What a wonderful afternoon listening to and watching the presentations from the Train Scholars! Everyone did an amazing job and what interesting and relevant topics of study! I learned so much from this afternoon's session and can't wait to have the opportunity to continue next fall semester! The energy in the Webex made me feel very comfortable, although I was totally nervous to present - leading to a very chaotic presentation on my end - sorry! Thank you for your engagement in my presentation and follow-up questions and suggestions for furthering my research next semester. I hope you all finish this semester strong and get some much-needed rest and relaxation this summer. I will be grinding away at 2 more courses to stay on track for graduation in May of 2025. 

Here is one last photo of Dante with my brother.... to give you a feel for his size. My brother is close to 6 feet tall and Dante towers over him when he stretches all the way out!

 Hello again! We are down to the wire with the timing to finish the semester strong! Dante has not been as vocal lately, so it has been a challenge to capture new vocalizations for the testing of the teachable machine. I'm hoping with the little cool-down we are supposed to have this weekend I can have the doors open and hopefully get more sounds for the research project. I guess the good part is he must be feeling more settled in our new home, like my daughter and myself :) I feel like I need more hours in the day to complete all my responsibilities sometimes! I hope you all find the time and space to study and focus in these last few weeks! Take care!

Here's a pic of Dante waiting for me to finish schoolwork..... I think we feel about the same!  lol

 Hi everyone! Dante and I have had a very productive week creating and collecting audio sounds and files for testing and training the teachable machine! I hope my new neighbors are not too bothered by my research. I am grateful a few of my classes are starting to decrease the number of assignments due, allowing me a little more time to focus on my research project. A really cool side-effect of my research is that I have become keenly aware of Dante's needs and why and when he vocalizes. He is very routine... just like me:) I read the other day that dogs take on the personalities of their owners due to learned behaviors. Dante tends to get very playful in the evening, I speculate it is because my 2 sons visit often for dinner.  He must feel my excitement and joy when they are there, so he has learned to expect it each night,
whether they visit or not.

 

Hello everyone! This week has been much more manageable than the previous week! I am thankful for that for sure! I have been able to gather all the audio files for my research and upload them to the teachable machine. I encountered a few issues in understanding the technology, but with the assistance of Josh, I was able to better understand how to operate the program. I was able to get a majority of my rough draft completed however, I have some additional steps in my research to be able to complete a few of the sections. I am looking forward to completing the research and analyzing the results! I believe, if developed further, this technology can assist so many people in many different ways!

 When it rains - it pours!

That's my theme for this week. However, we must remember that new life develops from these waters - both literally and figuratively. Dante was able to explore the snails in the yard after the rains, and he was quite intrigued. On a more serious note, someone very near to me is experiencing a severe mental health episode and I share this to bring awareness to the topic. This has been a 20+ year struggle and it comes with its ups and downs. As difficult as it is for loved ones to watch a family member go through a scary time, I can't imagine what it is like for the person suffering. Yesterday was nearly tragic for this individual when they crashed on the highway, driving approximately 70 mph, and ran into the back of a semi-truck that was stopped. Fortunately, minus a few bruises and scrapes on the driver, no one was injured. They looked away for a moment to use Apple Car Play to make a call, and that's all the time it took. Hug those close to you and reach out to those you haven't spoken to who once held a dear place in your lives. Life is short and precious, and no one knows when our time will come to an end or what others are dealing with. Take care of yourselves and remember to reach out for help - more people care than you think and there are resources available if you or someone you know needs help.

Arizona Behavioral Health Services Crisis Hotlines | Department of Veterans' Services (az.gov)

 This has been a challenging week for me. I caught a little cold over spring break, and it took almost the entire week to feel better. Dante has been more vocal also; he wants to play all the time. Maybe he could sense I wasn't feeling well. He seems to be a little more protective at this new home too. I bought him some new toys and a giant fuzzy ball he loves! Hoping he stays entertained while I grind away at all these courses. He and I both will be ready for the end of the semester for sure! 

On a personal note, my parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next week, so we are planning a big party to honor their commitment to each other! Should be a great time reconnecting with old friends and family we haven't seen in a while!

 Back for the second half of the semester and I have to say, although I was catching up on schoolwork and unpacking the rest of my boxes, I was able to enjoy a little bit of rest and a short trip with my daughter for her final high school spring break! While we were away, Dante was able to get cuddles from my 19-year-old son who recently moved into his own place, so he was a super happy pup! We moved from a fairly chaotic environment to a very quiet and peaceful home, and with that, I have noticed a change in Dante. I would like to think he has found the peace my daughter and I am, but part of me questions if he is bored or having a difficult time adjusting. He seems to sleep a lot more, and require more treats...  Not sure, but I will continue to love on him and spend as many hours a day playing with him as possible. We may just all be in the recovery phase of the last chapter... Can't wait for the next beautiful time in life! Oh, and I bought Dante the cutest Lion Mane!