30

Yes, I’m 30 now. Conventional wisdom says I should feel old, but I don’t. It doesn’t help that I put together a list of things I wanted to have done by the time I turned thirty. I don’t have the list, and I don’t remember everything on it, but here’s a sample.

* Learn how to take apart and put back together an old engine
* Earn a black belt in some kind of martial art
* Visit Ireland

Okay, so I’ve done the last one, but most of them are left undone. And yet, it doesn’t really bother me. I finally feel like I’m going somewhere. I have a career instead of a job, and it actually challenges me intellectually. I have the chance to live a comfortable life soon, without living paycheck-to-paycheck. I have a loving wife, and two wonderful children.

Life is good.

Rest in Peace, Titus Magnus

I’ve been meaning to write fr awhile now. I have lots of things to write about . . . family vacation to San Diego . . . turning in my Comment . . . starting my Summer Job . . . the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy to get me writing. Our cat, Titus, passed away on Saturday. This is a tribute to him.

I found Titus seven years ago. I was working at a residential treatment center for teenagers, and took some of the kids out to lunch for making all their goals for the week. When we got back we heard some meowing and a kitty came out of the dumpster begging. Some of the girls gave him some chicken, and I didn’t think much of it.

When I moved to the graveyard shift shortly thereafter, he would come sit on my lap when I went out front for smoke breaks. After a while, he would follow me up to the dorms and hang out with me when I was on duty. Eventually the nurse noticed and she said he was a health risk. She was going to call animal control. Now I’m not (wasn’t, I guess) a cat person, but I wasn’t going to let him be put down. So I called Brie and told her I was bringing home a new friend.

Titus quickly became part of the family. He followed me everywhere at first, but soon took to everyone. You couldn’t sit down on the couch without a Titus jumping on your lap. Connor was only 1 or so when I brought him home, but Titus was very patient with him. Hell, he put up with everything. He’s the main reason Zephyr is so good with animals. He never ran away, like the other cats did, when Zeph would come trundling up to pester him. He would sniggle Zeph as Zeph snuggled him, giving the baby a gentle, remonstrative “rowr” if Z became too rough. He was the perfect cat for kids.

But having grown up in a dumpster, he never outgrew romping. He spent more time outdoors than in. One day, he didn’t come back. He never spent more than a few hours away from the family, so we knew something was up. I won’t go into details, but I found him later the same day. I’m glad I did, because now at least we know what happened, and I get to keep his name tag.

So long, Titus. You were an awesome kitty, and you will be missed.

The cat could very well be man’s best friend but would never stoop to admitting it.
–Doug Larson