I wish I could have seen Oscar Wilde write about Grindr.

historically accurate☑️

🥲 This makes me think of our Sadie, who walked into the house off the South Philly streets a tiny skinny pregnant 1 yr old and despite developing IBD, diabetes, a rare form of epilepsy, AND losing most of her teeth, lived to be a very happy 19 (we lost her last month). Can’t keep a good tortie down

When she's not trying to eat spoons. Or hiding behind the curtain. She occasionally decides she wants a hug. And when she does it's rather lovely. And, as hoped, she defers to Napoleon. So although he thinks she's hyperactive and annoying, he's already quite protective of his new little sister /END

It quickly became clear that, despite a wonky eye due to nerve damage, she was 100% committed to being an utter agent of chaos with zero fear. So we named her 'Cecilia', after Princess Cecilia Vasa, who was basically that across Europe in the 1500s. Our Cecilia will climb, or eat, ANYTHING. 9/10

And slowly, but surely, she pulled through. Until eventually they said she was strong enough to discharge. One of our local CP reps was kind enough to give us a lift and we picked her up. And when she realised she'd been brought back here. She PURRED her heart out. 8/10 youtu.be/wJRwqKv4zMI

So the brave little kitten went under the knife. They kept us updated. She survived the initial operation but suffered enormous blood loss, and nerve damage due to the level of surgery required. They warned us that she might not make it. But we knew she was a brave little fighter. So we hoped 7/10

Worse, even if she survived the operation, they warned us she'd likely never get adopted. There would always be a risk of it coming back, or of permanent health issues. So we talked. And we wrote them a letter guaranteeing if she survived, she could come live with us. We'd shoulder the risk. 6/10

As soon as she was strong enough, Cats Protection took her to their vetinary centre and sedated her. Diagnosis: GIANT, and growing, polyp on her palate. She needed immediate surgery, or she'd die. It was 50/50 success chance at best with her that small. 5/10

Slowly she got a stronger and a bit better. But she still found breathing hard, was very sneezy and snotty and had no voice. She couldn't even meow. What soon became clear was that she was much happier but wasn't JUST sick. Something serious was wrong. 4/10 www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWcY...

We'd got the space and gear to isolate her (fromi solate Napoleon) we took her in and liaised with Cats Protection. They had no space for her, so they sorted vet bits and antibiotics we agreed to foster her back to health. I can't emphasise how tiny she was. Barely 1kg. 2 months old maybe 3/10

In August 2023, a tiny and deathly-ill kitten turned up on the corner of our road. She was choked-up with snot and infection, starving, dehydrated and scared. But she worked up enough bravery to approach our neighbour for help. Not sure what to do, they knocked on our door for help and advice. 2/10

So for newbies: official introduction. This is Cecilia, our second rescued kitty and now permanent little sister for Napoleon. Let me walk you through her brave journey from abandoned, brave little dangerously sick kitten to chaotic-but-cute household member. 1/10

Very comfortable .. Zzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz

Oh yes she's made herself comfortable...

Now she has her choice of cat sofas to sleep on ..and generally rules the home with an iron paw.

First day outside... She looks terrified...

She took 4 days to venture out from her hiding place, but soon made herself at home...

ADDENDUM: Cecilia's story bsky.app/profile/gari...

A former feral who is slightly sulky that he now has an adopted sister. Cecilia the Tortie, who turned up as a dehydrated and very sick kitten on our doorstep almost exactly two years later. But that can wait for next International Cat Day. In the meantime: ADOPT RESCUES. You wont regret it. /END

And so the paperwork was completed and "Napoleon" became an official member of our household. And I have accepted that I am Cat Dad now to a very snuggly, if occasionally still a bit skittish, former feral kitty. /15

We left the patio door open though, just in case. About two hours later, I was dozing on the bed when I felt something nuzzling up into my side again... /14

So when Spring arrived, with him now neutered, vaccinated and chipped to Cats Protection we finally opened the door. He walked out, looked back at me briefly, then sprinted off over the fence. And I figured that was probably him gone, although hoped he'd pop back for food still. /13

And then, one day, he jumped on the bed and did this. We knew we had to release him. He kept trying to escape, but now - while we'd never had any plans to have a cat - we decided that if HE decided he wanted to stay, then he could. /12

And from that moment on, it was like a switch had flipped in him. It was still a slow journey, but every day he became braver and braver. Eventually he discovered strokes. And scritches. And then... DUVETS. Imagine living on the street your whole life, then discovering duvets exist. /11

After the neutering, I'd read out loud to him just to try and get him used to the sound of people. He'd watch, warily, from the other end of the room. Then, one day, something wonderful happened. He just slept. Not "wake up every hour" sleep. I think it was the first proper sleep he'd ever had /10

Eventually we managed to trap our feral. This led to a lot of heartbreaking yowling - and also the discovery that 'she' was in fact a very small 'he'. We agreed to foster him in our spare room, until he could be neutered, and then until he was ready for release /9 www.youtube.com/shorts/JemAl...

