On its way to a fix, I hope. I tried to sign the contract, had an electronic glitch with the process, got sick in early December, and my agent had a family loss, and somehow things didn’t happen. We are working on that now.
I just signed for an Audible version of REgenesis.
Also closed-circle is down temporarily for maintenance. I’ll tell you when it’s fixed.
Worrisome but real-world report on Peppercorn and kittens, and Curry:
Overnight, I’d said above that one of the kittens had gone missing, and that Curry might be involved, but I wasn’t sure if he’s guilty of anything.
I checked a bit ago, and Peppercorn chased off a cat, likely Curry, I think. This was well after the kitten went missing. I went back out and stayed with her and the one kitten, which was good. She ate, the kitten explored, got near the door. (I think I’d posted that much above. I’m short on sleep and not thinking clearly, tired and now stressed.)
We were doing fine, but I hadn’t fed her any more moist besides leftovers from whichever prior feeding. (I may have to try to carry her out of the apt. with dry food but not moist, at times. Or I may have to use a tidbit of moist or some snack. Little mama is very determined.)
So after I’d stayed with them a while, and no more food was forthcoming (she had dry there) one minute she and the kitten were there, the next, they zipped off, vanished. (There’s a gap in the privacy fence where they can get through, a board that needs to be replaced.) I was very surprised, but I guess I shouldn’t be.
My impression is, she may have moved the one kitten back to José’s apartment. Or she may have decided her kittens are too prone to be ambushed or kidnapped here if not inside. So she’s still coming for food, but at least right now, her kitten(s) are elsewhere, and may be there until and unless she thinks it’s safer here or somewhere else again. I don’t think José came and got them. I think she decided that Curry, if not Mystic, was/were too much of a risk to her kittens, so she moved them. — I am very much hoping that’s what’s happened, and that one or both those kittens are safe with the other three. I’ll only know if I see them again. 🙁 sigh.
Then to top it off, while I was looking, Curry showed up and ate food from the dry bowl and licked the moist food dish. (I took the latter in and washed it.) Curry, I did not let in. I am determined to get him a barn cat or other outside setting. I still like him, oddly enough, but I can’t take him as a threat to Peppercorn and her kittens, even though they aren’t mine but are staying here, and I can’t take the threat to Goober or Mystic, or his previous aggression and misbehavior toward me. I had thought, hey, I’d move him with me, he could live outside there, if I move. — But seeing this is proof to me, that’s not workable, and now that I think he might have either confused the kitten enough to get lost, or he might have led the kitten away or taken him/her, oh, I cannot abide that. I don’t thin the kitten is old enough for a male’s adoption tag-along instincts to take over. At least, not from an aggressive male like Curry. Mystic or Goober might take a kitten or adolescent under their wing and bring junior home for food and shelter and a new home base. I’ve seen male cats do that. But I don’t think that’s what Curry did, if he was guilty of anything, if the kitten didn’t just run off, or else get confused and scared, and go hide or run away, so that Peppercorn hadn’t found him/her. So Curry must get a placement as a Arn cat somewhere. As much as I still feel an attachment or responsibility to him, as much as I want him to be otherwise, this proves to me, no, he just can’t, it’s too much of a risk. I wish it were not so. I got attached to that sweet and charming side of his when I first got to know him. But the little guy just is not like that. Such a shame, so sad and disappointing. But I have to think of the other cats and myself.
I am dearly hoping that Peppercorn has one or both kittens in a safe spot or back at the other apt. I hope the other three are there too, and will be truly safe. — I see she still wants to see me and get food here. I’m leaving the box out, in case. — Ah, but also, tonight proved the kittens are old enough to climb over the side of the box (or back in, presumably) or to run off with mama or another cat. They’d need to be inside to be really safe now. She will likely have them den up somewhere.
Then again, maybe I’ll see them again soon and I’m just making too many guesses. But I am worried for the kittens’ safety, and I don’t know where they are, and I can’t do anything about that. (I did look around, but didn’t go over to the other apartment to see, since it’s the middle of the night.)
I didn’t see or hear from José and family since yesterday afternoon, and the kittens were back here during part of the night and all of the day and into tonight, into technically the next day, overnight, so over 24 hours. I’d thought they’d discuss it and answer back, but I think the answer was to avoid contact and let the situation rock along, which doesn’t help them or me, and really doesn’t help Peppercorn and the kittens. I would’ve been happy to foster them and take them inside. I wish I’d been brash enough to say so the second time if not the first. I was trying to be nice and work with them. Now I just hope the kittens are OK. If not, well, the real world, real life, is not always like I want it to be. It cn have little tragedies. I hope they are OK, but life experience says that’s doubtful, unless she has them tucked away somewhere.
I guess I’ll find out if I see them again. I hope I might see the kittens again. I may have to go to the apartment and deliver the news that I haven’t seen the two since the middle of the night. I would like to wait to be sure I’m not assuming too much if I’m guessing wrong.
So when it’s daytime, I will be calling to see about that organization taking in Curry. But it looks like I will have to get him there myself. No one wants to come and do a pickup. I can get Curry into a carrier if I know I can get him a ride and deliver him to that group.
It is likely to calm things down for Mystic and Peppercorn and for Goober. But it’s also likely to create a power vacuum in who’s who among the local strays, since Curry’s clearly one of the alphas. Mystic, I think is the mild-mannered type, either not a leader or else serene in his place and style of leadership. I am not sure how old he is, but he’s got some life experience on him, and his longhair is often beset with minor stuff in need of grooming, though he’s mostly neat when he gets a chance.
So… I am not happy with Curry, yet even so I have this niggling attachment, which at this point, I can’t explain rationally. I am worried for Peppercorn’s kittens and how this will shake out with the neighbors too. I don’t want to play the us-versus-them blame game either. Not that I’m not thinking “I told you so,” a little.
I did see Mystic the other morning, so he should be OK, once things settle down a little. Since he was so quietly willing to defend her, such a neat piece of doing it too, I think that even though she is prone to fuss and defend, that she might tolerate Mystic and Goober if she saw they meant no harm to her babies. — I think she understands that about me, and I think all this time, she’s been showing them to me, hoping for a home, or at least permission to stay as she has been, outside.
So that’s where it stands for now.
Once I can get my blog back in shape, I intend to start posting the cats’ goings-on there, with perhaps other things, and get back to more on-topic posts here.
I am hoping I can get Mystic to the vet Monday. I have an appt., but have to schedule with my friend, who’d said he’d arrange an Uber cab so we get it done, instead of them missing or blowing it off. But that also depends on if Mystic is here.
Meanwhile, the same for Curry. If I can get him here and get a ride and have the delivery all set up, then I can get him to a better situation for him, or at least one which means he isn’t interfering with the others here. I will miss the little scoundrel.
I am very tired, I didn’t get more than four hours sleep, and two hours or so before that. I am discouraged due to all this going on, and it’s a distraction from other things. But at least it’s gotten me involved and out of my shell a little. — But I don’t think it’s going to gain me any friends, just knowing a few more neighbors who live around me.
Maybe it’ll do some good after all. I hope so. I want a good outcome for all of them, and a good one for me. I’ll miss Curry when and if that happens, but he needs to be elsewhere, I know that now. I’m more saddened that the one or two kittens may be lost because one cat was too big for his britches, too mean; and because some humans were too foolish to get their acts together and work together or decide who would take in and foster a little mama cat and five kittens. I’m mindful of, it’s not just the other neighbors. I don’t know how I could’ve done differently, or if I had asked to take them, if they would have agreed, so I don’t know if it would’ve made any difference. But…well, dang.
So I’m going to try to sleep, then get up and make calls in the daytime. And hope I see Peppercorn’s kittens are safe somehow.
