Qwiki & my pal Coco

I have a pal, Coco. He's a beautiful fellow, inside and out. He's a dog about whom the phrase "man's best friend" could have been written. Words that describe Coco: mellow, smart, open-minded, friendly, a lover of classic rock and film noir, a loving, kind soul.

Click on my link below to see my brief tribute.

click: Coco's Qwiki visuals with music

Little Lucy Visits

As you'll note from the photo, I've been napping and catching up with my zzzzz's after a thrilling spring break weekend. Little Lucy, aka Lucy Robins, flew into town from Boston, accompanied by Melinda, her Maman. [see other photo]

I've known Lucy long-distance for several years but this was our first face-to-face. Maman has known Melinda for a couple of decades! Maman et Papa love Melinda and Lucy. Perfect set up for a wonderful few doggie-centered days.

What we did: ate. watched the Oscar's. walked. slept. played. ran & jumped in the UGA intramural fields. requested special treats. Need I say more? Every element of a perfect fun-filled weekend.

What I learned about Lucy: her weight, 9lbs. personality, alpha dog. talents, goes for a walk off leash. Adventuresome & adapts well to unfamiliar & challenging situations. Willing to travel tourist class even though she's a first-class kind of girl.

Lucy revealed a lot about her life in Melrose (the town near Boston where Lucy's house is located). She occasionally travels into the city to give a lecture at Emerson College after which she lunches at the Ritz and then indulges in a postprandial stroll through the Boston Gardens. On days at home, she rests, roots out dropped bits of food, gazes out the windows, dips into a murder mystery (she prefers those by Georges Simenon or the English police procedural genre) and then rests when her eyes get tired from reading. She asserts her alpha personality when necessary -- which is infrequent since she established her requirements on her initial interview with Melinda. Few variations to those established routines of home life occur.

Lucy enjoys long walks, rainy days spent indoors, prefers Italian to Mexican foods, and swing to punk. Favorite film star: Asta. Favorite color: red (like her coat). She enjoys a cuddle but she also treasures alone time.

I love Lucy now that I've met her face-to-face even more than I loved her long-distance. She's my best pal. I'm so happy that she accepted my gift to her, the royal-purple bed that becomes her so well.

My New Friend, JPEG

Meet my new friend, JPEG.

JPEG lives with Peter & Amy.

Peter, a noted photographer, Amy a popular professor & widely published scholar have been my friends for the last 2 years, i.e. ever since I arrived at the Roushanzamir home. Since JPEG chose to make his home with them, their calls upon us have changed in ways unpredictable yet entirely satisfactorily.

Peter & Amy pursue international agendas of great significance. And previously, their conversations tended to reflect their interests.

Above view but one of Peter's shots documenting conditions in war zones (here Iraq). He has travelled to developing countries, ongoing wars on several continents, & locations of the aftermath of conflict situations bringing, through his photos, the devastating human tragedies very close to those who otherwise all too often choose to remain ignorant (or as I refer to it, learned ignorance).

Amy's curriculum vita with her list of publications speaks for itself. Please click the link to view it (& to see a wonderfully representative picture of Amy).

Accomplished as they prove themselves, their visits occasioned only passing acknowledgment of my presence. Yes, they were kind, yes, they greeted and bade me au revoir respectfully and yes, they might (no guarantee) pass me a pistachio or, even more rarely, a sip of champagne.

But those unforeseen consequences of adding JPEG to the mix improve the quality of these visits dramatically.

Perhaps because JPEG personally selected Peter & Amy as his rescue people, the folks with whom he wished to spend his life (may be long; he's a 3 month old puppy), they seem especially appreciative of the blessing that walks with them.

And such happy results (for me).

Since JPEG's arrival, Peter's & Amy's formerly wide-ranging conversation is now --and let's be honest, thank goodness for it -- pretty much limited to JPEG: his behaviors, social adjustments, quirks, good looks, habits, preferences, and so forth. (Benefits accrue to me by association.)

And while they undoubtedly plan to continue with their presitigous careers and distinguished pursuits, their lives (properly) center around JPEG. Now, JPEG and I together determine the agenda & logistics of the (sadly, all too infrequent) occasions of their visits.

Look at his appealing face, glorious coat, handsome markings, perky ears, slender paws, sleek & perfectly proportioned body -- and those eyes, what eyes! JPEG, now a treasured part of my life, enriches the lives of Peter, Amy and all who meet him. Thank you for choosing Peter & Amy as your rescue people & for thus rescuing Peter & Amy (& frankly your impact on Mama et Papa is also refreshing).

And finally, thank you for your love, licks, your glorious public displays of affection, your friendship.

Ready for Our Close Up

Taking a break from the marker called in [i.e., Mama's insistence that I fulfill my promise to write about her accomplished friends & former students in a timely way--read previous entry], allow me to introduce the Best of the Best in dog closeups.

First, my own [see photo above]. Sadly, Mama's photographic ability varies. Still, this shot displays my long eyelashes, splendid nose and thick head of lustrous hair to, if not perfection, advantage.

[Observe: left is Mama's slightly better photographic effort added on February 7, 2007]. She hasn't heard the last of the Close up readiness issue. In the meantime, I recommend watching Sunset Boulevard for a first-class close up-- & refer you to [Re]noir entry, January 21, 2007 & Noir, January 26 for more information about film noir. ]

Next, Mary Catherine. Named for the most famous & powerful Russian Emperor[ess], Mary Catherine's Papas treat her with deference only fitting & adamantly insist that others behave similarly. With her regal & commanding demeanor & inherent sense of nobless oblige, prompting is unnecessary; Mary Catherine inspires suitable treatment simply by her aura of authority, her charisma. Adorned with satin and gold--she wears a golden name tag on a Louis Vuitton collar--[see 1/30/07 entry], she is royally coifed and perfumed, and petted by all she encounters.

Finally, the pin-up girl. Miss February, chosen to grace the home and business walls & lockers of men and women alike for the entire month of Februrary [therefore hanging, as I write, in a strategic place selected for most frequent viewing in the Roushanzamir home], stands out from the other 11 celebrity dogs chosen to represent the height of beauty [and the It factor] for this, the most famous edition of the poodle calander. The reason seems obvious. [but for the visually challenged, note her close resemblance to me]

Mercury's futon

For you, loyal readers, who worry that I'm relegated to Dog Status [i.e. dog-in-the-manger] in the Roushanzamir household, I've provided this [minor] evidence to the contrary.

True, I could wish for better things: a fine china bowl for my food and Waterford crystal stem-ware for water [in lieu of the green plastic cat dish & water in an absurdly large blue container]; three meals per day [instead of two] with a greater variety of menus [it could hardly be less since I eat the same--premium--dog food day after day]; a couture gem studded collar [the jewels wouldn't have to be diamonds]; an 18- or 22-carat gold or platinum name tag, and so forth. I could also hope [and do] that Mama would stop dressing me in sweaters, hats, raincoats and t-shirts [but she hasn't-- as yet-- sunk so low as to insist upon frilly dresses or frou frou hair styles].

Dear fans, do not despair or worry unduly [your steadfast concern is appreciated]. Here, pictured, a green futon, Mercury's futon, which is [however slight] concrete proof that Mama et Papa contrive to construct a proper environment, maximizing what resources [admitedly scant] they possess to ensure [a measure of] my comfort & pleasure .

***Forthcoming: my entry about the friends, both dogs & humans, with whom Mama et Papa permit me to associate.***