Monday, March 9, 2009
Cat Owner's Lament
So, it may seem unimportant to most, but I have to share this (plus, it gives Andrej and Bill a chance to fight).... After almost two years, my cats (Fizgig mostly) figured out the cat feeder. So sad! Arlo shared the news with me a week or so ago, saying that Fiz had gotten it partially open and was pawing out the food when he caught him, Sid watching, fascinated but not about to fight for the food. Arlo pushed the partition to the side, thus impeding Fiz's progress. We both held our breaths, waiting to see if Fiz would figure it out again. He didn't. He tried several times for the next couple of days to get it open to no avail, though the feeders were moved all around the room. But after a week or so, he figured it out again and now he can break into the feeder in about 30 seconds. Damn! So, now I'm trying something before shelling out more money for two more feeders. The behavior modification plan is two-fold. One, I am not putting food in the sections so that if they break into it, they get no reward. Two, I am taping the section so try as they might, they can't get into the next section. Of course, this could backfire, as they also love eating tape, which could cause some interesting effects. We'll see how it goes. Oh, it's a sad, sad day. So, it's no 6-month-review, but it's something.
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51 comments:
It was only to be expected. I'm glad to know that your cats continue to innovate.
(First two comments are mine, Bill, so therefore I have 3.5 points.)
This is a great blog, I definitely read it too, I am not just commenting.
Wow, I just re-read it, and like it even more. I also like the first 3 comments, which happen to be not Bills...
I concur with Andrej's first comment, it speaks volumes for your cat's that they finally figured it out. I know what they figured out too, because I read the blog entry, way before my first post actually.
Hey, there's still a chance Bill can make the top 6! C'mon Bill, hurry and be number 6!
I'm not just commenting for the sake of commenting when I reiterate that you have two incredible cats, Jen.
Oh, looks like Bill will have to settle for 8th. C'mon Bill!
I think I'm going to start a tv show review column. I'll type it right here in Jen's comments, and then other people can comment on the information I include. Here's the top 5 shows, in order, on tv right now. I rate them as the shows that get watched first if they are on my DVR. 1, 30 Rock. 2, Psych. 3, Monk. 4, Chuck. 5, House. Let me know if you agree, don't disagree unless you have seen all of my 5. Let me know what your 5 are!
On second thought, maybe you should shoot for comment number nine. That's when the REAL points kick in!
Jen, I am really looking forward to your six-month review, and I'm totally not commenting just for the sake of commenting.
Whoops, looks like Kevin pushed me into the number nine comment slot. Looks like all those points are mine, Bill!
Man, anyone who is Jen's friend would be in the top 10 at least!
Kevin, I'm still trying to find time to fit in catching up on 30 Rock. I like what I've seen, but I've only seen two episodes.
I can't say that I'm much of a TV watcher these days.
Chuck? Really? I didn't know that show was worth checking out.
I have to go walk the dog, Jess is watching Iron Chef America. Not a bad show, I think getting the food info from Alton really makes the show.
I'm amazed that Bill hasn't found the time to get into the top 12 comments. I really doubt his dedication to Jen's blog, to Jen, and to friendship in general.
Yeah Andrej, Chuck is unabashedly fun. It really has everything a geeky movie/tv/comic book/computer nerd could want in a show. Putting it after heroes is genius. OK, you've distracted me long enough people, I really have to walk my dog!
Kevin, I'm impressed with your dedication (especially in comparison to Bill's) now that I know that Iron Chef America is on! Only true friends would pry themselves away from Alton Brown's thrilling narration to comment on a far-flung friend's online journal!
Oh no! Bill's locked out of the top 15! His comment will be buried! Will Jen even seen it?
I must go back to studying. But this post has given me a lot to think about. What will happen next? What will they make of the tape? Will Jen post pictures? What about video? Perhaps she'll invest in a webcam and point it at the feeder, so we'll all be able to monitor the cats' progress. Man, that would be sweet.
I bet she'll have the webcam up and running before Bill comments.
I'm back from walking the dog, I wonder if Jen's smart cats could learn to walk on a leash? Probably, they are very smart. I am also excited for the web cam feeder monitor.
Watching right now:Iron chef America.
Feeling: Tranquil
I was watching tv -- it doesn't really matter what-- and the local station broke in with a bulletin aboutis blog post.
Just peeking in after half an hour of reading, to see if Bill could make the top 20. No dice. Damn.
I wonder now if he'll make top 50.
Kevin, I think Jen's smart cats are smarter than that. I'll be darned if they're not smart enough to figure out how to walk Marley.
Dude, Bill! What is going on? When it was just Kevin and I commenting away, that was one thing, but now, Bill can't even claim to be one of the first 3 unique commenters!
Yuck it up, I'm number 23! It happens to be Michael Jordan's number. Thanks for playing into my hands!
Is there any number that you particularly don't like being?
It's number one, isn't it?
Hopefully Jen's laughing about all this. I know I am. I am actually laughing out loud.
