December 24, 2004: 'Vacation'
The whole xmas rush thing wore me out, and I haven't actually taken any time off from 'working' in literally years, so I'm going to do so now. From today, the 24th of December, until about January 3rd, I'm going to be sitting on my bum playing video games. No, no, actually I'm going to try to do some things that I've been putting off, but that does include a bit of relaxing (trying to anyway, I'm not very good at it). What it *doesn't* include is working on orders. However, no one is going to have to wait any longer than they usually do for orders (2 weeks for button orders, 4 weeks for clothes), so don't worry about that. It's actually very hard for me to keep myself from working on orders, which is one of the reasons I haven't had a break in so long, but I'm going to give it a go.

You can still place orders while I'm on 'vacation'! That's no problem at all. I will be responding to email very slowly though, so don't expect quick answers to your questions.

The wonderful Zara Iris (whose music I love) is involved with an event called socially deviaRt that you should check out. It's a true-to-its-name art showing and show that's happening in philly on January 8th and 9th, look at their site for more info.

bunny is so fucking cute.

December 15, 2004: vanity?
I don't know if you remember, but awhile I go I posted a picture of a green hat I knitted (scroll down a bit to find it). I was never too happy with it, so I added ear flaps and now I like it a lot more. Though you'd be hard pressed to find my ears behind all my hair anyway...

That's me looking really tired.

December 13, 2004: nuh-uh!
Alright then, it's now officially Too Late To Order Stuff If You Want To Get It In Time For Xmas (TLTOSIYWTGIITFX). So *please* don't write me and say, "ooh ooh I need this for xmas so please hurry!!!!1111!!!111one!". Because it's not going to happen. Oh, I'll still try of course, stressing myself out and making a running leap to the post office counter just as they close the shutters, but I'll probably just end up with lots of stamps stuck to my head. Which would be embarrassing. But then I could just mail myself to someone I guess.

Gift Certificates are still possible though, because you can print them yourself after you order one.

Kittycats + knitting = "hey! give me back my yarn!!!!"

December 02, 2004: 'tis the season to get presents...
I've been getting orders out as fast as I can, which might explain why I'm up at 4am in the morning. *yawn, stretch, meow* I'm contemplating taking the last week of December off, I haven't taken a week off in... oh... I think it's actually been a year or two. My idea of a 'week off' is a week to work on new things though, not sit around and drink cocoa. I'm happiest when I'm working.

Anyway, this is last week for placing shirt, undie, or mug orders if you want to have a high probability of getting them by xmas. It's alot of work orchestrating the making of those things (it's a one person orchestra too) and it takes time. I'm not picking things off a shelf here folks, I make all this stuff myself. So after this week, you take your chances (I'm saying December 5th is the last day).

For button/sticker orders, you've got another week (December 12th). But don't wait. Nothing stresses me out more than being asked to get an order out for xmas two days before xmas. Because I still have to try...

And don't forget, those deadlines apply to *payments* as well. So try to use paypal if you can because it's alot quicker than sending something through the mail.

Of course, international orders take longer in shipping, so keep that in mind too!

My heater here is dying (brrrr it's cold), the roofer screwed up part of my roof, my backup computer died, and I still throw (soft) things at the TV when they mention the Jerk in the White House. Send some love my way please!

Oh, and the prize for the game this month is a copy of inga muscio's book, 'cunt'!

November 16, 2004: yikes
Another election year, another stolen election. Well, we tried, and now we have a lot more work to do. I'll have much more to say about it later.

anyway.

It's that time of year again, the start of the big consumer holiday rush (call it what you will). Although technically I don't celebrate anything I do like to go to my parent's house, get presents, and explain for the millionth time to my relatives why I won't eat the dead bird they're eating. I also like to steal the baby jesus out from under the tree, that pisses off my mom.

I bring this up because some of you may wish to order stuff to give as presents, and if that is indeed the case you should do so now. Like, right now. Or at least, really, really soon. Remember, it takes up to two weeks for me to send out button orders, and from 1-4 weeks for things like shirts, mugs, and undies. And then the post office has to do their jobs, and you know they're all hating life right now with holiday cards coming out of their ears. So yeah, don't wait.

You might want to give a gift certificate instead. I can send them out quickly (or you can print one out) and it would kinda make my life easier.

