Cat. Especially Mrs. P. Of course she should probably just start being nicer to everyone over all. I'm really hoping that Ronnie is there to apologize and makes sure that she doesn't say anything mean.

Mr. Cardinal Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:12 am

I can't wait to see how this unfolds! bounce

Ellen-Natalie Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:49 am

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