Superchunk Crossed Wires/Blinders

The video for this Superchunk song is such a tiny masterpiece of brilliance that I simply had to deliver it to you like a freshly baked treat from the Internet’s secret bakery of wonders. As a lifelong cat enthusiast, I’ve hosted more furry roommates than I can reasonably keep track of, and at the moment our household boasts five indoor kitties and one outdoor momma who supervises the property like a tiny, whiskered landlady.

Cooper, ever the diplomat, adores his feline companions — but only one has earned the coveted title of Best Buddy: Princess Rian, though around here she answers mostly to Princess Pussface. We brought her and her sister inside ages ago (their momma, the outdoor landlord, prefers the great outdoors; we got her fixed, tried to introduce her to indoor life, and she responded with the vibe of a cat who has drafted a formal complaint and signed it with one perfect pawprint.

Princess Pussface, at first, wanted nothing to do with any of us. She perfected the art of the aloof royal glare… until she noticed the other cats having a riotous time. That’s when she surrendered to the dark side — or, more accurately, the fun side — and immediately decided Cooper was her chosen one.

But back to the video. I’ve only ever had one cat who might’ve been capable of starring in it if he’d been allowed to roam the neighborhood like a tiny, chaotic troubadour. Julian was mine — a heart full of affection and a brain full of schemes that definitely weren’t approved by management. He crossed the rainbow bridge about five years ago, but oh, he was a devil. A glorious, mischievous devil. He climbed everything, treated gravity like a personal challenge, and had a particular fondness for stealing my plastic record sleeves so he could surf them down the stairs like a feline Evel Knievel.

I miss Julian. He was trouble wrapped in fur, and he made the world more interesting.