The Road Less Traveled

"Our Day Will Come" - A Tribute to Amy Winehouse (YouTube)

2012-01-30T04:04:00.001-08:00

Chris, it may not be today, it may not be tomorrow--but one day this difficult time will be but a distant memory. Face the unknown with all the courage and conviction I know is within you, even if you don't feel it's there now. Much love. M. xo

"Can't Not" - Alanis Morissette (YouTube)

2012-01-30T03:43:00.001-08:00

This feels about right for today.

"Back to Black" - Amy Winehouse (YouTube)

2012-01-29T18:55:00.001-08:00

Thank you, Chris, for bringing my attention to this video. Sometimes life is just like this. I know that right now it feels very much this way. And I wouldn't attempt to sugar coat it--it is this way. Black, uncertain, daunting. My wish for you and for me is that out of sadness and confusion will come something good--that the phoenix will rise again. I wish you the best, and will always love you. No matter how far away you are, you will always be close in my heart and soul.

Still - Geto Boys (Uncensored, with Puppiez (YouTube)

2012-01-23T04:49:00.001-08:00

I'm Only Happy When It Rains - Garbage (YouTube)

2012-01-23T04:33:00.001-08:00

If this were true, then I would be deliriously happy by now.

Gay Couple or Hipsters?

2011-12-29T05:43:00.001-08:00

Robin Thicke on Chelsea Lately - December 19, 2011 (YouTube)

2011-12-20T18:50:00.001-08:00

Adele - Someone Like You (Director's Cut) - Vimeo

2011-12-20T18:14:00.001-08:00

Adele - Someone Like You (Director's Cut) from Casey Ford Alexander on Vimeo.

Little Drummer Boy - Sean Quigley (YouTube)

2011-12-20T08:10:00.001-08:00

Check this out, even if you are not a December holiday person. I was skeptical, but now I'm a Sean Quigley believer.

Fresh Light Snow

2011-12-17T10:49:00.001-08:00

Some fresh, light snow fell last night and this morning in Chicago. Not impressive, but something, at least.

Brennan Pavilion Mural

2011-12-15T07:58:00.001-08:00

Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Ill.

Thank You

2011-12-15T07:55:00.001-08:00

Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Ill.
December 2011

Ribbon Cutting for the New Rush Hospital

2011-12-15T07:52:00.001-08:00

Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Ill.
Dec. 8, 2011

Tow Zone Counterpoint.

2011-11-20T13:07:00.001-08:00

The War on Terror is a War on People, Including Americans

2011-11-20T08:00:00.001-08:00

Over the past 10 years, many Americans willingly gave up their civil liberties in the interest of some delusion about enhanced safety in the wake of the events of 9/11. History shows that this tactic has been used in the past to manipulate citizens. Witness the burning of the Reichstag in Germany. An event orchestrated by the government methodically and quite brilliantly. So today it sems this has become the new normal.

I think that we are better than this. I don't think that we are about torture, rendition, ethnic profiling, or subjecting our own peacefully demonstrating citizens to disproportionate force.

George Orwell's 1984 is beginning to seem naive compared to the reality we witness before us today. If this is the new normal, then I am disturbed to even imagine what is yet to come. Can you say "police state"?

It sounds trite, but it's a slippery slope. Once Americans became cowed into surrendering their rights, all manner and sort of additional changes were easy to foist on them. So how long will Americans allow this to continue? And is it already too late?

Let us not forget this poem attributed to Martin Niemöller:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Time for the Performance Review to Go Social

2011-10-30T06:02:00.001-07:00

Via WorkSimple.

Like infographics? So do we.

via holykaw.alltop.com

Love, Marilyn

2011-10-29T19:28:00.001-07:00

Autumn 2011 in Logan

2011-10-29T06:03:00.001-07:00

Taken at Logan Square Monument

Trick or Treat - South Loop Last Night

2011-10-29T05:35:00.001-07:00

One of my neighbors shot this photo last night from his balcony on the north side of our condo building. The caption mentions six squad cars and one paddy wagon. The paddy wagon is parked in front of the driveway that leads to the fenced parking lot on the north side of our building.

