Falling back into the leaves of books

Tiger here! (yawn) Just waking up and wondering why my lady is turning all of the clocks back. Humans are so weird and do useless things. Now cats, however, are totally cool and most productive. Take my Japanese kin Tama, for example, who is the only feline train conductor in the world and has saved a small town's train line from bankruptcy. Here she is in action:



Now, why can't I get a job like that? I would love to be a library cat or maybe even a bookstore cat. My lady told me there's a wicked new indie bookstore in historic and haunted Irvington, a neighborhood she has many personal ties to and which is only a short car ride away from our home. The shop is Bookmama's. Located on Johnson Street, just southeast of Ritter and Washington in Indianapolis, Bookmama's is a great place to browse for books, meditate with the Buddhist Center, get feedback from a writer's group or talk books with a reading club, find unique gifts, and just hang out and enjoy some laid-back conversation with the owner and staff or simply breathe in the oh-so-lovely smell of books. The shop's space is open to local groups and clubs, and they carry a lot of local publications, such as Irvington Haunts by Alan Hunter and Russ Simnick. You can even ask them to order books for you. My lady prefers the personal, friendly neighbor service of this little bookstore to the big corporate feel of the bookstore chains, akin to her preference for Lazy Daze Coffee House over the new Starbucks down the street. Lazy Daze is conveniently located right across the street from Bookmama's, so you can grab a book and read it while grabbing a cuppa (hint, hint). Bookmama's is also planning a big celebration for the 200th birthday of Edgar Allen Poe this coming January. Bless Poe's soul for his awe of, and admiration for, cats, especially when he said, ""I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." Maybe I can enlist the help of the lolcat known as "Hover Cat" to transport me to Bookmama's to apply for a job. They can pay me with catnip or tuna. I'm easy to please and not too picky. But they have to let me smell the books. Oh, the lovely, dusty, heavenly aroma of angelic and demonic words, ambrosia to my wiggly pink rosebud nose.

Help Stop Puppy Mills!

Yo, Tiger here. I'm still basking in the glory of the song about me - "Orange Kitten's Mew" - and feeling pretty good about myself right now. I have a family who loves me and fur-siblings who, well, tolerate me most of the time, including a dog. This dog, whose name is Rascal, turned 10 years old yesterday, so I guess he's an old fart for a dog! Maybe that's why he bit me on the nose the other day. I was only trying to rub on him, because I love him so much, but I don't think we'll ever understand each other. We don't speak the same language. But that doesn't mean we aren't worthy of love. Now, you may have heard of these "pet shop puppies," dogs raised in puppy mills, deplorable places where the puppies and their parents are treated inhumanely and kept in cramped cages with no petting or love. They live in breeding farms, like chickens or pigs. Then the puppies are sold to pet shops that sell them for very high prices. Doesn't seem worth it to me. I wish I could stop this myself, but I'm just a cat, and you don't speak my language. But you speak theirs - the puppy mill owners and their customers - and you can make a difference and help stop them. Read below for more info about upcoming protests. My lady and girl have been to one protest so far, and they feel like they reached a lot of people. So, go be creative, make a cool sign and join the fight against puppy mills! Thanks.

Hello Everyone--
We are asking you to please join us in speaking out for puppy mill dogs in Indiana.
We are planning peaceful rallies at Uncle Bill's Pet Centers on Saturday July 12th.

Please consider devoting just a few hours of your time for this very important cause.
Please RSVP to this email address and let us know if you will be joining us.

Demonstration Information: July 12th

**Uncle Bill's in Greenwood
The address is 870 US Highway 31 N, Greenwood, IN.
Time: 12:00 to 1:30

**Then on to the East side Uncle Bill's on the same day.
The address is 9411 E. Washington St. Indianapolis, IN.
Time: 2:30 to 4:00

Please do not park in Uncle Bill's parking lot.
We will have posters and banners but feel free to bring your own if you choose.

Please visit our website for information on the connection between puppy mills and pet stores in Indiana as well as information on our Indianapolis billboard campaign.

Please help us spread the word.

http://www.petshoppuppies.org/index.htm

Our videos can been seen here:

http://www.petshoppuppies.org/_videoplayer/myvideoplayer.html

Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
PSP

Second Story Indy, Inc. to Help Kids Find Their Inner Artist

Indy will soon have a place where kids can go to get help with their writing skills and also get in touch with their creative sides. The new organization will make its home in Fountain Square. Second Story is currently looking for volunteers. Read more at their website (just click on the title above).

Become a member of Big Car!

From the Big Car website:

Do you love Big Car? Have you enjoyed our art or music shows or even participated in something there? Well, here's your chance to offer support. Big Car is in the midst of its first membership drive. Your $40 membership will help keep our non-profit space going strong. Joining Big Car is a neat deal because it provides both the warm, fuzzy feeling of helping out and great discounts at several of your favorite (or soon to be favorite) spots around the city. And you'll enjoy other benefits like special members only events, a profile on our website and opportunities to show your artwork in our spaces. Read more below (click to enlarge):

We're happy to accept memberships in person or via mail at 1043 Virginia Ave. Suite 215, Indianapolis, IN 46203.

