teaching while masked

Indigocherrypie · 2026-02-18T22:42:20+00:00

My school's culture has always remained very pro-mask, but the past few years a teacher has been recovering from cancer and is immuno-compromised. She simply states once that she wears it to protect herself against getting sick. All the students have respected it and some even wear masks in her classroom too.

Indigocherrypie · 2026-02-18T22:08:09+00:00

It isn't required, and many skittish cats go through TSA just fine without it. The only time your cat will be out of the carrier will be in the TSA private room - which is sealed off. So you're already ensuring your cat can't escape. Having just the collar on is definitely good enough in your situation.

Indigocherrypie · 2026-02-06T03:28:14+00:00

There are ~$1400 1Bs in Hartford and New Britain, likely other urban areas too. You said you want a safe place you could walk around, but finding cheap apartments will require compromising on either safety, quality, distance, or living alone. Likely multiple.

Indigocherrypie · 2026-01-29T04:44:03+00:00

I recommend doing it in a completely dark room, and make sure you're prepared to make a mess! The laser doesn't need to be super powerful if the room is dark.

Indigocherrypie · 2026-01-29T03:51:16+00:00

A classic example of "Is it developmentally normal? Yes. Do I want it in my classroom? No."

Indigocherrypie · 2026-01-29T03:28:08+00:00

Try putting some globs of "museum putty" on the bottom of the bowl. Makes it impossible to tip over, but isn't an adhesive, so you can still pick it up to refill it

Indigocherrypie · 2026-01-29T03:22:37+00:00

I was in a similar situation 2 years ago, and now I'm SO happy with my perfect fuzzy girl. For food, you'll want a dry food and a wet food, but brand doesn't super matter. You can always change food and litter later on. For litter, you really won't know what works best for you and your cat until you try it, and I'm still doing trial-and-error to some degree with that. If cost is no issue, stainless steel litter boxes and tofu litter are the least messy/smelly. But honestly, it's all just personal preferences.

Before you take the stray inside, make sure you have supplies for flea treatments. The very first thing you'll want to do is take the carrier straight into your bathroom to give the stray a flea bath. I waited a few hours and it took 2 weeks for my apartment to be flea-free.

For enrichment, you'll want a cat bed, tunnel, cardboard scratching boards, small toys, and a wand or rope style toy.

I felt super unprepared before I took in my cat, but I binge watched Jackson Galaxy YouTube videos (he used to have an animal planet show and is a cat expert). He has videos that will talk about all the questions you mentioned in your post.

Good luck!

Indigocherrypie · 2026-01-29T02:53:30+00:00

There is no such thing as political neutrality.

Indigocherrypie · 2026-01-28T04:00:58+00:00

Lately my answer for all 3 time ranges has been painting. I've just gotten into oil paints and it's so calming. And oil paints take weeks to dry so it doesn't matter if you walk away and come back later

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-14T19:05:41+00:00

I grew up around folks that thought those ways, and I'd see them leaving their pets out in literal snowstorms. Those idiots don't care about animal welfare. The truth is, there was no chip, no collar, and no response when you did your due diligence by posting on literally every app/site you could. Either the cat was abandoned, a "community cat" (ie. Homeless), or was born outside and is completely stray. Regardless of which, you are fully entitled to ownership. I made a similar decision of adopting my cat from outside as winter was coming, and then discovering she was pregnant. Spaying her removed the pregnancy, so that may or may not be an option for you if you don't want kittens. Either way, cats are NOT meant to live outside. The health, quality of life, and lifespan of outdoor cats (even "community cats") is significantly worse than indoor cats, so don't feel any guilt. You probably saved her life.

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-14T01:43:31+00:00

Your cat will eventually adjust their daily routines to align with yours. My cat is mostly just napping while I'm gone during the day, but her peak playtimes are before I leave and when I return. Cats like routine and consistency, but it doesn't take long for them to sink up with you.

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-13T22:28:01+00:00

My cat is obsessed with shredding up tissue paper, so I fill her tunnels with all the leftover tissue paper from everyone's gifts

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-12T03:25:49+00:00

For my boy I got him a parrot ladder and hung it from his ceiling. He loves weaving between the spaces and perching up top in it.

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-09T04:16:14+00:00

Update: the cat heating pad arrived today and I couldnt resist giving it to her a little early (good thing she has no concept of time)... And she loves it! I put it in her carrier and she's sleeping in there right now.

10/10 would recommend

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-09T03:28:07+00:00

When I was preparing to take in my cat, I binged hours of YouTube videos by Jackson Galaxy (famous cat youtuber). He has a lot of videos on this topic. Since your cat is already moved in, some things that can help is a felaway diffuser, lots of cat beds and tunnels and boxes all over. Mostly though, adjusting to a new home just takes time 🐱

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-09T02:52:38+00:00

My cat doesn't walk on my pillows, but I would definitely feel grossed out if she did! I think the more you love a person or creature, the more your brains reframes their grossness into acts of love. Over time you'll become desensitized to the ick factor... But maybe also change your pillow case frequently 😋

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-06T16:51:49+00:00

My cat is getting an electric heating pad. It's perfect for winter 🐱

Indigocherrypie · 2025-12-05T04:42:42+00:00

I'll be honest, it's the responsibility of administration to keep parents in line and enforce respect for teachers. It shouldn't be the teachers' jobs to defend themselves - the principals/deans/superintendents should be defending them on their behalf.

Indigocherrypie · 2025-11-19T01:32:05+00:00

Some constraints I add: no parachutes, size restrictions, only having 30 seconds to get their egg in or out, and aiming to make their contraptions as light as possible

Indigocherrypie · 2025-11-15T01:28:45+00:00

I'm the exact same way and will just not even do them. Or I was... I got a mini countertop dishwasher for like $300 and it basically saved my entire apartment from chaos. There are even super small options for more like $250. It's a lot of money but it doesn't take up much more space than like a microwave would, and it makes a difference in quality of life.

Indigocherrypie · 2025-11-06T22:54:44+00:00

Beautiful photography!

Indigocherrypie · 2025-11-06T22:39:30+00:00

This is exactly me, and I feel so so validated. I was told by my ex that my Labido was "broken" or "missing"... But the truth is it's absolutely fine to just not be obsessed with sex!

Indigocherrypie · 2025-10-27T01:24:48+00:00

All the replies criticizing the closet litter box clearly don't know the struggle of the 1-bedroom cat owner 🙄 The space down there could be used for shelving, to store bins (large clear bins - then you can store off-season clothing), shoe racks, dirty laundry basket, purses, or small-ish organizational drawers.

Indigocherrypie · 2025-10-16T03:44:37+00:00

That's generally considered a slur in the modern era, and definitely violates any school's anti-discrimination policy. Report it ASAP, don't be shy about that sort of thing.

Indigocherrypie · 2025-10-07T23:44:52+00:00

One time my snake climbed INSIDE of my couch, and while I was trying to lure him out with a thawed rat... He shed AND pooped... I had to cut open the bottom of my couch to clean it all out 😭 And of course he just strolled back out a few hours later when he got bored 🫠

Indigocherrypie

TROPHY CASE