Campus Kitten Has a Mom! (Or Dad!)

I visited Campus Kitten last night during a rainstorm. The two plates and one bowl were gone, but I dumped a couple handfuls of Whiskas on the ground anyway.

Tonight, I announced my presence, and within seconds a large orange cat came by. At first I thought it was Campus Kitten, but I thought “no, can’t be.” CK came bopping along and realized that Campus Kitten has either a mom or dad.

Wouldn’t it be great if cats actually had eyes like this?

This warms my heart. A couple weeks ago I passed an acquaintance while out for a walk who thought that maybe Campus Kitten’s mom had died, and the kitten was hanging around and wailing with sadness. This made me really depressed. But after a few days of regular food, the kitten wasn’t wailing anymore.

Keeping an eye on me and the young’un.

Campus Kitten has teeth, but I don’t know how old he/she is. So the kitten may be weaned already, but I don’t know. All I know is that the food is being eaten, but maybe mom or dad is chowing down too. I walked away tonight, only to come back to see if the orange cat approached the food. It did, but ran away at the sight of me. However, Campus Kitten was still chowing down. So I was happy about that.

Fresh food and cold water on a hot night.

Yes, I posted yesterday. I just didn’t post the link. https://nowaylaowai.home.blog/2025/09/10/supper-was-excellent/

First Day of School!

Today was my first day of class. I only had one class, so that was nice. I’d never taught in this building before, so finding out where stuff was connected in the classroom was nerve-wracking. However, there was someone in the room next door, a technician, who showed me where the HDMI cord was. For some reason, my computer wouldn’t get online, but then it did.

There is a computer in class, and I was able to log on to it, but using my own computer seems faster and more familiar. Plus, I have a VPN, and the classroom computers are not equipped with that. And of course, my browser stores passwords and such. If I use a different computer, I have to have those passwords written down.

I have a lot of familiar students too. So the first day went okay.

I do get nervous/anxious when it comes to change. I had a nice long vacation, so getting back into the swing of school will be difficult. But the freshmen have military training the first four weeks of school. So I just have three classes a week this first month, which is nice. Then, my argumentative students will finish their class with another teacher, so after eight weeks, I’ll have five classes per week.

So I was up way earlier than I needed to be, and noticed my dining room/living room, had a red cast to it. So I got out on my balcony and took some pictures.

I came home and went to sleep. I’m still feeling low energy despite the blood tests being okay. I’m wondering if it’s the heat that’s taking it out on me. My A/C doesn’t seem to be nearly as cold as it used to be. I’m thinking the filter needs to be clean or something. And coming home soaking in sweat is disgusting to me. I did put on makeup today, but my face was dripping sweat so I wondered why I bothered. Yes, I have Mist and Fix spray, but what I would like is an antiperspirant for my face. Sweat literally drips off my chin. I should have walked home today, but lugging my bag with my new computer and all the stuff I take for class (textbook, notebook, planner, pencil bag, HDMI cord, powerstrip, bottled water, ziploc bag of cat food) means my totebag weighs at least 20 pounds. I fed the kitten before I came home because I didn’t want to come back out. She/he cleans the plate every day.

For supper, I finally got out of bed and made brown sauce for my steak, onion, and green pepper stir fry. I followed the directions, and boy, it was good.

Recipe was from The Woks of Life. I got a shot of that too.

Super Tired and Sweaty

Managed to get out and get some pics of Three Lanes, Seven Alleys and Daming Food Street, but I was very uncomfortable. I think I am looking foward to the day when temperatures cool off a bit.

Maybe it was the lack of water. I usually carry a water bottle with me, but I was using a new handbag today. I usually carry a backpack, but that gets tiring. So I went with a handbag a former student got me as a gift. I really like it and it’s the right size to carry the basics around, but not big enough for a water bottle. Maybe if I’d rehydrated, I would have felt better.

Tired as I was, I made it to Campus Kitten today and got her fed and watered. She really attacked the Whiskas dry food, which makes me wonder if I’m her only meal for the day.

She’s not crying as much. So maybe the hunger is going away.

American Graffiti

My mother took me to see this movie when it was in the theaters. I really liked it, even though I was probably too young to enjoy movies like this. But my mother took me to movies that weren’t really aimed towards kids. Like Soylent Green, for example. Or Live and Let Die, which was my first James Bond movie.

The voodoo imagery fascinated and scared me. And it forever turned me into a Roger Moore James Bond fan. Sean who?

I was happy to see American Graffiti on YouTube. But it doesn’t really suit my mood right now, but there isn’t any other movie on the website that does.

Nostalgia and the past are wearing a groove in my brain right now. And I can’t allow that to happen. Some things about me haven’t changed and never will change, no matter how hard I try. And watching movies about high school remind me of the memories that linger; very unpleasant memories, and the feeling that I haven’t moved on, and never will move on.

Seeing Terry the Toad really gets me down. And the fact he disappeared in Vietnam makes me realize he never rose above his high school experience either.

Cozy at Home

After getting my errands done today and a nice, fattening meal at McDonald’s, and walking 12,000+ steps in very hot, sunny weather, I’m home. It’s pouring outside, and lightning and thundering, but I’m cozy here, in a cool, air conditioned room, with some ice cold water.

Sometimes, the best things are the simple things.

