Athryn
4221
My condolences, Ned. :( My best friend cat died 3 years ago and I still get really sad sometimes and miss him still. That being said, it does get better eventually.
In my own news to report, I took a small step towards attempting to become a more normal human being again – I signed up to volunteer with a local cat rescue group, I’m gonna take pictures of their adoptable kitties for their website. I don’t think it will be too stressful of a task for me to handle. We shall see!
ZekeDMS
4222
My condolences Ned. I’ve lost two dogs this year that I’ve had for…14+. It’s hard, but you have to know you did the right thing. Animals will tell us when it’s time to go, really, we just have to help them go painlessly after giving them good lives.
Sorry to read of your loss, Ned; my condolences.
At age 30 I think I’m finally ready to do this. 8 years of hurt, moves, disappointments, etc… it’s enough. I can’t do this shit anymore. I think it’s time to leave.
Pogo
4225
Obviously not…
The notion of “training” a wild animal, especially one with such a small brain, is somewhat ridiculous.
Damn, Ned. That’s heartbreaking.
I remember when my first dog (ever) died. It was toward the end of my first semester of university. He’d been with us for about 9.5 years, which for a Newfoundland is apparently about right. In the end, he contracted inoperable bone cancer, and my folks left the decision up to me: Euthanize him and end his suffering, or put him on a massive drug regimen that would have made him even more miserable, for the sole reason of keeping him alive just a few more weeks, so I could see him and say goodbye. I had a funny feeling when I left him that it was for the last time, and I figured that, if I chose the drugs, it would be one of the most selfish, cruel decisions I could ever make, so I told them to let him go. I still feel the occasional twinge, but I think it was the right choice.
Not to sound macabre or anything, but a dignified, comfortable demise is one of the best gifts we can give. I know if I were suffering, with no appreciable quality of life remaining, I’d want to go peacefully. Hopefully that’s not too P&R for in here…
And, on another note, damn, Matt, that’s awful, too!
I’m sorry, Ned. My condolences.
Ned and Mathew, both of you have my sympathies.
Kalle
4229
Maybe it’s just me being a pet hater, as I’m writing this my dog is doing his best to annoy me into petting him, but seeing people more people offer up sympathies for a cat that died of natural causes than for a guy who just lost a job and is out $8500 kinda sticks out.
Athryn
4230
You can get a new job, you can’t get your pet back.
Raife
4231
Pictures of cats are far more interesting than people, Kalle.
Thank you for the condolences, everyone. I am surprised at how much my cat meant to me over the last 14 years, more than I had imagined. She was my family, as silly as it sounds.
And Matthew, here’s hoping you find something soon. Good luck! (And take up WarrenM on his suggestion to apply at Epic.)
Lorini
4233
I hope you won’t be homeless Matthew. I wish I could offer up some job help but I’m jobless myself. Don’t forget LinkedIn because referrals/networking is a good way to find a job. I also really like www.asktheheadunter.com, particularly his weekly newsletters.
WarrenM
4234
Maybe it’s just me being a pet hater, as I’m writing this my dog is doing his best to annoy me into petting him, but seeing people more people offer up sympathies for a cat that died of natural causes than for a guy who just lost a job and is out $8500 kinda sticks out.
Not that I don’t feel bad for Matthew. I do, that’s horrible. But he’ll live. The cat, a 17 year old companion, is gone and never coming back and the worst of it is that Ned had to make the call to put him down - it wasn’t even something like a car accident where he could chalk it up to god being a dick or something. That seems worse to me.
Lorini
4235
We have a difference of opinion :) Ned’s situation is kind of like having your relative die at 100 years old or so. The cat lived a great life and had to die at some time. It’s wonderful that the cat lived so long.
Matt on the other hand is now out of work with little money in a very expensive city (Los Angeles). It could get very ugly for him very quickly. Also, he’s a human being, not a cat. While I’m one of the biggest pet lovers out there, they are pets, not people.
Would your sympathies change if Matt uploaded a picture of him panhandling? Pics are nice but they really don’t change anything. We need to keep perspective :)
WarrenM
4236
Well, I really have nowhere to go now without appearing to be a heartless dick to Matthew so I’ll stop now. I just feel that I can relate better to what Ned is going through seeing as I have 4 cats in my house and will eventually have to face 4 decisions like Neds.
And yes, I agree that people > pets. However, pets are still incredibly potent vehicles for emotional distress.
She was my family, as silly as it sounds.
Not silly at all, Ned. It’s a small, furry, cute animal that thinks you’re the greatest being to ever walk the earth. You’d have to be dead inside not to get attached. :)
I feel worse for Ned than Matthew and will not apologize for it.
I don’t get the argument that it is “just a pet”, it isn’t about the pet, the pet is gone, it is about the sense of loss Ned is feeling. Ned lost a living, breathing companion, Matthew just lost a job. Yes, economic times are tough now, but all indications from my end are that the job market is coming back fast, at least if you do anything people need done and you do it well. I’m getting a couple of dozen random emails and a few cold calls via phone per week from recruiters these days, a big increase from a few months ago. (If you work in home construction, etc, YMMV, get a new career).
Yes, things might get bad for Matthew and if he posts here in a month telling us how he’s turning tricks in the back alleys of West Hollywood for ramen noodle money then I’ll start feeling worse for him than I do for Ned (note: Ned, not his pet), but that’s all just theoretical at this point and hopefully Matthew rebounds quickly.
Both situations suck. Why the burning need to rank the losses?
Kalle started it!
IOW, I only bring it up out of a sense that I wish to defend people being called out for showing more sympathy to Ned, since I find myself feeling worse for Ned as well.
Also, at least part of it is that I “know” Ned more than I know MatthewF, not that I’ve ever met either of them.
I feel bad for the people reading this thread. Let’s drop it and continue on please.
