By The Way, Which One's Pink?

[anarchist_nomad]

Back in Oxford again... this time with no plans to leave until Friday.

Spent the bulk of yesterday in London having a day that mixed fun and frustration. The frustration part came first. I drove out to Battersea to register with the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and get the ball rolling towards adopting a new kitten into our home. I may have well not bothered and saved myself the trouble. The Battersea Dogs & Cats Home will not adopt a kitten to us because of an insurmountable philosophical difference. To wit: they will not adopt a kitten to a family that will keep it indoors, believing that cats are "wild animals" and will not be happy if they are not allowed outside. Meanwhile, none of our cats have ever been allowed to roam outside, as we believe that cars and other hazards pose too much of a threat. The "wild animal" argument is bollocks -- you don't adopt "wild animals" into your home. Cats are domesticated and if they were truly "wild animals," the shelter need not worry so much about people who let their cats go unattended[*]. I appreciate that the Home screens applicants carefully to make sure that their cats are going to a good home. However, this is beyond a question of providing a "good home" and is simply them being overly dogmatic[**]. I have known plenty of cats -- including some of our own -- who live their entire lives indoors and are quite happy[***]. No cat I have ever known has been happier than Foxy as she cuddled next to cheshcat or me on the couch, or Stumpy as she gets her daily dose of scritching, or The Boy just about all the time[****]. Feh. So that was a waste of my time.

The day did get better, though -- that is where the fun part comes in. In the evening, I made my way to North Greenwich to see Roger Waters perform at the Millennium Dome. I have seen him perform several times before -- at Jones Beach in 1999; in Providence, RI in 2000; at at Madison Square Garden in 2000[*****] -- but it has been many years. So off I went to the ugly-as-hell Dome to go to the show. The first act was a nice selection of songs, both from Pink Floyd and his solo work:

1. In The Flesh (The Wall)
   
2. Mother (The Wall)
   
3. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun (A Saucerful of Secrets)
   
4. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Wish You Were Here)
   
5. Have A Cigar (Wish You Were Here)
   
6. Wish You Were Here (Wish You -- oh, you figure it out!)
   
7. Southampton Dock (The Final Cut)
   
8. The Fletcher Memorial Home (The Final Cut)
   
9. Perfect Sense, Part One (Amused To Death)
   
10. Perfect Sense, Part Two (Amused To Death)
    
11. Leaving Beirut (not on an album)
    
12. Sheep (Animals)

The second act was, quite simply, The Dark Side of the Moon. I have never heard the album live before. It was... spectacular. For the encore, Waters and company played several songs from The Wall:

1. The Happiest Days Of Our Lives
   
2. Another Brick In The Wall, Part Two
   
3. Vera
   
4. Bring The Boys Back Home
   
5. and, to finish it all off: Comfortably Numb

Twas indeed a great concert! The enormous video screen in the back of the stage was artfully used, with a variety of images that enhanced the music. Most noteworthy was a comic-book sequence that illustrated the true story told in "Leaving Beirut." As one might expect from a Pink Floyd show, there was a floating pig above the audience at one point. At a different point -- during "Perfect Sense, Part One" -- there was also a floating astronaut. Very cool! As one would also expect from Pink Floyd, there was an abundance of pyrotechnics on the stage -- explosions, fireworks, et cetera -- and dramatic use of lighting. The most stunning example of this was a gigantic three dimensional rotating manifestation of the Dark Side of the Moon logo at the top of the stadium at the end of the second act... all made out of brilliant lights!

So the concert did a lot to easy the grouchy mood that the Battersea folks left me with, and it made my trip into London worthwhile. I eventually got back to Skullcrusher Mountain around 2am and collapsed into bed with cheshcat and The Boy soon after. It was a little odd to see Waters perform without The Kiddo this time... but he and I have plans to meet in New York to see Billy Joel's "Last Play At Shea" in less than two months, so that gives me something else musically themed to look forward to.

---

[*] I have also heard people use the "wild animal" argument as justification before when they are tired of caring for their cat, so they just dump it outside. This is a pathetic excuse for a truly reprehensible behaviour.

[**] Ignore the potential for making a pun here, please. Really, it just isn't worth it.

