Happy Dance!

I just got my grades for this quarter... ALL A's!

WOOHOOOOOOO!

Bloggin Brudder

My brother has a blog now. It probably won't be boring.

http://www.coonboyandmelrae.blogspot.com/

Rock 'n Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

It's Friday! WOO! Listening to some AC/DC and getting totally excited for this weekend. Lola and I are headed out to the desert tomorrow night to do some wheelin' and major campfire hangin'! YEAH! First weekend in sooo long that I don't have to worry about homework. Lordie I'm loving life right now!

Rock 'n' roll ain't noise pollution, rock 'n' roll ain't gonna die! XD

Spring Quarter 2009...DONE!

I took my last final last night! YUSSSSS! I know I have two A's so far...we'll see about my Humanities class. The final in that one was a little tougher than I thought! Anyways, I'm off for three weeks now. THREE WEEKS! AHHHH! I don't know what I'm gonna do with myself each night now! HAHA!

So...about skunks!

We had our second skunk spotting last night when we went out for a walk. This time we apparently looked dangerous because Pepe Le Pew hit the dirt running. I’m honestly not nervous to get sprayed. Although, that would definitely SUCK! I’m more nervous that the skunk may be rabid and bite me. Lola has her rabies shots so she’s good, but me? AHHH! Thanks to school, I now know how painful rabies treatments can be. Essentially it’s a series of three immunoglobulin shots that get worse as you go along. My professor likened it to a syringe trying to squeeze thick, cold honey under your skin. No thank you! I've been reading about skunks and their behavior and there aren't a lot of rabies cases from skunks, but it still makes me nervous! Although, the outdoor pathway to the laundry room where Lola and I walk is like a free haunted house now - you never know what’s gonna pop out! LOL!

It’s too bad I don’t talk to the only person I knew that had any experience with random critters anymore. It'd be nice to maybe get some advice. That’d be an awesome conversation! “Hey! Yeah, long time, no talk. So you’re alive, huh? That’s good. So...about skunks!” BHAAA!

Skunk You!

So last night Lola and I were walking around the side of the building to get my laundry. It was about 10 PM so it was pretty dark. I should note that I live in a pretty rural area now - there are huge, vacant fields to the west and south of me and the Jordan River bottoms are only about 1/2 mile away, if that. I honestly love it! Anyway, there's about a 10-foot path with a long, wood fence that separates us from the big field to the south. Oh. There's also a small gap in the fence for a big tree that shoots up through it. So last night as Lola and I were walking through the dark, she took off ahead of me and was checking something out under the bushes. I figured it was a cat or something so I didn't pay much attention...until I got up to where she was. IT WAS A SKUNK! AHHHHHH!!!!! Yes, that's exactly what I did - screamed! LOL! I yanked Lola and bolted for the end of the path. We turned around and the skunk was just kinda staring at us and walking towards us all curious. LUCKILY, Lola did not get sprayed. I'm guessing it was, A) a baby skunk and couldn't spray, or B) thought Lola was its less hairy cousin. BHAAA! After I got my laundry, we went back to check it out and it was still there being all cute and curious, but I could smell skunk spray so I figured Mama Skunk was around. No fun, for sure. We ended up going back around the entire building so we didn't chance running into bigger, stinkier Mama Skunk.

Awww...never a dull moment. :)

Doggies & Ponies

I am in the last week of classes with finals next week then I’m done with this quarter! WOOHOO! This quarter has definitely rocked - lots more hands-on stuff. I had the opportunity to go out to the animal shelter last week and learn how to draw blood! We’re not supposed to learn that until our Hematology class, but I have a really small Clinical Skills class and my teacher rules so we got permission from the program director. I did a cephalic (front leg) and jugular (neck) draw on a dog and was successful at getting blood both times! I did have one minor mishap when the person that was supposed to be restraining a dog got distracted and let go. It managed to go straight for my hand, but didn’t break the skin. It was more of a “HEY! That’s my leg you’re poking!” gnaw - kind of like when I put Lola in a headlock and instead of tapping out and she bites my head. :P Last night we went out to the barn to draw blood on horses. I was the only person with any horse experience so I ended up holding the horse most the night which was okay with me - I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future. It was also kinda fun to help the other students and answer questions about horses and how to handle them. Next quarter I have Lab Animals & Pocket Pets and Imaging (x-rays), both of which should be great. Before that...I have THREE WEEKS OFF! YES! Lordie I’m so excited for that! I love school, but I’m definitely looking forward to a little break!

