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Melissa surprised me for my birthday with a commissioned painting of my family’s dear pet bird Gordie (previously).

The talented artist responsible for this is our friend Sergio Quiñones, who has an Etsy shop full of his original work. His attention to detail and ability to conjure emotion and character in his paintings is masterful.

Sergio is also a big fan of Rufus, and surprised Melissa and I with this painting of the little guy.

Thank you so much, Melissa and Sergio. These are fantastic pieces of art.

Rufus lost his battle with lymphoma this morning. Words cannot begin to express how much Melissa and I miss him now.

To everyone that was a friend of Rufus, everyone who watched him for a weekend, let him lick your face, or found all 60 pounds of him suddenly sitting in your lap, thank you for helping give him a wonderful life.

Goodbye, little guy. We miss you, we love you.

More.

Exchange while taking Rufus for a walk:

Man on street: That’s a great dog there, a boxer, right?

Me: Yep!

Man: Aw, good dogs aren’t they?

Me: Yeah, he’s pretty stupid but he does love life.

Man: Must be a Republican!

Zing!

He’s just too ridiculous at times.

Rufus has been helping out around the home office: providing moral support, slobbering on pant legs, and conducting some thought-leadership workshops (read: napping for hours on end). He’s a real team player.

A list of names I have, at one point or another, used to refer to my girlfriend’s dog:

• Ruf
• Rufito
• Rufee
• Stinky
• Poops
• Poops McGee
• Poop Machine
• Lil’ Pooper
• Shit for brains (learned that one at the Sam Mazzara School of Driving, another story, for another time)
• Stink Machine
• (the) Nugg
• Nugget
• El Nuggo
• Big Dummy
• The BEAST (ALL CAPS)
• (Wee) Lil’ Beastie
• The Mayor of Cullerton

And for the record, his name is Rufus.