I think we've figured it out (was: adopting stray and 1000 other late-night rants)

I still feel badly about going off last night. I know you folks who
take the time to read a lot of these posts love cats, and I'm sure
anyone who knows my story must have been shocked. It was just a vent,
almost and though I'm just a cyber-denizen to most of you, I
appreciate your concern.

There are remnants on Usenet of real communities.. the way it was ten
years ago. This is one of them.

Anyway,

Megan rox.

She read my flaming post, which seemed to show me rationalizing the
surrender or euthanizing of Henry, after she'd discovered a wonderful
person who may be a candidate for adopting him.

(as a side-note, when she brought the candidate to visit Henry, a
wonderful gesture by itself, she was cooing about how beautiful and
nice he was. Her companion remarked "Megan, have you ever met a cat
you didn't love?" =) )

So she sprang into action. I had no less than five voicemails this
morning, prolly more. After some calls from Megan, Henry's potential
suitor had volunteered that she would be willing to "foster" Henry,
while a permanent home was found.

I can't see anyone exposed to Henry for any length of time not falling
in love with him, either.

So yes, the points I raised last night are true, fussing over a single
cat seems so hopeless in the face of tens of thousands of strays, but
we become more human when we endure and work on that crowd one cat at
a time. And the benefits are great - getting to meet fascinating,
unique beings and come into some rapport with them.

I also promised Megan that I wouldn't launch into these late-night,
sleep-deprived rants on this newsgroup any more. I'll save that for my
political diatribes in groups that really don't care that much.. =)

What's that axiom?... shouting on the internet is like wrestling a
pig.. you get muddy and the pig likes it.

BLink

In article ,
Brian Link wrote:

So yes, the points I raised last night are true, fussing over a single
cat seems so hopeless in the face of tens of thousands of strays, but
we become more human when we endure and work on that crowd one cat at
a time.

Bingo.

Personally, I think that's true with people, too.

Priscilla
--
"You can't welcome someone into a body of Christ and then say only
certain rooms are open." -- dancertm in alt.religion.christian.episcopal

"Brian Link" wrote
So she sprang into action. I had no less than five voicemails this
morning, prolly more. After some calls from Megan, Henry's potential
suitor had volunteered that she would be willing to "foster" Henry,
while a permanent home was found.

This sounds like a great solution! I'm so glad everything is falling into
place.

I know Megan can come on too strong for some people, but cats are her #1
priority. She helped me with a foster and was a great source of comfort and
knowledge when Antonio went missing. If it wasn't for some of her tips, I
probably wouldn't have gotten him back.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

in article , Brian Link at
wrote on 3/7/05 9:32 PM:

I still feel badly about going off last night. I know you folks who
take the time to read a lot of these posts love cats, and I'm sure
anyone who knows my story must have been shocked. It was just a vent,
almost and though I'm just a cyber-denizen to most of you, I
appreciate your concern.

There are remnants on Usenet of real communities.. the way it was ten
years ago. This is one of them.

Anyway,

Megan rox.

She read my flaming post, which seemed to show me rationalizing the
surrender or euthanizing of Henry, after she'd discovered a wonderful
person who may be a candidate for adopting him.

(as a side-note, when she brought the candidate to visit Henry, a
wonderful gesture by itself, she was cooing about how beautiful and
nice he was. Her companion remarked "Megan, have you ever met a cat
you didn't love?" =) )

So she sprang into action. I had no less than five voicemails this
morning, prolly more. After some calls from Megan, Henry's potential
suitor had volunteered that she would be willing to "foster" Henry,
while a permanent home was found.

I can't see anyone exposed to Henry for any length of time not falling
in love with him, either.

So yes, the points I raised last night are true, fussing over a single
cat seems so hopeless in the face of tens of thousands of strays, but
we become more human when we endure and work on that crowd one cat at
a time. And the benefits are great - getting to meet fascinating,
unique beings and come into some rapport with them.

I also promised Megan that I wouldn't launch into these late-night,
sleep-deprived rants on this newsgroup any more. I'll save that for my
political diatribes in groups that really don't care that much.. =)

What's that axiom?... shouting on the internet is like wrestling a
pig.. you get muddy and the pig likes it.

BLink

It was pretty obviously sleep deprivation and depression talking. You are
quite obviously too good a person to do anything so desparate, but it was a
little scary. Anyone who takes the kitty in for a spruce up for the
potential adopter is not going to make a careless decision....unless they
are too depressed. That was the scary part.

"Brian Link" wrote:

Henry's potential
suitor had volunteered that she would be willing to "foster" Henry,
while a permanent home was found.

I can't see anyone exposed to Henry for any length of time not falling
in love with him, either.

