Blurbal Perspective

If you've been a cat parent, you know the amusement of watching kitty go bonkers after being given catnip. They well have several minutes of joyful play, and then flop down for rest. Many new cat parents wonder how often they should give their feline furbabies catnip. The answer may vary depending on the age and health of your cat, but many experts feel that once a week is best. When it comes to kittens, it is best to hold off on giving them catnip until they are at least 5 to 7 months old. They should at least be done with weaning. It is important to keep in mind that not all cats fall for the allure of catnip. Also, the older your cat is, the less likely your cat will have a substantial reaction to it. My cat is an elderly cat, and she does respond to the catnip I give her (once a week). She will sniff it, chew it, and rub her face down on it and flop to her side and stretch. She won't play like she did in her younger years. When she was younger, we would give her and

This week, Democrats worked together to construct a repeal of North Carolina's dangerous anti-LGBT bill HB2. Unfortunately, it may not be given consideration . The bill has been assigned to Republican co-chairmen Rob Bryan and Hugh Blackwell in the Judiciary Committee. These men are avid supporters of the anti-LGBT HB2 bill. It is expected that the repeal won't even be discussed in committee. My Two Cents In some strange way, I expected this. North Carolina has a strong Republican nation, and they never budge on their bigotry, even if it costs their state billions of dollars in funding, and several thousand job losses. The Republicans don't care who they bring down, as long as their convictions are law. I guess they were absent that day in Sunday school when "Love thy Neighbor" was discussed. I know that the Democrats will come up with something. HB2 is dangerous and damaging in so many ways. North Carolina is a beautiful state. Unfortunately, it is run

'Holier than thou' Kirk Cameron crawled out of the gutter recently to help school all of us in what a woman's place is in her marriage. He interviewed with Christian Post (naturally) and filled everyone in on his "brilliance:" "Wives are to honor and respect and follow their husband’s lead, not to tell their husband how he ought to be a better husband. When each person gets their part right, regardless of how their spouse is treating them, there is hope for real change in their marriage. A lot of people don’t know that marriage comes with instructions. And, we find them right there in God’s word [in the Bible]." My Two Cents Huh. So if a woman is being abused (and raped) by her husband, she should just stay with him and follow his lead? Are you completely gone!? Oh wait, I forgot, you follow the bible, which is known for demeaning women into second class citizens (and yes, I've read the entire thing. I know all of what it says. The inform

Republican Governor Bill Haslam signed HB1840 into law yesterday , allowing counselors, mental health professionals, and therapists to refuse service to those in the LGBT community. The bill also targets atheists, divorced people, people living in sin, people who have babies out of wedlock, people who engage in premarital sex, and more. Basically, they won't treat you if you go against their "sincerely held religious beliefs." This is a huge blow to the LGBT community in TN, as one quarter of TN is rural. This will make it harder for the community to find a therapist during times of distress. This will put all in the LGBT community at a high risk for self-harm, and even suicide. Many of the LGBT youth in TN don't have anyone to talk to. Between travel being a hindrance, and this new law, it becomes almost impossible for these teens to receive help. The news sent social media into an uproar, with celebrities and members of the LGBT community demanding a veto to

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, or you are traveling short-term or long-term, it is important that your little one is properly cared for. When it comes to cats, being around their toys, their bed, their litter boxes, food and water dish, and even our scent, it keeps them confident that they are being cared for, and that their human has not abandoned them. If you have planned your trip in advance, be sure to line up a family member, friend, neighbor, petsitter, etc., to look in on your cat. The person you choose should be someone that your cat is familiar with. Whomever you choose will be responsible for looking in on your cat a few times a day to make sure they have enough food and water. They will also be responsible for cleaning the litter boxes daily, and administering medications (if applicable). Your petsitter will also have one more important task to complete each day: play time. While cats are independent creatures, they still want to play with their h

