presto change-o!

Can They Handle The Truth?

2012-02-18T18:58:00.003-06:00

2012, Nutshell Edition.

h/t Meanie-meanie, tickle a person.
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Can I Tell You How Sad I Am?

2012-02-18T03:59:00.001-06:00

I didn't even know until this week.

Some kind soul recently sent me (quite illegally) some medicine that would cost me $4/month, if only I didn't have to pay $50/month to a gatekeeper (not even a doctor!) to obtain the prescription, which of course I cannot afford. Welcome to America, 2012.

This medicine is not addictive, not a drug-of-abuse, but very, very effective. It's even off-patent, and available as a generic. I know about this medicine. It has been prescribed for me on several occasions, back when I had insurance, and the best doctors Nashville could offer. It requires no special monitoring; it isn't something an idiot could use to overdose, or at least not easily.

However, one thing this medicine does is help you see what's going on around you, more clearly. And I have to say, taking this clearer inventory of my life, I am very sad. I was just as sad before, but it didn't register the same way -- that's part and parcel of the disorder, really.

Instead of being hopelessly resigned, I'm now trying to solve some problems that were, before, intractable. And, I am sad. The hole is deep, and the rope too short.

Someone online tonight commented that my technical knowledge should score me a $60K/year job with benefits (after a back-and-forth networking troubleshooting session). I don't know about that, but I'd be happy with half that, easily. Still, the rope is shorter.
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My Sad-Assed Friday Night

2012-02-17T20:08:00.001-06:00

Eschaton and poker. Cheap beer.

UPDATE: At least I'm kickin' they asses. Started with 40k.

Action Jackson

2012-02-17T12:18:00.002-06:00

Walk like a cat, talk like a cat.
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Clear Blue

2012-02-16T17:14:00.003-06:00

Aw, face.
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Sun-Soaked Cat Face

2012-02-16T09:55:00.003-06:00

I hope he enjoyed it, as it may be the last bit of sun, today.
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Better Light

2012-02-15T16:54:00.003-06:00

... but being ignored.
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CableCat

2012-02-15T09:07:00.001-06:00

It's where the light was.
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It's About Time

2012-02-14T13:00:00.001-06:00

... that someone around this joint put up some cat pixels.
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Disqus Refugees, Post Here

2012-02-11T19:51:00.001-06:00

Let's give it a good workout, heh. Mind your eyes.
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Late/Early LarryElvis

2012-02-11T00:30:00.001-06:00

Big eyes, little light. Glad he held still long enough. Here, he's got both forepaws on my right thigh, and is trying to beggar his way into a jump-up, so he can lay across my left shoulder, cradled like a baby. Yes, I know this cat's every trick. :)

UPDATE: Now I realize why I like this photo so much. I can see his kitten face in it.
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The Curlster!

2012-02-08T18:26:00.004-06:00

Also, too.
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My Brain

2012-02-08T17:54:00.002-06:00

Paper Camera Pixels

2012-02-08T15:42:00.001-06:00

It's been a while, so I figured you'd indulge me on this less-than-ideally-lit day.
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The Cat Who Would Not Look At The Camera

2012-02-07T12:52:00.002-06:00

Priorities

2012-02-04T14:34:00.002-06:00

Today, Larry's is making sure the couch doesn't try to escape.
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Curly Week

2012-02-03T16:45:00.004-06:00

This is Curly after our little power nap, yesterday. I'll try to get some pixels of the other little spectacle tomorrow, if I can.
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Good Animation, Too

2012-02-02T13:41:00.001-06:00

He has a point, right?
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Tabby Thursday

2012-02-02T09:45:00.001-06:00

Already feeling spring in the air, Curly saw his shadow, too. Quote: "Meh."
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... And Bushy-Tailed

2012-02-01T18:00:00.003-06:00

Ain't he somethin'?

