Many of us have already started using Facebook as a mechanism of spreading awareness about animal issues--be it through groups, causes, posts, etc. There is no doubt that animal rights is leaving quite a mark on Facebook. There are more animal rights groups than I can count, and even vegan groups have accumulated thousands of members! But why stop here? There are hundreds of other social media sites that have yet to be touched by animal advocates. A huge one of these is Digg.com.  Have you heard of it? If not, let me introduce you.

Digg.com is a social media news site where individuals create an account (with a user name and profile), submit content (web sites, news articles, videos, etc) and depending on the number of Digg's the submission receives and how popular it becomes, it could ultimately reach the front page of digg.  Now the cool thing is... content on the front page of Digg can reach upwards of 60,000 viewers! This is HUGE publicity for the site/content submitted. 

Right now it is difficult for content promoting animal welfare to reach the front page because there are not many animal advocates using Digg! Because of this, animal stories--no matter how quality--don't become popular.

Now IMAGINE if a bunch of animal advocates started using Digg.  If we got just 100 animal advocates to start Digging submissions about animal welfare, these sites would reach thousands. This number (100) may seem intimidating, but consider how many animal advocates regularly dedicate their time to publicising animal issues on Facebook. Consider all the people pouring their efforts into writing and maintaining their own animal rights or vegan blog (there are hundreds, at least). Consider how ridiculously easy it would be for people to take a minute of their day to Digg the animal content.  This could happen--we just need to take the initiative to make it happen!

Now there is a crucial factor we must keep in mind: This can only work if all the animal rights people are connected so that animal friendly submissions are brought to everyones attention. How can we do this? First, you should know that there is a "share" function that allows you to "shout" submissions to your Digg friends. Ordinarily, in order to make your content popular you first need to spend months accumulating hundreds of digg friends and shout your submissions to all of them. However, this can be greatly simplified by electing one (or a few) central animal rights digg representatives. All newcomers to Digg should add this individual as a friend. In this way, newcomers with very few friends can submit content and shout it to the central digger who can then shout it to all the other animal rights diggers. At the same time, you will receive shouts about other animal rights content from the central digger (so you don't have to go sifting through Digg to find it yourself).

OK. If you've read this far I'm sure you're eager to try this out.  Here's how to start:

1. Create a Digg.com account/profile here.
2. "Friend" the central Animal Rights digg representative (Michiko280) here.
3. Start digging! Here is a good article to start with (about Factory Farming).  You will receive shouts from Michiko280 when important animal rights content is submitted (usually about once a day).
4. Spread the word! If you have animal advocate friends, invite them to join!

That's a rap! Thanks for reading, and I hope you decide to get involved with this effort.

- Michelle :)

Fireworks are dangerous!

The National Council on Fireworks Safety reports that every year nearly 10,000 people are treated for injuries related to at-home fireworks.  It is estimated that as many as 45-50% of those injured are children.

Never use homemade or illegal fireworks - their use accounts for 30-35% of all firework related injuries!

Never allow a child to play with or light fireworks - even sparklers!  Sparklers get very hot:  over 1800*F! That's hot enough to melt gold!  They are simply not safe, especially in the hands of a child.  Six states have already banned all consumer fireworks, including sparklers.

• Try offering glowsticks as a safer, non-toxic alternative to sparklers this year.  If you have a budding scientist in your house, you can even incorporate a science lesson on chemiluminescence (the science behind why glowsticks glow)!
• Older kids (grown ups too!) might enjoying chewing on wintergreen candies in the dark and watching each other to see the resulting blue sparks.  Your budding scientist can tell everyone about triboluminescence!

• Fourth of July Celebration in Sanford, 
• Red, Hot, and Boom in Altamonte Springs,
• Fireworks at the Fountain at Lake Eola in Orlando, 
• or the Independence Day Fireworks Displays at Disney World.  Disney World has gone "green" with their fireworks displays - they now use compressed air instead of gunpowder to launch their fireworks!

Fireworks terrify animals!

Here's another reason to abandon the tradition of at-home fireworks - they terrify animals.  Pets are not allowed at public firework displays and for good reason.  The sudden and very loud explosions are very damaging to our pets' sensitive ears.  Animal shelters report a surge in lost pets during fireworks season as petrified animals flee for safety.  

