The (Future) Doctor is In

The last leg of the journey...

2008-04-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow is the beginning of the home stretch for my veterinary career. I now have to put to use all the knowledge that I have been given over the past 3 years.

Here is how much knowledge needs to be in my head:

Yes it is a bit daunting, isn't it? Not to worry, I am handling it just fine.

One crazy week

2007-09-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

This has been a memorable week, so I just need to document it (even though I'm pretty sure nobody reads my blog anymore). The beginning of the week was depressing, as I was having a quarter-life crisis. There is TOO much information for me to know and I can't see how I can ever succeed as a vet. So, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I cried and ate left over birthday cake. Thursday, one of our rather pompous professors forgot to turn off his microphone during our 10-minute break so we were subjected listening to him pee. It was very hard not to laugh during the second hour of class, and I was digusted that we didn't hear the faucet running after the peeing so I made it my goal to not touch anything he touched. On Friday we received an e-mail from the student affairs office that someone in our class has been looking at porn during class and would they please not do that. This has resulted in a "porn witch hunt" as everyone began speculating about who it is. After class on Friday, my friend Erin (from vet school) and I went on an eight hour shopping marathon at the MOA. We refused to stop for anything (eating, bathroom, etc.) and it was good. The end.

The quest still continues...

2007-09-15T20:20:00.001-07:00

Ah, yes my all too often futile struggle for the coveted DVM continues. I've finished up my last summer, as now we go to school straight through until graduation (we still get some breaks though). But, oh what a wonderful summer! Please allow me to make a plug for unemployment:

My dear fellow Americans:

Since the beginning of time, our way of life has revolved around labor in some form. What began as a back-breaking struggle for survival has been reduced to mere "office butt". Call it what you will: the daily grind, the 9 to 5, slavery, or force x distance x cos theta. I have taken the opportunity to buck the oppression that work has imposed upon us since the boot from the garden of Eden. My eyes were opened in this new way of life, and I saw the beauty of laziness in all its glory. A day of sleeping in, sunbathing, watching movies, and fishing is like a milkshake made of forgiveness and angels. Alas, work has once again accosted me and drug me back into the dark cavern of daily drugery and half-hour lunch breaks. I feel it is my duty now to tell you what it is like on the other side, and urge you to pursue it with wild abandon. Now, when I see a heavy-set woman with four bi-racial children at Walmart, I give her a nod...a nod that says "I get it".

This year we got a new classroom, new instructors, a new classmate, and heavier expectations. Sometime I don't know how I will ever get all this information in my head. At least this semester we only have ~26 credits, instead of last semesters 34. Very soon I will pick my rotations, and our clinics will start in April. There is an underhanded attempt going on by the administration to make us wear maroon coats instead of white when we go on clinics. Apparently, nametags and introducing yourself as "the student" is still too confusing for clients. We are petitioning for white coats, so if you can help me out with good reasons why please let me know and I'll include them in my portion. Anyways, I guess God has gotten me this far...two more years to go!!!!

The Journey

2007-07-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been over a month since I got back from Uganda. Even so, I still reflect back on the trip nearly every day and God continues to cause me to grow from it. I officially left for Uganda on June 4, after spending the weekend in Orlando with one of my team members. It was a long flight but I was really excited. We had a day layover in Amsterdam, so we went to a cheese farm and the Anne Frank museum. The cheese was scrumtrulescent and the Anne Frank museum was quite moving. Here are a couple photos from Amsterdam:

This is Grand Central Station (where Ocean's Twelve was filmed)

Windmill seen on the way to the cheese farm.

The outside of Anne Frank's house (pictures inside are not allowed).

When we got to Uganda, we had to do a lot of traveling but met lots of great people along the way. We took care of some horses, spayed/neutered and vaccinated dogs and cats for rabies, and vaccinated chickens for Newcastle's disease. We wore skirts out of respect for our hosts, since they value modesty greatly. They really only had to go to your knee, but mine all went past my ankles. It actually wasn't that hot wearing a skirt, which was a plus. The sun was hot so we stayed in the shade during the day. At night it cooled down quite a bit, so it was comfortable to sleep. On Sunday we went to church, which was such a blessing. The people were so welcoming and honored us as their guests. Afterwards, we spent some time with the younger people in the church (they were around 18 or 19 years old) and had lunch. The young women were so sweet and kept passing us notes that said "let's be friends and pray for each other". Here are just a few pictures of Uganda (I will post them all on Facebook when I figure out how to do it).

A roadside fruit stand where we bought some very delicious pineapple, guavas, mangos, tangerines, bananas, passion fruit, and sugar cane.

The mighty Nile River! We were fortunate enough to go white water rafting on this powerhouse of God's creation.

A miracle occured and I actually hit a jugular vein! I had to have it documented :).

The little church in Namalu where we had a lovely service. It lasted almost three hours but it didn't seem that long.

Here I am with two new friends hanging out after church (as you can see, both are already married with kids).

I was assigned to vaccinate poultry in this village. We just had to put a drop of the vaccine in any mucous membrane (i.e. mouth, eye). The lady in the back has a bunch of chickens in a bucket on her head. It made me hungry for KFC.