Tabbuary First

2012-02-01T14:06:00.002-06:00

New month, new pixel.
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Rail Meezer

2012-01-31T10:56:00.004-06:00

Sentinel cat keeping a watch on the complex.
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Mackerel Tabby Monday

2012-01-30T12:59:00.004-06:00

He and Larry are so active, today, it was hard to get any good photos... too much movement!
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'Oldsworth Still 'As It

2012-01-30T01:00:00.000-06:00

Trying to decide if that third tune is a Mahavishnu tune I don't recall hearing, or whut. Pretty sure the last one is a new composition.

UPDATE: I am told the third tune is by a band called Planet X, "Desert Girl." The drummer featured here, Virgil Donati, is a member of Planet X.
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Cop-Out Cut-Out Curly-Q

2012-01-29T20:45:00.005-06:00

Haven't recycled any blurry pixels in this manner in a while, so I figure I'll be forgiven.
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Peekin'

2012-01-28T14:41:00.001-06:00

... over Dad's considerable belleh. Gosh, the sunshine is great, today. Neither boy has shown the slightest interest in going out on the balcony, though. The bedroom door's open.
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The Sun May Never Shine, Again

2012-01-27T12:36:00.001-06:00

... so, we'll just have to try harder. I think the Canon A1200 takes slightly better low-light photos than the HTC Incredible 2. A bit less noise.
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GWednesdayOT

2012-01-25T12:14:00.002-06:00

The Great Wall O' Tabby exists, and can be seen from space.
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Monday Morning Meezerbacking

2012-01-23T11:32:00.003-06:00

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
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Black & White Day

2012-01-21T15:57:00.001-06:00

With lots of processing! Yay!

Our old friend the sun has not been seen here in days and days and days.
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Tabby Tuesday

2012-01-17T17:49:00.001-06:00

Such a gentle boy.
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God Love All The Kittehs

2012-01-15T23:13:00.001-06:00

Sunny has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Here she is with Maddy, enjoying her wonderful life with my friends, as so few kittehs are able to do. Sunny will be greatly missed, and we are saddened, but she had to go. Love to you, Sunny.
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Sunday Kittehs

2012-01-15T15:16:00.003-06:00

Curly haz a reflection.

Larry is more concerned about getting back into that warm bed... it's just 44°F, out here.
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Low-Light Lomo Curly

2012-01-14T13:30:00.002-06:00

The sun is shining, but I can't coax him or Larry off the bed this afternoon.
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How About...?

2012-01-13T13:30:00.001-06:00

... a meezer with one half-closed eye?
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Quarter Million

2012-01-12T13:50:00.000-06:00

That's right. After only six years, one month and some-odd days, the catblog is going to break 250,000 hits with this post.

Sucks that flash photography is being used to commemorate the event.

UPDATE: Hit #250,000 came @ 4:20:03 CST from Plymouth, Ohio, on a Google search for "Grass Valley." Six years, one month and 15 days. Averaging 112 hits/day, more or less. For cat pixels.
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Insufficient Photons

2012-01-11T15:24:00.005-06:00

Welcome to winter in Tennessee: Cloudy, rainy and still pleasantly warmish.
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Don't Curse The Darkness

2012-01-11T12:30:00.002-06:00

Light a candle.
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Humpday Midnight Kitteh

2012-01-11T00:00:00.001-06:00

Hiding out among the computer cables.
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Awful, Crappy Low-Light Images

2012-01-09T15:52:00.001-06:00

Clouds and/or rain for three days straight. And they're now officially occupying the bedroom.
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Daylight Motion Blur Masking

2012-01-06T13:58:00.002-06:00

Y'all deserved some better cat pixels.
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Can't Pry 'Em Off

2012-01-06T10:45:00.000-06:00

... the bed, so again, low-light conditions.
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Poor Curly

2012-01-04T13:53:00.001-06:00

He really wants in the bedroom. I relented, and left the door open a crack so he and L.E. can come and go as they please. We're up to 50°F outside, and heading above 60°F inside, so the bedroom getting cold won't be an issue for many hours.
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Low Light Challenge

2012-01-03T10:21:00.001-06:00

So... it got down to 60°F in the living room last night, and I decided I'd let the boys into the bedroom with me (where it's easier to heat). Unfortunately, there's little in the way of light in there, so:

... becomes this, after Photoshop auto-leveling.

