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I am currently reading Marc Bekhoff's The Emotional Lives of Animals. Fascinating book. The foreward is by Jane Goodall. Here is one editorial review of it:
From Publishers Weekly Any dog owner knows that her own pet has feelings, but what evidence exists beyond the anecdotal, and what does this evidence teach us? Bekoff, professor emeritus of biology at the University of Colorado, pores through decades of animal research-behavioral, neurochemical, psychological and environmental-to answer that question, compelling readers to accept both the existence and significance of animal emotions. Seated in the most primitive structures of the brain (pleasure receptors, for example, are biologically correlative in all mammals), emotions have a long evolutionary history. Indeed, as vertebrates became more complex, they developed ever more complex emotional and social lives, "setting rules" that permit group living-a far better survival strategy than going solo. Along the way, Bekoff forces the reader to re-examine the nature of human beings; our species could not have persevered through the past 100,000 years without the evolution of strong and cohesive social relationships cemented with emotions, a conclusion contrary to contemporary pop sociology notions that prioritize individualism and competition. He also explores, painfully but honestly, the abuse animals regularly withstand in factory farms, research centers and elsewhere, and calls on fellow scientists to practice their discipline with "heart." Demonstrating the far-reaching implications for readers' relationships with any number of living beings, Bekoff's book is profound, thought-provoking and even touching. ---- I've been fascinated since the moment I flipped the first page and could barely put this book down. I did, however, do just that... so I could run to the library to pick up a book mentioned within its pages. That book is Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of a Horse and a Man Who Changed the World by Mim Eichler Rivas. This amazing horse could make change, spell, do arithmetic, and had a wild sense of humor. His trainer, Dr. William Key, not only made great strides in promoting the ethical treatment of animals - he also broke down color barriers wherever he went.
Another great book that I read a while back is When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals. It explores fear, love, grief, joy...even an appreciation for beauty. I couldn't stop talking about it for weeks after reading it. My daughter ended up rushing out to get her own copy.
All of these books clearly do one thing: they make mockery of the idea that it is more "scientific" to believe that recognizing the rich emotional lives of animals, to "anthropomorphize" them, is some how a grave error. (Actually called "pathetic fallacy"). The researchers show plainly through scientific and anecdotal evidence that non-human animals do indeed experience the joys, pains, and other emotions that make being alive so full.
In just observing my own dog companions, it is clear that they have moments of happiness, of despair, of worry, of concern, of expectation and excitement. While dogs are easy enough to read, other animals show emotion that we might miss because of the communication barrier. Apparently rats *love* to be tickled and find great pleasure in it. Rats also can become depressed and even suicidal. Which leads me to wonder, why is it then still acceptable to perform hideously cruel tests on these animals?
Fairly recently while at the gym, I saw a piece Oprah did on puppy mills. HORRIFYING. One thing of note was that many of them were run by the Amish. The Amish, according to the report, refuse to believe that animals have any "feelings" and therefore, feel free to abuse them for their own benefit. Here is a clip from that show: Anyhow -- I want to get away from the depressing parts of this and just comment that I love the sense of awe and wonder I get when I read about the amazing emotional lives of the other sentient beings on this earth. (And I do believe they are sentient... it has been proven repeatedly that many animals look to the future and are conscious of it).
I need to go hug my dogs.
~o~
Today's workout: 50 minutes stationary bike. 15 minutes doing Hell's Workout. What heart-pounding fun that was!
Now I'm going to go run the bleachers with my daughter because she wants me to. I really meant to do some yoga today, because I don't need more cardio. However, by doing this, I can eat 500 or so extra calories and I'm going to make them fun ones. :)
A picture from my snowy morning drive. It's a little nondescript, but it does show the white stuff we woke up to.
After a week of pillar-to-post, I'm hoping to either do absolutely NOTHING tonight...OR go see "Love in the Time of Cholera." It all hinges on how I feel after I go do an hour of cardio.
Yesterday, I stopped at the library after taking my father to yet another appointment. I had a whopping $69 fine. Turns out that I forgot to return four books. I rushed home, brought them back (they had somehow missed my last trip) and still had an $18 fine. That's when it occurred to me: Time is flying by far too quickly this fall. I had taken those books out in September and was able to have them for four weeks. Those four weeks came and went, with me oblivious to the fact.
While I was there, humbling paying my fees, I walked past the new book shelf and took out three books that I can't wait to dive into:
Infection: The Uninvited Universe by Gerald N. Callahan, PhD The Blue Death: Disease, Disaster and the Water We Drink by Dr. Robert D. Morris Pontoon by Garrisson Keillor Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote
Expect some blogging about those -when time stops flashing past me and I can breathe, snuggle on the sofa and read. I still have to start Donaldson's The Fatal Revenant, but I know I need a couple of days to immerse myself in the world he has created and forget about real life. That isn't happening until AFTER December 1st and the wedding.
The other day at the gym I ran into someone who was carrying with them The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson, which I read a few months back. It's about London's cholera epidemic and John Snow, who rooted out the cause. He's the pioneer of surgical anesthesia. It was a fascinating book and this was the first person I'd met who read it. Turned out we'd read a few similar things - Flu by Gina Kolata amongst them (1918 flu pandemic, well-written, engaging book).
There is another book by Steven Johnson that I'd like to read, Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software. Wait: if I keep writing about books, this will no longer be random, it will be a blog about my reading plans. Since I'm feeling in an abandoned, random sort of mood, I have to nip this in the bud and change the subject. Now.
Aside from that, my day has been random - my art kid who has a crush on me was singing Taylor Swift's, "Teardrops" and changing the words...while hiding under the table. And no, I wouldn't hug him in spite the serenade. He asked as always. I think he thought I'd really like his emphasis on the "she's the kind of flawless I wish I could be." Oh yeah, that'll get you an A... IF you do your homework and turn in your reports.
I purchased two cases of de-alcoholized White Zinfandel for the wedding AND it counted towards my Giant Eagle gas perks, even though the cashier didn't think it would. Yippee.
I'm also stocked up on Scruples Twisted Curl Defining Creme, the magic potion to beat all magic potions. Now if my daughter does the brave thing and cancels the hair appointments which my friend put back on the books (since I'm somehow completely lame and unable to extricate us), I will have to find a way to order it online or another salon that carries it. How do you spell wimp? G-l-y-n-i-s.
That's it. I've sat. I've rested. Now I must get in some cardio and even maybe yoga. I'm actually feeling like I might want to go see that movie instead of reading about infections, deadly water and such.
To be truly random, I just HAD to include this One Minute Hamlet from Famous Last Nerds:
