There’s been a request for some non-political stress reducing posting. So here goes.
I love my cat. Tikka’s a spirit animal made flesh. He’s also a jerk: anyone he doesn’t know and most of those he does are at best suspect and at worst lunch on the hoof. And he has my number:
I call this one “these are not the papers you are looking for”:
Then there’s “If You Don’t Want Your Laundry To Be A Bed, Dude…”:
And how about “Where’s My Beer, Dammit!”:
And then there’s the ultimate: “You Will Never Be As Cool As Me”:
And if all that catness ain’t enough to lighten your day, howabout this worthy, after its spa day:
You never know who you’ll meet on the mean streets of mid-Cambridge.
Non-detonating open thread.
PS: Sorry about the softness of these. I downsized them wrong; they’re fine at full res, and usually that holds up when they shrink to 480 pixels — but I got it wrong this time, and I’m too blech-ed out to go back and find out why.
Raven
We had lovely mini-meetup with ljt this morning. It was so nice to meet her and get an insiders look at Edisto Island. Here’s where we had coffee.
https://flic.kr/p/29E4pNu
jeffreyw
Gonna have to bite the bullet on replace my POS Linksys router. Has good wifi range but it is not always picking up my computers when I turn them on. Tired of “you are not connected to the internets” page when I fire up my browser.
Tom Levenson
@jeffreyw: I find keeping my router under a cat blanket works pretty well. It’s under the papers in the first photo above.
Older
Your cat has a most excellent stare.
schrodingers_cat
I bow before his Meowjesty, The Magnificent Tikka.
Baud
That cat stresses me out.
jeffreyw
@Tom Levenson: It doesn’t always reconnect my bedroom machine and that one is connected with ethernet cable. Linux box in the basement wasn’t connecting just now, it’s hardwired, too.
jeffreyw
@Older: It’s a stare right up there with Ol’ Toby’s.
schrodingers_cat
@jeffreyw: Pawsome!
Sometimes Yogi thinks he is God.
Amir Khalid
@Older:
I’ve noted this before: Tikka is the feline reincarnation of Lee van Cleef.
Meanwhile, the BBC reports that Sinead O’Connor is now a Muslim. I welome new sister Shuhada Davitt to the ranks of the faithful.
Tom Levenson
@schrodingers_cat: That is a cat to be obeyed!
NotMax
Heh. Put on a music channel on the Roku (AccuRadio, two big thumbs up). Chose the “spooky classical music for Halloween” sub-channel.
What was the first selection to play? The Romeo & Juliet Suite.
@jeffreyw
Picked up an Asus 1300 router at a good sale price a couple of months ago to replace an ancient Linksys. Solid recommendation.
Also too, if computer/router location permits, wired connection will always outperform wireless.
ruemara
Your cat is disdainful. How did you fail him today?
I really would like someone to help me find my image server. I mean our IT guy would be nice to have that done but it’s been about a month so I’m really near just asking random homeless people if they can just put my image server back on the network like it was 2 months ago.
Also, live action cats. Plus contemplative cat loaf.
Mike in NC
@Amir Khalid: Isn’t Sinead one of those celebrities who dabble in new religions until the next shiny thing comes along? Thinking of Madonna and other primadonnas.
NotMax
@jeffreyw
One possibility if your router doesn’t have the latest firmware build installed.
Also you might try switching to a different channel on the router – could be the one it is set to now is either crowded or just plain glitchy for some reason.
NotMax
@NotMax
One possibility is, not if.
Tenar Arha
Cute/cool stuff as seen on the Twitters…
Ghost-Spider Cat
Audible Seal
Short interview with Janelle Monáe
Martin
My politics stress reduction will be Red Dead Redemption II for a while. Spent a nice slow paced evening last night hunting varmints and playing dominoes.
ruemara
@Martin: I started leveling my death knight up to 120. Nothing like hacking & bashing your way through the world to alleviate stress.
Amir Khalid
@Mike in NC:
I’m just presenting the news without comment. I’m in no position to say anything about her convictions.
Jay
@Mike in NC:
Nope, raised Irish Catholic, then a big critic of the Church for the rapes, abuse of women and children, and their negative influence on Irish politics, long before it was “trendy”,
Then an Independent Catholic, a reformed Catholic Church, then ordained as a Minister in the Church.
NotMax
@ruemara
Alliance or Horde? Time sink, but going around collecting candy during Hallow’s Eve event gives beaucoup xp.
Haven’t sprung for BfA, so my 110s just sort’a futz around. Still a relaxing diversion, though. Plus as the game sees them as capped, they get gold along with the candy.
Captain Oblivious
Well, Tikka’s a Tuxedo. What did you expect from a cat that wears a dinner jacket?
Boussinesque
@ruemara: My go-to for the past week has been Warriors Orochi 4, for similar reasons. Nothing like the relentless catharsis of scoring 1-3k KOs per stage.