This took some time and effort. Not least because although she was somewhat wary about eating food from a trap, next doors cat very much wasn't. Bonus dinner was consumed multiple times, leading to temporary incarceration. "I REGRET NOTHING!" /8

We obviously couldn't leave the door open over winter, so we bought her a little kennel lined with straw (better than blankets as they get damp). But then, in January, she started limping. So we agreed to try and trap her so Cats Protection could get her to a vet, neuter and release. /7

Eventually, she'd let us get a bit closer. She'd turn up every day for breakfast and dinner, maybe a sit in the box. She even started eating Dreamies from my hand. The first time she had them, she purred and jumped about 2 ft in the air. She'd scared herself by purring. Yeah, I cried a bit. /6

She'd still bolt if you got too close, but - as the weather began to get colder - we managed to persuade her to start sitting in a box with one of my old hoodies in it by the door. Which she'd do as long as the door was open. /5

Liaising closely with local Cats' Protection (to make sure we were approaching this right), we began putting a plate down for her. Over time we even managed to persuade her to come over the threshold to eat. Gradually, she began to look healthier. /4

Walthamstow is a hotbed for feral cats, so we assumed that was likely what she was. Especially as she was TERRIFIED of people. Over time though, perhaps because she realised next door's cat trusted us and saw us give him dreamies and was starving, she finally plucked up the courage to approach. /3

In July 2022 a small cat started stalking next door's cat (an occasional visitor to our house) around, much to the annoyance of next door's cat. This was quite funny, but it also quickly became clear that she (we assumed it was a she) was dangerously thin. /2

It's international cat day, so probably time to share on here the story behind my profile picture. The cat in it is Napoleon. This is their journey from starving feral kitty to happy house floof. And this is why rescue kitties are wonderful. /1

😻😻😻CLEANSING THERMONUCLEAR FIRE IS CANCELED FOR THE MORNING! HOORAY NAPOLEON BEING WARM AND FED AND LOVED AND CARED FOR AND GOODNESS REMAINS IN THE WORLD!😻😻😻

FUCKING RIGHT?!? I AM TRYING TO WRITE A DISSERTATION!

Well. I am once again reminded that checking the news upon waking is bad for my mental health. Balancing necessary situational awareness with…yeah…is…yeah.

Here is a quick review of falling (more safely) in judo (and aikido). The forward fall is the most counter-intuitive IME but also my aunt last-year compound fractured her wrist falling forward & extending her arm to try to break her fall so… www.judo-ch.jp/english/know... Practice is required.

This is not good fall technique:

Oh never mind. Shitty initial fall response, awesome! That is you you break wrists, arms, etc, but also, running on ice is uh a choice. Why he was running at protesters exercising 1st amendment rights seems like a good question.

Seems to have annoyingly decent/not-awful fall response (based on my time doing Judo & Aikido where falling is a thing we did a lot): -head/chin tucked up to avoid hitting skull -arms doing the v-slap to distribute energy

Do you plan on getting older than 40? Then learning how to fall is extremely useful. And when younger. And especially as one ages.

If you sell a high-tech leash and collar to a man known for letting his dogs maul the neighbors, you don't get to act surprised when there's blood on the leather. The UAE Laundry: How to Wash British AI for Use in Sudan www.keystone-collective.org/the-uae-laun...

Let’s dismantle the DHS Act of 2002, which we all know was trumped up from deep state attacks on our country to engineer consent for kleptocratic oil & opium wars. END ICE NOW. Deep State customs enforcement must end.

Even before the fatal shooting last week of Renée Good; YouGov poll showed surging support for ICE's abolition | Martin Burns

The Times' consumer affairs correspondent has waged a personal war against inner-London schemes that aim to nudge people from driving towards greener modes. That it's their consumer affairs guy, and not someone whose bread and butter is transport or local government, is rather telling.

This is why I’m online: #trumpPedoFiles #truthwarriors The Origins of QAnon: A Cover Up of Trump’s Child Rapes And Co-Opting of Anonymous stellabelle.medium.com/the-origins-... Tell me what brings you to our web?