Randomness

[WarpGirl]

The really crazy part: I don't even care about going.

Like, obviously, once I'm there and having a great time, it'll be lovely, but honestly (and not cause of the 666 or anything) I just am not that fussed about travel these days (not afraid, more it's just a LOT of work) and I HATE being hot. When I was with Dis and Elessar in Texas (and preg) Priso and I went for a walk in Dallas in some redonkulous 120 degree heat, and after 1 block, I was all, okay, turn around, we're getting back in the car now. It's too hot!

I complained about the heat incessantly in Mexico. Priso loves it. Guess I'm just a Canadian Used to my iglu and all that.


I'll go. I'll have an awesome time. But damn it's a freaking hassle! With the 1.9 yr old baby, and the 5 year old on the plane, and leaving behind 3 dogs, 3 cats, fish, chichillas, a rescued seagull, 8.5 goats, 49 chickens, young gestational tenants with a 2wks overdue baby, yada yada yada. It's just.....hugely inconvenient right now. I mean, I know, I know, it's Hawaii, I should just shut up, but, my head is spinning right now.

Oh I get that! I hate the drive to PEI, My sis hates me because I staunchly do everything I can to avoid going up there. That and I loath the airport in Halifax. (Yeah I don't know why) It's just a hassle, I don't even love going to NY, if it wasn't the ONLY place on earth I could get pizza and other foods, I'd avoid that too... Although NY has the boat too....

[enterprikayak]

Random:

So, my whole childhood growing up, my somewhat eccentric dad (me, have an eccentric dad? no!) always used to—what I now like to retroactively term—"pull a Micheal Scott": in a warm winehazed after-dinner moment of gregarious generosity he'd declare, "Guess what everyone! July 1988! Mark it down! We are all going to Hawaii!" Within seconds, the room would erupt into excited chatter, all centred on him, the benevolent bringer of good news. He loved it. BUt *then*, y'know, *later*, he'd realise he didn't actually have the resources or motivation to actually *book* a trip *anywhere*, let alone Hawaii.

And it'd be: "Well, kids, it looks like it isn't going to happen this year. But guess what??! We're totally going NEXT year! AND to Disneyland! August 1989! Mark it down! Start saving!" Around 1991, we cottoned on to the cyclic nature of his madness, and the continued guarantees (he indeed continued this strange behaviour w/ my really little sisters well into the 2000's) were slowly met with teenage derision, until, finally, it actually somehow became, like, "the official family joke". It's Official. Someone at work innocently asks me, "Ever been to Hawaii?" And this Freudian shell shock of confusion momentarily grips as I try to remember if I *have* *actually* been to Hawaii. I mean...we talked about it so many times, you start to think maybe you did go once, looong, loooong ago, and it's all just been lost in the subsequent confusion?

But no. I've never been. Fine.

So couple years ago my 2yrs younger sister, because of all this prior nonsense, decides to throw a wedding in Hawaii and we're all gonna go, and we're finally allllll going to Hawaii!!! Yaaaaaaay! Right? Right guys?

Guys?

Dad is at this point divorcing stepmom and goes to BrideSis: "you can't invite this person, and this, and this, and this" (weeding out anyone related to the stepmom). So BrideSis (obviously acting under Freudian shellshock confusion) goes "This guest list stuff is all too much for me! Okay! No one's invited except the parents."

So I get uninvited. (Not maliciously, but, y'know: still sux). AND THE REAL TOPPER? He Fails to organize any passport for himself and ends up by not being ABLE TO GO EITHER. So it's just BrideSis and Mom and the new inlaws sitting there in Hawaii, in the 21st freaking CENTury..... and this crazy family "joke" is BEGINNing to wear a bit seriously fecking thin, yes?

So, now for a year, Priso's dad (not mine) has been organizing this biiiiiiig Hawaii trip. 12 family members (we're gonna be *that* family ) all staying on Maui in nearby condos. We go in a few days.

