A longtime animal lover, I grew up in a house with dogs and cats, gerbils, hamsters, Guinea pigs, and rabbits. We had aquariums and extensive outdoor bird feeders. My biggest thrill was when we moved next door to a family that owned horses. When my wife and I moved to Madison thirty years ago we rescued a cat from my Mother-in-law and slowly built a menagerie that included more cats, a dog or two, and, with the advent of our son, a small parade of frogs, crickets, walking sticks, and snakes. It is just my wife, a tabby, and a Chihuahua, now - though we are grandparents to two adorable Guinea pigs. Despite all this pet-centric evidence, I do have other interests including music, nature, travel, and art. I like to write, try new foods and watch old movies. I have held a wide variety of jobs from legal courier to the public librarian and happily add pet caretaker to the list.