Being a part of the tiny home movement is all about becoming more down-to-earth. It's all about minimalist living and focusing on what is important in life. If you are looking to slow down in life and become more centered, architects Matthias Pruger, Ulrike Wetzel, and Manuel Rauwolf, designed a tiny house that they call "Seelenkiste (it means Spirit Shelter or Soul Box)." They designed this Spirit Shelter as a meditative space. The space is designed to be used for reading, studying, and meditating. You can use it to become more mindful, more in the 'now'. Becoming mindful is something we all should be doing. This world is chaotic. We have an abundance of stress on our shoulders and we are worrying about things that are out of our control. This tiny space can help you control your stress and your emotions by sitting quietly and focusing on your breath and the sounds of nature. Some individuals live in the Spirit Shelters, while others have one in their bac

The war against the trans community just reached a new level of horrific. Oxford, Alabama passed a law on Tuesday that specifies a penalty for trans individuals who do not use the bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificate. If caught, violators face a $500 fine, or up to 6 months in jail. Oxford, Alabama is the first in the country to enact criminal penalties for those in the trans community. The law is a response to retailer Target's statement that anyone can use the store bathroom that matches the gender they identify with. The president of the Oxford City Council adopted the law in order to protect the women and children of the town. Chase Strangio, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's LGBT Project released a statement, saying: "This is a very concerning expansion of the ways in which trans people are going to be and have been policed. It’s essentially just criminalizing trans existence." My Two Cents If the laws in

One would think that sweeping the I95 primaries would put a little pep in Trump's step. Guess not. Following his mind-boggling sweep, Donald Trump reiterated a comment he made earlier about Clinton using "the woman's card." "Well, I think the only card she has is the women’s card — she’s got nothing else going." He continued: "And frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don’t think she’d get five percent of the vote. The only thing she’s got going is the women’s card, and the beautiful thing is, women don’t like her, okay, and look how well I did with women tonight." During Hillary Clinton's own victory speech, she touched upon Trump's sexist comment, saying: "Mr. Trump accused me of playing the, quote, 'woman card.' Well, if fighting for women’s health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in!" My Two Cents This isn't Trump's first misogynistic rodeo. Ev

In a no-holds-barred fight to the nomination, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders pulled out all the stops in order to stay ahead of the competition. Candidates campaigned in all 5 states in yesterday's primary: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. So where did all the chips fall? GOP candidate Donald Trump claimed victory in all 5 states. Clinton claimed victory in Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Bernie Sanders snagged a win in Rhode Island. Now that the I-95 primaries are over, what's next for the candidates? Well, you can expect a 100% chance of mud-slinging, lots of drama, and countless inappropriate speeches from Donald Trump. Ted Cruz is expected to make a "huge" announcement later today. Some speculate that it may have something to do with his choice for Vice President. Others think he is dropping out (here's hoping!). As far as Bernie Sanders is concerned, he is still full-s

I know what you are thinking: "There is no way a human can live in a hobbit hole." You might be surprised. In fact, there is a man in Oregon that has lived in a Hobbit Hole for the last 20+ years. He became interested in living a simpler life when he read "Payne Hollow," by Harlan Hubbard. Along with the Hobbit Hole, Dan Price constructed a bathhouse, workshop, garage, and sauna. He lives comfortably off of $5,000 a year. Take a look inside his home: There are many types of Hobbit Holes that one can live in. The standard for most people seems to be the Hobbit Hole cottages . These cottages have a 4'6" round front door, a 14' x 12' inside space that consists of a dining area, kitchen area, living room/bedroom, and a porch. Take a look at the inside of a Hobbit Hole: If you are not ready to live a simpler life in a hobbit hole, these hobbit holes do make great playhouses for the kiddos. Check out below:

'Fuller House' star and 'The View' host Candace Cameron Bure visited the folks over at Fox & Friends, and the conversation become political. Bure expressed disappointment in her Republican party, saying: "It’s incredibly disappointing. And you listen to Donald talk about how unpresidential John is eating (this is in regards to how John Kasich eats I guess), and how unpresidential are you being by pointing that out, Donald? I would like to see some maturity amongst the candidates and I’m not seeing that." Bure also had an opinion about Ted Cruz and John Kasich teaming up to overthrow Trump in the primaries: "Of course it’s not going well because everybody is out for themselves, not for the country. You’re interested in yourself more than the vote for the delegates. I am disappointed in my party." Bure told the hosts at Fox & Friends that she has never voted for a Democrat before, but she is "looking at everyone this year."

