Archive for pets

Let Me Introduce To You, My Shepherd Mix Ozzy And Cat Toby

Posted in animals, cats, dogs, pets with tags , , , , , , , , , on April 25, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Ozzy - My Pup - Close-Up - January - 2014

Ozzy Says… Hey!

It’s April showers here in Southwest Ohio, this morning, as I write these Rockin’ words down. I’m watching my pup Ozzy walk around in front of me, as I sit here working on my laptop. Ozzy is trying to decide which window to look out from, cause he doesn’t want to miss out on his daily ritual of watching the morning happenings on our street. Ozzy is a Shepherd Mix and will turn 3 years old this June. We here at the Metal Odyssey headquarters saved Ozzy from a kill shelter last Summer. Ozzy is his original name too. Pretty cool, huh? This amazing family member of ours only cost $80 (U.S.) to take him home. Incredible.

I’ve always wanted to write about Ozzy and our cat Toby, here on Metal Odyssey; therefore, today is the day! I’ve always given both boys plenty of time on twitter; so they are semi-known around the world! (Me laughing). Ozzy gets along with our 7+ year-old feline, Toby, just fine too. Ozzy and Toby are like long-lost brothers; with Toby acting like the bigger brother more often than not! Seriously, Toby accepted Ozzy into our Metal family from the very beginning and I give him a ton of credit for that.

Toby - pic #2 - 2012

Toby Says… Hey!

About 6 years ago, we had picked up Toby from his original owner, meeting at the parking lot of The Shoppes Of Premise Maid (chocolates, ice cream and bakery) in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania. Toby’s (very nice) former owner insisted on accepting no money, just a loving home in exchange for him. My wife instead gave his former owner a box of chocolates that she bought from The Shoppes Of Premise Maid. Toby had to find a new home due to an allergy problem he caused at his former residence. Yes, there are people who are allergic to cats. It all turned out to be a grand deal in the end for us!

Truth be told, both Ozzy and Toby are the most gentle dudes you could ever want to meet or hang out with. Ozzy does bark like a guard dog at anyone (outside the family) that comes to the front door or enters our house. It’s all good, cause Ozzy eventually figures out that the situation is cool. Both Ozzy and Toby seem to enjoy hearing any of the music and Metal that I listen to; Heavy Metal, it appears, has a calming affect on them! I’m not kidding!

We all love Ozzy and Toby around here and I couldn’t imagine life at Metal Odyssey’s headquarters without them. They are both loyal family members and give back an unconditional love and friendship that money could never buy. It feels good to write a post about Ozzy and Toby. The laughs and joy I get from them both are immeasurable. Then again, Ozzy and Toby are Metalheads! Metal be thy name – Stone

Ozzy - Toby - together - July - 2013 - #1

Ozzy And Toby Say Thanks For Visiting And… ROCK ON!

_____________________________________

Stone - Motorhead Tee pic:small

LONG LIVE OZZY AND TOBY.

LONG LIVE ANIMALS.

Stone.

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WE’VE ADOPTED A CAT! HIS NAME IS TOBY.

Posted in 1980's hair metal albums, 1980's hair metal bands, 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's hard rock bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's heavy metal songs, 1980's rock bands, classic rock, classic rock music, cool album covers, everyday experiences, family, family pets, feel good stories, hair metal music, hard rock music, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalists, lists, metal odyssey, Music, old school hair metal bands, personal stories, real life experiences, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 2, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

On November 21, 2009, my family and I adopted a two year old cat named Toby. He is healthy as can be, we updated all of his required shots and he passed a physical too. Toby is a domestic house cat, a very curious and gentle animal. Yes, he does like to get cozy, especially at night when we are all trying to sleep. Just like the classic Slaughter song goes… Up All Night, Sleep All Day! Toby really enjoys our front reading room during the day, taking turns sleeping on each chair and love seat. There is not a window sill this cat does not like to perch on either. Toby gets box seats to watch the birds, squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks do their thing… in the outside world. Toby does not seem to mind that he cannot go outside though… too many times he hears dogs barking.

As a family, Toby has embraced us all and likewise. We look forward to many great years with him. Toby is only looking for some food, a box to poop in, water, a house to prowl around in and playtime with our daughters, (with some added attention from my wife and I). He really isn’t asking for too much. I posted recently that we were searching to adopt a cat, in this post a nifty list of cat/feline/tiger bands was created, from Rock to Metal. Well, since we finally have Toby, here is another list of such bands associated with this ever popular animal… the cat.

