Bambooupdate

Hello friends!

Well it's been a week since we captured little Bamboo. A week ago I was out on the street, lying in the middle of the ground trying to coax this lil guy out.

And here we are.

And of course, it hasn't been easy.

Lil Bamboo is great, healthy and strong, nothing wrong with this cat, except that he won't go in the litter box. Now, for a week I've been taking care of this kitty, feeding and drinking and cleaning and he just pees and poops kind of all over. It's been really frustrating honestly.

I did not sign up to take care of a kitten, he was kind of dropped on me!

And we can't start introducing the kitty until he learns to poop in the box, because we can't have him pooping and stuff all over the house. So we're still keeping the dog and cat separate and I think it's starting to drive everyone bananas. At least me.

So it seems that just last night Bamboo went in the box and we kept him overnight in the bathroom with the box and I think he used it...

It's just hard, you go into see kitty and Remo cries, you come out to see Remo and kitty cries.

And the limbo of it all. We all know I hate that right? Are we keeping him or not and if we're not let's get moving because I cannot keep doing this.

I know it's not that big of a deal, but it changes my life and my house and my peace, all of which I worked very hard for!

Anyway. I'm going into see kitty now, so how we're doing with the box.

But damn, the kitten is REALLY cute. That's what's saving the lil monster now.

Friday!?

OBam

Man, I sure was a big talker when election season was around 3 years ago? Wasn't I? Big Obama lover. BIG. Loved the guy, bought a tshirt, went to Thailand secure in the knowledge that we had a better president than before and that I was prouder to be an American with him as my president.

And then...nothing...from me at all. Not a word.

I've discovered something about myself. I could not give a wholdang about politics. It's all too much, I can't give the amount of time I would like to understand complicated political things.

But I'll tell you what, I love elections.

Love 'em.

I'm back with CNN. I'm back reading blogs, I'm back with the whole thing.

And I'm back with my man. NO MATTER what the hell went on with his service this past four years, there is absolutely no doubt that he is still the smartest man in America, he has a long-term plan we know nothing about (and my guess is, he's pretty on track) and he's a thousand miles ahead of any of those fat-heads.

The republican party is saving it's good stuff for 2016. Obvs.

And when you see my man singing Al Green the day after those blowhards debated, you just know he's a different sort of man.

I still love him.

And again, I don't understand all the intricacies but I do still understand that he's fighting for gay rights (maybe not the way we all wanted him to, but he's letting it happen state by state, the way it should be), he got us out of one war (although he had some scary words for China last night, *shudder*) and I don't know, I've always thought he was as left as they come and my guess is, if/when he gets his next 4, you're gonna see an Obes like you've never seen.

I love you Buddy, go for it, win this thing, speak your little poetic left-wing heart out and keep showing all of us that you have more charm in your little finger than any of us have in our whole bodies.

Bring on the race.

Whew!

The word on everyone's lips is: Bamboo.

Just took him to the vet and they fell in love with him. I took him in a cardboard box with holes in it so Bamboo could breathe. We figured it out.

When Bamboo got in to our regular vet, they were all waiting for him, to see the lil kitty that survived. They took him out of his box, took pictures of him, ooooh'd and aaaaaah'd.

When we got in with our Dr., Bamboo really turned it on. So patient and purring when the doctor gave him a few shots. The Dr. was like, "what is up with this cat? Most of them do not purr when I give them meds." Lil Bamboo, that's just the kind of kitty he is. He loves ALL people. He loved the vet tech, the vet, me...his lovey dovey has nothing to do with us saving him. He loves everyone.

The vet said no fleas, no mites, that he looks clean and healthy (also no chip). She even said his blind eye might be able to be fixed. It looks sort of like eye skin pulled tight over it, so we (or whomever!) may be able to get that operated on fairly easily and Bamboo might have a perfect eye!

They took him out to do some work on him and when the vet tech brought him back in, Bamboo was sound asleep in his arms. The vet tech was holding him like a baby and Bamboo was out, out to the world. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. The vet tech looked at me and said "this really is one awesome cat" and I said I KNOW I KNOW! He could barely put him down.

On the way out (many dollars later, but what are you going to do, not get him checked out?) everyone was cooing some more and I put Bamboo back in his box.

After I paid and was heading out the door, the vet tech comes running out with a cat carrier! They just gave it to me, so sweet.

So we wait for the tests to come back tomorrow and everything is alright we'll introduce the kitty and doggy and we'll see what happens from there. But if we can't keep him, it's okay, we already have a few people very interested in Bamboo and the vet told me if we had any trouble finding a home to give her a call because this cat was just too awesome.

SO! Bamboo is most likely healthy and well and warm, next step...

Lucky Bamboo

Well, it's been a big day.

First off, we paid off one of our credit cards today. A nice big balance and we paid it off. Feels really good. We have one more with a  not too bad balance and then a few tax issues (we're on a payment plan, it's all on the up and up) and we're getting there.

