Aby-a-Day – November 3: “It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the phrase, ‘as pretty as an airport.’ “

A couple of weeks ago, my husband had to to go Europe for work.

Jacoby and I went to meet him because it’s lousy to come home from a trip and have nobody at the airport to greet you.

We took the Silver Line to get there. It’s really the best and easiest way to get to Logan from South Station.

I took Jacoby with me (in his bag, not his stroller) because someday I want to fly with him (I’d love him to meet his “grandparents” someday) and I figured going to the airport and just hanging out would make it less traumatic when we actually do fly somewhere.

(Well, less traumatic as possible, considering it still involves an airport.)

I was pleasantly surprised to see the awesome kinetic sculpture “Exercise in Fugality” by George Rhodes.

It used to be over in C Terminal, but they moved it to the International Arrivals a few years ago.

Which is sad, because it’s not very often I go to the International Arrivals. It’s a really cool machine.

Jake loved it.

I mean, what’s not to love, especially if you’re a cat? It’s got rolling balls, lots of movement, sounds, colours…the thing is basically a giant cat toy!

Here’s a video of Jake watching it. It’s pretty cool, right?

And it makes waiting for someone to get through Customs a lot less boring!

And it takes a long time, too. I was kind of glad I’d brought Jake along; it would have been a lot more boring and lonely without him!

Too Cute Alert!

It’s funny, because I’ve been mentioning this a lot to people lately…but Animal Planet is running a Too Cute marathon today. At 5pm Eastern today, they’ll be showing the episode that started it all: Too Cute Kittens!

The Abyssinians, including diminutive Tiny Dancer, are from Jacoby’s mother’s cattery, Instincts, in New York. I guess show business is in his genes 🙂

Stollercat merits a Letter to the Editor!

This is awesome: A woman wrote a Letter to the Editor about Jacoby and his stroller!

That darn cat?
Friday, November 2, 2012
That cat is a beauty (Nov. 1). That is a healing cat. I would rather sit next to “strollercat” than a smelly man or homeless nonpaying rider who falls asleep on me. I even saw a man punch a man in the face the other night on the T.

Who cares if the cat’s there? How does he bother you? “Strollercat” is adorable and doesn’t bother anyone. People are too uptight and judgmental.

And the comments are pretty great, too!

“‘I would rather sit next to “strollercat” than a smelly man or homeless nonpaying rider’
Now who’s being judgmental?
It’s a cat, and no, it’s no different than any other cat. If she wants to drag it around the city, put it in a cat carrier not a friggin baby stroller.
And if you don’t like the people on the T, take a cab or walk”

“Very true. The drunk or even the smelly person with BO is much more offensive than a cat.
Even the person on the phone is more irritating.
Ever notice the people who talk on the phone on the train always have a problem with someone or are otherwise crazy?”

“I hate that.. There are super loud, like we even care what problem their having with whoever they are talking too.. Hands flying everywhere as they act out their conversation.. I’ll take a therapy cat over that bullish anyday..”

“It’s not about the cat. It is about the unnecessary use of a stroller on a crowded train. It shows complete disregard for others – complete lack of judgement.
Also, people who don’t like riding with the ‘great unwashed’ should hire limos to get them around.
I do agree about the loud cell phone blabbers – I would actually rather put up with the stroller.”

“People would not have to hire a limo if there was a competitive market for private transportation in the city. The T gets 80% of its revenues from taxpayer subsidies, which makes it affordable for the great unwashed.”

“‘I hate that.. There are super loud, like we even care what problem their having with whoever they are talking too.. Hands flying everywhere as they act out their conversation.. I’ll take a therapy cat over that bullish anyday..’
——————————————
It sounds as if you’ve never ridden the T during rush hours. I’ve never heard anyone yelling into their phones at this time. Although, I would rather listen to this than be pushed around in a sardine like packed T car by a stupid cat carriage. Let her take her carriage on the train on off hours or use a carrier.”

“Actually I find that people standing upright with those insanely huge backpacks or musicians with their guitars cases more annoying than a small “cat carriage”.. Same goes in this case.. If you don’t like sharing the T with people that bring what they are permitted to by the MBTA on the T, then by all means, buy a car! Then you can ride with who you want to.. Its a public transportation rail not a taxi.. She didn’t break policy so this gripe is moot.. Everyone should be writing the MBTA about this instead of writing how inconsiderate this lady is.. After all its allowed!”

“I’ve ridden the T plenty of times in rush hour and not.. These loud people have been on it and I’ve also had to stand crammed in with all different types of people.. I just don’t usually ***** about it because they paid their fare like I did and deserve to ride the T just like everyone else.. I know the simple solution is to buy a vehicle if I don’t like sharing.. I just wish everyone would get a grip on the reality that just because they paid their fare doesn’t mean they can decide which policy is appropriate or not.. you’re a guest on the rail not the owner..”

“Exactly, including this lady who has every right according to the policy of the rail.. don’t like it.. get a cab!”

Considering some of the comments I read the other day, these are amazing!

Also, when we were being interviewed by Channel 7, one guy coming in had the BEST comment ever. I’m not sure if it made it on the air, so I wanted to save it for posterity. Janet Wu asked him, “What do you think of a cat in a stroller on the train?” and he responded in a broad Boston accent, “I think that is the most adorable friggin’ thing I’ve evah seen in my life!” That totally made my day.