Did you see the story of Jane Goodall on Sixty Minutes recently?

I missed that, damn. I love her. Early on she had a husband, and they have a child, so she was never totally cut off from family and love, but her passion for the science overshadowed everything else. I don’t know if they mentioned this, if they did,sorry, but an interesting thing she once mentioned (I met her once, many years ago) was that she had always been fascinated by Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan books aa a child and knew it was fated that she go into the jungle and study primates because her name was Jane. (Just thought that was cute and you’d enjoy it :-))

I saw it. She simply is compelled to follow this path in life, it must bring her great joy. I wonder what her childhood was really like? How she perceives her life growing up, and if there was something during this time that psychologically affected her in some way that caused her to be so narrow in her focus? But, certainly many people are extremely focused on their careers, especially if their careers are grown from a keen interest in something or the love of a hobby.

Wow… Jil you meet her! A very fascinating woman! If I remember correctly, she is now 76 or 77, and still a very attractive lady. So full of life!

I don’t think her dedication compromised her ability to find love, bad luck did. Her second husband – the love of her life from what I understand – died of cancer.

I get why she’s doing it. Apes and chimpanzees are our closest living ancestor and if one is passionate about anthropology (as she is), there really couldn’t be a more satisfying career. It’s pretty sad how few apes are left, and if not for her efforts, millions of years of evolution would already be eradicated.

Coincidentally, I was writing a paper on how apes communicate when that show came on. What were the chances I was writing that, had it on that channel, and that was the subject of 60 minutes all at once? Slim.

wow…. @cockswain pretty cool!

I suppose it would surprise you to know that Love, Family and so on isn’t the be all and end all for some people as it is for us. They follow their own passion. Besides, this wonderful, lucky woman had all that as well.

loll..you met her…. geezzzz excuse me, I’ve been out of it lately. 11 more days to get rid of this damn pain (hip surgery). Excuse my damn French! It cannot happen soon enough. When pain pills doesn’t phase it, it’s time.

@BoBo1946 : Keep poppin’ the Percoset, we’re counting down with you!

@JilltheTooth the strongest thing they will allow me to have is Darvocet. It did nothing….I quit taking them. After the surgery, they will allow Percoset and others… thank you friend!

@BoBo1946 : Bummer that tit doesn’t work. Before I started my cancer treatments I was in constant pain and nothing worked except Advil. Opiates just made me stupid, and all the big guns in the arsenal had no effect. Suck up the ibuprofen and drink a little too much! If nothing else, it’s funner!

@JilltheTooth you are so right..the Advil has helped more than anything. Aleve doesn’t help much. Sometimes, when it really gets bad..take a cocktail of Aleve, Advil, and Darvocet. But, i would feel so bad the next day, quit that. Plus, those are hard on the stomach.

Thanks so much for posting this question. I’ve been a fan of Ms. Goodall since the ‘60s.

Here is a link to the 60 Minutes report with the interview video. Also, just below it and on the right, there is a link to a video interview called, Extra: Goodall on Motherhood, in which she discusses how family life, including rearing her son in the jungle, helped her.

@Pied_Pfeffer : Thanks so much!

@Pied_Pfeffer she blew me away with her “angel like” disposition! She is a Saint. Anyone that loves animals can always be on my team. Thank you for the link.