I would also like to mention that if you are ordering apparel as a gift be absolutely sure that you choose the right size!. Don't make the kitty hide under the bed and hiss, use the sizing page for kittycat snuggles and, you know, a proper fit.

videogame dork alert
Obviously I am very very very very very busy right now. You have no idea. Plus I'm writing some new software tools to make my life easier, but of course, during the process of writing them my life becomes harder. So sometimes I have to turn my mind off and play videogames. If you're one of those people with xbox live you should add kenkitty to your friends list, because I'm sure you're tired of all the racist/homophobic dumb boys on there too.

November 2nd 2004: I did.
Hey you american citizens, you voted today, right? Come on, get out there!

October 26th 2004: A new mailing list
My webhost has added a new mailing list package and so I've switched the update mailing list to it. I've actually been sending all the updates emails manually (that's one reason why there has been so few), so my life is much easier now. I didn't use any of the free mailing list services because I'm not willing to give your email address to anyone, and I won't, ever. You'll never get spam from me, directly or indirectly!

If you're already on the old list you don't need to resubscribe (unless you just like clicking on things), otherwise just fill out the form below!

October 7th 2004: I really hate election years
I've put up new long-sleeve shirt styles, just in time for the chilly weather. I also updated the gallery with new photos. Other than that, nothing exciting to report. This election stuff has me stressed and I keep torturing myself by looking at this page. As far as I'm concerned, the northeast and the west coast should run off together and make a groovy new country. Anyone stuck in the middle can come join in!

I have this terrible urge to make more hats. Would anyone buy them? They would have to be fairly expensive...

October 3rd 2004: I hate election years
ooops! I almost forgot the contest. Alexandra D wins this time!

So yeah, no update yet. But, um, soon. I've been busy of course, plus I managed to find a new thing to get sidetracked with, knitting hats. It's getting cold out!

first hat. eh. The stripe was an nigh-afterthought.

panda hat! much better.

Hat #3 - a hat for shan.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

Make sure you vote next month. Make sure you talk to everyone you know who can also vote, and make sure they aren't voting for the war mongering, rights-stomping jerk who stole the last election. Seriously, talk to your mom, your mail carrier, your tofu salesperson, etc. Because maybe they've been frightened by the current administration into thinking that there's only one choice, and we know that's not true.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

September 1st 2004: I hate the RNC
Obviously I haven't quite been able to keep up with a regular schedule of updates, I'm distracted too easily and I've been working on other things in the last month. For example, I finally restored a 1913 Singer treadle (foot-powered) sewing machine that I found in the trash:

and I made wall hangers for my guitars:

and an eight-foot tall cat gym for my kitties:

And a million other things. But don't worry, I will be doing a proper mushycat update soon, and yes, I will be using that sewing machine to make new mushycat stuff.

The winner of August's high-score memory game contest is Gina B, who gets 10 free buttons!

August 2nd 2004: It's just a game
The winner of the very first button concentration game high-score 'contest' is Carolynn T! She gets 10 free buttons. That's a good prize, right? I'm doing the same thing this month.

So my wonderful post office now has internet access and they've been dropping by my site. In all of my mushycat years none of the other post offices I've been to have ever asked for my url (I guess they didn't care about me *sniff*). So hello to the Washingtonville Post Office! Thanks for not minding my excessive package posting all the time.

July 22th 2004: My poor kitties!
No update this week I'm afraid, I'm terribly busy at the moment *plus* my sweet little kittens of love just got nuetered today. They're fine and resting but I was worried all day.

July 17th 2004: Randomness
I put up a page o'random buttons, for those times when you want to shrug off structure and labels and just leave things up to chance (or rnd() functions).

July 8th 2004: New Buttons
Hello! I've got a little update for you, a bunch of new buttons. More soon, I sorta make them in nigh-random order and my to-make list is *very* long.

I also added some existing shirt designs in new colors, just because I was able to do so when I was making things.

I've got a little contest going with the flash game I wrote and put up at the end of last month (see the last update entry). At the end of July the person with the highest score will get something, probably a bunch of buttons of their choice though I haven't quite decided.

oh and I finally added photos to the gallery.

So if you haven't gone to see Fahrenheit 9/11 please do, especially if you get most of your news from the networks and don't really know what's been going on. It'll make you angry and hopefully it'll make you vote.