• Keep your pets inside in case your neighbors decide to set off fireworks.  
• Turn on some soothing music inside the house and dim the lights to help reduce your pets' anxiety level.
• Make sure that your pets' ID tags have current contact information in case they run away.
• Do not bring your pets to a public fireworks display.

I'd like to talk a little bit more about some of the things Colleen Patrick-Goudreau discussed in her "Being a Joyful Vegan" speech, and it's especially relevant to me at the moment because someone recently asked me if I would compromise what I eat in order to be polite. Specifically, let's say I'm at a wedding: would I eat what the couple served to avoid being an inconvenience? I didn't even have to think about the answer: no. Does that mean I'm going to throw a big fit about it? No. I would just quietly excuse myself and find something more suitable to eat and/or plan ahead and bring something with me that I could eat. I don't really care if people notice or if they think it's rude. This brings me to what Colleen said (I'm paraphrasing here): "Don't apologize for your values just to avoid making someone else uncomfortable. How people react to your values isn't your problem, and someone else's comfort level isn't more important than your principles." Sooooo true.

All I can control are my own actions, and the way I choose to live my life. I cannot control how others react to my choices. Living in a constant state of worry over how someone will perceive me or feel about my choices - my choices that don't hurt anyone, to be exact - doesn't seem like a very healthy way to go about life. I admit that I do sometimes worry about people having to accommodate me, and I try not to be a total pain in the butt, but at the same time, I know that I would sooner inconvenience other people than compromise my values.

Bottom line: stick to your guns! As Colleen said: There are no neutral actions. Kind of scary, isn't it? Scary, but also incredibly powerful if you just stop and think about that for a minute.

The speech titled “Being a Joyful Vegan in a Non-Vegan World” was inspiration, tips and tactics for doing just that. Let’s face it: it can be easy to lose steam or feel down and out about the animal rights movement. On top of it, vegans sometimes get a reputation for being negative – but Patrick-Goudreau’s approach emphasizes the importance of being a positive representative for the movement. That doesn’t mean we can’t talk about the horrors of the pervasive cruelty against animals—just the opposite, in fact. We can talk about that, but we can and should also show non-vegans that it truly is a joy to be vegan.

There has been nothing more powerful for me than adopting a vegan diet and removing myself from the violence committed against “food” animals. Contributing to the suffering of animals became such a source of crippling guilt in my life that I needed to make a change. As an example, I remember the moment I gave up eggs. I went to the grocery store to pick up ingredients to make cookies. My grocery list took me to the egg section—organic, cage-free, mind you, but eggs nonetheless—and there I stood. I stood there for several minutes just staring at the cartons of eggs. I put a half dozen in my basket, looked at them sitting there, and put them back. I did it again. And then again. I looked at them sitting back in the refrigerated case and asked myself if I could continue to support an industry that tortures so many hens (see right) and kills billions of "useless" male chicks each year. I just couldn’t do it—the guilt became too overwhelming. I gave up eggs in that moment and felt a huge wave of relief wash over me. Then I went home and made some vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Not only were they delicious, but I felt so happy for having removed myself from the violence of that industry.

Anyway, Colleen had a lot of really great things to say, and I'll blog about more of them later, but this message really stuck with me. Showing people that being vegan isn't about deprivation or negativity is important for the movement. If the only thing omnivores see when they meet a vegan is crankiness, they'll never understand the joy we have in not exploiting animals for food, and they'll never want to join us. I plan to remember this next time I'm feeling not-so-joyful, and I encourage other vegans out there to do so as well!

I'm happy to report that it looks like Oprah is still doing her 3 week vegan cleanse.  She didn't blog about it for a couple days (what on earth could be more important?!), but she's been pretty good the last few days.  In Monday's blog this week, she said this:

I've had no cravings or food issues—I'm in harmony with life. The rest of the group is doing better, no headaches this week from caffeine or sugar withdrawal.

I love it!  People ask me if I ever crave things, and honestly, I really don't anymore.  I think once you start to look at things like cheese (something I used to LOVE) as bad for your health, or cruel to animals, it's not that hard to let it go.  It just takes a shift in your perception, I think.  In Oprah's case, I think it's probably more an experiment to see if she feels healthier, but I like that she has already acknowledged that there is a lot of cruelty involved in raising animals for food.  I am hopeful it will make a difference in her long-term eating habits, and possibly affect others.

