Bah. No lunchtime cephalopods for me. I shall have to wait until dinner....

Jane Jacobs.

sad now. One of my heros.

I was unfamiliar with her name, but after reading the obit I realize her writings on suburbia have really (indirectly) influenced me.

I'm askeered this confession will now put me ON THE LIST for Corwood and bt, but I cannot tell a lie.

That's one of the best reasons I've ever read to eat squid et al. However, I, for one, welcome our new spineless, many-tentacled overlords.

Tomorrow is Secretary's Day.

FYI.

Just because I'm not YOUR secretary doesn't mean you don't have to send me gifts. Nothing in the rules says I have to be YOUR secretary to receive chocolates and flowers.

I'm still waiting for my Administrative Professionals Day gifts. Never. Ever. Got. One.

The New York Times Book Review offered a capsule review of a new book by TV dog trainer Cesar Millan (host of the show Dog Whisperer):

Millan likes to talk about the importance of being a pack leader and projecting what he calls "calm-assertive" energy around your dog. The thing to avoid, he writes, is being "angry-aggressive," a trait he identifies in Bill O'Reilly of Fox News. This type of person "would not make a good pack leader," Millan writes, "because the other dogs would perceive him as unstable." (Our presidents are often unable to control their dogs, Millan said in a recent lecture. He added, "We are the only species that follows unstable pack leaders.")

bt? Is this so?

[link]

Cesar Millan's show is great--he does things with fractious dogs that I wouldn't believe possible in such a short period of time. His philosophy is basically not letting your dog be dominant over you and always being confidant without being pushy about it (thus "calm-aggressiveness"). Also, treat your dog like a dog, and not like a human.

Of course, I kiss and cuddle my cat, so who am I to talk?

Also, treat your dog like a dog, and not like a human.

But I am a human. Oh, you mean treat the dog like it's a dog. No problem. Totally accept. No kissy face for me.

A friend mentioned that his brother broke his tooth in a dog-kissing incident. See! Don't kiss dogs! I said.

Then he pointed out that the dog in question was a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

If they ask for a kiss, you might as well give it up, and plead duress afterwards.

I love Cesar. He has lots of helpful tips and is also a cutiehead. Using his methods with our pup have stopped her from reacting to neighborhood dogs who bark and lunge from behind gates. She was never agressive but did want to go towards them and pulled really hard and made little barks. Now she glances at them and walks right by, too cool for school.