A cat convention and Saturday news

Several of my friends are going to be booking plane tickets after they read this. You’ve heard of ComicCon? Well, in Pasadena, California on August 12 and 13, 2017, CatCon happens. Described as “the convention with cattitude,” it’s where pop culture and cat culture meet. One of their goals is to change the negative perception of the “crazy cat lady” and prove that it is possible to be hip, stylish, and have a cat, simultaneously. The convention will showcase some of the world’s top cat-centric merchandise, and a DJ will spin songs about cats. Lil BUB, Nala, White Coffee Cat and Oskar the Blind Cat will be on hand for Meet & Greet sessions.

A really neat-sounding performance called Take the Soul Train to Christmas happens at the Cannon Center today at 3:00 and 7:00 and tomorrow at 3:00. Granddad takes his granddaughters back in time to Christmas during the era of slavery to hear old spirituals and watch African dancing. Next the train stops at the Harlem Renaissance to meet authors of the day and listen to holiday jazz. Next stop is the 1950s to hear Stevie Wonder’s civil rights song ‘Someday at Christmas,’ then on to the 1970s for songs and dances with the Jackson 5. Just before the visit ends, they make a stop in the 1980s for Christmas rap and breakdancing.

Holy sleep, Batman! There’s a Yoga Nidra event at Downtown Yoga from 4:00 to 5:30 this afternoon. Yoga nidra is considered to be the yoga of sleep, and this 90-minute class is said to be the equivalent of 4 hours of REM sleep. It will be an afternoon of relaxation and sound as instructor Kristina guides students through several exercises to build awareness of the breath and different parts of the body. The class will end with an extended savasana (that’s the corpse position) during which Kristina will play her crystal singing bowls.

The Memphis artwork formerly found at the Real2Reel gallery on South Main is back! You can buy it at Life is Good on the Main Street Mall, and today there is a special deal going on from 10 to 3. Buy one get one free on artwork, and there are also free test rides on Segways, and free cookies, coffee, and hot chocolate while supplies last.

This will probably get rained out tonight, but every Saturday there will be a Skate Night with Live DJ at the Fourth Bluff Ice Rink from 6 to 10 PM. $10 fee includes skate rental and time on the ice. There will be skating lessons on Tuesdays at 5:30 and 6:00.

SneakFest with the Memphis Grizzlies happens at FedExForum today from noon to 5. Urban fashion vendors from around the country will be selling footwear, apparel, and accessories. Attendees can bring their own sneakers to buy, sell, or trade with others. There’s a ticket package that includes a seat at tomorrow’s 5 PM Grizzlies game vs. the Utah Jazz.

Villa’Nova, a band from South Carolina, will perform at the Tin Roof in a special free early show today at 5.

There’s a special going on at the Silly Goose this week:

photo-dec-16-7-06-06-pm

Leave it to the Goose to come up with new and inventive ways to add value to customer purchases. Hey Hanin, may I request “Hold the Line” by Toto?

It’s not in the way that you look or the things that you say that you’ll do…

Monday could be an interesting day. The members of the Electoral College will officially cast their votes. Ever since the day after the election, there has been talk about Republican electors abandoning their obligation and voting for someone other than Trump. If 37 Republican electors did this, Trump wouldn’t have a majority, throwing the election to the House of Representatives next month. Now, up until this week, that seemed like a pipe dream to give liberals something to fantasize about now that Bernie Sanders’ campaign is over. However, now that the CIA, FBI, and Director of National Intelligence have all agreed that hackers sanctioned by Russia interfered in the election to benefit Trump, faithless electors become a real possibility. Some may refuse to rubber-stamp this joke of an election and change their vote to Pence, Ryan, Kasich, or whoever their favorite alternative is.

The vote-flipping might not be restricted to the right side of the aisle, either. I betcha there’s an elector or two from New England, having heard about Republican electors’ plans, who changes their vote to Bernie as an f-you to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Hillary, and the machine in general. In a rare moment of telling the truth, Trump said that the Democratic primary was rigged against Bernie. Indeed it was.

If Teddy Long were running this election, he’d book a Fatal Four-Way with Trump vs. Pence vs. Hillary vs. Bernie at the Royal Rumble, with the winner getting the presidency and the last person to get pinned becoming vice-president. The Monday Night RAW before the Rumble, he’d book a tag team match, Trump and Pence vs. Hillary and Bernie, with a “can the partners trust each other” storyline. A nice touch would be to bring Nikolai Volkoff out of retirement to interfere in the Rumble match.

Off to Bardog to enjoy this balmy 70 degree weather. For those of you who go to Bardog late tonight, remember, $2 Fireball when it’s snowing. If this sounds unusual, you are not familiar with Memphis weather. Back tomorrow with more news.