Robin Olson's blog

Aside from the fact that I seem to have forgotten to pack my deodorant (thank God for baby powder) and, with perfect timing have developed contact dermatitis over half of my body (fortunately the part I can scratch in public, if necessary), I'm having a great time at the CWA Conference!

There are oodles of upbeat, perky writers, editors, agents and publishers, all willing to share their experiences with newbie ("kitten") attendees, such as myself.

I've met some very awesome folks; some whom I hope to work with one day and some, well, one, who just took my breath away. Yes, dear readers, while I should do my duty and talk all about the breakout sessions, my meetings with two agents and three editors, I can really only talk about one thing right now.

Yes, Dr. Kevin "Cutie Pie" Fitzgerald.

I can't help it. I saw him for REAL, as in alive, in person, da flesh. I honestly did a queer little girlie shriek when I saw him and this was while I was in a meeting with an Agent!( Smooth move on my part, I know!) I only saw him walk past the room. I saw his back. I saw that big mop of delicious hair. It was him all right and it was everything I could do to NOT jump up out of my seat and chase him down the hall and beg him to take me to Colorado with him (even though I'm scared of heights, I'm not Irish, and I'm just a schlub. Although, it never hurts to offer your undying love to a stranger, just in case he'd like a lifetime companion or maybe just someone to quietly and lovingly look across the room at him once in awhile.).

The second time I saw Dr. SC (Super-Cutie) was right before our dinner and his "presentation" (stand up comedy routine!). I herded one of my new friends into the dining room seconds after I saw him enter the room. I figured if two of us chased after him, somehow it would seem cooler, less like we were needy, trembling, (drooling?) losers (okay, just me, not my friend, she never even SAW Dr. SC on TV so she'd have no desire for drooling.), as if I just walked into the room and saw him there. He turned to us and I welcomed him to our group and we introduced ourselves. He reached out to shake my hand and drat! I had a vodka and orange juice in my right hand! Of ALL the times to have a COLD, WET hand, this was NOT what I had dreamed. I dramatically wiped my hand on my pants and took his hand in mine. It was a nice handshake. Not too firm or limp like a dead fish (I hate that, don't you?). He LOOKED me right in the eyes and since he's quite tall and I am quite not tall, he was kind enough to bend down a bit.

It was all I could do to not pass out when I saw his eyes. They sparkled. Or maybe it was just his sweet personality shining through? His eyes are clear, vivid blue and against the backdrop of his thick white mane (which is quite long, dusting slightly over his shoulders) and white mustache, it makes them appear even brighter, almost lit from within.

I asked him about doing standup comedy and he was very supportive and interested when I told him I'd been doing some standup at a local coffee house. He told me to practice in front of a video camera to help me get comfortable with my timing and to just get out and do my thing at clubs.

It wasn't so much what he said, but the way he said things. He was attentive and kind and willing to have a conversation, not too famous to talk to the "regular" folks. I got the sense that he deeply cares about people and maybe that way down deep his heart is a bit broken, but he's okay with that. He seems to be a sweet, sweet man and with everything else he has going for him, he is also FAR more handsome in person.

I got my photo taken with him and he PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME and held me in close! He must have done this a gillion times before with so many other gushing fans, but he did it with sincerity. He knows what it means to us to have a moment with him and he is courteous about that.

He also made us laugh our collective ass off.

And he's a Vet.

And he's just plain brilliant.

AND his MOTHER lives with him and he's taking care of her.

What the HELL is wrong with this guy? There's gotta be something! Maybe he's bad in bed? Or a lousy kisser? Or maybe he really doesn't like CATS??!!!

I wonder if someday he'll go on Oprah and tell us what it is and we'll all be shocked. Like-Oh he's really bald and been married for 25 years, but he keeps his wife locked in a room-YES-like what Mr. Rochester does in "Jane Eyre"! That's gotta be it. It's gotta be!

'cuase if it's not...the most perfect guy in the world is downstairs in this hotel right now and all I can do is scratch at my contact dermatitis and wish to God I weighed 50 lbs less, was 6 inches taller and had a roll of duct tape and some rope.

Of all the places I've ever traveled to, there's only ONE where I get lost EVERY TIME-White Plains, NY. I don't know why. It might be that I-287 slices the city in half, the roads are not set up on a grid, but rather some antediluvian animal path. Perhaps if I navigate by sense of smell, I'd be in better shape?

This is how I'm going to get to my hotel tonight. After I get myself there, I need to get OUT and drive 3.1 miles to the Conference hotel. You tell me something is WRONG with a city's layout when it's 3.1 miles TO some location and it's 4.4 miles BACK to the point of departure!!!!