Something relatively large must have been up. My neighbor comments that it may have something to do with some questionable activity going on in an abandoned building slightly north of our building.

I moved from the South Loop in 2010. Seems like things have been changing in the hood since I moved.

Perhaps I will crop this photo and use it the next time that I attempt to sell my condo, or even when I rent it again next year. LOL. Caption ideas: "Never a dull moment," "Close to everything," "Walk to work," or "Who Needs Hulu when you live in the South Loop?"

I will check everyblock.com for details on what this was all about. I'm sure there will be something posted.

Good times all around.

Young Fashioned Ways ... Muddy Waters tribute to Earl Hooker (YouTube)

2011-10-29T04:11:00.001-07:00

Real Juke Joint Blues live! Bootleg video of Daphne Blue (the band founded by the legendary guitar player Earl Hooker & piano player Johnny "Big Moose" Walker (Mudddy Waters / Howlin' Wolf). All original band members, except drums. Daphne Blue plays "If my baby gets old ..." by Muddy Waters in tribute to their bandmates. Filmed with a home camera by a fan circa 1996.

License: Standard YouTube License

I Stand With Scott Olsen

2011-10-28T05:14:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, police in Oakland aggressively used "nonlethal" rounds to disperse peaceful protesters from Occupy Oakland. Their violent overreaction seriously injured Iraq war veteran Scott Olsen, leaving him hospitalized with a fractured skull.

Iraq Veterans Against the War, of which Scott is a member, has asked everyone to share the image below to show support.

Occupy Chicago Protesters Arrested (ABC 7 Chicago Video)

2011-10-16T15:58:00.001-07:00

Anti-Wall St. Movement Grows to Dozens of Cities ... 175 Arrested in Chicago

2011-10-16T15:34:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK (AP) - Protesters in at least four U.S. cities who were part of a growing anti-Wall Street sentiment were arrested after refusing to obey police orders to leave public areas, including 175 people in Chicago, where the arrests brought about a new phase of civil disobedience, organizers there said Sunday.

Read the full article now.

(Source: Associated Press)

Future Response to the OccupyEverything Movement?

2011-10-16T09:39:00.001-07:00

If the OccupyEverything movement is sustainable, how long will it be until the powers that be escalate the push back? Witness police brutality, police state tactics waged against peaceful protesters at 2009 G20 summit in Pittsburgh.

2009 G20 Pittsburgh Police Brutality Complilation Video

(YouTube)

Hillary Hits the Mark (from The Daily Beast)

2011-10-16T08:55:00.001-07:00

Buried in a dull speech Friday, the Secretary of State gave D.C. a major reality check: in today’s world, economic power matters more than military might, says Leslie H. Gelb.

Read the story now.

(Source: The Daily Beast)

Right Here All Over (Occupy Wall Street) on Vimeo

2011-10-08T09:48:00.001-07:00

If you want to see some of what's going on, on the ground at OccupyWallStreet, this is how you should spend your next 6 minutes:

Right Here All Over (Occupy Wall St.) from Alex Mallis on Vimeo.

Get A Clue From Edwin Starr

2011-09-17T17:19:00.001-07:00

Pastel Dream

2011-08-21T17:03:00.001-07:00

Taken at Buckingham Fountain

Lucinda Williams - "Where Is My Love?" (YouTube)

2011-08-20T16:27:00.001-07:00

Glendale Nissan

2011-08-20T13:39:00.001-07:00

Taken at Glendale Nissan

Saturday Shopping In The Country

2011-08-13T10:46:00.001-07:00

Stretching the budget in the country. Hmm. What's up with that sign in the background?

I Wanna Be Back In Rose City

2011-08-06T18:08:00.001-07:00

Gone But Not Forgotten

2011-08-06T11:13:00.001-07:00

Taken at South Loop

So Emo

2011-08-06T10:59:00.001-07:00

Taken at Starbucks

Relax

2011-08-06T09:44:00.001-07:00

Steve

2011-07-31T21:05:00.001-07:00

Enrique - A Flickr Favorite

2011-07-31T17:11:00.001-07:00

Cherry Poppin' Daddies - "Zoot Suit Riot" (original video)

2011-07-31T17:06:00.001-07:00

If this doesn't get your toes tapping, then you must be dead. This is the original video that was not considered good enough to represent the song on MTV. Enjoy. Note the Chicago tie-in. And of course, the fact that the band hails from Eugene, Oregon speaks for itself.

