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i loooove critters! i definitely have a mammal bias (i am especially fascinated by marsupials) and my dream is to one day be able to own enough land so that i can keep llamas, goats, dogs, kangaroos and penguins. on this page, you can read about:

- critters that currently live with me or on my property
    [ jump to: canis familiaris ]
    [ jump to: felis catus ]
    [ jump to: sciurus griseus ]
    [ jump to: rattus rattus ]

OLIVE (canis familiaris)

photo galleries: explore the cuteness of olive! **note** clicking on the links below will open a new window in which olive's "album" will be displayed. if you have pop-up blocker software installed on your system, the links may not work unless you use the CTRL key when you click

[ open photo gallery: olive's 3rd birthday (2001) ]
[ open photo gallery: olive's 4th birthday (2002) ]
[ open photo gallery: scholarly olive ]

how i got my greyhound: unlike previous dog-owning attempts, this time i worked my way backwards and identified all the attributes i was seeking in a canine companion, then looked to see what breeds fit the profile (in the past, i had based decisions on breed appearance). i wanted a mellow dog that didn't require daily exercise, didn't bark, wasn't of a breed prone to congenital health problems, didn't require a lot of grooming, was lovable... plus, i wanted my next dog to be a rescue of some sort -- <soapbox> didn't want to support the pet store puppymill machine </soapbox>. so anyway, over the course of about 18 months, i kept doing research and everything kept pointing to 'greyhound.' i wasn't entirely convinced; i mean, all the personality and behavioral attributes were there, but the dogs looked so... pointy. all angles and poky bones. how was i supposed to cuddle with a dog like that?

all doubts were erased once i attended a local 'meet and greet' and got to get up close to the dogs. they were so docile and serene, despite the many strangers touching them. after one more meet and greet a few weeks later, i knew that i had found my breed. i submitted an adoption application and waited to hear back from the adoption coordinators. barely a week later i got a phone call; an adoption had fallen through, could i take a dog right now? they had a small red tiger brindle female, 2 1/2 years old, just in from colorado. i figured what the heck, it was a little sooner than i had planned, but why wait? and so i said yes. the next day i got my olive. as you can see from the photo galleries, i love my baby girl very much. i dream of the day that the stock market rebounds so i can cash out my stock options and buy a big ranch where i can have lots and lots of greyhounds. they truly are beautiful spirits.

want to get your own olive? check out golden state greyhound adoption and talk to stu or barbara. tell them that i sent you!

greyhound links: because you can never get too much greyhound
greyhound adoption
golden state greyhound adoption: if you live in northern california, this is the place to get your greyhound! stu and barbara run a great operation and will make sure you get a greyt dog.

the greyhound project: this site has links to greyhound adoption groups all over the united states. that's how i found GSGA.

end greyhound racing!
greyhoundracingsucks.com: the name pretty much says it all

grey2kusa: national group dedicated to ending greyhound racing. if you want to be seriously disturbed, have a look at the pictures on these pages. some people argue that greyhound racing tracks provide needed jobs in communities and therefore should be allowed to continue operating. i say, learn to f*cking type and get yerself signed up with a temp agency. there is no excuse for making a living this way.

KITTY 2.0, aka MIA (felis catus)

i had to euthanize beloved kitty 1.0, celine, back in april '03, but recently decided that it was time to reintroduce a cat to the household. enter mia, a grey and white stripey 7 month old kitty from the silicon valley humane society. she was born right about when celine died... wonder if their spirits crossed paths? she is very small -- just over 5 lbs -- and seems to really enjoy exploring. check out her photos!

[ open photo gallery: first day home ]

ASSORTED SQUIRRELS (sciurus griseus)

palo alto (my 'hood) is a veritable wonderland of squirrels. not just grey ones, but these really funny black ones! i feed the squirrels in my yard an assortment of peanuts, corn, and sunflower seeds. i keep meaning to take pictures of them, but i never seem to have my camera handy.

MR. RATTY (rattus rattus)

the squirrel feeder also draws mr. ratty out. i don't think rats are anywhere near as cute as squirrels. but he seems like a nice fellow so i don't mind too much. hope he doesn't have plague or anything. he is BIG. fact: in one of my college application essays, i was asked to write about a literary character with whom i strongly identified. i chose templeton the rat (from 'charlotte's web'). another fact: according to the chinese zodiac, i was born in the year of the rat.

[ update 12.05.03 ] r.i.p. rattus rattus. olive had her third confirmed kill last night. well, it was still alive last night, but dead by morning. i think it may have been ms. ratty after all -- when i disposed of the body this morning, i did not see testicles.

rattus mortis