Microchipping cats and outdated information

This happened to me twice, so I decided it was worth discussing. I'd love to tell every cat owner everywhere about it if I had the opportunity.

I acquired 2 cats a few years ago. They are a mother and daughter. I had an acquaintance who was looking to find a new home for them. They had belonged to his ex-girlfriend and he was moving and I guess the time had come for the cats to go.

I took the cats. I had had another cat, but after she had to be euthanized, I decided to take my friend's cats. Some people like to wait before getting a new creature, however I found it great to have these 2 new guys. They needed me, I needed them.

So fast-forward another few years. I decided to have them microchipped. I took them to the vet. Before they put in microchips, apparently they scan for existing chips.

Surprise! Bella had a secret. She was already microchipped. I was taken aback.

When we left the vet, we had microchip paperwork and tags for one cat, and for the other, a post-it note with a number handwritten on it, and a 1-800 number. I was told to call the microchip company and have the info changed.

When I called, they would not change the info. Surprise again! They had me download a form, and on the form was space for the previous owner's signature.

I talked to the person I got the 2 cats from. He didn't know Bella had a microchip, so it wasn't registered to his name. The person whose signature they wanted, his long-gone ex-girlfriend, was not around to sign a form for me, handing over her ownership to me. He said she had gotten Bella from the Toronto Humane Society.

I called the Toronto Humane Society. The short version of the story dealing with them, is that when I provided Bella's microchip number, they were able to tell me her file number.

Now this is in 2011, they told me she had been microchipped in 2004. I was surprised they kept records that long, but I suppose when you are in the business of saving animals' lives, it helps to keep data on all the ones out there in case they are returned to the shelter.

They told me that if I brought in the person who gave the cats to me (not the person they had on file as Bella's owner) that they would vouch for my ownership, and write a letter to the microchip company.

That letter was good enough for the microchip company, and several weeks later they sent a letter with Bella's updated owner info and address.

When talking to the microchip company, they would not give out information pertaining to the original owner. I understand that this is for privacy reasons. But if you are trying to track someone down for a signature, it might be kind of hard if no one remembers who that person is.

In fairness, the microchip company, in lieu of a signature, accepts a letter from an animal shelter or a vet office, as proof of change of ownership.

However, aren't you making the veterinarian into the police? What if someone has a stolen dog and tries to take advantage of the vet clinic, in order to claim ownership of the dog? That is why I pursued the animal shelter route, also the previous owner knew a lot about the person registered with the microchip company, and also probably helped to bring Bella home from the shelter, so we both felt confident that the lady at THS would buy our story.

Bella's story has a happy ending, she enjoys a pampered life as an indoor cat, and I am happy in the knowledge that if she were to get out, I would be the person they call to come and get her.

However we got another cat last year, and I recently had her scanned to see if she had a microchip and... she does! Who is it registered to? Who knows? The person we got her from... only knows the previous owner's first name. So this time I may go to the vet clinic instead to get a letter of ownership.

I wonder how many cats out there have outdated microchip database information. There's probably quite a few. Betsy is one of them.

I would strongly encourage every cat owner out there, if you do not know if your cat is microchipped or not, to have him/her scanned, then go about getting the info updated. The lady at THS said that I was the first person to ask her for a letter asking for verification of ownership. So I am assuming there are lots of cats out there with useless microchips!

So many cats make it into shelters, shelters that cannot afford to keep every cat, or do not have the space, and though microchipping can help these cats end up back at home on their comfy couch, it is awful to think of how many other cats have invalid info associated with their microchips, and so might be euthanized if they are considered un-adoptable.

Our Bella is a cranky lady, she is prone to biting if not handled carefully. My big fear was that if she were to end up in a shelter, unidentified, she would probably be euthanized fairly quickly. That put some urgency into having her microchip information updated. Also she is a dark tortoiseshell, and appears almost entirely black, and black creatures have low adoption rates and high euthanization rates in shelters.

Cats change hands so easily. They are passed between roommates, boyfriends and girlfriends, family members, and so often taken in as strays. They are often more attached to where they live, rather than the people who care for them. So have your cat scanned to see if he/she is hiding any secrets from you!

What to Wear On TV

Don't wear a lot of red or white - a white shirt under a blazer is fine, but white shirt & blazer will not look very good on TV.

If you have very dark skin, and you wear mostly white, it becomes difficult for the camera to pick up all the detail in your clothing and face - medium shades of clothing are better.

Don't wear light bright green, ie green-screen green, chances are you won't be in front of a green screen but better safe than sorry. In front of a green-screen, anything that is green becomes invisible - eg. "keys out".