June 24th 2004: ooh a game
I've found myself a bit overwhelmed with orders right now, so I again didn't have time (or the energy) for a proper update. In fact, today I just procrastinated. I tend to procrastinate a bit differently from most people though.

I wrote you all a little game. It's only the second thing I've ever written in Flash so I hope it works. Just make sure you have the lastest version of the Flash player installed in your browser. It's a concentration-style game with buttons. "Cake" is the easy version and "or Death?" is the hard version. Yeah, Eddie.

I wanted to add sound and a scoreboard but I'll save that for another day. If you get over 100,000 let me know, you're better than I am at it. : )

Oh, and it's not some silly way to get you to look at buttons to buy, that's beneath me. It's just for fun!

June 6th 2004: A little something...
I said I was going to update and I am! It's a bit of a different update though... Have you ever looked at one of my buttons and said, "I like what that says but I hate the colors!"? It happens, I'm sure, no matter how hard I try to pick nice colors. Ah well. But now you can pick your own colors! So go look.

PLEASE let me know if you have any troubles with the site not working properly. Remember that you have to have cookies on in your browser for the cart to work (I only use cookies to store your cart stuff, there's no ID or anything creepy). If you email me I will surely do everything I can to get the site to work on your computer!

New designs in the next update, coming in a fortnight. Don't forget!

My neighbors are playing country music, someone please come and blow up their radio. Hey wow after I typed that they stopped!

Ronald Regan died. Suddenly, he was a good president. Are they fucking kidding me? The Great Communicator? He just made stuff up! Maybe it was all the nuclear waste he kept under his desk...

May 27th 2004: finally!
Hey look! A real update! Finally! Sorry I took so long, I'm all out of good excuses, so you'll just have to believe me when I say that it's hard doing all this stuff by myself! Anyway, there are over 100 new buttons, lots of new shirts, a few new undies, and as some of you have already found, MUGS! Why make mugs? I'm not sure, it's somewhere between just being neat to do at all and another good way to start conversations. Plus, you know, they hold liquids.

I'm going to start updating every two weeks no matter what. It's just better if I set a goal for myself like that other than just 'when I can' because it builds up too much and becomes daunting.

And here's a picture of my kitties taking a catnap. Aren't they silly?

May 1st 2004: ouchie
I was at the March for Women's Lives last week, I hope you were there too. The march was great but remember, we have to keep 'marching' every day! One day is not enough.

Unfortunately I hurt my hand this weekend on a ladder's sharp bits. Four stitches on my left hand! It hasn't really affected my work but typing is a bit difficult, so if I'm a bit slow with email please understand.

The last time I had stitches was when I was like, four years old in Colombia. I fell down and cut myself above my eye. The hospital there was scary, I remember it as a long hall with open rooms on both sides and when the doctor put a sheet over my head (presumably to do the stitches) I screamed and ran out to find my mom. Good traumatic fun! I still have the scar. Anyway, this time I didn't scream *or* run out of the room. ^___^

And yes, I will update the site sometime soon. Gosh I've been bad about that!

March 17th 2004: mainly a behind-the-scenes update
All of the shirts have the same base price now, so you can pick whatever color shirts you want. I'm abandoning the idea of having certain blank shirts 'in stock', it just works better to get them as I need them, hence the change.

The shopping cart can now handle multiple custom color shirts now too, so order whatever you want. I made some other changes but they're for things to come...

And now... more kitten pictures!

They're the sweetest! Bunny is particularly cuddly.

There's something new on the site if you look really hard, but it's not quite ready that's why it's kinda hidden. Maybe tomorrow!

March 6th 2004: please be patient!
I'm increasing my stated turn-around time on shirt and undie orders to 1-4 weeks (up from 2-3 weeks). Captain, I need more time! I'm trying to get them out as fast as I can but it's not easy. There's alot to juggle. Most orders will go out fairly quickly, but some may take longer.

oh, and I updated the gallery yesterday.

I tried to make tofu today (directly from soybeans). I failed miserably. And it was soooo haaarrrrrrrd. I'm not giving up but I don't know what went wrong. Ah well. I got lots of nice okara out of it at least.

Update: After making shirts all night I gave making tofu another go and it worked! It tasted *really* good.

