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May 04, 2004

The universal within the commonplace

Tiny at her Vanity (left) and Vermeer's "Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid" c. 1670-72, oil on panel

"The representation of universal truths was achieved by eliminating incidental objects and through subtle manipulation of light, color and perspective," writes Mark Harden at WebMuseum:

"Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid" exemplifies Vermeer's essential theme of revealing the universal within the domain of the commonplace.

Much the same might be said of this timeless portrait of the eternal feline.

Posted by Sissy Willis on May 04, 2004 at 03:34 PM in Great works, Look to the animals | Permalink

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More of these, please!

Posted by: Lori Dougherty | May 07, 2004 at 03:08 PM

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The Cold Turkey Cookbook

Index to Recipes (by popular demand)

Look to the animals

Pope Teddy Mug

Click here to purchase Pope Benedict XVI Teddy Mug.

Kudos

Spot the Dog
Sissy fights like a girl, Gab. Brutal little thing. Deadly… a gentle and refined well-spoken Yankee lady-blogger who will hand you your arse… on a vintage Limoges ‘American Beauty’ salad plate."
Joy McCann
Little Miss Attila
Sissy Willis, whose blog is badass — and visually appealing to the exalted Gerard level.
Bill Quick
The Daily Pundit
Best Wishes To An OG Blogger! Happy Anniversary, Sissy! You've made a difference!"
Chris Smith aka Smitty at The Other McCain
Your coolness cannot be overstated.
You compete with Ann Althouse in the formidability category, I daresay.
Legal Insurrection
If you follow Sissy, you'll know that she doesn't mince words. She takes no prisoners, although she does take hostages.
ShrinkWrapped
Read the whole thing; it may be the most illuminating post of the summer.
Aida
LOVE your Blog…water for deep unquenchable thirst…
amba12
Ahhh, that's WONDERFUL! Smiling from ear to ear.
Spot the Dog
You're like a database of good links :)
Robert Stacy McCain
The Other McCain
The eloquent Sissy Willis
Cynthia Yockey
A Newly Conservative Lesbian
Sissy Willis and Prof. Jacobson were the first two bloggers who went to work using social media to support the candidacy of Scott Brown in Massachusetts — read this awesome post on using social media.
Glenn Reynolds
That one-woman electoral army, Sissy Willis.
random Says at HillBuzz
SissyWillis is a one-woman Scott Brown campaign.
Gayle Miller
And you thought YOU were cranky
Sissy you are a treasure to us all.
Elisson
Blog d'Elisson
Sissy, you've got sisu aplenty... and it's always a pleasure to stop by and admire your ways with words and images.
amba12
SissyWillis: Thoughtful, fierce, staunch, open conservative
amba12
SissyWillis: Ebullient, full of energy & passion & humor, loves cats & is a conscious, gracious and generous RTer on Twitter
Dan Riehl
Sissy Willis, someone whose thoughtful and delicately refined blog presence I've admired for years out here, without ever acknowledging it, or connecting
Suzi
Your pictures are like reading a great novel
One Fine Jay
THE mystery woman of the political blogsophere, Original Gangsta blogger, aesthete, lover of cats
Morgan Freeberg
House of Eratosthenes
Best Sentence I've Heard Or Read Lately (BSIHORL) Award goes to Sissy Willis of SISU
Ed Morrissey
Hot Air
Sissy is never boring!
The Retriever
Read her for the political commentary, and the best cat pictures and eye candy like this.
Andrew Klavan
Now I read your blog and it turns out you actually ARE a lady of wisdom and discernment, making me feel even more flattered and grateful.
Amy Kane
Atlantic Ave.
It was wonderful to meet her in person - she is warm, vivacious and articulate, as you would expect from reading her blog sisu
Pam
Pamibe
There are only a couple of blogs I think would make good books and yours is one of them!
Rick Moran
Rightwing Nuthouse
I wanted you as a friend because I know you will have the best cat pictures on Facebook.
Bird Dog
Maggie's Farm
This one from our virtual friend Sissy grabbed me.
Barry Campbell
Enrevanche
A cat-loving, naturalist, foodie intellectual conservative.
Webutante
Webutante
Wonderful post, Sissy.
Fausta
Fausta's Blog
Loved your post, and used it here.
Elisson
Blog d'Elisson
Sissy, you've got sisu aplenty... and it's always a pleasure to stop by and admire your ways with words and images.
Soccer Dad
This is also brilliant: We owe it all to Hillary. Sometimes irony is the best revenge.
Confederate Yankee
Confederate Yankee
This is my favorite kind of blog post as a reader, one that makes you think far after you've finished reading it.
David Burge
Iowahawk
A Fan, Dave.

