Nice to see standards represented so well. They are terrific dogs.
Plnnr - Maggie is probably the sweetest dog I’ve ever had. She’s very skinny and hard to keep weight on because she’s always too busy being busy. She’s all stringy muscle. She loves to put her paws on my shoulders and lay her head on my shoulder.
StG
All I have are fish just now, but they would be:
**The 6 adult and ?? baby platys: **some sort of weird polygamist cult, with everybody shagging everybody and tons and tons of babies all over the place and all the women always pregnant. Have food delivered via meals on wheels and are very very keen to eat the government cheese they get daily. Strangely vacant smiles of the mad on their faces most of the time.
The 2 (male and female) dwarf Gourami: the Dual Income No Kids upwardly mobile yuppies. However, both of their tech jobs got outsourced to India and their home was foreclosed on so they now have to live in the trailer park with the religious cultists. Try to be sophisticated and have nice things, but unable to because they live in a trailer park and their stuff keeps getting robbed by the cultists. Survive on government subsidies. Secretly think they’re better than the trailer park manager simply because they’re forced to live here while he chooses to, and like to tease him by sneaking into his garden and stealing his vegetables at night. The male is secretly gay and enjoys cross-dressing in the most flamboyant things he can find in his size. The female desperately wants to get pregnant but hardly ever can find the time and doesn’t want to raise kids in the trailer park.
The Apple Snail: a speed freak who occasionally smokes weed. Manic most of the rest of the time, racing around the trailer park vacuuming the grass. Social services keeps coming by and taking his kids away (snails reproduce without sex, so we keep getting little babies that we have to flush away). He does sometimes drop his food and run away into his house to escape the incessant nagging and squabbling from the other denizens of the trailer park.
The Ruby Shark: grumpy old man and manager of the trailer park. He shouts at all the weirdos to get off his lawn, and has a particular grudge against the DINK couple because he knows they think they’re better than he is. He likes to nag them and force them to stay in their own little parcel and not stray onto his manicured lawn. Secretly a big softie who really likes kids and plays with the baby cultists, but just never had the opportunity to have his own.
Never thought I’d spend so much time watching a fish tank, or that fish would have any discernible personalities, but these suckers definitely do. I swear it’s like a soap opera in there.
That sounds much like Jake. He is famous for coming up to me on the couch and resting his head in my lap. Then he puts on paw up - then another. Pretty soon he’s trying to get his back legs up so he can get in my lap. Of course, he’s trying to be very cool about it, but it is hard not to notice a 70lb dog. Maybe he’s not as dumb as he lets on.
They’re just a wonderful breed. Smart as whips (in their own mysterious way), graceful, athletic, agile, sweet and good natured. The perfect breed in my book.
oh, two more for the hell of it:
**Ex-girlfriend cat 1 (Burmese): **A 30 year old with mild Downs Syndrome. Thinks that he is super strong and super tough and can do whatever he wants but isn’t really capable of doing much of what he thinks he can and isn’t nearly as physically gifted or as good at outdoor sports as he thinks he is. Very popular and friendly and outgoing, but scared of spending large amounts of time alone and somewhat in love with the sound of his own voice. Hates change.
Ex-girlfriend Cat 2 (Tonkinese): 20-year-old blond college cheerleader who is very accident prone. Never means to hurt anyone or break anything, but just keeps hitting parked cars with her own car. Lovely to look at, and friendly as anything, but knows how pretty she is and doesn’t mind using that to her advantage, especially when she’s trying to get out of a ticket for hitting yet another parked car.
Mom’s dog 1 (wolf hybrid): 80-year-old but still hale and hearty sheriff of the local town. Keeps the peace, and knows what his role is and is secure in his position. Really loves his family, and really loves spending time with them, but still sometimes just needs to spend some time on his own or with his friends down at the bar. Likes order and peace, and isn’t adverse to cracking heads together to get it, but also knows that he isn’t the governor of the place and is very happy not being in charge. Has seen it all and is very calm about nearly everything, and loves to run his little world of the small town. Won’t tolerate funny business from anyone.
Mom’s dog 2 (?? rescue breed, who the vet honestly can’t identify): A hyperactive teenager who loves everyone and loves to play with her friends but can’t really understand that she’s far too rough and often gets scolded by the Sheriff for breaking the rules. Never does anything really bad, but is quite excitable and often over-reacts.
