Between 2010 and 2019, Cauli Le Chat (2006?-2020), feline roving reporter for Mooresville Public Library (Mooresville, Indiana), reported all things interesting to cats (and humans) happening at the library. Related stories from across the state (and beyond) were also included.
Five years ago today (December 19), I started this blog. (Here's my first post.) It's been fun, and we've helped folks keep up with what's happening at Mooresville Public Library. I've written 1,301 blog posts--thanks, minions, for your assistance--but now is a good time to wrap things up.
Officially, I retired last March as the official MPL feline roving reporter, but I've continued to post the occasional article to this blog. As I review all these postings, I'm amazed at where the journey has taken moi. I hope you've enjoyed it, too.
I'll leave all my posts up so you can read (or re-read) anything interesting.
The repaired letter E has been added to "Mooresville" on the sign, too, so now everything's spelled as it should be.
Now all you have to do is watch our outdoor sign to keep up with what's happening at the Library. You could also visit our website or social media. Why not do it all? We have many ways to keep you informed.
Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat
P.S. Here's a clip from the July 17, 1986 episode of Late Night With David Letterman, in which Dave interviewed Max Headroom.
Did dark matter doom the dinosaurs? I can't say for sure, since I wasn't around 66 million years ago, but Lisa Randall, the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, makes an intriguing argument. That's what my reference librarian minions tell moi. For a feline, it's frankly beyond my ordinary kitty concerns, but regular humans should find it a stimulating read. Even Scowl-Face can understand it, so it must be explained really clearly.
Randall's latest science book, Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe, explores the possibilities. Our book trailer below elaborates.
MPL Book Trailer #236 Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe, by Lisa Randall
Since this sort of scenario could happen again, it's probably a good idea to learn what we can about when it happened before. It probably won't be repeated before suppertime, however, so minions may proceed with getting mine pronto.
Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat
"The Andromeda Cometh," from Andromeda,
by Daniel E. Buckley
"Neon Genesis," from Andromeda,
by Daniel E. Buckley
"Cosmic Liturgy (Doctrine of a New Beginning),"
from Andromeda, by Daniel E. Buckley
P.S. The Library's composer, whom I call the Music Man, wrote Andromeda, which describes (musically) a collision between the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies.
Want to learn the secrets to many optical illusions? (Sure you do.) Discover what's behind the tricks of the eyes? Well, human eyes, anyway. We felines have better things to do. Like eat supper. That's your cue, minions. Canned tuna-in-oil, if you please. Now would be better.
All you peeps out there probably want to know more about the book to which I was alluding. We've got a book trailer for that.
This wonderfully illustrated book has the story behind many amazing optical illusions. It's simply mind-boggling how the human brain can interpret ambiguous visual data. For us kitties, we don't let our minds run amok like that. When we see strange visual stimuli, we either run and hide, or we curl-up for a nap. Cognitive dissonance solved.
The book is available to checkout from our Evergreen Indiana catalog. Give it a look-see. Don't be surprised if it looks right back at'cha.
Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat
P.S. The Music Man, who composes original music for our videos, has written a percussion ensemble with female choir called The Optical Illusion (2014). You heard the first movement (partially) in our book trailer above. You might enjoy listening to the other two movements, too. It does for your ears what optical illusions do for your eyes.
Our new outdoor LED sign has been running for a month now, but we just had the lettering installed last Friday. During installation, the final letter E broke, so "Mooresville" is temporarily misspelled. (Our librarians know how to spell; we're not idiots. Well, except Scowl-Face.)
So please bear with us while we await the replacement letter E. E's are overrated, I'll venture. Why do we need them? Put another way: Why do w* n**d th*m? Okay, I guess we do.
Meanwhile, you may watch all the important messages sliding across the sign about our upcoming programs, events, and services. That's the critical part, truly. But what I really want to know is: Who is that cat with the glasses? This library already has a roving reporter. 'Nuff said.
Our Winter Reading Program has begun at MPL. While you're cooped up inside because of the cold weather, you might as well enjoy yourselves and do something useful. Note to my minions, however: feed moi first, then read on your own time. Just saying.
It would have been really something to have seen a real elkenfroster (what humans call a reindeer) playing a dulcimer at the Library's portion of Mooresville's Victorian Christmas celebration today (December 5). But real life isn't a Disney cartoon, so we had to have separate events.
Silly Safaris (with Candy Cane Chris) brought the elkenfroster for a meet & greet photo op with our patrons. Click the photos to bigify.
There was a lively turnout, as always for these programs. If you weren't able to attend this time, there's always next year. Or you could build a time machine and travel to the past to see previous celebrations. Or you could just look at some photos I've posted from past events. It's your call.
The Decorinator has brought out her slobberdog Christmas display. As always, click the photos to bigify.