Priso and I were joking about the Hawaii!Curse and wondering if it was still active. A few days later, his boss calls him in and says, "Yeah, week of August 22, you gotta fly down to Peru and sort this problem we're having with one of our systems".

And Priso's like, "Sorry dude, I'm in Hawaii then."

And the boss is all, "Well you gotta cancel." (hawaii!curse!)

But Priso's like, [cartman voice] "NO! We're GOING TO HAWAII! "

So the boss is like, "Yeesh, calm down freak, fine you can go to Peru the second you get back from Hawaii."

So prolly he has to do that now.

AND THEN (No, actually, I'm *not* finished yet) a couple days ago Priso's mom hands me my itinerary with the flight info, and at the bottom, with our family names (which I've obviously changed here):

Return Flight Tickets Charged to Visa XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

John Doe $666
Jane Doe $666
Suzy Doe $666
Sally Doe $666

I'm like You. Have. To. Be. . Kidding. Me. (hawaii!curse!)

I have the dread Hawaii!Curse of THIRTY YEARS hanging over my head like the fu**ing SWORD OF DAMOCLES here, and you expect me to fly over the Pacific Freaking Ocean in fu*king SIX-SIX-SIX seats?

So just now I called my mom and we are kind of laughing about this turn of events, and I'm like, "It's like Lost. Like how the Island was always sucking them back to it. Except with me, the Island is like, trying to keep me away. And you know The Island always gets its way on Lost right?" I laughed. A beat of silence. Mom: "Well, of course, they do film Lost there, so, y'know, if you think about it, it kind of IS The Island. <quickly backtracks> Oh, but I'm sure you'll be fine....."








THANKS, "MOM".

....aaaaand I just got my period. Perfect. (hawaii!curse!CURSE!)

[WarpGirl]

Sorry ek...

OK totally random and probably nobody would know the answer... If anyone here was ever a West Wing fan, (best non-Trek show ever) they'd know CJ lip synchs to a song called "The Jackel" does anyone know the artist?

[Aquarius]

So today, my mom tries to get me to go look at this cat who needs a home. He's a nice, loving cat, black, four years old...and he's not getting adopted, presumably because he's missing an eye.

Now, I confess I'm totally squeamish about such things...but my heart broke at the idea of him not finding a home. But...

I have 17 1/2 year-old Elvis to think of. I mean, what if they don't get along? I'd feel horrible!

But...what if they ended up best friends? I'm not sure Elvis is digging being the only cat since Mr. Boo passed, especially now that I live alone.

I didn't go see the cat because I couldn't bear to fall in love and not have it work out. But...for my own part, I know I have enough love for him.

What to do???

[WarpGirl]

Hmmm this is a pickle and believe me I get this (amazing isn't it) my own kitty is a priority always. And I can't get another because my dog would be so ticked off... My advice would be that if Elvis is the type of kitty that would not mind a pal (and considering he had one for a while) then it might not be a bad idea to bring him to meet said prospective adoptee kitty. Who knows if they meet in adoptee kitty's turf and get along, Elvis might be cool inviting him into the family. Kind of like when you go to the SPCA and sit in the little room with the prospective pet for a while and see if you click.

[crystalswolf]

I have 3 cats and none of them like each other. When we first brought our second cat home as a kitten, she terrorized our 3-legged cat. She wanted to play and her elder wanted none of it. When no longer a kitten we kept her nails short, she got into a fight with her elder and learn her lesson for a while. After that, they learned to live with each other... sort of.

Enter cat 3 as a 1yo. She's affectionate. She's broken she's so affectionate. She wants to touch/rub/snuggle/groom any living creature (not prey) in view. The other two want none of that for sure! But with their massively different personalities, they find some sort of balance.

I'd ask the home/facility about their policy on returning the cat if it's not compatible. You should try your home if anything because cats can react differently when it's their territory or another's. If they don't kill each other, I'd say it's a very good sign. They may not become best buds but they may just find their own comfortable space.

