Update: I love Stacey too

Update:
My roommate Stacey has weighed in on Lola’s writings in a mass Facebook thread:

Stacey:
ALTERNATE THEORY:
Lola is, in fact, a conduit, attempting to communicate IN BINARY, transcribing part of a Department of Defense satellite transmission!!Any day now we will come home to find binary-covered pieces of paper laid out across the floor of the living room, forming an image of Jenny's face.
[Note: we are watching the X-Files series and there was an episode where a kid was watching static and binary and he was actually listening to satellite transmissions.]

Mike:
An interesting theory Stacey, although a theory that would deny Lola agency as an artist. However, it is true that I observed Lola enter into a trance-like state while producing her work--possessed by the Muses or by Little Green Men?

Note: I have more photos, and video, of Lola's creative process.

Stacey:
We must observe the documentary evidence carefully to determine if Lola is an artist or an abductee to ensure that she gets the help she needs.The following website was quite helpful in offering signs you or your cat have been abducted or possessed- note especially:

20) “SPECIAL”: You have a feeling that secretly, known only to yourself, you are special or chosen by someone, somehow [if this doesn't describe Lola I don't know what does]
40) ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION: Certain electronic appliances, (computers, digital watches, etc.) seem to malfunction in your presence with no explanation. [THE DVD PLAYER!]
48) AFRAID OF THE CLOSET: Have you ever been or are you now afraid of your closet or any closet in the house, having to make certain the door(s) are always shut? [As you may have noticed, Lola often stares at/bats at the closet door in the living room-- possible portal to another realm?]
50) REMAIN VIGILANT: Fear that if you do not remain vigilant you will be taken away by someone. [THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL NOW PEOPLE!]

These are the people I live with. They’re amazing.

I love Mike

There are a few people on this Earth that I love more than anything. My friend Mike is one of them.

Mike is an artist, writer, photographer, and has been unemployed for a while. He's been hanging out with the cat a lot lately.

Here is a message Mike sent me. I was literally laughing so hard I was crying. Mascara everywhere. I hope it's as funny for you:

Late last night while lying down, Lola hopped up on my bed and placed her paws across my laptop's keypad. I opened a blank MSWord document to set up a cute photograph of her being "Secretary Cat". [note: we call Lola 'Secretary Cat' around the house. I'm not sure why.]

Then she began to type! She shifted her paws around and letters came streaming across the screen!

What she wrote wasn't a formal letter to executives or an interoffice memo, nothing so banal. No, she was making something much more expressive, creative, personal: Art.

It has become clear to me that what Lola has made is the script for a performance/sound poem. Not letting herself be confined by the structures of words, sentences and syntax, she has made something pure and beautiful.

Furthermore, I believe that what hitherto we have thought to be frequent and irrational meowing is indeed Lola's experiments with language. Not meant to be an annoyance, Lola's meows can be interpreted as spontaneous art "happenings".

What follows below is a section of her newly written sound poem, Untitled:

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

I love Mike.

Who Do I Ride For?

Who do I ride for?
I ride for my dad, who went from diagnosed to dead in five months.
I ride for my mom, who had to support three teenagers who just lost their dad.
I ride for my siblings, even though they’re brats.
I ride for John, my best friends’ father, and a man I consider my second dad, who is going through his third (fourth? Fifth?) round of chemo.
I ride for Carole who continues to travel back and forth between two cities to cheer her mom up.
I ride for Bob, who is dealing with a shitload of cancer crap right now, but was still able to create ridiculous knock-knock jokes about it.
I ride for the woman who emailed me and lost her parents to the disease.
I ride for Liz, Lindsay, Peter and Jane who have shed tears because of it.
I ride for my co-worker who can’t ride this year due to complications because of his cancer.
I ride for my other co-worker who lost her father.
I ride for my friend who lost his grandma.
I ride for people who have shared their stories with me.
I ride for people in hospitals right now.
I ride for people at funerals right now.
I ride for hurting families and crying children.
I ride for people I’ve never met and people I’ve known forever.
I ride for the 180 people in Ontario who will find out today that they have cancer.
I ride for your parents and friends and aunts and partners who have had it.
I ride for that moment when you realize your life will never be the same.
I ride for you. I ride for me. I ride for them.
I ride for those who can’t.

Thank you

The last few days have truly been inspiring.

I’ve never been good with fundraising. When I was a kid I remember hating going door to door for Brownies or 30 hour famines…and I’m pretty sure my mom has a story about me eating a bunch of chocolate bars instead of selling them to raise money (though that may be more of a ‘fat kid’ story than a ‘fundraising’ one). When I signed up to do the Ride to Conquer Cancer, I knew one of my biggest hurdles would be having to ask people for money. REALLY ask. $2500 ask. Aieee. For the first few months I sent emails out, made a few status updates, nothing too huge. But lately, despite feeling horribly awkward and pushy and aggressive, I’ve had to push it...and I’ve been totally blown away.

I’ve had comedians who have shitty jobs give me $20. I’ve had friends who aren’t working give me $50. I’ve had co-workers donate to various small fundraisers I’ve had around the office, and co-workers take the time to sign up for a dollar-for-dollar gift matching program my workplace does, thereby doubling their donation. I’ve had strangers come out to shows and donate, friends give me donations I never thought possible (or in budget), and even got an amazingly heartfelt email and donation from a complete stranger who heard I was doing the ride. People throwing in $2 or $5 or $0.50…whatever they can afford, they give. I can’t even begin explain how much it’s blown me away.

I’ve had a few benefit shows and couldn’t believe how happy my friends were to support me and support cancer research. They gave their time, energy and subway fare to come out and help me raise money. And they were seriously fucking hilarious while doing it.

Even more amazing are the stories I’m hearing and the encouragement I’m getting. From a comedian coming on stage and talking about his mother who is currently dying from the disease, to a friend sending me an email and sharing her story with me, to survivors thanking me…I even had one guy I met while I was out on a training ride telling me that he was currently going through chemo and thanking me for participating (he even challenged me to do it again next year and ride along with him). All these people have been tremendously affected by cancer and are sharing their stories with me and are thanking me –truly thanking me- for doing this ride.

When I think about all the encouragement, donations, support and kind words, it’s overwhelming and I get misty-eyed. The fact that I’ve reached my fundraising goal when the majority of my friends are broke actors who can’t pay their phone bills is just astounding. The fact that my friends have come out to do shows when they have eight other shows and four other rehearsals on the go just totally blows me away. And the love and encouragement I’m getting from everyone is totally inspiring.

So I guess what I’m saying is thank you. To quote Chicago, “You’re the inspiration” (minus all the stuff about our love lasting till the end of time. I haven’t bagged you…yet.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcnC3d0azN8