Some breathtaking scenery....

More breathtaking scenery; seriously every picture was worthy of being on a postcard.

It was a busy trip and I really didn't have a whole lot of time during it to reflect on things. I tried to journal every night, but I did the most pondering upon return. I prayed before I left that God would reveal Himself to me in new ways, and He went above and beyond my request. I was filled with unspeakable joy each time I met a Ugandan believer. It was amazing to me to see another person who is very different from me yet loves the same Jesus that I do. All barriers-- be they race, language, class, whatever--were instantly rubble in the face of our common bond in Christ. It made me excited to see all these other brothers and sisters and imagine how we would all be in heaven together one day. Meeting and fellowshiping with these fellow believers made heaven feel a little closer. Something I wasn't expecting God to teach me was that I didn't feel sorry for these people. Yes, there was poverty and great need but there was also contentment and generosity. These people have little but they work hard and are proud of what they have. We were honored as guests everywhere we went; we ate first, sat at the head table, meat was served to us, and we were greeted warmly by everyone. The people didn't seem to feel awkward at all to serve "rich Americans". They gave us their best and God received the glory. I didn't come back hating myself and feeling the need to sell everything and move into a cardboard box like I thought I might. On this trip, God further directed me to focus on eternity instead of this life by realizing that what you have or don't have on earth is insignificant. Cleaning up your earthly life by getting rid of everything isn't going to bring you closer to eternity. I'm in no way bowing down to materialism, but I think anti-materialism can be an avenue that Satan uses to deceive people because it still causes the focus to be on material possessions. What I came away with is to commit all that I have to God and put it to use for His glory, no matter what I possess and what it looks like in the eyes of the world. The parable of the talents in Matt 25:14-30 is a reminder to cultivate and grow the gifts the Lord gives us and that we have a responsibility to do so. I could really go on for hours about what the Lord is doing in my life since this trip, but it's getting kinda late. To sum up the trip, I love Uganda and I am CONVINCED that I belong to a very big, powerful God!

I'm off

2007-06-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow I set off on my greatest adventure yet. Our flight leaves at 7pm (Orlando time) and we'll have a day layover in Amsterdam. Then it's two weeks of vaccinations and spay/neuters, finishing off with a safari. I ask that you all would please pray for our safety. My group members are Fonda, Michelle, Denise (Michelle's mom), Cynthia, and Denise(not Michelle's mom). Please also pray that we get all of our vet supplies across the border (especially the rabies vaccines) and that our traveling goes smoothly. Most of all, please pray that we would seek to glorify God and further His kingdom. I feel like this trip is the beginning of something wonderful in my life and I am excited beyond words to see what wonders await me in Uganda. I know that Jesus is going to do some amazing work through us and in us. Thanks for your prayers!

You wish you were here

2007-05-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

1/2 doctor, 1/2 mortal

2007-05-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Well, by a miracle of God I have reached the halfway point in my pursuit of the magnificent DVM. I am half a doctor but unfortuately my hands and head are not included in this portion. In due time... This year has been a whirlwind of "ologies", and I can't say I remember a very large percentage. My greatest accomplishments are my spay and my anesthesia role, as both animals lived. I also got to hold a Great Horned owl. My less than perfect achievements include when one of our surgery cats had a 106 temperature when I went in to check on her in the evening, and I couldn't think of a complication (infection *duh*) she could be experiencing when quizzed by the technicians. I also stabbed my finger with a capillary tube and, the morning of my surgery, I impaled my finger on a needle (it went in on one side of my finger and came out the other). That morning my finger bled profusely and I was hiding it from the faculty because I thought I would get in trouble. Ahh...memories. Next March I'll start on clinics...yikes! In summary this year really chewed me up and spit me out, especially spring semester. In fact, I think that I was Jonah and spring semester was a whale. Especially since now I'm being sent to Africa (posing as Nineveh). As you can see, I've gotten quite weird. I learned many interesting things but I am READY for a summer of doing nothing. It's my last free summer so I had better make it a good one!

Success!

2007-04-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Yay I spayed a cat! And she lives! (She is still a little wigged out from the surgery drugs). Check out her gorgeous incision (picture taken 1 hour post surgery). Not too shabby, huh?

Bye bye uterus

2007-04-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

This cute kitty, Matilda, will be at the mercy of my scalpel (aka the sacred blade of infertility) come 10am Thursday. Pray that I don't kill her if you think of it!

