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Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
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4:57 pm - White Quat Update
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Poor Kitty, she has a tumor in her jaw.
The options weren't so hot - best we can do for her right now is keep her comfortable until she's too sick to enjoy life.
At the moment, she is wandering around the apartment with a red kitty bandage on her leg (from the IV) complaining, which means at the moment, she's still enjoying stuff.
Sad, sad.
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(14 comments | comment on this)
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11:14 am - Twilight of a White Quat
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When we took the three cats in for their senior exam last January, the vet pointed out that White Cat had lost a pound since the summer. That's a rather lot for cat, but all the blood work turned up normal.
She'd been eating regularly (even though she eats the least of the three cats) and had been just as social as ever, so we started giving her a lot more fatty treats and wet food. She continued to eat and be social.
Her morning habit is to join me in the bathroom while I get ready for work. She stands on the sink while I'm brushing my teeth, walks between the two layers of the shower curtain while I'm showering, and stands on the toilet chatting with me while I dry off.
Now, white cat has always needed more grooming than the other cats. She sheds like fricken' crazy, which means she also has hairballs like fricken' crazy. I'm brushing her the other day and noticing that her breath stinks. She meows at me and I notice that her tongue is lolling off to the right sound of her mouth. She's drooling from her left side.
"Ok," I think, "this is likely not good."
Yesterday, we took her to the vet and learn that she's lost another pound since January. This puts her just under six pounds. Poor thing!
Also, the vet inspects her and discovers that she's bleeding on the left side of her mouth. Both The Wife and I were stunned, since we've been wiping up her drool for 24 hours and its been clear.
Anyhow, the vet suggests we leave her there overnight so they can give her a kitty IV and kitty painkillers and kitty antibiotics. We get a call later from the vet saying that she'd "given them a bit of scare" by collapsing when they gave her the IV. She had a heart murmer that she hadn't had during the inspection, but she stablized.
There is a vet that works there who specializes in tooth, gum and jaw problems and he was going to take a look at her today. He'll report to us at 3, at which time White Cat is scheduled to come home with us (probably with several hundred dollars worth of medicine).
Unless she's taken a dramatic turn for the worse, I don't think she's in any danger of being put down today, though, as The Wife put it, she's likely on her way out soon.
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(10 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, June 29th, 2009
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2:25 am - I Blame Sunny...
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| Saturday, June 27th, 2009
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5:06 pm - Shop My Quat
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All right, I really dig this photo of Kitty Michaels:
I dig it so much that I'd love to see it turned into pictures of Kitty Michaels performing tasks - like kneading bread or rising from the grave.
In fact, I'd love to see how you might shop this photo.
So, please, shop my quat!
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(13 comments | comment on this)
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12:05 pm - Clear Your Mental Palette With Quats
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| Friday, June 26th, 2009
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3:00 pm - This Was Written On The Blackboard Of My Friend's Science Class In College
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"Wrap the duct tape 'round the hamster;
Attach the handlebars to the bedpost;
and RIDE RIDE RIDE!"
(Friend's name redacted so as not to associate his name with this sentiment because he's on Livejournal and doesn't need that craziness.)
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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2:27 am - Reminder From A Paranoid
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Whenever a huge celebrity event dominates the 24 hour news channel cycles, keep a very close eye on your government. They can get away with things that they normally couldn't because the media is distracted.
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(16 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
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3:57 pm - Unraveling The Universe's Little Mysteries
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12:32 am - Imponderable
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| Sunday, June 21st, 2009
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11:59 pm - Indisputable One Hit Wonder
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All right, I've mentioned this in the comments, but I think there is one song we can all agree was a one hit wonder.
"Pump Up The Volume" by M/A/R/R/S
It was the only song M/A/R/R/S ever released. It was a huge hit.
One hit wonder - agreed?
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(23 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, June 20th, 2009
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8:55 pm - Naming One Hit Wonders
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So, following up on my last update on one-hit wonders, I am going to address the top 10 on VH1's Top 100 One Hit Wonders of the 80's list.
1. Dexy's Midnight Runners "Come On Eileen"
Case For:
"Come On Eileen" is synonymous with Dexy's Midnight Runners. As near as I can tell, "Come on Eileen" was genuinely their only American Top 10 hit.