William Tapley, also known as the "Third Eagle of the Apocalypse," believes that Prince's sudden death is a part of "God's plan for the end times." He also feels that his death is a sign that "the apocalypse is upon us." My Two Cents I am still broken-hearted about the loss of Prince. When crackpots like William Tapley come in and try to market off of the loss of an icon like Prince, I get angry. Not only are his theories absurd, they are just downright inappropriate. However, if he means that his death signifies a musical apocalypse, I might understand that. This year, we have lost some iconic musicians. These musicians shaped music and inspired the young musicians we have today. With the icons gone, music is, in a way, dead. All the good musicians are having a jam session in Heaven. Mr. Tapley, this is not the time to play make-believe prophet. The world is still in mourning. On a side note: William Tapley has never heard Prince&#

Trigger Warning: Suicide, Depression, Discrimination, Suicide Rates. According to Trans Lifeline, the amount of calls have "nearly doubled" since Governor McCrory passed HB2, which allows for discrimination against LGBT individuals, especially those in the trans community. The average amount of calls to the lifeline peaked at nearly 200 per day. After HB2 was signed into law, the call center saw a spike of 357 calls per day. It is important to understand that suicide rates in the trans community are 22 times the national average. Nearly half of all trans individuals have attempted suicide. Many trans individuals report bathroom discrimination in the workplace as a trigger to suicidal thoughts. North Carolina isn't the only state seeing an increase in callers at the Trans Lifeline. With so many anti-LGBT laws passing throughout the country, call centers are seeing a spike in calls everywhere from trans individuals experiencing a crisis. On Trans Lifeline'

If you're like me and you work from home, you might long for a space that can be a genuine office space. Since it costs a lot of money to rent space in buildings, one company has come up with an ingenious idea to construct archipods . An archipod is a curved structure that can be placed in your backyard. Inside these archipods, you have porthole windows, an ergonomic semicircular desk, and a top-hinged gull-wing door that is weather proof. There is also plenty of storage space for wireless routers, modems, paperwork, phones, computer units, printer ink/paper, and much more (maybe even a tiny fridge to store all those V8 V-Fusions that you chug down in order to keep up the momentum to get things done. Oh wait, that's me, Ha! I digress.). The archipod comes in two sizes: the archipod , which is at a diameter of 9'6" internally, and 8'3" to the top of the structure. The next archipod is called "the bigger pod." This pod is ideal if you have mor

Democratic lawmakers have been busy this morning filing House Bill 946. This bill has the ability to fully repeal anti-LGBT law HB2, which allows discrimination against the LGBT community, particularly the transgender community. HB2 has made headlines all over the country and throughout the world, with many countries, including the UK, warning travelers against visiting North Carolina. Additionally, the state of North Carolina has felt the financial consequences of HB2 being signed into law. Many high-profile entertainers refuse to perform in NC until the bill is repealed. Many states have already issued state-funded travel bans to NC until the law is repealed. President Obama has asked the governor to repeal the bill. Governor McCrory refuses. McCrory did change parts of the bill, but did not change the part of the bill that involves the transgender community. Backers behind House Bill 946 include Grier Martin, Darren Jackson, Susi Hamilton, and Graig Meyer, all of whom are

As TV seasons draw to a close, many networks are looking at what shows to renew, and what shows to axe. While hit show Grimm was renewed earlier this month, it looks like the network has decided to cut some episodes in season 6. All networks order a full 22 episodes per season. In Grimm's situation, the network has ordered only 13 episodes. We've seen this situation many times before, when a network cuts the amount of episodes in half, and then the show gets canceled thereafter (Bones, for example). According to the network, however, a shortened season may not spell the end of Grimm. NBC wants to see how the first half of season 6 performs before ordering an additional amount of episodes (Everyone, watch the hell out of Grimm when season 6 premieres!) My Two Cents: I started watching Grimm during the second season. My ex actually got me into the show. Once I started watching, I couldn't stop. The storylines are unique, and I love seeing what trouble the characte

