Tribute to Fishasaurus, February 2007
Fishasaurus, aka Daniel J. McKeown, jr., aka my cool purple beta fish, died yesterday after a brief apparent illness. Jessica and I tried very hard to take care of him, and I was glad to be with him in his final moments. I wanted pay great tribute to his wonderful animal spirit, and with that in mind he was buried in the Presidio of San Francisco in a private service.
Fishasaurus was a great pet and I was always humbled and entertained by his big personality–when the minor earthquake of a few days ago hit, I was here and his calm determined look reassured me after the tremors. But usually he was bouncing around slowly like that or whipping his tail to propel him up top for food or around the tank in some sort of circular pursuit. Probably my favorite memory is of his small front fins, one on each side, that he used to motor around the water slowly. A frequent user of those small propellors, Fishasaurus was a wonderful spectacle and a great animal companion.
(A photo of Fishasaurus, who was a cool-looking fish with a big personality, from February 2007.)
For a little while a very amazing beta (betta) fish named Fishasaurus, a Valentine’s Day gift from Jessica, was a spirited and fun companion for me. I feel so grateful and only wonder if I did something wrong, as he didn’t live very long–but I feel like he understands that I did everything I thought was right to care for him. I was actually more fortunate to have such a great fish rather than unfortunate about how short it was for.He and I were always hanging out whenever I was home. I think this photo was taken when I had him down near the computer with me while I videoed a movie.
The shadowy side of the food court
What going on in the Outer Richmond?
Lots of shuttered buildings and construction work out here at 15th Avenue and Geary Boulevard. Is the neighborhood revitalizing or falling apart? Or both.
Artist Point, Yellowstone National Park
After seeing the Upper Falls and walking on nearby trails days earlier, Jessica and I got another look from another angle of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone as we went to Artist Point where some people had told us they had spotted bighorn sheep. But even though we didn’t see the sheep that time, Jessica saw a lot of them a few nights later in her dreams.
Family photo at Shoshone Lake
All seven of the McKeowns, (currently often scattered across Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana and California,) along with many more of the family, were together at Yellowstone. Here’s a picture taken by Jessica of the group near Shoshone Lake.
Grandma and Grandpa at Yellowstone
My grandparents were among the numerous family members that I toured Yellowstone National Park with, along with Jessica of course. Here they pose for pictures by me and others in front of some of the park’s famous thermal features.
Bridge Bay campground in Yellowstone
We’re staying there for a few nights. Right on the shores of Lake Yellowstone, this camp appears to be a bit more rustic than Canyon campground. We’re staying there after a few nights at the Old Faithful Inn.
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