Goin' to see Ran in July!

I almost forgot! I'm going to see Miranda Lambert (and others) in July! EEEEE! I've had to keep this secret since it was a present for my mom's birthday. But, her birthday was yesterday (Harry Birthday, Mom!) so I can finally say it! WOOOOOO! Yeah! XD

I will karate-chop your FACE!

When I get scared, I instinctively throw my hands up in the "karate-chop" position. Like last night, I sensed danger so I dropped my laundry basket and went into Mortal Combat mode - hands up, crouching, alert eyes. I don't know why I do this. I like to think that in my past life, I was a trained assassin ninja. Yes, grasshoppa. That must be the reason.

Bend and Snap.

I’ve pretty much decided that I want to specialize in equine medicine. I had thoughts about being an all-around vet tech girl there for a while, but after talking with some of my instructors, it’s best to pick one field. It’d be like a human physician trying to be a veterinarian at the same time I guess. I suppose if I’m able to go somewhere rural, I might work with other large animals like cows and sheep. Actually for a minute I thought about working with cows (they have an amazing digestive system!), but then I remembered my history with the stinky things and how much they seem to hate me, so horses it is! WOO! I’d actually planned on focusing on horses from the start, but now I realize they are the only thing I should really focus on. So anyways, I started my library on Friday and bought equine medicine books from UC Davis and a different one used at a couple different colleges around the country. I have a whole list of books that I’d like to eventually buy, including ones on anatomy, anesthesia, infectious diseases (mmm!), and respiratory disorders. I don’t necessarily have to read these books, but I want to be the best and rock this career! I’m also lucky to have a really enthusiastic equine instructor that has been really encouraging and helpful. I’m actually going on a top-secret mission with him on Wednesday night to actually do (as in practice with my own hands) some really cool stuff. YEAH! I’m gonna be the Elle Woods of Equine Veterinary Medicine! LOL! It’s gonna be just like high school...only FUNNER!

New bed! NEW BED!

So I sold my old bed a couple days ago. :( I loved my bed - it was very squishy and pretty. But...it was only a full size bed. Meh. I’m the only one that generally sleeps in my bed (although I wouldn’t mind if that changed sometimes...HA!), but Lola usually sleeps with me and she is a BED HOG! In all reality, it’s her bed - I’m just a guest - just ask her! LOL! Anyways, I (read: Lola) got a new bed - a QUEEN SIZE! YAYA! So far I just have mattresses and rails, but there’s a headboard/footboard at Ikea that I really like so hopefully I’ll pick that up in the future. I slept on the new mattresses last night and I slept like a champ! YUSS - I was a little worried! The awesome part is that I don’t have sheets yet, so I just spread out a blanket then slept with another blanket on top of me - oh and I didn’t mind one bit. HAHA! I’m so redneck sometimes - love it! I started looking at bedding sets, but came to the conclusion that it would be much cooler (and cheaper!) to just make my own. Plus, I’m very fickle when it comes to bedding - mainly the color. Right now, I’m feeling red which could very well change to yellow in the next couple months. So I’m going to make a duvet cover that I can change out when I get bored. WOOHOO - fabric store trip this weekend! Mainly I’m excited to sleep with a squishy down comforter again! Mmmm! That’s pretty much my weekend. Oh that and getting my hair done. ‘Bout time – I’ve got some may-jah roots going on right now. EEK!

Rant

Allergies. BOO! I wasn’t going to write anything on this, but then I noticed that my friend Sara Lizbeth did and Zach and I were texting about it last night, so now they get their own post. A post to note how much they SUCK! GAH! I hate allergies! My complaint is the watery eyes. I can handle the occasional sneezing and itchy nose, but the water eyes which turn into red, sticky eyes are making my life hell right now. You sucketh, watery eyes! I take an allergy pill every morning, but it’s not helping with the watery eyes! As I write this, I’m sitting here taking breaks to dab my eyes with a Kleenex. *BEEP* you, allergies!

