This is my fellaguybuddy, Blue (he came with the name, don't look at me). I pronounce it Baloo, like the character from the Jungle Book, since he seems to be pretty easy going but ready to play. With those eyes and that face, you can imagine how my heart melted when I met him. He came to live with Rob, Annie & me in September 2007. Initially, I took him just for a trial weekend but at the end of the trial, I couldn’t give him back. Did I mention he is HUGE?
He is an excellent retriever and a good friend to Annie. He became an even better friend once he was "fixed" and stopped trying to be her boyfriend. That being said, if he doesn't stop eating things (the lattice under the deck, peaches from the trees, peppers from the plant, the compost from the garden, and screwdrivers...the list goes on & on) he may not make it to his 2nd birthday in October!
When he is "working" with me or Rob, he is brilliant! If he delivers a cold beer from the person in the kitchen to the person who needs it, he is awesome. But, when he is bringing me my black bra (his favorite) or underwear when we have company, he definitely tries my patience! With the size if him it is easy to forget he is just a puppy and still learning the rules of life at the Volta house. Like a little kid, EVERYTHING goes into his mouth (see above for a partial list of things eaten).
Despite my best efforts, I love this dog. I read Marley and Me, laughing and crying and sympathizing with the author through the entire book. At the end, I sobbed like a baby and hugged Blue for an hour. This gigantic brown dog with a silly name worked his way into my heart when I wasn't looking. I am lucky Blue is part of my family and I can’t imagine my life without him.
I work at the Utah Museum of Natural History on the University of Utah campus (top photo). This library-turned-museum building, built in the 30's, displays just a snippet of what we have to share. We have incredible collections - most of which are housed in the basement or off-site. These pictures/renderings are of our new facility. My job is to work with a small team of people to help find funding so we can build these cool new digs! We break ground on July 29th and will hopefully have the doors open for visitors the first part of 2011. 
