Meet Mario

Mario will be 14 years old in September of this year. He is a very special cat. He is super sweet. His 3 favorite things to do are; sleeping, eating and cuddling me a night. Hence, his nick name "Cuddle bug".

I have had Mario since he was 6 weeks old. I saw an ad in the newspaper that read "Free Kitten to a Good Home". I went and picked him out of the litter. He was a tiny thing and fluffy. I didn't know what to call him so I let him pick his name. His choices were "Fluffy" or "Mario". I would alternate between names when calling him. He responded to Mario so.... that's what his name is. Nothing bad has happened to Mario in his life with me.

I am not so sure about his previous lifetimes. I say this because Mario is afraid of everything, including and especially his shadow. He is afraid when the air-conditioner goes on. He use to be afraid of cat toys and then Kitty came along and he learned how to play with them. He will not play with his cat toys alone. He would just join in with Kitty during play time. And he has nightmares almost every night.

I learned the hard way not to wake a cat having nightmares. About 21 years ago my cat, Bebe, was sleeping and having a nightmare and I stooped down to wake him up and he lunged into my face. His teeth literally cut my top lip all the way through in 2 places. I had to go to Santa Monica Hospital Emergency Room and have 32 stitches. So when Mario begins his nightly whimpering I just talk to him and he'll wake up from the nightmare.

The video is of the only thing I have been able to teach Mario.... a duet.

Ciao

Little Instructions for Happiness

Stay loose - learn to watch snails.
Make little signs that say "yes."
Make friends with freedom and uncertainty.
Cry during movies.
Giggle with children.
Swing as high as you can.
Do it for love.
Take lots of naps.
Laugh a lot.
Hug trees.
Write letters.
Celebrate every gorgeous moment.
Read every day.
Do it now.
Listen to those older than you are.
Entertain your inner child.
Believe in magic.

John C. Fitts (adapted)

Wishing you lots of perfect little moments
and out-of-the-blue reasons to smile.

Ciao

In Loving Memory of Kitty

My beloved pet, Kitty, passed away this morning. I felt two emotions at the same time. I felt relief that he was no longer suffering, gasping for air and crying in pain and I felt the pain in my heart of not being able to have him in my daily life.

I feel as if I am in shock. It all happened so very fast. It was only last Sunday night that I arrived home at 10:30pm to find Kitty's health in decline.

You know life is really weird... no rhyme or reason... or so it seems. I started this blog a month ago because I learned the value of communicating through a blog when my friend, Melita, was diagnosed with a tumor in her lung and began her blog www.myleftlung.com. I think it is really weird and erie that a month after I have begun my blog I am posting about my Kitty dying from the same thing Melita had. It's just weird.

I have learned in my lifetime that even the bad stuff happens for a reason. And I am trying to find the reason for Kitty's life to be cut so short (he would have been 6 years old Memorial Day weekend). Of all the places that Kitty has lived, he loved this place the most. He loved being able to sit on the balcony and see the world. He loved running up and down the stairs like a cat on crack. He loved going for walks outside the front door on his hot-pink leash. I don't think Kitty would have been happier living anywhere else. Who knows he may have gotten really depressed if he would have had to move from here.

I know that sometimes we have to go down a bad road to get to a better place. It's just life. I have figured that part out. I feel as if I am on the bad road right now, but I know the better road is just ahead. I am moving across country and part of the move includes selling 90% of what I own. Before today I felt some hesitancy about selling my custom made sofa set, my dinning room table, my bedroom furniture. Well, I have absolutely no hesitancy now. In facts, I can't sell it all fast enough. I can't move fast enough. Kitty was such a large part of my life and there are memories of Kitty everywhere. He had more personality than 1000 cats put together.

Maybe Kitty passing away was something that had to happen for me to keep on track with my plan of moving. Maybe the godForce that looks after us knew that Kitty passing away would be what I needed to get on with my plan, without hesitation and at a quicker pace. Who knows. I do know that the next 2 months living here will feel sad for me. And I know that I now have another guardian angel looking out for me. Does it make me feel better saying that? No.

I do have another cat. Mario who is 14 years old and a cuddle bug. Mario loved Kitty dearly from the first time they met. I know that Mario will miss Kitty but will be fine. Animals don't get all emotional like we do.

I couldn't bring myself to put a picture of Kitty up for this post. The picture is the same that I have on my iPhone. Don't know whose pretty cat it is.

Ciao

Life Feels a Bit Strange Right Now

You ever get that feeling that you aren't living your life? I mean in your life, for the most part, things are predictable, right? Like maybe you have entered the twilight zone or are in a bad dream....

That's what life feels like for me right now. My beloved pet, Kitty, is very ill. I have been told that he has a tumor on his lung. I have been told that he will not get better and that I can only medicate his symptoms (antibiotics for the inflammation and pain pills for the pain).

I have had pets before that have passed on. It never gets easier. Each one is special in their own way. Each one has a special place in your heart.

I also know that what I am feeling right now will not be what I will be feeling tomorrow or the day after that or the following week, or next month or even next year.

But right now, this minute, it feels really sad.

I ran across this picture on the Internet and thought it was perfect for how my world feels today... a tad bit off.

Ciao

Only in LA

Kitty wasn't doing very well this morning. His breathing was still very bad. He wouldn't eat a bite. Last time he ate was yesterday morning.

I decided to take Kitty to his regular vet. The vet said his breathing was labored. It was harder for Kitty to breath in than to breath out. The vet wanted to take a x-ray. I didn't have the x-ray from Sunday night. I should have asked for it Sunday night... however, it was midnight and I was on east coast time and it felt like 3am to me.