Men
Don't wear your outdoors coat when appearing on TV. Don't wear a leather jacket or a jean jacket. Don't wear a buttoned cardigan unless you're over 65.

Wear a blazer. Wear a collared shirt. A dress shirt is better than a collared shirt, you don't need a tie unless you're a politician.

A golf shirt is better than a shirt with no collar, a golf shirt with a blazer looks better.

A turtleneck might cause problems if they are using a lavalier mic - it clips on like a tie clip. If you wear a sweater, a v-neck or crew neck works best.

Wear nice pants and nice shoes - you mightn't see these on TV, but then again, you might.

Women
Don't wear a short skirt, you might be perched on a chair.

Don't wear anything sheer, even if it's dark fabric - TV lighting is bright and you never know where the lights are pointed at, and what they might reveal.

Wear a blouse rather than a dress - the mic cable must be run up the back or front of your garment, comes out of your neckline and clipped on to your clothing. A skirt or pants are a safer bet, you might need the waistband to clip on a mic battery pack.

A turtleneck or floppy elaborate neck might cause problems for where the mic gets clipped on. A crew neck, v-neck, or a blazer are optimal for putting on a mic.

Don't wear jewellery that will jangle or clatter or swing - a better bet is to wear a colourful scarf. Your necklace might swing and hit the clip-on mic, and bangles that clatter at every move of your hand can distract from the reason you're on TV.

Don't talk too long! Watch for cues that your time is up. Get your message out concisely. It can look awkward if the host is trying to get you to stop talking and you add "and for another thing..."

Parents and small talk

When parents meet with people who are not parents, they are often stuck for conversation topics. Often they end up saying things that are not intended as harmful, but come off as condescending, like "people with no children have so much free time!" They are attempting to relate to the non-parent, but only by discussing what it's like to be a parent.

Labour Day thoughts

So yesterday was Labour Day. Labour Day celebrates the work done by unions, to secure safe and consistent employment for its members.

Did you march in a Labour Day parade yesterday? If so, did you then go to a convenience store to shop for a few things, or a fast-food place? Maybe you did, because in my area, the Metro grocery store was closed for Labour Day. Maybe you went home and watched the news on TV, to find out how the weather was going to be for your kids to go back to school.

I think that to be in a union, actively supporting it, and marching in a Labour Day parade, and then to go home and consume products and services that are not created by union-organized labour, is hypocritical.

People who work in fast-food joints and convenience stores are often not in unions. So don't give their bosses a reason to be open on Labour Day! If nobody buys anything on a stat holiday, the stores will eventually no longer open those days.

Television programs and commercials don't just happen magically. There may no longer be people physically pressing "play" on tapes, but there are certainly people at work on Labour Day making sure the computers play the right commercials at the right time. People who work in the TV industry are likely unionized, but scheduling unionized workers to work on Labour Day is kind of beside the point of having a Labour Day, is it not? Don't give the media a reason to broadcast anything on Labour Day. Let them have a test pattern up all day, it will give everyone a reason to think about why we celebrate Labour Day, and everyone can enjoy the day off at home with their families and friends.

And while we're at it, doesn't your ISP have people who make sure your internet is always up and running? Stay off the internet as well on stat holidays, give everyone a reason to have a holiday just like you.

Advice on dealing with your childless friends

Yes, we don't have any children. But that doesn't mean that we have no idea about children at all!

Some of us vary in what we know about children, how to talk to them, what four-letter words to not say around them, how accommodating we are about them. Maybe I was an only child, maybe I have step-siblings not far off in age from your own children. Maybe I am a teacher or nanny or daycare worker.

Most childless people DO have younger siblings, nieces and nephews and cousins and other small children in their life. If you tell us a story about what your kid did, chances are pretty high that we can relate to it, however in a childless person way.

If I am your distant cousin, or a sister-in-law you don't see often, it can be even more difficult to gauge how much I want to hear about your kids. The LAST thing I want to hear is "but YOU wouldn't know anything about THAT!" It might be the god's-honest-truth, but it comes wrapped in a very condescending package. Or if you were to congregate with other parents you just met at a family gathering, talking about your kids and not including anyone who is childless. Don't assume I want to hear nothing about your kids. Talk about them all you like, just don't exclude me because you don't think you can't relate to me.

Please remember that we were ALL kids, even if it was long ago. Most of what you talk about, can be made relateable to the average childless adult, even if to say how much things have changed. I realize that children experience childhood differently than parents, but it is only polite to try to make conversation with another adult. Maybe if you meet someone new that seems to have nothing in common with them, you ignore them, but that's your business; I try to make conversation and be accommodating.

Please don't insinuate that I have all this free time, and don't be fake-sympathetic that I don't have kids.

