Vocabulary

solipsism

The view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist

quotidian

Everyday

Netflix Binge-Watch

July 18-21 2014

• You're Gonna Miss Me
• Who is Harry Nilsson?
• Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview
• Nightmares in Red, White and Blue
• Bigger, Stronger, Faster - Steroid use
• Room 237 - about Kubrick's The Shining
• Cave of Forgotten Dreams
• Milius - John Milius
• Mind of a Rampage Killer - Columbine, Newton, etc.
• Decoding Neanderthals - DNA analysis
• For the Love of Movies - about film critics
• Side By Side - digital filmmaking
• Hating Breitbart
• Radio Unnameable - WBAI talk host Bob Fass
• Evocateur - Morton Downey Jr.
• I, Divine
• Tesla, master of lightning
• Levon Helm bio
• Beware Mr. Baker - Ginger Baker bio
• TV Series Final 24
• Best Worst Movie
• I Think We're Alone Now 2008 documentary about two stalkers of the pop star named "Tiffany"
• Dad's in Heaven with Nixon (personal favorite!)
• OC87

Vernon Scannell (1922-2007)

Born John Vernon Bain in 1922.

Weekly Standard

Fugitive Feline

The Thomas Saga Continues

After a few hot humid days dominated by thunderstorms relief finally arrived today (Saturday) in the form of cool, dry weather. Even the mosquitoes found it too cool, which made for pleasant lounging "out back" at Heritage Pointe. Heritage Pointe is shaped like an "L" and the back corner of the "L" has a stairwell. At the bottom of the stairwell lies the laundry room, the building superintendent's apartment, and a back door that gives access to a small grassy area with a patio and a few lawn chairs. No apartments face this area, and the thick woods are only about 20 feet away, giving the area a feeling of privacy and quiet. The mosquitoes are bad, though, but a citron candle helps somewhat. I also wear long pants and dark long-sleeved shirts so I've been spared so far. This little corner of the world has become Thomas' territory. His dutiful "masters" (Beth and Myself) bring him food and water every day, along with the occasional grooming brush.

During the storms there was some serious thunder, lightning, heavy rainfall (2 to 3 inches), wind, and falling tree limbs, and this lasted for two days. On top of all that, Friday was the 4th of July and the rain let up just around sunset, which allowed the fireworks to begin. At around 9:00 I went out back to feed Thomas. He trotted out of the woods as if nothing was wrong, and with distant explosions and whizzers going off all around, he calmly ate his food, drank his water, and cleaned himself. I tried to carry him inside but he went nuts at the door, so I just dropped him and let him go. As the great British Poet Sting once wrote, "If you love someone, set them free." That was Friday night.

As I mentioned at the top of this post, Saturday was dry and cool; absolutely perfect weather. For me, that meant sleeping all day and getting up in the evening. It was very comfortable out back, but today's Thomas Feeding took a few dramatic turns.

I set up a bowl of cat food and some water near my chair and Thomas emerged from the woods and came right up to me and started to feed. I then noticed a scruffy-looking orange cat tailing Thomas. He parked himself just outside the edge of the woods and watched us. I took some food and walked over, but he dashed. I left the food for him and went back to my chair and waited. After less than a minute, there was Orange, chowing down. But wait! What's this? A Red Fox comes along, trotting on the mowed lawn right at the edge of the woods. Orange dashes back into the woods, the Fox sniffs around where Orange was just eating, and then continues to trot along less than 20 feet away from where I was sitting. Thomas was a few feet from my chair; he flattened down, remained absolutely motionless, and stared at the Fox. I realized that Thomas has a good coat for camouflage, especially at night. He seems to know how to keep the white part of his fur hidden.

The Fox glanced over at me and ignored me. I don't know if he saw Thomas or not, as he gave no indication. He circled around us and walked right into the middle of the lawn about 40 feet from us, sniffed around, and then continued along the edge of the woods and disappeared behind the maintenance barn.

I fear that Thomas might meet his demise by the jaws of this Fox someday or perhaps by some of the other larger predators which must surely roam those woods. The Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park and the Norrie Point DEC Education Center comprise a large area located right next to the Hudson River Estuarine area, an area rich in creatures lower on the food chain than foxes, coyotes, wild dogs, and even wolves.

Cat lovers may hate me for saying this, but I would rather Thomas live the life he prefers and face a possible early demise than have him cooped up in a tiny apartment. At any rate, if he survives until the first frost, I will think about snagging him and taking him back to his cell block for the winter. I draw the line on Winter; wether Thomas likes it or not he is coming inside.

Regardless of my plans or of Thomas' desire for freedom, there does exist the possibility that the management of Heritage Pointe will demand something be done about a stray cat on their property, especially one owned by a tenant who signed a lease and, by doing so so, explicitly agreed to abide by the rules of the facility, one of which is Pets are not permitted to run loose.

I fear that more drama, feline, vulpine, and human, is in the future