Sister’s dog 1 (Australian shepherd cross): A high-strung, extremely intelligent, mid-level manger of an insurance company who is secretly gay. Knows exactly how things are supposed to be, and what the process is that should be followed, and very much dislikes any variation from established procedures. Likes long vacations in the car, but dislikes not having his own place to call home and dislikes sharing most things with anyone else.
Sis’s dog 2 (yellow Lab): A petite blonde 40-year-old who loves absolutely everyone and is attractive, but doesn’t understand how her overbearing affection for everyone is offputting almost to the point of nausea. Desperately wants to be the center of attention, and desperately craves the approval and affection of her companions, but doesn’t really know how to get it so just sleeps with everyone.
Sis’s dog 3 (Pekinese with a hair lip and a single snaggle tooth pointing straight out of his mouth): Classic small-man’s syndrome. Thinks he’s tough and rough and tries to pick fights with the others who largely ignore him. If he can get a fight, though, he absolutely loves it and is so happy to keep going but doesn’t really want to hurt anyone.
Sis’s cat 1 (Siamese): juvenile delinquent with a bad attitude, a criminal record for drugs and assault, and a mean streak a mile wide. But can be very sweet and affectionate, but only on his terms and when he’s not too busy doing criminal acts. Likes to fight, and is always happy to scrap with anyone his size or bigger, and has no fear of anything or anyone.
Brother’s dog (chocolate lab): Overweight 25 year old ex-cheerleader who just loves everyone and can’t quite figure out why she hasn’t been able to settle down and have kids yet. Loves spending time with her friends, and whilst pretty fit is still a slave to her meals and finds a bit of comfort in food. Usually very mild and relaxed, but craves specific attention from men and can get sulky if she doesn’t get it and sometimes goes absolutely manic with expressions of excitement.
My girlfriend / fiance wants to get an English mastiff - I’m trying to convince her to get a beagle or a lab. I can’t imagine what an English Mastiff’s personality would be like, although I’ve heard they’re absolutely brilliant dogs.
Ominous, five year old male gray tabby - the brother we don’t talk about. Tells you hourly how much he loves you, then looks you in the eye, smiles, and wizzes up your wall.
I see we agree that all female poodles are nature’s cheerleaders.
We gave up on the lap issue a long time ago. Poodles are lap dogs. Naturally.
Kaylon, may he eternally chase rabbits, catch them, prod them, then watch them zoom off again…
He would have been a soccer player. And gone out for Crew. And later, I think he would have been the sort to be a park ranger. Always there to help people.
See? Helping.
Even when he was fully turned out, he still looked masculine.
Honestly, probably a Kennedy. His father’s brother won Westminster a few years back.
E-Sabbath - Was Kaylon’s uncle the great Peter? That was a very impressive dog.
StG
GomiBoy–that was great 
Oliver, the senior parakeet: a fuss-budgety, somewhat nervous little old man, probably an immigrant from some obscure European country and quite possibly Jewish, who goes about his business while conducting a running commentary/diatribe in his native language just under his breath.While grumpy and a little over-cautious, he’s basically a good-natured and fun-loving gentleman. He somehow ended up married to the exotic beauty Clara laBlanca, about whom more below; while he’s devoted to her and usually plays along with her willful ways, every now and then he puts his foot down.
Clara laBlanca, another parakeet {and Oliver’s partner}: she’s a tempestuous, excitable circus acrobat from Mexico City; both passionate lover and domineering missus to her more retiring hubby, and a major drama queen. While basically faithful to her man, she likes to tease and flirt with the younger element.
Alias Alibi Erickson-Pop, the *other *parakeet: an eccentric, enterprising young chap of high intelligence and great curiosity but no formal schooling, who’s both a keen student of the world around him and a dedicated athlete, who has made friends outside his original culture. He’ is also the only person capable of keeping the Dread Blue-And-Yellow Jingly-Ball in line, so he’s employed as a professional Ball-Buster. On his free time he’s quite the hedonist.
Peter was. Gramma Linda is a heck of a breeder, up in Connecticut. I think you can see the family resemblance. Funny thing is, so we’re sitting there, watching the show, and Kalyon’s watching too. And then it gets up to the poodle, and he gets up, charges to the TV, puts both paws on the screen, and nose-to-poodle watches intently.
