I surround myself with objects that carry with them a personal history - old books, bowls, boxes, splintering chairs and benches from imperial China. I imagine the people who once turning the pages or rubbed their palms on the surfaces while they were thinking - thinking what? And then I hear my pappy little dog. Bubba Zo is my distraction, my reminder to get up and go for a walk before he pees on the carpet. I now include a lot of dog metaphors in my writing.