roastpotato

By inspiredbychaos on May 18, 2011 at 12:51 PM

Hai roastpotato! Just wanted to see how you've been doing. Hope you aren't crazy swamped with not-fun things!

By inspiredbychaos on Mar 8, 2011 at 4:35 PM

Ohai roastpotato! Hope March is treating you and Miss Bella well so far.

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 27, 2011 at 2:58 PM

Oh nice!! I love that episode (The interviewer asks Jen "What does IT mean?" and Jen is like "Sorry?"). The taping sounds really cool... must have been so interesting to see everything in person including all the wacky little knick-knacks and decorations they have in the IT department. We actually just got Season 4, not Season 3 (I was wrong earlier), so we're pretty much caught up for now. LOVE the Street Countdown episode and seeing Richmond again in the finale! :) I am a big fan of Richmond but I agree with you in that Moss in my favorite! He's so random and odd and hilarious! He always makes me laugh the most with his unique perspective on the world. And the uptight way he runs and carries himself in general is so brilliant. :) That is so funny that you don't know anyone over there who watches the show (or at least talks about watching it). I stumbled across it about a year ago and have gotten my boyfriend and some of our friends into it as well. Makes sense that it's more of a cult show... I love how it's got so many absurd things happening in a normal office environment. Oh on another note I posted more pics of my cats including our foster kitty- Apollo. He looks like Athena but has shorter hair and is in several of the pictures including the one in the paper bag and also the one where he is sleeping/cuddling with his sister (who we adopted to a loving couple :) - they named her Zoe). How was your weekend? :)

By roastpotato on Feb 26, 2011 at 7:12 PM

Oh YEAH! Soo cool you like it! :) The episode i saw recorded i think was series 3 - Jen had a job interview at another company, and she had to call Roy and Moss to ask something. I wont tell you what in case you havent seen that one yet, but if you have, it's very funny :) there was also a tea lady in a back corridoor who Moss was talking to... It was a couple of years ago so i dont remember too much but i just loved it being such a big fan of the show. The guy who plays Roy was very relaxed and a bit of a comedian between his acting which was nice but people mostly 'stayed in character', oh and it was so good to see the set, their office and have a really good look at all the little things around. Series 5 will be shown here this year sometime, so you have at least 2 more to go :) It's not a big show here, it's on late at night, more of a cult thing i guess, but it's obviously doing really well to have 5 series! I watch very little TV and dont actually know anyone in real life who likes the show (i guess me n my friends dont talk about TV so someone may like it though!) so it's so funny to meet you on here and all the way over in the USA who does! :) Who is your favourite? I think mine is Moss, he's so uptight and otherworldly :)

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 24, 2011 at 5:49 PM

OMG yes I love the IT Crowd!!! We can watch it through Netflix Instant here (yay!!) and we just got access to Season 3 a couple months ago. "I came here to drink milk and kick a**. And I just finished my milk." :) You are so lucky you got to go see it being recorded! That must have been so cool! Which episode was it you saw? Also that's hilarious that they were keeping an eye on you all so you didn't sneak off to spy on Mr Bond. :)

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 24, 2011 at 5:43 PM

O hai!! Glad to hear your week is going quickly- hopefully it's not too stressful! Good to know the type of carrier that Bella can escape... Athena's really smart so I'll try to get an especially escape-proof one for her. ;) Interesting to hear how your cats reacted to being out on the train... puts my imaginary-cat-loose-on-an-airplane concept to shame. It is good that they were pretty calm though and just hung out under your seat! I'd be one of the adoring fans if I'd been on the train. :) One of my friends has flown with her cat (he's about a year old now) and apparently she will open his carrier and he'll stay under her seat discreetly so the flight attendants don't notice. But he's a super well behaved cat who really doesn't mind traveling at all! That's awesome that you are getting an extra bank holiday in England for the Royal wedding! I wish we had more holidays/vacation time over here. :P Since it's a bank holiday, do people generally have parties to watch something like the Royal wedding or would you just watch that at home with your family? Happy Friday btw!! :)

By roastpotato on Feb 24, 2011 at 3:13 PM

You favourited the 'not a window cleaner clip'! Do you know it's from a TV show called The IT Crowd? Do you get it over there in USA? I think it's awsome, so funny! I've been to see it being recorded actually :-o which was just great, really interesting and so good to see the actors in the flesh :) It was at the same film studio where a James Bond was being filmed so we were very excited indeed, but unfortunately they kept their eye on where we were so we didn't get to see Daniel !!!!