Snakes on a blog

2007-03-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday, March 7 was a monumental day. I finally witnessed one of the most talked about films of this decade. If you haven't guessed already, that film is non-other than the brilliant, incomprable Snakes on a Plane. I mean, how many other movies have you seen where the title is also the plot? Someone was thinking like a champion. And talk about a diabolical scheme; surely Hitler and Mussolini would hang their heads in shame. The writers did a phenominal job in creating a realistic scenario, especially in casting an Asian villian. Obviously only an Asian would have the intellectual prowess to organize an air-borne, reptilian assult. Oh, but Samuel L. Jackson makes the film as the FBI agent (of course, angry), who holds everyone together as venemous snakes rain down from the overhead compartments. His awesomeness just fills the entire plane. He captivates the audience in what I felt was the pinnacle of the film, as he declares "I have had it with these motherf*ing snakes on this motherf*ng plane!" In fact, even the laws of physics must yield to S.L.J. during this scene as he blows a hole in the side of the airplane which sucks out the snakes and spares every passenger (even the woman holding on to a baby). SLJ goes on to show that he is a true leader who knows when to step aside as he defers to Kenan Thompson from SNL to land the plane (both pilots lost the battle with the snakes), since his character had played a lot of airplane video games. After seeing this film, I was informed by my roommate's boyfriend that there is another film involving a snake-related transportation debacle aptly titled Snakes on a Train. I now feel strongly inclined to go to a store in which videos are rented or sold and buy it and/or rent it. Now that snakes are on planes AND trains, why stop there? They could be anywhere, such as these screenplays that are currently in the works:

Snakes gone insane: In this film, poisonous snakes infiltrate a mental institution. Samuel L. Jackson plays a Vietnam war vet with PTSD, and no one believes him about the snakes until it is too late. Or is it......
Snakes in your Hanes: This film involves a mad scientist who uses a shrinking machine to shrink venemous snakes and have them packaged in underwear. Once again starring S.L.J., he goes out on a limb as he plays both the villianous mad scientist and the FBI agent who must solve this case and confront a disturbing secret...the he himself is a venemous snake!
Snakes go to Maine: S.L.J. stars as a poor fisherman whose boat becomes ridden with venemous snakes while he is stranded on his fishing boat at sea. It turns out that when he was in Snakes gone insane he traveled back in time to have the snakes shipped to Maine instead, thus saving the day in that film but unknowingly putting himself in harm's way in this one. Oh, you bet he's kicking himself now.
Snakes vs. Wayne: In this flick Wayne Gretzky, played by none other than Samuel L. Jackson, must singlehandedly stave off a whole fleet of snakes who have interrupted the NHL championship game. In an interesting twist, Wayne agrees to face off the snakes in hockey all alone. This film has an intriguing scene in which Wayne, the ref, and the snakes' team captain, a pit viper, discuss the rules of this fateful match. Given the inability of a snake to check someone, injecting a person with poisonous venum is deemed an acceptable substitiute. Also, the cobra plays a phenomenal goalie.
Snakes and John McCain: This film takes snakes to a place they have never been before...Washington. A very smooth-talking puff adder goes head to head against John McCain, unsurprisingly played by S.L.J., in a race to become commander-in-chief. The snakes have very strong opinions on issues such as health care and education, so many important discussions are had during the course of this production. Who will be the victor in this presidential pursuit? I haven't seen this movie but I would bet on the snakes, since they are poisonous and they bite.

And the list could go on...

Dag in a bag

2007-02-17T21:18:00.000-08:00

Not her finest hour...

Will you please pray?

2007-02-04T18:43:00.000-08:00

Hello Blog-o-sphere. I was just wondering if all you out there would please pray as my Christian Veterinary Fellowship group is going to do an investigative bible study on this Wednesday.
We are extending it to anyone who has any interest in taking a look at the bible, and I am leading it. Can you please pray that God would move in the hearts of those He wills to come to this study and that the Holy Spirit would be with me as I lead it? Also please pray for protection against attacks from the enemy, as I have been pelted by them a lot lately. I will be writing more later on my newly revived spiritual life. Thank you for praying!

Tired

2007-01-25T19:13:00.000-08:00

I am very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, incredibly, incredibly, incredibly, incredibly, incredibly, incredibly, incredibly, incredibly, relentlessly, relentlessly, relentlessly, relentlessly, relentlessly, relentlessly, relentlessly, relentlessly tired.

My X-mas Break

2007-01-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

I had a good break. This is how it all went down.

I kicked off the break with a Christmas party at my house and it was, I dare say, a smashing success. Many of my vet school friends came.

Then, my Dad and I went on an ice fishing trip way up to the Lake of the Woods. There wasn't any snow or ice until we hit Bemidji. We stayed two days and three nights at a nice little resort. They had a trailer that took you to a nice, heated ice shack in the morning and picked you up at the end of the day. I thought we would hit the mother-load of walleye and we caught...well, one. But it was delicious. We got locked in our ice shack one day and had a very interesting trailer ride with a bunch of drunk people (who incidentally caught a ton of fish). That trailer ride was the first time I have ever heard travel distance given in units of beer (i.e. it takes a twenty-four pack of beer to get to Ottertail).

We may have also found proof of global warming....

I had a good time with family at Christmas, and got to spend some time with friends. It made my heart glad to see Steph, Matt, and Jordan. It was great to hang out with friends in town too, since school is so busy I don't get out much. I also got to spend time with my dear friend Laura and her dear little one.

Now, the break's over and it's back to school. Happy 2007 everyone!!!!

Cookie

2006-12-15T19:05:00.000-08:00

You know you want this.

Overloaded

2006-11-30T12:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I studied from 10:15am until 1:15am. 15 straight hours of studying. Yep. I'd like to talk about my feelings about this but I'm spent. I have decided to take the illiterate route and express myself in pictures. If someone could psychoanalze this series of images for me, I would be genuinely grateful. 15 hours. Seriously.

