May I offer you some non-awful links in this trying time

[erinptah]

First, a quick Fluffdate: As you may remember, back in February my cat had a Vet Ordeal, and came home with, among other things, a therapeutic shave.



After he got back I rearranged some things around the apartment...which opened up The Warm Spot.

It's a part of the floor that's right over a hot-water pipe. Unsurprisingly, this is Marshmallow Fluff's new favorite place to sleep. Even before I put a blanket there.



Well, as of last night, the fluff's fur has grown back enough that he's officially resumed a position I've only seen from longhair cats: Sleeping On Your Back To Air Out Your Tummy.



Look at that conked-out little face. Look at those cozy little paws.

Some links to other uplifting things to look at:

Scribd, a service for digital books/audiobooks/etc, is offering free 30-day trials with no credit card information necessary. I'm listening to books that my library doesn't have on Overdrive, starting with Gideon the Ninth. (It's extremely good, you guys.)

ComiXology Unlimited has gone up to free 60-day trials. (Check out the PDF downloads of But I'm A Cat Person, let's find out what kind of royalties I get from Unlimited readership.)

Streaming platforms during quarantine (video)

Arthur Shappey, of Cabin Pressure, doing a series of "Cabin Fever" check-ins from OJS Airlines self-isolation (also video)

Twin toddlers having a solemn discussion of quarantine (adorable video)

People with recent construction or remodeling projects are advised to check your leftover supplies -- some are finding unused masks. (Call hospitals before bringing anything in, to make sure you have the kind they need.)

Someone kindly masked up the Make Way For Ducklings statues in the Boston Public Garden. (Tiny fake masks, not human-sized real masks, don't worry.)

Vintage photo of a family masked-up against the 1918 flu epidemic. That's the archival entry on Calisphere -- I saw it on Tumblr but wanted to be sure it was legit. (The Tumblr version was inset with a close-up on the cat.)

Comments

[lb_lee]

I don't know who the anonymous people are who costume the ducklings, but I'm always glad they do. (And they were wearing different things just a couple weeks ago, when I last saw them!)

The vintage photo I misread for a second and thought the CAT was masked too!

[erinptah]

I don't think that's a misreading at all, the cat IS masked. Look at how smoothed-over its mouth area is, and how it doesn't have any other patches of fur that color.

People were still people 100+ years ago, including that part of human nature which is delighted by dressing up our cats in tiny clothes. (The ones that would put up with it, at least.)

[hokuton_punch]

Awwwwwww, a relaxed Fluff! I'm glad he's found such a good spot. ♥

[bkwyrm]

I must put in a good word for Scribd - between that, Kindle Unlimited, and the two library accounts (Chicago and my paid non-resident Fairfax County Virginia cards), I am not spending the equivalent to the mortgage payment on books each month. I recognize I have a problem, but I read a lot and I read really fast and I'm into immediate gratification when I want to read something. ANYWAY, there's a lot of good stuff on Scribd, both physical reading and audiobooks, and I have found it to be a great investment.
Your cat is adorable.

[erinptah]

I'm always looking for more good audio content and don't have much time to sit down with print (whether or not on a screen), so I'd only be using it for audiobooks -- and it's dismaying how few of the books on my to-read list have audio versions. So I don't know that it'll be worth an ongoing subscription for me! But I guess we'll see.

He very much is :D

[bkwyrm]

Do you use Overdrive? I've found a lot of good audio content that way too - I have my own library (Chicago) and I pay $27/yr for a Fairfax County electronic membership so I have access to their stuff, too.

[erinptah]

I do! Having a free ongoing source for many audiobooks is part of why I can't see paying Scribd just to get the handful I can't find.

[bkwyrm]

After poking around in the Scribd audiobook section, I think you're much better off with the library - Scribd is great for readers who tear through books like tissue paper (er, that's me) but probably not so much for audiobooks, which don't have the straight-to-cheapo-digital publishing option.
I have had trouble finding audiobooks that I like, actually. I loved LOVED The Goblin Emperor, which is one of my favorite books anyway, but have had trouble getting into other ones. Bug likes audiobooks a lot, and is similarly picky. Any fantasy suggestions, or is that not your area?