I can't believe The Hunger Games finally came out! It was utterly fantastic! Haha. I might have to go again. It was such a fun atmosphere with a bunch of other young people. One girl even screamed when the previews started because she was so excited. It got really hushed when the lights finally dimmed. Sarah and I were shaking each other and clutching each other's hands because we just couldn't contain our enthusiasm. I had a lot of fun, but I was very tired the next day.
We also finally had our Lord of the Rings movie marathon this weekend, which was so fun! I loved watching the films with all of my London girls. We ate pizza, popcorn, and chocolate chip cookie bars for dinner then had banana bread, blueberry muffins, bananas, and apple juice for breakfast the next morning. After so much fun, I am glad to have today to just relax and finish up some homework.
My speech in Oral Advocacy went pretty well. I think I spoke too quickly at the beginning, but then I calmed down a bit and did better the rest of the speech. I really enjoyed hearing everyone else's stories because they were interesting.
I also got my Anatomy test back on Friday. I got an A, which I was kind of expecting because I felt like I did really well. The class average was 94, and I got 97, so needless to say it was a pretty easy test. I don't think I've ever seen such a high average in one of my classes before.
My internship went pretty well this week, too. It was kind of slow because a lot of the farm calls are in the afternoon after I am gone, but this week, I will hopefully be able to make a couple of farm calls with Dr. W (I know for sure that Tuesday we are shoeing and floating teeth on horses).
This week, I have another Anatomy test (Monday/tomorrow) and a Physics test (Friday). I also have my Circle K transitional meeting so the new exec board members can learn what exactly we will need to do next year. Basically, we are going to be trained in. I should probably tell you that I have decided to try to graduate after Winter Term next year instead of skipping Winter and going Fall and Spring. There are just too many changes being made at Augustana next year, including the loss of my advisor (he's going to Gustavus Adolphus to be the new Dean of Sciences and Education), the addition of the Student Center onto the library, and the renovation of Old Main. I am afraid that if I tried to skip a term, things would go really badly and I wouldn't be able to graduate on time. I am very worried about that, so I want to play it safe. That way, if something doesn't go according to plan Winter Term, I will still have Spring to take some classes and graduate when I am supposed to. This is even more important since I am not sure I will still be able to work at the thrift store this summer. There has been a management change, and I am not sure if I will be rehired. There are just too many unknowns for me to be able to take that risk. The advising changes will hopefully be explained in more detail at the VET MED meeting on Thursday. My advisor was going to be the faculty advisor for the group, but since he is leaving, we need to find someone else quick (or we won't have a group!).
In other news, because I no longer have Aerobic Dance for a gym class, I have decided to take up Step Aerobics on Monday and Wednesday nights. We had such a great workout on Wednesday. The instructor even incorporated some Zumba into the routine, which was so much fun. You already know that I love Zumba, so to have some of it during Aerobics is just the perfect workout. I get really exhausted from Step, so doing Zumba in the middle helps me recover and breaks up the difficulty a little bit. I felt so good, so I cannot wait for tomorrow night. I need to get more fit in about three weeks because I am doing another 5K (the Friday the 13th 5K sponsored by Habitat for Humanity in April). I really want to break my old record (which I think is like 38 or 39 minutes), so I need to be feeling good and strong before I run.
No word on what's going on next weekend. I'm sure we will find something interesting to do. However, Friday is the deadline for an Outstanding Student scholarship I am applying for. It is only open to freshman, sophomores, and juniors who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or higher during their time at Augustana. The award is $500, which isn't much, but if I win, it will really help. Wish me luck with that.
That's everything for now. I guess my final thoughts are that you should go see The Hunger Games if you haven't yet. Or, if you still haven't read the books, you should so you can go see the movie later. So worth it. Have a great week!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Top O' the Morning!--Week 2
As you might be able to tell, we are currently celebrating St. Patrick's Day in our little house. Sarah was once an Irish dancer, so she loves all things Irish. We are cooking corned beef and potatoes for dinner. Yum.
I had another busy but exciting week this week.
