Adventures in....Toilet Training the Cats???

The possibility of doing this seems like an urban myth. But gosh darnit I hate my house smelling like catbutt! So the adventure begins...

About a week and a half ago I decided that I was going to toilet train my two cats, Ami (short for Queen Amidala) and Vader (Yes, both are Star Wars names). After consulting various websites, my favorites being How to Toilet-Train Your Cat and the Douglas Island Veterinary Service's Toilet Training for Cats made Easy (ironic name), I set off with Step 1 - moving the litterbox into the bathroom, smack next to their new best friend, the Toilet. Cats generally will go where the litter is, but to discourage peeing on the carpet where the box used to be and to encourage going to the litterbox's new location, I put the Vader's favorite scratching toy in the place where the litterbox used to be, and lugged Vader over to the litterbox and plunked him down in it. That was the easy part. No problems, other than our bathroom being rather small, and the litterbox rather large.

Step 2 occurred a few days later, when I threw a cardboard box lid (~3-4 inches tall) under the litterbox to get them accustomed to doing their business higher up. Again, no problem. Considering the horror stories I'd read about the resistance cats had put up to the whole process, my cats were going easy as a slip'n'slide ride. So easy, I only waited about 2 days to move their box up higher, this time onto a box a whole foot off the ground. Again, easy. A few days, and I switched out their litterbox for an aluminum roasting pan, since that was what was going to wind up in the toilet eventually. Before long, I had that pan up on the toilet lid, and the cats were having no problems using it up there. Andrew, on the other hand...

More to come!

P90X, It's called "X" for a reason

Indeed it's been a while since we've updated this blog, but here goes.

We got back from our cruise, which was awesome(The photos are on Facebook), we've planned a few swing trips (Camp Jitterbug, All Bal), and we've been working our tails off to make the money. Fort Collins dance projects are taking off, including Teni's new "Free private lessons" offer which got a flood of requests. Needless to say we're busy.

Nevertheless, we still felt lazy, as people like us tend to whenever we get time to relax. Relaxing = no bueno apparantly. So to stave of the desire to watch all 13(15?) seasons of Buffy in our "free" time, and to tone up a bit, we've decided to do P90X like many swing dancers these days. We've seen the results that people like famous dancers Nick Williams and Bobby White have achieved, and thus we were convinced that it wasn't just another late night infomercial.

They're not kidding that this workout is extreme. The fit test at the beginning gives you hope for your own performance and conditioning before the program. However....day 1 is Back/Chest and a devil of a workout called Ab Ripper X, and you slowly realize that your current "conditioning" as compared with these people is akin to a snail without it's shell...soft, squishy and grossly inadequate.

Tony (the host and creator) starts Ab Ripper X saying: "Ab Ripper X: I hate it, but I LOVE it". This became immediately apparant why as even with our competitive natures, Teni and I successfully pulled about 1/3 of the reps as the people in the video, and while Teni refused to stop until I did, she sure as shit collapsed on the ground into the same mushy puddle as I had one or two reps before.

They say that required equipment is a pullup bar, a heart monitor, excercise bands or weights, and your "bring it" face. After day one, I've already snapped one band amd my "bring it" face was quickly melted into something like a "holy crap, no mas" face. But I guess that's how you know it was a good workout. Today, day two, we have yet to do today's workout: Plyometrics, but all I can say is, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad that there's no upper body focus today, as I'm not sure if I'll ever feel normal in my upper body again...

P90X: I hate you, but I love you.



P.S.
Incidently, my favorite part of the entire thing so far comes from the "how to bring it" intro video. He suggests that you start with the light version for the first 30 days, then move to the normal for the next 30, then do the "doubles" program all back to back. But he says once you do that you need to: "write me an email and tell me when you're scheduling your trip to Mount Everest because I KNOW you're an animal and I LOVE YOU." I'm still laughing at that....You may not find it so funny, but once you see this Tony guy, you'll get it.

Finally...the funny Japan pictures!!!

...Or at least the things that struck me as funny. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll just mostly post the pictures...

I've always thought he was pretty cool...

Chocopie...For MEN. Yum.

Andrew explained to me that in Japan, the Colonel and Santa are thought to be the same person...I didn't believe him, but here's the proof!

"Eternally No Charge" lol!

Park'n Park...and then?

Yeah, no clue.

It's an energy drink...

It's no ordinary toilet...

It's got buttons that squirt water and plays music!

You know, I think we all like standards...

Don't trip!

Oh, the car names...

"Moco" means booger in Spanish...

It's a coffee vending machine...named Blendy. Lol.

It's a beer vending machine...

Hope you liked them!

We're going on a cruise!!!

Andrew and I found a great deal on a 7 night Caribbean cruise that we decided we did not want to pass up, so...April 26 we go on a Carnival cruise!! We will be stopping at the Cayman Islands, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Cozumel. Yeayyyy!!!!!