Yesterday, the world darkened in sadness, as purple tears flowed forth from our eyes, dampening our cheeks. The news of Prince's sudden death sent a shockwave across the world. On April 21, 2016, Prince was found dead at his home in Minnesota. He was 57. Prince was one of the most iconic musicians to ever grace existence. He was the definition of individuality. His music was poetry, and his very existence was pure artistry. He was one of the very few artists who successfully owned pop, funk, rock, and folk music. Prince came onto the scene in 1976. In 1979, he released album "Prince." His singles "Why you wanna treat me so bad," and "I wanna be your lover," brought him platinum status out of the gate. Following the success of "Prince," he released 3 more successful albums: "Dirty Mind," "Controversy," and "1999." In 1984, he released his iconic album, "Purple Rain," with his backup band The Revo

If you're just waking up, you've probably heard that the world has lost a beloved legendary female wrestler. Joan Marie Laurer, better known as Chyna, was found dead on April 20, 2016. She was 45/46. News of her death was confirmed on her Twitter account, with the following message: "It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero. She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her." Police received a call from her manager, Anthony Anzaldo, after Chyna had not been heard from. The apartment manager also called police. When officers arrived on the scene, they found her deceased on her bed. While there is an investigation ongoing, officers do not suspect foul play. Chyna became a legend in the ring before she turned 30. She entered the WWE wrestling scene in 1997, and immediately took charge. She dominated just about any match she fought in. She became the first female wrest

Former 'Dancing with the Stars' pro Cheryl Burke is back for her next installment of "tell-the-public-everything-so-I-stay-relevant." In this installment, she talks about hook-ups . More specifically, she talks about a hook-up she had with former 'DWTS' pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy: "I think we all dated each other at one point. We've known each other since I was 12 and he (Maksim) was, like, maybe 15, I think he is three years older than me -- so ya know, things happen." While she insists that she and Maksim Chmerkovskiy never dated, she did claim that the twosome kissed. "He was a good kisser. Maks is a good kisser." Maksim is happily engaged to 'DWTS' pro Peta Murgatroyd (who is much better looking than Cheryl Burke, I might add <see below>). Apparently, Maksim Chmerkovskiy wasn't her only hunky 'DWTS' hook-up. She also spilled that she had some "fun" with 'DTWS' pro Mark Ballas.

Most of us are waking up to the " shocking " news that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spanked the competition in last night's primaries . This puts them one step closer to being the main candidates for the presidential election. While Bernie Sanders has been kicking butt in recent primaries, New York proved to be a long shot, in one very unfortunate way. It is no secret that the voting system in NY is a bit tainted. Yesterday, millions of voters were banned from voting due to the fact that they were not registered Democrats. New York's deadline for changing your party was absurdly early. Sanders has mentioned this on social media. For some time now, he has been urging voters to check the deadlines and change their party affiliation before the deadline.  All of this could be quite coincidental. However, given that this has happened elsewhere during this election, it does appear that the presidential election gods want Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to be the

Lately I have been doing this thing where I'm trying to be healthier. With the health issues I already have, I want to make sure I don't add anymore to the mix. So, I've been researching how to get more nutrients into my body, and what ingredients can help with chronic pain and chronic fatigue. First off, I'm trying to get more water intake. We can all use more water in our lives. In fact, in order for the body to function properly, us women need to drink about 9 cups of water per day. Men need to drink around 13 cups of water per day. While I have been struggling to reach that 9 cup goal, I been searching for ways to make water more attractive to my taste buds, without taking in more calories. Here come the lemons! Lemons carry a wealth of health benefits: -Excellent source of Potassium, Vitamin C, and Folate. -Source of water-soluble vitamin B, which helps prevent defects during pregnancy. -Helps prevent cognitive decline. -Helps prevent some cardiovascu

The timing could not have been worse for Donald Trump to have a monumental 'slip of the tongue.' The day before the New York primaries, GOP candidate Donald Trump spoke to a crowd of people in Buffalo, hoping to continue his momentum in the polls. "There is nothing nicer than [the] U.S.A. I think what I want to do is I want to talk just for a second. I wrote this out and it’s very close to my heart. Because I was down there, and I watched our police and our firemen down on 7/11 , down at the World Trade Center, right after it came down and I saw the greatest people I have ever seen in action." During the same event, Trump threw venomous shade at Ted Cruz, saying that Cruz hates New York. My Two Cents Oh Lord have mercy, where do I even begin with this? Let's start with his offensive flub. Everyone in the world knows that the terrorist attacks happened on September 11, 2001. For him to mess up that date is extremely offensive to the memory of the vi

