The Crevasse: Volume VI - The Stretch

Sometimes when Dave employs the Crevasse strategy, he likes to also take the opportunity to stretch. This is the perfect time to stretch, because Dave is already warm, due to being covered on three sides. This averts an issue that can arise from stretching in the winter months or in front of an air conditioner. By combining stretching with the Crevasse, Dave avoids exposing too much of his body's surface area to cold air. 

Again, not so much a problem these days, but Dave likes to plan ahead, developing strategies months in advance of when he will need them. 

The Conch Crevasse, Volume II

Dave is well-known to combine multiple effective napping strategies into one glorious napping strategy, such as The Conch Crevasse, seen here. His idea is that if each strategy provides it's own set of advantages, there is no reason he can't combine all of those advantages into one even greater strategy. He even has high hopes that he can one day, probably far in the future, combine three or four napping strategies into one omnibus strategy. Can you imagine the level of comfort that could come from combining The Crevasse, The Conch, and RocketDave? Probably not. 

The Crevasse, Volume V: Dave saw his opening and he took it

Sometimes Dave has to create napping opportunities out of thin air, and that is why it can be such an exhausting, but rewarding, profession. Other times, Dave has a great napping opportunity laid out for him on a silver platter (figuratively.) Here, you can witness one of those times. Dave spotted the two pillows positioned in such a way as to provide a perfect opportunity for the rare horizontal Crevasse technique. Usually Dave has to orient himself in parallel to his two bordering rock face-equivalents, but here he could be perpendicular. It is variety like this that keeps Dave excited for each new day of napping. 

The Crevasse, Volume IV

Dave doesn't mind cold weather, like many cats do. While Jack spends much of the winter months sitting on furnaces, people, or other warm objects, Dave doesn't change much about his habits. One thing he does do, however, is employ The Crevasse. It's a perfect time to do so, because being covered on both sides helps Dave conserve his body heat, as well as avoid any wind chill. Dave remembers sleeping outdoors on the mean streets of Iowa, where it can get cold. Although he now lives in an indoor, climate-controlled environment, he still carries over some of his old habits, like shielding himself from wind.

Dave and Organic Chemistry

There is a concept in organic chemistry called conformational isomerism. The idea is that two different molecules can be made up of the exact same atoms, chemically bonded in the same ways, yet take slightly different forms. These different forms are called conformations. Conformations still have the same molecular formula, and maintain the integrity of their chemical bonds, but they act differently. For example, a certain molecule might be part of a chemical reaction, but it may have to be in a certain conformation in order to be part of the reaction. Any time it is in another conformation, it won't react. 

Now, what does this have to do with The Dafe? You came here to read about The Dafe, did you not? Well, this is very relevant to Dave. When Dave adopts different napping positions, he is in effect adopting different conformations. When he adopts a certain napping position, he is the same Dave, made up of the same matter, and connected together in the same way that he always has been, but he reacts with the world around him differently depending on what conformation he has adopted.

For example, he might be splayed out on the bed, without a care in the world. This would not be a great time to attempt to pet Dave. If you petted his belly while in this position, you would likely find yourself scratched in short order.

Alternatively, he might be a RocketDave, at his most aerodynamic, ready for liftoff. In this case, you could probably pet Dave, but he still wouldn't be happy about it. He is focused on being a RocketDave here, so you shouldn't bother him.

RocketDave! I miss the earth so much! I miss my wife!

If you want to know when a good time to pet Dave would be, this would be one. He is performing The Crevasse here, where comfort and warmth are his top priorities. You would certainly be welcome to aid him in these pursuits by providing Dave with a headrub. Dave is all about the headrubs.

Despite the fact that Dave adopts so many different conformations at different times, at the end of the day, when it is time to be counted, Dave is the same Dave no matter what his current conformation is.

The Conch Crevasse

Dave doesn't let anything hold him back. His creativity knows no bounds. Dave's creative process has allowed him to develop countless napping techniques and strategies, ranging from The Crevasse to The Plateau to The Conch and beyond. While these techniques each represent singularly impressive and courageous approaches to napping, another part of Dave's legend is his willingness to combine techniques. It doesn't always work, but, as any connoisseur knows, true greatness requires taking chances. True greatness is evident in both the result and the process. That's why it is such an amazing experience to watch Dave create. Pictured below, Dave has combined two of his favorite techniques, The Crevasse and The Conch, to develop a new napping technique wholly different from its two progenitors. This combination Conch Crevasse really brings the whole package. Comfort, warmth, and comfort. Greatness.

The Crevasse: Volume III

Here is yet another occurrence of Dave employing "The Crevasse" strategy. This is a slight variation of the strategy, because he is only partially covered on one side. It's more like he is leaning up against a bank of snow than inside a crevasse of a glacier, but it is still in the same mold of "The Crevasse." If Dave had a different name for every slightly different napping strategy, he would run out of words in the dictionary very quickly, so this one falls under "The Crevasse" umbrella.

The Crevasse: Volume II

This is another way that Dave employs "The Crevasse" strategy. In this case, he has essentially embedded himself into the futon/blanket combination. The corner of the futon, where it forms an "L"-shape, is a favorite spot for Dave. There is comfort underneath and on a side! Two for the price of one, Dave says. Just throw in a blanket and you are ready for a great nap.

One of Dave's strategies: The Crevasse

One thing Dave likes to do is lodge himself between two objects. Usually, he chooses two objects that are each comfortable enough to nap on. This is a strategy he finds particularly useful in the winter months, and it is called "The Crevasse" strategy. In the example seen below, Dave has lodged himself between a pillow and a person. Dave doesn't have a great grasp on the English language, but if he did, one of his favorite words would be "crevasse". Dave would love to explore a crevasse like this one. While he typically prefers warm napping locations, he is also an explorer. Any opportunity for exploration excites Dave, and he would gladly explore a crevasse in a glacier, despite the lack of warm napping locations. Other cats might balk at the idea of a glacier as a napping location, but Dave's dexterous napping abilities simply afford him opportunities not available to other cats.