Martin
@ruemara: Yeah, I hear ya. Diablo III rift soloing is my go-to when I need some bashing done. And my daughter and I have decided that Farcry 5 is a good MAGA asshole extermination simulator. Shame we can’t mod red baseball caps on all of the cultists.
zhena gogolia
My late beloved tuxedo cat Louis also had a pink nose. But he never looked as imperious as Tikka. He was always surprised and a bit scared by life. I miss him so much.
RepubAnon
Re Feline Overlord / Primate Servant issues: There’s always the “Yo, Primate – why are you petting the computer keyboard and not me” issue. Not to mention the “Food bowl – empty – snap to it” and “Wrong food, try again” disputes.
BruceFromOhio
It is clearly Tikkas world, and we merely exist in it.
A splendid creature, thank you for the diversion and lovely photos.
Tom Levenson
@RepubAnon: Those are coming in future episodes.
SiubhanDuinne
I feel certain that other people, at other times, on other blogs, have employed the terms “blech,” “fuckem,” and “Tick tock, motherfuckers,” and doubtless to great effect. But to me, they are all purest Balloon Juice intellectual* property.
*Yeah, I know.
cain
@Amir Khalid:
That will drive the evangelists crazy. Masha Allah.
Steve in the ATL
@SiubhanDuinne: uh, you left it the granddaddy of them all: “skullfucking kittens”
Baud
Oh, Obama went “But Her Emails!” today. Nice.
zhena gogolia
@NotMax:
The Montagues and Capulets is kind of spooky.
Brachiator
A sad note for movie lovers:
Josie
I love the second picture. “Touch one piece of this carefully arranged laundry and you die!”
jeffreyw
@NotMax: It says it’s up to date. The machines that are not connecting are on ethernet.
Martin
@Brachiator: We have a Kanopy subscription and quite like it. Similar profile of films.
laura
You had me at Mid Cambridge. I’m salivating for the Clover Food Lab’s ChickPea Fritter.
Our late, louche, Tuxedo Mr. Minkers had the loveliest array of pink and black footy pads and toes, and his insistence on helping wrap every package. I still can’t make a knot without wishing he was offering a steady mitt.
Kelly
Our 12 year old elder cat Annie has decided 14 week old kitten Phoebe is tolerable and has begun establishing hierarchy. Her glare is usually effective, occasionally a hiss and a raised “I’m gonna swat you paw” when surprised
ruemara
@NotMax: BFA is pretty good. I got to beta it and I have to admit, I like the final release even more than the beta. The M.O.T.H.E.R. fight is one of the best coordination battles since Heigan the Unclean.
My mains are Alli Nelfs. But I’ve played got a Belf priest & a Tauren Pally. RhettBull. Because I had to.
Gin & Tonic
Mid-Cambridge to me, back in the Pleistocene, meant TT the Bear’s Place. Doubt it still exists.
For unwinding tonight, I think I’m going to watch a game of beisbol.
SiubhanDuinne
@Steve in the ATL:
I had no intention of attempting complete inclusiveness. Mr. Louis XIV.
Gin & Tonic
Anyway, since Cambridge in the long-ago came up, I never had the opportunity to thank Flying Toaster for providing a semi-complete history of Canbridge/Somerville ice cream, after I mentioned the long-gone Steve’s.
khead
Since we are posting cats, have some Mittens. It’s kinda rare for him to chill long enough for a portrait pose.
Gin & Tonic
@SiubhanDuinne: There are other blogs?
SiubhanDuinne
@Baud:
Did he really? Awesome. Link pls?
SiubhanDuinne
@Gin & Tonic:
So I’m told. I eschew all awareness of them, meself.
Roger Moore
@jeffreyw:
I feel your pain. I just had to replace my fancy Google router, which I rather liked, because it gave up the ghost. I don’t know if some of the hardware died or if it got bricked by a problem updating the software (one of the things I liked about it is that it auto updates its software, so you don’t have to wonder if it has security vulnerabilities) but a couple of evenings on the phone with tech support were unable to resuscitate it.
NotMax
@ruemara
Understood. Have a bull DK because I wanted a green-skinned tauren.
My main man is a night elf druid.
Omnes Omnibus
@Amir Khalid: Whatever else one can say about her, she can sing and write a good song. That makes up for a for a lot.
WaterGirl
@khead: Adorable kitty!
I am intrigued by your cat box. What is it called and where did you find it?
WaterGirl
@Raven: I’m so pleased to hear that someone showed up at your mini BJ meet-up. How fun!
Tom Levenson
@Gin & Tonic: It closed in 2015, but the space is now used by a venue called Sonia’s, which is a side venture of the Middle East Cafe (right next door). So there’s some continuity.
Mnemosyne
Been at a local writer’s conference all day on not enough sleep and a slight headache, so I’m a bit cranky. The conference is pretty good, so it’s mostly me.
And then I have to go be social with G and a couple of our friends after this even though I need to do laundry tonight. Ugh.