Poor Goober has been so good through this, but he feels put upon, a bit jealous, and neglected, with the others getting attention. I think he has liked having Mystic around, and I think he’s been very curious and wanting to be friendly towards Peppercorn, who has shown him no mercy in that. He’s been curious about the kittens, but I don’t see any malice in him there. He gives Curry a wide berth, whereas he and Mystic don’t really get friendly, but don’t fuss; both are too nice and shy for their own good in that. I[ve been giving Goober attention too.
Dang it, I’d like for things to be good for a change. I fear the one kitten is lost, and I hope the other is OK. I don’t know, and that is the worst part. I regret that more than the resolve to get Curry moved elsewhere. I’ll miss him, but this has me unhappy with him, along with his other behavior. Dang it, why couldn’t this have worked out better than this? So needless. Maybe I can keep it from getting worse. But I can’t get it done instantly. Also, no idea if José has a car or can drive, or that might help with Curry.
It’s going to be a rough few days until this gets resolved fully. Folks, any good thoughts and prayers would be appreciated. Getting this worked out and accomplished, instead of more gods-rotted delays or not happening…is going to take some doing, and not just by me. Oh, how wish I could see and could drive, not to mention income.
Had enough for now. I need to sleep, but I am so discouraged and frustrated and stressed, more so than usual. But living with that too much in general.
I love these cats. I wish I had better relations or friends, with the neighbors. The dang repairs still aren’t repaired. … I’m going to bed, sleep or not. Gods and Thunders. So much of this was avoidable and should not have happened. Please, up there, look kindly on the kittens. I know they’re just little specks of life, so brief, but they are bright and wonderful. Even Curry deserves a good life somewhere, somehow. I can’t bring myself to hate him, as much as I am put off by the chance he might have caused the kitten harm. I am reminded their ways are not human ways, and humans are no better and sometimes much worse. And yet humans can be good too. So.
So I don’t know, but I wish for better than life has been giving me for a long time, lately. I wanted to do good, here, and things were looking up for a good while there. The past 24 hours, not so good, but there were some real highlights. I did get to spend time with two very sweet little kittens and three very nice cats and one ne’er-do-well scoundrel I still can’t figure out why I’m so attached to, esp. after this.
G’night or good morning, it’s near enough both. Hoping for better when I wake up.
Cherryh Kindle bargains spotted this morning: Hammerfall, $2.99, Forge of Heaven, $0.99. (Gene Wars 1 and 2) I read these long ago, but almost all my paper books were donated to a small town library when I downsized. Don’t know if these prices are ongoing or a special, but I thought some of you might be interested in reading, or rereading, something as a change from Foreigner.
We had snow/ice overnight, and the wind chill is -19 this morning, so I was wishing for something different in my Kindle library!
Those may be limited time offers, but I had seen her books recommended, highlighted offers for Kindle, via Amazon and Audible, a few months back. So there may be discounted prices available periodically.
In particular, go for the collections, such as the Alliance Space; or Alternate Realities; and I think there are a couple of others, besides her collected short stories and omnibus editions for trilogies. Notably, IIRC, “The Chanur Saga” is the first three Chanur books in one edition, then Chanur’s Homecoming and Chanur’s Legacy are separate. But oh, these are great. There are still a few that are not yet available for Kindle or ebooks, notably the Nighthorse / Finisterre (Cloud’s Rider, Rider at the Gate) books, Finity’s End, and Cyteen, though Regenisis is available, I think. — A search on Amazon for C.J. Cherryh should do it. Audiobooks through Audible.com will also yield several besides the Foreigner books.
Brr, it is thankfully not that cold here, but it is damp and chilly. Sunny today, though, so better.Stay warm and dry inside and enjoy reading or listening! (Or both!)
Cat Crisis Continues — It’s a snappy title, but a discouraging, frustrating ordeal.
I called the Barn Cat Project – Texas Litter Control, as their site says they’ll take cats for a barn cat duty. — But no, when I called, they will not take feral / semi-feral cats. They want the lettable, cuddly, small-child-friendly kind of cats, and the lady said so in almost those terms. They will coordinate to take friendly cats from shelters for placement. — But not feral or semi-feral cats. She warned that most/all shelters will euthanize such cats as unadaptable. So they, like everyone else, recommend Trap-Neuter-Release programs, TNR, back to the colony where the given feral cat is established, no relocations.
I have been through all the listings the vet’s office gave me, plus some I’d checked from Google which are local enough. Everyone is either full, or won’t do it even if you’d deliver the cat to them, none except the county will pickup from your location (and I’m sure without asking, the county will not adopt out a feral cat, they’d euthanize). Or the others are small, one-person operations which have shaky contacts or don’t call back.
That one was my last option. — My vet won’t take him for placement to a shelter either. They recommend TNR.
Curry is too aggressive as-is. Neutering might settle him down some. But I doubt that by now. He can be well-behaved, and sweet and charming, and then ZAP, he’s tired of it or he more often misreads human signals when I’ve done nothing and know not to aggravate a cat, I can usually read their body language and sounds. I’ve learned certain situations trigger this with him, so he’s been messed with before and hasn’t learned better from me after almost half a year, next week.
Well, so, TNR is my only option for him. It’s that or cart him off to someplace way the heck out in the country and let him go. He can probably hunt, but I don’t know that for sure. He’s hungry enough to come around every five to ten days or sooner. — So TNR it is. If I can get him in for the upcoming vet appointment, he is now scheduled as a bring-along, but likely he won’t be up for neutering with this visit. If he has something upper respiratory, which I suspect, there’s that, plus I expect de-worming again, since he’s outdoors so much. Once he’s cleared, healthy, he can get neutered. (They can’t do it that day anyway.)
That, and the vet I was seeing there has moved. No reason given by the receptionist. That has happened since I’d last called a few weeks ago. — As long as the new vet or either of the other two there are OK, then fine.
I haven’t seen Mystic today. — Peppercorn chased off Curry once last night and he did come back later after she took off with her kitten. — But no Mystic so far today. He’s the one I expect to adopt, but he is used to being out and knows how to ask to go out. He is meek and doesn’t then meow to come in. Gotta work on that, guy. So I may have to reschedule, and I’ve talked with the vet’s office about that. (Two women working the phones I haven’t talked to before, also.) — I did see Peppercorn this morning. She is fine and didn’t try to come in this morning. I fed her a small can, of course, and gave her more dry. All the food had been eaten as if wiped clean. Licked, anyway. She still had water. — Still nothing from José and family. The kittens were not back, so I am hoping she has hidden them somewhere. — I don’t think José came by during the middle of the night.
So…I am discouraged and frustrated about Curry and about Peppercorn, for very separate but related reasons. I’m concerned because Mystic hasn’t been around in over 24 hours, but he’s been gone before for a day or two. Note, I never did hear from anyone to say he belonged to anyone, so I’m still saying he’s mine. — And I am saddened that the one kitten may be lost or deceased by now. I am sure hoping she found him/her and all five kittens are safe somewhere. — It was so great to see the five, and then to see the first two again. Now that may be just one plus the three.
I had three hours of sleep from 6/6:30 to 9:30 this morning, and about 4 or 5 hours yesterday. I am tired but not sure I can get to sleep now. But I sure need to recharge.
I was pretty unhappy, sad, depressed when I went to sleep earlier. About the same now, with the news Curry can’t be relocated to be a barn cat, which would have been a good outcome for him. I am unhappy that the kitten may be lost, but hopeful he/she might be safe somehow, and I suspect the others are tucked away somewhere. I know she left with the one kitten, so that kitten should be safe with the other three.
I think she was maybe trying to get me to take her and her kittens in, but I felt I couldn’t, unless all five were there, and then knowing that she has a nominal home with José. — Er, but no communication and she and the kittens were over here for over 24 hours yesterday and overnight. If José and family knew that, then good. But if the kittens are not back there, then he is going to be unhappy too, like me.
