OLIVERbackupHOME

Many years ago, when all of my brothers and sisters still lived at home together, our family got a dog named, you guessed it, Oliver. In the grand scheme of things, he has been an excellent addition to our family. And even though almost everyone has left home to pursue other life endeavors (hang in there, Andrew), Oliver continues to be a mainstay of the house.

Three Kinds of Dog

There are three kinds of dog in the world: 1) inside dogs; 2) outside dogs; and 3) those confused dogs that fall somewhere in-between. My bet is that Oliver is somewhat confused. He spends his days lounging on the back porch or cruising the back yard. But he also spends a significant amount of time hanging out in the family room, usually lying on the floor by the air-conditioning vent. Collectively it was decided that while Oliver was free to socialize with us in the family room, there would be an invisible line over which he was not to cross.

The Backup Line

This line can here be referred to as "the backup line" (though such a monicker has never been employed by anyone in the family); to be sure, any regulars at the house can point out "the line" at the drop of a hat. Invariably, when Oliver decides to cross the line, he is met with a barrage of voices, commanding "Oliver, backup." This is a phrase so entrenched in the lexicon of Oliver's family and friends that it is only natural to bestow the same loving command on this rather insignificant website.

Thus, I welcome you to OLIVERbackup.com.