Tuesday was my second day of shadowing. I didn't see too many interesting things, but it was an okay day. Very calm and whatnot. I did see a cryptorchid dog neuter, which was something new and a little more complicated than a normal neuter because you cannot just make a couple of nice snips and get the job done.
Wednesday was my first anatomy test. It was just on some basic terminology, so I felt like it went really well.
Thursday was a really awesome day shadowing because I got to see some pigs! Dr. W went out to a farm to castrate a few future show pigs. I did not realize how curious the pigs are. They kept coming up to the side of their enclosures to sniff me. They were simply adorable! They looked so charming when they were sleeping in piles or yawning. Of course, they did not like the procedure that was being done to them, but they seemed okay once it was over. They must be very hardy and thick-skinned creatures.
Last night, we had some people over for pizza and games. These were girls that Devon and Sarah knew from last year and freshman year, so there were a few people I did not know (but most of the girls I have seen around). We all had a great time, and I really hope we can get together again soon.
I suppose I should tell you a little bit about last weekend, too, because I wrote my blog post so early. We got all of our Hunger Games gear--t-shirts, posters, and keychains. We also successfully got our midnight premiere tickets, so I am very excited about that. We took Devon out to Olive Garden on Saturday for her birthday, where I introduced Devon and Sarah to my favorite wine, the Sicilian red wine Nero D'Avola. They liked it so much that they want to buy it to drink at home!
Sunday night, I had a chance to hang out with some of my London friends. It was so good to see them again! We are hopefully getting together this coming weekend for that LOTR marathon (at last!), but it was still really fun, and I'm glad we were able to throw together our little gathering.
This morning, I volunteered at the Million Trees Project at the Quad City Expo Center with Circle K. We got cool t-shirts this year, which was so awesome. I spent most of the two hours wrapping baby pin oaks in newspaper and dunking them in water to be passed to one of the baggers. And I actually have pictures! Yay! I think the rest of this weekend is going to be pretty low key, which I am okay with because I really need to get some homework done.
More good stuff is on the docket for this coming week. Tuesday is my first speech in Argument and Oral Advocacy. I am nervous for it, obviously, but it is just supposed to be a casual introduction to speech-giving where we all tell a story about ourselves that teaches a lesson/makes an argument (I bet you can't guess the subject of my speech!). I'm sure that with a little more practice, I will feel more prepared and less afraid. I also have another Circle K meeting on Tuesday and a speaker broadcast for NSLS. I only need two more to qualify for induction, and there will be two more this year, including the one on Tuesday. I am really happy about this because I missed a lot when I was in London, and I was afraid that I would not be able to get inducted until last year. However, everything seems to be working out just fine.
Thursday is also going to be a big day because it's the premiere of The Hunger Games!! We are probably going to get to the theater a couple of hours before the movie starts, and I think we are meeting up with some other people who are going, too. It will be such a neat experience to see the movie with so many other fans because I am sure that almost everyone in the audience will have read (and loved!) the books as much as my roommates and I have.
Well, that is everything that is going on in my life right now. I'm excited for the true beginning of spring on Tuesday, but the weather has been positively summery for about a week straight now (in the 70s and 80s), so life has been pretty sweet. I hope that you all are enjoying fine weather wherever you are. Until next time!
I had another busy but exciting week this week.
Tuesday was my second day of shadowing. I didn't see too many interesting things, but it was an okay day. Very calm and whatnot. I did see a cryptorchid dog neuter, which was something new and a little more complicated than a normal neuter because you cannot just make a couple of nice snips and get the job done.
Wednesday was my first anatomy test. It was just on some basic terminology, so I felt like it went really well.
Thursday was a really awesome day shadowing because I got to see some pigs! Dr. W went out to a farm to castrate a few future show pigs. I did not realize how curious the pigs are. They kept coming up to the side of their enclosures to sniff me. They were simply adorable! They looked so charming when they were sleeping in piles or yawning. Of course, they did not like the procedure that was being done to them, but they seemed okay once it was over. They must be very hardy and thick-skinned creatures.
Last night, we had some people over for pizza and games. These were girls that Devon and Sarah knew from last year and freshman year, so there were a few people I did not know (but most of the girls I have seen around). We all had a great time, and I really hope we can get together again soon.