The Big Bitter Book: A Review

I hate self-help books. I read enough of them years back when working with a life coach. Never mind that I’d won a contest and the service was free. She had me read nonsense, so it was a revelation when I found a book that poked fun at the self-help genre.

However, I found out about The Big Bitter Book: How to Stay Bitter and Resentful through a group on Facebook, and my inner bitter bitch was screaming “YESSSS, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSS!” like I’d had the best orgasm of my life.

Because this SPOKE to me like nothing I’d read. I’ve been accused of being negative most of my life, and why the fuck not? It seems like nothing positive I visualize ever happens. The dream man never materializes; if a guy comes along, he introduces himself as a “date rapist,” as if that’s an appropriate ice breaker. Or else he dresses like a chronically homeless person, even though he isn’t. The schooling that I think will lead to better jobs doesn’t. The plan to move to a foreign country to get a better-paying job doesn’t quite materialize. As one of my friends pointed out, “I’ve never known anyone to try as hard as you do only to not have things work out.”

I thanked her for acknowledging that. I was beginning to think I was the only one wondering what the hell was happening. And WHY.

The author, Ian Rader, has been sober since August 28, 2015. So if you are a current or former substance abuse enthusiast/victim/advocate, you’ll get a kick out of the liquid relief references. Even if you never drink, and have a bit of a negative attitude, you’ll love this book.

But if you don’t understand sarcasm, stay away. Rader got his first negative review (and was proud of it) from some woman who not surprisingly, didn’t “get it.” She’s probably one of those types who feel adversity doesn’t kill you, it just makes you stronger. Yes, but all the stress probably will give you a heart attack and you’ll die young anyway.

Rader starts out by saying, “How I got here, and why you’re still the problem,” by noting all the self-help crap we’re being hit with on a daily basis:

“I need to start by saying this: the moment I began writing this godforsaken book, my algorithm completely lost its mind. One click. One accidental search. And suddenly every screen in my life turned into a self-help hostage situation. Facebook suggested I join an author mastermind. Instagram wanted me to “build a brand around my healing.” TikTok started screaming at me to “rewrite my story” through trauma-informed dance reels. Even Amazon was like, “Hey, have you read The 5 A.M. Soul Cleanse?” Every app became a spiritual intervention I didn’t ask for. And the more I looked around, the more I realized I was knee-deep in a digital landfill stacked high with books nobody asked for and advice nobody should follow.”

Rader did, for a while, but admitted it didn’t work. He tells you about what DOES work:

“Being bitter. Staying bitter. Living in the glorious emotional muck of real life and not pretending it’s a Disney redemption arc. Which brings me to recovery. Oh yes, let’s talk about the sacred texts. The 12-step scripture. Those neatly numbered paper cults that start with the idea that your life is “unmanageable” and you are somehow “powerless.” Excuse me? I wasn’t powerless. I was tactical.”

Because he’s been through the 12-step routine. And his book breaks it down for you, and why HIS plan is better.

Rader wrote a book for people like me, who try to be positive about things, but struggle, and struggle, and struggle. His references to streaming services made me chuckle, because for years I’ve been on a YouTube binge. I refuse to buy streaming services because I’m in China and I just can’t get some of them, even with a VPN. They KNOW I’m in a foreign country, so no Netflix or Hulu for me. Alright, YouTube it is. But wait—isn’t YouTube banned in China? Yup.

“So again, I ask, where’s the book for us? The ones who can’t do a vision board without breaking out in sarcasm. The ones who hear “your vibe attracts your tribe” and immediately attract a migraine. The ones who can’t meditate without spiraling and can’t listen to one more story about how someone found God in a gas station and now runs a company called Soul Glow & Co. This book is for the bitter. The emotionally dehydrated. The spiritually exhausted. The ones who wake up already annoyed and think “another day of unsolicited positivity. Fantastic.””

And this really hit me where I live:

“Real peace is driving a car 40 over the limit on an empty highway at 2 a.m., screaming and crying at a “Higher Power” that, let’s be honest, probably isn’t listening.”

So if you are a believer in God, stay away from this book. And from Rader: he probably isn’t interested in being saved anyway.

Rader is not afraid to point out the bullshit that is inescapable in our lives. He also has several little revenge tips that I don’t know if he has tried personally, but whoooooo. He rightly points out that he’s not sure this messy world can be navigated while sober. Which I understand. As I said earlier, I’m not a drinker, but I understand why so many people are on anti-depressants. Or addicted to food. I’ve noticed when I’ve eaten a particularly good meal or snack, things don’t seem as bleak. Or are substance abusers. They want that serotonin release to help us cope.

The book is full of little gems like these:

“As for revenge, well, that’s the most reliable higher power I’ve ever known. It never forgets. It never forgives. And it keeps me warm on cold nights when meditation apps fail me.”

And let’s not forget it’s a dish best served cold. Again, I was screaming, “YESSSSSSSSS, YAAAAAAAAAASSSSS!”

The book has 12 steps on becoming bitter, as well as four testimonials from people who claimed this book saved them.

Quite possibly the best thing about this book? Rader wants YOU to help participate in The Big Bitter Book Volume 2.

If you’re bitter, depressed, a substance abuser, hate self-help books, or just looking for a reason to go on, buy this book. I’m not being funny when I say this. But you’ll probably laugh your ass off at the feelings, descriptions, and situations in this book.

Buy it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FF44T1MM/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

Exchange bitterness with the author here: https://www.instagram.com/thebigbitterbook/