That slobberdog knows a comfy spot to nap--right next to the faux fireplace. I'd lie there moiself, but I'm not allowed in the public areas of the library (actually, I'm not even supposed to come inside, but sometimes I do, even so). Anyway, it's faux fire, so there's no actual warmth (but there is psychological warmth). Not that our slobberdog would notice the difference.
This is probably my favorite display of the Decorinator's. "Flat" Cauli, however, is scared of it. Here's why.
While in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1944, Valentine Davies (1905-1961) wrote the story from which director George Seaton (1911-1979) wrote the screenplay for the movie Miracle on 34th Street (1947). Davies was discouraged by the rampant commercialism that had invaded the Christmas holiday season, and so he wondered what the real Santa Claus would say if he were to walk into a modern American department store after Thanksgiving. So he created this wonderful fictional tale of Kris Kringle, who lived in a senior citizens community home on Long Island but became the store Santa at Macy's Department Store on West 34th Street in Manhattan.
Following development of the movie, Davies wrote a novelization based upon the screenplay (and also elements from his original story). The book is as good as the movie, and we have it available to checkout from our Evergreen Indiana catalog. Our book trailer summarizes the plot.
MPL Book Trailer #233 Miracle on 34th Street, by Valentine Davies
Davies received the 1948 Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story, while Seaton garnered Best Adapted Screenplay. Edmund Gwenn, who played Kris Kringle in the movie, captured the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
The movie was remade in 1994, and I'm sure it was fine. My minions said it was okay. We're not big fans of remakes, but that's no reason not to watch it, if you want.
Treat yourselves to this wonderful book and the movie, too, which is also available in our Evergreen Indiana catalog. There's a colorized version (2006), but it's better in the original black-and-white. See if you can find a copy of the original.
I love this movie and book. Okay, minions, time to read to moi, then we'll watch the film. Snacks, sooner than later, minions. Just saying.
Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat
P.S. Here's a clip from the original 1947 movie in which Kris Kringle explains that Christmas isn't just a day; it's a frame of mind. What a wonderful philosophy!
The map is part of the state's bicentennial project, and so it features 200 top Hoosier authors (for two centuries of Hoosier statehood). It's great for readers interested in Indiana authors, or for teachers looking for Hoosier reading assignments for their students.
We have a few copies of the map in our Indiana RoomRoving Reporter Room. Drop by to pick-up yours (while supplies last). Or look at it online. It's your call. I noticed that they omitted moi from the map, but that's okay. I'm guessing only human authors were eligible. Maybe someday someone will create a famous Hoosier kitty map. Perhaps I'd be included. It would be an honor.
Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat
P.S. Take a look at our Broadway Gal video playlist on the Library's YouTube Channel.
Tober came to Thorntown Public Library on October 19, 2008, and he immediately took charge, as we felines should do. Humans need our supervision and direction, after all. He had a terrific forever home there, and he made many lifelong friends among staff and patrons.
Tober was (and will continue to be) a world-famous library cat. He appeared on the cover of the 2014 Baker & Taylor cat calendar. Hundreds of thousands of humans followed his blog posts.
Tober, calendar cover kitty
Tober's blog has a worldwide audience, with over 180,000 viewings (new count), which, when added to a previous blog count (approximately 175,000), meant that his blog posts have been viewed over 355,000 times. That's more than my blog, folks.
Tober was the inspiration behind a 2011 Indiana Library Federation (ILF) workshop about library critters being outstanding marketing tools for libraries (especially public libraries). Had it not been for Tober, that workshop would never have happened.
In 2012 my minions made a special trip to visit Tober on his Finding Day (October 19), about which I blogged here.
There are many wonderful library cats throughout the world, but none made a bigger impression on his library patrons and colleagues than Tober. He was an exceptional goodwill ambassador for Thorntown Public Library, bringing good cheer and happiness to thousands of visitors. He set the standard for what exceptional library service should be. His friends will truly miss his happy purr, gentle headbutts, and charming personality.
Although we are crying as we type this, we know that Tober is among friends as he has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. The Summerland is a wonderful place for kitties to be with other departed pals, and we know that, when our time arrives to cross-over, we will see him again and romp together. Those will surely be good times.
For now, we remember Tober as he would have wanted. He brought sunshine into our lives and made life better everyday for everyone who knew him.
Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat
P.S. We reprise our promo trailer celebrating Tober Finding Day, October 19 (2012).
P.P.S. Here's our Tober promo trailer with an alternate soundtrack (2012).
P.P.P.S. 2016 Update: Peaches & Paprika created a touching, beautifully rendered video tribute to our loving feline friends, including Tober, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2015. My human friends should grab the tissues--there will be tears--but the love that remains in our hearts will reach our departed pals in their new heavenly homes. Visit the Peaches & Paprika YouTube Channel for more videos, and also peruse their blog.
