Blog layout : my compulsive obsessiveness

If ya didn't know, I have an associate degree in commercial art from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and spent 25 years in print media (ad agency, newspapers, book publishing, commercial printing).

Soy ink runs thick through my veins. I used to sweat it out of my pores back in the day. I even spent nearly a year in quality control at a commercial printing company in Medina, Ohio. Despite that, I still was responsible for the accuracy; quality of my work.

This was before electronic pre-press; before images were lasered onto printing plates. I was a conventional four-color stripper and plate maker. All done by hand using negatives. I had to cut film; trapping the conventional way-by hand. My hand-eye coordination was superb.

I was doing journeyman quality work within the first year of being in pre-press but had to be in the industry for 5 years to receive my journeyman card. I got that in 1990 from another company in Michigan.

I was good back in the day. DAMN GOOD!

I think you have to have a AAA type personality to succeed at any trade; if you have any self-sense of pride; if you want to produce a product that you would feel confident enough to sign your name to if you could.

Well, the appearance of my blog is important to me - composition and layout wise.

If, after many hours of posting pics and making sure the cutline is positioned to the appropriate pic, if digs at a raw nerve to find everything moved whenever I log on to this blog. I can't lock my layout like I would be able to if I were using In Design or Quark Xpress.

I swear there is a Microsoft conspiracy here!

So, if you should at any time be checking out my blog and see everything discombobulated, just close out of Internet Explorer and switch over to Firefox.

I thank you, in advance, for your help in preventing me from having my own personal meltdown.

Once homeless in East Cleveland, Goldie now enjoys the good life here in Toronto

Goldie in from the cold and enjoying a peaceful nap on the
couch this afternoon.

Relaxing at the computer, enjoying an original composition Cat Day by his new buddy CheapRobot.



Goldie last summer standing beside the chalk art he inspired by next door neighbor Meghan.

When he was homeless and without a name living outside of Terrace Tower in East Cleveland, Ohio. Gary took this picture of him from our 12th floor apartment.

It was 2007 when he showed up outside the main entrance of Terrace Tower in East Cleveland. I think it was Spring. Some residents petted him, some fed him, others kicked him. He looked like he was between one and two years old, very healthy and smart. We think someone dropped him off; abandoned him.

At night, he slept outside the door. If it was chilly during the day he liked to sun himself on top of the transformer beside the building.

He was a friendly little guy too; still is once he knows you and feels safe being near you.

Soon, a very young little female cat joined him. Called "Princess" by her owner, she had to be put outside because the owner didn't have the money for a pet deposit. It was obvious that someone abused her. She didn't like men and to be touched; she would scratch and bite anyone who tried. Her so-called responsible owner put a carrier outside for her; some filthy junk that looked like it was dug up out of a dirt pile. Several days later, it was thrown in the dumpster.

Because these two were together, Gary decided to name them. The male cat finally got a name - "Goldie" and Gary started calling her "Hawn". How clever!

Some of the residents fed them but didn't clean up the empty cans or whatever packaging the food was in. Some days no one fed them and on the brutally cold days and nights, often what was left out for them was frozen. I made sure they were fed several times daily, more often in the winter.

When the elevators didn't work, I wrapped their food in foil packets and we dropped their meals to them. The impact of hitting the pavement would loosen the packets so the cats could open them and eat. They got used to the air drops so all I had to do was call them and they would be under the window looking up; waiting for their meals.

During the summer of 2007, Gary managed to find us a truck for $500.00. Every day I went out Goldie would walk me from the door to the truck and, when I returned, he would come out of nowhere and escort me back to the building. I called him my Guardian Angel.

Months later, after she was put outside, Hawn would sometimes join him. If I had purchased cat food, I could feed them near the truck.

Management didn't want the cats around the building due to all the litter left behind from the residents who fed them. Attempts were made to discourage feeding them.

Once I got my Social Security disability approved and started the negotiations to get our house, Gary and I wanted to bring them with us. We made sure they were fed; we wanted to make sure they would still be around when we were ready to leave.

I made my offer for the house in October 2007. Due to numerous complications, the deal wasn't finalized until March of 2008.

Finally, we could give Goldie and Hawn a real home.

It was April when we got the Penske truck and were ready to roll. Goldie was going to ride with Gary and his friend Alan in our truck. He willingly came to Gary. Hawn scratched the hell out of me and everyone who tried to touch her. We tried to bring her several times; even when we returned to East Cleveland for doctor appointments. She cut us both up.

Our truck broke a wheel axle and couldn't make the trip. My friend Dee and I proceeded southeast to Toronto where we unloaded the truck with the help of Gary's two sons Bo and Keith and one of Bo's friends.

I returned to East Cleveland to find Gary and Goldie laying in bed. Goldie lived with us in the small efficiency apartment until we made our final move once our truck was fixed.

A week later, we made the final move and Goldie walked into the house and made himself comfortable immediately.

He no longer has to endure the brutal lake effect snow storms coming off of Lake Erie. He often doesn't want to go out in the rain and snow. He is quick to come inside when the weather is bad. He has many comfortable and safe places to sleep, good healthy food to eat, clean water to drink, grooming and health care.

Goldie reigns supreme here; HE TOTALLY RULES and we are so glad he chose us to be his mommy and daddy.

MY the check really is in the mail RANT

Ever since the mortgage crisis began, lenders are in a constant state of paranoia. Rightfully so, but my mortgage payment was due on the 1st (Sunday) and my Social Security disability check (my guaranteed income for the rest of my life) was deposited in the bank today (the 3rd). My payment won't be late until the 16th of the month. I know it's just a courtesy call; a reminder but enough already! You never called me before the meltdown, you always got my payments and never charged me a late fee so why now? Trust me, you WILL receive my payment by the 5th so quit sitting on the payment until the 10th OKAY! Geez.

I am thankful to First Horizon though for approving my loan.

TEETOWNVISION: 500 plus views and counting

Mark Miller's story about my YouTube channel..."The Herald Star" hit the stands Saturday afternoon making me an instant celebrity in this town (or at the very least, a reconstituted celebrity) - I was gone for 30 years so I have to reclaim my previous stature in my hometown. Toronto goes YouTube with a photo of me spanning 3 columns was plastered on the front page of the newspaper - in color no less.

As I was returning to Special Way to buy more copies of the newspaper, I ran into my new buddy Fred leaving the store. I told him I was going to buy more papers because of the story so he said he wanted a copy too. We walked in together and as he was paying for his newspaper, he said to the cashier, "There's a story about her in today's paper".

Without missing a beat she pulled out a pen and said, "Since she's (me) here, maybe you'd want to get her autograph".

Ignore the date above - I started and saved this post on Sunday...
So Monday afternoon I stopped in at Tucker's Tavern for Pepsi and to talk to Scott about when we are going to do his vid thing for TEETOWNVISION. So I asked him if he saw the article on the front page of Saturday's paper.

"Cindy, EVERYBODY saw that article; EVERYBODY'S talking about that article! EVERYBODY I talked to today asked me if I saw THAT ARTICLE! Yes, I SAW THE ARTICLE!"

"I have over 300 viewers, 4 subscribers and an invitation to the Chamber Luncheon on Thursday, Scott."

Then Scott showed me his new website. Check it out and the next time you are in town make it a point to stop in for a steak dinner that is unsurpassed. The only time the in-laws come down from Youngstown to visit is when they are hungry for steak. They have been down three times in the past four months.

By the way, the article will appear again in Friday's "Toronto Scene".

When, I actually posted, the view count was 557.