A New Language Is Born

Teabonics.  That's what the language of the Tea Party is now called.  Well, it's not really a language.  It's actually English in the hands of people who never learned the value of spelling and meaning.  Here's an example.

Absurd?  Certainly.
Also terrifying because the people who speak and understand this butchered English may very well be running the country come January 2011.  Of equal concern is, of course, the use of a circle to dot an i but that's another story.
Be very careful.

Light The Fire And Party On

Today is Labor Day.
Today is a paid holiday for some, a regular work day for others.
This from Wikipedia:
The first Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882 in New York City, by the Central Labor Union of New York, the nation's first integrated major trade union. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of United States military and the United States Marshals during the Pullman Strike when President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date originally chosen by the CLU of NY and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespread International Workers' Day  because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair,  for which it had been observed to commemorate. All 50 states  have made Labor Day a state holiday. 
Here's something else to think about while you're waiting for the coals to turn white:
Thanks to Lester Aponte through Jeannette Bronson for reminding us that as we celebrate Labor Day it is important to remember that in twenty-nine states it is still legal to fire someone solely because of sexual orientation.  Congress must pass an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Law.
Food for thought on this holiday of traditional commemoration.

At Some Point

A work colleague shared this card with me.  The message inside reads, "At some point you just stop counting."  It was a birthday card.  The message applies, though, to a lot of situations -- dinner guests, amount of debt, rude drivers.  Here's what it should never apply to though -- blessings.

Bringing Rudy Home

Today I brought the box containing the ashes of Rudolph Valentino Catz home from the vet's office.  It seemed the drive should be marked with ceremony but I couldn't think of what might be appropriate for such an occasion so I just got in the Jeep -- the very same Jeep that several years ago transported one rainy Sunday afternoon the Nobel Peace Prize winner Eli Wiesel across the width of Los Angeles County -- and headed East to Duarte.  I hadn't gone far when I saw, pulled over to the side of the Ventura (134) Freeway, a white, Rolls Royce hearse.  Several men wearing suits stood around the disabled vehicle.  Such a sight I had never before seen but it lacked at that time meaningful coherence.
On I drove to bring home Rudy.  Unable to make the trip a ceremony, I ran a couple of errands with the container holding what was once an amazing cat sitting on the front seat of the Jeep.  Errands finally finished, I got back on the Ventura (134) Freeway at Orange Grove Avenue in Pasadena and headed West toward home.
I hadn't driven more than a mile or two when a flat bed truck pulled into the lane next to me.  On the flat bed was the white, Rolls Royce hearse.  We traveled side by side until I took my exit.
Sometimes ceremony just happens.
Welcome home, Rudy.

Hope From Pomona

For a few years I have, when failing to bring my lunch, walked down Garey Avenue to AJ's ice Cream & Deli.  It's a nothing fancy hole in the wall of a place.  For those preferring to dine in, there's a table inside and a table out on the side walk right across from the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.
I think it's a Mom and Son operation.  For several months I've expected it to go the way of many small businesses and close up shop.  I'm always pleasantly surprised to find the place still in business.  I guess it and Scraps The Cat have a lot in common.  At any rate --
Today I stopped by for a sandwich.  The sandwich menu is reduced to tuna, turkey and ham.  Not so the quality of the sandwich, though.  For turkey you also get cheese, tomato, avocado, jalapenos, lettuce and onion on whole wheat or white.  All for four dollars.  Apparently the mom and son failed to receive the memo saying cut down on quality and for Pete's sake stop being friendly.  Yeah, a couple of display cases are empty and the drink selection is down to Arizona tea and Snapple.  You select your chips, should you want any, from a cardboard box on the counter.  They still sell raspados and tortas and, yes, ice cream.

While waiting for A or J to make my sandwich I shared my pleasure that the place was still open.
"Yeah," A or J replied.  "Last year was really rough.  But now we are seeing some definite changes.  Things are really looking up."
Wasn't it the deceased brother of Joan Baez who wrote a book called "Been Down So Long It All Looks Up To Me"?
In Pomona at the AJ's Ice Cream & Deli establishment things are taking a turn for the better.
That's good news for all of us.
As AJ's Ice Cream & Deli goes, so we hope goes the rest of the economy.
And the sandwich was really good.

Animal Specialty Group

We've become well acquainted with the staff at Animal Specialty Group in Glendale.  Here's what they have to say about themselves:
Established in 1990, Animal Specialty Group is recognized throughout the nation as a cutting edge multidisciplinary veterinary specialty hospital. A top staff of board certified and residency trained specialists. State-of-the-art equipment. Expertise in the latest leading edge treatments. A passion for compassion. And a positive, collaborative approach to working with referring veterinarians.These are the attributes every primary care veterinarian seeks from a specialty hospital. At Animal Specialty Group, we're dedicated to delivering on every one. Adding to its stature, Animal Specialty Group is renowned for its open, collaborative approach to partnering with referring veterinarians. Operating as an extension of the primary care veterinarian's practice, Animal Specialty Group provides referring veterinarians with access to sophisticated, leading edge resources, plus timely patient information and full participatory consultation throughout the treatment process. Operating from its 12,000-square foot hospital, Animal Specialty Group has earned the highest level of accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The hospital's founder, Dr. Kirk Wendelburg, is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, and is internationally recognized for his key contributions to today's accepted protocol for canine total hip replacement. Dr. Wendelburg continues to practice and share his expertise by mentoring residents, lecturing locally and nationally, contributing to professional journals and providing continuing educational courses. The standards he sets are high and are exemplified at every level at Animal Specialty Group.
Here's what we have to say about them.  They're great.

Lessons Learned From The Dying Cat

Scraps The Cat continues to enjoy life to the best of her ability.  Although her geographic area is much reduced, she remains the queen of her realm.  She eats, demanding whatever taste she desires.  She sleeps.  She enjoys a good petting session.  We reduced the number of times she receives pain medication from every eight hours to every twelve because we suspected she didn't need that much and apparently we were correct because she is more alert and thus more able to demand specific flavors of cat food.
She is a testament to the value of focusing on life and all life has to offer instead of focusing on the countdown until death.  After all, we're all on that countdown.  Scraps has more information than many of us.  That's the main difference between a diagnosis and ignorant bliss, it seems.
As for us, we aren't counting her days since each one with her in it takes us completely by surprise.  We're just in the moment with Scraps.  That seems about the way it should be.  One of these mornings or one of these evenings things will take a different turn.
Until then, we'll just keep dancing.