I suppose I should tell you a little bit about last weekend, too, because I wrote my blog post so early. We got all of our Hunger Games gear--t-shirts, posters, and keychains. We also successfully got our midnight premiere tickets, so I am very excited about that. We took Devon out to Olive Garden on Saturday for her birthday, where I introduced Devon and Sarah to my favorite wine, the Sicilian red wine Nero D'Avola. They liked it so much that they want to buy it to drink at home!
Sunday night, I had a chance to hang out with some of my London friends. It was so good to see them again! We are hopefully getting together this coming weekend for that LOTR marathon (at last!), but it was still really fun, and I'm glad we were able to throw together our little gathering.
This morning, I volunteered at the Million Trees Project at the Quad City Expo Center with Circle K. We got cool t-shirts this year, which was so awesome. I spent most of the two hours wrapping baby pin oaks in newspaper and dunking them in water to be passed to one of the baggers. And I actually have pictures! Yay! I think the rest of this weekend is going to be pretty low key, which I am okay with because I really need to get some homework done.
 |
| Attractive... |
 |
| I'm on to the photographer this time!! |
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| Posing with our new shirts at the end of our service! |
Thursday is also going to be a big day because it's the premiere of The Hunger Games!! We are probably going to get to the theater a couple of hours before the movie starts, and I think we are meeting up with some other people who are going, too. It will be such a neat experience to see the movie with so many other fans because I am sure that almost everyone in the audience will have read (and loved!) the books as much as my roommates and I have.
Well, that is everything that is going on in my life right now. I'm excited for the true beginning of spring on Tuesday, but the weather has been positively summery for about a week straight now (in the 70s and 80s), so life has been pretty sweet. I hope that you all are enjoying fine weather wherever you are. Until next time!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Springing into Action--Week 1
What a hectic first week back it has been! I wanted to post about this week earlier than I normally do because I'm anticipating a busy weekend, and I don't want to abandon my readers!
Monday I had a meeting to finalize the details of my internship and to learn what to expect and what my a responsibilities are as a student and as an intern. I actually started the internship on Tuesday. Luckily, I have a very nice friend who is letting me borrow her car on Tuesdays and Thursdays for just that purpose. The large animal clinic is about 45 minutes from school, so it's quite a long drive, especially when I have to get up at 6 AM and leave at 7 AM. However, it is a pretty scenic drive since I travel through open fields and farms on my way to the clinic. It's actually quite freeing and enjoyable when I turn the radio on and just go with the flow. Anyway, when I arrived at the clinic, dressed in my navy blue coveralls and hiking boots, I had to wait a few minutes before Becky, one of the receptionists, let me in. She showed me around the clinic and introduced me to Mrs. F, the lone veterinary technician at the clinic. I learned that Dr. W, who I will be shadowing this term, built the clinic. I can tell that it was designed by a vet because it has many different kinds of rooms, some of which are on separate heating and cooling systems. He really seems to take a lot of pride in excellent animal care, which I deeply admire. I did not meet Dr. W until a couple of hours after I arrived because he was already out on a call. He had woken up at 5:45 that morning to assist in the birthing of a calf, which was not going very well. The calf was upside down and backwards in the birth canal, and the mother's obturator nerves (nerves that help control the hind legs) were damaged, making it difficult for her to stand up. The calf did not make it, but Dr. W said that the mother would probably make a full recovery. I kind of wish I could have seen it, but Dr. W said he was glad that I was not with him. I would probably just have been in the way. It wasn't long before we were off on another farm call, but not before I was redressed in a pair of lined coveralls with a zip-up hoodie and rubber boots and gloves. It appears that I was not as well prepared for the experience as I thought I was going to be. However, the clinic luckily has extras of everything so that I never have to worry about being improperly dressed. Anyway, Dr. W and I took off for a farm, where 21 pregnant cows waiting for checkups and vaccines. Because it is hard to ultrasound a cow on-site, the progress of the pregnancies must be assessed the manual way. That is, rectal palpations, where the doctor thrusts his arm into the birth canal and feels for the calf. In this manner, he can tell how far along the cow is. Obviously, cows do not like this process, so they must be put in a chute and sent into a cramped holding device to give the doctor