OSCAR time

So, meow - I'm tired after staying up well after midnight to watch the Oscar telecast. Anne Hathaway and James Franco did a better job than expected - LOVED the special appearance by Billy Crystal and the "ghost" of Bob Hope! As usual, Robert Downey Jr. was in top form. Just love the way that guy can poke fun at himself and his past! He's really come a long way. He's always been one of my master's favorite actors (since well long before Ally McBeal) and it's very gratifying to see his talent has not been wasted.

And really, were there any surprises? Just once, I'd love to see an upset. I was kinda praying for my favorite Amy Adams to upset Melissa Leo (Amy is my master's choice to play her character Autumn Hathaway, if that book ever gets resurrected) and was REALLY HOPING FOR the Social Network to take top honors, but...rather a yawn, actually. (BIG CLUE THE SOCIAL NETWORK WOULDN'T WIN: When the Academy starts awarding the minor awards to a picture, it usually means they are "consolation prizes" to make up for them giving Best PIcture to someone else - so when SN started to pick up best sound, etc., we kinda knew THE KING'S SPEECH was in. )

Loved also Anne Hathaway's singing bit and her jabs at Hugh Jackman (who's porking up a bit, I think) Her and James Franco did a very capable job. There is definitelylife for that young man after GENERAL HOSPITAL.

In case you missed it, Here are the winners of the biggest prizes of the night.
Best PictureWinner: "The King's Speech."
The nominees were: "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "The King's Speech," "127 Hours," "The Social Network," "Toy Story 3," "True Grit," and "Winter's Bone."

Best Leading ActorWinner: Colin Firth for "The King's Speech."This is Firth's first Academy Award win and his second nomination. He was nominated in 2010 for "A Single Man."
The nominees were: Javier Bardem, "Biutiful"; Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"; Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"; Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"; and James Franco, "127 Hours."

Best Leading ActressWinner: Natalie Portman for "Black Swan."This was her first Academy Award win and second nomination. She was previously nominated in 2005 for Best Supporting Actress in "Closer."
The nominees were: Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"; Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"; Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"; and Michelle Williams, "Blue Valentine."

Best DirectorWinner: Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech."This is Hooper's first Academy Award and nomination.
The nominees were: Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"; David O. Russell, "The Fighter"; Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"; David Fincher, "The Social Network"; and Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "True Grit."

Best Supporting ActorWinner: Christian Bale for "The Fighter."This is Bale's first Academy Award and nomination.
The nominees for Best Supporting Actor were: Christian Bale, "The Fighter"; John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"; Jeremy Renner, "The Town"; Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"; and Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech."

Best Supporting ActressWinner: Melissa Leo for "The Fighter."After a lengthy wind-up from presenter Kirk Douglas, Leo won the Oscar. Leo was previously nominated for Best Actress for her work in "Frozen River."
The nominees for Best Supporting Actress were: Amy Adams, "The Fighter"; Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"; Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"; Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"; and Jacki Weaver, "Animal Kingdom."

You can get a full list of all the winners at oscar.com

Now, kiddies, I have to rest up. along with my much anticipated DARK SHADOWS post, I also have some suggestions on new PNR series I've found, and much more planned for this week so...don't change that channel!


ROCCO

New...My Quote of the Week!

the rain has given me a CAT-astrophic headache, so this post will be short - I shall devote much more time to my DARK SHADOWS MOVIE post next week becasue...it deserves it. Just let this simmer....Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, following in the footsteps of Joan Bennett and Jean Simmons. Who said a gothic matriarch can't be beautiful, blonde and sexy! (besides, doncha think Michelle looks more the part of blonde Carolyn Stoddard's mother? Doncha!) This has made me want to look up the two previous DS movies, House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows. Are they even on DVD??????

Enjoy your weekend, and look forward to more exciting posts from me next week. I leave you with my new feature, my "Quote of the Week". Today's is courtesy of Tim Allen on Home Improvement:

"It takes a real man to eat a steer after he's ridden it."

Me-Ow!

Two months almost gone....

