Of Mice And Men

When I first met the Red Queen, she had (and still has) two pets. A big Bouvier named Jack LaLanne (God rest the origional) and a cat named Merlin.

I'm not big on cats anyway. I don't actually hate them as I sometimes proclaim, but overall not a huge fan. I really didn't like Merlin. Really.

Merlin was this big, fat, grey, effeminate house cat. Lazy... Fat and lazy.

I brought him across country, from Texas to North Carolina in a big diesel Dodge with the two dogs hauling a horse trailer full of our stuff. We broke down in Meridian, Mississippi and had to spend an extra 3 days on the road.

When we arrived at the new house, Merlin changed.

The Red Queen, although technically working from home has had to spend large amounts of time up in New York, leaving all the men in her life here together. Maybe it was the huge influx of testosterone into his lifestyle, but Merlin dropped 3-5 pounds. He stopped sleeping 12-14 hours at a time, and started stalkind around the house like a small grey tiger. He has a waist. He no longer looks like a fuzzy grey blob. I far as I was concerned, he was an OK cat... Now.

About 6 months ago, I found a pair of lizard legs on some of my tools. Very small lizard legs, but I realized, Merlin was hunting. Something he had never done before, except for shoe laces and catnip mice. I was proud that my influence had made him a functional cat, not a sleeping and shitting machine.

Last night, I was lying in bed when Merlin hopped up with me. Not unusual considering we are just in the process of getting heat. However, instead of curling up beside me as usual, he dropped a mouse on my belly... And no, it was not a catnip mouse, nor was it actually dead... Or even really stunned as far as I could tell, since it immediately ran up my chest, across my neck, down my arm and off the bed.

As you can imagine, I jumped up, and as I stood there wild eyed, Merlin shot me a look like, "What'd you do with my mouse, man?"

Then, almost bloodhound like, he followed the scent off the bed and out the bedroom door.

Definately not the big fat lazy effeminate house cat he had been a scant year ago.

Merlin is an OK cat... But next time I hope he presents me with a dead mouse.

iPhucked

I'm back from three weeks in New York city. Manhattan. 42nd St. It was nice. I enjoyed myself quite immensely. Lots to write about, starting tomorrow.

Right now, I'm still pissed.

The night before I leave, my iPhone won't charge. The morning before I go, I head off to the apple store with my now dead phone.

More dead than I imagined. Can't charge it. Also can't retrieve data from it.

data such as: PICTURES!

Gone... all gone.

Statue of Liberty - gone

From the top of the Empire State Building at 1am - gone

The Cloister - gone

The Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Modern Art, Madam Tussuad's, Snow in Central Park at midnight - all gone.

Bright side: I got a new phone at no charge.

If you have an iPhone and you take pictures, back that bad boy up every night on your computer, otherwise...

Gone.

Tuesday Tune Session

Howdy friends... This year I'm making a concerted effort to blog more. I know I've said that in the past, but this time I mean it. So... In effort to do exactly that I'm continuing with the weekly posting of music from my now more than 6000 tunes... Tunes such as these:

1. Blue Railroad Train - Doc Watson

2. A Tu Vera - Gipsy Kings

3. My Blood - Neville Brothers

4. Fools Game - Jon Cleary

5. Bush Doctor - Peter Tosh

6. No Business - Bonnie Raitt

7. Dreamgirls - Dreamgirls Motion Picture Cast

8. Wife Beater - Drive By Truckers

(No video, but here are the lyrics)

You met him at the dance hall, you only saw his charms
You said he really swept you off your feet
Then one night he's drinking and jealousy enraged
He knocked out two of your front teeth

So you came over to hide out at my place
I guess I should have killed him there and then
But you begged me not to, now you say he's changed
And you're gonna go back to him

Don't give me that bull about how it's for the children
A man like that could never be a dad
What happens when he kills you? What will they do then?
Sometimes you ought to ask yourself that

Don't go back to him he's a wife beater
Be better off with this potato eater
You says, "He's changed", don't be a fool
A man like that's no good for you
A man like that's no good for you

Don't go back to him he's a wife beater
Be better off with this potato eater
You says, "He's changed", don't be a fool
A man like that's no good for you
A man like that's no good for you
A man like that's no good for you

9. La Alborada - Maria Ochoa

10. Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs

What are you tuned in to?

Sunday Ink #48

This young lady comes to us via Buffalo, NY. As some of you know I made a little sojurn to the big apple over the holidays, but, no, I found "A" in small town North Carolina where she's been for a few years. It all started with a shot of the ink on her wrist, which came out too blurry to use, but I figured you guys would appreciate this more anyway. Enjoy, and say thanks to "A" from New York State.

Clowning Around, A 100 Word Story

Wrinkles the Clown was known all over the tri-state area. Kids parties, carnivals, He even did a stint with Ringling Brothers in his younger days. Everyone around here swore thst Wrinkles was the best around. He was a consummate professional, but more than that, he was my father. He taught me everything I know from juggling to tumbling. He wanted me to be as good as he was, better even, and I work at it every day. Everywhere I go people know I’m Wrinkle’s progeny, from my baggy pants to my spinning tie… Plus, I have his nose. “Honk, honk!”