Excellent

2006-11-01T20:12:00.000-08:00

Sorry folks but I can't take it anymore. I just HAVE to talk about nerd things. Today I stayed after school for a wet lab, hosted by the Feline Club (of which I am secretary). The e-mail about it seemed like it could be a good experience, so I thought I'd give it a go. I had the BEST time I've had in awhile. We worked in groups of 3-4 on a cat cadaver, and got to learn different procedures on it with vets from the teaching hospital guiding us. I first got some practice at palpating kidneys, which is an important skill when dealing with cats since they often get kidney problems as they age. You just put your hands behind the ribcage, lift up, and grab them. The left is easier to feel than the right, because the right one is more cranial (towards the head) and hidden under the ribcage. When I got home, I tried to palpate Gypsy and Dagny's kidneys' but had no luck; my lack of success was probably due to my inexperience and more likely to my cats' chunkiness. The cat I was working on was an unneutered male, so we neutered him and took turns practicing tying the spermatic cord into a knot. I also got to put a urethral cathedar into the old boy. We then took turns doing a CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) tap. This is done by shaving a spot on the back of the head, and inserting a needle into the space right above the atlas (first bone of spine, or C1). No one in my group was able to get any spinal fluid out, probably because the cat had been dead for too long. Next, one of the vets showed us how to pass a nasoesophageal tube. It is just a small tube passed through the nose and strung through until just before the cardiac sphincter (this seals off the stomach). If the tube passes through to the stomach, the sphincter will remain open and acid can reflux up the esophagus. Finally, the same vet showed us how to do a declaw, so we practiced removing our cadaver's claws. It actually involves removing the distal phalanx of the cat (like cutting off the tip of your finger just below the joint). What a lab! It was so....excellent.

The 15-point dance

2006-10-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

"A test!" said I, this will take place;
I'll study real hard, and make it an ace.
With tests every Tuesday, it's hard to keep track;
This one's bacteriology, and I'll lay down the smack.
Oh vile organisms, you affect cow, man, and cat;
Penicillin can defeat you and I love it for that.
That Tuesday, I entered the test with glee;
The practice test was easy, so this one should be.
I flipped through the test before making my start;
I dropped my jaw and and had to defibrillate my heart.
This test, of 100 points, only 20 questions had;
At five points a piece, this really could be bad.
The questions were random, and not like he said;
The answers he wanted were not in my head.
I turned in my test and left with a sigh;
Most everyone else was distraught as I.

"The tests are graded!", shouted a mate;
I swallowed my pride, and accepted my fate.
"Seventy-five!" I moaned, "it's not right"';
I knew my stuff and studied all night.
Many others had similar objections;
Later on we learned there were some exceptions.
A few questions had multiple answers you see;
The professor was smoking crack, obviously.
We were allowed to go to his office and make our case;
I went promptly, not meaning to get in his face.

I walked in the office, with three questions in mind;
Ten points more for sure, fifteen would be kind.
He gave me ten more without any flack;
"Um, one more question", as he turned his back.
"This first one" I pointed, "is right too";
He looked back at his notes and at me like a fool.
"That's not right" he spat, "you can see here";
"Well, you said it in class, and made it quite clear".
Wow, I wasn't trying to start up a fight;
I just wanted my points, so I held on tight.
"Okay", I thought, "so he wants to dance";
"I brought my tap shoes and comfortable pants".
Back and forth we went, for probably ten minutes straight;
I thought I was defeated, he turned away and...wait.
There on the computer screen was my name and grade;
The undeserved seventy-five had started to fade.
With a quick stroke a ninety appeared in its place;
I had won, and had done it with grace.
The A was mine, and I had won the day;
Justice was served, the American way.
And for my professor, a lesson well learned;
If you dance with me, you're gonna get burned.

The first day of 24

2006-09-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. In the past, the day after my birthday is usually the saddest day of the year but it isn't this year. It could be that I am becoming subconsciously fearful of aging and enjoying the farthest possible day until my next birthday. However, I am inclined to think that I feel great today because of yesterday. I had a great day of horseback riding and hanging out at the Apple Harvest in Jordan, MN. Today, my legs are aching as a blissful reminder of the very best place to be --on the back of a horse (even if it is a high spirited Arabian). In the evening, many friends from different facets of my life came together to go out to dinner at TGI Friday's. It was kind of a testiment to the dimensiality of my life seeing all those people. There were nav friends, vet school friends, and even my brother. It made me excited that in my life that I have met all these wonderful people and had so many experiences. It makes me want to really live during this next year. For some reason at this point in my life, I live in a great house with two wonderful, thoughtful, fun, considerate, one-of-a-kind roommates who truly make it a home. I am fulfilling my dream to become a veterinarian, and growing in my desire to serve God with the talents He has given me. I'm finally starting to let go of the controls and let God lead. Wherever I go in my life, I should say wherever He directs me, I will be upheld by His grace and peace.

“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)”

The quest continues...