Man Bill, you didn't even comment on Jen's blog, so technically you haven't even commented yet.
Jen's cats are funny and smart.
I like the taste of tape, so I'm sure your plans will backfire, Jen. I plan on eating all your tape when I come to see you later this month.
I think this suffices for a topical comment. Moreover, I think the only way this competition could get better is if Matt G. was involved.
The only way it could get better was if someone responded to my TV top 5 with their own! You guys make me sad :(
Listening to: WTMD
Mood: Melancholy
kev and andrej- you two are beyond ridiculous and i love you for it...jen, i was just talking about your cats the other day, specifically about how they had yet to break into their feeder...oh well...this one held up for a while didn't it? kev- my top 5: Battlestar Galactica, Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dollhouse, NCIS (this one snuck up on me, i just started getting into it as it has many a marathon on tnt and usa), and Psych...i do enjoy Monk but not as much as Psych...been wanting to check out Chuck...is it something i have to watch from the beginnning
Phay - thanks for your response to my new blog. I could recommend the 3 key episodes for you to watch, after that you can watch them at random. If you find a resource for streaming them and want to get started, I'll check it out and figure out which ones hold the key plot elements.
I am surprised at how little our lists overlap.
Doing: Work
Mood: Psyched! (not about work)
Like I said, not much TV-watching going on these days, but, if I had to choose 5 TV shows to watch, I'd pick:
1. 30 Rock
2. House
3. Lie to Me
4. Colbert Report
5. Daily Show
Phay, I'd love to watch Battlestar Galactica, someday. I'm pretty sure I need to watch it from the beginning, though, and that's not going to happen anytime soon.
Imagine my surprise and delight when I saw all of the comments, though I thought it would be a fight between Andrej and Bill over who could be the last commentor. Okay, I have to respond in kind to other posts:
1. Regarding my cats' intelligence- I know! (said with Monica flair) Fortunately the tape seems to be working and they haven't eaten it yet (though there's still time). The true test will be in a week or so when I fill the feeder completely and see if Fiz still remembers how to eat it. Regarding their general, non-food related intelligence, they're not as gifted, as demonstrated by their tendency to jump straight at a window when spying a bird on the other side.
2. Responding to your new blog/my old comments section, Kevin, my fav shows at this time are as follows: 1. The Office, 2. How I Met Your Mother, 3. United States of Tara, 4. 30 Rock, 5. Grey's Anatomy - I keep Grey's around because despite being absurd, I can't help but still like it. USOT is a great new show, and the rest never fail to entertain. Arlo would probably say my top includes Clean House, How Do I Look?, and What Not To Wear, b/c that's what i'm often seen watching, but that's just b/c it's on all the time and is good brain candy.
3. Bill, I still think you are my friend, despite your lack of showing in the comments section. You're just not as good a friend as Andrej and Kevin. Or Gorelick, whoever that guy is. Please do not eat the tape when you come and visit, you will just be a bad influence on the cats.
4. Webcam, great idea! I will definitely take a video of the cats when we do the "test run" to see how long it takes to break into the feeders. I'm already shopping for replacement feeders. Good bye, old feeders, you were good while you lasted.
I totally win for the longest comment. That could have been a new post!
Jen, thanks for your Comment, I hope you like my new blog. Try and keep your comments shorter though, you're kind of taking over my new turf. Thanks!
Watching: Ace of Cakes
With: Jaybles the great!
Mood: awesometastic!
andrej - you are absolutely right that you would have to start from the beginning with the miniseries...i also forgot to put Fringe in my top five...it's on a six week hiatus due to stupid American Idol and i forgot about it...i highly recommend it as most of us are x-files peeps and it reminds me of that show so much
jen - could you forgo the feeder entirely and just feed them when you wake up and when you come home from work?
1. Lost
2. The Office
3. The Daily Show
4. Letterman
5. TIE: Breaking Bad, United States of Tara, Flight of the Conchords, 30 Rock, HIMYM
Cheating, I know, but I can't decide.
I've tried House and Chuck, but didn't make it through more than 2 episodes of either. Never seen Psych or Monk but Tony Shalhoub, the dude who plays Monk, is from Green Bay... his brother was in the paper last week because he invented a new device for cleaning up dog crap called "Sha-Poopie"... I'm not kidding:
http://www.jsonline.com/business/40693652.html
I don't watch ICA much anymore, but I do appreciate Alton Brown... as Jen can attest, I tivo'd an episode of Good Eats last night about lentils... mmm, lentils.
Kev-bo, yo, your blog is awesome but you should really consider a facebook page as well so you can constantly update your status.
Phay, forgoing the feeders completely is not possible, as if we go away for any length of time, I have to have a cat sitter in twice a day. Expensivo! Plus, the original reason for getting the feeders remains- the cats are so annoying on Saturday and Sunday mornings when they are begging to eat from 6:00 on.
Watching: ANTM (don't hate)
Feeling: okay, though crappy day at work....fortunately arlo's making cookies!!! I love a domestic man!
