Ahh, another day, another cat treat. Banner is up and easing into his morning routine, stretching like he’s preparing for a big day at WMEO. Of course, he’s still waiting for the makeup lady to show up and fix his hair. Life as a WMEO anchor is tough, but someone has to do it.
Sights and Scenes of an everyday perosn- Banner’s deep thought mode
I think I may have mentioned that Facebook has officially designated my Sights and Scenes page as a creator. That’s the page tied most closely to my blog, Arounddustyroads. When I first saw the notification, I blinked at it like it was a surprise pop quiz. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it felt like a promotion. Promotions are good, right?
I’d joined the ranks of those internet icons I like to follow. Sure, I’m the tiniest newcomer in the creator universe, but at least I earned the title. Of course, I wasn’t sure how I earned it… or what it would take to keep it. But I’ve been finding out.
Facebook seems to have given me the designation because I regularly share my Arounddustyroads posts on the page, and those posts then get shared to my personal page. This creates “activity.”
So after all these years, Facebook decided I’d been around long enough to get the upgrade. Not much of a promotion, really — more like a “fine, you’re still here, take this.”
But the biggest difference? As a creator, I can actually earn money… eventually. I can’t do that from my personal page.
This is where I made my first mistake: I assumed “creator” meant “fun little badge.” It actually means “Congratulations, you now have homework.”
If I want to qualify to get paid, I have some minimum standards to meet. After I got through laughing, I said what the heck — I might as well work toward it. It won’t be quick and probably not pretty, but it’ll give me something to do.
Here’s an example of the requirements:
For Facebook Reels:
Maybe in my next life. But let’s see how long it takes to even get close. What’s that saying? A journey begins with the first step. Well, I’ve taken mine… and immediately tripped over it.
My stars, my partners in crime, my teammates — Banner and Balboa — are not the most willing or cooperative coworkers.
I’ve been following them around with my camera for three days. Have they done anything cute? Of course not.
Banner has decided to become a philosopher. This morning, he assumed full Thinking Mode on the human toilet — sitting on the closed lid like Rodin’s “The Thinker,” staring into the middle distance as if pondering the mysteries of the universe.
Naturally, this happened the exact moment I stepped out of the shower, dripping wet, no camera anywhere within reach. He knows. He absolutely knows.
Balboa, meanwhile, has taken a vow of invisibility and only appears when the camera is off. I swear he can hear the “record” button.
I guess they don’t want to be the next internet cat sensations. I need those five original videos, and apparently my cats have decided to unionize.
I remember watching a creator explain how they got involved (wanted public speaking experience) and how it morphed into a full‑time job. I couldn’t tell if they were happy about it or not — the message felt more like a cautionary tale.
Well, I’ve been a “creator” for a week, and I can tell you:
Yes. It’s a full‑time job.
There’s planning, filming, editing, posting, tracking, adjusting, and then repeating it all again because Facebook says you need “consistent engagement.” I’ve had jobs with fewer steps.
So here I am — promoted without asking, assigned a job without training, chasing cats who refuse to perform, and trying to rack up 60,000 minutes of watch time like I’m running a tiny, chaotic television network out of my living room.
Will I ever qualify for monetization? Who knows.
But I’ve decided something important:
If Facebook wants me to be a creator… then I’m going to be the most stubborn, persistent, dripping‑wet‑post‑shower cat‑wrangling creator they’ve ever seen.
And if Banner wants to sit on the toilet and contemplate the meaning of life instead of helping, that’s fine. I’ll film him next time. Even if I have to sprint through the house in a towel like a deranged wildlife photographer.
Because one way or another, this creator is getting her five videos.
Around Dusty Roads and WMEO are taking a moment of silence in remembrance of all those lost and affected by the tragedy of 9/11 — from the victims, to the first responders, to those who worked through the aftermath, and to the families left behind. This act of remembrance connects us with the lives impacted on that day.
Live from Taunton , MA This is A WMEO 9 special report. We Meow-You Listen
BREAKING MEWS: CAT TV News has officially hired Mittens Meowington as their new morning anchor.
WMEO congratulates him on joining a network dedicated to covering the world ending in twelve different ways before breakfast — war headlines, erupting volcanoes, global chaos, all before their first cup of kibble.
Meanwhile, WMEO will continue reporting the news that actually matters to our viewers:
Banner’s Comment:
“Mittens’ doing volcanoes and geopolitics now? Good for him. I prefer stories where I can personally yell at the suspects.”
Balboa’s Comment:
“WMEO covers real issues. Like when my bowl is half empty… or elephants invade Boston.”
As always, WMEO remains your trusted source for local mews, delivered with integrity, fluff, and absolutely no doom‑scrolling.
WMEO: Real Cats. Real News. Zero Global Chaos.
This has been A WMEO Competitor update.
Can you believe it’s been almost a year since we first talked about how strange animals can be? Nature never disappoints — it’s weird, wonderful, and occasionally downright unbelievable. So today, instead of the usual stories, let’s take a little detour back into the world of bizarre animal facts. Trust me, these are the kind of things that make you blink twice and say, “Wait… seriously?”
European Barn Owl = photo credit Deb Neumann
Owls can twist their heads 270 degrees. They’re basically nature’s surveillance cameras with feathers. It’s all thanks to extra vertebrae and specialized blood vessels. Regan from The Exorcist wishes she had this kind of range.
⚡ Electric Eels: Nature’s Shock TherapyElectric eels can deliver a jolt between 600 and 800 volts — enough to kill a horse. Imagine being the scientist who discovered that the hard way. And you don’t even need a kite or a key. So everybody dance now- It’s Electric!
Kangaroos can leap over 27 feet in a single bound… but they can’t jump backward. Forward only — like nature’s motivational poster.
The mosquito. According to the World Health Organization, mosquitoes transmit malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and more. In 2015 alone, malaria caused 438,000 deaths. Tiny insect, enormous trouble. But you only have to worry about the ladies. Females are the only ones who bitr. The males feed exclusivly on flower nectar and plant sugar.
🐘 Elephants: Pregnancy ChampionsAfrican elephants stay pregnant for up to two years — the longest of any mammal. Scientists still aren’t entirely sure why it takes so long to grow an elephant, but considering the size, it’s probably not a quick project.
Beavers’ teeth never stop growing, so they chew constantly to keep them in check. Their enamel contains iron, giving their teeth an orange tint and making them strong enough to cut through wood like it’s a snack. Before anyone tries to ‘fix’ a beaver’s orange teeth — don’t. That color means they’re healthy, not overdue for a dental Groupon.
When you stack all these facts together, it’s hard not to appreciate just how wonderfully strange our world really is. Owls bending their heads like flexible periscopes, kangaroos refusing to reverse, elephants taking two years to finish what everyone else does in nine months, and beavers walking around with iron‑reinforced teeth — it’s a reminder that nature doesn’t just create life, it creates characters.
Some are shocking, some are hilarious, some are a little terrifying (looking at you, mosquitoes), but all of them prove one thing: the planet is full of surprises, and we’ve barely scratched the surface.
So here’s to the bizarre, the unexpected, and the creatures that make us say, “Wait… what?” Because honestly, that’s half the fun of learning about the world — discovering that truth is often stranger than fiction, and way more entertaining.
