Tails from a Semi-colorblind Aggie

     The conclusion chapter of Christiana Francos' Shameless: The Canine and the Feminine in Ancient Greece and Eli Edward Burriss'  The Place of the Dog in Superstition as Revealed in Latin Literature  provided a very interesting perspectives on dogs. Honestly, I love studying ancient civilizations and their mythologies- especially Greece. These readings were right up my alley, and they definitely succeeded in catching my interest. In fact, I might even shift my research project focus now.    Source Image: Wikimedia Commons Greece Dog       I think part of what's so interesting about studying ancient civilizations is how brutally relatable they are. Yes, our times are very different. We're not running around in togas and sharing public baths anymore (at least not in the U.S.), nor are we as limited in our resources and understanding of the world. We are  still discovering new things every day, discussing and debating mod...

       Honestly, one of my favorite parts of taking Honor courses is the experiences I gain. Each class is so interesting and helps you understand the world in a new, unique way. As I mentioned in my very first post, I actually accidentally signed up for this class. What I mean is, I thought that we were going to be studying something completely different; imagine my surprise when I found out we were going to focus on dogs! Even so, I have already gained so much from this course and I'm glad that I decided to stay in it.       Image Source: Wikimedia Commons    Experience      I've always loved dogs. There's just something special about them that always catches my attention. And I think this class has helped me to find some reasons as to why that might be. Looking at all our different readings, it's clear to see that there are as many perspectives- if not, more- about dogs as there are breeds of canines. I've loved le...

                                                                Image Source: Wikimedia Commons St. Guinefort           I found this week's readings to be absolutely fascinating! The mixture of lore, religious beliefs, and psychological elements in this story leaves so much for us to think about. There's always another perspective to consider, another piece of the story to discover. These three articles, although very insightful, don't even begin to cover the truly interesting part of the story of St. Guinefort. A quick review of the "legend":     Basically, at some point an infant child of a noble (knight?) was attacked by a snake when all the adults were absent from the baby's location. The noble's dog defended the infant (who may or may not ha...

      There's a lot to learn about dogs and countless topics to focus on. Since there's a ton I don't know I decided to narrow down my research project to something I'm at least a bit familiar with. I love reading fiction and I also love history. While reading a historical romance book titled Seeking Persephone, I noticed that the dogs in the story were described in a historical context. It was interesting to think about how the timing of the story changed the way these creatures were portrayed. Even more interesting was a character they were associated with. This character is a Duke, a dangerous and intimating one at that. Many different characters mention the association between the Duke and the wolf-dog animals that hunt the woods. They can't decide if it's the dogs that copy the Duke's personality, or if the Duke is a mirror of the creatures that surround his home. It fascinated me that this relationship existed and I'm curious to see if there are ot...

       Here's the deal. We all know the age-old argument about whether nature or nurture has a bigger impact on the way creatures develop. We constantly search for proof of any kind in order to show the other side up. Genetics vs experience. Ancestry vs family. Life itself vs the meaning of life. Which one is it?     We talked extensively  about this topic in my psychology class last year. It truly seemed there was going to be a riot at one point. These people were firm that it's all about what we're made of. Those other people were absolutely certain that it's all based on our environment.  No one would budge. Not a step.     Of course, there had to be an  epiphany of some sort. A great answer to the debate that would stop the not-fighting and allow us to move on with class. And let the quiet group of people who hadn't claimed to be on either side express their thoughts without being on the receiving end of a hundred glares. Our pr...

     I adore dogs! Ever since I was a young child, I could not get enough of loving each and every pooch I came across. I would always become shy when asking strangers if I could pet their dog, but I quickly overcame that shyness because there were puppies that needed loving. I was never able to own a dog of my own. Despite that, I still love dogs with all my heart.  Image source from Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository Irish Wolfhound     The Irish Wolfhound is a recent discovery for me. I prefer medium sized dogs for the most part, that is until I learned about this gentle giant. Irish Wolfhounds aren't necessarily the prettiest breed, but their big hearts and kind spirits more than make up for it. This dog is also special to me as I am an Irish Dancer with some Irish ancestors. It's like having a bit of my family's history in a very furry friend. Image source from Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository Siberian Husky      ...