By roastpotato on Feb 23, 2011 at 5:47 PM

Hai! I'ts Weds night here now (well, early Thurs morning actually, i'm a terrible 'night owl') and I did have a good wkend thx and the week so far has just gone in a complete blurr! The carrier that Bella can get out of is a cloth type one, though rigid, by 'Pet Flys' i think and she can get out because it zips up on one side and she opens the zip from the inside! My previous two cats never did that! It's very good your cats would go in the cabin and that you're looking after them as best you can :) OMG, can you imagine a cat loose on an airplaine? There'd be screaming and people with allergies and general chaos! Tee hee :) I have actually let all 3 cats out when travelling (usually up to Nottingham to see family) on trains, on a harness and only if the carriage is really quiet. And well, Bella i wont do that again because she's too young and just goes mad wanting to run around! But Socks and Patsy were fine walking along the carriage and got either ignored, amazed looks or adored by the few other passengers :) then just settled under my chair - so a lesson for you if you fly, that thats the place cats choose to be! I heard about your Presidents day :) you get so few 'bank holidays' compared to us, oh and we're getting an extra one this year for the Royal wedding!! TTFN, rp.

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 21, 2011 at 7:34 PM

O hai!!! Thank you for the phonograph. :) Hope you and Bella had a great weekend! So glad she can keep you company while you type! I was in Arizona this weekend visiting my grandparents. Today (Monday) is President's Day here in the US and a lot of us get the day off from work. You are correct! The MBA is a graduate degree for business. I'm hoping to move more into marketing and the business side of the game industry post-degree. If we move to Austin, we'll take the cats in the cabin of the plane. We've been doing a lot of research to try and figure out how to reduce their stress during the move. That's crazy that the airplane carrier is the only one that Bella can escape from! I can picture her going to visit the other passengers during a flight. ;) Our foster is pretty darn adorable. I'll post pics of him soon!! That's interesting how adoption works in the UK... some places here are similar to that but many local organizations (as opposed to nationwide) have adoption events at pet stores and such. Aw poor Socks sounds like a kindred spirit to my foster. She must have been such a sweet girl. I am glad you could have time together and I'm sure she was so happy to spend her life with you. Thanks for the good thoughts about my bf! It's rough but he's been finding good ways to keep busy while job hunting. Hopefully he'll find something soon! Hope your week is off to a great start. <3

By roastpotato on Feb 21, 2011 at 6:29 PM

Ohai! I saw you needed the phonograph so i just sent you one :)

By roastpotato on Feb 18, 2011 at 4:02 PM

Thank you :) Awww Bella is on my lap pawing and purring away as I type this, soo nice :) Well you're on the go and on the up! The MBA is the business qualification I think? So you'll be moving more to production and management of the whole thing rather than individual projects and maybe your own business one day? All very exciting :-D What you said about moving and flying stalled me for a moment, but then I thought 'oh, it's America!, d-oh'! And cat's on planes, o-oo, do they go in the cabin with you or do they have to go into the horrid hold? I know there's cat/pet carriers that fit under the chairs as I have one I got on line from USA that says this, it's the one Bella can get out of! I really hope your 'foster' (yeah, right :) kitty can make the trip if he needs to, he sounds soooo adorable, a real little love-bunny! Hmm, I can't see you parting from him which makes you bad foster parents, but who cares! :) If you do though, he will so obviously be adored by his new owners :) Please post pics if you can, if you want to, I'd love to see all your kittehs! We don't have foster events here but we should - what an awesome idea! People have to go to the individual cat rescue places to view the cats, after registering and being checked out of course. I can imagine that only the confident cats would do well at them and like them, but you have to try with each cat or you won't know. My poor Socks was that nervous of strangers and so scared when travelling etc, and 'foster' kitty sounds like her - yes, really horrid for me too seeing her like that :/ I hope your bf gets a job too, it's got to be really hard & depressing for him :/ NB sorry for the delayed reply - I only now have time to sit down and do so properly!

