Cat shopping

Thou shalt have no other cats before me.

- paraphrased from Exodus 20:3

I decided to check the local PetsMart and see what sort of cats are available for adoption. The store is a satellite branch of our local animal shelter. I was thinking it might be too soon, but maybe I could make some sort of psychic connection and take a cat home. As it turns out, adopting a cat is more difficult than buying a new car or a home. There is a lengthy form to fill out, and the final approval takes two days.

There is also a brief interview process which I thought I could sidestep, since I had my cat for longer than most children live with their parents. That didn't stop them from asking me if I was "cat savvy." I'm not sure I've ever been asked that before, but after thinking about it for a second, I said that I had my last cat for 18 years, so "yes."

Meanwhile, they let me see some cats. They seemed to be pushing one on me - a bit like a hard sell you'd get at an auto dealership - and I did manage to get to see 5 different cats. Of course, the one I thought was really cute turned out to be kind of crabby and had this little biting thing along with a hiss that didn't do a lot to convince me to take her home - like that hot girl at the party who you finally meet only to find out she's kind of a bitch.

But the peculiar thing is that I wasn't sure that I should even be looking, and midway through the process I started feeling strange. Cat after cat who mostly seemed happier to be out of their cage than hanging out with me (a feeling I also get from some humans) and I spent over an hour socializing with them only to leave without a cat - which would have been impossible anyway since my application won't be approved until Thursday.

What I did leave with was an itchy neck, itchy swollen eyes and a stuffy nose. It was all I could do to drive home and jump in the shower to rinse my eyes out and get the dander off my skin. As I sit here nearly 4 hours later, I notice that my right eye is starting to swell and the drug store is closed. I've never been allergic to a cat (or any other animal) in my life, and I've been in homes with 6 cats several times and of course, my own cat for 18 years.

Is it fate or coincidence?

This is just way too strange. I feel like I'll wake up tomorrow morning as a pillar of salt or with snakes for hair.

And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect:

and make no mention of the name of other cats, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.

- similar to Exodus 23:13

Life's little distractions

When life deals lemons, one makes lemonade - or so I've heard. One way to make lemonade is to find the lemons and start squeezing.

When my friend and I go to Dave Matthews Band shows, she likes to stalk the hotel where they stay. It's pretty easy to stand around and grab an autograph or five, and she has become somewhat of an expert. My job is to stand around and take her photo with the band members. This year, I pledged to become the subject myself, and I was fortunate enough to be around when two of the guys stopped to greet the fans on their way into the hotel.

Dave showed up for a bit, but rushed through the autograph line before most of us could snap a photo. Two members of the band hung around long enough for me to pass my camera to my friend to get her to take a couple of snapshots.

Me and DMB drummer Carter Beauford.

Me and DMB bassist Stefan Lessard.

The big fountain at Logan Circle, lit up just before midnight. At this point, I'm on a photographer's high, snapping photos wherever they may appear.