Can you believe February is almost over? I can't! although i will be glad to get rid of winter and welcome spring, there is something comforting about curling up on my forepaws and lying by the radiator, listening to the little birdies in the nest under the air conditioner chirp.....

got me thinking about all the movies I watched w/my master 'On Demand". Hey, if you dont' mind waiting a few months after theatrical release, you can go to the movies for $4.95 or $2.95 as opposed to $9 (or $11 or $13, depending on your area). Here's a sampling of the movies we got to see whilst holed up in the SNOW:

RED
DATE NIGHT
YOU AGAIN
SALT
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
SOCIAL NETWORK


all in all, not a bad deal. You dont' have to worry about someone sitting in the seat right in front of you, blocking your view of the screen WHEN ALL THE OTHER AISLES ARE EMPTY!

Plus, you can stop the movie for bathroom/snack breaks!

I think we might be onto something here - although i know my master will run to the theatre for the new SUPERMAN and DARK SHADOWS movies.

Speaking of Johnny Depp and Dark Shadows, we've come across some cool sites loaded with info on that topic. More on it tomorrow.

Signing off,


ROCCO

The ART of the Game

Fooled ya! Thought there would be no post today, huh? No, I was just waiting for some very important email to come in....

As you know, My Master writes books, and nothing's more important for a book than its cover, right? (even tho you should not judge...but that's something else again). A very talented young man who works with My Master did the artwork for her SUPERHERO SISTER cover and my master would like to introduce you to .....(drumroll) JEFF TAORMINA!

Jeff is a DC fanatic and VERY TALENTED at drawing our DC friends, as evidenced by the samples posted here. He will most likely be doing more artwork for my master so let's all give him a round of ap-paws!

We're looking forward to more of Jeff's fabbo art - Master will be posting more on her website shortly!

Till tomorrow,

ROCCO

Interesting Site for Lovers of SF

As some of you may or may not know, my master is a HUGE comic NUT! She absolutely loves Superman, Batman, and the like (saw Superman Returns 12 times - and that's just in the movies) and when an author acquaintence of hers was on a podcast recently, she found this cool website: http://www.scifisaturdaynight.com/

It's got some pretty cool stuff on there, relating to comics, sci-fi, and paranormal - I think my Master even wrote volunteering to be a guest! They even have an article on the resurrection of Firefly (check this link here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_(TV_series) starring Castle's Nathan Fillion - so HOT! yum! check him out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Fillion) So i think all you SF aficianados shoudl check it out. it's a nice compliment to Heather Massey's GALAXY EXPRESS blog!


Signing off from Space,

ROCCO

Another Monday, another snowstorm

These are getting to be very commonplace here in NJ - looks as if by the time both storms blow out tomorrow there will be another 5-6 inches. and we jsut started to see concrete again! LOL

These last two weeks have been decpetive - a group of wrens built a nest under the living room air conditioner and Maxx and I were having fun trying to swipe underneath it with our paws - until our Master squirted us with water and told us in no uncertain terms to leave the birdies alone!

Sorry - jsut my natural predatory nature, I guess. Well, spring is only 4 weeks away so soon there will be lots of birdus for us to look at...and salivate over....

today's a holiday for most - my master had to go to work, so I'm here typing up a storm. I'm going to be reseasrching some topics for future blogs, so I'd like to get to that and then take a nice...long...CAT nap before Master returns home to shovel out the car and complain about having to take the bus again.....

HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY, EVERYONE


ROCCO

Westminster...What????

Every February, the big posh event in New York is the Westminster DOG Show, which my master has watched ever since she was unemployed in 1994 - but forgot all about this year (possibly because she had a superior species to occupy her time, heh heh). all this hoopla about DOGS got me to thinking:

WHAT ARE WE? CHOPPED LIVER???????

Think about it - there are tons of dog shows, Animal Planet features them all the time. Where the heck are the CAT SHOWS????? They are out there, but few and far between. And the ones that are don't get half the press those other four-footed canines do.

Now why is that?

Could it be because DOGS are glory hounds, glory seekers who like to wallow in their own gratification, unlike us felines?
Or is it because we felines are too feisty and fussy to parade around before a group of judges?
Hey, we might not bark on command, but we can do lots of things! I myself like to play with my ballie, and I often annoy my Master early in the morning wanting her to play "fetch" with me.

Doglike? Not really. I jsut like to play with my balls. Take from that what you will.

In parting, I leave you with two examples of websites:
Here is the Westminster Dog Show Website: http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/

And here is CAT Show USA site:http://catshows.us/

I rest my case...and my paws. Done a lot of typing this week, so I'll sign off now.

Don't forget to watch the OSCARS!

