Thursday, September 16, 2021

Cat in a Space Suit


Google Chrome is doing some very weird things this morning. For some reason I can't get it to upload my pictures, at least not the way I normally do. Usually I hit the photo icon above the draft post and select the pictures to upload, but now it won't let me choose them that way -- the browser freezes when the pop-up window appears. Same thing happens with Flickr, so it's not a Blogger problem. I can, however, drag the photos into the post. I don't know whether I need to update my browser or what. Very weird.

Anyway, I hope this isn't an indication of how my day is going to go. It's already been a bit challenging. I woke up at 1:30 a.m. and could not go back to sleep, thinking about a variety of work-related dramas -- mainly whether I'll be required to loan computer chargers again, and how that system should work. You may remember that aspect of my job went away with Covid, but now the school is thinking about bringing it back, and I'm dreading it. We were supposed to loan chargers only in emergencies, but by the time we stopped I was giving out dozens a day, and I had to create a system of policies and penalties that was exhausting to manage. I'd rather just not open the door again.

Remember that rock concert I was supposed to go to on Sept. 22? Well, I've been having second thoughts about that too. A co-worker and I planned this outing before the pandemic, and then the concert got postponed, but now it's been rescheduled. I've recently been in crowded venues like restaurants and movie theaters without any ill effects, but a rock concert -- where people are going to be yelling and singing and spraying respiratory droplets like Rainbird lawn sprinklers -- seems riskier. I told Colin, my co-worker, about my doubts, and he seems fine with me not going, but I feel guilty sticking him with an unused ticket. I told him yesterday he should try to find someone else, and if he can't I'll go. So we'll see what happens.


Someone found this lying on the floor of the library the other day. It's a pin (as in jewelry) made of wood. Do you recognize that cat? I don't, but a friend (who has small children) said it looked familiar and we spent lots of time trying to figure out its identity. (These are the kinds of crucial research questions that crop up in the life of a librarian.) You'd be amazed at the quantity and variety of images you get when you Google "cat in a space suit." Or even "astronaut cat pin." But none of them look quite like this particular cat.

I never knew astronaut cats were such a thing.

(Top photo: A sunny street near Piccadilly Circus, Sept. 5.)

45 comments:

  1. I thought at first the title referred to the gentleman in the photograph. It could.

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    1. Ha! He DOES look a bit astronaut-ish in that harness or backpack or whatever.

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  2. Wouldn't the fact that Blogger didn't work in either Chrome or Flikr indicate that the problem IS Blogger rather than the browsers? I'd wait for a couple of days and see if it resolves, which is how I deal with all Blogger problems, ha ha(and it's always worked so far)

    I've seen cats in space suits before but not that particular one. So I have no gratuitous advice to give on that subject :D

    Have a good day and I hope you figure out your charger conundrum.

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    1. No, Flickr is a photo-hosting web site, not a browser. So if I can't upload there and I can't upload to Blogger, that suggests it's the browser.

      (And actually I solved the problem merely by restarting my computer!)

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    2. When my laptop starts acting squirrely, I know it's going to be doing an up-date and, sure enough, when I go to shut my computer down ... there's the "update and restart" or "update and shut down" on the pop-up!! And then ... it all seems to work fine again until the next time and up-date is due to happen!
      Maybe the cat pin is just that ... a cartoonish looking cat in a spacesuit! LOL

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    3. Ah ... not a Flikr user here but now it makes sense :)

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  3. While I don't know when you composed this, for the first time in years last night, our fibre optic connection failed on and off. A graph with with failure of the National Broadband Network showed a huge spike in in failures last night, but we are not directly connected to the NBN. A coincidence I suppose.

    You must follow the work place policy of giving out chargers. Emergency is just that.

    I think it is wise to not attend the concert, but if a buyer for the ticket can't be found, I also think you are obliged to pay for the ticket.

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    1. Actually, I don't think my friend paid for the tickets either -- I think HIS friend did. (Long story!)

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  4. Being a cat parent, I can say without hesitation that cats can, and will, do anything, even going into space.

    And Im like you about a concert that's a little too close for comfort.

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    1. I can't imagine a cat getting up the energy to go into space -- not when there's a comfy couch to lie on!

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  5. Oof - I can already see a chunk of my morning disappearing because I'm itching to google "cartoon cat in a spacesuit" & see what comes up. Thanks Steve Reed!

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    1. I hope you did! (You can also click the links in my post. :) )

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  6. What's that guy in the far right background looking at or maybe he's just basking in the sunlight. the cat in the pin must be some sort of cartoon character but it's been a very long time since I've watched cartoons unless you consider Rick and Morty a cartoon.

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    1. LOL ... looks like that guy is watching a passing airplane or ... the astronaut cat was coming in for a soft landing!

