Jen Chung @ Vox

Casa Battlo in Barcelona

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:02:31 -0400

Casa Battlo

The beautiful townhouse designed by Antonio Gaudi. Taken in March.

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NYC cat apartment squeeze

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:01:50 -0500

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Full house

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:27:09 -0400

Curtis and Madison in a rare moment of quiet cuteness

We adopted two kittens from a rescue organization about a month after Travis died. I've been so happy - and crazed and concerned and everything else - ever since. I miss Travis dearly, but I take comfort in knowing he had a long life. And it's because of him that I can love Curtis (a black shorthair) and Madison (a silver tabby) so much. So I feel very, very lucky.

Curtis, you are so dirty

If these kittens are a tenth as awesome as Travis, we'll be even luckier.

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I love you, Travis

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:26:23 -0400

Where is Travis?

My husband's and my dear cat Travis died last night. We are like many owners who think their cats are the most special cats in the world, but Travis was truly terrific 19-year-old trooper. He had one eye and always managed to have a sweet/silly disposition. We were very lucky to have him our hearts and home.

More here.

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My heart

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:24:35 -0400

2007_07_travisheart

When I was growing up, I never had any pets. There were goldfish, there were two newts (third grade fad), but they never held my attention. So when I met Jay, I also met Travis the one-eyed kitty. And Travis and I soon became good friends - I gave him head scratches and treats, he gave me nudges and meows. He even let me be his mommy and gives me the honor of waking up at 6AM to feed him or moving off my pillow so he can sleep there.

Travis is now 19 years old. A few days ago, he wasn't feeling that well, so we took him to the New York Cat Hospital. They are taking such good care of him - we visit a couple times a day and see him improving a little bit each day. But Travis doesn't have as much strength or energy as we'd like, so they added a feeding tube on Wednesday. A vet tech put hearts on the collar because Travis is a sweetheart, and it's true. He is so very brave and we love him dearly.

Here's hoping Travis continues feeling better and here's to all of you with pets, whether they have scales, feathers or fur.

You can see Travis at his much more spry and dashing here.

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Thumbs up

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Tue, 01 May 2007 23:34:59 -0400

Roger Ebert at his Overlooked Film Festival

I love Roger Ebert and his courage. He recently made his first public appearance in a long time (at his Overlooked Film Festival at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana) after many surgeries related to cancer of the salivary gland. This is what he wrote this in the Sun-Times last week:

So let’s talk turkey. What will I look like? To paraphrase a line from “Raging Bull,” I ain’t a pretty boy no more. (Not that I ever was. The original appeal of “Siskel & Ebert” was that we didn’t look like we belonged on TV.)
What happened was, cancer of the salivary gland spread to my right lower jaw. A segment of the mandible was removed. Two operations to replace the missing segment were unsuccessful, both leading to unanticipated bleeding.
A tracheostomy was necessary so, for the time being, I cannot speak. I make do with written notes and a lot of hand waving and eye-rolling. The doctors now plan an approach that does not involve the risk of unplanned bleeding. If all goes well, my speech will be restored
So when I turn up in Urbana, I will be wearing a gauze bandage around my neck, and my mouth will be seen to droop. So it goes.
I was told photos of me in this condition would attract the gossip papers. So what?
I have been very sick, am getting better and this is how it looks. I still have my brain and my typing fingers.
Although months in bed after the bleeding episodes caused a lack of strength and coordination, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago restored my ability to walk on my own, climb stairs, etc.
I no longer use a walker much and the wheelchair is more for occasional speed and comfort than need. Just today we went for a long stroll in Lincoln Park.
We spend too much time hiding illness. There is an assumption that I must always look the same. I hope to look better than I look now. But I’m not going to miss my festival....
P.S. to gossip rags: I have some back pain, and to make it easier for me to sit through screenings, the festival has installed my very own La-Z-Boy chair.
Photos of me in the chair should be captioned “La-Z-Critic.”

I think many people write Ebert off because of the "Thumbs Up/Down" thing has been a marketing tool, but he has always been a critic who passionately loves the movies. I've been reading his reviews since I became acquainted with the interwebs and while I may not agree with him about many films, his criticisms have always challenged me to look at films more carefully.

Links: Roger Ebert's Great Movies page, Chicagoist's Get Well Roger Ebert photo project

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Travis and print media

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:15:57 -0400

Travis T. Cat on the Poang

I'm not sure how well Travis can read this article, because English is not his first language (mrow is).

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Queens Museum

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 23:24:27 -0400

Skaters near the Unisphere

I had never been to the Queens Museum until a few weeks ago. I loved seeing the teen skateboarders as well as little kids learning how to skate running around the empty fountain of the Unisphere. Somepeople might think it's disrespectful, but I liked how it made the area seem very vibrant.

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At Your Service

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 08:22:20 -0500

Nothing like some pigs-in-a-blanket while watching the Super Bowl.

Jake took this slightly crazed picture when I had taken them out of the oven. Note to anyone baking frozen pigs-in-a-blanket -- 450 degrees is a little too hot, as the bottoms were burnt. They were still delicious, though.

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Happy New Year!

nobody@vox.com(Jen Chung) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:31:53 -0500

My resolution is to post more on this page. Travis's resolution is to continue drinking out of glasses on my nightstand.

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