ROCCO

OSCAR, PART DEUX

Today I am continuing with my OSCAR predictions:

Best Actress: and the nominees are:

Best Actress

Annette Bening
"The Kids Are All Right"

Nicole Kidman
"Rabbit Hole"

Jennifer Lawrence
"Winter's Bone"

Natalie Portman
"Black Swan"

Michelle Williams
"Blue Valentine"

OK, let's face it. The only one who's got a shot in hell of upsetting Natalie Portman is Annette Bening, and Mrs. Warren Beatty needs a MUCH BETTER haircut before she can trip up to the podium and thank everyone in creation for her Oscar. I will agree, though, her time is coming, becasue she's been overlooked quite a bit - might even call her the "Susan Lucci" of Oscars. But it's Portman's year for playing psycho-bi-ballerina. Just the type of family movie the Academy voters love.

Best Director:Best Director

Darren Aronofsky
"Black Swan"

David O. Russell
"The Fighter"

Tom Hooper
"The King's Speech"

David Fincher
"The Social Network"

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
"True Grit"

usually Best PIcture and Best Director go hand in hand, but sometimes not - making this one a tough call. So I'm simply going to vote for my favorite, and that would be David Fincher. He made a movie that I thought would be dull and boring into one that wasn't.

THE GRAND FINALE:
BEST PICTURE:
Best Picture

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King's Speech

127 Hours

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter's Bone

Gone are the days when only 5 films were nominated - now Hollywood feels they turn out such quality products they nominate everythign but the kitchen sink. This makes for much, much, split voting,another reason that this category, unless it's a runaway, is hard to call. There are several here it could be: Social Network, Black Swan, the Fighter, the King's Speech - so I'm just gonna go with my gut and say, once again, THE SOCIAL NETWORK.

ok, there you have it. My predictions! Tune in to ABC Sunday night at 8 p.m. and see how right I am! (Maxx: Geez, even if he gets one right he'll be unbearable!)

How right you are, brudda!

tomorrow: My take on Westminster (the dog show, not the abbey)


ROCCO

OSCAR, PART ONE

it's that time again....when the movie industry rewards its best (or those who campaigned for the m ost votes - or whose films made the most money). My master always watches the OSCARS, and I have been forced to the last two years of my life...so now I'm making my own predictions, meow.

I'll do some today and some tomorrow. It's a weighty matter which requires my full attention.

First up:BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
The nominees:
Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams
"The Fighter"

Helena Bonham Carter
"The King's Speech"

Melissa Leo
"The Fighter"

Hailee Steinfeld
"True Grit"

Jacki Weaver
"Animal Kingdom"

The favorite in this category is Melissa Leo, but my pick is an actress I feel is vastly underrated: AMY ADAMS. Her roles are varied and she always does a great job in each one, whether she's playing a nun or a fairy princess. Good luck Amy!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Nominees:
Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale
"The Fighter"

John Hawkes
"Winter's Bone"

Jeremy Renner
"The Town"

Mark Ruffalo
"The Kids Are All Right"

Geoffrey Rush
"The King's Speech"

Well, if they gave awards in this category for looking buff and toned, I'd definitely pick Mark Ruffalo, who looked good both in and out of clothes in "The Kids are All Right". But since the Acadamy's tastes are a bit more eclectic, I'll have to pick GEOFFREY RUSH - even though the odds on favorite is Christian Bale, and he's won pretty much every award going, the Academy likes to reward class - and Rush has that in spades.

BEST ACTOR:
Nominees:
Best Actor

Javier Bardem
"Biutiful"

Jeff Bridges
"True Grit"

Jesse Eisenberg
"The Social Network"

Colin Firth
"The King's Speech"

James Franco
"127 Hours"

I really think this one's a lock: Bridges not only won last year, he's up for a role for which the immortal John Wayne won his one and only Oscar - the Academy is not going to touch that with a ten foot pole. I personally loved Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network" but he's young and has many Oscar years ahead of him, as does James Franco. Javier Bardiem's already won, I believe, so....the winner is COLIN FIRTH.

Tomorrow: Best Actress, Best Director, and BEST PICTURE!

What are your choices?

ROCCO

Some people say....

that I'm a very opinionated cat. I can't imagine where they get that from! I don't consider myself pushy by any means, but when i really, really, like something, or someone I feel I must speak out and share, so others might sample and perhaps enjoy, so....