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 15, 2011 at 2:29 PM

So sorry to hear about your dad. ::hugs:: His birthday must have been rough for you especially as a reminder that he's not here anymore. Toasting to his memory sounds like a nice way to remember him on his birthday. I bet Socks and Hermes would have gotten along well. That's so sweet that Bella plays kitty fetch!! :) We are seriously thinking of adopting our foster cat since it's been hard to find a new home for him. He loves to snuggle and play with our cats and has really done his best to make himself part of our clan. Plus he's become my boyfriend's naptime buddy and he sleeps on my pillow at night... he's super adorable and looks like a toy, plus he's got a really winning personality. (He does get quite nervous around strangers though! I tried to show him at an adoption event once and it was not fun for either of us.) So yeah we're thinking we will probably keep him but we may be moving soon (I'm going to get my MBA in the fall so it depends on the school I end up going to) and we have to make sure his heart is ok for potentially being moved via airplane. I wish they paid people who do what you do more... you have a very important job and I bet you have touched many lives! I also think that teachers are much needed and vital. My mom taught elementary school for several years and the potential to make a difference in that profession is huge! Plus it sounds like your experience with social work would be a great background for going into teaching. Best of luck figuring out the timing... sounds like a very worthy endeavor once you are ready! My job is pretty creative, these days I do a lot more project management/operations than editing but I like it that way. While we don't do a whole lot of music here, everyone on staff knows how to play at least 1 instrument... we joke about starting a band. :) We do call people who practice law Lawyers here. I never thought I'd be dating one, but a friend set us up 3 and some odd years ago and we really hit it off. He passed the BAR in November and now he's looking for his first out-of-school job... the economy's made things a bit difficult for everyone, even lawyers. :P Hope you had a great Valentine's Day!

By roastpotato on Feb 14, 2011 at 6:28 PM

Happy Valentines Day! :-D I love that your two kittehs are so different in temperament as well as looks, thats so funny and sweet! My Socks was what i called a 'simple soul' (ie hardly a brain cell in her pretty little head!) but with an excess of cute n cuddly :) and Bella is really smart like Athena, she can get out of the cat carrier i used to use, and she will play fetch - in a cat way and when she feels like it of course though :) Your darling foster cat - will he be able to be re-homed with his medical history (Kitteh cardiologist - oh YEAH!) or might he end up staying with you ...? My flat - i totally adore it but unfortunately i just rent, theres no way i could afford to buy a flat in central London! Thats because im sort of a social worker (without the qualification) and i manage a small team of people and we support adults with different problems and (in a nutshell) help them to get themselves sorted out and stay off the street. Its not well paid! I used to love my job, but i very much dont any more unfortunately so im thinking of training (evening classes) to be a teacher (of adults), i just need to get off my bum and do it!!!! It'll take years and isnt so simple as you have to get qualification and experience too, and id have to do that at the same time as being in a full time job .... Im not up to it and shouldnt make any decisions though at the moment as im very much struggling with having lost my Dad 6 months ago (it would have been his birthday yesterday). Oh dear, there's me again with the sharing - feeling the need obviously! Was out last night with two of my best friends so we raised a glass (or few) to those departed and ive a bit of a bad head today! :) Your job is groovy (and simple to explain with your job title, unlike mine!), are you very musical and creative then? Nice that you have a Lawyer (that's what you call them in USA? Here we have Solicitors and Barristers) boyfriend - good one girl!

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 14, 2011 at 11:19 AM

Hai! Hope u and Bella had a great weekend. I'm not sure if Hermes and his cousin were feral. His foster mom probably would have mentioned if he acted more feral when she first got him, but maybe he was just easily domesticated. :) He's not the brightest cat but he's really wacky and adorable! Athena on the other hand is super smart... she doesn't go for out-of-sight-out-of-mind when you try to hide something she wants! We do get feral cats here and some of the people at my rescue org feed them in places where they congregate... but I do think they don't live nearly as long as kitties who get to live indoors. That's funny how the list for indoor cats at the rescue group by you is mostly old ladies. Makes sense though if most cats in your area are used to going outside, it'd be hard to keep them indoors all the time! I don't blame you for not wanting to wait on the list, and it's great that you still find kitties to help give a loving home to. Congrats on having your own place! That's really cool and I know that housing in London can be expensive!! Even more than here in LA... what do you do for a living? I work some long hours too as a video game sound editor, but the overtime comes in waves which is nice. So far Scott and I have fostered 2 cats, one of which we still have since he had a hole in his heart when we first got him and nearly died (!). It was really scary but he's all better now thanks to the help of a kitty cardiologist, and as he's grown the hole in his heart has shrunk to a point where he's pretty much a normal cat. Fostering has been a great experience, but it definitely helps that my boyfriend (we live together) was in law school when we started and then was preparing for the BAR exam, so he had time during the day to help with vet appts and such. I couldn't have fostered without his help!! Hope your Monday went ok!