So…dang. Just cannot win sometimes, it seems like. I’m trying so hard for this and it’s the first time in a while I’ve really fought for something outside myself and Goober, and well, at least maybe the three adult cats and four or five kittens may still have some support, but it isn’t the better outcome I’d hoped for. I’m so sorry the kitten may be lost, I keep telling myself he/she isn’t lost or dead, but it’s likely. I’m also sorry for Curry, even if he may be at fault directly, or only caused the kitten to run off. I don’t know which. I am not happy with him, but I wanted a better outcome for him, from relocation, which would be better for the other cats here. — So TNR and I will have to consider whether to continue giving him shelter at times, or whether to stop letting him in at all. Maybe he’ll calm down once he’s neutered. (I’m male. Calling that “fixed” somehow rankles a bit. Sympathy.)
So, well, heck. — I haven’t copied the last few posts (yesterday and today) to save for a journal. — I am going to eat some and try to sleep again. Tired enough I think I’ve got to. My sleep schedule is never steady at all anyway. — Later, I will fiddle with my blog settings to get it ship-shape. (The updated theme has bad sizing and positioning and is not how it was supposed to look. Switching back may not look good either.) So likely, I’ll have to adjust it anyway. Currently, it looks bad, but the content is still there.
I may have an update this evening, if there’s anything much to say. Once the blog is fit to show again, I’ll start posting the cat shenanigans there. — Note: I still need to check the filters and any attempted user registrations. It’s supposed to be set to require my approval before anyone’s registered and approved to post comments there. However, with that in mind, Folks can visit my blog and register, once it’s ready again. Registration is still available. meanwhile, and the very old posts are there. My website hasn’t been updated in a long time, but will be when I can get t o that. I don’t have a forum back again, and not sure if I will add one. Once that’s done, I’ll be back at fonts.
I hope you all are doing better. Telling myself at least the cats do have support and not all is lost. I’m going to spend time napping with Goober after I eat. I wish this morning had had better results. Darn it, so much need and so little help. And that’s just for cats, not the humans around. A YouTube video reminded me that the fight may not end, but that it is still worth fighting. At least the YouTuber said so. I try to believe that, but there are times I am not sure.
I want a better world. I keep trying, most of the time, but I never quite reach it. I suppose at least trying is worth it, or at least necessary. I miss folks who are no longer around.
Sorry, folks, I am just feeling very down. Maybe food and rest will help. It feels too often lately like the deck is stacked against me no matter what. But I do have a stubborn side that keeps going.
Peppercorn and her kittens are bright little lives. So is Mystic, and so is Goober. Curry is a bright little life, as incorrigible as he is. As unhappy as I am with him, he cannot help but be who and what he is. The other cats, or myself, cannot keep from being what is in our natures. It is what it is. I just seem to need to rail against it and try for something else or something more. Just not sure at times.
I hope you all have a better day. I wish I wee friends with my neighbors and they with me. Nuts. See y’all later. At least Goober loves me, in his own way, and I love him. Still love Curry, for that matter, but I can’t quite figure out why right now. And Peppercorn and her kittens and Mystic are great; Goober’s always good. — And oh, there are people I love and miss. So…eat and sleep if possible, then back at it. There has got to be a better way.
My blog, plus a cat update: I’ve upgraded and done some fiddling with my blog, but I am rediscovering how it all works and getting back into it. I think I have it set up to deal with registrations again, with my approval required to activate their registrations. I am unlikely to approve a random string of text as a registered visitor, and I have to rely on a couple of spambot filters to weed out most of it. So if anyone here would like to register, please do so. I may institute an “email me” policy such as CJ has, and I may have the periodic need for visitors to login to comment, again similar to what CJ has here, once I get used to what I see from the admin hat over there. I went back to the 2016 theme, rather than the 2020 theme, because I liked the sidebars much better than footers for the links and such that you see on most blogs, including CJ’s.
I will be putting up new posts occasionally, and I will be putting the cat stuff there starting with an intro page and then a first post, sometime this week or next. I have in mind a few other topics to post on, such as some things about fonts, calligraphy, and some things about that that have been in the back of my ind while working on fonts or trying fiction writing.
So I intend to be topical and varied, but I am not sure how often I will post. Very frankly, I think the only previous visitors to my blog were from CJ’s and Jane’s fandom or other SF&F fans rarely. So I may just be talking to myself when I post there.
We’ll see how it goes.
—–
This evening, I’d had a brief sleep of maybe four hours. I got up and fed Goober and Peppercorn. Her kittens were not with her. A very big box, a TV or an appliance, has appeared at the next door neighbor’s overnight. Whether that is empty and sheltering kittens, or still full of human gadgetry, I don’t know. I haven’t been brave enough to, uh, walk over and look at the box. I have presumed that Peppercorn has her kittens back at the other apt., or else she’s hidden them somewhere around the complex. Since the other cats and she all hide in places around here I guess the kittens are as safe as any of the strays or outside cats. But I would have much rather they stayed here. Maybe that will changes but I doubt it. José and family still have not been around again. While that’s not confrontational, it’s also not helping them or me to work together for her sake. I didn’t see Mystic or Curry tonight. I hope I’ll see at least Mystic soon. Miss Thang is quite vocally and physically willing to defend her place here against any other cats, which means Curry, chiefly, and Mystic, if she is not happy with him. If Mamma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy, as the saying goes. Goober tonight simply stayed where he was in the corner, rather than try to say hello. He’s had his fill of feline visitors and is not too happy with me. He was very happy to sleep with me and get attention, but when I got up, he retreated to a very out-of-te-way corner in the living room, where no one has yet bothered him. Poor little guys.
I have an appt. Monday, but no idea if I will have to cancel it. If I don’t see Mystic or Curry by an hour or two before time for the cab to pick me up, I will call and cancel, postpone. I’ve explained to my friend what’s going on, so he should understand. He’s mediating this first scheduling of a cab fare. I think he thinks I haven’t known what to do to get it to work. But I think he’s likely to find out it’s not just me ,it’s the cabbie or the company, plus the setup for the apartments, and that cabs don’t like dealing with things like this. (Oh, do I ever miss the two regular cabbies I used to have. They got tired of not making enough money, and one had severe health problems. So one moved and one, I think succumbed to his health issues.)
The week is nearly out and it has been a series of frustrating events, but with maybe a tiny bit of progress or hope. I doubt I will get to do anything to help those kittens, and maybe not Peppercorn, but she’s always welcome, indomitable little mama that she is. I understand about territory, but I understand much more about a mama cat or dog protecting her babies. Human mamas do not generally have to be quite so fearsome in modern times, but I get it; I have paternal and protective instincts.
Mystic is quite welcome, a mild old fellow. He may be young or he may be old, but life has clearly not been too kind to him. His fur is long and tends to have something going on whenever he shows up, mostly solved by the time he’s ready to go back out. He must have been a housecat before, but he also wants to go out. I think he doesn’t get it or isn’t ready to commit to being an inside cat all the time. He either never was a bed-sleeping cat, or he doesn’t think he’s welcome, despite my attempts. He has liked being a lap-cat before, though. I want his tail to be seen to. He is a nice cat. Heck, if he and Goober could get past their shyness, I think they could become friends. So far, not yet. But he’s shown plenty to endear me, such as laying down the other day to be between Curry and Peppercorn while she ate. He could have eaten his own bowl, but chose to lie down there non-confrontational, but quiet, dignified resistance to a fight. This and his sitting at my bedroom door days ago, both got to me. So I want him to be welcome, and I will keep on trying, so he can get fed and get back in (I think he hasn’t wanted to risk a fight with Peppercorn, so he hasn’t tried coming in from there the past three days.)
Curry, the vagabond and rowdy scoundrel, can still get food or, if necessary, shelter here. It’s going to have to be TNR (trap, neuter, release) for him, not the barn cat outcome I had wanted. So I hope I can get him neutered and that that willl solve some of his aggression problem. But uh, I do not expect it will entirely solve it. I am tired enough of his baloney that I am not eager to let him in casually anymore, but when I can get him neutered, I will. There will be a prelim. visit to clear up any health issues before he can come back to be neutered, so this will not be fixed, so to speak, on Monday.