2006-09-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

The next length of my journey to the DVM began today. Unfolding for me this year is a magical array of disease processes and unsightly growths in petri dishes. I am once again plagued with "ologies" (I know what you're thinking you dirty sort): parasitology, bacteriology, pathology, pharmacology, no-sleepology, hole-up-in-my-officeology, etc. There will most certainly be moments of despair. Definately tears and tearing of clothes. Bloodshed? Inevitably. But with God as my witness, at the end of this year, I....will.....................SPAY and NEUTER!!!!!!!!!!

My favorite shows as a kid

2006-08-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

If you haven't ever gone to the website youtube.com, go there. I must warn you that it is very addicting. On this site you can search for pretty much anything that has ever been on T.V., like old shows or commercials. When I was searching things on it, I began to remember the awesome shows I used to enjoy as a young'un. The following are my top favorite shows (in reverse order):

10) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -- I fondly remember getting up on Saturday mornings to eagerly watch the "heroes in a half shell" battle the likes of Shredder and Krang. Not only are they experts in the martial arts but they enjoy a good pizza, and don't we all? If you really think about it, this is probably the most wacked out idea for a kids show. Turtles doing ninja moves? A rat for a sensei? Whoever came up with this must have been snorting the purest cocaine.

9) Scooby Doo-- Tell me, who doesn't love Scooby Doo? "He drove around in a van and solved mysteries. No, that's correct. I remember he had a pal, Scrappy Doo". Puppy Power! Zoinks! Jinkies!

8) Rug Rats-- This was a show on Nickelodeon that my brother and I used to watch all the time. It was a show about babies that go on adventures in their own homes. My mom hated it.

7) Tom and Jerry -- This was probably my favorite cartoon about an ongoing cat and mouse chase filled with slapstick comedy. You know, the hitting on the head with the frying pan, etc. Great show.

6) Hey Dude -- Another Nickelodeon show that I watched all the time that was about some teenagers that worked on a dude ranch in Arizona. Since I really love horses and cheesy teenage drama/comedy this show was right up my ally. Ben Affleck's wife (the girl who played Matilda on Zoolander) was on this show.

5) Pee-Wee's Playhouse -- Talk about a goofy show, but my parents even liked this one. My brother and I would scream the secret word all day after learning the word on the show. There were a lot of random characters like a dirty sea captain and a big fat lady who sat on pies and would walk out with them stuck to her butt. Later on the guy who played Pee-wee went to jail for indecent exposure. Good thing they screen people on kids shows nowadays.

4) Anamaniacs -- My brother and I always watched this show after school. It was actually pretty clever and witty. My favorite was the little mouse who always tried to take over the world.

3) Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood -- He was the grampa I never had. I loved this show and even had a poster of him over my bed. He visited the best places (which all happened to be within walking distance of his house) and made up great songs. I always wondered where he came from at the beginning of the show and where he went at the end. Isn't that his house? And why change your shoes and sweater at the beginning? Oh well, he wanted to be mysterious I guess. If only I could get to the set, go through the hole in the wall where the trolly goes, and finally get to the land of make-believe.

2) Sesame Street -- This show almost made #1. It has been on for so long and is loved by many generations. The same people who were on the show when I was little are still on there! That's dedication. Also, as my brother pointed out, the yip-yip aliens are hilarious.

1) The Simpsons -- I didn't get all the jokes, but I got enough. I have been watching this show since it started, and I think it is arguably the greatest show of all time.

Oh, I went outside alot too and didn't just watch T.V.

I like sleep

2006-08-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

I really like sleeping. Last night when I went to bed, I just layed there awhile and enjoyed what was about to happen. It's funny how one minute you're staring at the ceiling and the next your alarm goes off. All this time passes by and you are unaware of it. My brother has brilliantly taken this aspect of sleep and makes it work for him as a time machine. For example the twins game is on at 6, but it is only 4 and he has nothing to do. So he just enters the "time machine", and doesn't resurface until the pre-game talks. My mom will say "Paul's in his time machine" if he's home for the weekend and I ask what he's doing. Of course, sleep can only take you forward in time. Well, for now... Today I have been feeling like I am trapped in an obese person's body. Not because I am having a "fat day" but because I am really tired. It is a new level of tired in that I need to lay on my bed and recover after going up the stairs. It took me an hour to eat dinner because the hand-to-mouth motion was too tedious. I just feel like sitting in a giant heap like Jabba the Hut. I collapsed on the couch after work for a couple hours but forced myself to flip every 20 minutes due to a horrific story that Laura told me yesterday. She heard on the radio that there was this 600 lb woman who sat on her couch for 6 years and didn't move. This caused her skin to start growing into the couch, making her a human/funiture hybrid. I'm not that tired. I have been wondering why God designed sleep. Is it a result of sin that we need to sleep? Or is it a gift of God in light of our bodies becoming mortal and needing recharging? I think it is a gift. Not only do you energize, but sleep is also a chance to be by yourself. It is a chance to get lost in your mind while you wait to drift off. And dreams! Sleep allows us to have often crazy dreams to either laugh or be disturbed about the next day. If nothing else, sleep gives us something to look forward to at the end of the day. I am so glad God made sleep.

