Those looking for a television-related entry might want to skip this one.
On Saturday, November 24th, my cat Teaser died. He was a constant companion and a great comfort in my life for fifteen years. He hasn't been in good health this past year, but took a sudden turn for the worse about a week ago. There have been issues with feline urinary tract disease, a hyperactive thyroid, and then kidney disease. Last week, he lost interest in food. I took this photo several months ago as he slept in "his" rocking chair.
Oh, but what a great friend he's been. In 1992, I lost my 19 year-old cat. After about a month, I knew needed to have a cat in my life and my veterinarian, an inner-city vet in CT, had a litter of kittens abandoned in front of his animal hospital. He found homes for all of them except one rather plain-looking little gray tabby. One look and I was hooked. He jumped right out of the cage and onto my shoulder. I took him home that day. He weighed less than a pound and a half.
Feeling guilty for leaving such a small kitten alone at home while I was off to work, I adopted another kitten the same age (give or take a week) about a week later. I chose her out of a litter abandoned at the same vet, the first cat I actually ever picked out -- others in my life, including Teaser, sort of came to me. She's a wonderful cat but he was so special.
Teaser and I would play "where's that cat" almost every day. I'd say "where's that cat," he would run and hide, and I'd have to look for him. I'd pretend to not know where he was and he'd leap out of hiding at me, run and hide once again. He was my lap cat, she doesn't like laps or being picked up (although she's very affectionate and a licker, too). He was the cat who could purr forever.
When I went to bed, he'd curl up in the crook of my arm after circling twice. Then he'd put one paw over my wrist, purr until he thought I was asleep, then get up. He never spent the entire night sleeping in the crook of my arm, but it was our 20 minute every night at bedtime routine. If I was sitting, I could snap my fingers and he would stand on his hind feet for a head rub. He was a head-butter and a kneader.
He was my best friend in so many ways. Yes, I know cats aren't people, but the bond is still one of the strongest one can have.
I still have my other cat and, unlike Teaser she hasn't really had health issues over the years other than being overweight. She's wandering around the apartment looking a bit lost, and so am I. She and I will eventually get used to being a one cat household, but I'll always treasure the memories of one of the best cats ever in the world.
Rest in peace, Tizzerfuzz.
The moon is almost full over New Jersey. Ah-oooo! I hope everyone had a great holiday and, for those who went Xtreme Shopping today on Black Friday, I hope you survived. I had to work, but made the mistake of walking into a Target store thinking I might want to buy a computer monitor which they have on sale. No computer monitor, even given away, would be worth fighting that crowd. I immediately left before I made it to the department.
I haven't seen Roofus the cat, but it's been raining, very cold, or dark as I've been by there. Unless he can get sun, he seems to vanish, perhaps to the inside of the condemned building. Also, his free rein can lead him all over the roofs of four buildings and I can only see the front edges from my vantage point. I think he's probably okay.
In TV Newsy Bits:
- Although it was a clip episode, I wrote a review of last night's Survivor 15: China over on TV Squad. I also think I forget to mention my Kid Nation review there this week.
- Later tonight I'll be reviewing The Next Great American Band over on TVS.
- NBC has announced that Leno will be airing some vintage episodes as the WGA strike continues ... I want Letterman to do the same!
- The Frank TV debut on TBS attracted 2.9 million viewers -- a great showing! If you missed the show, it will air on Tuesday nights at 11 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas.
- Reality TV World has an interview with voted off from Dancing With the Stars Jennie Garth.
Today's musical non-sequitur:
I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his handWalking through the streets of Soho in the rainHe was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook'sGoing to get himself a big dish of beef chow mein-- "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon
Zoetawny made a special graphic for tonight's Survivor. It's not a regular episode -- it's clips and unaired stuff about the remaining castaways.
So far the most interesting comment was Courtney saying her strength in the game is that she's not a strong player. Um, okay.
A brief shout out to Sydney, home from her honeymoon adventures! Welcome back!
First, I'd like to thank graphic artist Zoetawny for the Thanksgiving-themed graphic! Another will be coming up later tonight!
I want to thank all the readers who visit, comment, and created a community around this blog. I know I've gone through some changes this year with the paid writing job, but I'm so thankful that the readers keep coming here. Y'all rock, y'know!
I hope everyone is spending the holiday with loved ones and fine food. I guess you can even watch football -- I know I won't be watching any games. I won't be going into the city for the parade, but it's a great day here to do so.
A bit later today, an "I'm thankful for" post will be put up over on TV Squad. I wrote it sometime back, but it should go up around 10 AM today if memory serves. Since it's TV Squad, it's about what I'm thankful for regarding television. You'll recognize the image -- I edited out the meat market and left just the inflatable turkey from the photo I posted here a while ago. The posts from all the bloggers there have been going on since Monday. Several used my turkey, so I guess it came out well. I am thankful that TVS gave me my first professional blogging job and the folks at AOL TV supported getting me aboard. Now I'm still working on making it a career! ;-)
Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!
The weather here has been cold, wet, gloomy, rainy and even a bit snowy. I haven't seen Roofus the cat since Saturday, but the roof isn't a good place during this kind of weather. I'm sure he's taken refuge, most likely in that condemned building. This photo is the side of an old warehouse or factory. I guess it's Lugo's parking spot, but I call it the Lugo building.
Here are today's TV Newsy Bits:
- Frank TV, the new late night show on TBS makes its debut tonight at 11 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas. Frank is impressionist Frank Caliendo and he's definitely got the "skillz." I watched my screener and was pleasantly surprised at how many impressions he can actually do. His George W. Bush is just about perfect. With the late night shows in repeats due to the writers strike, it's the perfect time to give this show a shot -- every Tuesday at 11, be there or be square.
- I want to thank commenter Joy for her excellent recap of The Bachelor for other blog readers (in the discussion post for the show). And, yes ... that's how I do it. I sit and take notes.
- Donald Trump's new Celebrity Apprentice will premiere on January 3rd. The last season was so unpopular, I guess he had to turn to a list of Z list celebs. I don't know many of these people -- Omarosa (made famous for being on The Apprentice, say what?), Marilu Henner (okay, I remember her from Taxi with Tony Danza a few decades ago), Carol Alt, softball player Jennie Finch, Piers Morgan (judge from America's Got Talent), Gene Simmons from Kiss, Vincent Pastore (Sopranos), Stephen Baldwin, Nely Galan (ex-president of Telemundo television network), Trace Adkins (country music star), Nadia Comaneci (Olympics star), Tiffany Fallon (Playboy's Playmate of the Year), boxer Lennox Louis, and ultimate fighting champion Tito Ortiz. Um. Okay.
- I wrote a TV Squad feature on my seven favorite cop shows. If you click on my name from there, it brings up all the entries I've made. I've been doing some real exciting ones such as CBS news staffers authorize a strike in addition to reviews and features.
Today's music non-sequitur:
Well, did he ever return? No, he never returned and his fate is still unlearned. He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston. He's the man who never returned.
-- M.T.A. - as sung by The Kingston Trio
Those looking for a television-related entry might want to skip this one.
