Good News

Bruce has not yet told all his many friends about his new and exciting job so let's just keep this a secret between you and me.

Kolo, the leading and affordable luxury brand of archival photo presentation products, used by artists, photographers and other creative professionals the world over, has named Bruce as a new sales executive at the company.

Bruce will be responsible for developing new B2B business throughout the United States and serving Kolo select retail customers in New England and New York City.

“I am honored to be associated with such an innovative company,” Bruce said to me. “I look forward to combining my art history degree and sales and marketing experience toward helping businesses find creative ways to use Kolo products as employee and customer gifts or promotional items, assisting in the development of unique promotions, and educating people on the value of Kolo products as the way to help tell stories, in the store and in the boardroom.”

As most of you know, Bruce is a professional photographer specializing in portraiture and nature photography. His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions. A book of his photographs of Times Square, “Famous People Famous Places, Images of a Forgotten Times Square,” with an introduction by the writer Luc Sante, will be published this autumn.

Did you know Bruce recently owned an art gallery devoted to showcasing the work of young women photographers from around the world and has also worked in the printing and publishing industries? I'm sure you know he's a gourmet cook! And his fiancée, Susan, is famous soap maker!

I think Bruce brings a wealth of creative sales and marketing experience to Kolo. Plus, his work as a professional photographer--his love of art and photography, his creative instincts and his positive spirit are credentials that will help bring Kolo customers success in their businesses.

Bruce mentioned to me how Nautica used a Kolo book as an in-store promotion. How cool! And hotels and interior designers are keen to the Havana Photo Box from Kolo.

I am so happy for Bruce. What could be a better team than Bruce and Kolo!

Here's a photo of me contemplating my very own Noci from Kolo.



As they say at Kolo: "What’s your story?"

Meditation

I love this:

"That prayer has great power which a person makes with all his might. It makes a sour heart sweet, a sad heart merry, a poor heart rich, a foolish heart wise, a timid heart brave, a sick heart well, a blind heart full of sight, a cold heart ardent. It draws down the great God into the little heart; it drives the hungry soul up into the fullness of God; it brings together two lovers, God and the soul, in a wondrous place where they speak much of love."
~Mechthild of Magdeburg


I read that on Eknath Easwaran's Thought for the Day. I recommend you explore his website.

Eknath writes:

"There is nothing on earth like meditation. Each day it is new to me and fresh. I find it difficult to understand why everyone does not take to it. Millions dedicate their lives to art, music, literature, or science, which reveal just one facet of the priceless jewel hidden in the world. A life based on meditation penetrates far beyond the multiplicity of existence into the indivisible realm of reality, where dwell infinite truth, joy, and beauty.

"In meditation I see a clear, changeless goal far above the fever and fret of the day. This inner vision fills me with unshakable security, inspires me with wisdom beyond the reach of the intellect, and releases within me the capacity to act calmly and compassionately."

I meditate at least once each and every day. Do you meditate?

The Cat Nadine THE SpokesCat

The phone is ringing but I can’t answer it. I am busy updating my Blog. I am so excited to share with you news about a contest that starts on Monday, July, 13 (btw: The 13th is Daryl’s birthday! Bruce’s son.).

Bruce is out photographing nature. Susan is in the kitchen making soap. She’s not called “Soap Susan” for nothing! I am tap, tap, tapping (Or is this paw, paw, pawing?) at the computer keyboard.

Could you use an extra $100? Of course, you could!

Bruce’s friends Leslie Carothers, Jessica Koster and Leslie Newby (on behalf of BiOH polyols, whose soy-based ingredients replace a portion of petroleum-based materials traditionally used in foam) are launching a very cool video campaign on Monday. It will run for two weeks. The person (Maybe cat, too!) with the most insightful comment of the day, on the actual video itself, will win $100. It’s a Video Commenting Contest!

WOW! I can do that! Even me, The Cat Nadine, could use $100.

Bruce says the videos are about eco-friendly furniture and mattresses and offer me a behind the scenes peak at the new eco-friendly furniture lines that are coming out as told to us by furniture industry CEO’s, many of whom have cats, too! Do I hear play date?