So no real change as of yet. Same ongoing chaos and drama.
No font work has taken place this week.
I think I responded to Curry initially because I got so tired of hearing the cats outside fighting and mating in all kinds of weather, with no help and no end in sight. I think I was also wanting friends so much that adding another cat seemed like a way to do it, if I couldn’t have human friends who were friends enough. I was also naive to think a random, feral, not-full-grown cat would be as friendly and grateful as previous cats.. But nearly every cat I’ve had has been a stray or abandoned or else given to me. And I missed Smokey and regretted that and was trying to compensate to atone for it.
Well, I have learned that sen when you try your best to help and do what’s right, you may not always win anything. But possibly you can help just a little. At least I have Goober for a few more months or years of life. And if I have Mystic or others, cool. I love Goober.
Still tired, so instead of more working, I’m going to take a break and read, or try again to sleep, still not caught up on sleep.
I wish I knew the kittens were OK, at least, and Mystic. I still want Curry to be OK. I am happy with Peppercorn, though her name is a fitting one. (So is Pearl.)
Better news today: Mystic (Misty) showed up this morning when Peppercorn got fed. So Mystic got a very happy greeting by me, and has been in all morning. Goober was ambivalent, but was more curious about Peppercorn. She gave him only a mild hiss and didn’t take a roundhouse swipe at him. I think they got to smell each other. At least they got pithin less than a foot of each other. So I’d say by Miss Thang’s standards, Goober got off pretty well. 😀 Almost cordial. (OK, maybe not that far yet, but it wasn’t terrible, and it says maybe there’s hope for my old feller after all.) Mystic kept out of her way. I think he’s smarter than the sleepy guy he seems to be. 😉
Didn’t see Curry this morning, though. I hope he’s OK.
Peppercorn did not have her kittens in tow. Still really hoping the four or five are safely tucked away somewhere. Wish I knew where.
All in all, it’s as OK as it can be.
I _think_ my blog is ready for old subscribers to comment or to send an email to say they are human, and for new people to register. I have a couple of posts new, and will be adding more over the next few days. I am rediscovering or learning new things about using the blog as I go, so please bear with me.
http://www.shinyfiction.com/blog/
@BCS, I just read your cast of cats on your blog; the link and the blog worked fine on my Android phone.
I needed to log in to comment, and I’ve forgotten my login, so no comment from me there yet.
I think it’s a good idea to restart your blog, as the complicated saga of your cats needs some room to spread out. With CJ and Jane too busy and/or sick to talk to us it’s been helping to keep this place alive, but it has rather taken over the conversation in the absence of input from Herself. Not that I think she minds, or she’d have said something; but once the owner gets back on her feet she’ll probably be restarting her own conversations, and then it might be good to have your own space for the continuing adventures of the appartment complex cat tribe.
Hopefully. Sorry, Ben, but the minutae of your life isn’t what I’m here for.
I agree, folks. When I went on a tangent, almost rant on something the other day, that plus the size and frequency of the cat updates took me aback about my own posting. Hanneke got it exactly, and Paul, hey, I can understand you’d rather hear about something more on-topic, and aren’t interested in how my cats or my personal life are doing.
So I am having to figure out some things I’ve forgotten or that WordPress has changed, and learn some new things.
I have a couple of the anti-spam filters going at my blog, but I have a number that have cleared with no comments, where some have Username / Email that makes sense, some are doubtful, but the spam filters all say there’s no problem, they may be real, and I am loathe to delete without knowing one is genuine. However, I am tempted to remove all but those I know to be genuine and ask people to re-register.
@Hanneke, I don’t see an option to reset your password, but there must be a way to do that. I also didn’t see your username in the registered users, but I will look again, see if I can rest you, and if not, we can try deleting your registration / subscription, and rejoining.
To all fans here, you’re welcome. My blog as it stands has no comments and few visits, but is just restarting and very much a work in progress, learning as I go.
Hanneke and others, you’re welcome and encouraged to email me at: bluecatship (at) shiny fiction (dot) come to say you’re human, and most usernames here, I should recognize anyway. Hanneke, I will check your registration as soon as I find it, see what I can do, and get back to you.
Also, I discovered that my email there has not been forwarding as it was set to do, so I have a lot of old emails, not recent, to weed out en masse.
I may have one or two more cat posts here, but I am going to start blogging there for the cat goings-on and other off-topic stuff. Practicing as I go.
@Hanneke — Neither your username here nor your email address are showing in my list of All Users in the WP control panel. If you registered with a different username or email, I don’t know. — And I don’t see a way for me to reset a subscriber’s password to let them change it and login again. Possibly there’s something on your end? — Or you can try re-registering when you get a chance, and please email me or drop a note here so we can resolve it.
I am considering starting a forum again, but last time, the bottiin got way too out of hand, despite updates., and even though otherwise it was fine, I had deleted the small previous forum I had up. If I try a new forum, I will of course let folks know.
— Also, I see at least two known members from here; one who hasn’t replied here in a long time and is missed, and another who’s an occasional and well-regarded associate fan. But I don’t usually know email addresses, only usernames from here or occasionally other past or current forums. I believe I have weeded out any obvious users, such as a mail server that got through. No obvious bad behavior going on. Folks are welcome.
I don’t think I had previously signed up for your blog, but if you see Oracle there, that’s me.
Currently sailing about the Caribbean in my ship game 🙂
Hey, all associates here. 🙂 I have sent emails to a few people who have been kind enough to email as requested, regarding my blog and their registration status. So I have confirmed a handful of members here.
Items noted so far, and things I have or haven’t yet figured out:
People who have “Followed,” such as Chondrite, don’t show up as Registered Users, so I don’t see their usernames, an email address to compare, or their avatars, even though I know most of the regular posters here and a few people’s email addresses from correspondence. There’s apparently some difference in the signup process for “Following” versus “Subscribing” and/or “Registering.”
One member here may or may not have registered previously at my blog, but their usual username and email are not showing up among my registered users. I’ve replied to that member’s email so we can, I hope, discover if that member had used a different username and email, or if they need to re-register.
One member had emailed me, but I hadn’t known their info, and their email isn’t showing among the registered users. They may be “Following” but not “Registered” or “Subscribed,” like Chondrite’s situation. Once I hear back, I hope to get them registered and resolved. But due to their email, I know that’s a real, live person and not a botta.
One known member appears, from my end, to have successfully reset and updated their password. If not, please let me know.
I have a number of prior registrants whose usernames and emails are unknown to me, but who check out as having shown no problems from the filtering agencies used by WordPress to authenticate and weed out spammers. So these may or may not be real, live persons. They have not commented yet or were not able to comment yet. I am loath to delete them without evidence of any spamming.
Of Note, and things I’m still trying to discover:
(1) WordPress doesn’t have a user category for a confirmed member as opposed to a new registrant who has not yet posted. Forums generally make that distinction, or also have ways for an admin to change their status to a confirmed / approved member and to allow them to comment without requiring approval, vetting. So people’s emails are helping, and I know regulars here and from a few other places, but for registrants I don’t know, it’s crucial to hear back.
One person who had emailed and had shown they know CJ’s blog — I did not know by email or username before. (That, or I’d missed that.) They are not yet showing as having registered, so I’m awaiting to find out if they Followed, Subscribed, or Registered, but the email is enough to tell me whom to look for, to know they’re fine.
(2) WordPress does, it turns out, have a way for me as admin to reset a member’s password so they can change it to one they want after logging in. I found that after missing it before. This was a relief. However, as above, I don’t yet find a way to pre-approve them so they can comment freely, being known associates in good standing here.
(3) Currently, my blog is set to require manual approval of comments before they appear publicly. This is for those who have not yet commented, and for anyone trying to comment. I would rather be able to pre-approve known members, such as associates here, but for now, it’s set to require approval. — So if your comment doesn’t show up on my blog and you get a message, that’s why. It’s not your fault, it’s the blog and my new status behind the scenes. If you cannot comment at all, please do email me. But if you were able to successfully submit a comment and it doesn’t show up yet, that’s why. If it will not take the comment, please email me to let me know.’