Summer vacation

2006-07-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

This past week I was on vacation up in the glorious Northwoods. Specifically, I stayed at a resort with my family on Lake Vermillion. I knew I would love it because the second we pulled up to the cabin, a half dozen cats came out of the woods. We fed them our leftovers, as most of the people there did, so they hung around a lot. Most of them were pretty wary of humans, but one little girl was especially friendly and lived in our cabin for most of the week. Here she is:

Very, very nice cat. My mom almost took her home, and I did my part to encourage the idea. I would have taken her, save the inevitable lynching from disgruntled roommates. So, aside from my first love, cats, I indulged in my second love, fishing. In these "dog days of summer" the fishing is pretty slow, so going out for 6-8 hours a day for a week didn't yield much. We didn't catch any walleye, sadly since they are delicious, but caught a few bass and small northern. Here was my biggest one:

Another exciting event was my discovery of how I react to bee stings. See for yourself:

So, I got to make a trip to the small town doctor. The clinic was a nursing home/clinic/dentist office. The front desks for the clinic and dentist were side by side, so all the people back there poked their heads out to gawk at my rash. They probably had never seen anything like it. I am now the proud owner of an epi-pen, so if I get stung again and my throat swells up I won't die! I hope I never have to use it, since someone told me that a friend of his tried one on a cardboard box and it blew up the box. One of my favorite parts of the trip was a hike I went on with my parents and dog in Superior National Forest. It was beautiful, as you can see:

I really love it up there. I would love to do a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. There is a problem with fires up there though, so once that settles down I'm ready to head in. It was great to get away. Oh, and if I do ever write a hobbit's tale, here is the cover for the book:

Mein Kampf

2006-07-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I plagiarized my title. However, I have plagiarized Hitler, so anyone who objects will be immediately labeled an anti-Semite. I've been feeling restless lately. Restless and dissatisfied. I have no logical reason to feel this way, as I have everything I need and am POSITIVE that I am on the right career path. I am so blessed to know that God made me to become a vet. So many others are earnestly seeking what direction God wants their lives to take. I was fortunate enough to know right away. However, I have been recently contemplating what will happen after I graduate. I will be a vet, which I had planned all along, but where will I go? Will I settle into a community? Work overseas? Work for the government? Do disaster relief? Do research? I have my career, but not my life direction. I am almost finished with one of John Piper's books, called "Don't Waste your Life" and it has really got me thinking. This book talks of fully giving your life to what God has called you and avoiding the cushy comfort bubble. The book references stories of soldiers in battle, and uses them to parallel our constant battle against Satan's forces. I have been inspired to go out and fully use my gifts for God's glory no matter the risk--even death. I am currently looking into a great organization known as Christian Vet Missions, because I have a strong urge to go overseas. I feel like it is right, because I am excited and scared at the same time. My heart has been increasingly heavy for the lost, and I have this untamable desire for adventure. I really want to have adventures in my life. Lots of them. I worry that this is stemming from my prideful human nature, so God forbid I go overseas for my own purposes. Yet, the excitement and anticipation that wells up when I think of going out and using my vet skills to love and serve others is reeling. It seems that I have been dormant for awhile, just going with the flow until recently when God has revealed my potential if I would just submit to his will and follow Him with reckless abandon. He has made me how I am and given me these gifts to make an impact for Christ. I would love to do a short -term missions trip next summer if God wills it, but I think it still needs more prayerful consideration. I will be up at a cabin all next week, so I'll have plenty of time to pray about it. Who knows what I'm gonna do, but I'll keep everyone updated!

Don't insult babies

2006-07-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

At Maria and Nate's wedding last week, some old Nav fellows (Nate and Joy) were there with their little baby. He was just adorable with his big blue eyes and chubby cheeks. Of course myself, along with many others, made fools of ourselves for this baby by making weird faces and talking baby talk. However, I got to thinking how funny it is that when it comes to a baby, it's okay to grab and poke at them. Just watch people around a baby; you'll see them flock around and all begin to poke at him/her. People tickle them, grab their extremities, pat them on the bum, or even downright jab at them with a finger. I think it is amusing that this is acceptable. I am not excluding myself, as I am probably the worst. I'm pretty sure I did all on above list and more to Nate and Joy's son. I wonder if some babies are insulted by this. Now, some may be just precocious enough to not appreciate the poking and grabbing. I personally think it's possible due to personal experience. I don't remember anything as a little baby but I remember an incident when I was almost 3 years old. I remember going with my parents and various aunts and uncles to visit my grandma (Dad's side) in the hospital. I had swallowed a penny when I was 2 years old and had to go in this same hospital to have surgery to remove it (it was stuck in my esophagus). So, upon entering this same hospital where I had previously come to get a penny-ectomy, I began to cry thinking that I had to go back into the hospital for surgery again. I then remember clearly my parents and relatives laughing and saying "she thinks she has to be in the hospital again". I was insulted that they would mock me in my ignorance. How was I supposed to know that they weren't sending me back in? Babies are probably more intuitive than we give them credit for, so do your best not to insult them. I guess my message here is to be careful when you poke at babies because they might remember it.

