CATS ON A PLANE! New video + Update on Tess and the Kittens

Hey everyone, I'm really excited to make this post so let's get right into it.

I've uploaded the first video to the series I have on my Youtube channel about our upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic. I first mentioned this trip in my last post so please refer to it for more details. I've gotten almost everything in the mail already (the second carrier got here today, yay!) and the date is getting close so I decided it was high time to upload the first video. This video isn't very exciting, probably the least exciting of them all to be honest but I promise the rest will be a lot better! 

(BTW, I'm also getting back into Flickr so check that out too!)

The first video in the series I named "Cats On A Plane: Planning the Trip" is about the giant canopy-tent thing we will be taking with us to the Caribbean in order to have Tess accompany us when we're outdoors. It's 10ft x 10ft and super tall! I absolutely love it because it will allow my cat to be with us no matter where we go. The video isn't very exciting because it's really just me setting it up for the first time in my backyard while the kittens play in the background. I wanted to show it though because it was my first time setting something like this up and I figured it could double as a how-to or visual review of the canopy. In case you're wondering, it's a Coleman Canopy and it brings a sunwall (or what I call: a shade wall). Sadly it doesn't bring the other three walls but I will be buying that separately because in order for it to fulfill its purpose it needs to have three mesh walls. If all else fails and I can't get the mesh walls I'll just keep Tess' harness and leash on while we're out. I would greatly prefer her to have the ability to be completely free inside the canopy where she can play, lounge, and watch us in the shade (and be safe from mosquitoes because of the mesh). Throughout the video you do see the kittens, Tess sneaking out to peak, (and a random butterfly) playing though and at the end I have a little vlog-esque part where I explain the purpose of the video and my thoughts after going through the whole setup.

The next topic I wanted to talk about is the kittens, Mamei and Valient. Today we decided it's best if we put both of them up for adoption instead of just one because we don't want either of them to be without us for a whole month, especially since I currently only have my ferret's babysitter booked. So, in light of the decision, I went on a calling spree to all the shelters I could possibly find on Long Island. Unfortunately, my preferred no-kill shelters were booked beyond their capacity due to kitten season having long started. I knew this would most likely be the outcome, but one can hope right?*Sigh*

So after a whole afternoon of making calls, I finally got a call back from one of my message leaving moments and a possible answer to my predicament. I had left a message to Last Hope which is one of my top picks of shelters due to their great reputation and immense efforts to help our growing cat communities here on the island. The woman was very nice but very firm and I respect that. She said right now they're full but that she will do her best to get me in and to call her back in about 2 weeks. The catch is this though: we not only don't know whether there will be a spot for my kittens before I have to leave, but they will only accept them if I can catch the mamacat Samantha and get her to them in order for her to be spayed. They will not accept the kittens without the mamacat (if the person with the kittens knows the mamacat) in order to prevent the same cat filling their shelter with each litter of kittens. Trust me, they have very good reason for this. It's not like they wont accept the kittens if you don't know who the mamacat is, they just want to prevent endless repeats. 

If we can't capture Samantha (though I doubt that will happen because she is very familiar with us and we are very determined) or if there is no opening within the time we're still in New York, we will go to the Town Of Hempstead Shelter where we will 'surrender' the kittens. Sadly, that shelter is very large and is a kill-shelter but thankfully these two are at the prime adoption time (everyone is dying to adopt babies this age) and they are more than fully socialized so they should be adopted quickly. I still prefer Last Hope though because not only do I have the reassurance that my babies will be there until the right person comes no matter how long it takes, but I know they are in more than capable and loving hands that will treat them well. Not that the TOH shelter wont do that but... They're very busy and the place is packed with tons of animals that either animal control brought in or people surrendered. I've been there, it wasn't the warmest place to give your pet to. I'm also terrified of going through the same grief I did went I had to surrender my last cat to them. It felt so awful leaving him there, seeing how cold and lonely it seemed and knowing he was going to be in a 10 day quarantine in a metal cage. I probably spent more time sobbing than not that time, and it took months to get that feeling of "I abandoned my baby, he must feel so betrayed" to leave for more than an hour. I don't want that to happen this time. I can't stand the thought of breaking my heart and possibly my kittens' hearts by giving them to TOH.. 

So, in conclusion (I'm sorry it took a sad tone back there), we're going forward with a hopeful outlook for the kittens and a happy outlook for our trip. Thanks for taking the time to read my babbling and an extra big thank you if you checked out my video. I even made a cute little poster thing about the trip and it's featuring my two little ones!

~Goodnight~

Super Update! Graduation, Blue Hair, Travel, Warped Tour, & Cats!!

Hey everyone, so sorry for the ridiculously long absence. 

A lot has happened and I am very excited to announce that I Have been productive since then (not like the last times I've flopped). 

So, without further ado, here's the update.