axis to their hind ends. Indeed, the process itself is called "chuting." After awhile, it becomes very rote and assembly-line-like. I enjoyed seeing all the new tools that Dr. W uses on cows. They are much different from those used on small animals, particularly the syringes. They look more like guns than medical devices. One of the cows, Number 8, was particularly stubborn and shoved herself into the holding dock with the cow in front of her. Dr. W couldn't do anything but examine them as a pair, which he did with surprising success (maybe he's just done it a million times before). He is very brave, and I can only hope that I will be like that someday. He also really seems to enjoy working with the farmers, and this is something that I hope to do one day, too. After we left the farm, we went back to the clinic for a cat spay and a cat neuter/declaw on a gray feline named Gracie (a boy, sadly). Our joke was that Gracie was such a jerk because he was mad at the world about his name. Overall, it was not a bad first day. I only hope that I am able to go to more farm calls next week. I did not go on Thursday because Dr. W had continuing education seminars, which means he was not in the clinic, so there was nothing interesting for me to see. Mrs. F and the receptionists said they would have something for me to do, but they were also okay with my not coming. Besides, I am there to get large animal experience, which I would not get without Dr. W.
We had our Circle K Exec Board elections on Tuesday, as well. I was unaware of this, but I was also nominated for Fundraising Chair along with this girl named Catherine. We were running together because she will be gone Spring Term in Ireland, and I will probably be at home Winter Term since I don't really need to be here for three terms next year (which you know already). Anyway, that position was up for voting before Social Chair, so I had to give my nice speech earlier than I thought. Well, I must have been pretty convincing because I was elected Fundraising Co-Chair, without any chance of being Social Chair. It's odd how I originally wanted to be Service Chair, then had just come to terms with being Social Chair before the role of Fundraising Co-Chair was thrust upon me. However, Heather tells me that it is easy, and it is that ever-elusive Circle K Exec Board Position that I have wanted since I joined. I'm excited to work with the other members and have another leadership role (since I'll probably be Secretary or Co-Secretary for Vet Med next year, too).
I'm really enjoying all of my classes, too. My physics professor is really funny and approachable, and he seems really enthusiastic about the subject, which is really infectious. His lectures are easy to follow and enjoyable, so I think this term will be even better than last term (I still don't know how I pulled off that A...). He's great because he emphasizes understanding the concept behind the questions more than the nitty-gritty math and such, which is often what tripped me up last term. Anatomy is a pretty cool class because it's biology and because it's so practical. I enjoy learning about the human body, and even in a human science, I can see parallels to animal science. I agreed to participate in a research study that the professor and her colleague are conducting along with some professors from St. Ambrose University in Davenport (almost like our sister school, if you want to call it that...or maybe just our neighbor across the river). They are examining whether computer programs help Anatomy students better learn and understand the human body and its 3D structure and relationships. The study offers bonus points for participating students, awarded in the form of surveys and a final 60-minute test given during Finals Week to test our retention of anatomical information. I am looking forward to contributing to scientific research. Having done a little myself, I have a greater appreciation that I did before of the process as a whole, and I want other people to be as successful in their studies as I feel I was in mine. Finally, my Argument and Oral Advocacy professor is freaking hilarious. He is a young guy (just 29 years old) from Texas who talks with a very slight accent and uses very Southern phrases. He told us the first day of class that his brand of humor is a mix of sarcasm and self-deprecation, which are my two favorites. I don't need to tell you that I was pretty much cracking up most of the time. He seems really nice and accessible, and he told us that he is in the learning process, too, which means he is a pretty fair guy and wanting the classroom to be an inviting, supportive environment of collective learning and teaching. However, he also told us that we really have to earn our grades, and that even "doing things right" does not guarantee an A. Well, you can imagine that I take that as a kind of challenge of sorts to strive for excellence in all of my assignments in the class. I am a bit nervous for the four speeches we must give (one of which is less than two weeks away), but the first one is pretty casual, and I'm sure I will get more comfortable as I become more familiar with him and the class.
