I Am Not a White Supremacist
But my TiVo thinks I am. I recorded a program about hate crimes a week or so ago and since then it's recorded programs about skinheads, the Klan, fringe white supremacist groups and racial crimes in prison. I just saw an ad on the National Geographic channel entitled "American Nazis" and something tells me I'll find that in my TiVo suggestions within the week.

In the midst of all this I received the latest "Teaching Tolerance" from the Southern Poverty Law Center; a fine organization that Husband and I support. Oh the irony.

I'm amused at the Tivo brain that takes one program and then stuffs my "Now Playing" box with any show about racist, homophobic bigots. It's almost like it thinks I want to commit a hate crime and it's giving me all my options. I had no idea there were so many programs about people beating the crap out of anyone they feel is inferior. Kinda makes me want to beat the crap out of someone I feel is inferior (the aforementioned racist, homophobic bigot). (And yes, I'm kidding.)

Photo of the day: Me and My Shadow

But I was not strolling down the avenue. Nor was I feeling blue.

Photo of the day: The Bouncer

He ma be cute, but if you try to get past this doorkeeper you'll need all your wits and most of you cat toys. And even then you'll find once you get inside the box that you don't fit after all.

Photo of the day: Wrapped Up in Cute

The nursery will be closing next week, though I might stay on as part of the skeleton crew to take care of the ones still in quarantine. But until then, I'm still free to post amazingly cute kitten photos. This is from one of the kittens in residence earlier in the season. He's already gone home with someone. Yay!

Photo of the day: The Benefits of a Classical Education

My favorite line from Die Hard.

Football
I am outrageously happy that football season has started. Don't get me wrong, I'm still tuning in to watch my Giants play baseball. But there's something about football that, to me, signals the arrival of fall and the beginning on Sundays where I never want to leave to sofa. Typically there's only one game that I really care about; OK, sometimes two. As a native of the SF Bay area I naturally follow the Niners. As a native Philadelphian, Husband favors the Eagles. I've become an Eagles fan too (no offense, Niners, but the Eagles have been more fun and far less frustrating to watch the past few seasons). But this year we're boycotting the Eagles and not watching a single game because they stupidly went and signed noted prick and convicted dog hater, Michael Vick. We refuse to support any organization that hires him, so no Eagles for us this year. Which is sad, as I absolutely love Donovan McNabb.

But from the 10 am game, to the 1 pm game to Sunday Night Football (still have a hard time with it not being on Monday. Yes, there's a Monday game but it's not the same without Al and .... oh wait, he's retired. OK, Al and Kris.) I could easily sit there and not move except to get up to pee or get something to eat. And the thing is I'm not all that interested in most of the teams. I just the ritual of it all. Even if it's just on in the background as I'm doing something else, there's something surprisingly comforting about the familiarity of it all. The cheering. The bad beer ads. The truck commercials. The hilarious close up of the vapid cheerleaders and trying to figure out who has the skankiest of them all. (Here's a hint, I call the Eagles cheerleaders "the Ho-Hos."

But whether I'm actively engaged, swearing at the screen and making a general ass of myself (because they can't hear me and they're all dopes because they haven't had a passing game all day and yet they keep trying to connect). Or if I'm barely paying attention and focusing on making catnip socks or reading the Sunday paper, it's still a fall ritual that I love.

Quarantine
The nursery is coming into its last month and, sadly, it's ending on a quarantine. Ringworm. We've already lost some kittens but I think the ones left will be fine -- aside from getting too big for their kennels and in desperate need to get out.

Quarantine presents many extra precautions and, as a consequence, a bit more work. We wear plastic gowns (lovely in the heat) and gloves. Everything has to be extra bleached after each litter (the scale, the tables, the food bowls, etc.) Plus lots of floor mopping, extra hand washing, and general cleanliness. We even have to step in bleach whenever we leave the nursery to we don't track ringworm to the rest of the shelter.

But with the nursery closing I'll have more time on my hands. I'm at the shelter every weekday now: three days at the nursery, three days with the cats. Once the nursery shuts down I'll be doing three days of cats. So that leaves me with two free weekdays to get involved in something else.

I'm trying to figure out where I'd like to volunteer next. I'm considering a local food bank, a homeless shelter network, or something with a local environmental group (Save the Bay, Peninsula Open Space Trust, that kind of thing). But if any of you know of a worthy organization, preferably in San Mateo County, that needs a day or two a week of volunteering, please let me know,

Photo of the day: Abstract Patterns That Become a Blanket

One of the few things that belongs to my grandmother than I actually like, aside from her bedroom furniture.

Photo of the day: A Hatbox Full of Girl Groups

One of the best CD boxed sets ever designed. Love the hat box.

Photo of the day: The Sky is Falling

Well, the paint is, anyway.