(4) There is no field to show the date a member registered. This would help to sort those ambiguous registrants who have not yet commented and whom I don’t know by other usual means.
Short Answer: I expect to figure these out, but until I’m sure of how to handle this, please bear with me and email me as needed. Members from CJ’s and Jane’s blogs are welcome, and I know the usernames of many of you and the emails of people who have corresponded with me. Likewise for a few forums and blogs elsewhere in fandom.
* Note: I’d welcome input from experienced WordPress users or admins, i.e., those who run their own blogs, as to procedures such as comment approvals, or if there’s a way to re-run bottiin filter checks for already-registered users, for that number whose status is uncertain, as I don’t know them. A way to flag approved, known members and allow them to comment without requiring approval first would be a great help to me, as would a potential way to see a signup date/time.
Eegads, that’s for less than a hundred users. For any sizable number of new registrants or frequent comments, some better solution would sure help. It looks like I’ll be digging through books and Google and YouTube searches to learn.
Please let me know if you have any problems or questions, so I can get things resolved and follow-up, so you and I are not frustrated or unclear.
I also discovered my site’s hosting service has changed a few things, so they are harder to get to. Plus, the site had not been consistently forwarding emails to my main address, so I discovered a sizable backlog I’m wading through to empty obvious spam and to reply to and keep emails of merit needing replies. This is embarrassing, as some of these go way back. However, I intend to get to any genuine needs and requests.
Funnily enough, I ran into the name of a friend, but I’m pretty sure that’s someone else with the same name, not the friend I know. It’s a small world after all!
I’ve run into a few oddities in how WordPress edits posts and how their theme / skin appearance system works. I am relearning what I knew or what’s changed, and trying to learn new things on top of that.
My sleep/wake schedule is completely out of whack and my eyes are super tired, but it’s active around the apartment complex this weekend, so there’s no way I’ll get to nap soon.
I am looking for an FTP utility for Mac which is good, to replace the one I had been using, which went from a good open-source utility to one which became known for including adware or malware, plus went from free to subscription-based for a “Pro” version. So it is no longer an option I will use. — As soon as I find a good replacement, I’ll have the new photos and cat pages on my main site. Later, I may try to put in a photo gallery on my blog.
So I have a few things to resolve, so please bear with me. All members here are considered for good standing at my blog.
Ben W. | BlueCatShip
shinyfiction.com/blog/
Speaking of, are you both okay?
I dreamt about a Shejicon the other night. Your reno had converted the kitchen into a huge festive square, and we were all hanging out, talking, drinking and eating, and even the cats came through now and then, it was so relaxed. I wish we could all afford (in every sense) to just come together like that. Soon.
But now, the weather people treat winter like some big surprise. I personally hate winter and if I get sick at any point, it just hangs on and drains the heck out of me. Why no, not having that problem this winter — much. I do the minimum amount of work and maximum amount of sleep and neglect the joys of life, like reading.
So long stretches of silence here (I’m not much for facebook) worries me.
Thank you to the people who said they had seen CJ and/or Jane on FB. That is reassuring, although their continued absence here is somewhat concerning.
I am likely to email them tomorrow evening to check, but it’s good they’re posting on FB.
Mystic is still in, and I’m hoping to keep him in after checking up on Peppercorn. There were kids out playing when I fed Goober and Mystic supper, but I put out food for Peppercorn anyway. I hope we get our cab and get to the vet’s as planned tomorrow for Mystic’s first checkup. No sign of Curry today except for some cat squabbles outside around the complex.
I have two FTP utilities now for the Mac after getting rid of FileZilla, after repeated reports online and one from my virus scanner that FileZilla has started containing adware and wrapped with other adware or malware. But it’s still getting recommendations for Mac and Windows users. Cyberduck is free for Mac, but has a slightly odd setup and interface. Transmit 5 for Mac is free, but ah, they want a $25/year subscription after a free trial. So it isn’t free, and you don’t get to start using it until accepting the free trial. I am not yet convinced, but the interface in the screenshots looked better.
I intend to post some photos and info on the cats Monday evening or Tuesday, after the vet trip. I may try a photo gallery for my newly restarted blog.
Folks, if anyone would like to register at my blog, please do and I will get to it. As I’ve said there, comments currently require approval, so won’t show up immediately. If anyone has any problem getting o, registered, or commenting there, please let me know. I am learning or relearning as I go, and there are quirks to WordPress I’m still finding answers to. I have a couple of books to refer to now, which may help.
I’m going to keep cat posts and more personal stuff there, and this is likely the last reminder I’ll post here on CJ’s blog. I’m still waiting to hear back from a couple of members here, but so far, things appear OK.
I am expecting the usual vet fee for Mystic’s shots and de-worm and checkup, then a known fee and schedule for neutering, with a quote for the surgery for his tail, and info on the recovery care process for him. I am presuming it may be greater than or equal to the cost quoted for Curry’s BB-pellet in his neck. Curry still needs to go in for neutering after another checkup and possible repeat on de-worming, but it needs doing. Mystic gets first dibs, because he’s in and I haven’t seen Curry, which is usual.
I think I may have surprised (Mystic-fied?) Mystic by bringing him back in earlier and by asking him to stay in tonight. The reaction I got from this mild cat was something like, “What? I have to stay in? You want me to be in? Oh. Huh. Well, gee, that’s kind of, I don’t know, maybe nice? Hey, I can nap in my spot? You’re gonna feed me and pet me? Cool….” — I never got any responses to the flyers I put up. If others have been feeding this nice guy, I would have wanted to know if he has a home already. He acts like he’s had a home, but has been out so long, it’s like he is still depressed, still unsure if he’s truly welcome. he and Goober get along, don’t bother each other, but haven’t tried to groom or really make friends. Mystic has only once gotten on my bed. Goober remains a bit jealous or unsure, retreating to a corner in the living room where he can nap on top of the cable box router. heh. I keep bringing him back in. But he is sleeping with me, so he knows that’s fine. I think they are two of a kind, temperamentally, but Mystic is a little different. I can’t figure out, but I think he may be older rather than younger.
Hoping to know more after tomorrow.
I am very much hoping all is well with CJ and Jane. I intend to post my own stuff at my restarted blog, so as not to overdo it here. CJ has not said anything, and I hope I have not irked her by my posting too much. But I’d realized with one comment, then seeing it in bulk, it was getting out of hand, and needs to be in its own space. Besides, it’s spurred me on to get going again on my site and blog and learn a bit of new stuff.
I am going to ask the vet for advice on whether to try talking to the neighbors about Peppercorn. I haven’t seen or heard from José since Tuesday, and I don’t know if the lost kitten returned there, or is truly gone. The one kitten has shown up with Peppercorn since then, and I’m presuming she has the others tucked away somewhere. But she is coming by several times a day for food, darting in, appearing any time I open the door. Little Mama is getting more tolerant of Goober and Mystic, but is still uneasy if pressed. Yet she’s desperate for food and water and has lingered for attention or to thank me. If I knew the other family were OK with it, I would take in and foster mama and babies. I believe with Goober and Mystic, this would work. But without permission and without all the kittens here, I won’t do that.
Take care, everyone. — Also, thanks to the associates here who have shown an interest in my blog. It’s appreciated.
Why tell us here? Doesn’t this belong on your blog? It’s the people vising your blog that should know all this, isn’t it? Old habits hard to break? 😉
I respectfully agree with Paul
Same here.
Paul, two points: One, it’s a transition. I was trying to remind people one last time that my blog exists and is being updated, so they can go visit and register if they wish. I pretty much said that in the most recent two posts prior to this. Two, I thought people here who use FTP to transfer files for their websites and blogs or other online usage might like to know about my results with FTP utilities, and I thought posting that here would reach more people than does my tiny blog. I did say that I may post things here if they seem particularly relevant. I do put thought into what I do, even if it isn’t the way someone else might do it.