So, as you can see, I've had quite the week. I'm really looking forward to the weekend because my homework load is relatively light (lighter than it will probably be for the rest of the term) and because I am going to do a lot of fun things. Tomorrow, Sarah and I are driving to the movie theater to see if we can get our Hunger Games tickets early and then to Hot Topic at Southpark Mall, which has lots of Hunger Games merchandise. After all, we have to show up to the premiere properly dressed!! Later in the afternoon and evening, I am going to the QCAWC to help with Trivia Night. I love trivia; it reminds me of my Knowledge Bowl days. When you combine that with cute, furry animals, it's a recipe for instant success and good times! Sunday will be pretty low-key, but that will be okay because I will need some down time to do homework. So, that's everything new for you. This next week doesn't look too exciting, but it's still a few days away, so you never know what might happen. Obviously, I will share everything noteworthy with you. But until then, have a great weekend, and don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday!!
Monday I had a meeting to finalize the details of my internship and to learn what to expect and what my a responsibilities are as a student and as an intern. I actually started the internship on Tuesday. Luckily, I have a very nice friend who is letting me borrow her car on Tuesdays and Thursdays for just that purpose. The large animal clinic is about 45 minutes from school, so it's quite a long drive, especially when I have to get up at 6 AM and leave at 7 AM. However, it is a pretty scenic drive since I travel through open fields and farms on my way to the clinic. It's actually quite freeing and enjoyable when I turn the radio on and just go with the flow. Anyway, when I arrived at the clinic, dressed in my navy blue coveralls and hiking boots, I had to wait a few minutes before Becky, one of the receptionists, let me in. She showed me around the clinic and introduced me to Mrs. F, the lone veterinary technician at the clinic. I learned that Dr. W, who I will be shadowing this term, built the clinic. I can tell that it was designed by a vet because it has many different kinds of rooms, some of which are on separate heating and cooling systems. He really seems to take a lot of pride in excellent animal care, which I deeply admire. I did not meet Dr. W until a couple of hours after I arrived because he was already out on a call. He had woken up at 5:45 that morning to assist in the birthing of a calf, which was not going very well. The calf was upside down and backwards in the birth canal, and the mother's obturator nerves (nerves that help control the hind legs) were damaged, making it difficult for her to stand up. The calf did not make it, but Dr. W said that the mother would probably make a full recovery. I kind of wish I could have seen it, but Dr. W said he was glad that I was not with him. I would probably just have been in the way. It wasn't long before we were off on another farm call, but not before I was redressed in a pair of lined coveralls with a zip-up hoodie and rubber boots and gloves. It appears that I was not as well prepared for the experience as I thought I was going to be. However, the clinic luckily has extras of everything so that I never have to worry about being improperly dressed. Anyway, Dr. W and I took off for a farm, where 21 pregnant cows waiting for checkups and vaccines. Because it is hard to ultrasound a cow on-site, the progress of the pregnancies must be assessed the manual way. That is, rectal palpations, where the doctor thrusts his arm into the birth canal and feels for the calf. In this manner, he can tell how far along the cow is. Obviously, cows do not like this process, so they must be put in a chute and sent into a cramped holding device to give the doctor axis to their hind ends. Indeed, the process itself is called "chuting." After awhile, it becomes very rote and assembly-line-like. I enjoyed seeing all the new tools that Dr. W uses on cows. They are much different from those used on small animals, particularly the syringes. They look more like guns than medical devices. One of the cows, Number 8, was particularly stubborn and shoved herself into the holding dock with the cow in front of her. Dr. W couldn't do anything but examine them as a pair, which he did with surprising success (maybe he's just done it a million times before). He is very brave, and I can only hope that I will be like that someday. He also really seems to enjoy working with the farmers, and this is something that I hope to do one day, too. After we left the farm, we went back to the clinic for a cat spay and a cat neuter/declaw on a gray feline named Gracie (a boy, sadly). Our joke was that Gracie was such a jerk because he was mad at the world about his name. Overall, it was not a bad first day. I only hope that I am able to go to more farm calls next week. I did not go on Thursday because Dr. W had continuing education seminars, which means he was not in the clinic, so there was nothing interesting for me to see. Mrs. F and the receptionists said they would have something for me to do, but they were also okay with my not coming. Besides, I am there to get large animal experience, which I would not get without Dr. W.
