Photo of the day: Kaleidoscope
I just loved the colors on this one. Drop some acid and it becomes truly mystical.

Cat of the week: Megumi
Behold Megumi. Or, as I like to call her, "The Purrminator." Seriously, she purred non-stop during my entire visit. I had to socialize her in the cage as all the rooms were busy, but we had a great time hanging out there. She is all about the love. She adores having her face scratched, butting heads, and showing a pipe cleaner who's boss. While I was with her there were several people who commented on how beautiful she is (and they're right) and how sweet (ditto). She'll make someone a wonderful companion (her ID is A439523) who will get a great lifetime friend with beautiful green eyes and a lot of personality.

And, a self-satisfying updateI helped make a match today! One of my favorite cats of the past few weeks has been Alexander. A beautiful black short hair who is incredibly affectionate. I was going to make him a cat of the week but he didn't have an online photo. Well two wonderful gentlemen came in and we started chatting about cats and I suggested they meet Alexander (who they hadn't noticed before). A few minutes later I walked by the GAR and saw them all bonded. One man had Alexander on his lap with both arms wrapped around him and their heads together. When I saw them later they gave me a thumbs up and invited me in...and they said they were taking him. Can I tell you how happy I am?!?!? Alexander is a wonderful kitty who just could not get enough attention. Whenever I had him out he'd sit in my lap and rub his face against mine, lean into my body and purr. And now he has that full-time. Plus I helped another family find what Husband and I have found in Cipher. I feel like today I actually did something good for the world. OK, I didn't end famine or war. I didn't find a cure for AIDS. But I did help make some people's life better, helped a cat find a forever home, and generally didn't do anything to fuck up anyone. So today was a good day.

Photo of the day: Fastest Paw in the West
I accidentally brought a pipe cleaner home from the PHS last week and Cipher (TWMAC,SYIYDA tm) thinks it's the greatest thing since licking my hair to wake me up at 3:30 in the morning. The kitties at the shelter love these things and Cipher is returning to her roots by loving it as well. We had a bit of a play this morning and her paw was batting at it so fast that she's just a blur.

Photo of the day: Coming Attractions
I'm going to attempt to do one photo a day on the blog so that I'll get back into the photography habit. Of course I made this resolve at 12:30 am so my photo ops were limited. This is a stocking stuffer I bought for Husband. It's a glass slide from when they used to advertise movies and products in-between feature films back in the golden age of Hollywood. I've never heard ot the movie, but I thought it was rather cool anyway.

Top ten
In keeping with every other blogger, newspaper columnist, and boring pundit on the planet, I give you my top ten of 2008 list. No, I'm not going to tell you what it's a list of...

1. Finding out it was an ulcer
2. Volunteering at the kitten nursery and becoming a full volunteer at the Humane Society
3. Shake Away by Lila Downs
4. The new California Academy of Sciences
5. Walking across the Golden Gate Bridge with my sweetie
6. Curling up with aforementioned sweetie and Cipher (the World's Most Amazing Cat, Screw You if You Don't Agree tm) on a rainy day in the world's comfiest bed
7. Pot stickers from Lai Lai
8. Ballykissangel on DVD
9. Barack Obama
10. My monthly book group, full of great people, good reads, and wonderful conversation

and a bonus,

11. Cute Overload

Cat of the Week Update
Yufi and Dean, the pair that was my "Cat of the Week" for December 12th have been adopted (yes, together)! Several other of my favorite have also gone to their forever homes. Lucille, a sweet gentle girl who used to hang out in the same condo as Tiger; Phoebe, a quirky little cat who loved to sleep under her blankie; and Cricket, a one-eyed sweetie (she had a cataract) with tons of personality.

Obviously I went into PHS today and had my usual fabulous time. I even helped point one sweet lady to one of our shyer kitties and they were going home together when I finished my shift. Happy, happy!

Me and the blues
So yesterday was the 2008 KZSU 24-hour blues marathon. Of which I did 9 hours. Solo.

I did the 3am-6am slot early Saturday morning and then went back at 6 pm and closed us out until midnight. From 6-midnight I played a record (for me) 71 songs. Have I mentioned how much I love the blues? For me it's all about the deep down, low down type of music. No soul. No R&B. No borderline rock. It's the back porch, life sucks, i'm miserable kind of music that means the blues to me. I love the classic crew: Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, BB King, Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson -- that crowd. But I covered from the 30's up until releases that came out two months ago. And it was, if I do say so myself, kick-ass fabulous.

And today.....I'm pooped.