Monday, August 31, 2020

Meowtal with Chris Van of Dividing The Element


So, if I might be a bit serious for a moment, after all this is a web journal, which at its core is about what the author is doing on a daily basis. As of today, I no longer have any parents. My mother passed on just under a week ago.

This is the first time I've put pen to paper, so to speak, since then. It's ironic that it's the pet column, which had to be suspended this summer after my kitten, Floyd, died. 

More than anything, this is simply a small reminder that everything is temporary and we should be having the times of our lives every day. 

BUT...this is about Dividing The Element's Chris Van. He has a strange, and slightly large cat as near as I can tell. The photo up there seems a bit fuzzy, or perhaps it's fuzzy because of these delicious Midwest Coast IPAs by Urban Chestnut Brewing. 

Dividing The Element is one of the few, the proud, the African Metal Bands. 

They're based in Zimbabwe. I'd heartily suggest checking out their BANDCAMP page here. You can get your stream on or purchase their debut album.

It's likely to leave you hungry for more.

Now, let's find out about this oddly shaped cat.

1. In my house, we have three cats named Wickett, Louis IX, and Jiji. How many do you have and what are they called?

Where I stay, we have a dog. Her name is Calliope, Callie for short.

2. It's obvious where our cats got their names. Where did yours get theirs?

Callie was named after the Greek Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry and was said to be the inspiration for the perfect song. 

My girlfriend was the one who actually suggested it and I just thought it would be a really cool name for a musician's dog.

3. We're three people with one cat each. My cat, Floyd, rides my shoulder like a parrot. What's an odd behavior your cat has?

Callie actually has quite a few odd behaviours...  Sometimes she gets an insane burst of energy and runs laps around the outside of the house for no particular reason. 

I think her record time so far has been half an hour of nonstop running. She's also incredibly camouflaged in the dark, and has an uncanny knack for finding the one shadowy place in a well-lit room where she is sure to be trod on. 

This happens every single night, and not often in the same place either! When she's not being a shadow ninja, she is lying stock-still on her back in the middle of the floor with her feet straight up in the air. She'll stay like this, unmoving, for ages. 

Since we've had Callie we've also known every single year when the first rain of the season is on it's way because she sits in the middle of the garden, snout up, sniffing the air; sometimes even a few hours before it starts raining... and you're hard-pressed to get her to move until the first rain drops hit the ground.

4. When I leave, I always pick a cat to be in charge of the other kitties. What's the wacky thing you do with yours?

Whenever we buy something, we'll choose a random item, peel the price tag off and stick it on her head. And there it stays until it falls off, usually the next day. 

This is a weird tradition of my girlfriend's parents that has carried over to my poor dog.

5. We have a half-Himalayan, a Polydactyl, and a Kitten Would Be God. What sorts do you have?

Callie is a cross breed. It's difficult to pinpoint what might be going on there, I think there might be a little bit of everything! 

She seems to have at least 5 different types of coat on various parts of her body.

6. Over the years, my cats have taught me absolutely nothing. What's the one thing you think they should be imparting to us humans?

One thing I've observed about Callie is that she is extremely loyal and affectionate. She is also highly empathetic, and will stay nearby if she senses something is wrong. 

So there's two things actually. (Also, all food is good food.)

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