A few folks from here do like to hear from me, but everyone visits sporadically, so even though I’ve had a few posts highlighting my new blog in the past week or so, I’m sure there will still be people who’ll wonder why I stopped posting some comments, just as there are some who will be relieved that I’m not posting as much. I still intend to be here and post and participate. And please be mindful, this is one of my few social outlets, for a while now. I’m still largely shut-in, though today, I had good luck with a cab, thanks to a friend’s help, rather than yet another no-show. So it’s a tiny improvement. There are plenty of neighbors in my apartment complex. I’ve greeted many when I see them and tried to strike up enough of a greeting to start acquaintances or make friends. But I still don’t really have friends or acquaintances here, and those current local friends are busy, and former local friends just didn’t keep in contact. So having a way to interact here is important to me. Please be mindful of that. Sure, my posts are long. Sure. maybe nearly everyone is not interested. That’s how my whole life has been for the past many years, as though I’m invisible, easy to overlook, not interesting enough. I miss getting to interact. So here has been one of few places still around where I can do that. But I chose to step back because I was overdoing it. And I have also said, in a few posts now, that I’m restarting my blog and site, to let people know, if they are interested, and then to say I’ll be confining some topics to there, while still posting on more relevant interests here. I did think that a transition, giving people a little time to see, and posting some things relevant to some portion of folks here, was a good idea. There will still be people who won’t know, because they missed seeing it. (When my mom had the art shop, we would still get people who’d ask when we’d opened up. They thought we were new. The shop was there from the time I was 6 to about 16 or 17, and for more than half that time, had a large, billboard type sign, lit at night. People really didn’t notice.)
I am giving this a go again. I figure I have about 1 to 1-1/2 years unless I can increase my income substantially, before I use up my remaining savings. I am too isolated, and too often, people aren’t interested. I am trying to stay afloat and improve my situation, but it goes so slowly. I will still be here as long as I can, and I intend to keep going at my own site and blog, and trying toward font production, and not get discouraged and stall out. I think I am on my one last good chance before things really cave in again, but this time, I won’t have assets to fall back on if I can’t succeed.
So hey, I’m saying why I’m so up in the air so much of the time, and frustrated and over-sharing. It’s because I don’t have that where I am, friends in person to be with, or much of an online community to be with. So I intend to be here and post relevant stuff from time to time, and to keep active at my own site and blog as long as I can. It isn’t my wish to bother anyone with things they’re not interested in, or if they don’t like me. — But that is what the scroll bars and arrow keys are for. You can skip reading it if you don’t like it. Come on, I’ve said I’m making this transition and I said I’d be posting there instead of here, to let people have a little notice. There will still be people who don’t see that and wonder what happened. I _do_ put some thought into what I do, both personal and business. Didn’t you think I’d thought of it? Maybe you didn’t read what I’d said. — And I’m sorry if it bothers you so that you feel you should point it out as though it’s a fault instead of a change away from one thing and toward another.
Gimme a break, man, please. I said what I was doing in plain English. It’s your opinion and that’s fine, but be aware I said what I was doing and did think beforehand. That’s all.
You’re not listening. Take a hint.
Likewise, Paul. I’m sorry if folks don’t like what I post or how, but (1) you don’t have to read what I say, (2) I do read what you say, and (3) we are not likely to agree; we’ve had this out before, in the past, so let’s not do it again. I did say I would let people know I was changing over, that I’d do so for a bit until people had a chance to see it, ,and that I still wanted to participate otherwise when relevant. And just above, I added, hey, I’m isolated and this is one of my few chances at interaction with others I a meaningful way.
You folks have said again what you think. OK, I got that. I wish you got what I am saying. I’m sorry you don’t. So let’s just let it be and go on. I will still be here and post some. Oh, I’ll probably always have long posts. I’ll have my personal stuff at my blog. I would like to think some people are interested.
Let’s just set aside the disagreement. Y’all folks will always have a different opinion on me and how I do things. You don’t like that, and that’s your business. So let’s just cool it, please, and move on.
I’d still prefer to participate, and to read what others think. I know I’ve been posting a lot, and I know I write at length, and oh, I know most of the world could care less. But that’s just how it is. Criticizing me for how I am doesn’t help much.
Also, hey, CJ herself posts about her life here. Others chime in with their lives. So do you all from time to time. That’s just sharing our daily lives, relating to one another, a sense of goodwill or friendliness, neighborliness.
Why tell someone repeatedly not to do any of that, and expect that he will not defend his position? How would you all feel in my place? Please stop and think about that a little.
Let’s just let it go, huh? I don’t want to argue here. I don’t want anyone left with bad feelings here. Particularly, I don’t want CJ and Jane to feel put upon by us, their guests. And I’ve acknowledged I’d gone overboard and I have apologized to herself privately for doing so.
So you’ve told me what you think, I’ve said what I think, and let’s get back to being good fans, please, and not fuss at each other with no resolution. We aren’t likely to see eye to eye on everything. That’s OK. But please let’s not keep at it. — And I do not want to feel pushed away from one of the few places I still have to participate with others. I felt that way to a degree before. This does that again. Others, including CJ, asked all of us to cool it before, that she personally does not like folks fussing at each other, or telling each other how to run things in her place.
I’d rather let it go and still feel welcome here.
I’m wondering if CJ has lost access to the blog or something similar.
This morning, I sent an email to CJ and Jane with well wishes, saying folks were concerned and hoping they were OK. By mistake, I also sent to an old email address of mine I had no idea was still in my contacts list, which could have confused them on reply addresses. So I sent a follow-up to state clearly that was a mistake and what my correct email addresses were.
I haven’t yet heard back from CJ or Jane, but it hasn’t even been 12 hours yet since I sent it.
We at least know CJ is posting on Facebook. Possibly, she’s taking a break from here, or is irked and doesn’t want to say so, because she’s kind, or possibly there’s a glitch like trouble accessing the blog. Computer trouble, maybe?
We all hope they are feeling well and things are going fine, and we all enjoy hearing what widely varied and interesting things she and they think about, what they get up to.
Also, I said I hoped that my going overboard with posting had not irked her, and said I was restarting my blog and site. However, CJ is a lady quite capable of saying how she feels and what she thinks, bluntly or quite tactfully or gently. I’d imagine she can willd her words just right, if she really needs to deal with some problem. If she has been irritated with me, she has been very kind and caring not to have said so.
I hope they are feeling OK, and not sick or discouraged or overwhelmed catching up with work.
Hopefully, they can get things sorted out and someone will hear back, or she or Jane will post soon.
Should I suggest others might send, ah, virtual electronic message cylinders, i.e., emails, or real physical notes?
It’s unlike CJ not to post on the blog in a long while. They must have some things more urgent, or some glitch, or she would’ve posted. So, well wishes.
If someone were truly close by, maybe sending tea and cakes? Oh dear, I wouldn’t want to inundate them or freak anyone out. — I heard recently that a comedian, Gabriel Iglesias, got not one, but 11 chocolate cakes sent backstage after one show. Over-zealous fans…. He also did say, he and his girlfriend and son, and the guys who work with him on tour, had quite a lot of cake…for days. So, ah, one would not want overly abundant or intrusive gifts or visits. But tea and cakes or some other caring visit by local friends, a call, might be in order?
Aw, they are probably just very busy or maybe a bit under the weather, or some computer glitch has occurred.
(I am getting used to WordPress, which has some weird quirks to it; and my hosting service and some apps/programs, online or desktop, have gone in odd directions over the past few years. So a computer glitch is an aggravatingly high possibility.)
Heck, I hope they are OK. I miss hearing from CJ and Jane (and Lynn Abbey) about all the things they are up to. You know, it is comforting to know that well-known authors have so many of the same things going on as we fans do. But it is also great to hear the interesting stuff they get up to. The cats, the koi, the garden and bridge, cooking, topics they like, whatever it may be. It is like getting to hear from a friend or sit down and visit. They are good people and they are positive.