Case Against:
In the UK, "Geno" was their first number one hit. In fact, they had a rather more impressive career in the UK, charting a number of hits.
"Celtic Soul Brothers" received a significant amount of airplay on MTV, though it did not chart.
Verdict
In the U.S., I think Dexy's Midnght Runners firmly counts as a one hit wonder. I'll add that their album first album, Searching For The Young Soul Rebels is worth your time.
2. Flock Of Seagulls "I Ran"
Case For:
I suppose some people only recognize this song by Flock of Seagulls.
Case Against:
This is sort of open and shut. They had two other top 40 hits - "Space Age Love Song" and "Wishing (If I Had A Photograph of You)."
Conclusion
Not a one hit wonder. They had two other hits.
3. a-ha "Take On Me"
Case For:
In the United States in 2009, "Take On Me" is the only song most people remember by a-ha. Indeed, it is synonymous with the group.
Case Against:
Their second single, "The Sun Always Shines On TV," was also a U.S. Top 40 hit. In fact, it reached #20 according to Wikipedia.
Verdict
Tough call, but I'm going to have to go with "not a one hit wonder." They did, in fact, have a second hit, even if few people remember it.
4. Tommy Tutone "867-5309 (Jenny)"
Case For:
They are unquestionably remembered for this song and this song only.
Case Against:
Although it pains me to recognize this, they also had a top 40 hit in 1980 with "Angel Say No."
Verdict
Strictly speaking, a second top 40 hit should scrub the "one hit wonder" label away from the band. As much as it pains me to say this, they were not, strictly speaking, a one hit wonder.
5. Soft Cell "Tainted Love"
The Case For:
This song was fricken' enormous in the early 80's. It was on the U.S. charts for most of the year. Most people in the United States probably cannot name another song by the band, which is a damn shame. It is genuinely their only U.S. Top 40 hit.
The Case Against:
Well, they had a number of other fabulous songs and are widely regarded as a groundbreaking act.
Verdict
Great band, but only one Top 40 hit. One hit wonder.
6. Toni Basil "Mickey"
The Case For:
This was her only top 40 hit. Everybody associates this song with Toni Basil, and Toni Basil with this song.
The Case Against:
She had two other Billboard Hot 100 songs, but they did not break the Top 40.
Verdict
One hit wonder. You've got to draw the line somewhere, and I'm drawing it at #40.
7. Modern English "I Melt With You
The Case For:
The song made an enormous impression on millions of impressionable 80's teenagers and is forever associated with the band, and vice versa.
The Case Against:
Well, fuck, the song never actually went Top 40. In fact, the band never had a U.S. Top 40 hit. This was one of their three Billboard Hot 100 hits.
Verdict
I love "I Melt With You," too, but sorry everyone. They are technically a "no hit wonder."
8. Bow Wow Wow "I Want Candy"
The Case For:
Well, this cover of a song originally by The Strangeloves is totally associated with Bow Wow Wow. It was played like mad on MTV in the early days.
The Case Against:
For fuck's sake, VH1, look at some Billboard charts. They didn't even have a hot 100 single.
Verdict
Going strictly by our Top 40 definition, Bow Wow Wow is a "no hit wonder." However, they have many songs that are worth your time if you enjoy their Burundi influenced music.
9. Kajagoogoo "Too Shy"
The Case For:
Their only U.S. Top 40 hit. The song is totally associated with them.
The Case Against:
I'm not sure this song was quite as big as the other songs on this list. They had a second Billboard hot 100 hit, "Hang On Now."
Verdict
One hit wonder, no question. That said, their bassist, Nick Beggs, is one of the coolest people working in music today.
10. Frankie Goes To Hollywood "Relax"
The Case For:
The song is strongly associated with them. It was their only top 40 hit.
The Case Against:
I suspect that many folks from the 80's are also pretty familiar with "Two Tribes," though that did not break the Top 40.
Verdict
One hit wonder. I'm pretty consistent in using the Billboard Top 40 to render judgment here.
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(17 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, June 18th, 2009
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12:11 pm - Public Update!
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Hey There!
Nice to see you all!
