Certain Reasons

COME ON.

Mr. Landlord called me back later the other night only to say: "we talked it over, and the answer is no".... apparently there are "certain reasons" that they don't want us to get a cat, and because they "stuck to their guns" when they showed the place to other potential tenants who had small pets and said no, they need to do the same now. Mr. Landlord did make sure to make it clear- three times during the conversations between when I first asked him on the front steps coming in, and over the phone call afterwards that he, in fact, is okay with a cat, but his wife doesn't want one. So he has no say, basically?

Obviously wife doesn't like cats... as anyone who knows cats, likes them, has them, whatever... just knows, they aren't "messy" and are in fact, pretty clean pets! They sleep all day so any reason she mentioned is just silly. Bottom line obviously just boils down to her not liking the poor little kitty who could have been living with me by now.

Wicked sucks. I'm totally disappointed since I've been wanting a kitty forEVER! Oh well, maybe when I meet the man of my dreams and we move in together, he'll approve of a kitty. Actually, it might just need to be a pre-requisite now for date-able men. "Doesn't mind cats."

Well, on a happier note... fishies are all in and doing well. We've had only one casualty since they've come to my apartment. There are two little baby fish hanging out though, so that kind of makes up for the loss. They're cute and they hang by the heater.

At least it's the weekend. THANK GOD. The weeks just seem to drag too sloooow, and the weekends go by too fast. Unfortunately, I've come down with a yucky cold and I'm feeling all stuffy, headachy, etc. And it's cloudy and gloomy-like today. That doesn't make for a great combo... so- tonight I plan to veg at home with T, a bottle of wine, and season 1 of Lost. I guess I'd like to get into that show since everyone talks about it and says how great it is? Season 3 starts next week, I think, and T got the season 1 DVD's from a friend at work, so I guess it works out that I'm not feeling so hot and it's gross out- at least it's Friday and we have 3 disks of DVD's to watch.

I miss my mom.

Fish, part II...

Well I've given it some more thought and have decided to mind B's fish while she's gone. I think it will be a good thing. She's on her way over here now, with the tank, 30 fish, and a piece of furniture to house this thing on. I'm actually kind of looking forward to this endeavor now.

I also just spoke to Mr. Landlord about a kitty. He said he needs to check with wife, who is "pretty set against it." His explanation was that she thinks cats are messy with their litter?, and that it will make for a lot of litter (not sure if he meant kitty litter, or actual trash-litter? I don't personally use the word "litter" for trash- I think it's an older generation thing)... ANYway! Mr. Landlord also wanted to know what kitty would do all day? I think it would be just fine, and, aren't cats like the cleanest animals ever? My kitty won't be getting litter everywhere, and you can be damn sure if he/she does, that I'll be cleaning it up. I don't see the issue here? So Mr. Landlord said he didn't mind, but he needs to check with wife.
I'm reallllly keeping my fingers crossed for this one as I've been trying to remain hopeful about idea of kitty for quite some time.

Nothing else really going on. I just put the heat on in here for the first time and the radiators are making some noises; I guess that's normal. I think I'm coming down with a cold or something... which never happens to me. I'm stuffy and headachy and keep sneezing.

I just need 30 fish and a kitten to make it all better.


OH!- got the tattoo on Saturday and it came out pretty sweet. We each had a different dude doing our's.... I ended up having the grouchiest, totally no response one out of them all. He was totally disinterested in any small talk I tried to make. Oh well, whatever. It looks good and we finally did it. Maybe when I get a little more savvy with this thing I can learn to post a picture or something?

"Nice tat"

Getting ready to leave soon to get matching tattoos with M & K....onourfeet. Hear this could be an excruciating spot, but given the fact that it's going to be a tiny little thing, and I've already gotten one tattoo, I'm not wicked wicked freaking out. Just a spec...kinda. D was going to join us but she wants to wait to see how it turns out. I think she's a little nervous. And my other best friend/roommie T would rather not ink herself permanately- might just get a piercing. So, we'll see how this whole experience goes. I'm excited to finally get it done as we've been talking about it for-freaking-ever. Think we'll need a few cocktails for the aftermath. Will report back later!*




*I say "report back" as though someone is actually checking in on this on a regular basis??