Joan H.
Oasis of Sanity
In case you were wondering, yes, Sissy does "got sisu," in abundance.
Elisson
Blog d'Elisson
That soup would be suitable to be served at the White House at a state dinner.
Goomp
Sisu is informative and innovative and refreshing.
The Anchoress
Q: So blogging is about finding genius elsewhere? A: I’m always awestruck by what others can do, and how their minds trip from one issue to another. Here is Sissy Willis, jumping off of one of my pieces but then adding her own twist to it.
TypePad
TypePad Featured blog
SISU is a blog that sneaks up on you with little cat feet, settles in, and doesn’t let go.
Jill Fallon
The Business of Life
Great post. That last sentence packs a whopper!
Teresa
Technicalities
Sissy Willis brings us one of her usual excellent posts filled with her trademark witty juxtapositions.
MB
Miss Kelly
You're just doing what you do best. Amazing stuff, I love it.
Bird Dog
Maggie's Farm
Great. Sexy, too.
Blog d'Elisson
BTW, that photo of Tiny is remarkable. Those eyes sparkle with life. And who but Sissy Willis can ennoble life's detritus, finding beauty in a Midden-Heap? Unexpected places, indeed.
HNAV
Hillary needs a vacation
this amazing work of art called the mighty SISU . . . it's all about quality, and you have it in droves. pure gold indeed.
Elisson
Blog d'Elisson
They're easily among the most beautiful - /and beautifully photographed/ - cats in the Bloggy-Sphere.
Bird Dog
Maggie's Farm
Stuck on you too, Sissy!
Laura Lee Donoho
The Wide Awake Cafe
Artistry, whimsy and keen intelligence. Plus, the two beautiful kitties.
Greenman Tim
Walking the Berkshires
Sissy Willis does Yankee comfort food writing as well or better than anyone, and this one for the Perfect Apple Pie makes me want to reevaluate my relationship with lard.
Jill
The Business of Life
The biological metaphor makes this a brilliant post.
Elisson
Blog d'Elisson
I love that animated GIF effect - I've used it myself, but never on such a becoming subject. Brilliant!
Teresa
Technicalities
I think we should put you on the food network. *grin*
Bird Dog
Maggie's Farm
Truly, Sissy is the Queen of the Segueway.
Suzy Q
OMIGOD!!! Your photos are amazing.
HNAV
Hillary needs a vacation
How many times have i visited the mighty SISU, only to find myself feeling a bit hungry . . .
Laura Lee Donoho
The Wide Awake Cafe
Sissy Willis writes with more than simply a keen intelligence, but with heart.
Barry Campbell
enrevanche
Number one on the list of bloggers I've never met in person that I'd like to throw a dinner party with.
Gayle Miller
And you thought YOU were cranky
Ah Sissy - expanding our minds and reducing our bumsize! What a WOMAN!
Miss Kelly
Sissie always provides so much context and commentary.
Confederate Yankee
This is my favorite kind of blog post as a reader; one that makes you think far after you've finished reading it.
Carol Ward
Where else can I come for recipes, cats, beauty and insight?
Polly
First time ever that a website actually helped me . . . You're awesome!
Bird Dog
Maggie's Farm
That Sissy Willis is a heck of a nice person.
Chris Muir
day by day
Where one goes for beauty in unexpected places. I like your writing . . . and the cat pictures.
Sherry
Bittersweet
When I first started reading her blog I couldn't decide if she was an absolute genius or a complete nutcase.
Professor Bainbridge
Professor Bainbridge's Journal
Sissy Willis' post of that title manages to be both thoughtful and funny.
The Weblog Awards
Althouse
Sissy's right.
Baron Bodissey
Gates of Vienna
You are uncanny!
Elisson
Blog d'Elisson
Tiny and Baby are "da bomb."
The News Junkie
Maggie's Farm
Richard Landes and the France2 trial in a superb piece by SISU. Read it, or you will be beheaded.
Hillary Needs a Vacation
The amazing SISU.
Sigmund, Carl and Alfred
Sissy Willis is smart. No news there. Sissy Willis is also a sharpshooter and Sissy Willis hits the bullseye.
Garrett Dash Nelson
Dem Apples
Dem Apples doesn’t have to be a mere repository of apostrophic debates about liberalism and ironically amusing comments by slightly off-kilter cat women