Didn’t do that for any other dog.
I want to say Kaylon’s father was Alexander, and I think Alexander was from the same litter, or the litter after, but sharing both parents.
Steve may be starting a new plot: this morning we found 3 parrots marching on the floor in a circle, with Steve staring down at them from his cage. He looked like he was reviewing a parade of the troops.
Thanks. Slow day at work 
Samantha the Brave: Found as a feral kitten along the river bottom by my (now) wife, many years before we met. Patchwork coat, indicating genes that can’t choose between tabby and calico. Lovely cougarish face. Then a hyperactive fierce bundle of destructive energy, by repute. Now decidedly creakier and sleepier, and about half-tame. A bit woodchuck-like around the torso.
Pesronality: JUST like Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) off Will and Grace – spoiled, selfish, impatient, yet a lot of fun withal. Oddly, my younger brother is JUST like Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) in many ways. You’d think they’d get along better, but she’s still lukewarm to him.
Pixel Murry, our boy cat: Very handsome and fit early 30s eligible bachelor. Total metrosexual with piercing green eyes. Extremely affectionate and given to kissing everyone hello. Tends toward cockiness and strutting, but loves to have fun. Master of martial arts, prolific gardener and huge fan of Broadway musicals.
India, the momma cat: Tall and slender 30-year-old with sleek, glossy black hair. Socially inept but awkwardly affectionate. Possibly agoraphobic. Unwed mother with a serious potty mouth. Always dressed for the occasion, even if there isn’t one. Loves basic black.
Hazel, our girl cat: Plump and curvaceous 20-something redhead with hints of blonde. Incessantly talkative, huge vocabulary, loves to sing. Unfortunately, not the sharpest knife in the drawer. She loves everyone and is extremely affectionate. She drives a convertible, always with the top down, and sometimes faster than she should. Enjoys rough sports and likes to shoot hoops.
Great photos. I’ll try and get some of Jake and Lulu up. They’re getting groomed today so they’ll be more presentable. I usually let them go a little too natural and they end up looking like Rastafarians on a three day bender.
Raven (domestic short hair cat, black) - Currently the kind of little old lady who has a sword in her cane and makes jokes about liking children. Parbroiled. Previously, she was a rail-thin uberbitch in stilleto heels and fishnet stockings. She has no use for other women but is a complete slut for me - the more disreputable, the better. She smokes with a cigarette holder and blows the smoke in people’s faces. She probably had a job running guns to guerilla rebels and thinks she can still take anyone on in a fight.
Cee-Cee: a killer for the CIA, she retired in the Clinton administration, but now wishes she hadn’t. She thinks the current administration would better utilize her talents. They wouldn’t, because she enjoyed her job a little too much, leaving targets all messy. She occasionally stubs out her cigarettes on Barbara.
Barbara is a male cheerleader who got lost in the wilderness on a church group mission. His ordeal has only deepened his belief that people are essentially good, and he should be grateful for his life and comforts. He has switched majors to healthcare, and wants to be a nurse. He likes Cee-cee, even with her “funny little ways”. The cigarettes are always a surprise, but he shrugs them off, he’s been through a lot worse, and thinks she is just acting out some old trauma. He worries about people if he does not know where they are at all times, and likes offering comfort.
Tiffany is a slightly-neurotic, slightly-artsy-type woman in her thirties. Probably chainsmokes, definitely bites her nails. Sees a therapist, because she has Issues, but luckily for her she’s very pretty and sort of appealingly vulnerable, so she’s rarely without friends around to take care of her.
TJ is Homer Simpson.
Boris is a teenaged boy who is always hiding in his room building something. You’re never quite sure if he’s developing the next great invention or building pipe bombs. He leaves stray screws and pieces of wire everywhere. Periodically there’s an ominous crash from his room but he sweeps everything out of sight when anybody opens the door. He cuts every class but gets straight A’s. He can’t pass a doorway without jumping up and doing a couple of pull-ups on the doorframe.
Natasha is a 13 year old girl who always suffered from not being as smart as her brother. She compensates by being the good girl, and more social, but she is prone to tattling. She used to be chubby, but has slimmed down, and likes to experiment with her hair and makeup, but still thinks of herself as chubby and unattractive.