And no. I'm not going to make a comment about the shape of the path. It's just too obvious!!!!

Wish me luck!

Will, not one to travel alone, has decided that he needs to bring two of his buddies with him when he comes to Connecticut this weekend. Strange that he didn't ask me about this first, but just invited them along. Who am I to say, “No” to cute, fluffy babies? I cannot say “NO”. So...

...please welcome our latest, busted out, but NOT from a Kill Shelter-we're just helping Dr. Anderson out...Pip & Squeak (at least that's their names for now until I come up with something better).

These cuties are not sisters, though they sure look like it! I don't know much about their story of how they got to Dr. Anderson. I just know they got vetted and tested and one is spayed and one is not and that's good enough for me. I am so READY to get my hands one some kitten! Woohoo!

I think I've had a two week break from fostering. I like having time for other things, but I hate going into the foster room. Opening the door and not having kittens come out to see me or to get blasted in the face by the acrid stench of "clean me NOW" kitten litter pan...well, it just touches anyone's heart to conjure up this Hallmark image. Really, I miss fosters and fairly soon I will have SO MANY of them, I will be in a really bad mood or really happy or a mix of both (most likely).

So tonight I leave for the CWA Conference! I'm super excited, not ready, nervous and tired. I hope I figure out how to do a good "pitch" of my work so I can get some PAYING writing gigs. I hope I have good hair. I hope that when I see Dr. Kevin "Hottie-Cutie-Pants" Fitzgerald tomorrow night that I chose the perfect outfit to get his attention and undying love forever or for at least one really good, memorable night. CWA President, Amy Shojai, I hope to GOD you didn't read this. I'm sure you are far too busy preparing for our Conference to read my tiny Blog that no one but about 7 people read a day. Really, don't read this. If you're reading this than stop, before it's too late and I make a total ass of myself before I meet you.

Oops.

I'm a science-geek. Both of my parents were scientists. How they popped out an Art Director/Writer daughter, I have no idea.

A few weeks ago, when we first heard about Will, our friend Terry Frum told me about his buddies, Space Paws and that they were helping get the word out on Will, too.

I went to visit (virtually) the gang and found their website to be charming and filled with kitties that are being loved and cared for and some are looking for good homes, too. Thing is-these folks work at STScI, otherwise known as: Space Telescope Science Institute! OMG, like how COOL is that? Also you need to check out their icon, then look at the icon of Space Paws. Love it!

STScI
Space Paws!

If you live in the Baltimore area and are lookin' for a new kitty to warm your lap or purr in your face at 4am, stop by and check them out. Also, each kitty comes with a top secret implant that allows the cat to communicate with the Hubble telescope and download cool photos taken from space that you can printed out at any CVS, Walgreens or Photo Store! Errr..okay, maybe not, but it would be COOL, right?

Anyway, welcome our new friends at Space Paws!

Over and out.

It was touch and go for awhile, but it looks like the funding we were hoping to get to help us vet and transport 8 "HOLIDAY" kittens from Jasper County in Georgia have been successful!

THANK YOU to everyone who contributed! Now watch what we do with your donations! Hopefully next week we'll have photos of Gingerbread, Kringle, Jingle Belle, Candy Cane, Nina, Nino, Myles Standish & Mayflower once they reach Connecticut and new stories as we work with these little ones to prepare them for their forever homes!

YOU busted them out, but good! Woohoo!

The Cat Writers' Association Conference starts tomorrow night. I had planned to spend every second preparing myself. It's my first conference and I want to make sure I make the most of it. Thing is-cats come first and right now I'm spending late nights trying to nail things down, find resources (MONEY!) and look at hundreds of listings for cats that need rescuing, not polish off a query letter or run through the lists of people I should try to meet.

After yesterday's tragedy and loss, I do feel more conservative about what information I share with all of you. I feel terrible for upsetting anyone, but I also feel it's my duty to help people see the very ugly truth. If we can look, cry and build up our resolve, instead of cave in, give up, look away, we can REALLY kick some ass!

I vote for kicking some ass!

I love all of you for your endless support and I want you to know that I support YOU, your good hearts and your compassion. Some of you are just finding your way in the world of cat rescue and some have been in the trenches for too long. Regardless of your journey, we're here together and together we’re saving lives, as well as taking a moment to remember the ones we couldn’t reach in time.

Today I'm delighted to announce the arrival a very special kitty.

His name is Will and he is coming to Connecticut!

Clare and her lovely daughters, generously offered to help socialize Blueberry & Blackberry. For three weekends in a row, they made the long drive to Jennifer's house to work with the kittens. Clare became a friend of CiCH and started reading stories about the cats we rescue. When she heard about Will, her heart melted, but she was smart to think about taking on another cat into a family with three other cats and a dog. It was a lot to take on, but...there is always room for one more, right?