By roastpotato on Feb 12, 2011 at 5:13 PM

I have to say that it's most rescue places that won't let me home a cat and I guess it's because the cats they get in have been used to going out. They could though have an 'indoor cat' department, but i guess they don't get many of those in for re-homing. The one rescue place that is happy for me to home their cats say that they get very few indoor only cats and there's already a long waiting list for them (old Ladies apparently and also of course other peep like me), and each time i've not wanted to wait! I would have waited though of course had i not found my kittehs in other ways, through friends of friends :) I live in a tiny flat (fine), on my own (extatic), and work long hours (boo hoo!)so can't really foster (boo hoo!). It's soo great that you do that, hard work and hartache i bet - but you get to help so many kittehs in such a major way which is awsome :)

By roastpotato on Feb 12, 2011 at 4:53 PM

Hi, I'm sorry to hear you were sick :/ I know what you mean, I also have to be quite together to deal with anything more than the fluffy kittens! :) Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words, about Socks especially <3 It's really nice to hear about your two kittehs backgrounds, and you were very good to persevere and take home Hermes as he was so shy :) Were he and his couzin feral, wild cats maybe? Many years ago I homed two tiny feral brother kittens who were extremely shy and timid, but grew up into healthy and 1 big and very confident and 1 scared of his own shadow cats!! Do you get feral cats there? Maybe they don't survive long from what you've said! :(

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 11, 2011 at 11:31 AM

We adopted Hermes from the same rescue org that we foster for. He was found back behind a megamart near the box compactor (!) with his "cousin" (they think it was his half-brother from another litter). He was so shy when we went to visit him at the foster's house! He kept sneaking closer and closer to us very slowly but staying out of reach. Eventually his foster mom gave us some vegetarian ham and we fed it to him and Hermes became our friend. :) We've had Hermes for 2 years and Athena for almost 2.5. He's 2.5 years old and she is almost 3!

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 11, 2011 at 10:56 AM

(Wish they'd put a counter on the messages!) To continue, Patsy sounds sweet... one of the cats I had as a kid loved paper bags and she was always so funny! I hope she is living it up in the wild- she sounds sweet and smart so I bet she's figured out how to make it out there. Sounds like you have a gift with the shy traumatized kitties! Bella is lucky to have such a good home with you. That's interesting that you have to have full access to outside to adopt from a rescue in the UK... in LA outside cats don't make it long between traffic or coyotes (if you live in a less trafficky part) so the org I foster for won't let people adopt from them if they will let the cat outside. Taking in cats who are in trouble and/or unwanted is equally noble as adopting from a shelter. Plus you are helping save space at the shelters for more kitties in need! My Athena was found by a friend of a friend trapped under a laundry basket on the sidewalk in the summer heat. She's obviously been a domestic cat before- she knew all about people food when I took her in!

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 11, 2011 at 10:51 AM

O hai Roastpotato! Sorry for the delayed response. I am happy to "listen" to you anytime! I've been sick and am now feeling better and ready to write a good response! :) Socks sounds like she was an amazing kitty. I am so sorry that you and she had to go through so much pain but am glad to hear her life was happy for the bulk of it and that she could bring you so much joy while you had time together. I can't imagine going what you went through... one of my childhood cats had to be put to sleep and that was upsetting so I'm sure what you went through was really hard. At least you and Socks got to spend a great couple years together and she knew she was loved in her last days. :)

By roastpotato on Feb 9, 2011 at 4:21 PM

Bella is a pedigree Manx (no tail) and the breeder no longer wanted her at her age of 2, so gave her away. Yes, not a rescue situation as such, just unwanted, but afer my trauma with Socks and poor Patsy running off i wanted a cat who i knew the full history of, no surprises, and to be honest a bit younger too because of Socks illness, so i thought of this. I cant actually have cats from the usual rescue places, though i have tried ALL of them, more than once, because I dont have full access to outside and live between two main roads, etc etc. Bloody rediculous!!!! Still, i managed to get two cats that were in real trouble who needed new homes and one unwanted one, and no rescue place had to go through the expence of rehoming them :|

By roastpotato on Feb 9, 2011 at 4:07 PM

Sorry, i obviously needed to share - thanks for 'listening'! Patsy needed a new home because she'd been living on top of a kitchen cabinet for 3 years, avoiding the owners grandkids, visitors, dogs, etc, and only coming down to eat etc, poor thing, and she's a big cat too! They said she was happy not going out so i took her. I can let my cat out but only when i'm home as it's via my kitchen window which is rather difficukt to open and close etc. But when she got to me and had relaxed after her previous place, settled down etc, she was obviously DESPERATE to go out all the time. She was happy with me and obviously so much better than her last place but i quickly found somwhere new for her that had proper access to outside. Her new people did nothing wrong, but on her second time allowed out she didnt come home, and that was 8 months ago now :( She was lovely, so graceful and her affection was very much on her terms :) she had a big thing about paper bags, bless her, i was forever asking for them in shops instead of the plastic carrier bags :) and she would always sit and watch me which I loved, for such an indipendant soul she liked to be with me, which is a real complement :) i hope that she's living the wild life somwhere and being fed by several different people!