March 5th 2004: A non-update
Hi! I know it's been awhile since I really updated the site with new stuff, and I keep saying I will but it hasn't happened. Well, I'm totally going to, just not quite yet. : ) I've been sooooo busy, in January it was moving to a new place and lots of orders, in February it was tons and tons and heaps of orders, and now finally in March I think I have some time to breathe. Maybe. Remember, I make and do everything all by myself, it's kinda hard.

I can't believe it's March already though.

Something totally new and sorta dorky is coming soon... I wasn't intending on making them, but then I just realized that I already had almost everything to do it, so...

I wanted to tell you about this cool 'Pro-Choice/Pro-Fashion' show that's happening on the 13th at the University of Missouri-Columbia (I made some buttons for it and it sounded really great). The proceeds will help students go to the March for Women's Lives in DC next month (I'll be at the march btw). It's at the Mark Twain Ballroom on campus and it starts at 6:30pm. Admission is $5 and whatever you want to donate. If you need more info let me know and I'll put you in touch.

I'm changing my mailing address again. The Salisbury Mills post office is really nice and the people are sweet, but um... the service is um... slow. I don't actually live in Salisbury Mills, where I live doesn't actually have its own post office so I have a few to choose from, all one 'town' over. My new post office is great and the clerks don't fall asleep at their counters. : ) Here's the new address:

Ken F. Morton
PO Box 103
Washingtonville, NY 10992

I'll still get mail at the old box so don't worry if you've already sent something to that one.

Look! Kittens!!!!! kittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittens!

Aren't they adorable? Their names are Honey and Bunny. Bunny is all fuzzy and is snuggled up next to me right now. Honey has concerned little eyes and is sleeping at my feet. They run around like crazy and terrorize Little Bub! Actually they just play with her tail. She's not too keen about that but she's coming around. She and Bunny were napping together today, awwwww

I'm going to build them a beanstalk leading up to a castle in the clouds. No, really!

And here's a squirrel that lives around here. I think he looks like he's straight out of a Miyazaki film.

January 6th 2004: New PO Box!
okay I've got a new PO Box set up, please sent all payments and other things here now:

Ken F. Morton
PO Box 325
Salisbury Mills, NY 12577

If you already sent stuff to my old address, don't worry I'll still get it just fine.

My new post office is so totally different from my old one... there's just one clerk and she's slooooooowwwwwww but it doesn't look like I'll be waiting on line very much at all. At my old post office there were lots of clerks but the lines were always crazy anyway.

January 5th 2004: It isn't home until it has DSL
Hi again! So I'm all moved in and mainly set up, orders are going out again but I'm still trying to catch up on emails and stuff. Custom button orders are also taking awhile for me to do, so be patient!

There's been so many things I've had to do to get the house 'running'. I forgot to call the gas people and so for the last two days I didn't have any hot water. But that's taken care of now. : ) I'm going to have a new PO Box address soon and I'll let you know as soon as I do, but for now the old address is fine to use.

So yeah, a house. It's actually in a pretty rural area on the side of a mountain so it's amazingly different from having a tiny apartment on a really busy street in Queens. It's quiet and dark and most everyone is actually friendly, which is weird. I'm going to be able to do all sorts of good stuff here, not only is there more space for me to work, but I'm also going to be doing crunchy things like collecting rainwater for a garden, reusing graywater, and maintaining a compost heap. The house has a well and a septic system so I have to be very careful about use and waste, which I already was, but now it's just totally real and not an abstraction of sorts. I'm also planning on building a small greenhouse once I see how the sunlight falls around the place.

The mountain is a state park so I can hike it. Which is good since there's like no where to bike around here.

Anyway, I've also got a bunch of stuff coming up for mushycat this year. I'm teaching myself some new skills so there will be two new apparel-type things coming. I also want to start making these knitted bags I designed... There's going to be a herstorical series of buttons, more for infomational purposes than anything else. Oh, and I have a little shed now so I'm going to be able to start building guitars again. There are a bunch of other things I want to do as well, and of course there will be new button and shirt designs soon. After I get caught up I'll put those up, that should be around the end of the month.

I'm also going to be working on stuff for myself, like playing and recording music. I got a cheap cello for xmas and I'm going to teach myself to play that as well. Cellos are dreamy even when they are made out of nigh-cardboard.

And the best part is that little bub the cute kitty has lots of room to run around now.