I know people have claimed that it's only easy for Oprah because she has a chef.  I don't deny that having a professional chef on the payroll would make eating a healthy vegan diet much easier - of course it would. But I think saying it's too hard to eat vegan UNLESS you have a chef is kind of a cop-out. It just takes a little planning, and any average person can do it. Trust me, I am exceedingly average when it comes to cooking - just ask my sisters!

MIDWEST ANIMAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCE

I blogged about this once before, but in case you missed it, I need to mention it again.  Tomorrow night kicks off the Midwest Animal Advocacy Conference that has been organized by Compassionate Action for Animals.  It promises to be informative, interesting, and fun.  I'm really excited about it.  Check out my old post for more information - or go straight to the conference's site.  There's still room for more attendees, too, if you're interested in joining - and you should!

What I learned was shocking and forever transformed my thoughts on proper pet nutrition:

• 47% of pets in America are obese.  (American Veterinary Medical Association)
• 4-D animals are used in commercial pet foods.  Dead, dying, diseased and disabled animals that can't be used for human consumption are ground up to feed our pets - hardly suitable food at all.   (Frazier, Anitra. The New Natural Cat: a Complete Guide to Finicky Owners.  New York:  Penguin Books, 1990.)
• Corn and corn by-products are the fillers used in most commercially prepared pet foods. Just check out the labels!  I can't imagine cats in the wild stalking corn...so probably doesn't belong in their domestic diet either.

I learned about a couple of alternatives to feeding my cats commercially prepared foods.  A raw food diet made a lot of sense for them, as cats in the wild certainly don’t cook their lizards and mice before eating them.  However, I wasn’t comfortable serving my cats raw poultry when I wasn’t 100% sure I trusted the source.  I decided on what I felt was the next best thing - a whole foods diet that I prepared in my home.

I opened my copies of The New Natural Cat: a Complete Guide to Finicky Owners and The Whole Pet Diet:  Eight Weeks to Great Dogs and Cats and set to changing forever how my pets would eat in my house.  I knew that cats are "obligate carnivores" but also learned that they would ingest a small amount of vegetables found in the stomach content of their prey and that whole grains can mimic the fur that would normally be digested after a kill.  I carefully measured out meat, whole grains, and vegetables in the recommended proportions and started cooking my cats' first healthy meal.  My chicken and chicken liver stew bubbled on the stove while my cats slept.  Into the food processor, whipped into a delightful mousse, and the food was ready for them.

I proudly presented my cats with their new, homemade food.  They were not impressed.  The books had prepared me to expect a battle as cats are creatures of habit.  That was definitely an understatement!  They sniffed the food and walked away, back to their bed.  The next day I again brought out a portion of their new food.  Still no interest from the felines.  Same thing the next day.  Jasper started to get impatient with me and padded over to the closet where the commercial pet food was kept.  He mewed in front of the door and tried to open it with his paw.  I could imagine what he was telling me, “in here mom!  The food is in here!”  I held tough.

After four days had passed, the cats were definitely thinner and finally hungry enough to tentatively try the new food.  We haven’t looked back since.  They are now firmly hooked on their whole foods diet and life has dramatically changed for them.  No more feline couch potatoes!  They are a healthy weight, sleek, bright eyed, and active.  Very active!  I have never seen such a flurry of feline activity!  As I write, Lucy is begging me to play ball with her and Jasper is exploring the cords in the back of the computer.  They merrily gallop from room to room, scale their cat tower in seconds, and pounce on each other with great enthusiasm.  My furry friends are healthy and happy thanks to their new diet!

Lucy and Jasper with mom. Photo courtesy of Alexandra Holt.

Check out Jan Zeiger’s article, Natural Pet Market in Lake Mary

Farm Sanctuary does some amazing work in rescuing and rehabilitating farmed animals, not to mention all the great campaigning they've done to improve conditions and reduce suffering for animals raised in horrific factory farm conditions. I've been wanting to go there for a long time, and I'm so happy it's only a few days away now - it's going to be SO FUN. I'll be sure to post lots of pictures next week!

