Nathaniel Christopher

I was always indifferent to Valentine ’s Day until 14 Feb 2008 when I became a cat owner. I now celebrate the day as a kind of birthday for my cat and an excuse to give him sushi.

It’s great to have him around. He calms my nerves, always gives me a reason to smile, and is an enormous support when I’m feeling down.

Khan was born in Vancouver’s West End sometime in 2005. According to my vet he is a Russian Blue and Siamese mix and seems to take after both breeds.

His first owner was a Japanese woman who initially named him “Meow” but later on someone started calling him “Khan” which is short for “Genghis Khan”. His first owner let him walk in and out of her window at will and I assume that he got to know a lot of people who passed by on the sidewalk.

After about a year his owner had to return to Japan and was unable to take him back with her. She gave him to my sister’s neighbour Pat who said he was very sleek, thin and dainty when she first got him.

By 2008 Pat’s life circumstances changed and she needed to find a new home for Khan

I have always been a cat person. I had cats in my house from the time I was a baby but when I moved out on my own I was always moving around and very few of the places I lived allowed pets.
I moved to my present address in 2005 and while the building allowed pets at the time I wasn’t sure how long I was going to stay here. After two years I figured I was here to stay for the long term and decided that it was time to get a cat.
In early 2008 my sister called me to let me know that her neighbour was looking for a home for her cat Khan. She said he was grey, affectionate, and large. So, I went to visit his owner and saw a very relaxed and friendly cat weaving through the furniture.

Pat gave me the low down on what to expect with him: He loved company, could stand up on command for a treat, loved to puke, was definitely a one-cat kind of cat, and was very healthy. Within minutes of meeting him I knew that he was a wonderful cat who would make for a positive addition to my household.

I was right.

It’s true, my carpet is covered in cat barf stains and my computer’s CPU is almost always clogged with grey cat hair but it’s a small price to pay for having such a well-behaved, and snugly cat in my life. He’s worth the damage deposit I’ll never see again!

Natalie Clancy speaks with Nathaniel Christopher in his living room. Photo by Abby Wiseman.

So tonight CBC featured a story about Khan and I on the news! You can watch the story at the bottom of this post.

Back in December a producer from CBC TV and Radio emailed me out of the blue to let me know that they were doing a piece of the cost of pet medication.

“I saw that you blogged about your diabetic cat’s medication and I was wondering if you and your beautiful cat would be interested in talking to us about your situation,” wrote Abby Wiseman
who is an associate producer at CBC Radio 1.

I’ll talk about Khan to anyone who will listen, so naturally I agreed to the CBC’s interview request.

You can also listen to the radio interview here. Natalie refers to me as a “young man”. I love her!

Pet medicine much cheaper from pharmacies and wholesalers – British Columbia – CBC News

Abby, an adept cameraman named Chris, and CBC Investigative Reporter and Anchor Natalie Clancy drove up to my place in Burnaby to interview the great Khan. But before the interview got underway I thought it’d be fun to turn the tables and interview the interviewers! It’s not every day that a news team comes to your living room. Here’s the short video I made:

Natalie struck me as a natural reporter as she scanned all the pictures and ornaments in my house and asked about their origin. I was especially touched when she inquired about a framed photo of my late friend Galina Pemrboke who devoted much of her live to improving the lives of animals. I know she would have been deeply touched by Natalie’s story and it meant a lot to me to share Galina’s story with her.

It was a pleasure to have them in my home especially since Natalie is terribly allergic to cats and most dogs. After about 20 minutes she started to break out a bit and I think she deserves some kind of hazard pay.

I believe that pets promote good mental health and an overall sense of well-being for their owners – they are not a luxury. They are our friends and I believe that it’s a pet owner’s responsibility to love them and take care of them. But when your cat or dog has a chronic health condition, such as diabetes, that can be a huge challenge. I pay approximately $225 a month to ensure that Khan has the proper food, insulin, needles, and so forth. After rent it’s my largest expense and some months it’s a huge challenge to make ends meet.

Apparently I’m not alone. There are plenty of pet owners in British Columbia who struggle to cover vet bills and so forth and I am grateful that CBC has taken the time to highlight what I think is a very important issue.