I can't speak for Clare, but I do get the sense that she and her family are smitten with this kitten. The girls are already preparing Will's "guest" room with their own blankets and comforters and they plan on sleeping with him the first few nights to make sure he doesn't get lonely. Of the 14,000 people that heard about Will, this would be the family I'd want him to go to-they really care about him.

On Sunday, after Will gets some rest from his trip, Clare's family will come to adopt him. Just barely three weeks after he was hit by a car, instead of being euthanized by a shelter, Will was taken by our great friend, Jenna to see Dr. Anderson, who patched him up and has been giving him a safe home at her clinic in Greenville, SC ever since.

These good people did not look away when trouble came to their door. They had to spend their time and resources caring for a cat that was not their own. Their efforts gave Will the second chance he needed and now thanks to the donations we received Will's Vet bill we be paid and he go on to live a long, happy life with his new family.

Go, Will! Wooohooo!

With such sad news today, I wanted to let you all know that there ARE some very joyful things brewing behind the scenes. It's been going on for a few weeks now, but I don't want to completely spill the beans until things are finalized, but...

Does this cat look familiar? He should, by now! Do you think I'm going to tell you he got a Rescue Placement? Or...a Home? Did I have something to do with this? You know me!

And who is this cutie? You've never seen her before. She looks like she's in a cage? Is she going to be busted out soon?

What a face! What the heck is going on over at Covered in Cat Hair? Have we lost our minds? Who are these kittens?

Truth is...we never stop working on rescuing kittens in need.

These kittens are all together and are hoping to find homes. Their next stop...just you wait and see. I promise to tell you more soon!

Sam came into my office to talk to me about the kittens. I had just stopped crying and, of course, started right up again once he took my hand. We both talked about how terrible the news was and how frustrating it all is...then something strange happened.

My big pouffy cat, Spencer ran into the room. He came over to me and put his front paws on my leg. Spencer NEVER does this. I could tell he was trying to get on my lap, circling me for a better angle to jump. He came at me a few times, paws on my legs. Finally, I sat back and put my legs together and patted my chest. He jumped up on me and started to purr loudly, rubbing his face against mine.

In the six years I've had Spencer, he has NEVER tried to get in my lap while I work. At night when I sit on the sofa, sure or when I'm laying in bed he'll drop onto my face! But...never in my office, when I'm so very sad.

I honestly think he was trying to comfort me. Or maybe he just wanted lunch?

This morning I was notified that one of the litters we were working on saving "got sick." I don't know if it was a simple URI or worse, but it doesn't change the fact that due to the strict health standards at Henry County-the kittens were "humanely" euthanized.

We didn't get a chance to intervene or a chance to pull them. We didn't find out until it was too late. I am horrified, sick, brokenhearted. I know that sticking my neck out and offering to help at High KILL Shelters means, that some times there isn't a happy ending-more often than not these cats don't make it out alive.

It's just that I was planning for them to be here and trying to figure out how we could make the costs work out and so hopeful we could raise enough money in time to help them. We were so ready to have a house filled the the brim with kittens this holiday season and now...I don't know.

Barb has a bad cold and is "done" for today. She gave me the news and then signed off. I don't blame her a bit. How can we go on when we have to face the reality-THEY DO DIE. THEY DO DIE EVERY DAMN DAY and THEY WILL KEEP DYING UNTIL WE GET EVERYONE TO SPAY & NEUTER THEIR PETS AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ANIMALS FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES-not DUMP THEM WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH.

I doubt I will ever see the day when this sort of thing doesn't have to happen. It's too hard to change everyone's perception about animal care. This happened on MY WATCH. Right under MY NOSE. I am pissed at myself for not doing more and I wish so much I could tell those kittens I'm sorry I let them down!!!! I'm really trying to make a difference, but right now...well right now all I can do is cry.

I don't know much about this HUGE kitty, other than he isn't neutered-no kidding!

Don't you love him? Isn't he amazing??! I am so in love with this big boy! All I know is he's at Henry County Care & Control. I'll find out more tomorrow, I hope. He is one awesome cat, if you ask me. I don't know why anyone would give him up, but he's so dirty and not being neutered, I don't think anyone cared much for him. I hope he doesn't have FIV+. Oh boy I can't start worrying now. I can simply appreciate his wonderfulness and hope he will be all right. He's too old for me to take, but oh boy would I love to adopt him! I hope lots of other folks feel the same way so he can get a great home soon (and a bath).