Movie Star

 Make way for America's next brightest star, because I just landed my biggest gig on the screen as of yet.  It's only up from here. 

I recently starred in a promotional advertisement for the Thorntown Public Library and our summer reading program.  

Now you may be thinking, "Chance, Thorntown Public Library isn't exactly the big-time movie screen".  And you would be correct. BUT, how many cats do you know who have even acted once??  Exactly, not many.  

So how exactly did I land this prestigious gig?  Well, charm mostly.  And being annoyingly persistent until Assistant Lillian finally relented and put me in her video. 

The video describes all the fun things that a cat (or a kid) can do at the library this summer.  You can check it out at this link  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqWurbt5gOw or on our brand new YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/@ThorntownPublicLibrary.  

Assistant Lillian had a lot of ideas for how to film this video, and some of them were NOT good.  

For example, she thought it would be a good idea to cover me with soap foam to advertise our foam party in the park.  That was basically just a bad idea all around.  I did NOT consent to be covered in soap when I agreed to be her star actor, and the suds make a mess!  

Grumpy because I have suds on my head

The second thing Assistant Lillian did that I did not agree to, was videotaping me while I was sleeping.  No one likes being watched while they are sleeping and especially recorded while they are sleeping.  But now there are several clips of me sleeping, completely unaware that I'm being recorded, that are now on the internet for the whole world to see.  And it makes me look like all I do is sleep, which is FALSE.  I have other hobbies... a few anyways.  

zzz

The third thing Assistant Lillian did was follow me around the library trying to get what she called "candid shots".  At first, the paparazzi were nice.  A famous cat, who is about to have their movie debut, needs a few candid shots.  But after the fourth, fifth, and sixth shot, I was beginning to feel like all privacy was *poof* gone.  I was afraid to use the bathroom because if I did, I just knew Assistant Lillian would find me there for another "candid shot", and I could NOT let that get on the internet.  

Candid of me walking upstairs

Candid of me "playing dead"

Despite her attempts to make me look bad, I think the video promo turned out pretty good.  You'll have to be the ultimate judge of my acting skills, but if I look bad, it's because of Assistant Lillian's subpar video editing skills, and not my fault.  

The paparazzi are chasing me again,

Chance 

Cows

 I've told you before that I'm not a dog.  Well, I'm also not a cow.  I'd think that would be obvious.  Something that is perhaps not quite as obvious as the fact that I am *not* a cow, is the fact that I don't even know if I like cows.  I've never met a cow or seen one in real life (unless you count one of those reindeer things Santa always brings with him during our Christmas party).  So how would I know if I liked cows?  

    Maybe you're wondering why I'm going on a rant about cows.  The reason is this.  Last month, Barb L. bought me a soft and fluffy blanket in the Youth Department.  And I LOVE it.  But it's decorated with cow print.  Cow print.  I'm a cat.  

The Cow Blanket

Toe Beans

                                         

 Despite it being covered in cow print, it's currently my favorite napping spot.  This makes Karen and the upstairs staff sad.  I used to spend all my nap time upstairs in the offices.  But now that a soft fluffy blanket is downstairs, I kind of spend all my nap time downstairs.  Karen has tried to coax me off my blanket multiple times by using bribing techniques.  She should know I don't fall for those.  

Karen trying to convince me to come upstairs

    The worst part about this blanket (besides it suggesting I like cows) is that it frequently disappears.  For some reason, the staff thinks it's *gross* that my cat hair gets all over everything when I hang around all day.  So they take it home and wash it.  Which is nice because it makes it all fluffy again.  But it's hard to part with my new napping blanket for even a day.  And then I have to rearrange it again when it gets back.  

They should know not to mess with the Boss's stuff without express permission.  

Someone messed up my blanket. Again.

The other potentially bad part about this new napping spot is that it is right in reach of all the *grabby* hands.  Good for when I'm being neglected by the staff and need extra scratches.  Bad for when I just want to sleep.  But also good for being admired by my local fans and adoring staff.  I guess when I want to be alone I'll just have to trek upstairs to my second favorite napping spot.  

Anyway, it's far past time for today's nap and I need to rearrange the blanket again...