Thank you for getting this discussion started!

You can view the the CBC story here:

I recently got a free office chair from Craigslist. Merry Christmas, Nathaniel!

“Free office chair,” read the advert. “Comfortable, but has hole in cushion as you can see in the photo. Need to free up some space so, come and get it!”

Khan relaxing on my free Verco chair!

The guy who posted the ad, a pleasant man with an English accent, needed to get rid of the chair to make space for his new baby. So, I told him I’d be happy to take it and Housemate kindly drove me to his place Downtown.

Usually I would never scour the free section of Craigslist – it makes me feel like some over-zealous cheapskate who re-uses toilet paper and steals bed sheets from the dumpster behind the morgue.

But I was flat broke and needed an office chair as soon as possible.

I got this chair to replace one that unexpectedly broke the night before. I bought that chair, a seemingly nice leather office chair, off of Craigslist back in August for $70. It was comfortable and seemed pretty sturdy.

Khan sitting on a leather chair that only lasted four months.

Unfortunately, it did not recline but someone (whose name I shan’t mention) decided to sit in the chair and put all their weight against it while leaning back. I heard a loud snap and that was the end of my chair.

Terminally cracked chair back.

I took the chair apart in an attempt to fix it and discovered that the wood backing had cracked near the base. I posted a photo to Facebook and asked my handy friends if there was any way I could fix it. My buddy Carissa told me that it was pretty much a lost cause unless I wanted to replace the entire piece of wood.

Oy!

I went through this same drama back in August when my old office chair literally fell to pieces after three years of good service. I found that chair, a Krug arm tilter that was made in Canada in 1985, outside my building’s dumpster back in 2008. It was an excellent piece of furniture that doubled as a scratching post for Khan who was often seen relaxing on its cushion.

My old Krug chair.

But I liked the new leather chair and was rather peeved that I only got four months of use out of it. That was $70 down the toilet! I could not justify spending any more money on furniture so, I just stormed onto Craigslist’s free zone and found this lovely Verco office chair. Verco is a British brand and I’ve never seen it for sale here so I wonder if the guy who sold it to me brought this chair over from the old country. I hope it is – I’m always looking for more connections with Mother England.

All the change that I found in my Krug chair.

Regardless, this free chair is definitely sturdier and more comfortable than the chair I spent $70 on. Also, I looked at it pretty closely and can tell that it was definitely manufactured to a much higher standard than the leather chair.
Sometimes free is better! Next stop… the morgue dumpster!

For the next two days my cat will play the part of a walking lampshade. No, he won’ after my vet put one of those plastic cones on his neck.

This afternoon I was petting him when I noticed blood coming from a cut on the bottom of his chin. Alarmed, I called the vet who asked to see photos of the cut. She could tell from the photos that the cut was infected and told me to bring him in as soon as I could.

Khan is not impressed

I was able to get an appointment about two hours later so I bundled Khan in a blanket and Housemate kindly whisked us to the vet in his car.

Khan had this issue last year so I did not want to waste any time – the sooner it’s treated, the better. In 2011 he got a cut on his chin which became infected so I took him to the vet to get it cleaned and treated with antibiotic pills. This year, however, the vet opted to give him a long-lasting injection of antibiotics and put one of those plastic collars on his neck to prevent him from scratching the cut while it heals.

Khan adjusts to his new cone

At first he did not seem to be happy about the new accessory and banged it against every wall and piece of furniture that he could. He quickly realized that it was there to stay and I like to think that he knows it’s for his own good.

Khan is now relaxing

I was worried that he’d be miserable for two days but after about two hours of sulking under Housemate’s bed he’s back to his normal, loveable, self. He’s not trying to remove the cone although he is licking the blood off of it. There’s not much for me to do except clean the cut, put his food dishes on top of bowl, and give him extra love.

These cuts are especially worrisome for diabetic cats as they are more prone to infection and the healing process can be slower.

The other day I realized that my cat’s insulin bottle was almost empty so I phoned my vet who kindly faxed a prescription over to the pharmacy so that I could buy another vial.

