Walk Score

I found this site from one of my daily email digests and thought it was kinda fun... walkscore.com Basically you enter in your address and it calculates a "walk score" based on how close you are to various amenities and business in your area. Obviously, this site is designed more for the urban dweller than the suburbanite, and I think it's more for checking out areas before you move, but it's still a fun little gadget for a 2 minute diversion.

Incidentally, my address of 135 Guernsey comes up with a walk score of 91! Beat that, suburbia!

Smokey's Sad End

A few posts ago, i told the tale of Smokey, Jen's stepfather's whiskerless cat who wobbled when he walked. Sadly, on Friday, Jen received news of his death. Apparently, after an evening of his not returning home, (he was generally an outdoor cat, though he wouldn't usually wobble very far from his homebase), Jen's mother alerted the neighbors, and they found him between some rocks directly off of a cliff, still alive, with his leg, pelvis and tail broken. He had been bitten by an animal as well, though it was unclear whether or not his injuries were a result of the attack or after an accident. They managed to get him to a vet, but at his late age (21 years) and terrible injuries, it was going to be too much for the cat to bare: he was put down. In spite of this, Smokey was purring to the end.

Somewhere in Maine, a very special cat's wobble is missing, and it makes me incredibly sad.


Smokey, two weeks before his departure, in Maine

Iowa

Recently went camping in Iowa with Phil Anzelmo (star of "The Family Tie"), his girlfriend Staisey and their friends Ben, Jodie, and Cary. It was, undoubtedly, one of the nicest camping experiences I ever had: we had an area right along the Maquoketa river all to ourselves. Granted, we had to dig a hole in the ground when we had to shit and there wasn't any running water, but fortunately everyone came prepared as they had a shovel and many a bottle of water. This was a far cry from the camping getaways typical of New Yorkers heading up to the Catskills or Poconos for the weekend with their screaming children and bad music: this was the real deal, a true slice of heaven on earth.

I've posted a handful of pictures on my Flickr which also details some of the activities from the trip.

Smokey - Wobbly Cat

Jen Rock's old cat Smokey lives in Maine with her mother Carolyn and step-dad David. As a result of some brain damage, Smokey wobbles when he walks, sometimes falling over in the process. When he was a kitten, one of Jen's brothers snipped off his whiskers with a pair of scissors and they never grew back properly. At 21 years old, he is now completely deaf and only really responds to touch and whatever he can muster up with his poor eyesight. In spite of this he remains blissfully ignorant of his condition and is adorably content with his lot in life. Even at the ripe age of 21, he aggressively pursues my affections as you can hear from his purring in this video. Everyone in Jen's family expected Smokey to pass on years ago, but he somehow manages to keep hanging on, or at least keep his balance long enough to find his way to the food dish. Somewhere in Maine, Smokey is wobbling, and knowing that makes my world a little brighter.