My kitty cat

Smog, a cheeky and cherished kitty. 2008 - 2017

I lost my beautiful kitty last week. It's been a pretty horrible week but time waits for no woman, so I've had to "get back on the horse" in terms of going to work each day and getting through the day. Still, it's not really getting any easier. I miss my naughty boy.

Just today when thinking about updating this blog, I was reminded of this below average quality poem I wrote in 2005 after losing my childhood kitty (she got to age 18 though, unlike my boy above who was only 9). I thought I'd share the poem:

Back in your box - 11/8/2005

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Baby in a box

You touched her hand so tenderly

Tentatively

You knew not where you went

But you felt safe enough to return her gesture of kindness

A little one

Left alone at such a young age

Your sister gone

Who knows who had the better fortune

You or her

But we all know you had great fortune indeed

My little one

A face I cannot imagine forgetting

But I bet the image will fade in time

I think I need another thousand photos

To remember you by

Before we put you back in your box

And bury you

Anyway...my plan is to make a big photo book of my boy's life, to remember him by. I'm not really the type to bring ashes home, and don't have much room to bury pets in my back yard (it's mostly paved). So I will have to hang onto his collar and paw print given by the vet, even though it totally does not look like the Smoggy paws I knew so well. I will have to flip through his photo book once I have that done, and hang onto his memory.

A-Z '13 - Straight Lines, Stevie ... and a special feature for Chrissy Amphlett

During April, a lot of bloggers are participating in the A-to-Z blogging challenge of 2013. My theme for 2013 is an A-to-Z list of classic Aussie tunes - either classic or just plain songs I like. Today's letter is "S", and I had a huge list to whittle down. Didn't do a very good whittling job as you will see, but I'm feeling liberal today with the sad news of Chrissy Amphlett's passing (I'll get to that further down the post). For now, my main two song pics:

Straight Lines - Silverchair


Stevie - Spiderbait (or unofficial vid here)

I have followed Silverchair (defunct) since their very first single release (the EP-version of "Tomorrow", at which point they were known as "Nirvana in Pajamas" - even if 14/15-year-old Daniel was channelling Eddie Vedder more than Kurt Cobain). These boys have had an amazing career, and though I generally prefer their earlier work, "Straight Lines" from their latest release strikes me as a bit of a pinnacle of sheer musical genius. As for Spiderbait, well they're a classic Aussie punk-pop/something-or-rather (they really are hard to categorise!) band who have a rather eclectic collection of songs. In my opinion, "Stevie" is one of the cutest songs ever! The video clip is rather enjoyable, too, I think. ;) SPARKLY!


Sleeping Beauty - Divinyls



I already featured a Divinyls song this month, back during the letter "I" when I mentioned I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore (and here is an unofficial version I hope you will be able to hear!). But I felt it only fitting to feature another Divinyls song today, on the day I learned of Chrissy Amphlett's passing. Such a sad bit of news, but also a cause to celebrate her amazing contribution to the Australian music scene. This woman was a huge inspiration for generations of female musicians and just women in general, and a groundbreaking artist who won't soon be forgotten. May you rest in peace, Chrissy - and thank you so much for the brilliant music. I'm glad I got to see you live in concert!

Honourable mentions (see what I mean about failing to whittle?):

• She-Riff by Magic Dirt
• Supposed To Be Here by Primary
• Saturday Night by Cold Chisel
• Scene From Below by Mary Trembles
• Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye
• Smoke by Natalie Imbruglia
• So Beautiful by Pete Murray
• Suspicion Bells by Effigy
• Silver Lizard by Tumbleweed (thanks for the reminder Steve!)
• Surfers of the Mind by Def FX
• (Sic) by Henry's Anger
• Sickfest by Grinspoon
• Sidewindin' by Abbe May
• Slaves of a Nameless God by Dark Order
• Smoke & Mirrors by Snowman
• Second Solution by the Living End
• Suicide Blonde by INXS
• Sukkafish by the Grates