I really, really, like JD Robb!

now, I know that JD Robb is a pen name for one of the most famous romance authors of all time - Nora Roberts - but this cool cat isn't, unfortunately, a big romance fan (unless it's Danielle Steele - for some odd reason I like her books, even though they break every rule but...what can I say?) anyway, Me LOVEY mystery and suspense, and the JD Robb "In Death" series has it in spades!

the series follows the adventures of 21st century detective Eve Dallas and her millionaire ex-almost con husband, the fabulously handosme Roarke, as they solve puzzling crimes and murders. The series also has a lot of characters (spoiler alert: spin off potential???) the most popular of which is Eve's sidekick, Peabody (or, as her numero uno calls her, SHE-body). the series is up to 40 !!!!! Wow, 40 novels, with the release of TREACHERY IN DEATH this February. It is also somewhat of a milestone, as TREACHERY prominently features Peabody, who overhears dirty cops planning a crime.

this got me to thinking: I do sincerely hope the end of this fabbo series is nowhere in sight! NR has said the series will end when Eve becomes pregnant (many other characters have achieved this status during the course of the series, but not Eve). In my mind, Eve has too many issues to work through before NR lets her have a kid (for one, she was raped by her father; for another, she stabbed him to death when she was eight years old) Roarke also had a similarly rough childhood growing up in Ireland - (daddy was a thief, daddy killed his mommie, daddy left Roarke to fend for himself on the streets after mucho mas beatings) so for me these two aren't exactly ideal parental material - but as detectives, they are par excellence!

Anyway, Im hoping TREACHERY isn't a precurser for a spin-off series to replace "In Death". I mean, not that Peabody couldnt' carry her own series; certainly she could. It's just I love Eve and Roarke so damn much, I just can't imagine the literary world without them!

the books should be read in order, but i confess that I didn't - however, I since have. Each one just keeps getting beter and better. If you are a big suspense fan, and like just a dollop of romance (NR gives us just enough between Eve and Roarke to keep it interesting without getting sappy - there are no "hairy chests" or "covert glances" as in most paranormal romances) I definitely suggest you start with a copy of NAKED IN DEATH, the first book. You will not be disappointed. Rocco guarantees it!

for a complete listing of the Eve Dallas books, I direct you, as usual, to this wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Death
and there is always the Nora Roberts website for even more information:
http://www.noraroberts.com/


Yours in good reading,


ROCCO

Happy Valentine's Day! - (And a word about BLOOD)

to everyone out there, especially my master :) Hope you are all celebrating with a glass of wine, some chocolate, and a nice romantic dinner....myself, I'm hoping for perhaps a catnip ball tonite :)

Wanted to say a word about something else that's nice and red, and that everyone, humans and animals alike, need....and that is BLOOD! (My master writes about vampires, and they are ALWAYS in need).

This is the time of year when organizations organize annual blood drives, and it is important for humans to donate if they are able to. Every minute of every day, someone needs blood. That blood can only come from a volunteer donor, a person like you who makes the choice to donate. There is no substitute for your donation. When you make a blood donation, you join a very select group. Currently only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood. Potential donors are evaluated for anything that might make their blood unsafe to use. The screening includes testing for diseases that can be transmitted by a blood transfusion, including HIV and viral hepatitis. The donor is also asked about medical history and given a short physical examination to make sure that the donation is not hazardous to his or her health. How often a donor can give varies from days to months based on what he or she donates and the laws of the country where the donation takes place. Donors are typically required to give consent for the process and this requirement means that minors cannot donate without permission from a parent or guardian.Donors are screened for health risks that might make the donation unsafe for the recipient. The most common blood types are A, B, AB or O. (My master's is O).

If you are interested in learning more about this, you can read a good article at Wikipedia, my constant source of information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_donation or visit the Red Cross Website: http://www.redcross.org/donate/give

this has been a public service message from your friendly neighborhood cat/blogger!

Have a wonderful Valentines!


ROCCO

Of mice and men and all catly things.....

The weather seems to be picking up now - soon the birds will be tweeting and hopping around in the yard outside our kitchen window, which means plenty of "bird-watching" lies ahead for myself and my siblings. We've been enjoying watching the squirrels climb up and down the trees this winter. Only 5 more weeks till spring (March 21) Yeah!

I thought I would expound today on something that has always, and will forever be, associated with cats: Chasing mice! (That phrase, OF MICE AND MEN, didn't just get pulled out of the air, y'know!)