The Japan Cat Network, a grassroots animal welfare group in Shiga Prefecture organized and run by David Wybenga and his wife, Susan Roberts, has put out a plea for help with its Hirakata City Project. Initially featured in The Japan Times on Jan. 26 of this year, the network was asked in March to check out a park near the city of Hirakata, located between Osaka and Kyoto.

The situation at Yamada-Ike Koen was dire, utterly shocking. More than 50 cats, in various stages of health and disease, were found roaming the park. There were no signs of a TNR (trap, neuter, release)
program such as Japan Cat Network promotes, and none of the males appeared to be neutered. Two of the park cats were so ill that they had to be taken to a vet immediately.

In April, the group trapped 28 cats, most of them female, and had them neutered. More trapping is scheduled for this weekend and the following week. Wybenga calls the project "amazing", one that he believes has the power "to change public perception in Kansai". "Of all the projects I've been involved
in, this is the one to get behind."

In the meantime, five kittens, then 2 weeks old, were found abandoned in a cardboard box in a park restroom. Two were already dead. Three survived and are thriving and being fed every four hours. This past Monday, four more kittens were found abandoned. One had already died. These kittens and others were all taken in.

"Busy and sleepy," the Wybengas have their hands full. "Once we finish one round of feeding it's almost time for the next." And, with presently 11 kittens on the bottle, the network is out of money and in desperate need of help, but determined to keep the project going.

The group is in need of experienced kitten fosterers, loving adoptive homes, money and milk replacement powder (Esbilac for cats). Also, Wybenga says, "if someone is in the area and wants to
participate more directly, contact me."

Contact info[AT]japancatnet.com by e-mail or check out the group’s homepage at http://www.japancatnet.com.

Esbilac can be sent to:
David Wybenga,
173 Inae,
Hikone, Shiga,
521-1125

If you happen to be a Clevelander and are interested in learning more about the club or getting involved, OR if you are interested at speaking at a CARES event, contact CARES president Michelle Cehn at mtc14@case.edu ! 

Their Lives, Our Voices 2008 seeks to bring together individuals from across the region for a hands-on, high-quality conference focused on helping animals. Our goal is to make the conference as inclusive and accessible as possible for both new and veteran activists in the Midwest region, with a focus on farmed animal advocacy efforts.

There will be some amazing speakers, including Gene Baur from Farm Sanctuary, Carol Adams, author of Beyond Animal Rights: A Feminist Caring Ethic for the Treatment of Animals, and Paul Shapiro from the Humane Society of the United States (just to name a few). I went to see Gene Baur speak once, and was able to visit with him afterwards and I have to say that he is truly inspiring. I left that evening feeling so much more positive about my ability to effect change for farmed animals. What amazes me about him is that despite all the horrible things he's seen, he is still so optimistic and determined. For me it is all too easy to get depressed when I read about or watch a video on factory farming cruelty ....but somehow he manages to keep a positive attitude, and is such a great example for the rest of us. I can't wait to hear the other speakers as well, all of whom I imagine will be just as energizing as Gene Baur.

If you live in the Midwest or feel like visiting, you should totally register for this conference. You can find all the details here. I am really looking forward to it!

"I wouldn't demean any animal species that way. It's easy to say coyote, but that's a stereotype of animals. What carnivore has ever, as a species, done what Bush has done to the Iraqis?"

There are two impressive things about this statement:

Nader obviously realizes that we actually *can* demean animals through our speech, and that it's not the other way around (as in, referring to serial killers as 'animals').

Second, do I smell the hint of vegetarianism in that last part? Most people don't give much thought to their odd placement on the food chain - that we humans are not 'carnivores,' first of all, and don't even need to be omnivores. Most people don't, for example, think about how what we do in factory farms is not 'natural' and that we're not doing the environment, and therefore ourselves, any favors by manufacturing farmed animals.

Even if Nader wouldn't agree with the above paragraph, he at least is aware that carnivores in the wild are still more peaceful than humans in civilization.

The rest of the Grist interview, with the unsnarky title of Nader on the Record, is all about pollution tax this and solar energy that.

JSYK, this is not an endorsement of Ralph Nader for Prez.

Care for a Chihuahua with a blue hue?

Or how about a teacup poodle so tiny it will fit into a purse — the canine equivalent of a bonsai?

The Japanese sure do.

Rare dogs are highly prized here, and can set buyers back more than $10,000. But the real problem is what often arrives in the same litter: genetically defective sister and brother puppies born with missing paws or faces lacking eyes and a nose.

