CritterKeeper

/me makes a note on The List, with the added note "trying to hard"
 

I picture Grace's antennae being more like cephalopod appendages, which can be extremely adaptable.

Catalina is a tomato based salad dressing and Bobcat is a low ranking Cub Scout
Can she make young boys eat more vegetables?

I'm sorry to hear that the forum is a source of stress for you instead of a stress-reliever like it is for me.  I hope you'll be up to rejoining us again soon, in a much-improved frame of mind and energy level!  Please let us know if there is anything we can do, in the meanwhile (other than each buy a hundred copies of your album ;-).

I've seen "FBI Surveilance Van" or "Link Here for Identity Theft" or the like many times before, but today I just spotted a new WiFi server ID, "Tell My WiFi Love Her"!

I'm surprised that Kevin would tolerate Mittens using his power so frivolously.

Beware averaging characteristics.
You may end up with characters who are average.

Does it have to be all day? Because I failed that (it's hard to be constantly happy when you have the flu - or chronic depression for that matter).
I did take some time to enjoy a beautiful sunset, though.

If he ever isn't, we'll have to check on the habits of bears in the woods....
Some people would never admit to the existence of such a thing as an Islamic Golden Age.
And you passed up the opportunity to tell us "Who else?"
If there are any young nuclear researchers on here, you have now increased the chances of one of them actually naming such a molecule that last one.  Just ask Eriovixia gryffindori or any of the other species named for Harry Potter references, or Stephen Colbert, or the wasp that twists its abdomen like Shakira, or various other minor planets, organisms, laws (I especially like Newton's Flaming Laser Sword, much sharper than Occam's Razor), chemicals, or units of measurement.
Biologists are definitely the biggest culprits here.
Everyone knows the name Stephanie Clifford?
 

I need to say this...
E Ihowā Atua,
O ngā iwi mātou rā
Āta whakarangona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tō atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa
God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
GOD DEFEND NEW ZEALAND!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU4tCn_aSxU
 

So if you have sort of figured out something about how magic works, you have a rule of thaum?

You need a nap? I think somebody left one on your bed.
 

Huh.  Does Smoke have two abilities?  Has he Awoken?  Or is he a Wizard or Seer?  He seems to be using a Magic-Sight ability like Tedd or Luke have, and he's also transformed to smoke.  If he's a Wizard he could have picked it up from watching Luke.  If he's a Seer he would need to have been unqualified, either knowing a Seer's purpose or not having used magic yet, and I don't see how either of those could be the case, given our timeline.
So, I'm calling it -- Smoke wasn't just looking for kicks, he wanted to add new transformations to his collection of spells.  But he can't learn Grace's type of magic.

The only Chicago-area con I'm at all familiar with is Windycon, which I happened entirely coincidentally to be in town for in 1989 or 1990. I was there for a two-week training program on some new software my employer was buying, and the convention was on the intervening weekend; I found out about it late Saturday evening.
The fun thing was, Mercedes Lackey recognized me in the hall and answered a silly question I had asked her at Norwescon.
That being one of two times I spent even a full day in the Chicago area. The other was in the fall of 1977 around Thanksgiving; for various reasons I can pin that one down precisely.

Sunday was the second anniversary of my father's death.  I was able to go home for the weekend to visit my mom, and we did stop by the columberia where his ashes are, but it wasn't the focus of the visit.  I wasn't really sure if my mom would remember what day it was, as it was usually my dad who was best at remembering that sort of thing, but she did too.  We talked a bit about their travels together, as well as family trips taken with all four of us.  So, sad, but not in a bad way, if that makes sense to you.

Rabbits are apparently making a play for taking over the Cats' domain and the Cats have no clue what to make of it.
 

Baker the cat's ordeal is over! The vet removed his feeding tube today and pronounced him healthy. We don't have to give him any more medicines or anything like that. All we have to do is keep his neck collar on while his feeding tube hole heals up.
We were afraid Baker was going to die on us when all of this began. If it wasn't for a group of great vets and Baker's will to live, we would have lost him. We nurtured that will to live - Mrs. Prof, especially - and now, Baker is back to his sassy self. Thank goodness.

Gosh, it's almost like someone has a prejudice against name-based affinities.....  ;-)

Maybe it might have in the 1970s.
But most government work enforces No Smoking rules now.

Both within two days?  Ouch!  I hope it wasn't something bad that took out both of them, although I guess I don't even know if that would be any worse or better.  May you find comfort all the happy memories the three of you shared!

Both within two days?  Ouch!  I hope it wasn't something bad that took out both of them, although I guess I don't even know if that would be any worse or better.  May you find comfort all the happy memories the three of you shared!

Anybody remember when postal workers actually got decent pay and benefits?

Prince the Cat
Born: 11/27/2016
Died: 2/6/2019
Hunter the Cat
Born: 2009 or 2010
Died: 2/8/2019
You will be missed, guys. So, so much.

Even without this, I'd have assumed it was Rick Astley, just because of the vagueness involved.

On February 6 in History:
1685 - James II & VII of England and Scotland, respectively, becomes king(s). He's Catholic, so we're doin' this again.
1755 - Future U.S. Vice President and Hamilton-killer Aaron Burr is born.
1778 - France officially recognizes the United States. This is done mostly to troll Great Britain, but we'll take it.
1895 - George Herman Ruth Jr. is born. I'm going to deliberately refuse to make the obvious pun, knowing that it will gnaw at you for the rest of the day. Mwahahaha!
1918 - British women over 30 who own a certain amount of property are now able to vote. This had to be rushed through to make sure they beat the Americans to it; that would have been embarrassing.
1945 - Bob Marley wakes up and lives. A doctor spanks him and admonishes, "No, baby. No cry."
1952 - Elizabeth II becomes Queen of the United Kingdom, and a bunch of other places. Rumor has it she also unlocked the crown's ancient secret to immortality, but that remains to be seen.
1966 - Another celebrity is born, and there's a video that explains it better than I could:
https://tinyurl.com/Feb-6-Video