Turing the Pages, One by One

It's not much, but it's everything I would need ...

The upcoming thesis presentation and exam dates are fast approaching, and with each passing day, the butterflies multiply.  I'm not alone with this condition, which in some twisted sense, makes me feel better, but I won't entirely be back to normal until this event has passed.  The small group of students that embarked upon this journey 3 years ago has managed to pull together through thick and thin, and our last gathering together is a combination of mixed, bittersweet emotions.

It's times like these when I feel I could so happily slip away into the fantasy of a Bohemian lifestyle ~ and without a doubt, I would do it in one of these.  It's my definition of the original Mercedes Benz ...the ultimate cadillac of contentment.  The vision is so real at this particular segway in my career shift, that I would swear my daughter is perched on the wagon's ledge below ...strangely enough, it really does resemble her.

I've recently begun the long process of looking for work.  Sometimes, I'm convinced that the sole purpose of the job search is to elevate the status of the 'employed,' and for the aging applicant ...it is entirely an exercise designed to test the  strength ones self-worth!  I have to chuckle here -in almost every posting I see for wildlife animal related work, the one constant is that the applicant must be able to lift 75 pounds.  There's nothing much mentioned about what goes on inside ones head, but this test of strength apparently is crucial.  So yes, finding work will not be easy  -mainly because wildlife facilities still tend to hire zookeepers, and then encourage them to learn animal training by attending a seminar or two on the subject.  

My concern with hiring zookeepers to train animals can be exemplified from my recent experience in the Swedish wildlife park.  The senior carnivore zookeeper, when talking about the stress-related behaviors of their wildcats, stated: "I don't know why they behave like this ...they know I bring the food everyday."   It sounded logical enough - she did bring the food, but given the cat's 'netting and crating' history with humans, their avoidance behaviors were firmly in place, and 100% self reinforcing at this point.  When I constructed the cat's entire behavioral chain, and then grounded it in theory, her conclusions were not logical at all.  In truth, the scenario  looked like this: 


1. the sound of the approaching food truck was the cats cue to RUN! -which resulted in (R-) [negative reinforcement, usually associated with the feeling of 'relief'] 


2.  the zookeeper's approaching footsteps and the sound of the enclosure gate opening was the cue for the cats to engage in the avoidance behavior of their choice (run or hide) - which resulted again in R-


3.  the closing of the enclosure gate and the zookeeper's departing footsteps was the cue to come out of hiding to forage and eat - which resulted in R+ 


So, when you understand the theory behind the surface behaviors you see, contrary to the senior zookeeper's logic, positive reinforcement for the cats didn't occur until she actually  left !  Everything else she did, up to the point of her departure, was an aversive (a positive punisher).


Understanding learned patterns of behavior is the foundation for effective training.  I rest my case -it is in the facilities and the animals' best interest to have behaviorists or trainers on staff.

But for tonight, I'll step out of this transitional phase between 'obtaining knowledge' and 'using knowledge,' and I'll allow myself to temporarily slide into the mindset of a carefree, vagabond life ...just for a few brief moments anyway.

Lesson Learned:

One must write the unknown page by page, 

and with the turning of each page, the chapters will someday tell your life's story

Journey to Olde England

The England I Had in Mind
Flower carts, high tea, antique book shoppes, thatched roofs, and James Herriot

                                                 The England I Landed In

It was not the England I had envisioned -nor was it the birth 'day' setting I could have ever created, but none-the-less, here I was ...completely unaware as to 'where' I was.  I stood for a long moment, taking it all in.  The unsuspecting traveller, while able to wash down their burgers, scones, fish & chips, and ice cream with an expresso or latte, can also find an Alchemy shoppe just to their left, right next to The Black Rose drinking establishment -AND according to the brick wall, as a bonus, one can also find Karma in that same direction.  Such a find!  If however, drinking, alchemy and karma are not to your liking, you can always ask the 25 ft. gender-specific, Star Wars guards to your right, what they enjoy doing for fun on a Saturday afternoon ...that is, unless the God-like alien above them isn't too deep into mind control.  If this all seems a little too surreal to take in, no worries, you can always find repose over at "little Japan" (to your right), or, back up just a few steps to the cafe on your left, sit for a spell, and clear your mind with the help of a good water pipe.  

The beauty of it all is that British Security is right there at your fingertips -just to the left of CP3O's knee and to the right of the ice cream cone.  Happy birthday to me!

The England I sought, while making the journey for the sole purpose of keeping my visa status legal in Sweden, I found 90 miles to the Northwest, and had to pay 20 GBP to see.

The Victorian Bakery ~which included several pieces of shortbread at half the admission price!

Some unusual games of chance ~ just think, all it takes is 1 ball to win ...it must truly be a game of skill!  I've known players in this day and age with many balls who had no skill what-so-ever!

                                     The diffused light and the smell of leather

I spent 2 days getting to know the British better -they are quite a lively group.  When I did finally tire of strolling through the villages, I managed to find some lovely paths to explore down by the River Severn.

                        With fruit right off the vine and still warm from the sun ...

                                  and surrounded by the colors of autumn ...

                                                  I sat down on the rocks,

                                  and cooled my weary feet in the River Severn.

(note: Unfortunately, after giving my feet a good soak, I chose to explore the area a little further upstream.  Following the water's edge, I turned a corner and came face-to-face with a nuclear power plant -yep, right on the shores of the River Severn.  My jogging has improved immensely)!

                                                    Lessons learned:

Look for dead fish before you soak your feet in just any ol' river,

&

How to catch a man in Shrewsbury

                               Some lessons in this blog are better than others!

Back to the Goats

With the bulk of the studies now behind me, I have been able to return to the more practical aspect of training.  It is somewhat humbling to see how my timing and once 'clear' cues have deteriorated.  There's nothing that can snap me back into shape like the expression on a goat's face, when he clearly doesn't have a clue as to what I want.  Perhaps it's the natural 'yellow' of a goat's eyes, or the horizontal, rectangular shape of their pupils as they focus upwards in my direction, but whatever it is, they have mastered the gaze of intimidation. 

oh yeah??

I became so intrigued by their expressions, that I started to do a little reading.  A fellow blogger named 'guernyjourney@blogspot' posted the photos below, which substantiate the fact that a goat's eyeballs can rotate within the eye socket. Note that position he marked on the slope of the nose remains the same in both photos, while the angle of the pupil changes.   All this -the rectangular pupils and the rotating eyeballs -so that the goat can better see my cues and ignore them!

       Below is a photo of my trainer, posing nicely at his home -our local 4H-Club.

Benjamin is 100% goat, and he seems to enjoy his elevated status.  If he chooses not to do a behavior I've asked him to do, which results in no slice of apple, he has learned that that he can slightly lower his head in my direction, and I will quickly jump out of harm's way. This seems to please him greatly.  I know this because he wiggles his tail, while he emits a strange little sound that, without a doubt, is a goat-giggle.  

Not Benjamin, but a prime example of a 'goat-giggle'

He really should be more grateful.  As of 3 weeks ago, he was scheduled to be euthanized.  The reason? -he tends to be aggressive to the guests who visit the goat house.  The Club chose to neuter him, thinking this would resolve the problem, but it only served to make him unattractive to any other farm who might be willing to take on his case.  I championed his cause -stating that he is a very talented goat; albeit somewhat stubborn, who's now in the process of learning all sorts of wonderful cues and engaging behaviors; certainly a clever goat. The end result is that I now am in charge of correcting his aggressive charges at 5-year-olds.  sigh.

A clever goat, indeed!

                                                      Lessons learned:

Never turn your back on something with horns this size!