Christmas morning experiment results: I think my cat is a living theremin.

[Heidi]

If you don't know what a theremin is, check here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd4jvtAr8JM It was one of the earliest electronic musical instruments. You may recognize its sound from the film, "Ed Wood": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1otrlPuaMY

Early this morning, when CMW was still asleep and the house was absolutely silent, I noticed that every time I walked past The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger, his purring became louder, and the the closer I got to him, the higher the pitch of his purring became. So I decided to stand next to his bed and conduct a harmless, controlled experiment with my hand, moving it closer to him and drawing it away, to test for differences in pitch.

The results after 10 minutes of experimentation: The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger is, indeed, a living theremin. Now I just have to practice on him to attain proficiency and launch my new career as a cat thereminist. :rofl:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin

[Shardik]

1. We once had a siamese that was like that...

and the idea of using a cat as a musical instrument brings all kinds of strange visions to mind. :)

[Heidi]

5. Ginger's only part Siamese,

but he does have a lovely singing voice. :rofl:

Merry Christmas, JAYD! :hug: :Hug:

[Callalily]

2. Hilarious, but be careful.

You may have to pay The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger in premium cat food! ;)

[Heidi]

6. Simply Fugue!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!! :hug: :loveya:

Ginger already gets premium cat food: Almo Nature 100 percent bio chicken breast with 2 percent rice. Yeah, he's a little spoiled. :rofl:

[Guava Jelly]

3. Whats next? Ginger juggling?

:P Merry Christmas to you and CMW :loveya:

[Heidi]

7. The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger would _NOT_ be amused!!!

:rofl:

Merry Christmas, dear, to you, Obie and the other one who's name I forgot. :rofl:

:hug:

:loveya:

[malta blue]

4. A cat thereminist?!

You would be most famous and we could say we knew you when....

Merry Christmas Heidi - and to CMW also :hug:

PS - Orange Cookies were a big hit once again :thumbsup:

[Heidi]

8. Good morning!!!

And Merry Christmas, gf! Glad the cookies were a hit! :hug: :hug:

And you don't ever have to worry about me becoming famous as a cat thereminist. (Crowds freak me out.) But it _could_ be an interesting hobby. :rofl:

:loveya:

:*

[bridgit]

9. Theremin' are cool, always reminded me of an electronic saw blade you know? Where you play it...

and you gotta be really good to hit the notes. Was talking with hubby the other day about maybe getting an electronic something or other from Radio Shack...he advised against it but mentioned he used to build photosynthetic Theremin' from circuit boards and stuff from the shack. Asked him how they worked; said the photo cells were so sensitive he'd have to paint them pitch black and just stick a pin hole right in the middle that he could then manipulate by moving his hand over & around. Making similar sounds and more he could then run through filters & stuff but he's theoretical & acoustical sound/music composition UCLA so he's always thinking weird like that I will say Theremin was a serious sort of fellow, though as for *The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger*!?

That is way funny!! :spray: and gf do I hear you but Tim's more like motor boat put-putting round a lake cept for a coo, or trill here and there :) I can see you, however, in a dripping lounge Fabulous Baker Boys kind of dress with The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger on a marble pedestal as the opening for Blue Man Group at Luxor, or maybe a little Cirque de Soleil something

Merry Christmas you guys & Switzerland too! :hug:

[Heidi]

11. I would lovelovelove to _really_ learn to play the theremin,

or just have access to one in order to play around with it. :)

:loveya: :hug: :hug: :hug:

Ginger, CMW and I send you, Tim and the Mistah a Merry Christmas and wishes for a New Year full of love, health and, of course:

:*

[Ellen Forradalom]

10. Living theremins? Highway sign fetishes?

I want to live in your house.

[Heidi]

12. Merry Christmas, Ellen Forradalom!!!!

Yes, we are way too quirky for this world, and it appears that my nephew is well on his way to becoming all-too-like Aunt Heidi. :rofl:

Here, have a page from my collage journal:

[Bertha Venation]

21. Thank you for sharing your visions with us from time to time.

I've told you before and here it is again: I love your work.

:loveya:

[Heidi]

23. "The girl has VISIONS!!!! She a lil bit 'tetched,' ya know."

