CATSYNTH

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Category: Cats

  • Weekend Kitty Blogging #71: Silliness and The Mighty Hunter

    This weekend's round-up is being hosted at Rosa's Yummy Yums, featuring Fridolin and Maruschka taking turns with a knit bonnet and looking quite embarrassed. Check out this week's round-up of silly and crazy, but nonetheless extremely cute felines.

    Luna is quite the sophisticated cat, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have her silly moments, such as her fun with boxes last week. She also loves to play with her toy mousies, and goes at them with reckless abandon:

    One of her favorite games is to push them under the couch farther than she can reach, which often leads to amusing scenes like this:

    Indeed, Luna can be quite silly and obsessive when she plays the mighty hunter. I snapped this pic while she was engrossed for 15 to 20 minutes with a bug that fell behind the dresser after she succeeding in swatting it:

    Sweetie, just let it go…








  • CatSynth pic: kittennettik fyrall

    It's been a little while since I've posted an actual cat-and-synth photo. Here we have a kitty posing with a “kittennettik” instrument called the fyrall. From the website:

    fyrall is a multo-jungo-world dialer, it is a freak. Within, it has three electronic wheels, one made out of wigglers, one made out of digital counting temples, and the third reconnects the others. at every move it may be in a state of internal paradox. it is always looking for a state of rest and it can never find it. Experimenting on the fyrall is fun because new rewirings will cause it to spasm in the weirdest ways.

    The fyrall and the other kittennetiks use chaotic cicruits for sound synthesis and control. The creator of these instruments has some specs and papers, which are, well, quite interesting. See for yourself.

    My interest is definitely piqued. However, I might try looking at one of the “paper circuits” they provide before considering any of the full-blown kits.







  • Weekend Cat Blogging #66: More Luna in Action

    WCB #66 is being hosted this week by Sarah over at chefsarahjane. Sounds like she is going away on Sunday, and I'm busy today preparing for my set at the headphone festival in SF (see the previous post). Thus, I looked back in my rather extensive collection of Luna photos and came up with this action sequence from last February:




    It was around Valentine's Day and I saw that little pink-heart toy during a routine pet-store run – it was pretty inevitable that I would buy it for her, and as you can see she loved it!

    The toy is still around (probably under the sofa) though the black strings are long gone.





  • Webs on an autumn afternoon

    It's been a rather pleasant October afternoon, warm, breezy, with a clear sky. The mobile sculpture Airborne catches both the wind and the waning October sun:

    The garden plants are doing about as well as they have all year. Admist a recent burst of flowers, I noticed this rather impressive spider web:

    …not to mention the rather impressive spider that inhabits it:

    The peace of the backyard was briefly interrupted by the sound of cats fighting. More worrisome was the sound of an angry dog barking in response. After peeking over the fence to investigate, I was assured by a neighbor that it was “just some crazy cats.” One of the “crazy cats” wandered into view and I immediately recognized him as the friendly grey tabby that often visits my yard (I jokingly refer to him for a while as Luna's “boyfriend”). Foruntately, he seemed to be none the worse for wear.

    Cats, or more specifically, cat allergies, have been much in the news this weekend. The New York Times featured an article on a California biotech company that is breeding hyperallergenic “no sneeze” kitties, two of which are pictured to the right. The market for the hypoallergenic cats, which the company says will cost about $4000 USD each, is people who love cats in spite of their allergies. It is certainly a high price tag, but I gather so are the medications for the most severe allergies. Those who seek a more affordable feline companion and want to continue to adopt shelter cats can take heart in a study supporting the theory that having pets cuts allergy risks. Finally, there is this story from Wales about a hospital fighting to keep their cat Tibs, who has chearing up patients for years. While I do my best to avoid hospitals, I know having a cat around would help me during a health crisis.

    I had an opportunity last night to jam with some friends and acquaintances I have not seen in a while. I played keyboard, with primarily piano, electric piano and organ sounds, though I did add a Moogerfooger pedal to the mix. Musically, we did a mixture of jazz standards, some 12-bar and 16-bar “headless” jams, and several trippy free-jazz experiments with keyboard, guitar, bass and drums. The latter reminded me of how I would like to get together a standard “quartet” at some point that freely moves back and forther between jazz/funk and experimental improvisation. It would be quite a contrast to my recent performances, but still consistent with my musical vision and sensibilities…

    …in another example of slipping back and forth between disparate musical styles, I was listening earlier to alternating tracks from Ethiopiques, which I described in an earlier article, and the rather dark, political, and vaguely Middle-Eastern electronic music of Muslimgauze. The two albums could not be more different in geography, style, production and social context, yet they seemed to work well together. The dark electronica of Muslimgauze worked for me, dispite an implicit political view I probably don't share, and the gritty funk of Ethiopiques brought me back to reality. Perhaps here is the seed of another musical project…

    …or just idle thoughts on a warn autumn day…










  • Weekend Cat Blogging #70: Cat in a Box

    This weekend's hosts, Boots, Tess and D at The Hidden Paw, have challenged us to produce Cat-in-a-Box submissions for WCB 70. That's not too hard for us, as Luna is quite fond of boxes:

    In the photo above, she is caught in the act of chewing on pieces of her favorite box from Ikea. This is one of her guilty pleasures in life.