We had our Circle K Exec Board elections on Tuesday, as well. I was unaware of this, but I was also nominated for Fundraising Chair along with this girl named Catherine. We were running together because she will be gone Spring Term in Ireland, and I will probably be at home Winter Term since I don't really need to be here for three terms next year (which you know already). Anyway, that position was up for voting before Social Chair, so I had to give my nice speech earlier than I thought. Well, I must have been pretty convincing because I was elected Fundraising Co-Chair, without any chance of being Social Chair. It's odd how I originally wanted to be Service Chair, then had just come to terms with being Social Chair before the role of Fundraising Co-Chair was thrust upon me. However, Heather tells me that it is easy, and it is that ever-elusive Circle K Exec Board Position that I have wanted since I joined. I'm excited to work with the other members and have another leadership role (since I'll probably be Secretary or Co-Secretary for Vet Med next year, too).
I'm really enjoying all of my classes, too. My physics professor is really funny and approachable, and he seems really enthusiastic about the subject, which is really infectious. His lectures are easy to follow and enjoyable, so I think this term will be even better than last term (I still don't know how I pulled off that A...). He's great because he emphasizes understanding the concept behind the questions more than the nitty-gritty math and such, which is often what tripped me up last term. Anatomy is a pretty cool class because it's biology and because it's so practical. I enjoy learning about the human body, and even in a human science, I can see parallels to animal science. I agreed to participate in a research study that the professor and her colleague are conducting along with some professors from St. Ambrose University in Davenport (almost like our sister school, if you want to call it that...or maybe just our neighbor across the river). They are examining whether computer programs help Anatomy students better learn and understand the human body and its 3D structure and relationships. The study offers bonus points for participating students, awarded in the form of surveys and a final 60-minute test given during Finals Week to test our retention of anatomical information. I am looking forward to contributing to scientific research. Having done a little myself, I have a greater appreciation that I did before of the process as a whole, and I want other people to be as successful in their studies as I feel I was in mine. Finally, my Argument and Oral Advocacy professor is freaking hilarious. He is a young guy (just 29 years old) from Texas who talks with a very slight accent and uses very Southern phrases. He told us the first day of class that his brand of humor is a mix of sarcasm and self-deprecation, which are my two favorites. I don't need to tell you that I was pretty much cracking up most of the time. He seems really nice and accessible, and he told us that he is in the learning process, too, which means he is a pretty fair guy and wanting the classroom to be an inviting, supportive environment of collective learning and teaching. However, he also told us that we really have to earn our grades, and that even "doing things right" does not guarantee an A. Well, you can imagine that I take that as a kind of challenge of sorts to strive for excellence in all of my assignments in the class. I am a bit nervous for the four speeches we must give (one of which is less than two weeks away), but the first one is pretty casual, and I'm sure I will get more comfortable as I become more familiar with him and the class.
So, as you can see, I've had quite the week. I'm really looking forward to the weekend because my homework load is relatively light (lighter than it will probably be for the rest of the term) and because I am going to do a lot of fun things. Tomorrow, Sarah and I are driving to the movie theater to see if we can get our Hunger Games tickets early and then to Hot Topic at Southpark Mall, which has lots of Hunger Games merchandise. After all, we have to show up to the premiere properly dressed!! Later in the afternoon and evening, I am going to the QCAWC to help with Trivia Night. I love trivia; it reminds me of my Knowledge Bowl days. When you combine that with cute, furry animals, it's a recipe for instant success and good times! Sunday will be pretty low-key, but that will be okay because I will need some down time to do homework. So, that's everything new for you. This next week doesn't look too exciting, but it's still a few days away, so you never know what might happen. Obviously, I will share everything noteworthy with you. But until then, have a great weekend, and don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday!!
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