Batting .999 Is Disappointing

Yesterday I found out for the first time that one of my adoptions at PetCo turned out badly. Dewey, an adult male cat I adopted out, was returned to the shelter because the owner thought he cried too much and wanted too much attention. I didn't see the surrender questionnaire, but another volunteer at the shelter said it sounded like the guy just didn't realize that an animal needs attention.

Every adoption counselor there has stories of adoptions they did that didn't end well, and everyone knows that you can't catch everything, you can't foresee every problem. But still, I can't help but find myself straining to remember all the details about the adoption...were there warning signs I ignored? Did I not talk to the guy enough, get a good enough feel for his personality and what he thought having a pet entailed?

I know it's certainly not a worst-case scenario. Dewey is fine...it sounds like he was lonely for a little while at the guy's house, but he wasn't hurt, wasn't abused. But, you go through these adoptions and want so badly for each one to work out. You want each home you send them to to be a good one. In your mind, you know that it's just not possible to bat a thousand, but it's a pretty big bummer the first time you have irrefutable evidence that you're not.

R.I.P. George Carlin

George Carlin's name gets hijaked and wrongly attributed to a lot of callous, juvenile "punch lines", but he did indeed say this one. In a word....word.

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.
- George Carlin

Chick Peas - They're Neither Chicks, nor Peas. Discuss.

I'm getting the feeling that the next month or so would be a LOT easier if I could just quit my regular job now.

The move to Philly progresses. One big step seems to have been taken care of, in that I've found (hope hope) a good potential roomie. Which has a lot of plusses...personal comfort being the highest on there. Plus not having to figure out what to do with all my stuff, and not feeling completely like I'm a guest in someone else's home.

Wow, I just realized I'm not even writing in complete sentences at this point. Wahoo.

So now all I need is an apartment to move into. Details! Oh yeah, and a new computer. I found out last week that Temple's exam security software only runs on native Windows, and I'll be damned if I'm letting Windows gunk up my Mac. So yippee...off to find the cheapest laptop available that I think will last me three years. Because, y'know, I had an extra few hundred dollars I didn't really want anymore.

Really, I'm not as bitter as I sound. Just scatter-brained!

But hey, queers are getting married in California today!!! *happy dance*

Leda

I haven't posted in a while...no, it's not because I've been in mourning over the Pens. Honestly, any post-season where the boys manhandle the team that killed them last year, the Rangers, AND the Flyers...well, that's a fabulous post-season in my book.

I've run up against my first truly personally-heart-string-pulling case at PetCo this week, Leda. This poor girl was surrendered by people who had her for four years, "Because they had a baby." Not that she didn't like the baby, or was mean to it, or started peeing everywhere because of it, just that they had one. The sad part is that when they gave her up, they knew she was a shy cat, prone to being scared. Well, this poor girl has been absolutely terrified from day one with us. She doesn't have an ounce of mean in her, but she has plenty of scared.

She's starting to relax a little--when her cage door is closed and the store is quiet, she comes up to the door for all the loving you can give. But as soon as you open the door or try to pick her up, she panics. It's killing me. I wish there was some magic wand I could waive to let her know that she's safe...whatever she may have gone through to make her this way, she's safe now. Of all the great cats I've met in the few months I've worked there, this is the first one that has really made me wish I could take someone home. From day one when I picked her up and she let me trim her claws even though she was shaking like a leaf, she had me good. If there was any way humanly possible for me to get another cat, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but it's just out of the realm of possibility right now.

Sigh.

So...if anyone out there knows of someone who is kind and patient and would love to give this poor, terrified sweetheart a place where she will be safe and loved, send them this way!