    Here, we have Luna encountering an Amazon box in the hallway. I wonder how that got there…


    Visit the round-up for more adorable pictures of cats in boxes, bags, and other sundry containers.








  • virtual pet luna

    Just a random little code-generator I encountered this evening. It seems harmless enough and is too cute not to post, so here it is. Enjoy:

    adopt your own virtual pet!

    Meanwhile, of course, the real Luna wants in on the action, and no virtual imitation compares to the real deal, so over and out.





  • Weekend Cat Blogging #69

    WCB 69 is being hosted by the crew over at The House of (Mostly) Black Cats. We at catsynth heartily approve of the black-cat concept, and encourage readers to check it out.

    Meanwhile, things continue to be foggy, grey and a bit chilly on the California coast, but that doesn't keep Luna from surveying her domain:

    I have another gig coming up tonight that I need to prepare for, with electronics and simple acoustic instruments. Luna of course is in the studio to help with the equipment:







  • Weekend Cat Blogging #68: Luna and Cats of India

    This week, chefsarahjane hosts again. We wish her a happy birthday, and say hi to Tiggy as well. Do visit them and check out this week's round-up.

    Meanwhile, Luna poses with Ganesh for our special WCB feature on Cats of India:

    Inspired by masak-masak's street cats from last week's round-up here at catsynth.com, I present a few cat photos from my trip to India last winter. We begin with this feline and bovine duo from my father's hometown north of Delhi:

    As many readers are probably aware, cows are considered sacred in Hindu culture, and a family cow is treated in many ways as a prized pet. Cats in India don't quite have the same status. Not only do most Indians not consider them as appropriate pets, but some also regard them in a suspicious, even superstitious manner (as have many cultures throughout history, sadly). Thus, most cats are street animals that generally must fend for themselves. As many of us know, cats are supurb hunters and scavengers, so many do manage. I tended to see cats near food establishments, this near-white cat was wandering the dining area of a dormitory in Delhi we stayed at for a couple of nights, begging for scraps (which I of course provided). The grey-striped fellow in the photo below managed to find a good location at the cantina in one of heavily touristed palaces in the city of Jaipur. That probably accounts for its more healthy appearance:

    I did come across this article from IndiaTimes that discusses the state of cats in Indian society. Unfortunately, the HTML seems to have come thru as plain text, which makes it difficult to read.

    Ultimately, I plan to create a photo-essay featuring these and other photos/videos from my trip.







  • Weekend Cat Blogging 67 Roundup

    Well, it's time to get started with the great WCB 67 roundup!

    To start things off on the music theme, here's a repost of Luna bedding down next to one of my MIDI keyboards – this was featured on the inaugural post of this forum:

    Thanks to everyone who has submitted so far, and also for the many kind words about Luna and this site. Keep 'em coming, and I'll keep updating throughout the weekend. Just submit a comment at the WCB #67 call. Links back to this site are also appreciated ;-).

    First off, we have KuDin and Siri joining WCB for the first time. Siri is looking quite relaxed on the rug.

    Mr. Mao aspires to be a feline TV star (or a feline celebrity stalker) over at Kross-Eyed Kitty.

    Upsie at “What Did you Eat?” reminds us that long hair and autumn leaves are a dangerous combination. Parents beware!

    I love those little black girl kitties, like Aretha Franklin over at Miss Ellie's Page. That's what Luna must've been like as baby. Such a sweetie! I really hope someone gives her a nice home.

    cooknkate gives us some Mimi chillin' out in the ironing room. If you ever visit, be prepared to share your guest quarters.

    Over at chefsarahjane, the adorable Tiggy shows off her toys. Play, nap, play, be cute,…If only we could all lead her existence…

    Jelly gives us some extreeeme closeups of Kamikaze. Apparently, he hasn't been in the best of moods lately.

    Columbus Foodie introduced Frankie and Sammy in their first WCB appearance. Looks like Frankie's got the prime spot in the bedroom, at least for the moment…

    Anne at Anne's Food gives us the adorable pair Glinda and Kelly contemplating a spider. I'm imagining the classic Odd Couple theme playing in the background here…

    Over at passionatenonchalance, babaganoosh reminds us just how tiring it can be to play with ribbons. Believe me, I know, I've tried it.

    More classic themesongs come to mind as Trixie and Colin at The Westering Hills reenact a scene from Rocky. Ouch, kids, round over!