Not good, but still better than another exposition on the tapetum lucidum. :)
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I See His Spot

2012-01-02T17:00:00.000-06:00

Here's the Cover Boy, from around noon, today.
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Last Day

2012-01-02T12:04:00.001-06:00

... of cat-sitting the lovelies, next door. Here they are wondering where that red dot went. I'll be back in a little bit with some fresh LarryElvis pixels.
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Target

2012-01-01T21:37:00.001-06:00

I love this tabby pattern, with the bull's eye on the sides. L.E. has a bit of that in his coat which is very difficult to detect, but it's there.
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Your Face

2012-01-01T10:23:00.002-06:00

I will eat it, now.
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More Neighbor Kittehs

2011-12-30T11:38:00.001-06:00

Yes, we did have big fun this morning!

All the girls were interested in the red dot. Fluffy got tired of chasing it first, and was content to perch on a chair and watch the other two duke it out.

Fluffy & Dr. Evil.

Fluffy, who loves me a lot.

"Little-bit" is distracted by the red dot.
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King Curly

2011-12-29T09:34:00.003-06:00

... enjoying the sunshine from his throne, but hoping it warms up from freezing quickly.
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Freeze Fog Sunrise

2011-12-29T06:54:00.002-06:00

Click to embiggen.
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My New Charges

2011-12-28T17:29:00.003-06:00

Dr. Evil, whose name is the only one I remember. She doesn't trust me very much, but she frequently greets me at the window when I'm coming up the steps.

"Fluffy," maybe? She trusts me implicitly. Took an instant liking to me.

Other-cat. A young-un. Lets me pet her, but then decides maybe that's not okay, too!
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Maddy's Christmas

2011-12-28T12:22:00.003-06:00

Maddy's looking more like her mom, so says Grannyh. I just think she's cute as a bug's ear. And the kittehs enjoy their present, as well (Curly's brother, Mikey, up top). Back to de-fragging the drive... bbl
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The New Phone Book's Here!

2011-12-27T14:03:00.003-06:00

... with days to spare, even! What a compelling cover. ;)

If you have a spare $15, and would like one of your very own, you can order them here, on the top right side of the page.

Also, if you want the raw pixels for use as wallpaper, or whatever, that is here.
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Gloomy Day Curly

2011-12-26T14:53:00.002-06:00

Completely cloud-covered day. Nowhere near the forecast high, since they were wrong about the "partly sunny," too. So, Curly is staying on the dirty clothes, today.
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Hoppy Hollerdaze!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-06:00

... even if you're like me and don't celebrate the birth of Santa. I am wishing each of you the best in this season of celebrations, and in the coming new year.
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XELE

2011-12-24T12:26:00.003-06:00

It's a chilly day. Larry, enjoying the gentle electric heat from the throw that Bob sent me.
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Bicycle Explorer

2011-12-23T15:37:00.001-06:00

I really would get rid of this thang, if not for the fact that the cats like it so much.
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Loves The Rain

2011-12-22T14:21:00.003-06:00

... or at least the vigorous petting that simulates drying (well, I guess it does do some drying, too) that he gets when he comes back in and jumps on the arm of the crazy green checkerboard chair.
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Last Night's Bag Cat

2011-12-22T09:15:00.003-06:00

And I don't know why, but you can click to embiggen. :)
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Solstice Time

2011-12-21T14:14:00.001-06:00

Meet me in the dark. A poorly-lit photo of Curly in the dirty clothes pile in the walk-in closet, where he likes to spend cold weather days.
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Sketchy Cloudy Sleepy