Best Wishes. We hope all is well with them and the folks and critters that brighten their lives.
BCS (and other salads), your blog is steadfastly refusing to let people post. I hopped through all the hoops to get signed in with WP, and it keeps telling me I am not logged in, even though my little gravatar is appearing there.
Chondrite, thanks. I’ve been away from the computer this evening, fiddling with the kittens and mama. (Going well. Litterbox is good too.)
It’s set to require moderation on all comments before they appear. I am going to flip a couple of switches, and we’ll see if you and others newly there can post. Please also email me if need be, to expedite things and get a personal reply.
If, after I make changes (a few minutes) you still can’t stay logged in or still can’t post a comment, please let me know. I’m still learning it.
BCS, your blog is still refusing my posts; I don’t know if it’s WP or what.
A shallow box, such as you might get from a flat of water or paper box lid, makes an excellent disposable temporary kitty litter box.
Chondrite, Hanneke, and several others, recent or past members registered at my blog — I believe the two problems, not staying logged in, and not being able to comment, are now fixed. Please try again when y’all get the chance and email me if you have any trouble.
It turns out that WordPress is finicky about whether you have www in the URL or not, and by default it either omits it from both or from one and not the other of two fields it uses in the settings. Since most people use www, and since that’s technically how my website and blog are set up, I’ve set it for that. Potentially, if someone tries without the www in the URL, the could still have the same problem logging in, but there is no way to solve for this that I have seen yet in WordPress. So I’m going with the majority fix. The commenting issue, I am trying something as a tentative fix.
Hope that helps! Thanks for letting me know.
Sorry, BCS, still no luck. Jetpack and WP both say I am logged in, but when I go to comment, it tells me I must log in. Trying to relog sends me in an endless circle.
Did some fiddling behind the curtain, installed a couple of plugins, but I don’t see something straightforward and nothing to tell me aye or nay except within those plugins.
I’d recommend deleting your cookies for shinytictioncom/blog with and without prefix www. If you can delete the browser cache for just those (or shinyfiction as a whole, with or without www, try that too.) Past that, the help I’m getting seems to want to use plugins, so that’s what I’m trying. Past that, heck if I know.
Another basic answer: give it 24 hours to propagate, then try again.
— Good thing Mystic is a longhair. He has been out all day with it cold and wet, down to 39 tonight. He is going to wish he’d stayed in. I’ve called and looked. I wonder if he’s hiding or if he has a friendly neighbor after all.
Mama has gone outside with me, but lets me bring her back in, and seems OK with this. Kittens are doing better, beginning to explore and starting to like me, but I’m still a bit scary-big-human for them and mama. She is glad to have a home and a human who feeds her, so she trusts me about the kittens more than I would have thought. Goober is avoiding but also curious, and willing even to let the kitten(s) do him out of food at his place. Mama gets him to give way nearly always. He chitters back, trying to be friendly, or baffled, or trying to reason with her, some mix of any of these, annoyed at times too, but not enough to risk a fight with her grouchy self. She is just being a wary mom. I wish she’d figure out Goober is not the kind of guy to bother her or her kittens. He’s not perfect, but he’s not aggressive unless pushed too far.
—–
I haven’t gotten either cabbie yet. Not sure I’ll make the vet appt.
—–
Audible.com shows The Paladin by CJ Cherryh, new from an older backlist title, and Amazon shows Foreigner 21, Divergence, avail. for pre-order, due out Sept. 8, 2020. No cover image yet.
On Monday, Feb. 17th, I sent an email to Herself asking if everything was AOK. As of now< haven't received a reply. Possibly, CJ and Jane are just busy, but possibly, there's some other issue, as Raesean suggested. Others may wish to email Herself or ask on Facebook to see if all is well. Maybe it's a glitch, or being busy, or they're not feeling well. I know we're all concerned. She usually posts more often.
CJ has been quite active on FB.
Well here’s a thing, I don’t know if I knew this before, but if I did then I forgot, if you tap on the word journal then it brings up a calendar that goes back to July 2009. Would have been nice if I was aware of this earlier because I’ve spent the last couple of months slowly working my way through September to ( now ) early November 2019. Between being otherwise engaged, and Blue`s sometimes lengthy discourse, it’s been slow going. Sure I could have jumped ahead again and in a way I suppose I have, but I seem to have missed so much. Besides, Blue is an excellent narrator I really didn’t want to miss out on the “Curry Nights out”, if he’ll pardon the pun.
Goodness, thank you for the encouraging words! Deesha, I remember you’d posted before. If you haven’t already seen, try Jackson Bird on YouTube, a trans FroM guy, very down-to-earth, sensible, and personable. He recently wrote a book called Sorted, available from Amazon and elsewhere, on his experiences growing up, then transitioning rather publicly. Jackson is a big Harry Potter fan as well.
Since you’ve been following the cats’ escapades, please seee below, where I have news about my upcoming blog and possible forum. You would be welcome there.
The blog is currently not working properly, and so I will be restarting from scratch soon. Please see below.
I don’t recall when I last commented on here, I have done so in the past, just don’t recall when. I have however commented a number of times on CJ`s Facebook page. So in case I hadn’t mentioned it, I’m Trans MtoF and started my full-time transition in March of 2018. However, I had a couple of problems with my Mother’s health after that which caused ( for various reasons ) me to neglect certain document changes, specifically my driving licence & passport. So end of last year I knew that I really had to fix this, I’d tried earlier but again events got in the way. I was determined to sort that issue at the start of the year, just had to get past the bit where everyone was visiting, and where the offices were all shut. So finally January and I’m going to work for the first day back. My engine light comes on but I’ve just driven through East Kilbride and there’s a roundabout around a mile away, I’m on a carriageway and there’s really no place to park up safely, and even if I did, I have issues with my mobile phone. So I stop, and restart the engine but the light stays on, so on I go round the roundabout, and head back to the town I’d just passed. Get to the garage with the car now stalling at the last couple of red lights, and park up. Not expecting good news anyway. So get them to call a cab and I go home to call work to say I’m currently without transport till I can get a solution. To add to my complications that was on a Friday, as Scotland has the 1st & 2nd day of January as a bank holiday, and that Friday 3rd of Jan I happened to be working a makeshift, meaning afternoon till late evening. On Saturday I go to a hire car place and hire a car, but somehow gave them the wrong e-mail address. so I didn’t get a copy of the hire paperwork. My brother takes me to a garage he knows so I can buy a new car, the expectation being that my car is going to be not worth fixing, ( which as it turned out was the case ) find a 2nd hand car circa 2014 and start the paperwork. Now my license was in my dead name, Deesha now being my legal name but just not on that particular document. But I took it, a Statutory Declaration, assorted other items to proceed with a finance agreement, and set a date to get the new car, after arranging the transfer of my car insurance. come the day, I take the hire car back and meet up with my brother and we goto the garage. Finance it turned out was being awkward regarding the license, and I hadn’t gotten the message first. So now I needed another car, until I could get the finance issue sorted. Problem was there was no available car at the hire place. My brother came to the rescue there though, as he got me covered on his insurance and lent me his car over the period when I needed to goto work, taking it back in between at weekends. With that temporary sorted, I now had to get my licence in order, so I got several copies of a passport form and arranged with my doctors for a letter to explain my gender status, had my brother’s neighbour countering the photo and payed the extra money for a meeting at the Glasgow Passport Office, as that was going to be the fastest way to get a legally recognized picture identification. By post the normal price would have taken about three weeks or so, but this route although more expensive got the passport in my hands faster, office appointment on the Monday morning, delivery of passport on the Friday afternoon that same week. Finance were just being a stone wall by now however, and I resolved to goto the bank and just get a bank loan. By now however its evening and everything is shut. Saturday I get the paperwork sorted using the passport number as verification of identity to send off for the new driving licence. Things get in the way on the Monday, and I don’t get to the bank until the Tuesday. On the way there, driving to East Kilbride in my brothers car, ran into heavy traffic which was unusual for that time in the morning. Sitting in traffic as the last car in my lane but a longer line in the lane beside me, see a car racing up behind try to break, skid, heavily side swipe the traffic on the other lane and continue on going off the road into the barrier just behind me. When I finally get to the bank though, I manage to see someone within a half hour, was actually expecting to need to make an appointment for a future date. Anyway agree a loan amount and time period, and phone my brother as I head for the car park. I had got a new phone that weekend, but still hadn’t got most phone numbers loaded yet. Get home, give Mom some lunch and head out the door, all within half an hour, off to work. Check my phone at tea break and know I need to see him in the morning, regarding the payment method for the car. So Wednesday 22nd Jan, go back to my bank and arrange for a bank transfer to their account. In the time it takes for me to do that, then go pick up my brother and go to the garage, the transfer has gone through. Still takes what seems like an inordinate amount of time after that to compete the paperwork, but then I’m handed the keys, and I’ve got this car and I have to get home, and Damn it’s already time for me to leave for work. It’s not the car I would have chosen if I hadn’t been pressed by circumstances, but for now it’s going to have to do. Now just got the next crisis to circumnavigate, one has to do with an old pension scheme from an old employer that has since closed the factory and warehouse I knew, leaving only the parent company that is kind of hard to get in contact with. The other? well there always seems to be another crisis round the corner
Wow. Kudos to you for perseverance! Bureaucracy is no one’s favorite pastime.
