Playtime.

In light of my recent plunge into singlehood, I have found myself taking more pictures of my cat Gabriel than I care to admit. (I am as of yet unsure whether I find this hilarious or pathetic.) However, I recently purchased two cat toys that made for some extremely amusing pictures.

Meet Gabriel. He's a Maine Coon/Tabby mix.

The first toy I bought is called a Playser. It has multiple images
for endless hours of playtime entertainment.

In this picture, you can just make out the red dot by Gabriel's paw.

My favorite is when Gabriel chases the laser image up the wall.

The second toy I bought is a classic doorknob toy.

I think I am going to have to eventually get one of these toys
for each of the doorknobs in my apartment.

Within minutes, Gabriel had already managed to tear one
of the feathers off of the toy.

It certainly is the simple things in life that make me the most happy and bring a smile to my face.

The End of a Tradition?

Last night as I was watching the news, a story aired that caused me great sadness. Emmis Communications, a broadcasting company that for the last 26 years has sponsored one of the greatest traditions in Indianapolis (at least in my opinion), is as of now no longer going to sponsor the event due to a lack of funding resulting from the struggling economy. The event I am speaking of is the annual Labor Day fireworks celebration, Sky Concert.

Fireworks have been an integral part of my life since birth (I was, after all, born on the Fourth of July). To this day, my father claims that when I was a child, he had me believing the fireworks that always occurred on the Fourth of July were specifically in celebration of my birthday. While I can offer little insight into the truth or falsity of my father's claim (I can recall no memory of ever believing such a thing), there is no denying the fact that I am extremely fond of any and all displays of fireworks.

Even though it has been several years since I last attended Sky Concert, it has always been and will continue to remain one of my favorite fireworks shows. I only hope that the economy rebounds quickly and Sky Concert does not remain in the dark for long.

My First Blog Award!

Recently I received my very first blog award from Suz at 30 Before 30 List. Most of the blogs I read have at least one, if not several awards that have been given to them, so when I saw Suz had chosen my blog as one of her seven favorites for the Kreativ Blogger Award it made my day. Suz's blog was one of the first I started reading on Blogger, and it has provided me with much inspiration, not only in regards to my blog but also in my personal life.

For the award I am supposed to list seven things I love, so here goes!

1. Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits - I am in no way, shape, or form a fan of seafood, but these biscuits are more than enough to get me to this restaurant (of course, it doesn't hurt that it is also home to one of my absolute favorite alcoholic beverages, the Sunset Passion Colada.)


2. Tulip Magnolia Trees - Each year I look forward to Spring for one specific reason, and that is the blooming of tulip magnolia trees. When I am out driving, every time I pass one of these trees it puts a smile on my face, no matter how I am feeling. I hope to one day live in a house with a huge tulip magnolia tree in the front yard.


3. Thunderstorms and Lightning - Even though thunderstorms scare me because they often occur in conjunction with the threat of tornadoes, I always get excited at the prospect of a good thunderstorm. I find it incredibly relaxing to be able to sit outside on the porch (or balcony, or wherever) and listen to the rain and watch the lightning. I would love to one day experience a thunderstorm in the deserts of Arizona.


4. The NHL Playoffs - There's nothing better than a hard fought seven game series in pursuit of Lord Stanley's Cup. Speaking of which - today was the first day in round one of the playoffs. Let's go Red Wings!


5. Electric Blankets - Brent keeps his house way too cold for my taste, so when I am at his house I am almost always snuggled up with the electric blanket he bought me for Christmas. Enough said.


6. Chinese Calligraphy - I have always been fascinated by Chinese calligraphy. I think it is incredibly beautiful. I would love to learn to draw a few characters, so that I could paint them on canvases to hang around my apartment.


7. Spa Days - While I have never actually been to a spa, I can only imagine how much fun a day at the spa with my best girlfriend would be. I am a big fan of manicures and pedicures, so surely I would enjoy indulging in the variety of other ways to be pampered at a spa.


There you have it! I am also supposed to name seven of my favorite blogs to receive this award, but alas, I enjoy every blog I read so much I cannot choose between them all. So, I am passing this award on to everyone on my blog roll. :-)