Jillian Chantal

Thomas Hobbes was a philosopher in the 1600s. He wrote Leviathan. He was a proponent of a strong central government led by an absolute ruler but he also espoused the rights of the individual and that all political power should be representative and by the consent of the people. He lived during the time of the English civil war and even though he was English, he lived mostly in Paris. He also wrote about social contract theory. He’s known as one of the great political philosophers of all time.

My younger son is a political science and philosophy hound. He loves these topics and has amassed quite a library of philosophical texts and is minoring in the subject in college. My older son has always loved the comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes. He’s been a fan since he could read. Both of my sons and the future daughter-in-law met me at the pet shelter on the 27th to pick out a kitten for my birthday.

I’ve always been a proponent of a pet picking the owner and this is exactly what happened this time as well. We opened the door to the room with the kitties and this one started meowing and leaping about in its cage. I stuck my finger in the cage and he rubbed against it and licked me. #2 son stuck his hand in and the same thing happened. We looked around at the other kittens and then went to the other kitty room. There was a sweet one in there but it was already sold to a pet store (which surprised me) so we went back to that first room and opened the cage to Mr. Loudmouth. #1 son took the kitty out and he was cuddly and nice and purred like a maniac but he tried his best to get to me. Once I was holding him, he climbed all over me, licking my neck and face and rubbing his head on my face.

I told #2 son to take him and the kitty was all cuddly with him, too but was quickly ready to come back to me. So, decision made, we adopted him. The kids named him Hobbes. Each loved the name for a different reason per the above preferences. Our new buddy had to be neutered so we can’t pick him up until today after noon but here is our little new family member, Hobbes.