Many domestic cats love to hunt mice, often choosing them over other prey such as birds, and you might ask WHY? To begin with, mice are relatively easy for cats to catch. Cats stalk mice slowly, or ambush them, and the mice pose no threat. Other potential prey, such as birds, are not only harder to catch but can also potentially harm the cat. Also, don't forget many humans depend on their household cats to control the vermin population. The feline instinct to hunt is no different than the canine instinct to bark or the human instinct to talk (or to ramble, LOL).

Have I ever chased a mouse? No. Would I like to? is the sky blue???????? We don't make those growly sounds in the backs of our throasts when we see birds or squirrels or even mice for the hell of it, you know. Domestic though we are, we are natural predators.

Except of our humans. Those we LOVE. Especially at food time.

have a good weekend, everyone!

ROCCO

It's all in the BREED, baby!

Thought I'd just post a bit about a subject near and dear to my heart - my breed of cat, the wonderful TUXEDO!

Actually, a tuxedo is a form of what is called a bi-color cat. We got the name "tuxedo" becasue our white collar and bib, combined with our black fur, make us look like we're always dressed for some special event! (Like accepting my Oscar, LOL). Wikipedia has a good article on it, and can be found HERE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicolor_cat

Here's a rundown on my BREED:
A tuxedo cat is a bicolor cat with a white and black coat. They are called, "tuxedo" cats, because the animal appears to be wearing the type of black tie formal wear commonly known in the United States and Canada as a tuxedo. Most tuxedo cats are also black mask cats, a common name for felines who, due to their facial coloration, look as if they are wearing a black mask over their eyes, and often over their entire head. To be considered a true tuxedo cat, the feline's coloring should consist of a solid black coat, with white fur limited to the paws, belly, chest, throat, and often the chin, although many tuxedo cats appear to sport goatees, due to the black coloration of their mandible -- that is, the lower jaw and chin. Bicolor may also appear in the skin color. Paw pads may be black or pink. Bicoloring of the nose and mouth are also common.

Well, take a good look at my photo, folks. I'm a tuxedo through and through, and proud of it! (and, as I'm sure you will all agree, Im quite the handsome specimen!) NOTE FROM MAXX: Oh, puh-leaze! You are so full of yourself!

Some other famous tuxedo cats (other than moi, of course) Socks, the Clinton's cat; Sylvester, of Sylvester and Tweety fame; Mr. Mistofelles from the play CATS.

In the future my master made me promise to give equal time to her other favorite breed, calicos. so until next time....

ROCCO OUT!

Wanted to Share.....

My master received a four star review on MY SUPERHERO SISTER - Four Stars. Meow!

Just thought I'd share it below, mainly becasue I'm too lazy today to think of any topics of my own today...and also becasue I did promise her some promotion. She lets me use the computer, after all.

So, here's the review:


Review by: Tiger Holland on Feb. 07, 2011 : Holly Hamilton lives in Century City where her dad, Invincible Man, defends the good citizens against all evil--or at least he did until he lost most of his powers fighting against Anti-Hero. Now he leaves all the city-saving to Ellen, Holly's big sister, who flies about in a cape as the superhero Suprema. Holly is 100% human, like her mother, and she's going through an awkward phase complete with glasses and retainers. While Holly spends all her time collecting bugs, doing science experiments, and hanging out with her equally uncool friend Mona, she can never measure up to her super sister who's not only high-powered but also an academic whiz and a head cheerleader. But the presence of a new superhero in town begins to put Holly's sisterly jealousies on the back burner as she tries to figure out whether Magna Boy is a friend or foe.Holly has a pretty good family life--her mom adores her, her dad's a vet in his spare time, and her sister Ellen's not stuck up, she's just naturally good at everything. Holly's getting along fine in life until a new guy shows up at school. Well, actually, two new guys. Eddie McGee is a classic nerd archetype, but Holly's interest is drawn by another new guy, Tad, who's a classic hunk archetype. She develops an instant crush on Tad, but she knows that he's more in her sister's league. Holly's distressed that he'll never see past her exterior to give her a chance, though she's interested in him mainly for his exterior qualities. Still, this is a light, sweet story so nobody's really trying to objectify or use anybody else.When I started this book, I wondered if it would have a comedic or sarcastic slant to it, but the superhero tropes are played pretty straight from the 1960's and earlier comic book eras. The 80's comics started deconstructing heroes in stories with gritty settings and gray morality (Watchmen, most of Batman, etc), and even though heroes are getting rebooted and reconstructed these days, I think I usually expect a twist. If you like the classics heroes, villains, powers, and mysteries, then this story is a great example of how the original plot elements work. To me, the story is clean enough and sweet enough that it feels more like a Mid-Grade, and it'll be a good superhero adventure for younger teens and tweens.


