Last night, Matthew and I had tickets to “All’s Well that Ends Well” at the Shakespeare Tavern. I was still feeling a bit sickly but I popped more acetaminophen and some cough syrup, and put on my happy face. As usual, much fun was had, although this play is kinda variable. We’ve seen it before at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, but it was unmemorable. Literally. I didn’t recognize the storyline until about one third of the way through.
Watching it brought up a storytelling element I’ve been dwelling on lately: pacing. I think this play’s pacing was off. The first half dragged, which is unusual for this particular company as they typically have an amazing interpretation of Bill’s works that translates into, among other things, incredible pacing. So I think it was the play rather than the company. Especially since the second half really picks up and just rockets along. Pacing is a tricky balancing act. Need to read more short works of people who have it down.
And, as a clumsy segue, I no longer think I’ve got anything resembling a cold but rather am having a full blown Lupus flare-up. I saw a blurb on CNN about Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys giving $165K to fund Lupus research because his sister died of it. When describing the cause of her death, he went on to mention a “Lupus-related cough.” Gah! 1. I’m getting my health information from a Backstreet Boy. There’s something really wrong about that. And 2. that reminded me that lung problems are a common symptom of Lupus, one which I hadn’t had before, so I shoved it to the back of my consciousness. A quick online search pinpoints my symptoms to a T. Crap. Looks like it’s time to see the doctor. Great. Stupid crappy immune system.
And finally, I heard from a person on my skunk chat list who also subscribes to a ferret list that someone in Indiana is planning on shooting their ferret if nobody will buy her. An excerpt from this asshole’s email:
“I’m sorry to say that if I can’t sell my ferret and cage. I’m gonna have to take it out and shoot it. I had to shoot one already but that was because she was real sick.
“There are no shelters in my area, I checked. As far as the sick ferret I shot awhile ago, I did take it to the vet, there was nothing he could do. If you people really cared, you’d buy this animal. So don’t give me your shit about me being sick. I also read a suggestion about putting it in the paper. that costs money that I’m not willing
hand out for her. I came on here for some help getting rid of it. If you can’t help, I understand, and I’ll take care of it myself.”
There’s just so much wrong with this guy I can’t even begin ranting about it.
The skunk chat folks are organizing a sting. They’re sending him an email saying one of them is interested in buying her (he won’t even just give her away, but is asking $100 for her and her cage!) in the hopes of getting him to give a phone number or address. Then they want to call the ASPCA on his ass. I hope it works. And I really, really hope they can get the little sprite away from him.
I always have a borderline ANA count (the main blood test for lupus, as well as other autoimmune disorders) but I mostly have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, I think…
I didn’t realize you had joint issues. Sucks, doesn’t it? I was diagnosed with Lupus about five years ago. It hasn’t really impacted me greatly once I learned how to cope with it, but this whole lung issue is relatively new. Whee.
GRRR! What an asshole! And he won’t even give it away for free – why the hell is he going to shoot it if he can’t sell it, if someone would willingly take it off his hands free? Ugh. Makes me feel nauseous. I HATE people.
I agree. I don’t understand why someone like him got ferrets (or any animal) in the first place. Sometimes, I wish I believed in Hell . . .
Asshole
Grrr. What a dumbass. I hope someone manages to save the poor ferret in time. He could at least take it to a local Petco or something. As despicable as I find large chain pet-stores, some DO take in surrendered animals. I was at our local petco once, buying a metric buttload of rabbit supplies. An employee asked me how many rabbits I had. I told her four. She then explains to me that they have an adult rabbit in the back that needs a home, that someone had brought it in and surrendered it. They were only telling people who “know” rabbits about the bunny. He was a sweet boy, and I wish I could have taken him home. Vet offices will take surrenders, too. There all alternatives to shooting the ferret if he’d get off his lazy, dumb ass.
I hope you catch this asshole.
Re: Asshole
I completely agree. There are always oodles of alternatives. But obviously, this guy can’t be bothered to look into any of them, especially as he’s not willing to just give her away. I hope they can nail this guy for a felony cruelty to animals charge.
That guy sound like a real dick head. He’s unable to advertise on the newspaper, but he’s able to afford to spend over $100’s of dollars on ferrets. I tell ya, idiots are everywhere.
They are, they so are! Stupid, callous, asshole people. *stomp stomp fume*
The good news is that it looks like they’re going to be able to get the ferret out of there. But I don’t know if they’ll be able to press charges. Argh.