We've been taking care of a litter of two kittens for a while now, and they're absolutely stunning. You can find videos and pictures of them on my Instagram but I'll post some here too. They were living outside with their mamacat Samantha for a while but now they live with us as we've adopted them. We might not keep both, I have a potential home for one of them but we're definitely keeping one. They're both beautiful and so so sweet. First we have the lovely Valient who has a very unique coloring. He is much smaller than his brother, when I took him to the vet for the first time they said he was about 7-8 weeks old but in reality he was that age when I found him and his brother a month earlier. They had been living in my backyard with Samantha for a while, but now they're integrated into out family and enjoying the good life. Valient lives up to his name with his sweet but daring personality. Despite his tiny size he's always the first one to explore and jump into things. He's mostly white, with grey ears, little grey striped on his front legs, and a striped tail (like a raccoon!). He also has the most beautiful blue eyes, I thought it was just because he was still so young when I found him that they were so blue but it seems they're staying!

My first time getting close enough for a photo!

This is Valient's first time going to the vet! He had an upper respiratory infection and a fever but we got him all recuperated with antibiotics and lots of rest. 

Now, the handsome Mamei. Mamei also has a unique coloring, having a mix of orange tabby stripes and jigsaw puzzle looking spots. He is much bigger in size than Valient, staying true to his actual age but is much more shy-go figure! He has a very unique voice, almost gravelly and kind of like the sound the ghosts in the Grudge make. He is very loving though, nothing like what you find in horror movies. His eyes are what captured me the most though, I fell in love with them immediately. He has a mixture of blue and grey with flecks of green but what is really peculiar is how crystalline they look. They don't blend, they look like the colors are shards of actual crystal just sitting next to each other. Truly gorgeous.

These are the first ever pictures I took of Mamei

On the next topic, I graduated! Finally, it's been such a long ride getting here but I made and I made it well. Here are some photos from graduation (June 24th, 2016)

I graduated from a private school so I wasn't allowed to dye my hair any color other than my own natural color so as you may have already guessed the day after graduation I got my hair dyed finally for the first time in years.

Next topic: Warped Tour!

It was my first time not only at the famous Warped Tour but also to a concert at all!

It was pretty amazing for the most part; I got see my favorite bands, spend time with friends, and have the unique experience that is Warped. I had a little bump though, the crowdsurfers and their feet gave me a slight concussion and I ended up fainting but the security guys were super sweet and helped me out a ton, so a shoutout to them! Thankfully I'm okay, just a little scraped from the fall and a little pained from the kicks but all in all it wasn't that bad. I have the video(s) from Warped Tour here and here.

Now, the last topic is very important and will keep coming up:

I'm taking my cat Tess on a plane! 

We're going to the Dominican Republic for vacation in a few weeks and we're taking my beautiful Tess. The kittens are staying here with my brother and Alice (my ferret) because I can't take them all and the kittens are still indoor/outdoor. The process to bring your cat not only on a plane but on an international flight is pretty daunting. There's so much that goes into it from the vet checkups, the booking, the carrier(s), the food, and a whole bunch of other supplies you never would have thought would be necessary.

So far we've got almost everything done in the preparations. I bought two carriers: one for the plane because the airline required dimensions are so small that I couldn't stand the thought of having my Tess only have that one carrier during the whole trip, and one for non air travel which is bigger and more comfortable. 

Next, I bought two fans: one solar powered and one rechargeable and a mini rechargeable AC. The Dominican Republic has summer climate all year long, and especially in the actual summertime it can get drastically hot. Another thing about the DR is that it has regular electric energy cuts throughout the day and though all of our houses we have over there have solar generators, it's always good to have backups and ways to save that energy. 

I also bought a new harness and leash because the harness I have for her here covers too much and I want to make sure she isn't covered more than she has to be in the heat. The harness and leash I bought are also of higher grade and safer. 

Another electronic I bought for the trip is a solar powered and rechargeable portable charger. This is not only super useful for our phones but also the cool air blower and the non solar powered fan.

The next thing we're bringing but that isn't a new purchase (though it is our first time using it) is a huge canopy. It is a 10ft by 10ft canopy with a sunwall that we will be having Tess occupy when we travel to the beach or the countryside for an extended period of time. The whole reason I'm bringing Tess is so she isn't alone or separated from me, so it'd make no sense to always leave her at the house in DR while I got spend the whole day out.

I'm making a video series on my Youtube showing you how we go through with the trip from the preparation to the homecoming so remember to check that out!

Wow, that was a lot in one post.

~Thank for reading~

New Video! (Beware: KITTEN AHEAD)

Hello everyone, it is I. As promised, I've started my return to Blogger and Youtube (finally!). I honestly really didn't want to do anything at all when I got home from school, I was so sleepy. But, I don't want what happened last time to occur again, so I got to it and transferred all the material I have on my phone onto my laptop and began sorting to upload. My first video is very short, only 21 seconds, but that is all I had for the first clip. I'll try to keep them in order, so the first few videos and photos will be a bit old and not too well edited. 