A senior editor over at Hello Giggles wrote a very interesting piece about the "Aging Millennial." While at first I was a little annoyed about my age group being referred to as "aging millennial" (I was born in 1982), I read into her commentary further, and it surprisingly made sense. You might be wondering what I mean when I say "aging millennial." Well, as it pertains to this specific story, an "aging millennial" is anyone who was born between 1982 and 1989. In the commentary, we are the group who isn't represented on any TV show. We cannot relate to 99% of the shows currently out there. We know some about technology, but we aren't tech-savvy like the younger millennials and post-millennials. According to the article, the "aging millennial" generation is "lazy and entitled." We live in our parents' basement, and freeload to our heart's desire. In reality, a good amount of "aging millennials&qu

Olivia Wilde and fiancé Jason Sudeikis are bringing another cutie into the world! Wilde announced the news herself on her Instagram. Wilde's 2-year-old son Otis helped out with the announcement by sitting next to his momma and showing his belly. The caption of the photo read: "Matching baby bumps." Sudeikis and Wilde have been engaged since January 2013. They welcomed Otis in April in 2014. My Two Cents How cute is this announcement? I can't get over it!

The tiny home movement has been sweeping the country for the past several years. People yearn for the simplicity of living in a tiny home, and with the way the economy is, it is no wonder the movement has grown so immensely. When it comes to tiny homes, you have the mobile tiny homes, where you can take your home anywhere you want to go. You have Yurts, which are incredible tiny homes to put down your roots in. One type of tiny home that is growing in popularity is a Bodega home. The Bodega is a very nice tiny home. The thing that makes the Bodega different than other tiny homes is that it isn't mobile. So if you plan on living in a Bodega home, make sure you have land to build it on. Your Bodega may cost you anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000 to build. On some Bodega homes, you are able to expand the space for an extra bedroom or home office. Bodega homes can be as small as 65sq feet, and as large as 800sq feet.

During an interview on podcast show "Allegedly," former DWTS pro dancer Cheryl Burke recounted who her least favorite dancing partner was. "My least favorite [partner] would be Ian Ziering. The fact that his name is not EE-AN and it’s EYE-AN makes me want to throw up!" The podcast hosts brought up Ziering's behavior on "The Celebrity Apprentice," and Burke responded: "That’s the true colors that they didn’t show on Dancing With the Stars ... Think of spending time with that for, like, eight to 10 hours a day, seven days a week for three months." She wasn't finished there: "It made me want to slit my wrists. I was, like, crying to the executives. I was like, ‘Is there any way to please just eliminate us?’ They’re like, ‘We can’t. We can’t do that,’ and I swear, every time I asked, we just kept going. We would last till the end." The entire interview Burke did with "Allegedly" will be released on iTunes thi

UCONN Huskies women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma has been hospitalized with an undisclosed illness. The 62-year-old boarded a plane at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, and subsequently deplaned after realizing he wasn't well enough to fly. Auriemma was feeling sick for a week, and had missed the victory party in Hartford last weekend due to the illness. Auriemma has coached with the lady Huskies for 31 seasons, averaging 955-134 with the famed team. The team just celebrated their 11th National Title in a row. (Let's go Huskies, Let's Go!) According to UCONN, Auriemma is resting comfortably. Nothing more has been released. My Two Cents This fellow Connecticut resident wishes Coach Geno Auriemma a speedy recovery. You got this, sir! <3

Last week, GOP hopeful Ted Cruz expressed his support for North Carolina's anti-LGBT bill. He states that the bill is "perfectly reasonable" and that , "As the father of daughters, I’m not terribly excited about men being able to go alone into a bathroom with my daughters.” He went on to say that the response that the bills in North Carolina and Mississippi has generated are a result of "political correctness." My Two Cents Nothing this idiot says surprises me anymore. He's just as much of a d*uche as Donald Trump. I know people who are choosing Cruz because he isn't as bad as Trump. WRONG! He's just as bad as Trump, just in a different way. This just further shows what a horrible choice Cruz is for the White House. The anti-LGBT bills in North Carolina and Mississippi are damaging this country. There are already stories coming out of NC about trans individuals being bullied beyond belief. All because they have to bloody pee. Folk

