Learning to Listen

Before Opal came home, we set up a talking button next to the backyard door. When pressed, the button calls out, “Opal go potty.” We hoped she would learn to use this button to let us know she had to go out. We pressed it every time before opening the door to the backyard.

Dogs are very communicative through body language, eye movements, barks, and such. Walker-girl’s cues were quite subtle, and she frequently used her eyes to tell us what she wanted. She would sit quietly and stare at you, waiting for you to stare back. When you did, only her eyes would shift, say, towards the fireplace mantle where her ball sat. Or, towards her leash, or her water bowl. These were very clear requests that we missed for a long time, until we finally caught on.

Opal uses a gamut of communication skills. Some clearer for us to understand than others.

Recently, during the cold snap, I fortified her crate for warmth. One night, she woofed, and I got up to check on her. She laid back in her crate, staring at me, clearly indicating, “No, I don’t have to go potty.” She got up and walked to my side of the bed and curled up on the bare floor. Smooth Collies are double-coated and she was too warm. I’ve since made it easier for her to cool down in her crate, when needed. Attention must be paid to learn how your dog communicates and what she is telling you, ay? I love the learning the ways each dog talks to us. Especially, the silent ways. They are communicating all the time.

It took Opal awhile to figure out the button. She watched for weeks as pressed it before opening the back door. Eventually, she experimented with light taps before using harder taps to get the button to talk. She used it rarely, but each time she did, she ran to potty after we opened the door.

One day, she and I were alone, me in my writer’s room, Opal roaming about. She came and poked me with her nose a couple of times. Deep into research, I didn’t respond and she disappeared. Sounding from the kitchen were three rapid successions of “Opal go potty.” Hurrying to the back door, I let her out, and, yes, she immediately ran to potty. Never was I so proud of a puppy. And felt bad I ignored her pokes.

She uses the button more often now. Of course, there will be the inevitable moment when she uses the button for other reasons. We may have to get more buttons. More to be revealed as we live along.

February celebrates three months Opal has been living with us. From her first night, she settled in and said, “This will do just fine.” It’s as if she’s always been here.

Darker New Mexico History

During World War II, New Mexico had Japanese internment camps in Santa Fe, Lordsburg, Fort Stanton, and Old Raton Ranch (Baca Camp). The Santa Fe camp held more than 4500 Japanese men.

“I was old enough by then to understand that camp was something like jail, but could not fully grasp what we had done to be sent there,"—George Takei, imprisoned as child along with his family in Arkansas and California camps.

My mother spoke of her Japanese friends and neighbors disappearing overnight—whole families removed from their homes. It’s not much different, in my eyes, than what’s happening today.

Like the Japanese during WWII, people are disappearing from their communities. They’re being taken in full public view at Target, Home Depot, schools, restaurants, neighborhood streets. While the Orange Man said ICE would remove only criminals, ICE targets anyone “looking” like an immigrant. People who have done nothing wrong, much like the American Japanese.

New Mexico’s State Legislature is progressing a bill that will prevent New Mexico public lands from being used for ICE detention centers. The bill also terminates existing contracts.

“Given what we’ve seen just recently in Minnesota, enough is enough.”—Senate Majority Leader, Peter Wirth.

Senator Wirth, of course, refers to the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

The “Immigrant Safety Act” won’t prevent private contractors from working directly with the Feds to imprison immigrants, but it will prevent New Mexico cities and counties from entering contracts for detention centers. New Mexico has three ICE detention centers, and there are rumors about a fourth coming. The 505omatic video below focuses on the worst detention center, which is in Torrence County:

During WWII, the internment camps were managed by the military. Today, they’re managed by corporations. There’s a lot of money to be had managing prisons, friends. That can’t be good, can it?

There has to be a line we as a nation do not cross—killing Americans and treating anyone as less than human is unconscionable. Unacceptable.

It takes a lot more courage to be decent.—Louise Penny, interview CBC News with Ian Hanomansing

We the People

You voted in a strong man
did you really mean you wanted us dead 
when you said the cost of eggs needed to come down?

Minnesota shows us the way. Our voices loud, our numbers in the streets, our dollars where it counts, and if still possible, our votes no matter what. We the people—you, me, friends, neighbors, and our communities. We must look to each other, not big daddy, rich people, corporations, or the mythical “reasonable” Republican in Congress.

Recommended Substack newsletters:

• Thinking About, by Timothy Snyder

• Letters From An American, by Heather Cox Richardson

• Open Windows, by Ann Telnaes

Stay caring and curious, friends, and CRUSH ICE!

See you anon, —JD

Currently

• Drinking: 2023 Shui Jin Gui Wuyi Rock Oolong

• Using: Platinum Motosu #3776 fountain pen inked with Aurora Turquoise, Stalogy notebook, Nolty planner

• Reading: Angel of Vengeance, by Preston & Child