Meg Rosenburg & Simon

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Meg Rosenburg, and Simon, my 10-year-old mini schnauzer, hanging out on campus at Caltech.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Simon normally keeps me company at home while I brew myself coffee with our pourover setup, but Caltech's Red Door Cafe has a lot of outdoor seating and Simon's always up for a field trip!

What's brewing?

My go-to coffee preparation (when I'm not making it myself at home) is a piping hot Americano. Sometimes I just want the flavor of espresso but the consistency of coffee, so there you go!

Any treats for you or Simon on this occasion?

I brought a few treats for Simon to entice him to take a photo with me. He's much more interested in them!

How were you and Simon united?

My husband and I adopted Simon four years ago after my aunt and uncle rescued him from a shelter. He didn't fit in with the other dogs there as well as they'd have liked, and we were already discussing getting a dog, so it worked out perfectly! He even gets to go back and visit all the time.

How did your dog get his name? Any aliases?

My cousins named him Simon, but before that, the shelter called him London (because he's foggy grey maybe?). I don't know what his name might have been before that. He has a million nicknames - everything from Si-guy to Simon-dogger to Fluffernutter (I call him that sometimes).

You're a planetary scientist. Could we assume Simon's favorite constellation is Canis Major?

Maybe! I also like to think he's fond of that asteroid that looks like a bone (Kleopatra).

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Squirrel for sure!

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Squeaky-toy, although he doesn't play much at all, and we had to teach him to play catch.

Where is Simon's favorite outdoor destination?

Simon is excited to go anywhere and he loves to walk (and drag you around, if you give him an inch!), but his favorite outdoor location is probably the dog beach. So many other dogs!

Who is Simon's best pet-pal?

Simon's best friend for the past few years has been my cousins' Doberman, Rex. Simon's never seemed to think of himself as a "small dog" - no reason not to wrestle with much bigger pals!

What is Simon's best quality?

Hard to pick one, but I think Simon's best quality is how much of a social creature he is - he knows which humans are in his pack, and he's always so happy to see us.

If Simon could change one thing about Californians, what would it be?

I guess he might change their driving habits, so there would be less silly traffic and his humans could take him places more easily and quickly. But otherwise, Simon loves California - and he's never been anywhere with snow or much precipitation of any kind.

If Simon could answer only one question in English, what would you ask him?

I would ask him "What's the secret to living in the moment?" because it seems like such a good way to live life.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Simon could speak, who should voice him?

Maybe Jason Bateman? Or John Krasinski. When I imagine what Simon might be thinking (as if he were a person, which he's not), there's definitely a kind of innocent sarcasm that creeps in, especially when it comes to asking for more food!

Visit Meg Rosenburg's website and the True Anomalies blog.

--Marshal Zeringue