As Bruce says, It’s All About Soy Love. Working for a higher purpose; helping families make better choices; foam is yet to be completely green but it is greener as it is made with some soy vs all oil. Meow! Makes me want to lie down and nap!

But, wait, there’s more!

The collective impact you and I (Yes, even The Cat Nadine!) can have on educating people about foams made with soy and the positive impact on our environment is huge. And you all know how important the environment is to me. I am green. And I love to nap on comfy, enviro-friendly furniture and sleep on mattresses that are good for Bruce and Susan; they wake up in much better moods that way. I wonder if soy tastes as good as catnip? Hmmmmm. Bruce? Susan?

My fellow cats, and friends, can you imagine how good it will make us feel to know that we are making better choices for our families and our futures? Close your eyes and imagine. Please. Try it. AH! And then imagine covering the furniture in TORAY Ultrasuede, which is a VERY cat-friendly AND eco-friendly fabric. Can it get any better than this? Well, only if I am outside eating grass, I suppose.

And there’s still more! On Wednesday we’ll get to see a video of the ever-charming Julia Rosien of NaturaWorld being, well, cat-like, Nadine-like, purring and promoting the best mattresses on the market. I can’t wait to curl up at her feet! WOW! And MEOW!

I got to get Bruce and Susan to watch this with me!

And you, too!

Starting Monday, July 13th, let’s all tune in to experiencebioh each and every day for the next two weeks and comment. I want to win a $100.00 EVERY DAY; Bruce and Susan could take me for a nice little vacation if they won $2000.00. But where? Any suggestion?

Come play with me; unless, of course, the cat's got your tongue!

Cats and Dogs

I was reading on Facebook that Bruce likes dogs. I didn't know know he liked dogs. I know he likes cats. I guess now I know he like dogs. And family get-togethers. And red wine. So says Susan Rapp of Urban LifeStyle Decor who posted a photo of Bruce's on Facebook on The 4th of July.

Cats. Dogs. This got me thinking about The Declaration of Independence. It was written on July 4, 1776. That is 233 years ago and still is a symbol of democracy.

It begins:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident:

"That all men (And cats and dogs I might add!) are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness......."

Ah, happiness. Happiness! How can we say happiness and not feel happy? I'm happy. Bruce is happy. Susan is happy. Bruce and Susan (And me!) had a great family gathering at our home on July 3rd. I got to go outside with them and Bruce's son, Daryl, petted me. Meow! On the 4th of July Bruce and Susan went to Stanley Park in Westfield, MA for their first "letterboxing".

Here is a photograph that Bruce took at the park:



Bruce says he is happy to get support for his photography from Urban Decor Sue and others; people like Leslie Carothers. Leslie lost her Grand Ma this past week. I feel sad about the loss and wonder how Leslie's Grand Pa, Jerold Frederic, the famous pianist, will be.

I will think happy thoughts for all my friends.

What More Could Nadine Ask For?

I thought I would get on the computer before Bruce and Susan wake up. It will be pretty busy around here today as family and friends are coming over for a barbecue later to celebrate the 4th of July. Daryl, Bruce's son, is coming and he always shows me attention and affection. And I get to go OUTSIDE, if the weather allows.

Bruce has planned a wonderful menu. I am sure he will post it later with photographs. Susan makes dessert and she will spend lots of time going through cookbooks trying to decide. And Bruce will want to be getting to the grocery store…and so it goes. They actually are a great team; Bruce is the calming force and that goes a long way for making a happy household.

I am so happy to live here—love, peace and beauty and great food. What more could a cat ask for?

Some Thursday Thoughts

When Bruce comes into the sitting room to watch the ladies' semifinals of Wimbledon, I am half asleep on the couch. He sits next to me. I stir. I am thinking about yesterday when I was outside on the damp grass. Bruce gets up from the couch. He goes outside. I get up from the couch. I watch him through the back door window. He photographs himself. He comes back inside. He says nothing. I say "Meow." I go into the bathroom and jump up on to the toilet and then on to the window sill. I watch the sparrow at the birdbath. Bruce is talking to himself. He says "I want to get out my softbox." I didn't even know what that was until I came to live with him a few years ago. It, the softbox, that is, was set up in his photography studio, along with a bunch of other nights. He once made me sit still on a stool so he could photograph. I didn't mind so much.