I absolutely love this picture, and I think that it's great that you can see that it's one of our blogs on the screen. My psycho kitty, Taramisú (or Misu for short) always walks on my keyboard, often typing messages to my friends when we're chatting online. My best friend and I often joke that our cats get online when we're gone and order stuff off eBay. I think it might be true. I mean, she's obviously into the blog scene, online shopping is just a mouse click away.
I took the photo with my camera phone, as my husband took my digital camera with him on the fire (he's not a firefighter, but is contracted out to work for them). I'm not usually a huge fan of the camera phone, as the quality and settings are very limited when compared to current digital cameras--though I recently discovered that my phone actually has more mega pixels than my first digital camera--but when it is the only option, I'm quick to use it. On several occasions I have taken advantage of this technology so I could show my friends crazy things that I'm sure they would not have believed without a picture. I did not edit this picture in any way, either on my phone or on my computer after I downloaded it, so that it would reflect the quality (or lack thereof) of my camera phone.
I love how she's looking up at me like "What? What are you staring at?" Her expression is priceless. She seems so human like, like one of the creatures in a Disney movie, walking and talking like a person, living and behaving like a member of the family. And she is like a child to me; I talk to her, cuddle her, and am protective of her. I feel that she is a companion to me, and helps ease my loneliness when my husband is gone, more than TV or the Internet ever could. I also love that it appears that she has been reading a blog and thinks it completely ordinary. Perhaps it is?
It's really interesting to see the meet-up of animals and technology. We normally don't think of the two together, but the connection is/was inevitable. While researching dog boarding facilities, I discovered one that actually had web cams installed in the runs so you could log on and see your pooch from anywhere with an Internet connection. I had two reactions to this, the first was more of an, "Are you kidding? How ridiculous!" but then I thought about how much I would really like that. I would love to be able to see my girls while I'm away. I would feel better knowing the kennel had the accountability of the owners watch the boarders' care. I decided that this was a fantastic idea, and a great use of technology.
4 comments:
I really like how you turn this post into a meditation on animals and technology. (And of course the 'human' falls into this matrix, as well!) I was thinking about this the entire time I was reading your post: how the computer has a "mouse," the kitty has a computer, how you have a digital camera on your phone (or your camera phone has *you*??), and how these animals and technologies seems to intermingle and overlap in mind-boggling ways. You have done very well extracting complex issues of animality and technology from a seemingly simple photo. Nicely done!
Colleen, thank you for your comment on my post about my cat and I loved your evaluation of your kitty on your computer. What I found most interesting is the kennel cams that you addressed near the end of your post. It seems that ever since the invention/use of nanny cams we now have little cameras for everything. It no longer is big brother that is just keeping eye on everyone but instead everybody is surveying each other and their actions. Even in neighborhoods people snoop and look at their neighbors wanting to find the juicy gossip and information of the street. It is interesting that we have adapted technology to everything and anything.
I also found your interpretation of our relationships with our pets very interesting and true. Now on the SPCA website they have a compatibility test for people looking for animals so they can find one that is most compatible with them. Taking off of the idea behind the dating websites now there are ways in which we can find pet companions. I agree with you in how people treat their pets. I know with my cat I am also very protective of him and talk to him all the time. He listens to my dilemmas and I feel like he comprehends and thinks over my problems. I consider him like a son, so I understand the want and need for an animal companion and I am glad that you addressed the issue of animal companionship and how important it is to many people and how it has evolved.
Your post reminds of the post on digg.com. Here's the link: http://www.mr-lee-catcam.de/pe_catcam1.htm
The owner of the cat tied a camera on the cat and take pictures at various times of the day. Those pictures are quite interesting.
Also, your picture reminds me of my cats trying to grab the cursor whenever they are in front of my computer.
(My two cats are playing with me right now—competing for my attention, both with the computer and each other—as I try to read over these comments!!)
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