2011-12-20T14:34:00.003-06:00

Rainin'.
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Monday Meezer, Sketchy Edition

2011-12-19T15:46:00.000-06:00

More ten-cent Paper Camera pixels. A great ten-cent toy!
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OPP: Mopsey

2011-12-18T16:09:00.001-06:00

Our friend Snarkworth's late, beloved kitteh.
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Sunday GWOT

2011-12-18T12:54:00.003-06:00

The Great Wall of Tabby exists, and he can be seen from space. By Google Maps.
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Lomo Larry

2011-12-16T16:47:00.002-06:00

Taken this past summer, Lomo-ized in Piknik. An easy enough effect to do in Photoshop, but Piknik makes it a one-step process.
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Beg

2011-12-14T21:13:00.001-06:00

Thank you for reading this.

Times have been tough for me, and the closing of East Side Scooters in October has made things even tougher. My very patient landlord would prefer to not toss me out, but he has expenses that make my "staying without paying" quite difficult to manage, as you might imagine.

I presently have some job prospects, but I am over $6000 in arrears to my very patient landlord, and as of now, he's been happy for me to give him just the current month's rent for some time, now. I want to do more, but that will require a job, of course.

My humble request to you is this: If you can, send a little to help me stay here with Curly and LarryElvis. Be advised that I do have an offered place to stay, but that offer does not -- cannot -- extend to the kittehs. If you are, or know of a local Nashville person who can take Curly & LarryElvis, please let me know. I have to have such a plan in place, and soon -- and I know no one reading this wants that to happen. Hopefully, it doesn't have to happen.

To those who have given any amount so far, Thank You -- I cannot in good conscience appeal to you, as you have done far more than I deserve, already. Some of you have sent me thousands of dollars, and I can only pray to have the means to repay your kindness. Honestly, I do not know that I will ever find work again, at this point. I am severely discouraged, as many of you might understand. Almost four years without a steady paycheck at age 48... well, one begins to wonder what the options are at that point.

Thanks again for reading,

-Jeff

Two Boy Humpday

2011-12-14T16:38:00.002-06:00

The clouds have started rolling in on an otherwise beautiful day. 69°F was the high, and I got errands, job hunting and a scooter ride in. Let's keep a good thought for my potential future employment prospects.
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Tabby Tuesday

2011-12-13T20:16:00.001-06:00

The best kitteh in de condo!
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Fractured Meezer Monday

2011-12-12T16:07:00.003-06:00

One goose deserves another.
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Sunday Bits Of Curly

2011-12-11T14:06:00.001-06:00

Playing with Picasa and Picnik.
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Softie

2011-12-10T11:51:00.001-06:00

Just dickin' around with Photoshop, today. Paper Camera is staying put for now. :)
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Pulling This One Out

2011-12-09T19:19:00.001-06:00

... of the slideshow, 'cause I like it. And I lied. Still playing. :)
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Paper Camera Slideshow

2011-12-09T15:15:00.001-06:00

Curly's Closet

2011-12-09T12:00:00.001-06:00

Poor guy has the winter blahs, like Dad. He's staying holed up in here until the sun goes down, for the most part. Dunno why. If I sit in the floor with him in there, he wants petted, and wants to drink water (and he thinks it's even better if he gets petted while drinking water).
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Behind The Door

2011-12-08T15:54:00.001-06:00

Okay, I'll quit playing with Paper Camera for a while, after today! :)

Curly's spending almost all the daylight hours huddled up in the closet, so he's harder to capture without a flash (which you know I hate). But here's L.E., in that annoying behind-the-bathroom-door spot which makes me have to squoosh him a little so I can get in there. He's so silly.
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Sketchy, Skritchy

2011-12-07T14:23:00.001-06:00

Premature

2011-12-06T18:08:00.001-06:00

Okay, so there was a 10-cent sale on premium Android apps, so I got Paper Camera. Here's a couple of sub-optimal lighting shots of the boys made fun by Paper Camera.

