Sunday, July 01, 2007

Ask Dr. Rob

Dr. Rob over at Musings of a Distractible Mind has a new feature wherein readers send him their questions, serious or not so much, and he endeavors to answer.

Today I am pleased to announce that he answered one of mine:

Why do I insist on having three cats even though I'm allergic to the wee beasties?

Sincerely,
Amanda, who is typing this with one of The Allergen Laden Ones reclining on her lap


To summarize Dr. Rob's excellent response (aside from speculation about my mental issues, heh), apparently I'm allergic to cat spit, not dander as I'd previously thought. Actually, I'd thought there were two different allergies: one to cat dander, and one to cat saliva, and was under the impression that the dander was more a nasal/ocular issue whereas the saliva allergy manifested on more of a contact basis.

This would be why he's the M.D. and I'm the B.A. He's paid to think about these things. I'm paid (not really, but it would be nice) to go through my blog and endlessly correct little grammatical and mechanical errors that I find.

Now regarding my obvious ambivalence toward my little feline friends indicated by the use of the word "beastie" in my letter to Dr. Rob, he posed these questions, answered herein:

There are a few questions I must first ask you:

Are you nuts?


Some days, I do wonder. Other days I am content with my self-diagnosis of "moderately eccentric."

Do you surround yourself with trained assassins, bent on killing you at first opportunity?

Not deliberately, although my commute to the office would indicate differently.

Do you collect Precious Moments figurines?

No. No, no, no, and again, NO. Shudder.

Have you ever gone to the musical “Cats?”

Yes. I know the entire libretto. Additionally, I can play "Memory" on the piano, and am reasonably proficient with some of the other songs as well.

Do you often play music from the group “ABBA?”

Not personally, although I am sometimes held hostage to it by certain spouses who shall remain nameless.


In closing, Dr. Rob states that my reading of his blog indicates that I'm the type of person who says I deserve all the bad things that happen to me. I do take issue with that, only because his blog is a good thing. Anything that makes me both giggle and occasionally think is good!

He also suggests that I get a goat. I would, Doc, but we're not zoned for them. I know this because our next door neighbors' pot bellied pig was evicted under that ordinance.

I'm sure the cook-out they had the next weekend was just a coincidence.

9 comments:

The Rainbow Zebra said...

BAHAHA ok, great, a new blog to add to Bloglines. Your fault, you know. LOL

I *heart* goats. And pigs too, though ours wasn't a pot-belly.

Signed, She who similarly suffers from Cat Allergies and allows our Cat-Who-Thinks-She's-A-Dog to snuggle with me.

Amanda said...

I'm glad you approve! I'm definitely a blogaholic, so I tend to web surf enough (read: too much -- yes, I effectively avoided cleaning the house today) to stumble across some really good sites.

Of course, then I have to go to blogrolling and put them in, which can take awhile... because, well, procrastination!

And on the allergies, heh, yep! I was talking to Himself this evening and paused to sneeze, thanked the cat (seated upon my lap, per Her Majesty's usual habit), then went on as if nothing were unusual.

I can't bear sleeping with them, though, because I wake up feeling hungover. Urrrgh.

Anonymous said...

I feel like a goofypants now as I responded to you tonight about Rob and you already have him blogrolled...duh.

Anonymous said...

I'm still stuck on how bad you have to be for a veterinarian to question your mental health. I'm pretty sure this isn't a good sign Amanda. You probably didn't even mention your Birkenstock's, otherwise, you might be institutionalized by now.

You keep me in a constant state of worry you know.

speed

Amanda said...

PA, no worries -- not like you can memorize anyone else's blogroll, yanno?

And yeah, his blog is a hoot :)

Speed, heh. Actually I think Rob is a human doc who really likes animals a bunch. He's also a stitch and a half!

You've known I was nuts ever since I admitted voting for Kerry. :P

Anonymous said...

I'm not completely up to date on US politics but honestly, I would have voted for Kerry too...I'm assuming we're talking about the same guy?

Amanda said...

Yeah, Senator John Kerry, the "At least he's not George W. Bush" of the US's latest presidential election.

That'd be him!

But I campaigned for the Priceline ticket... Spock and Kirk in 2004!

Anonymous said...

Okay, yes...I was right on with that one. Well, Republicans be damned anyway. The Democrats have the ticket--again with my limited knowledge of US politics.

In Canada it can be quite funny in certain ridings. We have a Communist Party, a Marijuana Party...Libertarian...gee, what else? It sometimes depends if they can all get their acts together and get a candidate but I've voted at times where all three have been active in elections. I find it truly hilarious.

When I get frustrated, I am so tempted to vote for the Marijuana party...it wouldn't even split the vote between our three major ones (Conservative, Liberal and NDP--New Democratic Party.)

PA usually votes NDP (despite the fact that they are pro-union and she is not) but really, you can't have it all, right? They are the most leftist. Sometimes she's voted Liberal but Conservative? Good lord. Especially not lately where our Conservative Prime Minister is affectionately referred to as "Bush Lite." I know it's actually spelled Busch but it's a pun--sorry, I'm insulting your intelligence now. I just wanted to show off mine with my knowledge of American beer.

Now he's not as hardcore as Tony Blair who I realize just got the boot but I'm not really up to snuff on UK politics either.

To be honest, I hate discussing politics--and religion. I was such a smart little thing as a kid that I debated a lot of points then and I think my parents (or at least my father) got a kick out of "showing me off." Yes, trained monkey PA.

He wanted me to become a lawyer actually. Which brings me back to our point about funding for University (or lack thereof.) Now how he arrived at this lawyer suggestion, I don't know. A trial lawyer as I liked to debate? There are many branches of law and that type of litigation isn't really like you see on television anyway. At least to my (again limited knowledge.) So far I've only proven that I know of Anheuser-Busch.

So yes, Politics, Religion--only unless people are tolerant, it's just not worth it. You end up getting into huge arguments and ugh. I hate it. Maybe it's one-sided but I prefer to talk about these things with people of like mind? HA! Or again, who are tolerant of my views...?

I don't know...it gets tiresome, though. It's like, let's talk about something more interesting. Sorry, I'm so tired I'm completely rambling.

I have this idea for a post but I don't know if I can pull it off. I want to try and be "smart" on my blog but oh dear...my brain is slowly leaking out of every orifice in my head right now...gray and white matter is everywhere.

And you thought it was only during delivery of children.

Amanda said...

PA, I hear ya on Politics and Religion as topics. They squick me out. I'm a relatively moderate gal, but even in my moderation I'm rabid, as I get super-annoyed when folks actually get all party-line in my face.

And okay, you've proven childbirth isn't the only way one's brains can leak out as we age ;)