It's nice to sit

2006-06-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting the chance to sit and relax after a crazy weekend. Everyone who reads this blog was probably there during my weekend but too bad! You're gonna hear about it anyway. I had to work Thursday through Sunday, and work is always short staffed on the weekends. So I had to run home and do various tasks to prepare for Steph and Matt to come and stay and also for Chris and Katie's wedding (i.e. decide what to wear, get present, etc.). Friday night was the wedding, which was very lovely and people from the undergrad days were there. How's this for a short story, I thought for sure Armegeddon was upon us during the reception at the wedding. It began like this, Erik Tisthammer sat down at my table and uttered words I thought impossible for him. He said, "I'm tired." I immediately looked to the skies, expecting the moon to be turned to blood and the heavenly bodies to be raining down upon us all. Obviously, the time had not come yet, but I still think Erik's fatigue is an imminent sign. Saturday was a day of injury in which I was slashed in the left hand by two cats and shut my own head in the car door. But I came home to a house full of friends and pizza, and watched a ridiculous movie called "Firewall". I needn't go on about that, because if you're reading this, you were there. I worked Sunday and had one more night of pet sitting (I pet sat this whole time, from Thursday-Monday). Finally, today (Monday) I got to relax and be lazy. And let me tell you, I like to sit and be lazy.

Odds and Ends

2006-06-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Forgive me, Jordan, for I have sinned; It has been 27 days since my last blog entry. I have been unable to post due to my internet deficiency. Thankfully, this has been remedied since Comcast got all up in my crib to install it. Well, not much has happened this summer except moving and a new job. I like my new house. It is excellent in so many ways. Oh, and today at work I had to shave a guinea pig's butt. I never thought I'd see the day... Another funny thing at work was that this dimwit surrendered his cat because it "was trying to steal his spirit while he slept". I examined the cat and I'm pretty sure I still have my spirit. This guy is probably doing every kind of drug ever created. Anyway, here are some points to ponder:

Does it cancel out if a man who once was a woman marries a woman who once was a man?

Why when girls say "I'm hungry", do they immediately list everything they had to eat that day?
Why do most women cops look like dudes?

Are there any republicans with dredlocks?

New Job

2006-05-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I've started my new job at Golden Valley Humane Society and it is pretty fun so far. It is very well organized, unlike the last humane society I worked for, and I was happy to hear my supervisor say that they staff a lot of people in the summer to prevent the employees from becoming overwhelmed. What I really like about this place is that they have a program in place to help those dogs and cats that are scared and need extra attention. Volunteers take time with these animals to help them come around and be ready for adoption. Many of these animals would be euthanized if this program wasn't in place. There are a few dudes that work there too, although it is still mostly women. Everyone seems nice, but when you're new you can feel everyone sizing you up. I think women do this especially (I do it too!). "Is this new chick prettier, skinnier, younger, etc. than me?" *hissssssssss* Oh well, I can't help it if I got it goin' on :). My job will entail examining dogs, cats, and little pets (i.e. rabbits), vaccinating, and running diagnostic tests (i.e. heartworm tests). Also, I will have to give treatments to all the sick animals. There are so many that it takes all day! After getting good at the exams, I will get to rotate through and help with surgery. I think that will involve getting the animals ready for surgery, recovering them, and cleaning instruments. They do 50-70 spay/neuters a day so it is busy in surgery! Maybe I'll get to do a neuter. It is pretty crazy dealing with such a large population of animals, but I'm sure I'll learn a lot. I am excited to become profficient in my exam techniques and blood draws. Yay for experience and double yay for good pay!

1/4 doctor, 3/4 mortal

2006-05-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

I have (successfully?) finished my first year of veterinary school!!!!!!!!!!! This round of finals was physically, emotionally, and psychologically abusive but I made it. I think I learned a few things. One life lesson I came away with is that vet school is kind of like puberty. One day you feel like you can do anything, and the next you've hit rock bottom and feel fat and ugly. I didn't experience any physical changes but maybe some of my classmates did. Your world changes dramatically in how you think, talk, and act and how you are viewed by society. For the book knowledge, I can probably sum it up in two sentences: 1) The liver does everything. 2) The hypothalamus controls everything. Funny thing is, this knowledge cost $15,000. (E.T. says, ouuuccch.) Now, a summer of working as a vet tech at the Golden Valley Humane Society to hone in my skillz. Don't be trippin' on me b/c I put a z on skills. More fun to come next year, like parasites and spays/neuters. I can see Bob Barker now, with a little tear in his eye, gazing warmly upon the next generation to "help control the pet population". I was going to sum up the year with a poem, but I'm too tired right now. Maybe later. But most likely not. Anywho, I am 1/4 doctor, which I attribute to the acclimation to being very busy, stressed, and sleep deprived. Even so, I still love it more than ever and know God can help me take whatever they dish out!

Meet Stewie

2006-05-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am prematurely becoming the crazy cat lady. But, seriously check out this little guy. He is just adorable!

Prematurely...ha! I was there years ago. I'm just fostering him until he is two pounds, then he can go up for adoption. I got him when he was two weeks old, and now he is about four weeks old. Here is another cute pic; Stewie is wondering why this other "kitty" won't play with him!