The x-ray this morning revealed a spot on Kitty's lung. His white blood cells were high so the vet changed his antibiotic and he is now on zithromax and was also given pills to increase his appetite. The vet asked me to go to the 24-hour vet and get a copy of the doctor's report and x-ray. He wanted to send it along with today's x-ray to the radiologist to get an opinion on what the spot is on Kitty's lung. The vet told me that a package was going to the radiologist at 12:30 today and he would like Kitty's x-rays in that package.

I called the 24-hour vet and told them what I needed. I came home and dropped Kitty off. I went to the 24-hour vet and was surprised by all the big trucks, cars and people at the vet's office. The guy guarding the office door told me I couldn't go in because they were filming. I looked around and realized that they were shooting a movie. Inside the parking lot were cages of animal actors, which included birds, cats and dogs. I started to get upset because I knew I had to drive in the Los Angeles mid-day traffic and get back to my vet by 12:30. I told a guard that I had to get into the vet. He let me in. Upon walking into the vet it was like chaos at it's finest. The makeup girl had her setup in the waiting room. Lights, cables, cameras people everywhere. Some guy was running around yelling "Quiet we're filming". I got Kitty's information and returned to the parking lot only to find out my car was blocked in. A security guard said to me "They are filming a feature film with Ben Stiller. You like movies, don't you? Then you shouldn't mind this." I told him that I was alarmed to think that they couldn't build a vet's office in the studios and that they had to disrupt people. And I don't love movies more than I love the well being of my pet.

It's all perception you know. Today my perception of the ordeal of them filming a movie at the vet's office where I had to go was that I am over it. A lot of filming goes on in this town and it really is disruptive. The vet gets paid at least $15,000, per day, that they shoot in his office. 20 years ago my perception of today would have been very different. I would have been excited and called my sister and said "Wow, it was so cool. Really amazing."

I have a friend who rented his house out for filming. The picture is of me and Val Kilmer, taken at my friends house, while filming the movie Wonderland in 2002.

Ciao

Say a Prayer for Kitty

Upon arriving home last night I found Kitty having a hard time breathing. I instantly found a 24 hour animal hospital and took him there.

Kitty was diagnosed with Rhinotracheitis, which is characterized by respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge, rhinitis (inflammation of the nose), and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelid). It is usually seen in kittens.

Kitty will be 6 years old Memorial Day weekend (end of May). A chest x-ray was taken and he was given a steroid shot last night. He has to be given amoxicillin twice a day for 10 days. He can't stand the medicine. I gave it to him this morning and his breathing was much better today. This evening he began foaming at the mouth when I gave him the antibiotic. He's eating but just not as much as he normally would.

Kitty is by far the smartest cat I have ever had. The picture is of him sitting on my files in my office.

Ciao

Greetings from Delaware

My road trip did not go as planned. It's really no big deal. I have found that the key to living a smooth life is to be flexible and go with the flow no matter where that flow may lead you.

I was sitting in the airport in Los Angeles waiting to get on my flight and my phone kept ringing. It was actually my work phone that I transferred to my cell phone. A problem arose at the Delaware Secretary of State with my business. While sitting at the airport I decided that I would need to address this issue in person.

Since I was already packed and a formal business meeting wasn't what I had in mind, I had to find the appropriate business clothes in Pennsylvania before going to Delaware.

On Monday morning I arrived at the Delaware Secretary of State's office. It was nice to be able to put a face with the many voices and emails from the last 16 years.

After spending time at the Corporations Division I decided it would be beneficial to my business to set up a presence in Delaware and I spent the rest of the day doing just that. Upon my return to California I will formally qualify my business to do business in the state of Delaware.

Over all, the problem was one of those things that propels you and your business to another level quantum style. It was totally unexpected, however this time next week my business will be much better off had the problem not occurred.

Hummm..... funny how life works.... real funny....

The picture was taken at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware.

Ciao

What's Been Going On

I went to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and looked at this home. It is in Wonderview Community and over looks the Susquehanna River. The home appeared to need interior paint and flooring to be in move-in condition. I put in an offer on the home and it was accepted. I hired an inspector to go out and check out the home. I was saddened to find out that it had plumbing and structural problems. About 6 months of work would have to be put into the home. This was not exactly what I wanted on my plate, so I canceled my offer. Then began the ton of paper work and lots of phone calls involved in stopping a ball that has begun to roll. A lot of people to deal with which makes it all a bit daunting. The experience was so unpleasant to me that I had to put the breaks on the whole idea of home shopping.

The thing is... I know I am definitely leaving California, at the latest end of May, this year. However, I don't exactly know where I am going to. This doesn't bother me at all. I have found that even the best of plans don't always go accordingly and hence a let-down can occur. I really love "winging" life. And I know that to many this may sound irresponsible. I can assure you it isn't out of irresponsibility that I love to live this way.

I have decided to begin a road trip next Saturday the 14th. On the 13th I will fly to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and from there I will drive through the state of Delaware and check it out. Heading to Virginia Beach, Virginia. From there I am going to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. From there I will head through Charleston, West Virginia to Savannah, Georgia. If I have time and decide to I may even go as far as Orlando, Florida. Truth be known, I might only go as far as Delaware and Myrtle Beach. Keep in mind that I am checking out places to live so I will want to stay and hang out if the place feels right or good. If I don't get a warm, fuzzy, fun, interesting feeling, then I am going to keep going. And chances are that I will be renting whereever I am moving to until I decide upon the place I want to buy.

The picture is of the house in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

Ciao