Cats are quick learners

Every once in a while, my cat will jump up on my desk, right in front of my computer monitor. I am sure most people that own a cat have experienced this. It hadn't happened very often, that is until recently. As a photographer, I was feverishly working on some photos on the computer when Tigger jumped up on the desk, blocking my view of the monitor. Being the rough and tough kitty dad, I pet him a bit and picked him up and put him on the floor. End of story? No. He started coming in close to feeding time and jumped up. I stopped all my work and took him out and fed him. Same thing happened the next day, and the next and the next. The only difference is that he was coming in earlier and earlier knowing he would be getting food. Now I don't take him in and feed him early, so he gets on the desk and sits there. I put him down and he jumps back up. He is persitant as he usually wins out and at least gets a snack.

Kitty Surprise

There is nothing more exciting than waking up with your cat licking your face, only to get out of bed and stepping on a half eaten mouse. Yet after cleaning up the innards, which is all that was left, I pleasantly walked into the family room to discover a dead rat the little buggar brought in. He didn't eat the rat though. He must have been saving it for dessert. A double whammy today.

Tracking Packages USPS

What is the purpose of the tracking numbers you get when you purchase an item from someone like Amazon? I buy from them, order photos from Adorama, B+H, and numerous other online merchants and I always get a tracking number to track my package. I click on the number and I receive a message that says, "package has left facility and is in transit". Tracking number on June 17 says "in transit". Today is June 23 and it still says, "in transit". Come on! I want to know where my stuff is. Has it reached Kentucky yet? Maybe Jacksonville? It is really tough on an old guy that is like a kid waiting for Santa Claus. At least with Santa Claus, you can track him on the internet.

Cat and the Coon

Last night, while sitting in my recliner, I kept hearing my cat, Tigger, doing a whisper growl. You know, the "under the breath" type of growl. A growl that can barely be heard, but still a growl. I opened the door and looked. Sitting on top of my A/C unit was a young racoon. He was just sitting there staring at my cat. The racoon must have sat there for 10 minutes before he decided to leave. Now if I could only get Tigger to chase him away before he gets in my garbage can and scatters garbage all over the yard.

No Problem

What is it with people today, that when you ask for something, they respond with "No problem"?
May I have another cup of coffee? Sure, no problem. Thank you for bringing me another cup of coffee? No problem. Everything is "no problem". The definition of a problem is "a question to be solved". I know it is a very technical "problem" for you to figure out how to bring me a cup of coffee. It isn't any major task you have to overcome. It is your job. It's what you get paid for. Don't act like your doing me any big favors. I am not asking you to interupt your routine to do anything outside the scope of your job. Look, if I thought it was a problem, I would give you a pen and paper and say, "here, figure this out". I know it's "no problem". You don't have to remind me. A simple yes or no would suffice. TTFN

Commencement Speech at My Old High School

A young man that was salutatorian at his high school commencement strayed from his speech and inserted, "kiss my ass" if they had not supported him during his high school years. This has created a firestorm in this backwards little town. You would have thought he had praised OBL or something. Some comments included, "this is what happens when God is taken out of schools", "the entire county is looked down on", "it's the school boards fault" and even references to the president.
My parents divorced when I was about 3 years old. Divorce was a no-no at that time. The community looked down on our family and treated us kids as if we were little bastards because of this. I was treated like shit when I was growing up in that little town. Here it is 60 years later and I see nothing much has changed there. So you know what? You all that did not support me when I was growing up? You can kiss my ass too! There, I've said it and I feel good about it.

My Snoring Cat

My little miss Gwyndolion. She has gotten so big. We have a glass top coffee table in the family room. On it sits a silver ice bucket we keep flowers, etc. in. The bucket sits on top of a silver serving tray. When my little miss Gwyndolion sleeps on the coffee table, she starts snoring. She gets so loud snoring that the bucket and tray start vibrating. It sounds like a ringing cell phone that is in vibrate mode sitting on a table.