Summer days

Leave a comment

he told me it was over today
and the first thoughts in my mind
were not of him
they were not even of the hurt
these thoughts were of the past
of the last days of summer
years ago in my boyhood
in those days
I tried so hard to make the days last
even though
I could not stop them from getting shorter
I thought of how I would try
to make every ice cream cone last
for more than ten minutes
I thought of how I tried
to stretch every ball game
to last as long as I could
and all this because
I didn't want to lose those times
those days of freedom, of fun
those times I hold so close to me
but I did not love them less
because I could not keep them
so I told him this
I told him that I loved him
and that he would be missed
I told him that I wished him the best
and all the happiness of life
and now, some time later
even though we are still apart
I find I still love him
even though I could not keep him
like the summer days of long ago

[circa 1995]

Check out some new pics of Kazon

Leave a comment

Kazon has been on my case recently for not updating his gallery, so I sat down today and posted some new pictures of him.  Hopefully now he'll leave me alone (not likely!).  Read on for details.

Yes, I'm still going through all of the new pictures I have.  I've just finished going through the pictures of Kazon and have posted the best ones in his gallery.

Perfect shot of how Kazon will roll up with a catnip toy and lick it when he's feeling happy (which is most of the time). (103_0317)

Kazon is a very happy cat.  He loves to play with the catnip toys like the cigar he has in this picture.  The funny thing is that he tends to roll around and play with it only momentarily before he decides he loves it — and begins kissing it like he's doing in this picture.

I sat down to watch the news when Kazon happened to notice that my lap wasn't occupied. (104_0472)

When I sit down (anywhere), Kazon will eventually end up in my lap.  In this picture, I had just sat down to watch the news when Kazon noticed my lap was available for occupation.

A great shot looking up at Kazon while he stands on the bathroom counter. (107_0766)

As I've mentioned before, Kazon loves to help me in the bathroom.  I had grabbed the camera to take some pictures of him in there when I snapped this one looking up at him.  I thought it turned out well.

Kazon will reach out and touch you to get your attention (notice the talons!). (107_0769)

When Kazon wants to get my attention, he'll reach out and gently touch my face or shoulder (that's if the crying didn't make me stop and take notice).  Despite the talons you see in this picture, he's quite gentle and never hurts me.

A close-up of one very happy cat. (107_0778)

This was taken while I was playing with the zoom on the camera.  Although he wasn't doing anything exciting, I thought it turned out to be a rather unique and cool picture of him.

I keep saying we share everything around here, and this is a perfect example of how a cup of water becomes community property. (109_0939)

As I've said before, everything in the house is community property.  A simple cup of water seems to be the favorite with all of The Kids.  This is Kazon getting a refreshing drink from Daddy's water.  You can also see Grendel lounging on the couch to the right and Kako passing by beneath the table on the left.

Kazon loves to sleep on my shoulders when I'm working at the computer. (112_1214)

When I'm sitting at the computer, the keyboard tray tends to keep my lap from being available, so my shoulders become the next best option.  Kazon is the only cat in the house who will actually sleep up there.  He simply wraps himself around my neck with his head on one side and his back legs on the other.

I was petting him in the kitchen and pulled my hand away just in time to take this picture (yes, he's a happy cat!). (112_1228)

I was petting Kazon in the kitchen and pulled my hand away to snap this picture.  Can you tell he's a happy cat?

Could you say no to someone who ever so gently touches your face to let you know he cares? (119_1999)

As I mentioned above, Kazon will gently touch my face or shoulders to get my attention.  Here's a great shot of him letting me know he's there and he loves me (more like letting me know he's there and is expecting some attention).

Every time I sit down, this is what I have to look forward to. (121_2134)

This is truly classic Kazon.  No matter where I am or what I'm doing, if I sit down, this is what I can look forward to.  Kazon will come lie in my lap with his face as close to mine as he can get.  He'll lie there and look at me in this entirely loving way until he falls asleep.  Part of it is pure love — plain and simple — while another piece of the equation is that Daddy's lap is the safest place in the house.

By the way, that’s Loki‘s back you see on the armrest.  He wanted nothing to do with the disgusting display taking place behind him.

