I am in Sweden right now after sampling DNA from some wonderful little
ferrets. I was also able to hold baby ferrets, nah nah nah! One jill
had 8 kits and they were in the biting stage, so juggling them AND not
having my skin torn off was quite a feat! It was worth each and every
pinch!

I don't have the time and internet to thank everyone who wrote after
my last post, so I'll do it en mass here (sorry). Thank you so much
for your concerns about my health. Yes, I am very tired, but no, I am
not dying. I've just been on the road for 4+ months, lugging luggage,
trailing trains, pursuing planes, and even taxing taxis. It is
exhausting, but I am doing fine. No worries. My guess is ANYONE on the
FML would be tired by now. Still, it is nice to know you care! Thanks!

A *LOT* of email asks how I will get all the information from the
Ferret Project out to the average ferret user. Great question(s)! Some
info I will not have to share, such as the exact DNA results. I am not
doing the DNA and while I am involved in the publication of the
results, I am not the primary author. However, with that said, AFTER it
can be told, I will report everything (all findings and impressions) at
symposia, ferret club meetings, and on a web page I intend to construct
(or beg someone else to construct).

Which brings up another comment common in my private emails. A *LOT* of
people are asking me to start an international ferret organization that
would bring ideas from all over the world into a single location, fund
domesticated ferret research, and hold cutting edge educational
seminars. While I insist on trying to use existing organizations rather
than starting a new one, I can see there is a need for such an effort.
Also, I see myself as more of a "PR Guy" or "Cheerleader" capable of
stirring up people to support such efforts; I don't like the idea of
being a president of anything, even if for just a short time. Still,
if I return and there are enough people interested, I might consider
helping to start one -- or incorporate one into an existing
organization -- as long as I can shift away from primary leadership
roles as soon as practical.

Regardless of that sort of thing, I *WILL* be starting a "club" for
people who have helped me while on this research trip. I am still
working out the details, but I hope to include a page on the web for
each ferret I've sampled so people can update the ferret's health and
life, first crack at all the new information being gathered, and the
a networking plan / chat for group members to communicate with each
other. I will also post photos from close to 1000 rolls of film so
members can see what other people are doing. I'll place a lot of
powerpoint presentations on the site, that sort of thing.

Finally, when I mentioned my shoulder bag with Eurail Pass and cash
(and other stuff) was stolen, it wasn't a plea for help (as two jerks
suggested in private email). It was simply to inform people why I was
suddenly slowing down and missing appointments and to explain why. The
jerks that emailed me need to get a life; in the meantime, they can
kiss my ferrety bum, but then they would probably complain about the
taste of my shower gel. There are people you simply cannot make happy,
so I take a lesson from my ferrets: bite them on the nose and dance
away chuckling!

Bob C [log in to unmask]

[Posted in FML 6048]