Bluejake

I've been sick since Wednesday with some viscious form of cold, so I haven't left the house more than a couple of times (one time for Nyquil, another time for BBQ). During these two excursions, I did not photograph anything of note, and since Bluejake does not run on a buffer system (that is, there are usually no advance posts banked), I've got very little to put up this week. I am just about back on my feet, though, so I'd expect some new stuff tomorrow or the next day. For now, enjoy these pictures of Thompson- some of them are from the period of my infirmity- others are from the vault.

Thompson had an eventful summer! First, in May, he got a haircut. Then, in August, he flew to Los Angeles with Karen, and moved into her parent's apartment there. For four weeks, he luxuriated in a space five or six times the size of his home in New York. With more people around, he was able to beg out a constant stream of treats, and up his duck-and-green-peas intake to almost a can and a half per day. Long story short, he gained about two pounds- topping out somewhere in the neighborhood of 8lbs. He was a perfect gentleman on the way back on the airplane. For the last two weeks, he's been relaxing, and getting back into the swing of things in New York.

Thompson recently turned one year old- we've had him since he was about three and a half months. He has grown so much in that time- from two pounds all the way up to seven pounds- despite having been shorn of most of his hair last month. In two weeks, Thompson is flying out to Los Angeles, where he will spend the rest of the summer coordinating various aspects of my upcoming wedding. Happy birthday, poopsie!

The Basics
Age and occupation. How long have you lived here, where did you come from, and where do you live now?
I was born in Jersey, or Neu Jersualem, as we in the Persian community call it. I've lived in Manhattan since October 2003- I would have moved here sooner, but rents are so expensive these days, and I didn't want to settle. I found a place in SoHo. I had to get a couple of roommates, but we keep different hours, so it's not a big deal. I also have my own bathroom, which makes things easier.

Three for You
1. Thompson, there are painfully well-documented rumors about your strange habits all over the internet. Is it true that you sleep in a special hammock, religiously follow a diet of duck and green peas, and have a weird fetish for girls cutting paper with scissors?
I'm not going to lie to you, Andrew- I've done some wild things in my time. I think you would probably say the same thing about yourself- I mean, I've heard I'm not the only one that likes to have a butt-bath once in awhile. And I prefer not to comment on my sleeping arrangements or what I may or may not be doing with the women who visit my place. A gentleman never tells.

2. You are probably the most photographed cat in the burgeoning New York Blog scene. Jake Dobkin denies rumors that he is launching a petblog empire, but recent articles by Felix Salmon suggest that he's getting rich serving pictures of your naked body. Have you guys ever discussed a revenue sharing arrangement?
You've got it all wrong, Kru- Jake works for me. In fact, if you check the domain registration for this site, you'll see that it's actually in my name. Jake likes to talk big, but he's really more of an executive assistant than anything else. He gets me to my appointments, prepares my meals, and keeps my calendar. In exchange, I let him publish a few pictures every now and again- like one of the hangers-on at Warhol's factory in the 1960s. It's might seem like an unusual arrangement to you, but in this part of town it's actually pretty common.

3. What are you, anyway, some kind of furry owl?
I'm often described as a Persian Jew, but I prefer to call myself a New Yorker. Slap whatever label on me you want- there's no word in English for my style.

Proust-Krucoff Questionnaire
Please share a personal (and hopefully interesting) NYC taxi story.
I rarely leave the neighborhood, so I've only ridden in a taxi once or twice- I remember thinking that it smelled a lot like my bathroom.

Time travel question: What era, day or event in New York's history would you like to re-live?
Milan Kundera said that "most people deceive themselves with a pair of faiths: they believe in eternal memory (of people, things, deeds, nations) and in redressibility (of deeds, mistakes, sins, wrongs). Both are false faiths. In reality the opposite is true: everything will be forgotten and nothing will be redressed." So going back to the past seems a pointless exercise in nostalgia. I'd prefer to travel to the future, where Persian Cat overlords will rule New York.

9pm, Wednesday night - what are you doing?
Sitting on the couch, watching PBS. Or listening to Jake bitch about all the people who have crossed him that day. You wouldn't believe how crazy that kid is- Lockhart Steele is on his enemies list three times!