So. Today's post deals with one of the things I am doing now, which directly relates to the title (gasp no way). I've been volunteering at a cat rescue organization called Kat Connection since August of this past summer. While the application process was a bit rigorous, it was truly worth it. I work every Friday and Saturday (and any day I don't have school I usually call and let them know and to see if they need me) and this means I get to interact with adorable and sweet kittens twice a week, as well as other animals in the store. 

And one of these kittens I've taken care of was very vocal about wanting to come out of the enclosure. Of course, me being me, I couldn't help but record the little one in her protest of the white bars holding her in. Don't worry though, they have more toys than any cats I've seen elsewhere, and we socialize with them as often as we can.

So, here's a twelve week old kitten. You're welcome~

~And a picture of all four~

~

Another Attempt at Returning (Prologue)

Hello, long time no see? It's once again been over a year since I've been (publicly) on here. I am now seventeen, turning eighteen this month. I don't know where to begin, so I'll give a small resume of the reasons for the the lack of consistency before jumping into the deep end with all the details.

Short version:

After my last post [Here] was made, I ended up using my personal tumblr rather than Blogger. This is because my Blogger was supposed to have less personal details (because really, I doubt you guys would want to hear about my health issues interfering again and again with my life mixed in with what my last post promised) and more Content. Alas, it's very difficult to regularly make blog posts on two separate domains while still having a sense of order and quality. So, what ended up happening is silence on here for 2 years, and a Lot of long posts on my personal tumblr. There will be a more detailed version of this small summary at the end.

Alright. According to the last two posts on here, the last you heard (unless you read my personal blog on tumblr) was that I was back home and in school, with a ferret. Since then, I have not been back in the hospital, thankfully, and I have made it to senior year. Nonetheless, it's been very stressful and I can't lie and say I haven't have my crises. However, out of all the time since my last post, I am happy to say I haven't been better than I am now. 

I do hope you'll forgive my absence, I truly am intending to make a comeback again. The difference this time, though, is that I feel ready and there isn't anything right now that should impede such comeback. If any of you are still here, I thank you for your patience with me.

Now, if you'd like to hear a more in-depth version of what you just read, continue to the next block of writing below. Beware: two years can hold a great deal of happenings, not all positive, you've been warned.

During my absence, I wasn't in the best health. Along with the things I don't really have control over, there was one thing that I chose to have in my life that did not help the situation. Quite the opposite. You see, at that time there was one constant for about two years: a person I will call Are. I probably wont ever mention this person again, since it is now in the past and I am in a better place. For the sake of informing those who wish to know the reasons for my absence, it is necessary I mention Are. 

This person was both positive and incredibly toxic to me. How can something or someone be positive yet toxic? It just takes a few lies, my friend. Unfortunately, the positive aspects of this person on my life were superficial, a thin sweet film on the surface of a bitter underneath. Now, I know this person has some reason for having been so damaging. But this reason was not enough to justify the actions,and for once in my life, I put my well-being first. I took everyone's advice one final day (including the advice of several professionals) and ended all contact. Because when someone refuses to work on their faults and stated they have no desire to change while taking advantage of your own vulnerable and unstable state while manipulating you, it's time to choose. Your health, or their satisfaction? This may seem like an easy choice to you, and really it should have been. But I've never been one to put myself first, even if sacrificing myself wasn't actually helping the person I was putting first. Satisfaction does not mean Right. A child may want to only eat sweets, never anything else. If you comply and give them solely sweets you are satisfying them. But what effect is this having on their body, on their needs? This was what I was doing. Except I wasn't just giving in to this person, I was allowing them to harm me as well. This is why I took the decision to end our relationship (both platonic and not).

Now, back to why I mentioned Are in the first place. As I said, Are was the one thing that was constant. We were inseparable. While Are's presence was a comfort, that was about it. We fought often, about things I could not help, things they took wrong, or things I didn't know they disliked. It was an unhealthy dynamic: the submissive gets attacked, is not allowed to defend himself, backs down, takes the blame for things they did not know were 'wrong'. Repeat. This was just another thing in my life that took up all my time and energy. Even though I wanted to be productive, the stress I was under at all times just didn't allow it. All I had time for was school until 3, and Are until the moment I fell asleep. I blogged about my personal state while Are wasn't present. It was always the stress, the unhappiness I felt, the knowledge that if I wasn't on constant overdrive I would end up in the hospital again and ruin my apparent progress. You see, after the 5th hospitalization of the type I had, they send you somewhere long term. This would be at least 6 months, as was state policy. These would be 6 months of disconnect from the world, absence from school, further knowledge that I failed at the simplest things in life. Also the guilt that I abandoned Are for my own issues. 