Bill is coming east. I ain't frontin'
Hey guys, thanks so much for participating in my Blog. Arlo, I am really surpised to see how low 30 Rock is on your list, and that the office is still so high. Don't you think that show has played out a little? All the same though, thanks for your comments here on Kevin's TV Blog.
Where - At work at 12:47AM on a Sat, argh.
Listening to - the sound of air rushing through my server racks.
Feeling - exhausted, but glad to be blogging again!
I'd like to update my list, Kevin.
1. Dollhouse
2. 30 Rock?
3. House
4. Daily Show
5. Colbert Report
I've been watching Dollhouse for the past few weeks and am hooked, but, at the same time, I wonder where it can go past season one. There's only so far a TV show centered around amnesiacs can go.
BREAKING NEWS! Paradigm Shift!
To All the readers of Kevin's TV Blog - there is some exciting news. I am soliciting your advice for what I feel is some necessary clarification. In recent comments people have indicated daily shows in their lists, and I believe these to be a bit "apples and oranges:" with weekly shows that have plots and narratives. I agree that these shows make up an important part of our TV viewing lives, but I think we need to have some rules for how they function in our rating system. To do this I have two ideas and I will accept whatever the majority consensus is for how we should treat them. Please read the two ideas below and let me know which you prefer.
*Reminder - Remember that the method for rating shows is defined as "I have a new episode of every show I like on my DVR, and this is the order I watch them in." If you don't remember this it is because I have never explicitly defined it this way, but that is what it has been in my head, and now in reality starting now! (Remember saying "Starting Now!" a lot with games as kids? - good times.)
Anyway, so remembering (or learning) the new criteria, here are my two ideas to deal with daily shows:
1 - We create 2 lists, one for daily shows, and one for weekly shows that have plots and narratives.
2 - we include it in the same top 5 list, but we weight it differently. The method for weighting it would be "If this show only aired once a week, here's how I would rate it in my top 5." For example, a new episode of 30 rock is much more exciting to me than a new episode of Colbert, because he airs every day. But if Colbert only aired once a week, he would be more of a competitor with 30 Rock. *Note - this is a hypothetical situation and doesn't represent my actualy views on Colbert VS 30 Rock.
There it is people, let me know how you want to treat these two different types of shows, and then we can all resubmit our lists. I am going to weigh mine and Jen's votes as 1.5 votes, since I am the author, and Jen is my blog provider.
Mood - Excited about the new system
Watching - Jess feed Natty
Petting - Aurora
i like option #2...i like the daily show and colbert report but i think i would make more of an affort to watch them if they only came on once a week
I can only choose option 2, if I want to have any input at all in your blog. I really don't watch any TV other than Dollhouse, Colbert, and Daily Show.
I don't understand Kevin's new blog...does he ever update it?
It looks like option2 it is - I have to close the voting window, even though some of my loyal readers have not voted yet. I also vote for option 2 - so this means 3.5 votes to one. This really changes my list - mainly to include late night with Jimmy Fallon. OK, I have to sort through all of my notes, my scrapbook, and my dvr and make up a new list - I suggest you start doing the same...
Mood - intimated - at all the work involved in in creating a new list
Drinking - hot chocolate on a rainy day
I read about cats before finding your hidden blog. Here are my top five according to your TV preference regulations. I watch more seinfeld than number 4 and 5, but I do not DVR Seinfeld, plus there are no new episodes.
1. South Park
2. Curb Your Enthusiasm
3. The Office
4. Jackass
5. Others - Jim Rome is Burning, MegaBuilders, How it Works...
Keep up the great blog work Kevin, we appreciate it!
Kevin:
Glad to see you've stopped slacking on this blog. I watch sports, so I guess this doesn't count, but the NCAA Hockey Championship was heart-breakingly awesome.
I also watch:
1. Madmen
2. Californication
3. Lost
4. 24 (because Amanda likes it)
5. Damages
I'm feeling dominant and drinking the blood of a newborn sacrificed in my honor.
Sorry it’s been a while, but I have a new entry. I asked this question at Happy Hour tonight and here are the answers. “If you had a new episode of every TV show currently being made available on Netflix, which one do you watch first?”
This may be helpful if you’re looking for a new show. I drank a rusty nail. #NonSequitur
Here’s everyone’s choice who was there. Add yours to the comments!
JTP- Lunch On! (He says it’s a Japanese show about people who eat lunch, but I’m skep)
Missy - Billions
Kevin - Brooklyn99
Dennis - Dead to me
Rebecca - Insecure
Ron - Home town
John - Vikings
Eve - Youtube - shoptime
Arlo - succession
Jen - the good place
Dave - Billions
Alt. Baskets Zach Gallifanakis
Allison - Curb
Kev, it's so great to see that you brought the old blog back! I can't believe it's been 12 years already.
Kev, it's so great to see that you brought the old blog back! I can't believe it's been 12 years already.
I think my new answer is “Star Trek Discovery” with a close second being “The Orville.” Might even be reversed on a different day.
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