[***] There is also a cultural effect going on here, as most people I know in the UK think it is weird to keep indoor cats, while most cat carers I know in the US keep their cats wholly indoors.

[****] Before Foxy and Totoro died, anyway. Now that he is alone for the first time in his life, he is noticeably less cheerful. The Boy is a very social cat, which is one of the reasons why I want to find him a kitten quite urgently.

[*****] Where, by some stroke of luck, The Kiddo and I ended up scoring some incredibly good floor seats!

Comments

[squeektoy42.livejournal.com]

I called...but you weren't there. :-(

But it's ok cause I talked to cheshcat instead of you...so I win! :-D

I agree...the policy is fubared! My first cat ever was an outdoor cat, and only because he started that way. And long story short, I had to give him up to a family friend with a 30+ acres farm because he didn't get along with the people who lived around us. I will NEVER do that again unless I live somewhere with lots of land and the cat/s start that way anyways.

:-)

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Indeed! I was out ringing bells. Tuesday night practice, dontcha know?

Thanks for calling anyway, sweetie! I agree -- we should talk soon! And, hey, talking to the lovely cheshcat is always a win!

It seems that everyone writing from the States agrees with me on the inanity of the mandated outdoor cat thing. I really do think a cultural divide is at play here. I hope that all the other shelters don't feel the same way. Otherwise, I might need to adopt in the States and bring another cat that way. And I already know what a headache that is!

By the way, Chesh tells me you were asking about the BJ money. Yes, The Kiddo did receive it -- thanks!

[squeektoy42.livejournal.com]

Ahh...I for some reason forgot about your Tuesday night practice. We should talk soon, but you are right...talking to Chesh is always great!

Yeah, I remember what a headache that was for you guys...I hope you can find another shelter that doesn't have this bizarre policy. I just don't understand why they would think that way...do they not have problems with animals getting injured by cars over there? Or do they just not care? Weird...

Good! I actually got a call from my bank last week and they found the check...after someone tried to cash it. I didn't get the whole story, but it turns out this guy working a post office station near here had been taking mail with checks/money orders in them for a while...I am very glad he got it and am SO looking forward to the concert!! :-D (and seeing your wonderful self, of course!)

[thirteen-ravens.livejournal.com]

"It seems that everyone writing from the States agrees with me on the inanity of the mandated outdoor cat thing. I really do think a cultural divide is at play here. I hope that all the other shelters don't feel the same way. Otherwise, I might need to adopt in the States and bring another cat that way. And I already know what a headache that is!"

Amusingly our youngest cat Shanie was only given to us by the shelter in the understanding that she was an indoors cat and that we would always keep her indoors. This was only because she was very nervous, and had also been kept indoors for the first eighteen months of her life. Of course we sort of thought the sanctuary rules were a bit strict. We did keep her inside for the first six weeks, then gradually began to introduce her to the garden too - first in a harness, then after another two weeks let free under supervision. (Because she was eating everything in sight, including gravel and flowers...LOL) The next six months after that we always called her in at night, didn't allow her to stay out after we'd all gone to bed. Now, however she's fine, goes in and out as she pleases. And even totally surprised us last Winter by growing a thick longhaired Winter coat complete with ruff/mane...! Turns out we had a Norwegian Forest Cat breed and didn't even know it!!

I think it's entirely up to the individual cat's tastes, whether they like indoors and/or outdoors; ours have always had a free choice anyway, and we never shut them outside if they don't want to be out - and vice versa. We especially never shut them out in the wet and cold (Unless they wanted to be outside - hunting or catching mice - and refused to come when called/bribed with food.) Shanie spends over three-quarters of her time out, (And when she's outside sometimes wants us to come out too, and will sit on the patio table and yowl eerily until we get up to see what the hell's the matter, at which point she stops yowling...crafty little thing!!) Whereas Buffy is very prim and clean and just can't really be bothered with the Great Outdoors... hey, she has a sofa and a nice comfy computer chair (Dad's, but she steals it from him) and also my bed. Why on earth would she ever want to go outside in the mud, dirt and wet? ;)

Anyway, there will be shelters around with cats that have been kept indoors previously, or won't mind. Just a question of continuing to look. :)