I've written like ten friends only updates in the last month and keep forgetting to post stuff publically.
So, here's a poser:
What qualifies as a song for consideration as a "one-hit wonder?"
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(22 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, May 11th, 2009
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1:57 am - Hey
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Joey, should you be asleep?
You don't even have the excuse of playing a computer game.
Maybe you should get some new computer game?
I wonder if there's a new Civilization coming out?
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
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1:51 pm - It Grows On You
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So when did American hairstylists (or, as I still call them, barbers) start using electric clippers as the soul means of cutting hair? Because I currently look like an air force lieutenant who really let himself go.
Last time I go to that barber.
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(13 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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9:05 am - Will Write For Food
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So, how does one go about becoming a highly paid online columnist?
I figure I can churn out 1000 words of B.S. twice a day if necessary.
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(26 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, April 20th, 2009
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3:37 pm - Chicago
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I was in Chicago last week and spent a lot of time hanging out at the bean.
This bean.
Best piece of interactive art ever. EVER.
Indeed, the art in Chicago is pretty fricken' amazing.
Also, I'm alive.
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
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10:47 pm - Kitty Michaels Presents...
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| Friday, March 20th, 2009
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12:33 pm - BSG
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Well, I've been involved with Battlestar Galactica for about a year. I started watching it on DVD in preparation for a show we did last year. I basically watched the mini-series and first three seasons on DVD and then immediately went into Season 4.
I think this has affected my view of the show. Since I didn't have time to build up a certain level of expectation in my head between the seasons, the whole thing has sort of blended together into one big season in my head. While I've had theories about how things were going to go in terms of the story, I didn't have time to think "wow, season 2 was a different quality from season 3." In my brain, its all one big continuous story since that is how I watched it.
I'd contrast that with Heroes. I loved Season One, but have been increasingly disappointed with it since then. I expect, I think, way too much from the show. Indeed, if I compare recent episodes with first season episodes now, I doubt I'd see a whole lot of difference (with the exception of the "Company Man" episode, which was genuinely miles above any episode before or since).
Its interesting because, to some extent, its impossible for any ending of the series to be satisfying, especially if a body has built up in their mind a clear picture of how they think it should end. To whit, any actual ending is likely going to be less interesting to any given person than the ending they had in their head.
David Chase knew this when it came time to end The Sopranos and actually did us a favor - by refusing to give us a sense of closure, we could end the series any way we wanted to.
BSG has been promising answers all season and, if rumors are true, we get a ton of them in the first half hour. I imagine it will be something like...
CUT TO: Crew of BSG meets Frylock from Aqua Teen Hunger Force
ADAMA: Who are you?
FRYLOCK: Frylock. I'm here to answer all your questions.
ADAMA: All of them?
FRYLOCK: Yes. Start asking!
KARA: What am I?
FRYLOCK: Twin sister. Implanted memories.
ATHENA: Where's Hera?
FRYLOCK: Right here. Go to your mother, dear.
ROSLIN: What's up with the shared opera house visions?
FYLOCK: More implanted memories, placed by Cavil.
ADAMA: What's their plan?
FRYLOCK: Well, it was Cavil's plan, but the Cylon civil war screwed it up, so its off the table permanently.
BALTAR: Who is head six?
FRYLOCK: More implanted memories. Look, people, if you have questions about something you're only seeing in your head, the answer is implanted memories.
HEAD SIX: Really?
FRYLOCK: I know this, because I was given implanted memories, too.
---
Anyhow, something like that.
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(12 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
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11:01 pm - Kitty Michaels Presents... Ninja Techniques!
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| Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
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11:33 am - FTC
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As most of you probably know, I've been using my website to write about the various songs in my iTunes library. I've been doing this for over a year and am almost at song #1500. Also, I'm almost done with the letter "C," which means I'll spend just about all of the next three weeks writing about The Cure.
Well, not just writing about The Cure. I've been trying to use this project to figure out what attracts me to various pieces of music (no clues yet) and to sort of address my reactions or experiences vis a vis any specific song.
I've also learned a whole lot about the music business, largely through conversations with Memo, who also posts very regularly there.
Anyhow, I am proud of this project - even if it is evidence that I may have some sort of undiagnosed OCD.
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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