Kathy Mattea - "455 Rocket" (YouTube)

2011-07-31T16:43:00.001-07:00

This song is a lot of fun. Another nod to Chris for alerting me to the Kathy Mattea goodness, and this song in particular. The 455 Olds Rocket reminds me a bit of my granddad's 1962 Pontiac Bonneville, although I don't think that was as well endowed in the cubic inch department. But it could easily have been taken for the Olds' second cousin if you glanced at both quickly. Enjoy.

Mark Chesnutt - "I'll Think Of Something" (YouTube)

2011-07-31T16:24:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Chris, for bringing this song and Mark Chesnutt to my attention. Great song, great voice.

Men Only - A Flickr Favorite

2011-07-30T15:26:00.001-07:00

I like this photo, and especially the backstory.

Milkshakes.

2011-07-30T12:01:00.001-07:00

Moonrise Over Chicago

2011-07-30T07:13:00.001-07:00

Taken at 1449 W Walton St Chicago IL 60642

Charlie's Birthday Celebration - July 2011 - Elgin, Illinois

2011-07-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we got together with Chris' brother Charlie and his lovely wife, Alicia, for a nice birthday celebration that included a BBQ and a wonderful strawberry cheesecake ice cream birthday cake! Charlie has reached the ripe old age of 28! Woohoo!

60 Awesome Portraits Of Gay Couples Just Married In New York State

2011-07-26T05:41:00.001-07:00

60 Awesome Portraits Of Gay Couples Just Married In New York State

View the photos now.

No More Rehab.

2011-07-24T09:08:00.001-07:00

I'm not being flip, or disrespectful toward Amy. But I have long found it kind of sad that she is so well known for a song that essentially reminds the world that she was done with trying to fight against that which ultimately took her life. It is easy for those of us who are her fans to suggest we can really understand what demons Amy was fighting. And we can speculate all day about the extent to which Blake Fielder-Civil was in part responsible for putting Amy on this self-destructive path. But that is a bit of a moot point now. In "Rehab," the lyrics suggest that she is just depressed. It wouldn't be the first or last time that someone self-medicates depression to tragic end.

Whether one judges Amy for bringing about her own demise, or casts blame in the direction of Fiedler-Civil, ultimately everyone must take responsibility for his own actions and his own life. As I suggested on my first Facebook post and tweet after learning of Amy's passing, it seems as though premature demise of truly talented writers and artists is almost cliche at this point. Msybe the same sensitivity that contributes to their craft is the very thing that ultimately contributes to their self-destruction. At the risk of oversimplifying it, maybe they are too good for this world.

When all is said and done, the bottom line is that the world has lost a talented young artist. Some may feel it's a tragedy, while others not so much. Amy was rich and famous, but there are plenty of people who are neither rich nor famous fighting similar battles. RIP, Amy. We'll never know what might have been if you'd lived longer. And that saddens me.

Christopher House - Logan Square

2011-07-23T07:13:00.001-07:00

On Leadership - Lucy Liu (O-Ren-Ishi) in Kill Bill Vol. 1

2011-07-21T16:40:00.001-07:00

This clip speaks for itself. Superb in every sense. Lucy Liu is my hero for her performance in this scene. Tarantino is my hero for creating this film magic with Lucy.

Death Proof - Down In Mexico

2011-07-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have seen Tarantino's "Deathproof," you may never forget the best lap dance ever captured on film, performed for Kurt Russell's character, "Stuntman Mike." If you haven't seen it, you need to. Just click the play button. Enjoy. Rinse and repeat. This is one of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite Tarantino films.

Just Someone I Used To Know - Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

2011-07-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

From "The Porter Wagoner Show," 1970. As recently mentioned in a Facebook post, this song becomes more apt with each passing year. People who were once so central to our lives can become just a distant memory, or friends bordering on acquaintances, in spite of the history once shared together. Funny how that is.

I find this song and its treatment by Porter and Dolly evocative, and I listen to it often. The sound quality of the version available on the iTunes Music Store is much better than the quality in this video.