Well, those are the major highlights from Kazon's gallery update.  You can see the rest of the new pictures starting with the second-to-last picture on page 2 of Kazon's gallery.

The attack on Spain

Leave a comment

I'd like to extend my deepest sympathies to and express heartfelt solidarity with the people of Spain.  After the horrendous and tragic attacks in Madrid today, I have already realized this is your September 11 — not to be gloated over like some cheap carnival prize or competitively compared like children's marble collections, but to be reviled and remembered.  You have suffered an inexplicable loss and will find that only the passage of time — and probably more than you care to admit — will diminish the shock and horror and despondence.  We stand with you in your determination to see justice served.  We support your democracy in the face of this egregious assault on it and the Spanish people.  Most importantly, please know that we weep with you in this solemn time.

Some recent site changes

Leave a comment

I've made some changes to the site that will hopefully be well received.

I decided to turn the Guestbook on again.  I originally turned it off almost a year ago because I had other areas of the site that I wanted to focus on.  As fate would have it, I finally realized that the Guestbook could be a great way for people to communicate with me in a more public manner than the contact me page allows.  I'll watch it for now and, if it turns out to be unnecessary, I'll turn it off again.  Please note that, due to its having been turned off for so long, I cleared the original Guestbook entries so that there wasn't such a large date range with no activity.

I've also created a new Archives block on the left side of the site pages that should show links to the previous 10 articles (those which have most recently been bumped off of the front page).  I hope this is an easier way to see recent posts without digging through the whole Archives section or the individual Topics trying to find recent articles you may have missed while they were on the front page.

Finally, I've turned the comments function on again.  This enables you to leave public comments on my posts.  I'm hoping this will provide another public forum for discussing or commenting on the site content.  I'll watch this closely to ensure that it doesn't get abused.  If it turns out to be unnecessary, I'll turn it off — again.

Note that comments will only be available for new articles as I have no intention of editing all of my previous postings in order to turn it on.

Kako gets a gallery update

2 Comments

I finally got a chance to get another gallery update done.  This time it's Kako's turn for a makeover.  Read on to see the highlights.

I'm still working through the pictures I have and am updating the galleries as I get a chance.  I just finished going through all of Kako's pictures and have put plenty of new pictures in her gallery.

Standing on the refrigerator happily waiting for some attention. (103_0334)

Kako likes to get on the refrigerator and the cabinets above it.  Almost every time she gets up there, it's to get attention.  Once I go over there, she'll eventually jump down to my shoulders for some up-close and personal attention.

She's dancing (that's what we call kneading while standing) on the refrigerator. (106_0630)

Here she's dancing on the refrigerator.  Dancing is what we call it when she kneads while standing up.  It looks like she's shuffling her feet, so it must be dancing!

She and Grendel are the only two who really like to sleep in the cat hammock. (113_1358)

Kako and Grendel are the only two who actually sleep in the kitty hammock.  Here she is hoping to be undisturbed.

Sleeping on my lap during a quiet evening in front of the boob tube. (115_1507)

Kako likes to sleep on my lap when I'm sitting on the couch.  She normally attaches herself to your legs with her claws until she's sure you're not going to throw her to the ground (referred to around here as being evicted).

Lying on her back in front of the fireplace. (115_1590)

When we first started using the fireplace, Kako hated it.  She would run from the fire and would go as far out of her way as possible in order to avoid being near it.  Well, she eventually learned to like the fireplace and to enjoy roasting herself in front of it.  Here she is in her favorite position (on her back) in front of the fire.

Either she likes the fire and warmth or she likes looking at her reflection -- I think it's the latter. (116_1648)

Once again in front of the fireplace, this is one of those pictures where it's difficult for me to know for certain what it is that she's doing.  You see, Kako likes to look at herself in reflective surfaces (mirrors, glass, etc.).  I can't decide if she's enjoying the warmth of the fire or if she's looking at that supa-fine kitty looking back at her in the glass.

She likes to sleep in the tube at the top of the cat castle. (117_1755)

Here she is sleeping in the tube at the top of the cat castle.  She and her brother Kazon are the only two who will sleep in the tube.

You can see many more new pictures of Kako starting on page 3 of her gallery.

a life in progress