Bill Quick
Daily Pundit
The invaluable Sissy Willis rounds up the latest on the Mohammed cartoons
Patricia Baker
Pat's Pond
One more nose-bite to you, Blogmother.
Pat Santy
Dr. Sanity
Sissy Willis at sisu puts on her psychological hat in this excellent post.
Ed Moltzen
Late Final
If you work really hard and write a really great blog, you get found out, too.
Jill Stewart
I am just stunned by that shot of the little leaves and petals with the sun rays hitting it. You are the mistress of beautiful little moments.
Barry Campbell
enrevanche
Sissy Willis . . . just generally hits it out of the park.
Bill Quick
Daily Pundit
Sissy Willis's blog is much more than a repository of luscious foody goodness. It is also stuffed full of even more luscious Sissy goodness on politics, current events, personal experience, and just plain common sense.
Sadly, No Brain!
The rightbloggers' answer to the designy lifestyle publication
Charles Johnson
Little Green Footballs
Sissy's blog is excellent.
Laurence Simon
TBIFOC
Tiny and Baby rule.
Dymphna
Gates of Vienna
Sissy Willis has a great blog. Read her post on the convergence of the Islamicists and the Feminists -- two of my favorite suicidal movements.
Roger L. Simon
Sissy is one of my favorite bloggers because she is so skilled at moving from the personal and the cultural to the political and back again, something I think often gives a blog its authenticity.
Dymphna
Gates of Vienna
This blogger writes with panache; you will also find her point of view fresh and sympatico.
Pat Baker
Pat's Pond
I love the way you mix punditry, pets and party food!
TigerHawk
Sissy is always coming up with connections other people don't see. It is one of her most delightful blog-traits.
The Commissar
The Politburo Diktat
Great post.
Miss Suzanne
PERFECT IN EVERY WAY. WHAT A POST!!! BOFFO!!!DYNAMITE!!! A MUST SEE!!!
Arianna
Huffington's Toast
You KNOW Arianna adores you . . .
Lucianne
Today's BlogTruth on that fool Galloway
Markos Moulitsas Zúniga
Daily Kos
My Personal Fave
Susan
ANYBODY can report on Terri . . . only YOU can blend current events with poody footage.
Peggy Noonan
Opinion Journal
You doll. Now I have a new site to read. Grrrrrr, but thanks.
Roger L. Simon
Not bad. What's the brand?
Goomp
People like you and your fellow bloggers are an important reason for hope.
Ann Althouse
Subbing for InstaPundit
Somehow I find myself heartily approving.
Glenn Reynolds
InstaPundit
Er, you're welcome! But it's only a blog link.
Ed Moltzen
Late Final
Two great tastes together: Sissy Willis combines political blogging with the growing phenomenon of cat blogging.
Thomas Lifson
The American Thinker
Absolutely, the best-looking blog, and not just a pretty face, either.
Scott Johnson (The Big Trunk)
PowerLine
Sissy rules. She has a passion for mixing humor and politics that is inspirational.
Tony Snow
The Tony Snow Show
I'm flattered that you're a fan. As you can tell, the feeling is mutual.
Rob A.
Fine? Why Fine?:
This is one of those "behold the power of blogs" moments.
Thomas Lifson
The American Thinker:
I only hope that the CIA and Department of Homeland Security are paying attention to Sisu.
Chris Muir:
day by day
Dang, sissy, I wanted to use your title!
The denial of "life's dark side in ourselves" is the key to what's wrong with the utopianist left world view.
A Flag for Fallujah
Whomping Willow
Your synopses are dead-on, and I really like that you include images into your posts.
Mrs. Cormier:
Your blog has it all. Serious discourse and antic moments of great levity . . . a really nice balance of the sublime and the ridiculous.
Ben
"I particularly love the cat blogs.'A strong voice in the Kitchen Cabinet' is fabulous."
Sister Sue
"If I were with you, I would rub your head."
Goompa
"Sisu and JWR cover the waterfront."
Daniel W. Drezner:
"Sissy Willis makes me laugh."
Milt Rosenberg:
"Your blog is always sharp and punchy. Makes me wonder: Who are you in non-blog life?"
Susis
"You ARE the curve, as well as being ahead of it."

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