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Okay, I mean, in the two years I have been here, I have certainly learned that California is in a "class" of its own... weird laws, stupid highway design, the mass majority of the population has a freakish fear of fire ants, at Hollywood & Vine there are more men than women wearing makeup, and the one word that says it all - Scientology.

You would think that by now I would just know to expect polar - all around.

But the top story on the news tonight just blew my mind.

Headline news, ten o'clock:
People are gathering in herds! News crews! Cameras! Families bringing the kids to see the sight! One man said, "I just can't believe it!" Another woman said, "I couldn't miss this, I rushed right over."

So, what's the big fuss all about?
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There's an alligator in a local pond.

Uh huh. An alligator. Hard to grasp, right? The fact that an alligator might be in a pond is just... bizarre!

I'm just... what!? I mean, you would have thought aliens landed. Seriously, this was the top story of the night... seriously, people were rushing out by the groves to see a friggin ALLIGATOR!!!!!

No, not a gator with two heads... just your normal, run-of-the-mill alligator. Big teeth, strong tail, buggy eyes, will fight you for some chicken. And it made the news!!!

I reckon that if that gator had actually come out of the pond, folks would have suffered minor strokes right there on the spot.

In other news, I scored a postponement on my jury duty. Got tickets to see Sugarland and Brad Paisley. I'm getting an assistant. And I officially have fleas.

hmmmm... dang alligator.

On July 22, my Greyson passed away. He went in for a routine neutering surgery and was, in my opinion, killed by the veterinarian who failed to properly attend to him while he was in recovery. A clear cut case of negligence.

Not to dishonor him in any way, I went to the shelter the next day and adopted a baby kitten who was scheduled to be euthanized in two days. I named her Ola, which is the Hawaiian word for LIFE. Meant to be both for her life (since she was saved from certain death) and for Greyson's life (in his honor).

I had a sweet, short seven days with Ola before she joined Greyson and Stormy. On July 31, Ola died. She'd been on medications to treat a sneeze, then she spent the night in the hospital for dehydration... and she simply went downhill. I brought her home and let her die where Greyson and Stormy could help her along.

If this sounds a bit matter-of-fact, lacking of emotion... well, the fact is, I've experienced an overload of emotions in the past two weeks.

So, that's it.

Oh, and as if that's not enough, I received a Jury Summons today.