Chance

The Chair Thief

 There's a chair thief on the loose in the library.  

Here's what happens:  

First, someone leaves their nice warm chair unattended.  

Second, the thief spies the chair.  

Target acquired

Third, the thief gets into the chair and makes himself comfortable.  

Mine now. 

Fourth, the thief falls asleep in the chair. 

zzz

 

Fifth, the person comes back to the chair only to find that an adorable cat has made the chair their napping spot and they feel so badly about waking them up that they get a new chair to sit on (that's not near as comfortable as the stolen chair).  

Success. 

I'm the chair thief.  

And I'm not sorry about it.  

Some of the staff claim it has become a bit of a problem.  To which I say, they should learn to share.  It's not like I have my own personal chair like some people in this library.  Or any other chairs to choose from.  All the other chairs are either in reach of grabby hands or aren't fit for the BOSS to sit in.  

Except for this chair.  But that's beside the point.  

This chair doesn't count

The point is, some people in this library have been calling me a thief, and I think that's rather unfair.  I only take chairs that aren't currently occupied.  Which is fair game.  

Looking for a napping spot,

Chance

The Eight-Legged Friend

If you fear the eight-legged snacks *spiders*, you may not wish to read the rest of this post.  The other day I came face to face with one of the most enormous spiders to make it into the library and survive without having the unfortunate demise of being squished.  

 The eight-legged snack spider had been carefully caught in Sandy's barn, saved in a plastic container, and left in Barb L.'s office for her to find.  (If the spiders are that big in Sandy's barn, I'd hate to see what the other insects look like)  Barb had a much better reaction to it than Newbie Lillian did (Newbie Lillian says I have to stop calling her that because she isn't the Newbie anymore, but I'm the boss.  I get to decide when someone isn't a "newbie" anymore.).  

Newbie Lillian took one look at it, shuddered, and practically ran away hyperventilating.  She was very easy to scare for the rest of the day.  Especially after Barb brought it out to the Youth Desk for everyone to admire and Newbie Lillian had to work in near proximity to it.  

When I eventually found the large creature, it was trying to escape.  Naturally, the humans wouldn't let her escape.  But I think it would have been a lot more fun if she had been outside the container.  

To show how eager I was to be friends, I tried to play with her from outside the container.  I don't think she liked me very much though.  Maybe she thought I would make her into a snack.  

I have no idea why she would think that.  

I'm off to look for more snacks friends, 

Chance

Mouse Soup

 In my latest browsings, I stumbled upon a book titled Mouse Soup.  Naturally, this was an intriguing title for me.  As I've mentioned previously, judging a book by its cover is something I generally frown upon (although if you ask people around here, they'll probably tell you I always have a frown on my face, which isn't true.  I smile.  Sometimes.).  However, if a book has an M-O-U-S-E on the cover, I'll probably read it.  

Well, not only did this book have an M-O-U-S-E on the front cover, but it also had an exciting title.  "Mouse Soup".  Which, if you ask me, sounds like it should be a snack recipe book.   So I decided to give this book a read.  

Being the critic that I am, I wrote a review.  I posted my review on my *brand new* Goodreads account, but I'll also put it here:

I’ve never tried eating mouse soup.  In fact, as a cat I certainly would never even consider eating an M-O-U-S-E, unlike the weasel in this book.  But the story sounded interesting.  In the beginning, I thought this was a recipe book for snacks for cats.  I was mistaken.  However, despite this book being a story about a heroic mouse, and not snacks for cats, it was still interesting to read.  I particularly appreciated how the book gave insight into how an M-O-U-S-E may try to trick a predator friend.  This may be helpful for me in the future if I ever meet an M-O-U-S-E.  

The M-O-U-S-E tells the weasel several stories that really didn’t make sense to me.  For example, in one story a bush grows out of a chair.  That has never happened to me and I sleep in a lot of chairs.  And all the bushes I can see grow outside.  

So, overall, Mouse Soup is probably a good read for the young humans.  But maybe not for cats.

I still am slightly disappointed that this book didn't contain more snack recipes, but I suppose since I'm not allowed in the kitchen anyways it wouldn't do me much good. I'll just have to find someone to open the treat drawer for me again.

I'm off to find my next read,

Chance