Is it just us, or does it seem like the entire U.S. culture lacks maturity? Why are social media, politics, TV, even sometimes academia so juvenile?

In the next installment of the All But True series, two grown-up authors depict the lives of protagonists who struggle to reach emotional maturity even long after they can buy a legal drink.

In NONE OF THE ABOVE, author Michael Cocchiarale gives us 27 years in the life of an earnest Midwesterner, Increase “Ink” Alt, from childhood into his thirties. Like so many of us, Ink has trouble figuring out where he fits in the world. He constantly struggles to keep up with more sophisticated peers, and yet the reader sees that most of them aren’t good role models for him. Even when Ink returns to his hometown as a highly educated adult, he still has much to learn about himself. Trials and traumas put his maturity to the test in ways he never expected.

In THE MINORS by Chris Ludovici, both protagonists have to work on their maturity. One is Samantha “Sam” Heller, a teenager whose father has left to start a new job. Supposedly the family will join him soon, but the situation gets complicated, in part because of Nick Rogers, a 28-year-old contractor hired to fix up the house before it’s put on the market. Nick, a failed minor-league baseball player and habitual screw-up, gets drawn into being a confidant to the mother and a substitute dad for Sam and her younger brother—challenging roles for which he’s not at all prepared. In this novel all the characters need to grow up, and the author describes their difficult paths—full of betrayals, angst, and a few bloody knuckles—with both insight and compassion.

The program starts at 6:30 p.m. at Penn Book Center, 34th & Sansom Streets in West Philly, adjacent to the University of Pennsylvania. As always, the event includes author readings, discussion, book signings, and free refreshments.

If we aren’t mature after this event, we’ll all go home and listen to NPR.

Bowsers is available for adoption.

Project MEOW, the West Philly-based cat rescue organization, has many cats and kittens available for adoption.

This month’s spotlight cat is Bowsers, a rambunctious black kitty with a big personality. Bowsers entered Project Meow’s world voluntarily, when he followed one of our volunteers home one night in September. Because of the sheer volume of cats in need of being spayed and neutered, Project MEOW TNRs (Trap-Neuter-Return) many of the strays they find, and releases them back to where found.

He was not happy in his trap while we initially took care of him and had his vet work done, but since he has been with his foster mom, he has put on weight and his coat has become healthy and sleek, and he’s much happier.  Continue Reading

From the Philadelphia Tenants Union Facebook page.

The Philadelphia Tenants Union is hosting a cookout fundraiser this Saturday for residents wrongfully served eviction notices at two West Philly apartment buildings. While a court has put the evictions on hold, the landlord, the Abington-based SBG Management, is now reportedly withholding security deposits, making it difficult for residents to transition out of the buildings.

The fundraiser for residents of Admiral Court and Dorset Court apartment buildings, located near 48th and Locust, is scheduled to run from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on July 21 at Clark Park. All of the money raised will go to the tenants, according to a Philadelphia Tenants Union announcement.

Tenants of both buildings were served with eviction notices in early April ordering them to leave by April 30. Community Legal Services won an injunction to stave off evictions in April. Both buildings, which include affordable and Section 8 housing, are up for sale, according to reports.

The suggested donation is $5 to $10 per plate, but no one will be turned away if they can’t afford to donate.

Watson is available for adoption.

Editor’s Note: We are continuing our monthly publications provided by West Philly’s volunteer-run cat rescue organization Project MEOW. This post is about a cat currently available for adoption through Project MEOW and PAWS and also about the importance of keeping your cat away from toxic plants and flowers, like lilies.

Everyone, or almost everyone loves flowers. Especially in the dead of winter, what could be nicer than a big vase full of flowers to make us believe that spring has not abandoned us? Unfortunately, many kinds, including the lovely white Easter Lilies, gorgeous Asian Lilies and even plants in the lily family – Astromeria for example, are highly toxic to cats. Toxic in that they are lethal if consumed and sometimes the damage cannot be reversed even if you get your cat to the vet shortly after ingestion.

Most florists do not mention this in their shops, although Project MEOW gives a shout-out to any florists that DO tell customers that lilies are deadly to cats. Sadly, a few years ago one of our recently adopted cats died from ingesting lilies, so it’s not as unusual as we would like to hope. What do you do if someone gives you a stunning arrangement that contains lilies? Pull them out of the arrangement and give them to a pet-free neighbor.  Continue Reading

A summer-long themed series of free film screenings in the Haas Biergarten underneath the Ben Franklin Bridge. Enjoy dinner and drinks from La Peg outside and in or food from the outdoor Seafood Shack. Films are shown every Wednesday evening at 8:30 beginning on June 6th and ending on August 15th (excluding July 4th). This year, June’s theme is High School, July’s theme is ’90s Action Movies, and August’s theme is Summer Camp.

A summer-long themed series of free film screenings in the Haas Biergarten underneath the Ben Franklin Bridge. Enjoy dinner and drinks from La Peg outside and in or food from the outdoor Seafood Shack. Films are shown every Wednesday evening at 8:30 beginning on June 6th and ending on August 15th (excluding July 4th). This year, June’s theme is High School, July’s theme is ’90s Action Movies, and August’s theme is Summer Camp.