Read the full article: Japan, Home of the Cute and Inbred Dog (New York Times)

I find it highly offensive when I hear about animals being sold for thousands of dollars, especially in a country that kills an average of 438 dogs and 658 cats PER DAY. Why is there not better advertising done by the authorities to find homes for these deserving animals? I think this is a serious problem with public education. How could anyone spend $10,000 on a pet when there are millions crying out for homes, and they can be had for free? Is it because they are free that they are not valued? Do people need to spend huge amounts of money in order to distance themselves from the stray animals that they see on the streets? I confess I will never understand this trend. I wish I could find a way to make a positive change in this regard in Japan. The language and cultural barriers make it tricky.

What we need is a Japanese version of "Bob Barker" to come forth and be the voice of animals in Japan. Bob Barker is a famous American game show host who ended every show with a reminder to have pets spayed or neutered to help control the pet population. If we could get a major Japanese artist to speak out regularly on behalf of pets in Japan, perhaps we could start to effect some change in this regard. Does anyone have any connections with major stars in Japan? (Someone like Tamori with a regular show and a big following would be perfect.) Or any better ideas?

If you don't want to enter the contest, or if your film isn't a winner, post it on youtube and let the rest of the world see your project (and how much you care about animals). 

We drove up last week to meet the dog pictured in the email and filled out the adoption application.  We're picking her up tomorrow, and my son has decided to call her "Lucky" since we saved her life. This experience made me realize that more needs to be done and that the situation is worse than many realize. 

Therefore, I've decided to at least start by sharing the links to pics of dogs and cats in the area who need your help now.  Pets who are waiting for homes can be viewed on the following pages:

Orange County Animal Services

Seminole County Animal Services

SPCA of Central FL

Volusia County Animal Control

Humane Society of Lake County

Remember:

• If you have to give a pet up, don't drop him off at a shelter!  Take the time to find your pet a great home yourself. 
• Many believe that all dogs and cats in shelters have something wrong with them or major issues. This is simply not true.  Most animals who enter shelters will be euthanized, so it's important to not assume and to actually visit dogs and cats who are available for adoption. You may be surprised at what you find.  Some are strays, but others are house dogs who have been abandoned by their owners. 
• In addition to shelters, we have many rescue organizations in the area that specialize in particular breeds.  Check into those before purchasing a new puppy from a breeder. A list of rescue organizations can be obtained online or at your local animal shelter.
• Always spay or neuter your pets.

Please comment here if you have adopted a pet from a shelter and would recommend it to others.  We'd love to hear about your experience.  Also, are there more links that need to be listed here? Please let us know!

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) recently sent an undercover investigator into Rainbow World Exotics, a major supplier of small animals for Petsmart. They captured on film the horrific conditions of the animals at the supplier. On the Petsmart corporate homepage they have their statement regarding the footage shot by PETA. They currently have no plans to discontinue using this company as a supplier. However, they do acknowledge that, “The loss of any life is upsetting, and while images of sick pets and death are always difficult to accept, sadly it’s inevitable in nature.” Most people would probably accept the fact that a small rodent dying because it was scooped up by a hawk is in fact, death in nature. However, being stomped on by a company employee is another story.

The video is certainly disturbing, but PETA didn’t create the conditions. They just showed the facts. Be sure to notice the use of Clorox handiwipes as the employee, not vet, operates on the rabbit. Please copy and paste if the link doesn’t work.

PETA homepage and video

Petsmart’s corporate page

What about small animal breeders here in Japan? Did Chirping Charlie come from a budgie mill? Are conditions here any better? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t bet my birdseed on it.

Anyway, it looks like there may be some happy endings for these pups in the SF Bay Area at BAD RAP as well as some at Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. Best Friends call them Vicktory dogs.

For anyone who has wandered the streets of Japan, the sight of a woman carrying her designer-clad lapdog will be a familiar one.

Also familiar will be the sight of a dirty, scrawny cat, perhaps covered in bloody sores and missing clumps of fur, running for cover in the nearest nook or cranny.

It doesn't take an animal lover to realize that cats are widely neglected in Japan, and foreigners here often wonder why that is and what is being done about it.

