Productive

The cat of my SG leader recently died. The cat was 20 years old, so it was kind of expected, but still. And the death probally hit her even harder then it would most people, because if anyone knows anything about the SG I'm in, it's that it's extremely cat based, with the leader's character being named after her cat. Haveing a cat die is not the best feeling though. After I heard about her cat's death, I thought about all the cats my family has had, and their untimely demise.

The first cat I remember was Spooky. We had her back when we lived at the old house (about 15 miles from where I currently live) and I was I think 8ish at the time. Spooky was a black cat, except for right under the neck where she had a white patch of fur. She was also a very outdoors cat, and often times brought home her treats, dispite the fact that she was disclawed. I never once picked her up, because I was too afraid I might harm her. She died at the age of seven, about 10 minutes before we could take her to the vet. I think it was kidney disfunction. We had her cremated and, even though it's been at least ten years, no one has had the heart to bury the ashes. The second cat we had was Niki. I'm not quite sure on the cat's gender, but I do know Niki was a very strange cat, and would spend most of the time hiding under furniture. We had Niki the same time we had Spooky, and after we moved, Niki didn't mentaly survive the relocation. I think Niki was 15 when we put the cat to sleep. While Niki was still with us, but after Spooky died, we took in a stray cat we named Sasha. She had grey fur, and loved to be petted. Shortly after moving to the new house, she gave birth to a litter of kittens, only three of whose names I remember. All but (two?) we gave to friends of the family. Supposebly it was two, but I have no recolection of the second one. Anyway, Sasha was also an outdoor kitty, so you loved the fact we moved to a much more rural area. She disappeared a few years after the move. At the time of her disappearance, numerous other pets in the area were disapearing, and there was held a belief of a Bob Catt taking residance on the island. I really don't want to think about Sasha's fate. The (two?) cat(s?) we kept from Sasha's litter were Nemo and Bandit. I still say Bandit never existed, depite the fact everyone in my family claimed he did. My family also said Bandit was my favorite cat of all, but I would have remembered that. Bandit's existence is questionable, which makes his fate to me unknown (I would remember a favorite cat, now wouldn't I?). After Sasha (after Bandit? too) we picked up two more cats (giving a running total of three, remember Nemo?), Phelix and Max. They were brothers. And Max was my favorite. He was kind of blackish, kind of weirdly spotted, with the spots on his head giving a vague impression of the letter M. I remember one time when I landed oddly on my left foot (even though it was a few years ago, I still can't swim with it) and had to crawl back up the stairs, Max just gave me the funniest look. It was kind of a WTF look, but more curious and less angry. At the time I didn't find the look humorous, but looking back I do now. Max went the same way Spooky went, but at least we were able to have him put to sleep, instead of dieing a painfull death in our livning room like Spooky did =(. I miss both cats... but we still have Phelix! Anyway, Nemo is still in the picture by the way (yes, a cat is still alive...), after Max left we got another (again 3 now) cat called Fritz. Fritz is the biggest fuzzball ever!!! He also like to bite people who pet him... hehe. Anyway, after we got Fritz, a friend of mine gave me another cat (whose name will not be posted, so this friend won't know the cat's fate) and Nemo went balistic. And Nemo decided to start claiming territory (yes, the same way other animals do....) and fight Phelix to the point where we had to literaly break the two up, for fear of Phelix's life (Nemo still had claws, Phelix didn't...). It got so bad that we had to give the friend's cat to a local animal shelter, and I really, really, really hope that cat is ok. I kind of loved that cat, even though I only had him for a few months. That didn't solve the Nemo problem, so we had to eventually give Nemo to an animal shelter too. I heard he got adopted by an excellent family, so... anyway, today we have 2 cats. Fritz and Phelix. Thinking about all the cats we had in the past really makes me wonder what sane animal shelter would let us adopt a cat, but I guess there are some out ther... =)

Now for those who don't care too much about cats. I had my preformance review today, and got high marks. If it wasn't the evaluationary review, I might have also gotten a raise, but...Since they're keeping me, they also have decided to allow me to take a drug test, something that should have been done at time of hire, but was somehow overlooked (maybe because one week after I was hired, the HR person quit?).

