Oftentimes, when a politician or someone announces their desire to retire, it's often to "spend time wiith my family and friends." It seems like they do it to relax. Seriously though, people do relax when they have friends around? I'm ALWAYS TENSE AROUND EVERYONE, even those who consider me to be their friend. I can never relax around anyone, not family, not anyone. As for me though, I think I could consider "spending time with my bird" as a form of relaxation, if I can ever get a bird. Sadly, I just read a book about falcons - they actually are not very loyal or loving to their owners. Social birds are more that way though, such as parrots and crows. But those very curious birds will wreak havoc on a household. I hope genetic engineering is going to improve avian intelligence. It's my only hope of relaxing with another creature.

A lifetime of anxiety and Asperger's Syndrome combines with nihilism, cynicism, misanthropism, and relativism to make me want to avoid most humans

As for me though, I think I could consider "spending time with my bird" as a form of relaxation, if I can ever get a bird. Sadly, I just read a book about falcons - they actually are not very loyal or loving to their owners. Social birds are more that way though, such as parrots and crows. But those very curious birds will wreak havoc on a household. I hope genetic engineering is going to improve avian intelligence. It's my only hope of relaxing with another creature.

Then again, who knows how far AI will go in my lifetime?

Get a puppy :D A Jack Russel sounds perfect for you

A pint size dog with a heart of a lion

Simfish I have had many types of caged birds, and you are free to PM me for more info regarding that, since I could easily ramble on for hours if I tried to address the varying manners in which they may or may not "wreak havoc" (not sure what you mean by that, actually) on a household.

I actually doubt that genetic enginerring is necessary to improve avian intelligence, since current research into psittacine intelligence (do a search for "Alex the African Grey" and research about him) seems to indicate that large (and small) parrots are extremely intelligent naturally.

Caged birds require understanding of their basic natures. They are non-domesticatable, and are prey animals in the wild. This requires a shift in approach from the owner, as the bird will be constitutionally unable to change in ways to suit the owner without being trained to do so. Some things about birds cannot be changed, period, and can only be dealt with after requiring the knowledge as to why the bird behaves the way it does.

Jack Russel