Normally she’d just send it to the nearby Pharmasave, but I have been unhappy with the service I’ve received from the pharmacist/owner for several months now, so I decided it was time to take my business elsewhere.

Khan's insulin vials - one empty the other full!

I’m really low on cash this month so a good deal was essential! I normally paid $84.99 at Pharmasave and figured I could find a lower price elsewhere so I phoned every pharmacy in the neighbourhood and asked them for a price quote on a 10 ml vial of Lantus insulin glargine. The Willingdon Costco quoted me $63.60 – the best deal in North Burnaby.

Pharmasave put Khan's name in quotations while Coscto notes that he is, in fact, a cat. Either way he has my last name which I think is cute.

Costco is a bit out of the way for me. To get there I have to take two buses, cross a busy road, climb under a bridge, and then navigate my way through 300 metres of busy parking lots. It’s not pedestrian friendly! Still, I felt the savings made the hassle worth the effort. That $20 difference meant that I could eat this week, so off to Costco I will go!

Costco, 4500 Still Creek Drive Burnaby, BC

I don’t have a Costco membership but the friendly pharmacy technician assured me that I didn’t need membership in order to use the pharmacy. However, I’m not sure if that included all pharmacy products such as Tylenol or vitamins or if it was just limited to prescriptions.

Costco Pharmacy

When I went to check out the total came to $71.23 – $7.63 more than the quoted price! “We have to charge HST since it’s for a cat,” said the pharmacy technician. “If it was for a person there would be no HST.”
Oh! Well, it was still a good deal!

What trip to Coscto would be complete without a Diet Coke and hot dog for only $1.50? I also got a free sample of ice cream!

Here’s a video I did in the summer of Khan’s vet (and a cabinet minister) talking about his diabetes:

Google now maps interior spaces such as airports and department stores. Apparently they announced this program about a year ago but I just noticed it the other day when I was doing a random Google Maps search. When I zoomed in on the Nordstrom store in Corte Madera, California I noticed that the locations of the various departments were labelled according to their location on the first floor of the store.

View Larger Map

Switching over to the “Map” view reveals an even more detailed floor plan which shows the locations of shelving units, aisles, elevators, counters, and bathrooms.

View Larger Map

I love this feature as I am not someone who enjoys lingering indefinitely in stores and malls. I hate trying to navigate stores when I’d rather just go in, get what I need, and leave. That being said, I should mention that I’ve been to this particular Nordstrom before and was very impressed at how organized, well-laid out, and navigable this store was. It felt up-scale, clean, and stylish.

There are definitely stores that could benefit more from this service than Nordstrom. Have you ever tried to find your way around Macy’s? It took me forever to find the hand towels! I do hope that Google expands this service to other chains, including stores in Canada.

Here’s Google’s video:

On Nov. 16 Google made good on their promise to eliminate custom background images. On the night of the 15th I loaded up my customized Google homepage on both of my monitors. The next day I refreshed my browser and saw my cat disapear from the Google.ca homepage forever.

Here is the video:

I recently learned that Google will be eliminating the ability for users to add a custom background image to their Google homepage. When I opened my browser this morning a little information balloon popped up which read:

Background images are going away on November 16, 2012

Thank you for using background images. As we build a more streamlined Google Search page for everyone, we’ll no longer be able to support customization with background images. So you will no longer be able to see your background pictures starting November 16, 2012.

Click Remove to stop using a background image now. Your current background image and Picasa web albums will still be available to you.

My customized Google page

In 2010 I learned that I could replace the white Google homepage with any photo in my Picasa Web album or any photo in a public gallery hosted by Picasa. I chose a picture of my cat Khan relaxing on the balcony in Sept. 2010.

I regularly use three computers: my main desktop when I’m working at home, my Lenovo ThinkPad T520i when I have to do stories or other work on the run, and my super cool Sony Vaio VGN-UX380N ultra-portable micro PC when I need to do computer work on the go but don’t feel like carrying a brick on my shoulder.