Tom Levenson
@Gin & Tonic: Just to incite a little jealousy: I’ve become friends w. Gus, the man behind Toscanini’s. When we ask him and his partner over for dinner they always ask what they can bring. We always answer “dessert.”
chris
@SiubhanDuinne: Has anybody seen or heard from Yarrow?
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
538 is forecasting the race for the House
538 is predicting an of average +39 D seat gain and an 80% chance of Dems gaining 19 to 60 seats. Looking good so far. The lower range is still reason to GOTV.
538’s Governor’s Forecast
Gin & Tonic
@Tom Levenson: 2015? So a 40+ year run. That’s outstanding for that neighborhood.
SiubhanDuinne
@Raven:
One of these days, when you least expect it, I shall simply Show Up at one of your fishing vacay hangouts, or maybe the bakery in Athens. Would love to meet up with you and the Princess and the pups!
ljt
@Raven: It was great to meet you and Mrs. Raven, and Bodi and Lil Bit, too!
opiejeanne
@Tenar Arha: What is with that seal? Sounds like Tardis noises from the intro to Dr Who.
Gin & Tonic
@Tom Levenson: OK, so I did a little digging. The place I remember was *before* they moved to Brookline St.
westyny
Tikka is a handsome lad. And I’m sure he, too, finds Chris Matthews unwatchable.
SiubhanDuinne
@chris:
Not that I know of, and I’m amongst those who are concerned.
SiubhanDuinne
@Tom Levenson:
So you’re saying you invite them to dinner two-three times a week? Do I have that right?
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
Nobody expects the Subaru Interposition!
J R in WV
Had a great opportunity for “pet” rescue today.
Went into the bathroom and found a giant wolf spider in the sink, trapped. This puppy was nearly 6 inches across. I have pics, close up pics. I rescued him with a quart measuring cup upside down, slid a white paper under him.
Have pics of him filling up the bottom of the qt measuring cup while I took him outside to the fern beds. Will post to On the Road Backyard soon. Amazing giant in the sink, probably catching a drink of water, then couldn’t climb back up the Corian surface.
opiejeanne
Henry, who now lives with us but was originally my daughter’s cat.
This is when he was young.
https://flic.kr/p/hGCgY
Roger Moore
Has Alain gotten into the cooking sherry again? The site is even wonkier than usual.
lamh36
ICYMI:
khead
@WaterGirl:
Chewy.com. Bought 3 of them @ ~20 bucks each. We thought for sure that the kittehs would just ignore them – heh – but the kittehs seem to love them so far.
Gin & Tonic
@Roger Moore: Indeed. I find that on a desktop, Windows/Chrome, it pegs the CPU after a pretty short period. On an iPhone/Safari, I can literally watch the battery meter dropping every time I re-load the page.
lamh36
Florida…ya’ll need to go on ahead and vote for this guy!
lamh36
SiubhanDuinne
@lamh36:
I.
Love.
Him.
SO.
HARD.
JPL
@J R in WV: Pictures that I probably could care less about.. Now I have to go look and see if I have a blow torch.
JPL
@lamh36: They had a nice segment about him.
raven
@ljt: Ditto!
We just finished dinner for 8 with my duck gumbo and red snapper from my spring trip to the gulf. The fishing was tough but it was pretty down there so I’m happy!
debbie
@lamh36:
Glad he’s speaking up.
WaterGirl
@khead: I tried “cat box” and “cat house” and they didn’t come up.
edit: searched for “cat house box” and that wasn’t it, either.
WaterGirl
@lamh36: I love when he gets that high pitch in his voice. Sigh. I miss him so much.
khead
@WaterGirl:
I thought it was kitty condo – but it was listed under cat cube.
Cheryl Rofer
rikyrah
Tikka is beautiful ??
rikyrah
@Cheryl Rofer:
???
Steve in the ATL
@WaterGirl: what did you get when you searched “cat house”?
Steeplejack
@Brachiator:
WTF? I was just about ready to subscribe.
NotMax
@Steve in the ATL
Chlamydia.
SATSQ.
:)
Aleta
You have a fantastic cat. Unless he’s a working cat actor. In which case you have both.
daverave
I know all of those looks, especially that last one.
Tenar Arha
@opiejeanne: They’re a Wedell (sp?) Seal so I just thought the high pitch squeals & clicking sounds are used underwater to locate ice & food & predators. ?♀️ Turns out it’s also socializing.
WaterGirl
@Steve in the ATL: You are so right to wonder about that! I hadn’t thought of it. Luckily, i was just searching on Chewy.com, which is a pet supply place. Otherwise, I can only imagine what kind of ads I would be getting. (If I didn’t have an Ad Blocker)
Mary Ellen Sandahl
@SiubhanDuinne: “Blech” has a long honorable history going back at least to the MAD Magazine of the 1950s, as a exclamation of general disapproval or disgust. Often with extra c’s for emphasis. Might have origins in Yiddish, or Americanized Yiddish, but I’m just guessing. The old MAD was very much an NYC based phenom.