N.B.: sound quality not the best. Need to turn volume up.

I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline

2011-07-16T12:23:00.001-07:00

A classic from an amazing talent taken from the world prematurely. There will never be another Patsy Cline.

Chances Are - Johnny Matthis

2011-07-16T12:20:00.001-07:00

Matthis' first number one hit, from September 1957.

Twelfth Of Never - Johnny Matthis

2011-07-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

I encourage you to read the poster's comments on YouTube. Poignant. I have my own story to accompany this song, but I prefer to share it verbally rather than in writing.

Emerald City

2011-06-26T16:55:00.001-07:00

Waltonesque

2011-06-26T16:25:00.001-07:00

Middle River Memoir

2011-06-26T15:50:00.001-07:00

Cape May

2011-06-26T15:35:00.001-07:00

Ryan Buell #PRS #AGH

2011-06-26T14:44:00.001-07:00

South Dakota Lake Exposure

2011-06-26T14:35:00.001-07:00

Greg

2011-06-26T09:18:00.001-07:00

Explore Chicago's Neighborhoods: Logan Square

2011-05-14T20:11:00.001-07:00

Despite being one of Chicago’s most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, Logan Square is an area steeped in history. Nowhere in the city is its famed boulevard system better represented. These spacious, tree-lined thoroughfares encircle the city, connecting major public parks. Two of these, Logan and Kedzie Boulevards intersect at ‘Logan Square’, a large grassy traffic circle surrounding a 70-foot tall eagle-topped marble column. This Illinois Centennial Monument was designed by architect Henry Bacon, who is perhaps better known for his Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

Learn more about the Logan Square neighborhood now.

Prince - "Sometimes It Snows In April" (YouTube)

2011-04-18T04:52:00.001-07:00

Apropos for Chicago this morning. Enough snow to cover cars. Rain/snow mix and 34 degrees now.

Two-fer Saturday - Dinah Washington: "Manhattan"

2011-04-16T05:57:00.001-07:00

On this beautiful, rainy, spring morning in Chicago, I'm thinking about New York. Here is a two-fer: one of my favorite songs by Dinah Washington accompanied by scenes from one of my favorite Woody Allen movies. Enjoy.

Regina.

2011-04-10T07:24:00.001-07:00

Tom posted this photo of Regina on Facebook. Thanks, Tom.

RIP Regina.

The “Friday” flowchart - Holy Kaw

2011-04-10T06:53:00.001-07:00

via holykaw.alltop.com

There is no stopping this song. Once it burrows into your head, it's all over.

It's Sunday, Sunday.

2011-04-10T06:31:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Saturday, Saturday. To-day it is Sunday, Sunday. We we so excited. We so excited. We gonna have a ball to-day. To-mor-row is Mon-day and Tues-day comes afterwards. I don't want this weekend to ennnnd! (Especially since the tem-per-a-ture is expected to break 80 de-grees for the first time this yeeeear!)

KQ & RB BFF!!!

Stephen Colbert Sings "Friday" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

2011-04-08T05:04:00.001-07:00

Everyone sing it with me, "Friday, Friday ... " "We, we, we so excited!"

Love it.

Oh, and I bet my BFF, RB, Rebecca Black, loves this!!! More free promotion.

And don't forget, the ringtone and single are available on iTunes now. Woohoo! Life is good, and don't forget: today is Friday, Friday!

And lest I neglect to give credit where credit is due, thank you, Dave Lifton, for bringing Colbert's cover of Rebecca Black's smash hit to my attention. That's What Friends Are For.

Grand-dad and Me on His Birthday

2011-04-07T06:06:00.001-07:00

grand-dad-me-hisbday
Originally uploaded by ChicagoLthrBiker

Me and my grandfather in the 80s. This is the first time I have gone barechested on Facebook. Woohoo! I lived with my granddad for five years in the 80s, ca. 1981-86. That was when I finally got to know him and grow closer, after my grandmother passed. I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to share those years with him, and I miss him. He taught me a lot in those five years. Even though I found it hard to relate to much of his world view back then, it's starting to make more sense to me now. Funny how that is. Lewis L. Brown, 1912 - 1993, RIP.