My three computers loaded with my customized Google homepage

I take my computers all over the place and they all are a bit different. When I travel with one of my laptops I often use public wireless at airports, or other public spots. When I log in the wireless will send me to some splash screen advertising some product, business, or service. I love that I can just click my home button and be sent to my customized Google page where I’m greeted by Khan who invites me to check my email, scour my Google Drive, or check the news. It makes me feel a little bit at home wherever I am.

This feature makes my life a little bit better and I’m sad to see it go.

As some of you may know I recently returned from a week-long trip to Quebec. I went out there to be with one of my dearest friends as she celebrated her 30th birthday. She recently moved to Quebec from our hometown on Vancouver Island.

Moving across the country is not always easy – I would know. In 2002 I moved from Vancouver to Peterborough, Ontario and while I count those years as the most productive and rewarding of my life the initial transition was a very lonely period. And while I know that my friend will do well in her new home it pained me to think that she may be feeling the same homesickness and detachment that I felt out East.

So, mindful of the support she gave me while I lived in Ontario, I made a plan to come see her (and her two beautiful cats) as an affirmation that her friendship will always be an integral part of my life no matter where she lives.

So, on Oct. 17 I flew to Montreal. It was my first trip to Montreal in 10 years and my first visit to Eastern Canada since I moved back to British Columbia in 2005.

It was wonderful to reconnect with my old friend and her boyfriend in their new environs. Now whenever she talks about the places and people in her day-to-day life I’ll be able to say “I’ve been there!” or “I met them!” I especially enjoyed getting to know her boyfriend’s family. I spent quite a bit of time with them and think they are the loveliest people I’ve ever met and one of many reasons to return for another visit as soon as I can.

A quote by former US First Lady Pat Nixon (1912-1993) sums up my feelings about my trip to Quebec and the people I met there:

Even when people can’t speak your language, they can tell if you have love in your heart.

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, (French: Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal).	These wooden statues were giving me a nasty look…
This is where they keep the heart of Saint André Bessette	A close up of Saint André Bessette's heart!
This place, remiere Moisson, was the best bakery I've ever eaten at!	"I want those pink things!" I told the cute guy behind the counter. His name was Alexis X. and he told me, in French, that my French was "very good"!
This is called "Macaron Rose-Framboises". It was, without a doubt, the yummiest thing I've ever eaten in my life. MMMMMMMM!	They give you packets of mayo in Quebec!

This Tuesday I visited the grave site of Leo Anthony Mantha, the last person ever executed in British Columbia. He was born in Montreal on Dec. 22, 1926, executed in Burnaby on Apr. 28, 1959, and buried at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal on May 11, 1959.

Mantha was a tugboat operator and former sailor. He was gay and wanted to have a long-term relationship with his boyfriend Aaron “Bud” Jenkins. Jenkins tried to break up with him and Mantha stabbed Jenkins to death. In 1959 was tried, convicted, and executed.

Bud Jenkins and Leo Mantha

I wrote more about the case back in 2009. You can read that here.

I believe Mantha’s life, or more accurately his death, marks an important chapter of British Columbia history and was surprised to find out that nobody documented his final resting place. So, while I was in Montreal I tracked down his grave with the help of my dear friend Joanne and friendly cemetery staff. Mantha is buried in a family plot and while the grave is marked with a prominent headstone his name was not engraved on it.

Leo Mantha's grave site

In the late 50s a conviction of first-degree murder carried an automatic sentence of death. Although the law required him to issue the sentence Mr. Justice J.G. Ruttan quickly wrote to the minister of justice, asking or clemency saying that it should be commuted like all the rest. His request was denied.
The prime minister of the day, John Diefenbaker, opposed capital punishment and his government commuted most death sentences to life sentences. Most people convicted of “crimes of passion”, that is people who killed their romantic partner, saw their sentences commuted.

Some people felt that homophobia played a role in Mantha’s fate.

In a 1999 Lloyd McKenzie, the Crown prosecutor in the Mantha trial, told the Vancouver Courier that the judge in the case felt that Mantha’s sexual orientation was a strong motivation in cabinet’s decision.
“He had a very heavy load to carry in defending himself in this case because he was homosexual,” he said. “There’s no doubt about it, that was a very strong factor against him.