Dear Catwoman,
Dear Catwoman,
I am a HUGE fan!!!!! I
have been a fan since I was 2 years old. I wish though that I could be
more like you in multiple ways: your feistiness, playful nature,
awesomeness, survival skills, knowing what to do in any and every
situation, and (most of all) your flexibility. How did you learn these
things? I own 2 cats, and they are mostly polar opposites. Also, how did
you decide what your costume is? I try doing research, but all of the
websites say different things, and I end up with more questions.
Sincerely,
Hawkfrost
Dear Hawkfrost, thank you so much for writing. It's always a pleasure to
meet a fan and fellow cat owner.
The answer to many of your questions can be found in
my origin
story Cattitude. The flexibility that I now cultivate through yoga
really began with my mother, who was a ballerina. I'm not sure how young
I was when I had my first lesson, but I can tell you that even before
that, I snuck into her music room even though I wasn't supposed to be
there. So the sneaking, naughtiness and playfulness all go way back.
I picked up a lot of the surivival and fighting skills in my European
travels, which you'll read about in that same tale. Sean, who I met in
Milan and trained with in Paris, and Shirumari Sensei who I met leaving
Paris and trained with in Florence. Funny how that worked out, going
back and forth between the two countries. I always wondered if it meant
something. Sometimes life just works out that way, I guess. I think
going where you're led has a lot to do with it. Doing what you want
brings you into contact with the teachers you've meant to have. Just my
feline opinion.
Case in point, my costume.
I didn't set out to have a theme and have a
costume. But one of my first jobs on coming back to Gotham, I ran into
Edward Nigma, whom you know as The Riddler. He put me in touch with
Kittlemeier, who not only makes costumes but all kinds of gadgets. When
I went to see Mr. Kittlemeier for the first time, I wore a mask I had
brought from Venice - it was a very beautiful cat mask, of the kind they
make there for Carnival. Sensei used it to teach me how the mask can
bring out a part of our personality, and make all those qualities you
mention - feistiness and playfulness and knowing what to do in a
situation - just come naturally without having to think about it.
Wearing the mask, I found I answered all Kittlemeier's questions about
what kind of costume I wanted, without really giving it much thought. It's not magic or anything, it's just freeing a part of you to let your
instincts guide you. You know what you want, but often, you don't know
that you know.
I didn't analyze the things I came up with, not for years, but I see now
that the color purple was tied to memories of my mother. She had an
amethyst necklace and to me, the color is tied to the fluid motion I
always saw in her as a dancer. The whip I learned how to use in Italy -
it's cattle country, you know, and their cowboys have been using them
for centuries. Besides the whip, I also learned a great deal about
leather in Tuscany. Took the tour at the leather school in Florence
countless times and knew exactly what my costume should be.
I hope you'll read the whole story here, and that this answered most of
your questions.
Cream & Catnip,
Catwoman
P.S. Catitude also tells you about my first cats, before Whiskers &
Nutmeg. Would love to know more about your furballs.