As I mentioned above, I had several therapists, other adults, my friends, and family tell me this was unhealthy, that I needed to stop defending Are. And I eventually did, but the damage was done. Even after Are was gone, I still could not produce content other than the venting necessary to stay sane. It's been over a year and I've managed to almost entirely reverse the mindset I was in where I had to analyze every little thing I said to decipher every small misinterpretation that could be made from my words. Of course, this became easier when I met my current partner and best friend Stephen. Thankfully, I've had the support of him, my doctors, counselors and some of my family.

~If you've read through all this, I commend you. If not it's quite alright, I frankly don't find it that interesting either. For an actual update of what's going on now, check out the next post.~

Content!

I'm planning on posting reviews, vlogs, and how-to/share experiences. One of the things I will be talking about is my desire to learn Japanese and how I go about doing so. I'll be posting videos and photos of my pets being silly, tours of interesting areas I visit, my art, reviews of shows, books, electronics, and recommendations as well. Currently I have two projects I am working on; the Japan-related video and a speed-painting with photos.

My Youtube is PetCrazzy

Video Hoarder

So. After that short ridiculously long sum that ended up taking up most of the post that was supposed to be SHORT sum of what brought me here; Now onward to the present.

Link to last post here

I am going to start making videos(I have like 200 made I just never upload them I just keep them I'm a VIDEO HOARDER OMFG NO WHY) editing and posting videos. They'll be most likely quite random. From pets, to on the go, rants, ideas, updates, speed-painting/drawing, etc.

So yeah. See you soon (hopefully).

You Are Meant To Bury Only Once

Hello, it's PetCrazzy/Pipesandsushi/Ger/Seb. I haven't posted on blogger/blogspot for more than a year now. The reason is I have yet to achieve complete closure after Melon passed. I don't think I'll ever do so, and I'm okay with that. It's that part of grief that I don't like to let go. I accept, but I don't move on completely. I love my little robo, so much. And I will never not feel the anger that I do towards myself for neglecting her, no matter how bad my condition was at the time. But now, it's time to settle. Semi Closure is all I'll accept. I wont ever truly let go. I want to upload more videos, but not on My Hamster.. Even if I do get another hamster. That domain belonged to Melon and I'd like to keep it that way. I feel like it keeps her alive, so it wont be easy to forget. So whenever I want to take a look at old photos and posts, I don't want to dig them up beneath new posts. Her image will be there; You are meant to bury only once.

So, that said, I am announcing the return of the posting. A lot has happened since I last was (publicly) on here. You can find the full bulk of it on my personal tumblr blog, PipesandsushiPersonal but I'll try to sum it up. 

After Melon's passing, I was hospitalized again and missed the last month of school. I spent a week in the E.R hooked up to an I.V and then remained inpatient for about a month, until the very end of May. I was somewhat stable for a few months, I adopted a ferret (weasels not rodents) because my mother decided I needed a change on the lifespan of my pets for my health to have a better chance of staying stable. This went well, and l'estate passed. I then began school at the high school in my district. 

For the first 3 weeks or so I was doing alright. Turns out it was temporary, though, and I stopped attending school by the end of September. Sometimes I feel incompetent. Kind of useless and stupid. Everyone else could make it, why not I? I am intellectually above average, I am naturally polite and respectful, I've always got along fine with people... But I still can't do the simple task of attending a giant school building with thousands of other kids. 

Truthfully, though, it was terrifying. It was triggering as hell and educationally, slightly incompetent. To be honest, past all that self-hate for not being able to function (without shutting down) in my district high school, in the long run I've made the right choice to search for better options. I spent the next months with my family, trying to figure out a solution regarding my schooling. On November 15th, though, I was hospitalized again. Again, my own fault. This time for 67 days. I wasn't home yet, though. That would take another five months. Now, I am home, in a school that I very much enjoy being enrolled in, and catching up on all that I missed since that day Melon left. You know, it's only now that I realize; that since that day, all the way until June of this year, I've been on this road that is a constant shower of lava falling from the sky and tsunamis crashing in. Funny, that throughout all this it's only now that I realize that since that day in April 2012, I haven't been okay... And it's all tied together and it's quite frightening actually how these things work. I'm not saying that if she wouldn't have died all of this wouldn't happen; no I'm sure it still would, but more like in this occasion, it was the starter I guess. Wow. Hm. I haven't thought of it that way. Hm. I see. Funny what a few minuted of themed ranting on a blog post does. Yes, I've missed blogger. I really have. It's different than a journal, different than tumblr. I think this is the one. At least for these types of thought processes.

I will post the actual itinerary thingy for my activity on another post because I thought up a clever title but the title on this once is supposed to be the one it is for impact and I don't like mixing posts when there's multiple points on different topics agh. Okay? It's here [LINK]