Jurassic is a fitting name for a dinosaur, don't you think? Joe's sisters call me "the dinosaur." But I'm actually a Green Iguana.

My boy, Joe, liberated me from a pet store when I was no bigger than the palm of his hand. His mom agreed I looked harmless enough so Joe used his hard earned money to buy me. It took lots of hours of lawn cutting, garden weeding and dog walking, but I was worth it.

Joe is an honest fellow and while he didn't lie, he did neglect to mention that iguanas sometimes grow to be five or six feet long. His parents are catching on, however, since I am five years old and am not too far from five feet already.

The terrariums I lived in when I was younger quickly became too crowded. In fact, Joe had to find another home for my mate, Genesis, two years ago. The females in the family scolded me for being mean but, hey, I needed my space! Actually, I was immature and now wish I hadn't stepped on her head as often as I did.

Trying to cope with my growth spurts was becoming tiresome, not to mention expensive, so Joe and I finally worked out an arrangement where I would become litter box trained and he'd give up the silly notion that I should live in a cage.

We decided that I would confine myself to a large wooden kitchen table that my boy brought in from the garage. The table is now in the corner of Joe's room against the windows. I love the heat, and like nothing better than to lie in my hammock, basking in the sun while admiring the trees.

So far, I keep to my table as long as Joe is diligent about supplying me with a nice variety of fruits and vegetables. The food pellets he gives me are nutritious and supply a lot of the calcium iguanas so desperately need, but they are a bit of a bore in the taste department.

When Joe falls behind with the fresh vegetables I feel it my duty to remind him. I have been known to hop over to his computer desk, grab him by the sleeve and give him a good shake. Some iguanas bite, but I have never stooped to such behavior. I've never had to. Looking like a fierce dinosaur has its distinct advantages.

You never know what will lead to adventure. In my case, it was tofu. Tofu is my favorite meal. It has a creamy texture and a taste to die for. It's my passion and I'm ashamed to say that in the past, love for tofu has driven me to some ungentleman-like behavior.

A couple of months ago, Joe fed me tofu for three days in a row and then had the gall to give me mustard greens on the fourth. Well, I tell you, I just wasn't going to stand for it! Leaving the room I crawled slowly to the top of the stairs.

A Ficus tree stood nearby and made a good bridge to the nearest human. Making it to the Ficus tree without any trouble, I started looking for a shoulder to crawl on. Imagine my surprise when I looked around to see nine horrified faces staring at me. Two of the women even went so far as to scream!

I suppose they thought I was trying to crash the cookware party they were having but I have no usefor such things. Joe saved me from the chaos shortly after, but not before chopping up a nice dish of tofu for me.

I can't imagine what all the fuss was about, but then again, it's not every day one is paid a visit by a modern day dinosaur.