Light in the Sky

a couple of hours ago i went outside for a breath of air and to peek at the stars. at that very moment on the tail end of ursa major, near the bright star arcturus, there was as bright light. initially it seemed like a star, then it moved so it seemed like a plane. too high up. a satellite probably.

if memory serves

i write probably because upon viewing one for the first time years ago, ideas of ufos filled my head (i want to believe). my uncle told me there's tons of them "up there" and took them for granted. viewing them up in Barra is easier and a more common experience as there is less light pollution. down nearer Glasgow, however, a glimpse of a satellite is a more seldom seen sight. seeing the light grow brighter and then dimmer is impressive; to think that there is a man made object tumbling around up there catching the rays of the sun and reflecting them back down to our eyes really is amazing.

imagine, if there are aliens. and they were visiting us, what would be the perfect disguise to go unoticed? disguise the spacecraft as a satellite of course! aliens could go unnoticed for absolutely ages before being rumbled. i like computers and alien movies but don't search for them like 'super hacker' gary mackinnon.

looking up just as a satellite is passing overhead makes me smile. as a black cat crossing your path is supposed to be unlucky, could we start a new superstition that a satellite crossing your path is lucky?

Something Beautiful

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

Music:'Clementine' by Megan Washington

Swearing at Children

i swore at a child today. not my child though. does that make it okay?

not very grown up of me but i would probably do it again. losing one's temper isn't good but it was in defence of a loved one.

after making my way to a local supermarket to buy some cat food Moby, our cheeky little cat, had followed me further than his little legs should have. he can be quite dog-like following people. we were nearer the store than home and he had already crossed a busy road to get there so the decision was made to take him to, or near, the shop. while debating in my head whether he could be taken into the store (i imagine arguing with a manager and pointing to a no dogs allowed notice), the furry one stopped to play at a tree trunk. that was my chance to get out of his sight, shop, and get back before he noticed me gone.

by chance Bulbgirl was just entering the store too, as the gym had brought forward their opening hours and wouldn't let her in. we shopped but noticed a few kids, quite small, early teens maybe, creating havoc and mucking about, throwing empty boxes at each other, as if they owned the joint. we shopped quickly, left and got back to our boy.

he was pretty much in the same place waiting for me, but happy to see both of us, and followed us back to Bulbgirl's flat. i say followed, but it was more like running excitedly beside and by us, then hanging back for a bit interested in something eles. it was while he was lagging behind that the 4 or 5 bawbag kids got between us. Moby was unsure. but he approached. it was then that one of the girls stamped her foot and screamed at the poor poor pussycat. the other kids laughed. this bravado, and laddish behaviour, sparked something in my head.

what annoyed me most was that it was a little kid who did it. Bulbgirl (good cop) chided the offending little madam, and then myself (bad cop) said a bad word followed by a really, really bad word. i was suprised that i swore at a child. the girl was also informed that Moby was a "lovely little thing". the thought occurred to me to tell her how much joy he brings to everyone he meets and had the nicest nature of any feline myself or Bulbgirl has ever met, but the best way of encapsulating all that in a short amount of time was to use a 4 letter word while she gave me he best 'don't-care-nuffink-can-touch-me-soap-opera' face.

i don't know whether she will reflect on her behaviour and the reaction it caused later. doubt it but i hope so. anybody who shouts at a defenceless kitty cat deserves a dressing down. maybe it was the painful day i had, stabbing eye pains while at university today, but the same events would probably have unfolded had i been feeling fit and fine. is the mind numbing music from mind numbed kids on public transport, in shops, everywhere resulting in a self centred generation who care for neither man nor beast?


should it be okay to verbally abuse children if they are not your own and the aforementioned childred screamed at your pussy?

< /rant>

Balls Away

today was the first day of the year, and today was also Moby's first full day of having no balls. he was taken to the vet yesterday and "done". having been snipped and chipped, i thought he would be moping about and wondering where his gonads did go.


what prompted the castration was a cut on his paw pad. there was a little trailer of bloody footprint, which led up to the top of the white washing machine. there was a little flap of skin that had been ripped off, only a few millimetres, but it looked nasty. it reminded me of when i cut my finger a while back and fatty tissue was poking out. Moby, brave little soul that he is, seemed unperturbed by this. ti's but a flesh wound you could almost see dart across his eyes. to be on the safe side, a little bit of advice seemed in order, just to get the cat's cut paw all cleaned up.

sex drugs and rock 'n' roll

thinking forward about the new year, i wondered when the best time to get a cat snipped, and the vet informed me that it was at around 6 months of age. Moby is 7 months, oh dear. when would be good for the vet to book him in? i half expected the animal doctors to be taking a rest so was surprised that they said bring him in tomorrow (31st dec). no, too soon! give me time to get used to the idea.

like pulling an elastoplast off, though quicker is probably better. you don't has so much time to worry about things and just do it. plus, it's probably better to get them off when he hasn't actually used. them yet. today he was absolutely fine, rounding around the hall chasing a red laser beam like a thing possessed.

happy new year all things can only get better (for Moby at least).