    Bonus points to Taboo over at jellypizza for choosing a speaker as a hiding place. I'm with you on hiding from meds, Taboo, but speakers can be dangerous hiding places, especially if your humans have any Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera CDs…

    Over at Rosa's Yummy Yums, we have Fridolin and Maruschka lying together in their basket, or “two lazy sausages” as Rosa puts it. Makes me feel all warm and sleepy just watching…sleeeeepy…

    …today was a beautifully warm September day here (unlike yesterday), so I spent much of the afternoon outdoors. The outdoors felt especially welcome after being stuck sick indoors so much the last few days. A short walk out the ocean, followed by a relaxing couple of hours in the backyard, reading and whatnot…I'm now back inside for the sunset, and time to get back our cat blogging roundup…

    From masak-masak, we have several street cats, who appear to be doing well thanks to the Malaysian fondness for felines. It's great to see a culture that loves cats. This is also a self-reminder to write a photo-article for this blog about the cats I encountered in India last winter.

    Mr. Neelix and Sinda are a veritable yin & yang, enjoying a moment of perfect harmony in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, courtesy of Tina at A Blip on the Radar. Just look at the way they're eyeing each other, though. You know something pretty serious is about to go down…

    From Cin at “A Few of My Favorite Things”, we have a very regal Bella being served a fine meal as she surveys her domain…um, are you going to eat that?

    Extreme cuteness alert! Feline Foster Mom Ellen presents an irresistable pair of young kittens from the CASPCA in Charlottesville, VA. Do check them out as well as the other kitties available for adoption, especially if you're in the Charlottesville area. That is some great photography – family photographers who have to deal with unruly kids, take notice.

    Cats are experts at finding new comfy places to sleep, and Lucky is no exception, as Riana at “These Days in French Life” shows us.

    farmgirl presents an installment in the riveting drama Hot Dog vs. Parched Pussycast. I guess we'll have to check back in to find out what happens next. Please also visit The Wild Animal Sanctuary, they still need support for the efforts to help (formerly) captive wild animals in the U.S.

    Molly curls into a cashew and purrs while Kaji's Mom attempts to do her blogging. I know, I can't resist that tummy, either.

    Heather tells us about the wet weather in the hill country of Texas. More poignantly, however, she dearly misses her kitty Spooks who was hit by car this past week. Our thoughts are with them both.

    Well, at this moment there's about five minutes left on the weekend, at least where I'm sitting (which is on the couch). I will continue to post any entries I receive through Monday morning.

    Thanks to all who contributed. It has been great fun hosting Weekend Cat Blogging, and should the opportunity come around Luna and I would happily do so again.

    Good night!





  • Sick days, the mighty hunter and "this hole in the ground"

    I've been a little under the weather the last couple of days. Actually, more than a little. Mostly just resting and recuperation, with Luna?s help, of course. That is, when she?s not too busy looking out the window or hunting bugs, which she spent a lot of time doing yesterday and today. There was one large fly in the window that she became quite obsessed with, tracking it and swatting. Took a while for the mighty hunter to finally catch her quarry.

    I did read some more from Hofstadter's Metamagical Themas (which I briefly discussed in an earlier post). I would like to share some interesting thoughts from that as soon as I feel up to the task.

    Of course, one can?t spend the entire time on intellectual pursuits, however recreational; so Luna and I also caught up on some DVDs:

    I pretty much use the TV as a DVD viewer, I don?t have any television service. So I?m not really up on either current popular programs, nor what?s going on in TV and cable news. Aside from the occasional good drama that I can rent on DVD anyway, it doesn?t seem like I?m missing much, especially when it comes to television news. However, TV news does intrude into other domains however, for example, I found several references online to this commentary by Keith Olbermann. As a follow up to my [post from a few days ago], I provide the following quote which mirrors not only what I have been thinking with frustration not only about the big empty space in New York, but about what happened (or failed to happen) politically in the past few years:

    Five years later this space is still empty.

    Five years later there is no memorial to the dead.

    Five years later there is no building rising to show with proud defiance that we would not have our America wrung from us, by cowards and criminals.

    Five years later this country's wound is still open.

    Five years later this country's mass grave is still unmarked.

    Five years later this is still just a background for a photo-op.

    It is beyond shameful.

    I strongly recommend reading or viewing the whole article in its entirety.

    Like I said, I'm pretty out of it when I comes to TV and cable news personalities, so I'm reading a lot of this for the first time. Seems like he?s a bit of an anti-O?Reilly but a bit more civilized. His recent commentaries have earned him a fair amount of praise at several internet outlets that I read; but not surprisingly a lot of flak from the right. He even has his own anti-fan site, though who doesn't these days?.

    I'm also curious about this whole “worst person in the world” thing…does he take suggestions?

    cat
    kitty
    hofstadter
    9-11
    September 11
    New York
    olbermann