Check it out on Amazon and Smashwords!

and now i must prepare a meaningful post for tomorrow.

ROCCO OUT!

Movies, Anyone? More importantly, CAT movies????

with all the crappy weather we've been having, I've had lots of time to peruse my master's DVD collection - and sadly, there are not many movies featuring cats there! All of which led me on a quest to actually FIND MOVIES THAT PROMINENTLY FEATURE CATS!

After all, there are a ton where the faithful dog gets the press - what's wrong with us felines? We're a pretty damn loyal bunch, if I do say so myself. Ok, we're mainly loyal TO ourselves, but what the hey! it still counts.

So, Kitties, I came up with these: (and no, CATWOMAN does not count as one, regardless of whether it's Michelle Pfeiffer or Halle Berry. Sorry. :))


1. That Darn Cat - Hayley Mills : Siamese cat shows up with a clue to a robbery, and the FBI races in.
2. The Aristocats - Phil Harris - : Family of cats, set to inherit a fortune, find themselves in grave peril.
3. The Incredible Journey - : The story of three pets, a cat and two dogs, who lose their owners when they are all on vacation. Can they find their way home?
4. Cat from Outer Space - Ken Berry - : A UFO is stranded on earth. Its pilot, a cat with a collar that has special powers, needs the help of a man named Frank in order to get back home.
5. Three Lives of Thomasina - Patrick McGoohan - A tabby cat reunites a young girl and her widowed vetinarian father.
6. Lady and the Tramp - "Siamese cat twins do a great song and dance, even though they are portrayed as villanous!
7. Pinocchio - Figaro, Pinocchio's faithful companion.
8 & 9: Garfield the Movie and Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties - Bill Murray. Not one but TWO movies featuring America's favorite chubbette red tabby.
10. Bell, Book and Candle - Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart - and PYEWACKET, ostensibly the most famous movie cat ever! Cool, sleek - and he got to cuddle with Kim Novak!


Well, there's my listing, Kitties! If y'all can come up with others, I'd enjoy hearing about them. (Please note: most of the movies are Disney. Now what does that tell you! Sure, he portrayed most of 'em as villians,but still....they had featured roles!)

Until tomorrow,

ROCCO

Another Week!

and no big storms predicted! my human is happy, heh heh. she hates taking the bus to work!

Just thought I'd let y'all know what I have planned for this week (human received COPIOUS notes from her editor friend on her manuscript, so i must blog during t he day - she'll be hogging it at night).

I've had time to watch some movies featuring animals (do you know how hard it is to find ones that spotlight cats???? DO YOU?????) AND I'll be weighing in on that, as well as more timely issues, blood drives, food drives, etc. Also - MY Oscar predictions!

Just wanted to give you something to look forward to :)

ROCCO

Up Up and Away....it's Friday!

THE GALAXY EXPRESS, a SFR blog, has a lovely interview and article about my master's new indie YA fantasy, MY SUPERHERO SISTER. Read it here

And a big MEOW to Heather for featuring my master! (ps - Heather is an author too, with a SFR coming out in March - my master will be sure to guest post on it when it's released. Hey, Heather! Any cats in that book? Need a prototype for a future book? I'm available heh heh)

Anyhoo, that post started me thinking about superheroes. I know my master is a HUGE DC comics fan (although she does enjoy the occasional HULK/SPIDERMAN/FANTASTIC FOUR) and is crazy about Superman, Lois Lane, Batman, and the like.

I myself enjoy superheroes too - especially their pets. I've always liked Supergirl's pet cat Steaky. A cat with a cape! How cool is that! Krypto, Superman's dog, is cool too...for a dog. He even has his own cartoon series. (Say, not a bad idea for me - I'd make a great cartoon character. Hmmmm)

If you're interested in learning more about SF and Superhero's, check this out!

And watch for my master to post something on her books next week - I'm afraid I was rather the "computer hog" this week heh heh. Oh, well....