New Yorkers (and some Chicagoans) Never Tire of Cool Time-Lapse Videos of New York

2011-04-06T15:06:00.001-07:00

new york city. from James Ogle on Vimeo.

Source: gawker.com

My Coworkers at Sears

2011-04-06T05:00:00.001-07:00

cashier-office-sears
Originally uploaded by ChicagoLthrBiker

Early 1980s, St. Petersburg, Florida. L to R, Kip, Carol, me, Tonia

Aidan/Josh | Is that alright with you? (YouTube) - SyFy's "Being Human"

2011-03-23T04:46:00.001-07:00

Angsty AU. Aidan and Josh are in a strained relationship where they fight all the time. Josh develops feelings for Sally, who tells him he needs to concentrate on his relationship with Aidan and not her. Aidan loves Josh, but he can't stop cheating on him and hurting him. Sorry, but no happy ending--just Aidan and Josh caught in the same cycle of cheating, fighting and hurt. Dscription posted with video on YouTube by TheSnowWhiteQueen21

Sonic Youth - Superstar (YouTube)

2011-03-23T04:34:00.001-07:00

"Empire State of Mind" Jay-Z | Alicia Keys [OFFICIAL VIDEO] (YouTube)

2011-03-22T06:07:00.001-07:00

Video: Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill Protest (Vimeo)

2011-02-20T08:11:00.001-08:00

Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill Protest from Matt Wisniewski on Vimeo.

Source: Matt Wisniewski

Photo: Millions Celebrate Fall of Hosni Mubarak

2011-02-19T06:20:00.001-08:00

Cairo's skies lit up on Friday night as millions came out to celebrate the fall of Hosni Mubarak (AP)

Clip Source: Gawker

The Carpenters - Rainy Days and Mondays (YouTube)

2011-02-13T09:39:00.001-08:00

Poor Karen. Another case of a talented artist meeting with a premature, tragic end. My first partner--the dead one--loved the Carpenters. I was a fan, umm, decades ago. Their holiday album remains among my favorites.

Nassau (County) State of Mind on Wings for Wheels

2011-02-09T15:45:00.001-08:00

Source: Wings For Wheels, the Web site and blog for Dave Lifton and the Wings for Wheels podcast.

Chicago Blizzard of 2011: Snow Squall Passes Through Feb 2

2011-02-02T09:14:00.001-08:00

A blizzard snow squall passing through on the morning of Wednesday, February 2, 2011. The snow last night was virtually horizontal, and wind gusts were clocked at the lakefront close to 70 mph. What you see in this video is tame by comparison to what we experienced last night. Snowfall in the squall captured in this short video was estimated at 2 inches per hour.

Rats Now Riding The Train Like Regular Passengers In NYC

2011-01-27T17:40:00.001-08:00

I haven't seen the rats in Chicago riding yet. Maybe the NYC rats will give them a clue. Or perhaps they'll see the video on YouTube and get the idea. Reason #174 why driving a planet-destroying car is preferred over rat-infested sewer trains.

Read more about the rats riding for free in NYC at gawker.com.

Mugler Menswear Fall Winter 11-12 Featuring Exclusive Lady GaGa Track

2011-01-25T05:09:00.000-08:00

Washington Post: Domestic Use of Aerial Drones by Law Enforcement Likely to Prompt Privacy Debate

2011-01-24T06:09:00.001-08:00

Domestic use of aerial drones by law enforcement likely to prompt privacy debate

Remember the good old days when all we had to worry about was black helicopters? And more recently, we accepted all of the blue light police surveillance cameras around Chicago, the most heavily surveilled city in the United States.

It should be reassuring to know that law enforcement agencies are borrowing the same technology being used by the American military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan for domestic purposes.

Can you say "the militarization of American society"? And if that doesn't resonate, how aobut "police state"?

It's a slippery slope, people. Since 9/11 Americans have surrendered many of the civil liberties once taken for granted in the United States. We've been watched, profiled, frisked, searched, made to remove our shoes at airports, herded like cattle through ill-planned TSA security processes. And surely you remember the U.S. Patriot Act. Where does it end?