[Aquarius]

Well, that's part of the problem too...I'm afraid of being in the position of being heartbroken if I had to give him back. I don't think I could take that.

[Alelou]

Your life just seems so complicated right now -- doesn't school start soon? I'd be more worried about the potential for extra emergencies and expenses when it seems like you've already got a hell of a lot going on. (Unless Grandma is a very good pet-emergency helper, anyway.)

[Aquarius]

My mom helps me with Elvis on the days I'm not going to be home in time to give him his insulin. She's a nurse and an experienced cat owner--has 7 of her own, which is why she's not taking the one-eyed kitty herself, because she's at her absolute limit. (She wasn't even really wanting one when she got the last one, but he was a 10-week old stray kitten who just turned up in her dirt pile out back one day...one of those breeds with all the extra toes...and she asked around the neighborhood to try to find out who he belonged to and nobody would claim him so...)

If I introduced another cat into the house, it would definitely have to be before I went back to school for the semester.

As for medical expenses, it would just be the routine stuff for the new cat. Aside from the eye, he's as healthy as any other four-year-old cat.

My biggest concern is how it would all affect Elvis. He's old. And sensitive.

[Alelou]

Oh, well, if Mom's also available ...

I don't know. We also have an old, easily-freaked out cat and that's why I've steadfastly refused to bring another one in, despite a great deal of begging from the men in the house. In the past, even with his brother, there would be anxiety and territorial jockeying going on, which led to peeing on walls and emotional vomiting and such. Yuck. <Edit: And here's a classic case of antecedent confusion, for I seem to be suggesting that the men in my house are peeing on walls and vomiting emotionally.>

Also, our guy is declawed, so 1) he can't defend himself properly, and 2) I really enjoy not having to try to defend the furniture and woodwork from cat attack.

[Aquarius]

Elvis has all his claws, so he's cool there. =^..^=

[honeybee]

Well, I fostered a kitten this summer with the idea of maybe keeping him. Then, when I found him in my chihuahua's mouth, I decided he needed a better home. Max, the chihuahua, didn't bite down on the kitten and the kitten took a very "let me at him, just let me at him" position toward the whole incident. Still, I was happy to find a loving, chihuahua-free home for him. It was hard to let him go, but it was for the best and I get email updates. So, fostering is also an option.

Going back to recession sniping, "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" did a whole recession themed show which is funny. My Mom actually attended this taping a few weeks back, which was meant to be "vacation filler" but is still hilarious. And ZZ Top is the guest player:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=35

The show made me laugh and laughing still hurts, but it was worth it.

[enterprikayak]

Yay kitties!


I'M HERE! MAUI!


Okay: no joke:

At the international air security from Canada to Seattle, the great-grandma (85) got mad they wanted her to not carry on her massive shower gel in her purse and she got all pissed and made a loud scene and started saying "Oh sure! I'M AN 85 YEAR OLD TERRORIST! I';M GOING TO BLOW UP THE PLANE! yeah, RIGHT! I have a BOMB!" and the security guard was all "Ma'am, stop saying that! You're not allowed to say that!" It was meet the Fockers.

If she wasn't 85 I could totally see that having thrown a huge wrench in our ability to board that plane.

The Island tried one last clever ruse to keep me away, but looky me trek-blogging from the middle of the Pacific Ocean! (Instead of the edge).

[WarpGirl]

I would probably love your great-grandmother. HAVE FUN!

[Alelou]

Yay kitties!
At the international air security from Canada to Seattle, the great-grandma (85) got mad they wanted her to not carry on her massive shower gel in her purse and she got all pissed and made a loud scene and started saying "Oh sure! I'M AN 85 YEAR OLD TERRORIST! I';M GOING TO BLOW UP THE PLANE! yeah, RIGHT! I have a BOMB!" and the security guard was all "Ma'am, stop saying that! You're not allowed to say that!"

Congratulations. Enjoy.