Fish.

One of my bestest friends is moving in a week, to teach in France for the school year. Awesome opportunity, and am totally envious. Anyway, months back when she told me of the news of her getting this sweet job, she asked me if I could watch her 2 cats. And I love cats... LOVE them. Like, spend tons of time daily thinking about getting one, what it will be like, what I'll name it, etc. Unfortunately, Mr. Landlord said "no pets" on the lease (I'm working on this). So, I can't watch cute little Igby and Lola. However, I did offer to take B's fish. Fish, yesss! Sounds cool right? I thought it could be fun, an easy job, and the cool tank would add a funky flair to the apartment. B told me straight up that she didn't think it was a good idea- too much work, too much cleaning, etc. And she knows how fishy, gunky crud could potentially skeeve me out.

Fast forward to today. B calls me and says that she has come up with a whole new system to clean the tank, and would I still be interested? I thought it sounded great! Cute fish, easy to take care of- I just have to feed the little guys twice a day, take out the filter thingy once every couple of months, etc. I was up for the challenge of watching the school for the nine months while she's gone- no biggie. So I called roommie, she's down, and I figure it's a go.

Then the reality sets in. Since this conversation with B, I've had the most anxious, nervous feeling in my stomach since icantremember, and it won't go away! They're only fish! It's not like it's a puppy that I actually have to reallllly watch, take care of, bring up, etc. And I was the one who wanted to babysit these guys for 9 months in the first place! And here I am wanting a kitten and I can't even deal with fish? So I've been doing some thinking and it could be one or all of several things:

-when I was in 6^th grade we had a fish tank at home. It was huge. Tons of fish- all kinds, big, small, babies, the gross ones that suck on the tank, really- TONS of fish. We go away for a vaca for a week, and come home to a tank full of DEAD fish. Apparently the electricity went out, and the heater, filter, I don't know-whatever it is that electricity is needed for for a fish tank (clearly I'm not too savvy about fish tanks and the like) had died, and so did a tank full of fish.

-"But what if one dies?" I ask B? "Just get it out with the net, and flush it." Ooook...flush it. Not so much the problem as actually sifting out a dead fishy, from a tank, and carrying it, DEAD, to the bathroom and giving it the heave ho.

-What if they come here, we get them all settled in their new place, and they freak and die? This makes me nervous. I can barely keep a plant alive. I buy fake flowers. I have a fake mini fish tank in my office..hello, sign, no?

-Maybe it's because I used to be a swimmer? I've snorkeled? It's all hitting too close to home?

-Or maybe it's the thought of the cleaning process? I dunno though...I'm girly in a lot of ways- ie- I like pink, and accessories, and eye shadow... but not in the can't clean the bathroom, or scrub the floor kind of way. So I don't mind getting dirty.. but maybe the thought of emptying a tank and making sure the little guys (all 30 of them) live while I do it... makes me nervous?

-B says that she has a big attachment to these guys- "they grew up in this tank!"... she can't just let them go... she can't flush them, she can't bring them to a pet store and give them away. And I understand this. Part of my worry is that Ii will end up being more attached to these fish than I'm ready for. And they'll be more important to me and my well being and happiness than I am to them (what do they care?)... and if/"when" (and B says they WILL)-gasp!, die.... what will I do? ohmygod.

Honestly, I don't know what it is, but wow, even writing about it right now is giving me the feeling! I'm ligitatamely feeling nervous about this. Maybe I just don't want to disappoint B? I feel like I would be a bad fish caretaker, and she'll come home from France to an empty tank? Here I was the one that offered up my fish babysitting services months ago. Not sure what (if any?) hidden meaning there is to all this. Maybe I should just suck it up and do it, it could be good for me, right?