:rofl: :spray:

And I love your work as a beautiful, good, genuine human being, gf. :hug: :loveya:

[Bertha Venation]

24. Dude!

You will turn my head! Stop! :blush:

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

13. Are there no limits to his talents??

;)

:hug:

[Heidi]

14. He is the INSTRUMENT. _I_ am the talent, my dear.

:rofl: :spray:

Merry Christmas, my dear friend. :hug: :hug:

:loveya:

:* <-- Imagine there's mistletoe above that, m'kay? :P

[lizziegrace]

18. I err...

so sorry. ;)

My ex is a musician who loves sound sculptures and early electronic music. You know, the stuff you can walk away humming...not. :rofl:

:hug:


:*

[Hugin]

15. Know the Theremin! Why, I played one in the Marching Band!

Well... That is until the Summer Thunderstorm. :/

:o Ow!

[Heidi]

16. :envy:

When I was in band, back in backwoods Oklahoma in the late 70s/early 80s, we didn't have electronic instruments. Consequently, I justmarched outta step with my dorky clarinet. x(

Merry Christmas, Prag! :hug: :hug:

:*

[Hugin]

17. I only miss my fillings when I chew ice.

If I'd only known of the feline substitute!

:sigh: Science has let me down again!


Happy New Year! Merry Christmas! and a lovely Holiday Season to you too, Heidi!

:christmashug:

:*

[Bertha Venation]

19. WOO HOOOOO!!

:woohoo: I love it! :rofl:

[Heidi]

20. And you've got about 15 living theremin of your very own!!!!

You could start a theremin ORCHESTRA! :rofl:

Merry Christmas, sweetie! :hug: :loveya:

:*

[Bertha Venation]

22. LOL

I don't think they'd take to being played. Besides, they hate music. I can tell by how they scatter to hide whenever I bring out my guitar.

[Hugin]

25. Because you asked for it... Don't miss this one.

:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5EzKtn2ARE&NR=1

[Heidi]

26. I seriously LOVE the theremin!

Thank you! I fell in love with the instrument after hearing it in the Ed Wood soundtrack and then watching the documentary in the DVD extras. It really was the precursor to a lot of modern electronic instruments and I have to admit that I'd read a lot about the theremin long before it occurred to me that The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger responds to my presence in much the same way that a theremin responds to the human hand. <-- End of a geek's confession. :blush:

[Hugin]

28. I'm more of a Harpsichord enthusiast... So, imagine my surprise at this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPAkyu4C55g

Once again... Have a lovely Christmas. :)

:mistletoe:
:*

[Heidi]

30. That's waaaaaaaaaaaay too close to my six or seven years of FORCED piano lessons

at the hands of Mrs. Brown, holy-roller piano teacher with towering hair who believed that playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" successfully was proof of my prodigy. :rofl: :spray:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. My dear Heidi!

Ah, this is too good! I've always found that theremins are weird and wonderful instruments!

And how very appropriate that Ginger is part theremin!

I'm wishing you, CMW and of course Ginger a most wonderful Christmas! Of course, yours is mostly over, while ours is just getting started, but who cares?

:loveya: :hug:

[Heidi]

29. Hi, Peggy!!!!

Since Ginger is just a "mutt" who only _looks_ Siamese, I'm gonna ask Dr. Dürr to write "Theremin, blue-point" on his vaccination record when we take him in for his surgery next month. (He has a recurrence of a benign tumor on his chest; it was removed about two years ago, but has come back.) Thanks for the GREAT idea! Send good vibes that Dr. Dürr will go along with it. :rofl: :spray:

Our Christmas is far from over, though. I still have to do Christmas dinner for CMW and me to go, as well as Christmas dinner for Ginger (boiled Alaska sea perch), a couple of packages to finish packing for tomorrow's post to the US, and some New Year's cards to write before Christmas is officially over. :yoiks: Good thing I still have nearly five hours left before midnight. :rofl:

Merry Christmas, dear! :hug: :loveya:

[kedrys]

31. We *totally* have to get TWAEBCN Ginger and Quark together

Quark (aka Dave the White) purrs as soon as he sees me, louder and higher if he thinks I'm going to pet him, and if I pick him up, stop the bus. :rofl: