Welcome to my weird little world.

I'm a fish biologist employed by the government. Since some of the things I say here may be considered controversial by some people, I've decided to cloak myself in a little secrecy. It's just easier that way. Those "on the job" who know me personally may recognize me from the things I say or the pictures I post, but I will leave that up to the fish gods.

I cohabit with my boyfriend (who shall also remain nameless and faceless) and three cats (two mine, one his). My two are both rescues and both are chock full of personality. His is a cranky old food whore who will only give you the time of day if you have a loaded dish in your hand.



This is Daki. Also known as the Princess, Snot Face, the Retard, Silly Girl, Freaky Banana, Potato Bug.







This is Mona. Also known as Mona-girl, Potato Bug, Licky Mc Lickerston, One-Eyed Leapin Lizard. She lost her right eye to a foxtail when she was about a month old. She doesn't seem to mind, and it certainly does not slow her down at all.

And this is Oliver. Also known as Fatboy, Cranky pants, Raccoon Butt and The Bottomless Pit. As you can see, he rarely misses a meal if he can help it, and never passes up a chance to bogart everyone else's meals. When he's not growling, hissing and swatting at the girls, that is..... sigh. I see kitty Prozac in his immediate future.


I called my blog what I called it mainly because I am a biologist and a science geek and I love Latin Linnaean classifications. The Felidae part, is pretty easy.... I love cats and they are my family. But Rodentia? Oncorhynchus (Latin for "cancer nose")?

Let me explain.

When I first got Daki, she was a tiny tiny kitten no more than five weeks old and so sick from eye infections, parasites and upper respiratory stuff that it was touch and go for a while as to whether or not she would make it. Well, obviously she did, because I have a picture of her here, all grown up and alive. But once I had pumped her full of enough drugs that she no longer was at death's door and actually able to move around, she looked like a little black rat running around my apartment. I started referring to her as "the rodent" and the nickname stuck, even though she's long since grown into the proverbial beautiful swan and no more resembles a rodent than George Bush resembles a sentient being. Since she has complete run of the house and my heart, "Order Rodentia" seemed to apply, since she issues the orders and I follow them.

The "Genus Oncorhynchus" part.... well, my job focuses on anadromous fish in the genus Oncorhynchus (namely, coho salmon and steelhead trout), both of which are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, a neat little law that was, ironically enough, signed into existence by a Republican president. Coho salmon are also listed under the state Endangered Species Act, but steelhead aren't. That kind of bugs me sometimes.... some people think steelhead are doing fine (and you can fish for them even in places where they are listed) and maybe they are, but the underlying causes for their population declines aren't going away so I doubt things will improve unless more attention is paid to these factors.

So there you have it. The only species I haven't accounted for is Homo sapiens, but I like it better that way. Humans are overexposed, too arrogant, and we tend to eclipse all other species we encounter. This blog is meant to give the others some much deserved airtime. Occasionally, when one of H. sapiens does something exemplary, I might grant them some of my blogspace. But don't hold your breath.

In case you haven't noticed, I have lots of opinions about lots of stuff, and I like to take pictures. Hope you'll stay tuned.