Laurel A. Rockefeller's Blog, page 21

Legendary Women of World History and Peers of Beinan Dramas: Book Descriptions and Links

“The play is the thing that will catch the conscience of the king!” As a fan of Star Trek, I grew up with that dramatic line from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” without its greater context.

Stage dramas add richness to our lives in ways that no movie or television show can, especially in today’s world where viewing at home or using a smartphone, tablet computer, or related internet-connected device to stream our entertainment becomes increasingly normal. To see a play is to go in person and experie...

König Verses Kaiser

American schools, be it on the secondary or university level, rarely teach much German history. Unless a person is specifically studying the German language, the history of the German empire rarely gets much attention until a student starts studying the 20th century and gets into World War I and II.

Without a solid foundation from formal education, I found writing Empress Matilda of England, Hildegard von Bingen, and Katharina von Bora especially challenging. German culture and governme...

International Travel with Birds

I love my birds. Any time I am separated from my birds I feel depressed. My cockatiels are family.

At the same time, I’m a historian and for me, history research involves travel. As much travel as I can manage. It’s the former SCAdian in me that likes to experience history hands-on instead of just reading books. This is the primary reason why for the last several years I have made moving to Scotland a primary personal and professional goal.

When the time comes for my relocation t...

Pet Bird Travel Packing List: What to Bring for Your Bird

Many of you know I was born and raised in Nebraska. It’s where my love affair with birds, especially but not limited to parrots, began. Stories of those early years are told in the opening chapters of “Mithril and Me: A Love Story.” I defer to that book for now.

In 2000 after studying Chinese for three years at the University of Iowa I decided to move to the greater New York City area, eventually finding a place just outside of Newark, New Jersey. Days after signing my lease I flew ba...

Life With Cockatiels: Book Descriptions and Links

Cockatiels make life better. Ever since 1996 when my budgerigar Frodo was murdered by my then boyfriend, I’ve lived with and loved the cockatiels with whom I’ve shared my home and my life. The Life with Cockatiels series is grounded in real, first-hand experiences, the sort of things that don’t make it into traditional guide books. Over 40 years raising parrots (budgerigars, then cockatiels) go into these books. Successes and failures on my part both taught me what works and what doesn’t. To ...

Catfishing College Students: Romance Scam Avoidance

Laurel A. Rockefeller sits on Broyhill Fountain. University of Nebraska at Lincoln campus.

When I was a student at the University of Nebraska I was catfished — in the 20th century! Before facebook or instagram or twitter. Before most people knew the internet existed, in fact. Though I ended up in several abusive relationships in my twenties that began online via Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) and chat rooms like ICQ, the biggest blows to my physical and financial health came from men ...

Domestic Travel with Pet Birds

I love my cockatiels. Since childhood I have rarely been away from my birds, a story explored in Mithril and Me: A Love Story. In 2000 I moved from the American Midwest to New Jersey, flying on United Airlines. The process was simpler and much easier back then. Specifically, my birds were screened IN CAGE at the TSA checkpoint.

Hard side cockatiel travel cage with java perch bolted into it.

The cage (see above) was hard side with a top grate and door and ventilation holes all around it...

Video Repost: Welcome to the HARC at London Heathrow Airport

As someone planning on moving from USA to Glasgow Scotland, my first concern is for my beautiful cockatiels. Relatively recent embargos by both Delta Airlines and United Airlines means that only British Airways is transporting pet birds to United Kingdom countries. That means all USA to UK flights with birds on board are arriving at London Heathrow airport for customs clearances.

Here is a video showing the animal terminal at London Heathrow Airport showing the facilities and what happens ...

Welcome to the TARDIS Doctor Who Door Sign

Apartment life doesn’t allow me to customize my home by very much. Rules can be very strict for both the inside and outside of apartments.

However, there is one special touch to my apartment I’ve found my landlord does not mind: a simple poster printed on standard computer featuring the TARDIS with the caption: Welcome to the TARDIS.

Here are two versions for you to enjoy Download the regular TARDIS or enjoy a Yuletide version of the sign!

Book Descriptions and Links for Books Not in a Series

Not every book works within the confines of a series. Some books are stand alone for any number of reasons. For “Lady Biya’s Guide to Medieval Aviculture,” the book is stand alone because the book encompasses parrot species other than cockatiels; Life With Cockatiels is specific to cockatiels. The Arban and the Saman is a traditional historical romance novel and as such is fiction. His Red Eminence focuses on a history-making man; the Legendary Women of World History only looks at women.

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