Email membership questions here: audrey@bigcar.org.

"Whiskers in the Jar" Update (Listen Online!)

Good day!

The music for Marc Gunn's new CD, "Whiskers in the Jar," is now online! For more info, go to: Irish Cat Synchronicity TEXT

Scroll down a bit and you'll find a playlist. My lady's song is "Orange Kitten's Mew." It's about me! The other songs are also delightful, and include the likes of "Harry Potter and the Rising of the Moon," "Whiskers in the Jar," and "What Shall We Do With a Catnipped Kitty."

Marc Gunn is a talented filker and Celtic musician and a member of the Brobdingnagian Bards, a duo who play at renaissance festivals, sci-fi/fantasy conventions, etc. "Whiskers in the Jar" is Marc's third kitty-related solo CD.

Please consider adopting a CD to help Marc out if you're able, since he is an independent artist and footed the bill for this CD, although he had some help from generous donors. Or, if you're stumped for cash, my lady will burn you a copy once I get mine in the mail and get some blank CDs. Marc has given permission to do so.

Here is the beautiful artwork for the new CD: Whiskers in the Jar TEXT

Kinda' looks like me, don't you think? Except I don't have those beautiful spiral stripes.

Enjoy and please share with your cat and Irish music-loving friends!

P.S. ~ Marc has encouraged his fans to make videos, so my lady might take some videos and pictures of me (including some from when I was little and some of me in a shoe box and cuddling with my gentleman) and try to make a video. She's never splotched one together like that and has no idea where to start. She's only posted one video on YouTube in her life (I know, she's such a noob), and it was a straight video downloaded from my digital camera. So, if any of you know how to make videos and add music to them, please let me know!

Thanks!!

Purrsonally yours,

~Tiger

My Lady is a Songwriter! Irish kitty drinking songs return!

Here is the beautiful cover:



The recording artist is filker and Celtic musician Marc Gunn. Some may know him from renaissance festivals and conventions like Dragon*Con singing with the Brobdingnagian Bards. The cover artwork is by artist Ingrid Houwers. And the lyrics to one of the songs, "Orange Kitten's Mew" (sung to the tune of old Irish song "The May Morning Dew"), were written by my lady!

Click here to pre-order a CD:
Adopt a Cat CD

Yay, I'm so excited! "Orange Kitten's Mew" is written from the viewpoint of my girl Theresa, who found little old me under our neighbor's mini barn when I was an abandoned, skinny little kitten. Hey, that kitty on the cover looks a bit like me, don't you think? (But I'm prettier, haha.)

Kitty Drinking Songs are Back!

Next week I get to receive a free preview copy of Marc Gunn's Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion. To learn more about this CD and Marc Gunn's music, visit Cat Drinking Songs or Marc Gunn. Thanks! *purrrr*

A hometown literary hero is lost

Kurt Vonnegut Dies

The City of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library declared 2007 "The Year of Vonnegut." There have been, and will continue to be, numerous programs about Mr. Vonnegut, his life and family history and, of course, his novels. He was scheduled to speak here in Indy on Friday, April 27, but had to decline after his fall the other day. His son was scheduled to speak in his place, but I'm not sure that will happen now. I'm sure many thoughts and prayers will be directed to the young Mr. Vonnegut and his family in the coming days. Rest well, Mr. Vonnegut. I wish I could have seen you, but at least I can still read your words.

All Peter S. Beagle Issue of The Green Man Review

Ladies and Gentlemen, Unicorns and Werewolves, and all other Fantastic Folk,

I invite you to check out the brand-new, all Peter S. Beagle issue of The Green Man Review. You'll find a recent interview with Peter by Green Man Editor-In-Chief Cat Eldridge, reviews of several of Peter's works, essays written by none other than Connor Cochran, an up-to-date list of upcoming works, audio clips of Peter reading The Last Unicorn and singing (he has a very good voice!), as well as some of his early poetry. There's also a poem inspired by a line in The Last Unicorn, written by a little cat poet from Indiana who some of you may know, accompanied by the cutest picture I have ever seen in my life.

The best thing about this journal is that you get to learn more about Peter. Each piece includes interesting facts about the various works, such as the fact that Tamsin, which just happens to be one of my favorite books, almost started out as a (gasp!) Disney movie. You'll also learn how a poem Peter wrote in high school won him a college scholarship, which led to education and encouragement that helped him grow as a writer. And you'll find some cool pictures.

This is a wonderful tribute to Peter. I encourage you to read The Green Man Review and share it with your friends and family. The Renaissance of Peter S. Beagle is upon us, my friends. So sit back in your computer chair, grab a beer or cup of tea (depending on the hour), pull your favorite cat or mythical creature onto your lap, click that mouse and enjoy!

Mmmmmm, I love mice, purrrrrr.

Note to Tiger from Your Lady: It's not that kind of mouse, fur brain! But I still love you.