I used to have a colleague who would reflexively say "Come the revolution ..." whenever we talked politics. Those looking at the technology in military and law enforcement hands today might surmise that any attempt at a revolution could be quelled quite readily by The Man.

Remember what John Ashcroft said, and I'm paraphrasing here: Be careful what you say.

They know how to find us and where to find us. No cause for alarm--just be aware. And if you feel that someone might be watching you, consider the possibility that you might be right.

Have a nice day.

Why Living Next To A Volcano Can Be Awesome

2011-01-13T04:15:00.001-08:00

Mt. Etna's been busy! The largest active volcano in Europe erupted on Wednesday night, sending lava down its ridge. The eruption only lasted an hour, and didn't pose a threat, but boy did it make for some pretty visuals.

See still images taken by a photographer who lives near the volcano.

Source: Max Reed at gawker.com

#gawker #mtetna #volcano #europe #earth #geology

"Biblical flooding" in Australia Captured by Getty Photographer

2011-01-06T06:17:00.001-08:00

See "biblical" flooding in Australia

Just Because: Frank Dandy Ladera Boxer

2011-01-05T19:28:00.001-08:00

Frank Dandy Ladera Boxer

Idiot With A Tripod

2010-12-30T04:28:00.001-08:00

Idiot With A Tripod from Gothamist on Vimeo.

The recent dumping of 20 inches of snow on New York City was a commuter's nightmare—also a filmmaker's paradise. Here's the moody, brilliantly-shot meditation on a buried city that's being called Oscar-worthy by no less than Roger Ebert.

The video was shot by filmmaker Jamie Stuart in Queens, during the snowstorm on the night of the 26th. Like the video itself, the title, "Idiot with a Tripod," is an homage to the 1929 silent film "Man With a Movie Camera." At the very least, it should win the Oscar for Best Viral Video About the Snowpocalypse. [Gothamist]

Send an email to Adrian Chen, the author of this post, at adrian@gawker.com.

Source: gawker.com

AT&T's Latest Don't Text While Driving Documentary

2010-12-28T04:54:00.001-08:00

I'm as guilty of this dangerous activity as anyone. I am in denial about the very serious risk it poses. As is true with so many things, I think, oh, I can manage this--it won't happen to me. This video is hard to watch, but it's worth watching--especially if you're like me, and you think you can text and drive without putting your life or someone else's life in danger.

White Chistmas 2010

2010-12-25T09:08:00.001-08:00

WikiLeaks Headquarters

2010-12-13T06:31:00.001-08:00

The WikiLeaks headquarters (the Swedish Bahnhof datacenter), designed by Albert France-Lanord Architects.

Source: Aethelyon - The Blog of Stephen M. Walker II

Techno Viking

2010-12-09T06:57:00.001-08:00

Among the top 50 videos that have gone viral. Source: Current TV.

Sarah Brightman - "Gloomy Sunday"

2010-12-04T07:53:00.001-08:00

Never mind that today is Saturday. It will be Sunday soon enough.

First Snow of Winter 2010 -11 in Chicago

2010-12-04T07:37:00.001-08:00

See the full gallery on posterous

The Weather Outside May Become Slightly Frightful

2010-12-03T13:57:00.001-08:00

Sleepy Sun - "New Age"

2010-12-03T06:33:00.001-08:00

Enchanting modern psychedelic sound. Gotta love it.

Viva Voce - "Rose City" (Live)

2010-12-03T06:26:00.001-08:00

Hooray for Rose City! I wanna go back too.

Howling Bells - "Cities Burning Down"

2010-12-03T06:21:00.001-08:00

Tori Amos - "China" (Live)

2010-12-03T05:31:00.001-08:00

Evanescence - My Immortal

2010-12-02T17:24:00.001-08:00

Beautiful song.

Hole - Doll Parts (Live from Big Day Out 1999)

2010-12-02T17:15:00.001-08:00

Oh, Courtney, why are you so good to me?

Monserrat Caballe "Sola, perduta, abandonata" Manon Lescaut (1975)

2010-12-01T18:20:00.001-08:00

Puccini concert at Teatro del Liceo, Barcelona, 1975.

