But I’ve always loved learning and I still do. And it’s, to me, it’s like, don’t be the big shop, know it all type of guy. Be receptive to other people’s input and you know, take it with a grain of salt if that’s what it’s worth. Or, you know,… Read More
So other than, like I say in-House, nobody really helped you to mentor me As an assistant curator, how did you affect the development of the sections of the aquarium you were responsible for?… Read More
Not formally. I, I often worked with the curator, Roger, and he and I would exchange ideas. We both had biology degrees, we both were home hobbyists. Nobody outside the she Aquarium at that time. ’cause I was just because coming into my own, I’m trying to think, I think… Read More
Did you have mentors at this time?… Read More
Whatever might have thought he should have had the position. He was one of those individuals that pretty much knew everything there was to know, but not in a literal sense. But I just remember thinking, oh my gosh, I hope this guy leaves at some point because he’s just… Read More
But I remember being on the stern deck of the coral reef, the first qua boat, and just having this talk with the other CO that were there. I said, you know, I know this is kind of awkward ’cause you know, I’m one of you guys, but now I’m… Read More
You know, ask them what do they think about this?… Read More
You know, how do you feel about this?… Read More
It wasn’t a huge department. But How did they accept you as the new boss?… Read More
Great question. For the most part, very well, my approach was, you know, I realized, you know, I’m the boss. You can’t be everybody’s friend, but try to work with them and, you know, realize their expertise. Read More
You know, I really hope I can get this job. And you know, I’m thinking, well, me too, man, but you know, he’s gonna make the choice that he thinks would be best. And so I got the position, the other guy ended up leaving and going to SeaWorld, ended… Read More
And I remember we had interviewed and he’d come up to me like, Jimmy, I don’t know why, why aren’t they doing something?… Read More
Well, we were then, gosh, that would’ve been the early eighties. We were building what we called that little invertebrate module and also the, it was actually called the, an amenity exhibit. It had an amenities and quarrels. So I think the number might’ve soared to like 15, maybe 18… Read More
You know, Tuesday afternoon, whatever. I think in, in time we set up an agreement that they would come on a regular basis if nothing else, to just to assess the collection. Now did you have to interview for this assistant curator position? Yeah, Yeah. And I was in a… Read More
We had other, other individuals that would come through, but it was always like, we have to call up Lincoln Park Zoo and see can we get ’em over here?… Read More
We had no onsite vet at the, at all. Dr. Eric Ashkin was our first veterinarian. Barbara Baker would come over with, oh my gosh, Tom Mein. Read More
I want you to look at this with me. Or sometimes if I was performing a necropsy, you know, under the microscope, I said, I think I got this. I just want you to look at it too and see if you feel that’s what we’re dealing with. So it… Read More
So often I would say it was Roger ick and I would say, Hey Raj, you know, could you meet me at Gallery three?… Read More
So you had, you had a part-time vet, or you had no vet?… Read More
Again, I was fortunate right place. And I knew the curator very well. He knew my abilities. He also was big into fish disease analysis. Read More