Hi everyone. My blog is still not working right. I’ve been hunting solutions, but most are the same info, and what I’vedone is supposed to be correct. However, it’s still not working right.
I have a post at my blog detailing this, but as most registered users are from here, I’m letting you all know here. — I will be calling tech support to confirm a couple of things on PHP and MySQL for my main website, in order to fix or else restart my blog, and to start a forum.
I am expecting to take down my current blog and start from scratch, sometime Monday or Tuesday, depending on appointments. I have members’ usernames and email addresses, and can re-add the small number manually, or ask you all to re-register, once I have confirmed the new blog is up and running and correct. I have a backup of the current blog, so I may be able to add back the current posts.
Additionally, I may add a forum. I had had one briefly, but the bottiin were way too numerous then, so it wasn’t worth the effort to combat them for a small number of people and posts. But I may start a forum again now.
Anyone who has emailed me since 2020-02-13 regarding the blog and their registration or use, you should know you are confirmed. So I can add you back manually or ask you to reregister, once the blog is back on and fine.
Potential new members, please hold off until I have that sorted out. You are welcome at my site, blog, and possible forum.
I really want this to work. I’m very irked that I can’t get whatever is wrong fixed, particularly when my settings match what I’m told should work.
@Chuck or @Charles — The guy helping CJ with her blog here, and @Lynn Abbey — I could use any advice you could give me on (1) A login session timeout issue, where at least one member says WP keeps refreshing or timing out and claiming she is not logged in, when she just did so, and so she cannot post. (2) Comments and Discussion: I have everything set now so registered members should be able to post comments, and only admin moderation pending approval when there are too many links or the WP list of flagged words (explicit or profane or some others). My blog as a whole, and each page and post, are set up to allow comments. (Previously they were set to require me to view and approve every comment.) But not only won’t it let members comment, but it won’t let me comment, even when logged in as admin. Nothing I have found says what’s wrong, and my settings are correct according to several sources. (3) Further on the login and posting: My blog had been, by default from WP, set with both www. and without, prefixing the shinyfiction.com/blog/ — This was apparently an error and was fixed to add www. to go with everything else. I’ve asked members to clear bookmarks or favorites and redo them, to clear their cookies and cache for my site shinyfiction.com (and http://www.shinyfiction.com) and only the www. should be active. But still no luck for that member and apparently others. No one’s had any luck commenting, and I show nothing in the Pending queue, including my own recent attempts to comment to diagnose it, to see if I’ve fixed it.
So if you have advice there, I’d appreciate it, please.
Meanwhile, as said, I intend to start my blog new from scratch, on Monday or Tuesday after checking with tech support regarding PHP and MySQL.
To folks objecting to me posting such here: I’m doing so in order for members here to get the news. I’m very sorry if it bothers you, but please be patient and understanding. I am trying to get it going so I can have a way for people to interact if they want, and to put my own stuff, the cats, personal, or fan-related, or whatever occurs to me, there, while limiting to only CJ and Jane’s work here, or things more immediately relevant to fellow fans. Please give me a chance to get that done, and I won’t have so much here to bother you, while it will be where others who’d like to read it and interact can do so. Thanks for your understanding and forbearance. Also, I _like_ hearing how other people are doing here, it feels more homelike, more friendly. Just saying.
I hope we will hear from CJ and Jane soon here. I love hearing what they are up to and what they are interested in, besides book news, which I also love.
Amazon is showing pre-order available for Foreigner 21: Resurgence, and Audible is showing The Paladin, a backlist title, an early work from CJ, is now available for audiobooks. An audiobook for Alliance Rising, and for Finity’s End and Merchanter’s Luck and the Cloud / Finisterre / Nighthorse books would be most wonderful, whoever they can get done. (It can take weeks or months to get an audiobook ready. That’s hours and hours of finished product and far more of drafts.)
Resurgence is showing a 2020-09-08 (Sept. 08th) release date.
Three felicitous firsts overnight: (1) Four of the kittens, playing two and two on either side of the bathroom door. They’ve tried the main litterbox and seen that the funny big human also pees, standing up. (2) Peppercorn has let Goober go back and forth a couof times without challenge, with the kittens around. We are not quite prepared to say they are friends, but it’s progress. But the big thing tonight is (drumroll)
(#3) The kittens have landed — on the bed — and within a few minutes, Goober was showboating, venturing to touch noses with one kitten and then wiping around a little on the bed, trying to initiate play. However, he then did bunny-kicks against the bedspread-, on his side, while the tiny kitten watched from his/her place on the bed.
The kitten got down safely with no closer contact made, but perhaps the points were made that Goober is a big grownup kitty-cat and the bed is his, but that if the kittens want to play, Goober might like them, as friends or playmates. He may not know his own strength in this. He and Peppercorn need to make friends too. — So I will be extra watchful now and play referee if need be. I am hoping Goober will pick up that he must be gentle with these tiny kittens, smaller than Smokey when I got him and smaller than Goober when I got him too. I _think_ Goober will sense this, but I will be watching to guard them.
The kittens will now be on the bed at times, so I will have to be watchful too. Peppercorn has not yet gone into the bedroom beyond the doorway, and has not been on the bed.
I am very hopeful they can share the territory and to run Goober ragged. He looks willing, from the, to make friends and share with the kittens, which is very good. As they grow older in a hurry, there will be less chance of any mishaps.
And — This is like having a hani clan or ship’s crew and an atevi aishid all at once: five little black kittens and mama all-black, shadow-in-shadow, beautiful, silent (sometimes) little hunters with intelligence alight, bright little lives for ones so dark in fur. Goober is, of course, a black-and-white tuxedo cat, so there’s a theme going. While Mystic is a brown tabby and white longhair fellow and Curry, not allowed with them, is a brown tabby handsome and charming cat, but with issues. So watching the kittens and mama is both atevi and hani in one go, with my Goober and Mystic (and Curry outside) variations on the theme in a way that goes well.\\Oh. And that may be Peppercorn or one of her kittens, wo has found the plastic ball with the jingle bell inside. Oh my….
CommentCJ, very happy to hear about Resurgence and Regenesis coming to Audible. I tried to read Regenesis but I have become spoiled by Audible. I am also looking forward to Divergence.
Thank you
CJ, any update on when we will see Resurgence (Foreigner Book 20) on Audible?
I know it’s been 20 months since this post was made, but I’m still hoping for an Audible release of Resurgence. I did buy it in hardback.