So we changed our shelving sections at work... and now I've got Science and Nature! Wheeeee! That's gonna be trouble, cause now I'm gonna see a million books that I want. :p Had about three hours of shelving time there today. As I was digging through boxes, a plain book with "killer whale" on it caught my eye... I looked closer, and it was:

Killer Whales of Prince William Sound and Southeast Alaska: A Catalogue of Individuals Photoidentified, 1976-1986

I ran around in very happy little circles after that, and immediately bought it on my lunch break (only $2!). SQUEEE! There's not much detail to the individuals or their relationships, but it does have an individual ID number (same system as the PNW orcas), photo ID, photo date, photographer name, and pod.


4/29/07
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
I read this one out of professional curiosity. I've heard a lot of people praising his methods, and I wanted to see how they compared with my own ideas of animal training. And I must say, his suggestions and very logical and good guidelines to follow. He takes the approach that we should treat our dogs as pack members, as dogs, not people, and as such his advice focuses on the dogs' natural instincts and how to use those. At times, I think his explanations are a bit lacking. For instance, his comments about "energy," while useful, are rather vague. While it's true, there's more to it than the sort of new-age spin he seems to put on it (he seems to completely ignore the element of body language in favor of ideas like "your dog just knows). Bottom line: it's all great advice, but one could look a bit deeper as to why it works.

4/24/07
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
I've seen this book recommended by more sci-fi readers than any other, and after I read it, I realize why. While the plot is very involved, it's written very clearly, and is easy to understand. The vision of the future is creative, and the plot keeps you hooked. There's plenty of twists and turns and secrets, and the author definitely gets you rooting for the characters. If you're a sci-fi fan and haven't read this one yet, you should!

4/11/07
Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched - Amy Sutherland
If you've ever wondered what it's like to work in a zoo, look no further! The trials the students in this book face are what zookeepers see on a daily basis - with the added drama of college-age kids. As someone who heavily considered (even planned on, for quite awhile) going to Moorpark's EATM program, it was really interesting to read this account. Whether it was journalistic bias or an actual representation, the school seemed like drama central, and not in a good way. I caught myself laughing and shaking my head at how the students had more drama than your average high school. But the training and the zookeeping techniques are there. In the end, it's a very fulfilling book. You find yourself getting emotionally involved in the lives of the students - not to mention the animals! This one goes on the recommended list.

4/3/07
On the Wing: To the Edge of the Earth With the Peregrine Falcon - Alan Tennant
Fantastic book! The author chronicles his adventures following a radio-tagged peregrine falcon across continents. He clearly knows the subject very well, and tells incredible stories of flying through bad weather, running into gun-toting soldiers and revolutionaries, and just being up in the air with the amazing wildlife. That being said, through friends who've dealt with him, I've learned that this guy is a bit of a jerk, which is pretty clear from the way that he describes theft of expensive property and sneaking across international boundaries as if it's perfectly okay. He's certainly not someone to idolize...

ETA: I forgot to add my completely random weird dream! Last night, I had a dream that there was a huge snowstorm here, so I was skiing everywhere instead of driving. So I skiied into a bank-that-doesn't-actually-exist by my house to warm up, and while I was waiting, I thought I saw Joe Flanigan walk in. But I decided that I was just seeing things, so I headed out. As I was outside putting on my skis, he walks out of the building and I look up and go "hey." And he goes "hey," and we move on. As I ski around the side of the building to go home, I see that he's suddenly wearing the Atlantis uniform, like Clark Kent going into a phone booth as a mild-mannered reporter and coming out as Superman. So I yell "OMG, I knew it! YEAH!" like an excited little kid cheering on the arrival of a super hero. And he, grinning, cheers back "YEAH!" and runs off to fight the forces of evil. Or something like that. I <3 my crazy dreams.