Regina: 1994 - 2010

2010-12-01T11:54:00.001-08:00

I learned this morning that my cat, Regina, passed away last night. She died in my former partner, Tom's, arms, at his house in Berwyn, Illinois.

I adopted Regina in January of 1995 from the Champaign Humane Society. She was nine months old at the time. I remember the first time that I saw her, I felt a special affinity for Regina. The staff let me spend a few minutes alone with Regina and it was a lock. She and I seemed to get aong well from the start. I had to undergo adoption counseling before they would let me adopt her, but with that out of the way, she was mine. The first stop that I made after adopting Regina was the pet store on Rt. 45 in Champaign. The Champaign Humane Society insisted during my adoption counseling that I was only to feed her Science Diet cat food, and that's what I bought for her.

Regina had a good life. She lived with me in Champaign-Urbana for a few years, and even took a trip to Florida with me one year for the December holidays. I remember that my mom had a tiny Shih Tzu and Regina was a bit afraid of it, so we kept them separated. Regina hopped over the divider once, but didn't stay out with my mom's dog for very long. That was the furthest that Regina ever traveled from home in her lifetime.

In 1996 Regina and I moved to Chicago. Regina cried in the pet carrier all the way up I-57, and frequent stops for breaks only helped temporarily. She was not a fan of car rides--especially long car rides. She didn't much care for trips to the vet either. But she was a good cat, and was a great companion.

In 1997 Regina and I moved to Berwyn, Illinois, to live with Tom. Tom is an ardent animal lover, and although at the time Tom had a Yorkie named Molly, we managed to all four live happily under one roof for many years. I used to be amused at how Tom's dog, Molly, wanted to be friends with Regina, and used to try to give her kisses, but Regina wasn't having it. Regina used to swat at Molly's face, as if to say, "Get away from me--and don't try to kiss me." Molly was very high energy, and Regina was not impressed or enamored. We used to keep them separated most of the time. But it was a peaceful coexistence.

In 2005 I moved to a tiny loft condo in the South Loop, and I knew that Regina would be happier staying with Tom in his big house in Berwyn. I knew that Tom would take good care of her, and that she would have more space to roam and be comfortable at Tom's house. I used to visit and cat sit from time to time, when Tom was out of the country, on business trips, etc. Regina gave us a scare a few years ago. Back then the vet said that she had bladder cancer. She wasn't eating and lot weight. She remained upstairs, and seldom came downstairs anymore. Tom and I thought that it was the end for Regina back then. But Tom tended to her, and brought Regina to the vet for additional care, and miraculously, she pulled through. For the past year or two she has shown signs of age, but she regained her appetite and the specter of death seemed to be out of the picture, at least for a while.

I recall that on a recent birthday of mine, while Tom was out of town, I went to check on Regina and spend some time with her. I was not having a good birthday that year. I think I was sick with bronchitis and a sinus infection. I was feeling low and Regina tried to cheer me up, although she didn't care much for my coughing, sneezing, congestion, and all of my nose blowing. But we had a nice visit, and I think she helped me feel better than I had before I visited her. A friend of mine says that cats serve as little nurses when we are sick, and they try to care for us. I think that's a very sweet sentiment, and on that birthday just a few years ago, I think Regina was trying to do just that.

The last time that I visited with Regina, I noted that Tom had a kitty bed for her in the upstairs bathroom, one in the kitchen, one in the livingroom, so Regina had many options for sleeping comfortably. Given the choice of three floors, Regina still tended to prefer the upstairs, and liked to sleep right in front of the heat vent in the upstairs bathroom in her older age.

I feel some guilt about having left Regina behind in 2005, when I moved, but I knew that Tom would take good care of her. Tom has his outside cats, his squirrels, his birds, so there was no reason to think that Regina would be neglected. If anything, Tom would care for her better than I could myself. He had a regular cat sitter who used to come to check in on both Regina and Molly, and after Molly passed, she would still come to check in on Regina when Tom was away. I know that Eva, the pet sitter, loved Regina very much, just as Tom and I did.

It's sad to think of Regina gone. She gave both Tom and me many years of unconditional love and faithful companionship. I hope that she is at peace and no longer suffering. I will miss her.

Photo caption: Regina at my first apartment in Chicago, ca. 1996.