Today is World AIDS Day. Today is a day for people around the world to come together in the fight against AIDS. In that spirit, Tito and Miss Jenny are wearing their red ribbons and encourage their fellow felines the world over to join them in the fight. If you are able, please consider a donation to help the fight.
Clicking on the photo below will take you to our post about the National AIDA Memorial Grove here in San Francisco. It’s a very beautiful place, but we hope for a day when no more names will need to be added to the list of those lost to this horrible disease.
The Circle of Friends in the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park
We would like to take this time to thank the men and women of our armed forces for their service. We hope they have a wonderful day.
We would also like to ask our veterans with working military dogs to pass on some scritches for us. We haven’t forgotten them either.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bobbie Ohm walks with Nero, a working military dog, to search for explosives during a joint explosive detection training exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., on Dec. 16, 2010.U.S. and coalition servicemembers, civilians, military working dog handlers and their dogs met together in a ceremony Oct. 16 to unveil the war dog memorial built at the KAF boardwalk in honor of military working dogs killed here in the line of duty.
It’s Halloween, but JBoD would like to give a shout out to fellow critters and their humans who were caught in the path of Sandy. It is so sad to see the devastation. Our hearts are with you.
Please take time to donate to a charity or animal shelter in order to help. Best Friends has an emergency animal rescue crew on their way. They will work with their affiliates in the NE to rescue as many animals as possible. Their hurricane page is located here. You can also follow the Best Friends New York on their Facebook page.
Don’t forget the humans. There are a vast amount of people who are without shelter or who have lost everything. Please donate what you can to help.
WARNING! There will be scam charities. Beware of donating without checking out the charity first. You can check out charities at BBB charities page. At that page you can see how a charity rates and if there are complaints. There are also links to good charities.
On Wednesday, Lastech and I spent the day in the Marin Headlands. It was a foggy, but beautiful day. I only wish it had ended that way. On the way home, we stopped to take a few pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. I had taken several pictures when I heard the Coast Guard helicopter. I watched it fly under the bridge and it was at that point that I saw the flare on the water.
Flares on the water to help with the victim search
When someone jumps, a flare is dropped on the water to show the searchers the direction of the tide. Someone lost a friend, a lover, or a family member that day. It was a painful reminder that I’ve lost two friends to suicide. This post is dedicated to Candy and Dora. It’s too late for them, but not for others.
Disclaimer: jellybeansofdoom is not associated with the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. We deeply appreciate what they do.
To reach the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 1-800-273-8255. For Veterans, to reach the Veterans crisis Line, call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. If you are in distress or a friend or family member of someone who is, then please call the number.
The following signs may mean someone is at risk for suicide. The risk of suicide is greater if a behavior is new or has increased and if it seems related to a painful event, loss, or change. If you or someone you know exhibits any of these signs, seek help as soon as possible by calling the Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves.
Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online or buying a gun
Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
Talking about being a burden to others.
Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly.
Sleeping too little or too much.
Withdrawing or isolating themselves.
Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
Displaying extreme mood swings.
The Lifeline is there for anyone. If you are in distress call them. If you have lost someone to suicide and need help then call them. Don’t suffer alone.
Please please please seek help if you need it. The ribbon will take you to the Lifeline.
Three years ago today, Lastech and I smoked our last cigarette. We never looked back. It wasn’t our first try. It wasn’t even a second or third. In fact, We had given up counting. It WAS our final quit. The time was right and we were tired of being slaves to the almighty tobacco.
Since then, our outdoor adventures have expanded to include stairs and steep climbs. Yesterday, I wrote about visiting the Point Reyes Lighthouse and the fact that the descent and return included 308 stair steps (one way). I wouldn’t have made it before the quit.
I met Lastech almost ten years ago. We married 8 years ago today. I have to be completely honest and say that life hasn’t always been easy, but being married has not been difficult at all. There are harder things in life than being married to your best friend.
Together we have adopted 4 kitties. We lost a sweet one to cancer, but we still have three.
The Boober, who we miss dearlyOur other furkids. From left to right: Miss Nightshade Jenny, Tito, and Kitsune aka Maz Whang?
In addition, we have managed to go exploring in the mountains, beaches, and parks of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Big Basin Redwoods in the Santa Cruz MountainsTennessee Cove in Marin CountyStow Lake in Golden Gate Park
Throughout all that, one of our biggest accomplishments occurred in 2008. Together, we quit smoking. Even that wasn’t enough to make us get cranky with each other. I have many words I could use to describe my life with Lastech and boring isn’t one of them.
In other words…
And now for an absurd and almost annoying anniversary song by the Flintstones.
This is a bit of a tour de force: Rhudha-an carved the pumpkin, set up the background, lured Kitsy to pose and shopped the photos in a short afternoon:
Of course, Tito appears as his favorite Halloween character:
As some of you know, we’re huge fans of the Mighty Boosh here. Watching the series episodes again, it was amazing to see how many unique ideas for Halloween costumes they provided. Thrown in for good measure in position number two is a music vid from Kasabian with Noel Fielding from the Boosh as Vlad the impaler. Enjoy.
Mighty Boosh (Noel Fielding Julian Barratt) “blackfrost” from the “Tundra” episode:
“Vlad the Impaler” by Kasabian with Noel Fielding (Mighty Boosh):
One year ago today, we made our first post, Welcome to JBoD. The blog has been a work-in-progress ever since.
Tito’s jellybeans
For those who may not know, jellybeansofdoom is named after our kitties and their jellybeans, that come with claws attached.
These beans belong to a very sweet natured, but very paranoid kitty named Tito. Tito is a domestic shorthair and we found him (as a kitten) at the SFSPCA. It was love at first sight.
Tito’s baby pictureTito
These beans, on the other hand, belong to the class clown named Kitsune. Kitsune is fearless to the point of lunacy. We would find him hanging from the chandelier if we had one.
Kitsy’s beans
Kitsune, also called Kitsy or Mazuzu Whang? has no baby picture as he was an adult when we brought him home. His wrinkly breed is called Sphynx.
Kitsune
Of course, none of this would have happened without the bestest kitty on the planet. We lost him to lymphoma a couple of years ago, but he is still a part of our lives.
