…and by that, I don’t mean Blagojevich! The title of my blog is a play on the word “blog,” obviously, but also on Blagojevich’s name because the guy, as many of you know, lived down the street when I started this blog. We’ve since moved but he still lives down the street — just a different one. And I live in Chicago (well, duh). Hence, “bloggo chicago.”

I would like to make it clear to the public that I did not pay anyone for use of the title.

This blog is not corrupt unless some fucking hackers have managed to infiltrate the server or whatever, because I occasionally get spam comments on old posts, on which commenting has been closed. I’ve also been getting spam users registering; apparently they just love my blog. Fuckers. They’re so obvious.

*cough* Anyways, I’ve had two relapses since August but my condition is improving, which also means I’ve been busy trying to get better, trying to spend less time online. But I miss the blog and I’m trying to find a way to manage reading your blogs again. Admittedly, Twitter is so much easier than blogging. And there’s still Crackbook. I’ve suddenly had an influx of friends and it’s hard to catch up with everyone. Etc., etc.

So here’s an overview of what’s been going on in the past month, and I may expand on them later: Brian’s paternal grandma suddenly passed away in the beginning of November; one cat was diagnosed with heart disease; another cat ate a frickin’ lily and had to be rushed to the animal ER — all of which happened in the span of a week: election week, during which I had the stomach flu! Early voting is a wonderful thing.

As for the blog itself, I’ve decided to shamelessly use Amazon Associates links for past and future book, DVD, etc. reviews. Don’t like it? Don’t read it. Still working on cutting down categories but using tags. Maybe I’ll go ahead and add the tag widget soon, even if it isn’t complete. What the hell.

Here’s a shout-out to one of my oldest blog friends, who lit the fire under my ass to get this thing going again. Hi, April!

A friend of mine sent me this link: The Chai Story. It looks like the first entry of a new blog, but no matter. If the Four Paws, Inc.’s pimple ball with bell is among your dog’s toys, get rid of it — NOW! I know this sounds like one of those rumor-type things people send blanket e-mails about, but please — read the entry. I couldn’t even watch the videos; the pictures were bad enough.

In 1998 I lived in a teeny, tiny studio apartment in Chicago. We’re talking like, dorm room size — I’m not even kidding. At the time only Basil and Hopper lived with me, and at that point in my life I had been smoking for 12 years. I was never a heavy smoker — just a half pack a day of Marlboro Lights, box, please. On the weekends I tended to smoke more, sometimes up to a pack-and-a-half, especially if I had a paper to write. It was my senior year of college, you see.

One day, maybe night, I took a look at my cats. Or who knows? Maybe one of them looked at me, the way Basil did when I took this picture a few days ago, and I made the horrible realization that if they ever got lung cancer, it would be entirely my fault. When I worked at an animal hospital, there was a cat who was often treated for asthma, yet his owners continued to smoke. I didn’t want to be like them. Never mind my own health; I was, and continue to be, concerned about my cats’ well-being.

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I didn’t do it cold turkey or start smoking a brand with lower tar and nicotine, like I had in the past when I made a few half-hearted attempts at quitting. Instead, I stopped smoking inside my apartment. Since my place was at the end of the corridor, I was near the fire escape and smoked out there. The most difficult time was when I was on the phone. Cordless phones are nice, aren’t they? Eventually, I quit buying (it was $2.45 a pack back then) and just bummed from my friends at school.

That was it. I don’t know how, except for my own conviction and commitment to my cats, but by November of that year I had quit. Up to a year later I occasionally had a social smoke when I was out with friends, but nothing more than that. I haven’t had one since, and Basil and Hopper, now 10 and 11, will be around a lot longer. Heh. And so will I.

I was reminded of all this when I came across Stop It! (dead link) while blog surfing yesterday. The blog is for people who want to quit smoking, and is a place to post ongoing experiences. Since it’s a community blog, you have to register to have posting privileges, but it doesn’t cost a thing. However, the blog is also a challenge. Here’s the catch: if you slip, you donate $10 to the ASPCA. How cool is that?

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Angelo says: More pet pics are available for your viewing pleasure at this week’s Friday Ark. If you post your own pets’ photos, leave them a trackback or comment and you’ll be listed there, too. And remember — they don’t limit pictures just to cats!