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    2. That guy in the background is part of the reason I like that photo! LOL! I don't know what he was looking at. It was rare to have such a sunny day so maybe he was just appreciating the sky.

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  7. Also ... if you go to the concert ... wear a mask ... carry hand sanitizer ... wear the mask!

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    1. Yeah, the jury's out on whether I'm going through with that.

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  8. Do you use the Google image search feature? I used it on the cat picture and it would appear that there's a company that makes stickers called MadeinGift.com that it may have originated from.
    I believe that your decision not to go to the concert may be a wise one.

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    1. We tried it and it didn't pull up much for us, but I see what you mean about the MadeinGift cats -- they DO look similar. Who knows!

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  9. We had planned to a concert that was postponed. However now that covid is once again exploding, I don't think we are interested.

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    1. Yeah, something about a concert sounds especially risky to me.

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  10. Well, I wouldn’t be comfortable going to the concert. But I’d probably just pay the cost of the ticket and, if your colleague can find someone else, he can pay you back. We’re loosening up a bit in our own minds, but a rock concert is still not on the list. I looked closely at the first picture to figure out what kind of spacesuit the cat wit the tennis racket was wearing.

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    1. I'm sure I can work it out. I think my friend will understand.

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  11. LOL! I thought the same thing as Marcia - that guy in the corner of the photo is looking up in the sky because he sees... a cat astronaut!
    Who knew there were so many "Space cats" on the internet!? We live in crazy times, Steve!

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    1. We really do! I couldn't believe the variety of space cats out there!

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  12. I think it's a good idea not to go to the concert. Large venues like that just don't seem safe, especially as you say with all that singing and respiratory droplets. Staying safe seems a much better idea.
    That top photo is great. So much going on, cat in spacesuit with tennis racket, a guy looking up at the sky wondering if there are any really cool atmospheric optics to gaze upon.

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    1. If we were all sitting quietly, like at a classical concert, I wouldn't be the least bit concerned. But yeah, this is likely to be different.

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  13. I think you would be wise to skip the concert. It's just too risky right now.

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    1. I agree. I hope my colleague can find someone else to go!

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  14. I hope I don't have the same problem when I post for tomorrow later today. Your concert situation is the same that I feel about sporting events. I've had a couple of invites to different games and I've declined them all. It's all that shouting and cheering in a closed environment that worries me.
    Feline astronauts?? Who knew!

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    1. I think it was just a temporary problem with my browser. Who knows why.

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  15. I hope your day turns out better than it is looking now. I've had my bad day yesterday and hoping that today is a good one. I agree with you about the concert. I do hope your co-worker can find someone else to go to the concert. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

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    1. My day turned out better, after that rocky start! Fingers crossed on the concert!

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  16. I wouldn't go to the concert, too much flying spit in the air.

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  17. What a cute little kitty pin!

    A couple of weeks ago I started having issues with certain websites telling me my browser was too old for their site, then it got where Wordpress wouldn't let me do ANYthing. Turns out I hadn't updated the OS on my laptop in five years! Now I have the newest OS along with the newest browser version. (I'm much more diligent with my phone) Hopefully an update is all you need to get things back in working order.

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    1. Yeah, sadly, those updates ARE important. I usually try to keep my computer up-to-date, though, so I'm not sure what set it off this time.

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  18. Wise choice on the concert, hard to miss things that you love to do, but putting oneself into that situation right now is just not a good idea.

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    1. And more than just me -- it could affect Dave and all the kids at school!

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  19. Lord Steve is once again The Ruler of The Chargers! Of course a charger is not always associated with energising electrical equipment. A charger can also be "a horse ridden by a knight or cavalryman".

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    1. I think managing a stable full of horses would probably be easier than dealing with a drawer full of computer chargers.

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  20. Cats are alien beings from another universe. Perhaps the cat on the pin has chosen that costume for Halloween? Maybe the universe is sending you a message that this would be the outfit you would need in order to attend a superspreader concert. It might even keep you from bringing home Covid to Dave and your coworkers.
    My suggestion for the chargers is simply to sell them. At a slightly inflated price. If they don't have the cash that day, they can just get billed, the same as for losing a book, etc. Otherwise, there would be no incentive for them to keep up with their gear.

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    1. Ha! That's true -- cats ARE somewhat alien. I guess that's the message?!

      Even selling chargers is too complicated. I think we've hit on the right solution -- to leave their computer with me for charging. It's slightly painful for the kids and gives them an incentive to bring their own charger or remember to charge up the night before.

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  21. That cat pin is cute but I am clueless as to its origin. Good plan for your charger problem.

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  22. Are you familiar with www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing ?
    Just the place for identifying the pin!

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