By roastpotato on Feb 9, 2011 at 3:53 PM

My Socks was a total angel and just awesome, and I loved her so much. She got a nasty cancer though when i'd only had her for 2 years but i have very good insurance which paid out £7500 and then i borrowed a couple of thousand more for tests, one operation and chemotherapy over a year. That sounds awful but there wasnt that much treatment (the chemo was just tablets and the tests mostly just a trip up the road to my lovely local vet) and she was completely well and very happy, no pain or side effects or anyting until the last two weeks when she wasnt eating and then she became ill very suddenly. Sooo traumatic, truly awful. She came to me from a home where she'd been attacked by two dogs and was very very nervous of everything, but she really settled down with me and my home is very quiet so she was very happy with me and it was a privelage for me to have her with me.

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 8, 2011 at 8:29 PM

Oh noes! That is too bad that someone gifted you a trolling collectible. Looks like you are well on your way to a complete set tho now that it's been forced on you. :P Socks sounds like she was a super sweetheart! Patsy sounds like fun... where is she now? Bella sounds amazing and I love thinking of how cuddly she is while you are typing! Athena is about her age. She can be quite cuddly but it's definitely on her own terms. ;)

By roastpotato on Feb 6, 2011 at 12:56 PM

Staple remover - *giggle*, such a good pic! My Socks used to pose for the camera like your Athena does, except she did 'cute' :) and Patsy did the 50's pin up thing in her elegant way :) I've had Bella for 6 months now, and i'm so lucky as she is really cuddly and lovely, is on my lap as i'm typing this :) she is just 2 and a half, the others were 8 and 6 years old. I see you posted on the blog about the Trollings, goodo-o. Unfortunately someone was being kind and generous (and hadn't read my updated profile) and sent me one BOO HOO! so now i have to collect them all :(

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 5, 2011 at 5:40 PM

Thanks! Yes, Athena is a very pretty girl and totally knows it. When I try to take her picture she often starts posing like a 1950's pinup girl. :) That is indeed a cherry Hermes is about to spear. He's got a mouth like a staple remover... his upper fangs stick out even when he's got his mouth closed so he's our little vampire cat. How long have you had Bella? She's got such a beautiful, expressive face- I love the pic of her in the flowerpot!!

By roastpotato on Feb 5, 2011 at 5:13 PM

Ooo, your new LOL - Athena is soo pretty! :)

By roastpotato on Feb 5, 2011 at 4:27 PM

Fankoo :) :) I can't see any pics you've posted, only 2 LOLz - Hermes is just stunning in the Saber Tooth LOL, so beautiful and healthy as proved by his shine! Is that a cherry he's about to spear? Rather your than my fingers that close to those teeth!! The tiny bit of Athena in your so funny photobomb - she looks lovely, a longhaired lovely! :) I look forward to seeing your foster kitty too, you could build up quite a gallery as you foster!

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 5, 2011 at 1:38 PM

Aaaah your Bella is super adorable! Patsy is also cute and Socks looked like she was a sweetheart. <3 I posted a few pics of my cats- Hermes as you know is the skinny black panther and Athena is the fluffy white one with tabby spots. I'll probably post some of our foster boy Apollo (who looks like Athena but with shorter hair) soon!

By roastpotato on Feb 4, 2011 at 6:24 PM

Thx re Gumbie cat, i looked it up from your link too :) Do i have pics of Bella? Only about 170 of them! There are 8 on here you can see - look in my pics :) I only put the ones on here that i think might make good LOLs and lots of people have made LOLs from some of them :) Be great if you would post some pics of your kittys too? Let me know if you do so i can have a look :)

By inspiredbychaos on Feb 3, 2011 at 5:06 PM

Aw yay! Glad u like the pic. Do u have any pics of Bella handy? A Gumbie cat is the awesome type of cat described in "The Old Gumbie Cat" by T.S. Eliot (http://www.poetry-online.org/eliot_the_old_gumbie_cat.htm). It's from the Book of Practical Cats that later became the lyrics to the musical Cats. :)