What's your New York motto?
Beastie Boys: "I shed light like cats shed fur / Ride around town like Raymond Burr"

Best celebrity sighting in New York, or personal experience with one if you're that type.
Nick Denton once came to the apartment- but I didn't really get to talk to him. It's too bad- since I'm a huge fan of Gawker, and I was hoping to pitch him on this idea I have for a blog- it's like Gawker but for cats- you know, gossip about who's who in cat media, blind items about who's really gay, the latest feline fashion catastrophes, etc.

What's the most expensive thing in your wardrobe?
You might not believe this, but I don't own any clothes. How bohemian is that?

Who do you consider to be the greatest New Yorker of all-time?
The vet at the Tribeca/Soho Animal Hospital- she's saved my life more times that I can count! Runner up: my catnip dealer- he gets me the pure stuff, and he never cuts it with oregano or anything like that.

What happened the last time you went to L.A.?
I'm actually going for the first time next month- I hope it's not as fake as everyone is always saying- I can't stand people who pretend to be something they're not.

Medication: What and how much do you take?
I'm not on any prescription meds, but I do take a lime dip for my ringworm once or twice a month.

Of all the movies made about (or highly associated with) New York, what role would you have liked to be cast in?
I wrote a treatment for a filmic adapation of Lloyd Webber's Cats, but my people in Hollywood are saying that Disney won't let it get made, on account of it competing with the Lion King.

If you could change one thing about New York, what would it be?
Get rid of all the dogs- damn filthy animals. They just go to the bathroom everywhere.

The End of The World is finally happening. Be it the Rapture, War of Armageddon, or the Red Sox win the World Series. What are you going to do with your last 24 hours in NYC?
Let's just say there will be a lot of heavy petting.

Sac appears to be adapting this interview for the stage, based on an original manuscript by James Joyce.

I understand that it takes some getting used to, but I've come to like Thompson's lion cut. Of course, it doesn't really matter if I like it or not- we had to give him the hair cut on vet's orders: he's got some dermotological issues that they are working on. Anyway, after the haircut he was pretty depressed, and didn't eat for 36 hours, but now he seems like he's back to his old self, albeit 2lbs lighter.

Our vet has recommended that we get Thompson a lion cut- that's where they shave the body but leave the ruff, arms, legs, and part of the tail fluffy. It's supposed to be more comfortable for Persian cats during the summer, and it prevents some shedding around the house. Of course, the downsides is obvious: all the other cats will think he's gay. As it happens, Thompson's brother Mingus already got his haircut, so we got a preview of the new look. What do you think- should we go through with it?

I take a lot of pictures of my cat Thompson, but sometimes there are ones that don't quite make the cut. Whether they are out of focus, badly lit, or just because he looks strange, they generally go into the "notused" folders, never to be seen again. I rescued a few of these shots because I think they give you a bit of insight into the little known corners of Thompson's life. For instance, did you know he is a messy eater? Or that he likes feathers? I didn't think so.

Thompson didn't come to California with us- instead, he stayed at the apartment and we had friends visit for cat-company sessions. That was alright, because our friends would call me on my cell and put Thompson on so he could hear our voices. When we got back, Thompson and I bonded by experimenting with manual flash exposures. Interesting fact: it turns out that cats aren't wild about being hit with a strobe light at close range. Anyway, over the summer Thompson is going to be living in Los Angeles with K while she gets the wedding ready- it would just be too much to be away from him for a month.

I don't normally do two cat posts in one week, but this is a special occasion. On Sunday, Thompson was reunited with his half-brother Mingus for the first time in about six months. They were fairly nervous at first, but after a little while they seemed to calm down and enjoy the visit. [Related: pictures from the previous visit]

Thompson has many distinct states of repose: resting, snoozing, sleeping, napping, etc. The truth is that even on a good day, he's only fully awake for about 5 or 6 hours. But boy, he really seems to pack a lot in to that time! For instance, yesterday he finished the third volume of Proust's A la Recherche du Temps Perdu- and he doesn't even like French authors!