First however, may I introduce to you, Toby:

Here is a Hair Metal Band that I have always liked a lot – Faster Pussycat. Their debut album, released in 1987, is one to own. My favorite song from this initial Faster Pussycat release is Don’t Change That Song. Taime Downe has some unique vocals, plus this band knew how to make some hard rockin’ and good time songs.

Here is another Hair Metal Band that I never covered my ears to, I will listen to this band. I actually caught this band live back in the late ’80’s at a small club. White Lion. I can’t recall what other band or bands played with White Lion that night I saw them… that was a night when the good times made things rather fuzzy. Vito Bratta, (the original guitarist) for White Lion, is very, very, good at playing guitar, no doubt in my Metal mind.

O.k., so Survivor is NOT a Heavy Metal Band or even a bona fide Hard Rock Band. They are a Rock Band still. Their band name does not have a feline connection, their biggest selling single ever does, for that matter. Furthermore, they did psyche me out at age 16, with their huge hit single from 1982, Eye Of The Tiger. I am not bashful, about admitting the affect this song had on me, back in 1982. This was the theme song for the Rocky lll movie sequel as well. From what I have researched, this song alone, sold over two million copies in the U.S., count me as one of those two million who bought the 45 rpm back then. Uh, this one I wound up selling, giving away or (gulp), discarding. I really wish I kept this 45 rpm with the original sleeve intact.

Tigertailz – Hair Metal, Glam Metal… either or – you pick ’em. Their 1987 debut album Young And Crazy I still own… on (gulp), cassette. Metal be damned I’m going to keep it too… and listen to it whenever I feel like it. No, I’m NOT kidding either.

Well, that is all for now. My previous cat related bands/songs list was a little longer, I’m running out of ideas with this now. If anyone has a Rock/Hard Rock/Metal related example for this list, that comes to mind, feel free to comment it.

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Why did my guinea pig live for seven great years?

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal with tags , on March 26, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

I had a wonderful pet guinea pig that just recently passed away. This little guinea pig was named Tigger and lived for 7 lively, great years. Recently, people that I have spoken to in regards to my guinea pig keep asking me, “Is it normal for a guinea pig to live that long”? Or, “What is the normal life expectancy of a guinea pig”? Well, without consulting a PHD in guinea pig science, I answer quite unscientifically on my very own with “The normal life expectancy of a guinea pig is 3 to 7 years.” I am now convinced that my guinea pig, Tigger, lived to the fullest on the life expectancy scale for this particular species. God bless any guinea pig that has lived longer than Tigger. Now, without further non-essential blabber, here is another very unscientific reason for why I BELIEVE my little guinea pig, Tigger, lived for 7 happy years: METAL MUSIC – and plenty of it. 

Tigger lived in a very spacious, very expansive cage, fully equipped with an oversized water bottle and plenty of guinea pig food, with alfalfa and timothy hay – 24/7. Not a bad gig for any little rodent. Tigger was situated in the area of my home which has the stereo system, therefore, Tigger was able to enjoy the Metal music each and every time I enjoyed it. Skeptics may ask, “How do you know a guinea pig actually enjoyed Metal music”? My answer is simply, (and this time it is scientific) from observation. I do not care what it is in life you observe, if you are observing something that is living, everyday, for 7 years, I would hope you could scientifically make a judgement call as to the overall behavior and changes in behavior due to it’s surroundings and external stimulus.

Each time Metal tunes were played, from my observations, Tigger would become more active than normal, he would do “mad runs” around his cage, he would skip about in a happy manner, he would even do the famous guinea pig chirping and tweeting sounds vocally. When there were no Metal tunes being played, when all was quiet in Tigger’s surroundings, well, from what I observed, Tigger would be complacent, quiet and really not too active at all. This concludes my reason for why Metal music played an enormous and important role in having Tigger live for 7 years. Skeptics abound, they may question: “Are you a trained observer”? My answer is no, I never received a college degree in observation. I never received a college degree in breathing, eating or drinking a glass of water either. To really nit pick, I never received proper training in guinea pig observation at all, nor did I ever attend a guinea pig observation seminar or listen to any guinea pig observation CD’s.

This may sound absurd to some, yet Metal music had a prolific and positive affect on my little guinea pig’s life. In scientific terminology, a positive stimulus. Am I a guinea pig scientist? No, I never studied the biology or psychology of guinea pigs. This is again, my own observation from looking at this living creature every day for 7 years, especially when Metal music was being played. It is only right for me to say I will miss you Tigger, you little Heavy Metal guinea pig.

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