1)
Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched
The photo is deceiving, because it looks like an innocuous coyote on top of a barrel surrounded by two female trainers. That's because it IS an innocuous coyote on top of a barrel surrounded by two female trainers! This past week, I've been immersing myself in the world of Moorpark College, specifically the Exotic Animals Training and Management program, or EATM. A journalist set out to write a book about this busy, slightly terrifying world of the only school that offers this specialty in the country, and she did an amazing job. Amy Sutherland wrote Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched, a rather unforgiving view of the real world of animal trainers in training. Animal training is not easy, although it looks like it. Teaching your dog to sit is the very bottom of the totem pole here. Reading about this place in full detail was so amazing, it was absolutely one of the best books I've ever read, just because the material was exactly what I eat up. It makes me wonder if I want to enter the program myself, or if I could even survive. We'll see if I get a job first, then I'll work on furthering my education. Anyways, I highly recommend it, ESPECIALLY if you're obsessed with animal training like I am. If not, it's still an interesting read.
p.s. In case you didn't get it, this coyote is one of the EATM program's teaching zoo residents surrounded by his second year trainers. C.J. the coyote is talked about in the book!
2)
That spectacular failure on the Bronco's part yesterday. Honestly, I should be sad because I was technically rooting for them, but OMG HILARIOUS! There was a moment when the camera panned to Peyton Manning sitting in the stands and I swear to God he literally wiped A TEAR from his cheek. AHAHAHA oh no, I am absolutely terrible. But really, it can't be helped, since last year's Superbowl best moment for me was when the camera panned to one of the losing team's players sitting angrily in the stands as confetti rained down on him. Also, the Seahawk's mascot they brought on field was an Augur Buzzard named Taima!
She's been trained to fly across the field on "Seahawk Sundays"! Weird, since a "seahawk" technically refers to an Osprey (which isn't a hawk), and the Augur Buzzard is an African species buuut...whatever.
3)
THIS COMMERCIAL, NOOOOO I JUST WEEP IT IS SO ADORABLE.
But, as a wise online commenter pointed out, how does this make me want to buy a Budweiser?
4)
Long phone calls with one of your best friends, especially when wine is involved!
5)
Book club! It's composed of girls I've grown up with, from my girl scout troop, and so we are all inevitably close. We eat delicious food (this time enchilada soup and fresh guacamole, my favorite), drink LOTS of wine, and sometimes discuss our book, sometimes not. We started talking about crossfit and how it can make your kidneys go into shut-down mode this time. The book we read was Wild by Cheryl Strayed; I really liked it and now I want to hike the PCT! Or more likely the Appalachian Trail, since that's the tamer one.
6)
My hilarious manager sent me this text after she sent me a really touching text that basically said she was glad I was working with them and that she doesn't want to see me go. I laughed for basically the whole day after this. Also my awesome co-workers who got me owl temporary tattoos and let me paint a mustache mug as a sample.
7)
(I don't even have a photo of Manny on my computer right now, UGH. This is definitely my new background, though)
Training Manny to "high five" and to "relax". It feels good to train again, after so many months.
8)
(it pains me how often I frequent this behemoth now...but free parking)
"Studying" at coffee shops (aka applying for jobs and writing blog posts)
9)
This amazing article declaring that birds DO have more olfactory senses than we give them credit for! It doesn't surprise me.
10)
This scrapbooking post by Elsie of A Beautiful Mess. I always attempted scrapbooking when I was younger and ultimately failed at it, because I would do a couple of pages and then get bored. The year I spent in Minnesota was so important to me and such an incredible part of my life that I really want to scrapbook it in some sense, combining all of the beautiful photos I took that mean so much to me and write about them. I also like that her approach now is to use mostly pictures, which appeals to me. Some writing and embellishments, but mostly photos of my magical life in the North Woods!
((none of the pictures in this post are mine, except for the text excerpt))
The only real new thing that happened this weekend was I worked my first double on Friday (my feet were literally killing me afterwards). It was intense, but other than that I was super boring. Oh well, next weekend!
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