Back to catnapping. Enjoy your weekend.

ROCCO

PS: Don't forget to check out THE GALAXY EXPRESS!

Happy Thursday!

Well, yesterday I hunkered down with my siblings and spent the better part of the day A) catnapping B) bothering my human while she worked at the computer C) looking at the ice out our kitchen window and D) catnapping

Whilst the human worked, she left the cartoon channel on for our amusement and I found msyelf thinking about various cats immortalized thusly:

GARFIELD
SYLVESTER
TOP CAT
FELIX (THE CAT, THE WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, CAT)
STREAKY (SUPERGIRL'S PET CAT, CIRCA LATE 60'S EARLY 70'S)
ANY OF DISNEY'S ARISTOCATS
THE CHESIRE CAT
LUCIFER, THE STEPMOTHER'S CAT IN CINDERELLA
THE SIAMESE CATS FROM LADY AND THE TRAMP
OLIVER FROM OLIVER AND COMPANY, YET ANOTHER DISNEY FILM.
PUSS N BOOTS FROM THE SHREK FILMS
RUFUS FROM THE RESCUERS
FRITZ THE CAT
HEATHCLIFF
HELLO KITTY
MR. JINKS (HUCKLEBERRY HOUND)

Oh by golly the list goes on and on....not to mention all the cats in literature!
Visit this link at Wikipedia for a complete listing, all the immortal cats will blow your mind away!
(Of course, I knew we were an immortal species heh heh)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_cats

Who are some of your favorite cats? I myself was a bit perterbed to see no cats listed with the grand name of ROCCO - (although I did note there is a Max on the list - hm! fancy that) I must speak to the human about getting my name on that listing! Perhaps she could immortalize me in one of her books(that might help them sell, heh heh)

She has also reminded me that I am overdue for her shameless self-promotion so I imagine I will have to turn the keyboard over to her at some point....

Until next time,

ROCCO

Cool Kitty FAX

Thought I'd start out your Tuesday by letting you humans in on some cool facts about us cats - some you may know, some you may not, so here goes:

Cool Fact #1: While a head butt for a human is our way of showing affection, we cool cats prefer to greet our compatriots ala Eskimo way: we rub noses. Some of us do engage in heavy licking. Be warned.

Cool Fact #2: Our chins secrete a hormone with a unique scent - so when we head butt you, we're actually MARKING you! Cool, huh! Kinda like "you're mine, paws off" thing.

Cool Fact #3: I want to quell those rumors, right now, about cats giving birth to hoards of kittens at a time. What do you think we are????? An average litter usually consists of two to five kittens, and remain with our mother for a full twelve weeks before we're thrust out on our own.

Cool Fact #4: Kittens need four meals a day as opposed to two for adults - however, we adult felines DO SO enjoy snacks!

Cool Fact #5: Cats and Kittens have distinctive meow's, which come as a result of our breed - we also have very distinctive moods: Hunger: meowing accompanied by dancing around human's feet until they either a) trip or b) get the hint and fill the foodbowl. Anger: Growling accompanied by tail lashing and flattening of ears. Happiness: Deep, rumbling purrs. LIke a locomotive. Or a food mixer. Or both.

Cool Fact#6: That phrase, "curiosity killed the cat" didn't just crop up out of thin air. We are an inquisitive lot. We love to squeeze into spaces humans think we can't possibly get into (just to show we can - we are cats, after all!) And we love the smell of freshly washed clothes in the morning! Some cats like the warmth and comfort of a DVR (ahem, GATA!) But woe to the cat who breaks it :)

Cool Fact #7: Dogs aren't the only ones who can come when called. Yes, kiddies, cats DO KNOW their names, and will, with proper training and reinforcement (like the aforementinoed SNACKS) come when called. Just dont' expect us to roll over or play dead anytime soon.

Cool Fact #8: It's easier to win the lottery than get a cat into a carrier for a trip to the vet!

Cool Fact #9: We love nice, snuggly places to call our own: a nice basket, a playhouse, a cozy blanket - we're waiting for MOM's first bestseller so we can get a jungle gym! Yah!

Cool Fact #10: Even though we're mostly fearless, there are some things that DO scare us: Loud noises, firealarms...and VERY LARGE DOGS.



Hope you've enjoyed this little listing! More to come during the week - but now it's time for my CAT NAP. YAWN!

Signing off,

ROCCO