And...John found a kitty.

He was out walking Buddy this morning and heard her crying. He looked under a car, saw a lil black and white kitty, blind in one eye (it's all blue and crazy looking). He tried to get her but couldn't with the dog. He came running in the house, threw a blanket at me and told me to go get her...the snow storm coming and all. Then he said "if you can get her, we're keeping her."

So I ran out of the house, walking around with a blanket and I found her under a car. Like, right under the middle. I couldn't get her! I looked around for help, she ran to another car. I tried to coax her out with old dog food, that didnt' help.

I finally got her to come close and I grabbed her! She was shivering shivering lil girl.

I'm pretty sure I heard this same cat last night and have seen flashes of her. Well...we got her.

She's a kitten, maybe 3 months? She's eating, she's playful, she's sweet as a button.

We're taking her to the vet tomorrow.

If John can handle it allergy-wise, we'll keep her hopefully, and if Remo doesn't eat her. If it's just not conducive, we'll keep her as long as we need to to get her to a nice home.

We always said Bamboo was such a cute name for a cat or dog. Well, let me introduce you now to Lucky Bamboo:

Fear. Eat it.

The Hixx is not so much fun when the Hixx has to do something she doesn't want to do. That's the truth.

A few months back in a fit of anger I set up a tour for the "Chicago Greeters." They're through the Dept of Cultural Affairs and they're really great. You can set up a tour with a Greeter and get a FREE tour. And it can be private and it can be anywhere you want to see - Chinatown, Greektown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park - whatever. They're a great group of people and it always amazes me that you can seriously get free tours.

I don't talk it up much, for obvious reasons.

But I learned that it's pretty normal to give Greeters a tour of what you do and so I set it up, to show them the pedway.

And about on Monday...I started getting nervous about it. Someone had told me they had "done" the pedway tour before (hello competition, I'm eating you!) and I thought they would all know about it and be judging me. Sometimes it's not easy to give tours for other guides, you gotta be REAL careful what you say because you know there are 10 people who know too.

But generally, giving other guides tours is pretty fun and I always LOVE going on other people's tours and I don't get judgy at all and I just like hearing how they tell a story, etc.

So anyway, I've been hating this all week. Hating it.

And that my friends, is fear talking.

Today I made John wish me luck, I secretly hoped they would all forget.

And it was great. So great. I saw an old friend, I made some new ones. The Greeters were awesome and adorable and happy to hear about the pedway. I didn't give a tour tour, but showed them how they can use the pedway to give their own tours on crappy days.

And they liked it. We laughed. They taught me things in a totally kind and nice way.

And it felt great. There may have even been a REALLY good connection or two made. So.

Yay.

Eat your fear, seriously. Whatever I was so afraid of seems ridiculous at this point.

Eat your competition for breakfast, eat your fear for lunch and eat something yummy for dinner.

Entrepreneurial advice here everyone.

Yup, I'm back.

I noticed it the other day when I woke up and Dean Richards on WGN (so it was Sunday, not that it matters, who gives an eff exactly what day it was? But that's how I know, because Dean Richards is only on Sunday) was doing a review of Chorus Line and they were playing the music and I was in the bathroom singing "One" as loudly as possible. So yeah...I'm good.

We've had a fun few days, we went to the casino yesterday, I worked real hard on Saturday (3 tours!), today I hung out with my friend Melisa in the 'burbs. It's been a really nice couple of days.

And I love the winter! BRING IT. I have warm coathatshoeglove and I'm totally happy with the cold weather and cozy blankets.

I feel good. I feel motivated. I feel ready to kick all of your asses and you're all on my side, so imagine what I'm a gunna do to the other half? Hmmm?

I'm doing it!

Passing it

like a kidney stone my friends.

I swear all I needed was some freaking winter up in this bitch.

Ew.

Today was really the first day in a long while where I had no responsibilities except to work on Chicago Elevated stuff and only that. No cleaning houses, no shopping, no nothing....just work, and my brain.

And it feels great.

I'm at the coffeeshop now, my orange tea by my side and a mountain of things to work on.

One thing...

Stupid exercise.

It's so stupid and I love it.

It's dumb, but it's the one thing that consistently makes me feel good. This morning, with the snow on the ground and the cold temps (it's not even THAT cold, actually, it's really pretty outside if you're layered up like the Hixx) I got on the treadmill and ran and walked and ran and listened to my music and I got all sweaty and I'm in my shorts and it's all snowy outside and it just...it just always makes me feel better.

Stupid exercise.

If you feel like shit and feel badly and wintery and awful, do it...get sweaty, listen to your favorite song, go down in the pedway and do some mall walking, shit I don't know, do videos from you tube, go slow, tell yourself you only need to just walk today - that will change once you get going...do whatever it takes I tell you.

Anyway, I'm feeling better, I really think I am.

Bring it on winter, I can take it....shit...I want it.