My Kittehs

2011-12-06T17:39:00.001-06:00

... needed better lighting than the day provided. So, how about the most squee-producing animated GIF, EVAR?

Sure, We Have Curly!

2011-12-05T11:32:00.001-06:00

Taken yesterday, before the parade, and today's rain.
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Siamese Sunday

2011-12-04T12:48:00.001-06:00

Meow.

TECHNICAL NOTE: If you are reading the comments, you will only see jude9's until you hide that particular comment. The hide button toggles the comments, for some odd reason that has yet to be determined.
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Them Boys

2011-12-03T20:45:00.001-06:00

Enjoying a somewhat warm December day.
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Caturday! Caturday! Caturday!

2011-12-03T15:36:00.001-06:00

Caturday night's all right!
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Evil Cat Bag

2011-12-03T01:28:00.001-06:00

Heh.
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Indeed, I Am Pitiful

2011-12-02T14:59:00.001-06:00

Therefore, logic dictates that you must pet me and tell me what a good kitteh I am.
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There's A Skinny Cat

2011-12-01T13:47:00.001-06:00

... inside me, looking to get out. No, I did not eat LarryElvis.
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Shut Out

2011-11-30T18:34:00.001-06:00

... this evening at Baby Blue.

This doesn't seem to be affecting everyone, as the comments counter continues to increment upwards...

UPDATE: 24 hours, same story... but only using Chrome. Can access with Firefox or Android browser. Other Chrome users (even using same version) report no issue.
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Flash, Dammit

2011-11-30T15:44:00.001-06:00

We have jointly decided that until the ambient temperature in the condo is above 62F, we will not come out into the bright sunlight to have our pictures taken. MAKE IT HAPPEN!
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Six Years Of Catblogging

2011-11-29T16:38:00.001-06:00

Yep. Huzzah.

And since the AudioSwap on the video with Curly (and only Curly) will not take, here's a truly horrible picture of a big cuddly guy with a beard, hugging a meezer.

Bike Cat III

2011-11-28T17:25:00.001-06:00

What you get without the flash. See his white spot?
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Bike Cat II

2011-11-28T11:32:00.001-06:00

Sorry about the flash, but that was the only way you were gonna see this one. Rain, cold, nasty out.

You can see his little white spot in this photo, too.
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Little Snugglebuddy

2011-11-27T13:57:00.001-06:00

Laid on my chest to watch the first half of the game. We cat-napped.
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He Demanded

2011-11-26T16:37:00.001-06:00

... that I put up a photo of him being dignified and serious. Y'know: STUFFY. :)
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Funny Photo

2011-11-26T12:40:00.001-06:00

Sometimes the shutter falls at the right millisecond.
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Paw Lick

2011-11-25T19:19:00.001-06:00

My fat, lovey beast, coaxed out-of-doors for a moment, near dusk.
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Bicycle Larry

2011-11-25T13:05:00.001-06:00

If only I and the camera were faster... seconds earlier, he had his paws up on the crossbar.
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Loaf v. Loaf

2011-11-24T18:00:00.000-06:00

Snuggling at 59°F. What the hell is wrong with them? It's almost 73, inside.
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I Will Have

2011-11-24T15:38:00.001-06:00

... some of your burned bird meat.

UPDATE: The quote is, "I will try some of your burned replicated bird meat."
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Click To Embiggen

2011-11-22T13:22:00.001-06:00

Awwww.
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Rain Continues

2011-11-21T11:43:00.001-06:00

... but Curly loves it for a little while. Then, he likes to come in, jump up on the arm of the crazy green checkerboard chair, and get a vigorous petting, which I suspect reminds him of being towel dried at some point in the distant past when he was scared, wet and hungry.
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