In this edition of hatemongering, we take a look at a Muslim woman who was kicked off of a Southwest Airlines flight because a flight attendant was uncomfortable by her presence. Hakima Abdulle boarded a flight to Seattle in order to help a loved one with a pregnancy. Abdulle asked the man sitting next to her if she could have the aisle seat. He agreed. The flight attendant came to her seat and informed her that changing seats is not allowed ( actually, there is an open seating policy) . Abdulle was removed from the flight and rebooked onto another flight. Police asked the flight attendant about her reason for removing Mrs. Abdulle. The flight attendant said nothing, except that she felt "uncomfortable" with the passenger. Abdulle's husband made a statement, saying: “She was humiliated because of her religion and the way she dressed. She was crying in front of everybody. They ignored me.” The Abdulle's lawyer said that it is a violation of federal la

Michael Buble is best known for his powerhouse voice and his ability to make the women swoon. He can pump out number one hits like no one's business. Unfortunately, he isn't all that skilled when it comes to other areas of his life: eating corn on the cob, for example. The 40-year-old singer was seen at Disneyland on Wednesday, trying to eat corn on the cob from the top. As we all know, corn on the cob is best enjoyed eating the kernels from the side. After a few bites, Mr. Buble tossed the corn on the cob, out of frustration. Of course, the shutterbug paparazzi were there to photograph the embarrassing moment. The photos have now gone viral, and people are having a laugh at Buble's expense by creating shameful memes like the ones below. There is one meme out there with Buble and John Travolta, but it's too inappropriate to post. I think you get the picture. Michael Buble, if you want to find out how to eat corn on the cob, hit up Tom Hanks over there.

With the sudden retirement of Florida GOP Representative Ander Crenshaw, a congressional seat is now open. While there are many names flying around of people who are qualified for Congress , there is one man that is being courted to run: Tim Tebow. Website Red Alert Politics issued a "Draft Tebow" effect. They believe he is " uniquely qualified to be a Florida congressman ." They went on to say: " Tebow would never be lost in the crowd, and this would give him an opportunity to lead on issues he is already leading on in his life: fighting poverty, defending homeschoolers, and making traditional values cool again ." Tebow is known for his religious values and charity work, as well as his Football career. The 28-year-old has until June 24 to decide whether he will run or not. My Two Cents I can't be the only one who thinks this is a bad idea. He knows nothing about politics, and he is fueled by his religious ideologies. A successful politic

Last night, I came across an article that caught my attention. In this article, a couple of women discussed how their partners liked their hair long, even though the women wanted their hair short. A woman by the name of Linda said that she has never really been a fan of having long hair. Unfortunately, her husband loves her long locks. In fact, the hair actually plays a pivotal role in his attraction to her. On her husband's birthday, she cut her locks off into a cute bob. Her husband HATED the haircut, and was on her about the hair cut long after his birthday. Another woman by the name is Jill can attest to the above story. Jill's husband Steve likes her long flowing hair. He raved about it in an interview that he did with The Daily Mail. He told the interviewer that people would compliment Jill about her long hair all the time. Couple Anwar and Lisa have similar stories. In Anwar's family, all of the women had long hair. In Anwar's marriage to Lisa, he wants

The tiny home movement has gained momentum in the last several years, with the highest interest in tiny homes occuring shortly after the recession of 2008. With more individuals joining the tiny home movement than ever before, many people, including myself, have been sharing what we know with the rest of the world.  People live in tiny homes for a number of reasons, many of which include finances and wanting to be more green. One of the most intriguing and economical tiny homes is a Dome home. A Dome tiny home is one of the best homes to choose from if you are looking for a home that is more enclosed. The majority of these Dome homes are all one floor. When it comes to size, kits and plans can be as small as 160sq feet and as large as 1,100sq feet. The thing that sets Dome homes apart from its competition is the fact tht they are easy to construct. Also, they are one of the most inexpensive tiny homes around!