Bad blogger say WHAAAAA?

Oh I know, I know...I’m a bad blogger. Bad! One day when I’m done with school and I only have to worry about work, I’m sure I’ll blog more. My friend Sara Lizbeth blogs pretty much every day. Every day! I love reading her blog and all my other friend and family’s blogs. That little page visit you see from “Salt Lake City” - yeah, that’s probably me. But yeah, one day I’ll be an every-day-blogger. For now, I’m lucky to do one a week, which obviously wasn’t the case last month, though. HAHA! Moving on!

So much has happened in the last three weeks! For one, I moved. Yep. I moved. Again. My little brother moved up his wedding date a little, so moving became the hot topic of conversation. I wasn’t planning on moving until I had to, but I had a really good opportunity open up. Some family friends own an apartment complex and they were oh-so-generous and helped me with a place to live. It’s a one-bedroom apartment and I love it. It reminds me of the apartment I used to share with my friend, Katie. It’s clean, it smells good, it’s bright...it’s...Girl World. YUSSS! I’m also back on my own again which has honestly been sooo lovely! I loved living with my brother, but only worrying about Lola and myself is just grand! And even though the rent is higher than what I was paying, I’ll still be able to go to school and afford to do some of things I love like camping and stuff. Yay for that. :)

School continues to move along. I love school. I know I say it all of the time, but I really do. In the past, my college track record wasn’t so great - I was easily distracted, I missed classes, I got bored... :/ Yeah. This time has been different. For one, I have perfect attendance so far. There have been a few nights when I’ve been utterly tired and don’t want to go, but then I get there and all is forgotten. I’m continuously fascinated by what I learn every night, then I’m fascinated by the questions raised from what I’m learning every night, then fascinated about what I’m learning when I find out the answers to those questions! Phew! It’s a vicious cycle! LOL! I seriously have a notebook of questions that I’m constantly writing down during lectures. We’ll be talking about antibodies and my mind starts racing about genetics, then we’ll be talking about stomachs and I start thinking about bloat problems... I know my questions will be answered as I move into upper-level classes, but it’s hard to wait - I want to tie everything together NOW! HAHA! So anyways, I’m elbow-deep in dissecting cats...Mmmmm!, learning more clinic skills involving blood and microscopes and centrifuges (oh my!), and getting better at wrestling a hissing cat that DOES NOT want his temperature taken, but someone’s gotta do it so I’m gonna do it - by myself! SO TAKE THAT, CUJO CAT! AHHH! Yeah, my weekly shift of doing rounds never fails to be dull. LOL! XD

I’m still doing the 10K in...less than two weeks! AHHH! My whole training program fell to the wayside due to the events over the past three weeks, but I’m still doing it dammit! If all else, I’ll walk the whole thing. My friend Katie signed up so I’m super stoked to be doing it with her. Zach and Mel are also doing it, but they’re skinny runner people so they can wait for us at the finish line! HAHA! In all honestly, I would like to really start training to actually jog a big race. Maybe I’ll be up for something big next year in the Spring...

So that is my life as of late. Between finding a place to live, moving, working over-time at work, dealing with midterms, having late nights at school and holding all of that together...I was...exhausted. Last week was pretty hard. I honestly felt like I was on the verge of a teary breakdown on Thursday and Friday. I just wanted to sleep, not think and NOT MOVE anything else. Luckily, I managed to have a pretty slow weekend that included a girls’ night with my aunt, Katie’s fun housewarming/birthday party and then a lazy Sunday night spent with Lola Grizzle and an excellent “Hannah Montana” marathon. Yes, I love “Hannah Montana”. (“No-show Faux-Beau say WHAAAA?” BUWAHAHA!) I am happy to report that I don’t have any plans this weekend whatsoever! So that will be even lovelier.

I’d like to report that I spent a good ten minutes with some cute baby lambs yesterday morning. Awwwww! Baby lambies! That’s a whole other story, but for the short time, they were sunshine for the soul. That and it’s June. Springtime. *smiles*

xoxoxAC