Free time is like attic space: it gets filled up, no matter how much you have. I am given the shitty shifts at work because I don't have kids at home to attend to, and I cover for parents who must leave early or be off to attend to sick kids. I have a full time job, I have to keep my clothes up-to-date, I have to work late, I have to upgrade my skills, I have to commute, I have to go back to school. If I am not married, I have a boyfriend who takes up a lot of time. If I am single, I am dating all the frogs in search of my prince.

Maybe I do indeed have all the free time in the world. However please refrain from pointing that out, because maybe all that free time is a huge glaring painful fucked-up irony in my life. Maybe I am in a lot of grief over miscarriages, or missed opportunities to have my own children. Maybe I would trade places with you in a heartbeat, so please don't tell me how difficult it is to be a parent. Hearing about how hard it is to be a parent doesn't make me feel better about being alone.

Maybe I have pets and no children. Please don't go there suggesting that pets are not like children. My mom, who had 4 kids, and knows enough about kids to be an amazing primary teacher, says that animals are like children. Animals get jealous of each other and fight, you have to clean their poop, they are dependent on you. I get it, they are not children, but for many childless people, they are indeed members of the family. Don't say they are not the same; don't go there at all, because if a pet is a substitute for a family that has left home already, or children that were lost, it's too painful to have a conversation about. The children aren't there; the pets are, it's pretty obvious so it doesn't bear mentioning.

If you have children and messy pets, my condolences! That sounds like an awful lot of cleaning up poop and settling arguments.

I do have a lot of respect for parents. I enjoyed being one of four children. My mom and dad did a great job. I would give my eyeteeth to be a parent. So please don't tell me how lucky I am to have all this free time, because I fill it with hobbies and the internet, whereas I'd rather have children instead. But don't be fake-sympathetic, just talk to me like a human being.

Three things that are now gone

There were 3 things that ended this year that I think it's too bad about.

CSVU.net
This used to be a place where I read Coronation Street. "visual updates". Mike Plowman supplied a plot summary along with screencaps. He did a great job - I was able to follow along for about 3 years when I did not have a television. I started reading his updates around 1999 or 2000. Granada eventually had him work for them, and his updates appeared on their site.

I have a television and a PVR now, so I don't read them anymore, only when my PVR didn't tape the shows, CBC Television feels free to move them to different times and my PVR can't catch up, at least the way I have it programmed.

So I had a peek I think in September, and the main page of the site was gone, though some of the material was still on the server.

From what I have been able to glean from the internet, Granada was cutting back and cut Mike Plowman. So no more updates, which is a shame.

Atlantic Ceilidh
This was a radio show on CIUT Community Radio in Toronto that focused on traditional Irish types of music, and like its title suggests, it spanned music from parts of Ireland, Canada, Australia, and other parts of the world.

I checked the schedule one day to listen to it, and it was gone. I called the station and asked about it and was told the host left because he no longer had the time, and that "no one stepped up with a similar show so we gave it to someone else" ie a staff member, I saw the name on the contact emails page.

I regret not listening every week, because I would have known about it and perhaps had the chance to step up and possibly become a host.

However I have had my fill of volunteering from my 2 years at CHRY in North York. Just the navigation of the system to get a show would suck. If I went now to propose a show, I'd have to start with a crappy overnight time and work my way up the food chain to a better time. This is best left to someone who is a grad student with a flexible schedule. I couldn't have assumed responsibility for Atlantic Ceilidh's existing 2pm Thursdays timeslot anyhow.

Apparently the host has gone to work for CBC. I'm not hearing his good work because all they play on Metro Morning is R&B or Latin music.

Ask A Nurse
The other thing that recently died is ask_a_nurse.
It was a Livejournal community that answered health questions. They had issues with people commenting with possibly inaccurate advice, so maybe this finally had them give up and shut down the comm altogether. It's too bad there was no explanation posted anywhere, it's just been deleted.

I saw Jodhaa Akbar last weekend, I saw it again tonight. It wasn't quite as magical the 2nd time, I was analyzing its structures and how they cut up the songs - I had downloaded the soundtrack earlier this week and often had it on repeat on my computer or iPod. The sets, costuming, music, and actors were gorgeous. The music drew from a few different Indian styles, but I detected a vocoder here and there, it was a nice blend of modern and traditional. The movie struck me for a couple of reasons: the lead character, the emperor, was very committed to following his own moral path, almost like a superhero. He was trying to maintain peace and reduce the number of soldiers who died in wars, which seems the opposite of how conflicts are solved nowadays. At a few points, the characters were caught up in religious moments, and these moments grabbed me - I experience my own religious belief in my heart and body, rather than as dogma and rituals. It was nice to see religion worked into the plot on the big screen, it was validating for me.