So yes, the points I raised last night are true, fussing over a single
cat seems so hopeless in the face of tens of thousands of strays, but
we become more human when we endure and work on that crowd one cat at
a time. And the benefits are great - getting to meet fascinating,
unique beings and come into some rapport with them.

I hope things work out for Henry. I have my doubts.

I also promised Megan that I wouldn't launch into these late-night,
sleep-deprived rants on this newsgroup any more. I'll save that for my
political diatribes in groups that really don't care that much.. =)

What's that axiom?... shouting on the internet is like wrestling a
pig.. you get muddy and the pig likes it.


Right. Here's a Big Clue for You: usually people who tell you
to shut up have an ulterior motive that is not for your own good.
When you post here people learn. Megan is wrong about that.
Post what you want to post.

Brian Link wrote:
I still feel badly about going off last night. I know you folks who
take the time to read a lot of these posts love cats, and I'm sure
anyone who knows my story must have been shocked. It was just a vent,
almost and though I'm just a cyber-denizen to most of you, I
appreciate your concern.

There are remnants on Usenet of real communities.. the way it was
ten
years ago. This is one of them.

Anyway,

Megan rox.

She read my flaming post, which seemed to show me rationalizing the
surrender or euthanizing of Henry, after she'd discovered a wonderful
person who may be a candidate for adopting him.

(as a side-note, when she brought the candidate to visit Henry, a
wonderful gesture by itself, she was cooing about how beautiful and
nice he was. Her companion remarked "Megan, have you ever met a cat
you didn't love?" =) )

So she sprang into action. I had no less than five voicemails this
morning, prolly more. After some calls from Megan, Henry's potential
suitor had volunteered that she would be willing to "foster" Henry,
while a permanent home was found.

Excellent! What a great compromise.


I can't see anyone exposed to Henry for any length of time not
falling
in love with him, either.

So yes, the points I raised last night are true, fussing over a
single
cat seems so hopeless in the face of tens of thousands of strays, but
we become more human when we endure and work on that crowd one cat at
a time. And the benefits are great - getting to meet fascinating,
unique beings and come into some rapport with them.

That's pretty much what I said to you in the beginning - see yourself
as a conduit for a better life for many. If you do, then giving up
those you love is much sweeter. Plus, you get to receive updates all
your life about how great the cat(s) is/are doing.



I also promised Megan that I wouldn't launch into these late-night,
sleep-deprived rants on this newsgroup any more. I'll save that for
my
political diatribes in groups that really don't care that much.. =)

What's that axiom?... shouting on the internet is like wrestling a
pig.. you get muddy and the pig likes it.


Well, you got it out of your system. Sometimes ya gotta do that.

This isn't the first time Megan has stepped in to help a cat on the
'net, in need. She's a good egg, overall. Bravo, Megan, and Bravo,
Brian.

-L.

On 2005-03-08, Brian Link penned:

So yes, the points I raised last night are true, fussing over a single cat
seems so hopeless in the face of tens of thousands of strays, but we become
more human when we endure and work on that crowd one cat at a time. And the
benefits are great - getting to meet fascinating, unique beings and come
into some rapport with them.


Think globally, act locally. The little we each can do can seem
hopeless in the face of all that is wrong in this world, but it does
make a difference, if only to the creatures you *do* help. And what's
the point of being human, having the capacity to imagine both better and
worse fates, if we don't apply that imagination and use our resources to
help those we can?

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

"Mary" wrote
Right. Here's a Big Clue for You: usually people who tell you
to shut up have an ulterior motive that is not for your own good.
When you post here people learn. Megan is wrong about that.
Post what you want to post.


Someone told him to shut up? Must have missed that.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

"KellyH" wrote in message
...
"Mary" wrote
Right. Here's a Big Clue for You: usually people who tell you
to shut up have an ulterior motive that is not for your own good.
When you post here people learn. Megan is wrong about that.
Post what you want to post.


Someone told him to shut up? Must have missed that.

--

Go back and read his posts. Megan told him not to post
about his frustration, as he did the other night.

On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 15:04:30 -0500, "Mary"
wrote:


"KellyH" wrote in message
...
"Mary" wrote
Right. Here's a Big Clue for You: usually people who tell you
to shut up have an ulterior motive that is not for your own good.
When you post here people learn. Megan is wrong about that.
Post what you want to post.


Someone told him to shut up? Must have missed that.

--

Go back and read his posts. Megan told him not to post
about his frustration, as he did the other night.


er - I volunteered that, I never said she told me to shut up. Read the
post, as you say.

I seem to detect some history here that I don't particularly prefer to
get involved in. I'm perfectly capable of starting my own flame wars,
and don't need to mix it up with others' ...

BLink