Hello. I’m Jenny Dean, the creator of Floppycats.com.
I get many requests wondering about me, what it is I do and why I have this website about Ragdoll cats.
So in an attempt to do a better job in answering those questions (and saving me time), I made this about me page.
I am 37-years old – born and raised in Kansas City, MO, but now I live on the KS side of KCMO.
After graduating from a private high school in Kansas City, I spent my freshman year at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. I decided that it wasn’t the right school for me, so I applied to the University of Kansas (where a lot of my high school friends were attending) and transferred there. My first semester there, I realized it was a mistake to transfer there.
So my second semester of my sophomore year, I decided to commute back and forth from Lawrence to my parents’ home in KCMO (Kansas City, MO).
I later transferred to the University of New Mexico to finish my Bachelor’s Degree. In hindsight, I should have started there from the very beginning, but I suppose things happen in the time and manner they are supposed to.
After UNM, I left to return to Kansas City, after college, to pursue my Masters in Spanish in the summers in Middlebury, VT.
Among other reasons, I returned to KC because I was totally crazy about my cat, Rags. Rags was a seal mitted Ragdoll cat who was given to me and my three siblings when I was 10-years old. Rags and his brother, Cosby, who died at 10 months old, were replacement cats for my first Ragdoll cat, Skittles, who died at the age of 2. I got Skittles (age appropriately named) from my grandparents as a birthday present when I was 8.
While back in KC, I worked as a substitute teacher and a field hockey coach for the private school I attended. I also learned to learn a little about me. Before my first summer in Middlebury, VT, I went on a trip through Europe for three months by myself – in fact, I followed the itinerary of a trip my grandfather took in 1937 through Europe. I had never met my grandfather because he was murdered when my dad was 2 years old. So it was neat to experience something he experienced (well, sort of – he experienced it before WWII and I experienced after WWII). It was one of the most extraordinary experiences in my life. I traveled to and through several different countries and saw over 17 famous cities.
In the process of getting my Masters in Spanish from Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT, I attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City to get a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Sounds sort of hokey, I know. It was the best program I could find outside of the Southwestern United States that would allow me to study Chicanas (Mexican-American women). So I did and my Masters Thesis became a book.
After completing both of my Masters degrees in August of 2004, I started the job hunting process while substitute teaching again. I finally found a job the following February and began to work as a Customer Service Representative for a local roofing manufacturing company.
I left that company 2 and a half years later as the Inside Sales and Customer Service Manager. I left because I was miserable.
I started a blog writing business from home and continued working on Floppycats.com. I have several other websites, including: Antioxidant-Fruits and Guide to Couponing.
I did have a disease of the thyroid, called Graves Disease, which you can learn more about by visiting my other website.
Rags died in March 2009. In August of 2009, I found Charlie’s photo on Soulmate Ragdolls’ website and adopted Charlie and Trigg in October and November of 2009, respectively.
Welcome to Floppycats.com – I am excited you’re here and hope you’ll share your Ragdoll love on the site!
My mom found these today. This is me with my Aunt’s boyfriend’s new Ragdoll kitten, Shamus. I’m 3 and he’s 3 months old.
Hi Jenny,
My partner turned me onto your site. What a wonderful life story. I really get not wanting to work in an abusive environment. Been there, done that, and now we work for ourselves, too. One of my friends described the ability to get to that place of freedom (?) as a combination of discontent, frustration, impatience, determination, insanity and pure guts. Guilty as charged. I would add an element of faith to that bunch, but all in all, she’s got it right about me.
I admire your tenacity and appreciate your sites and the work you put into them. Thanks for giving yourself to the wonder-filled world of Blog!
Jenny,
I would love to share my story of how I obtaned my precious “schmookumboots”…My 12 yr. old Rag doll cat. but, it is a very heart wrenching story! I am not very computer savvy and am not sure I can figure out how to send pics as I lost most of them when my last computer died. But, my beautiful schmookies story is amazing!
~Karin