Read the full article

I can't imagine not being able to afford medical care for my pets. I know medical costs for treating an animal that's sick or injured can be prohibitive. I've put together a list of organizations who help people and organization who are trying to help sick or injured animals. Maybe this information will help someone.

So back to that dog by the curb--he was a shepherd and he was beautiful. A passer-by helped me move him out of the street and over to the sidewalk. I waited with the dog as he struggled to breathe until animal rescue showed up. I helped load the dog into the truck. I'm sure he was euthanized as soon as he arrived at the shelter. I'm so sorry I couldn't help him.

======================

Two women in Anan (阿南), Tokushima kept 48 dogs tied up on the side of a mountain. The dogs were in poor health and the conditions that they were being kept in were not humane. The two women, both in their 50s, fed the dogs, but did not clean up their waste or attend to their medical needs. The women have now been asked to leave the property. What will happen to the dogs?

HEART, a nonprofit animal protection organization in Tokushima Prefecture run by Susan Mercer, has been informed of the situation and is trying to deal with this case. On November 26, 2007, HEART members visited the home and were able to take custody of two puppies and one adult dog. The adult dog was given immediate medical attention, and it was found that she had an advanced case of heartworm (filaria). While she received treatment (3 litres of abdominal fluid were drained from her abdomen), she may still have to be euthanized due to the severity of her case. Heartworm is an infectious disease and the dogs who remain in the care of the two women are highly susceptible to contracting it. The women did not inoculate the dogs against heartworm or rabies, despite their obligation to do so under the Rabies Prevention Law.

The women are reportedly reluctant to give up the animals, but HEART is trying to find a way to solve this situation. Since they found out about the problem in November, they have rescued ten dogs and obtained land on which they can shelter the rest of the dogs. Animal Refuge Kansai (ARK) has offered to help them construct a building that would be big enough to house so many animals.

HEART needs our help to fix this situation. They are accepting donations of money and/or items and would be very grateful for our immediate help in this matter as the dogs need to be taken out of their current environment and given treatment against heartworm as soon as possible. (Heartworm is highly contagious so the other dogs have a very high chance of having contracted it. However, it is treatable, and the earlier they treat it, the better the chance of recovery.)

Here's how we can help:

Donating Money

Donations in Japan

Transfer your donation to:
Account name: Anan Dogs Rescue Fund
Account number: 1162690
Bank: Awa Bank, Ihoku branch

Donations from Outside Japan

Send donations to our PayPal account:
susan@heart-tokushima.com

Or send a Japanese money order or international money order

Donating Items

HEART can make use of any of the following items.

dog food, stainless food bowls, blankets, collars, leads, grooming brushes, vinyl poop bags, dog muzzles, bleach, yard brushes, metal buckets, antiseptic soap, sponges, wash clothes, towels

If you can donate any of these items, please call HEART at 088-635-5558 or email susan[AT]heart-tokushima.com to arrange for drop off or pick up.

======================

Read more about this issue:

Anan Dogs Rescue Fund
Anan Dogs Update

All I'm sayin' is know where your candidate stands on *all* issues before you vote.

The first posting in The Presidential Files series about Mike Huckabee was disturbing. Be sure to read about his alleged family history of cruelty to animals and the suggestion that as the governor, he obstructed justice.

Markarian has also covered John Edwards.

I look forward to reading about all of the candidates.

I'm sure that I am not the only one on this list who gets a sick feeling deep inside hearing these statistics. I hope that we can all work together to try to educate the public about having pets spayed or neutered and being responsible pet owners.

(Japan Cat Network is one organization that is working to solve this problem. Please visit their website for more information. And do consider donating to support their humane trap drive.)

In May 2007, Avi Landau wrote an article for Alien Times about how birds are being trapped in nets at Lake Kasumigaura and left to die. After he wrote that article, he discussed the problem with the city and received some assurances that something would be done about the situation. It is now more than half a year later and when Avi visited the lake yesterday, he found that nothing has been done. Beautiful owls, hawks, egrets, and herons are stuck in the nets and have been left to die there.

Read the full article: Save the Birds

I reminded him of a time at the grocery store when I wanted to buy eggs produced by cage-free chickens and he said no, they're too expensive. Well, he's changed his tune now. He wants eggs from happy, free chickens.

Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?! (Don't tell him I said that--especially since I'm 2 years older than he is!)