Bummer!

Some pets are more lovable than others.

What are you looking at?
Are you looking at me?
Well, I'm the only one that's here.

Are you looking at me?Wait just a second.
When I finish this I am coming to eat your soul.

How to find foreign language translations.

Click on the following link to a site where you can get simple phrases tranlated into several different languages.

How to say in different languages translation

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Happy Birthday Leonard!

Yesterday, September 21, 2009 Leonard Cohen, poet/songwriter turned 75.

Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, March 2008.

In his own words, "Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash." He is one of Canada's best-loved poets, his most recent collection of writings, 2006's Book of Longing, was the first book of poetry to reach the No. 1 position on Canada's bestsellers lists. Cohen's music is not easy to categorize, it has tones of country, cabaret jazz, folk, and rhythm and blues. Cohen himself once called his musical style "European blues." His albums have brought him Juno Awards, a Grammy, and induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2003, he was made Companion to the Order of Canada, and in 2008, he was made a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec.

I saw him at the Wiltern Theater, in Korea Town, Los Angeles doing his 'I'm Your Man' tour. It was the best live concert I have ever attended. His voice was perfect. He sounded just like his recordings. The audience was attentive, respectful and was absolutely silent during each and every song. It was an incredible musical experience.

One of his backup singers for several years was another one of my favorites, Jennifer Warrens, covered some of his songs on her album, Famous Blue Raincoat (To hear some clips and interviews with Leonard and others about the songs, click the link.). This was her best work, in my opinion. On some of the tracks he sings with her.

Leonard Cohen was very influential in the development of my musical tastes and my own vocal style, along with Bob Dylan, Donovan, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Peter Paul & Mary, Randy Newman, Phil Ochs, Leon Redbone, Brian Wilson and The Mamas & The Papas to name but a few.

Quote: "Act the way you'd like to be and soon you'll be the way you act." — Leonard Cohen

In Memory of Mary

Last Wednesday, Mary Travers died of luekimea.
Mary Allin Travers (November 9, 1936 – September 16, 2009) One of America's favorite folk singer-songwriters and essential member of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary (the rose between the thorns) along with Peter Yarrow and Noel "Paul" Stookey. They were one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. Unlike most folk musicians who were a part of the early 1960s Greenwich Village music scene, Travers actually grew up in that New York neighborhood. She was born in Louisville, Kentucky but in 1938, her parents moved to Greenwich Village where she attended the Little Red School until the 11th grade when she left to pursue her singing career.
Good bye Mary, thanks for the music.

Ricky Berens wardrobe malfunction.

Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay

Ricky Berens, Beijing Olympic gold medalist made swimming history of a different sort Sunday, July 31, 2009 when he ripped the back of his swimsuit during a qualifying heat of the 4x100m relay freestyle at the World Swimming Championships in Rome.
Shortly before stepping up to the starting block, the University of Texas senior leaned down to stretch. That was when Ricky Berens' swimsuit ripped. U.S. anchor leg Cullen Jones urged Berens to forget the gaping hole and swim. Berens dived in and swan for his life in the third leg as scheduled.

“It felt like they're was a bunch of extra weight around like a bag of water,” he said. “I was trying hard not to focus on the suit. I've never ripped a suit before.” Berens said. "I felt like [the hole] was almost down to my knees. I felt like I was putting on a pretty good show."

He was, and he did...put on quite a show, finishing in fourth place and securing a spot in the finals of the Team US. When the finals rolled around Ricky had anew suit renewed confidence amd along with his team they brought home the gold.

(L-R)US relay teammates Ryan Lochte, David Walters, Ricky Berens and Michael Phelps win the men's 4x200m freestyle final at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Rome

Way to go Ricky!

A Time For Mourning.

(Click on image for large size.)

To every time there is a season.
A time to rejoice a time to mourn.

It was a sad day yesterday

I was out running errands with mom when Tim called me and said that he had some bad news.

Little Levi was killed by a speeding vehicle directly in front of his house.

Here he is dreaming of the mice and birds he will catch later on that same night.

Levi came to us as a drop-off. Someone had abandoned him in what they perceived to be the country. He came to my door very friendly, declawed, house broken and neutered. I took him in offered him a place to call home and made him a friend.

Not long before this, another drop-off had made her way to my door. She was black and white like Puddy, (my good girl who had been rescued as a kitten from the streets of Chelsea in 1989 and made the move with me when I left Manhattan and moved out west to Utah. She died in 2007 after 19 years of loyal friendship. I guess you could say I am a sucker for a kitty with a sad tale or tail or a tale to tell, whatever), but I digress.

Anyway, this new pussy reminded me of Puddy so I took her in and named her Puddy II, later to be known simply as Little Mama. She is a small cat and has one damaged ear, it is a little smaller than her other ear and a little mishapened. She hasn't yet told me why. Not long after she moved in she confessed that she was pregnant. I told her we would work something out. She had her wee ones, four of them. Three all black and one black and white like herself. She gave up the three black ones for adoption. The little black and white boy, Scooter, remained. I thought it a good idea for Little Mama to have a companion. Puddy had been a spinster for 19 years and I think she at times was lonely for feline companionship (despite what a good friend I tried to be to her).

Anyway...back to Levi. Shortly after Scooter was born along came Levi. I later realized that he had the same name as my grandfather, in who's house we were now living. Coincidence? Who knows.

Levi was a good boy but his personality dictated that he be the main attraction. He wasn't interested in being a step-daddy to Little Mama's son. As things turned out, mom's cat Jeffrey had died due to complications of his diabetes. I asked her if she wanted to adopt Levi. She said, well, I've got all this cat food and litter that needs to be used. Not a resounding 'Yes', but an invitation and opportunity for Levi to become the King of some castle, and that he did. He worked his way into mom's heart before too long.

He brought home the spoils of his hunting expeditions on a regular basis. He would call incessantly until you would come see what a good provider he was. He wouldn't eat the mouse or bird that he had on display until you had attested to what a fine job he had done and praised his hunting abilities. He usually spent the night hunting and would get up on the window seal and howl until he awakened you and you came and inspected his prize, once, twice even three times during the night.

He would spend most of the day inside sleeping, but he was usually outside to greet me when I got home from work at one or two in the morning. He would come back inside for something to eat and then he would meow to let you know it was time for you to open the door so that he could go outside and begin his hunt. Even when he hadn't caught anything he would come in at least once more time to eat and drink something then go back out to continue hunting. It could become a little annoying, however...

We will miss him dearly.

He was a good boy and a great hunter.
Always generous with his trophies.

Good bye my dear friend.

May flights of angels wing you to your rest.