I picked up two things today. One was a new dictionary. The webster's Collegiate Dictionary. One day I wish to get the Oxford dictionary, but I don't think I'll ever have 90 dollars to spend on a dictionary. Now all I need is a thersourus to use (outside of this online one that is). I also picked up an iTunes FM transmitter. It works ok, but you kind of lose some music quality with it.

I'm so looking foreward to tomorrow!! There is this pagan festival happening at GT Bray park, and I was able to convice one of my (hard core christian) friends to come too! (yes, I know that I go to a lutheran church, in fact, I have church after the fesitval.) As to what my parents think about it, I'll be at BooksAMillion tomorrow (hehe... ya.... ummm... nowhere near those pagans.... hehe). Back in high school I kind of read a few books on it, but since then I never have touched it.

To leave tonight, I have finally written another story. It's still a rough draft, so any constructive critism from anyone will be welcomed. So here's the story, Crows

Rain had not fallen across the land in a long time. Brown, brittle blades of grass covered the country, and where mighty trees once stood, now only dried, dusty husks remained. Except for at the local college.
For it was here that the green went. Grass, lush and full, contrasted sharply with the outlying countryside. Mighty oak trees brought shade to the students, trees with their leaves still lively and vibrant. And to turn this beautiful campus into a paradise, lovely flowers bloomed in well kept gardens.
This eden would have be flawless except for one minor fact. Vast flocks of crows, murders of them, inhabitted the campus. These unsightly beasts were everywhere, and one could not take in the beautyof the campus with out also being taken aback by the hideousness of the birds.
Despite various complaints, the college officials did nothing about the birs problem. In fact, it seemed the opposite was true. For the dryer the outside world became, the more avians there seemed to be. It got to the point where vast flocks of crows would block out the sun.
Taking matters into their own hands, a group of students decided to erraticate the unsightly pests from the school. Armed with tools and objects from home, they began their grisly task. Although no number was recorded, they eliminated enough of the brutes to stain the earth red.
Which was when the administration performed disciplinary actions on the group of students. Each student was taken into the office where, according to the College's records, they were expelled for animal cruelty, possesion of weapons on public property, nad vandalism of campus grounds.
A few days after the students were expelled, there were numerous reports of missing persons. Every single student in the grouo that attacked the crows were missing, and there was a suspiciously high number of homeless people who were unaccountable. The police started an investigation immediatly, which led back to the college.
There the police marveled at how alive the campus was. For it was even more alive than before the students went missing. Yet despite this, or mayhaps because of this, the number of crows increased exponentially.
A quick search of the campus turned up nothing, but a more thorough search found found a conspicious area. For around the administration building they found not one crow.
Despite the faculty's protest, the police began to search the building, and were rewarded in their efforts. For in the back of the building was a stiarwell, and down this verticle shaft did the investigators go.
The stone stairwell went deep into the bowells of the earth. Downward it transversed, downward into a drak, unholy abyss where the only source of light were the officers' flashlights.
Finally, they reached the bottom of the stairwell, and gazed in wonder at the noisy room. Where the outside world was anhydrous, here they were wading in water up to their waists. Pipes that noise could not be heard.
For the room was also a rookery, and it was here that the crows nested. With all the noise that the crows were missing, it took a while for the police to find the source of their food, and the source of the water. But when they did find the heavey stone table, the school was immediatly shut down.
Of what they found on the table, only rumor exists. The offical report states only that the vast number crows warranted a hazardous and unhealthy condition for students.
One officer, though, on his way off campus was rumored to have said "Despite all that, dear God in Heaven, it was still alive!"