Recently, Jodi and I were chatting. We were discussing our mutual dog ownership.

I was saying how getting a Golden Retriever was one of the best decisions I'd made in years. He's my little go-to guy, who just wants to do whatever I'm doing, even if it's just going to Blockbuster*.

Jodi asked me if my cats have taken second place since getting a dog. They haven't. I care about all my animals large or small.

"I hate when men say they don't like cats," said Jodi. "I think one of the most masculine traits a man can possess is the ability to adore a delicate creature like a cat."

She has a point. I mean, you'd have to be one really insecure dickwad** to decide an innocent creature wasn't worthy of your respect, or threatened your masculinity.

Then today, three days later, whilst I was going through my referrals, I spotted that I'd had a visitor, who'd found me from a site, that had an entry about what freaks men who like cats are. Each highlighted word, links to a different blog, presumably belonging to men who have cats.

It's an opinion which is more indicative of the person holding it, than it is of the complete strangers she has chosen to hate. She'd probably hate me more if she met me. After all, I have an English accent, so that's probably freaky to her as well. Let's just pray that my drinking tea doesn't make me any more of a social outcast in this fine land.

Still, when you're as classy as this, you probably think you're in a good position to arbitarily judge and hate people you don't actually know.

Footnotes
*My local Blockbuster not only allows dogs in, but has an ample supply of dog biscuits, something which has not escaped Miles' attention.
**A wonderful American word, only equalled in Britain by 'git'.