Steph, if you are out there and read my blog, you and Matt should adopt this little guy!

Evil geniuses

2006-04-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

I watched this weird movie with Renee last week about this girl who had this elaborate, manipulative plot to get herself on T.V. and screw over her friend who was dating her ex. We found out during the movie that this girl had an IQ off the charts. Her scheme was very evil, but since she was also a genius it got me to thinking about evil geniuses. I wonder if you are really smart, a true genius if you will, if you must also be evil. If you think about it, being super intelligent could get boring quickly when no one around you can keep up. So, to stir things up and get some mental stimulation, a genius needs an evil plot to work on. Also, bitterness from being different and lacking social companions most likely pushes geniuses over the edge. One evil genius we should all remember is Krang, the living brain from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

If I'm not mistaken, Krang had to escape his planet (because it was being attacked) and ended up on earth. Since he is just a brain, you can imagine how hard it was to find work. Well, he did work for a short time as a Wal-Mart greeter and as a mascot for Cinncinnati. However, no one at Wal-mart wanted to be greeted by him and many wedgie-related incidents caused Cinncinnati to decide that "Reds" sounded better than Cinncinnati Brains. We can't be too hard on Krang, though he caused the turtles much grief that made many a Saturday morning very exciting. Krang came from a divorced home (his dad ran off with the young, hot liver that lived next-door) and was a loner at school. Teased relentlessly, Krang suffered much emotional as well as physical trauma. A perfect score on the SATs is a hard trade-off for spending everyday in a locker. He was so brilliant, but misunderstood. Can we blame him for turning to evil to finally command some respect?

There are countless other evil geniuses like Krang who have been pushed to the limit and turn to evil to assert themselves. Darth Vader, the Riddler, Oscar the Grouch...all crying out for validation and a feeling of self worth. Now instead of laughing at them, people despise them. Being despised is better than being the village idiot. If you ask me, I think evil geniuses are the lonliest souls on the planet. Oh yes they are evil and want to conquer the world, but please try to empathize with their struggles. Though they wreak havoc on society relentlessly and without mercy, think of them going home at the end of the day to their lonely evil hideout and having no one to hold.

I is smart

2006-04-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

I was wondering why lately I have felt sick after eating a turkey sandwich for lunch. I meditated on this while I got ready to make one for my lunch tomorrow. Then I looked at the mayo, and the expiration date was 2/17/06.

True confessions

2006-04-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've been living a lie for the past week and a half, and it is time to come clean. Don't judge too harshly. There has been a man sleeping in my bed with me. This is the guy:

Thanks for letting me get that out. I feel much better now. Oh, here are some pics of my awesome pinata:

It didn't take long to blast the candy out of it. I'm sure we got an A on our presentation.

I came, I saw, I neutered

2006-03-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

I actually did some vet stuff at my preceptor vet clinic on Monday. I intubated a dog, drew blood from the jugular vein, and best of all, did half of a neuter. If you don't understand how a neuter can be divided in half, I feel sorry for you. The cool thing about it was that I actually understood the anatomy and knew what to cut and where to cut it. So very thrilling. Today my clinical skills group has a presentation to do on the cardiovascular system. My friend Molly and myself are the presenters, and we made a dog pinata for the presentation. We made it out of newspapers and a flour/water paste, and used white streamers so it looks shaggy. The plan is to use it to demonstrate how to examine different aspects of the cardiovascular system. At the end, it will be filled with candy, strung up a tree, and "euthanized" by someone with a bat. The pinata looks awesome, I will post a picture later on.

What is wrong with people? Oh, yeah sin.

2006-03-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

Recently, world-renown [pyscopath in my opinion] ethicist Peter Singer came to the U to give a talk on his views of ethics. He is an advocate proponent of animal rights, and sadly of infanticide. He thinks that parents should be able to "euthanize" their disabled infant if they so choose. First off, is this world so far gone down the porcelain convenience that animals are being elevated above humans? Singer thinks that an adult pig should have more rights than a human baby. My question is, why? What really have pigs done for us except be delicious? Mmmm...bacon. I am all for the humane treatment of animals, in that their pain be minimalized as much as possible. Ultimately, they are here for our use per God's design. Animals seem to be humanized more and more, while humans are dehumanized more and more (i.e. the word "euthanize" being applied to babies). Why this trend? Have animals invented anything lately? Do cows rally at the capital with signs about better milking facilities? Animals are purely driven by instincts and innately lack the complex thoughts and emotions that we, in God's image, possess. Since animals obviously can't speak out for themselves, people find good cause in advocating for them. Yes, speak out for those that can't speak for themselves. How about UNBORN BABIES ??? Why is it unpopular to speak out for them while praised to shut down meat plants for cruel treatment to cattle? Displays against abortion are criticized for showing pictures of abortion procedures, but animal rights activists often take pictures and video footage of production facilities for their cause. How about videos of what happens in an abortion? That might change some opionions when faced with the bloody reality of abortion. Instead, abortion is hidden behind closed doors and passed off as a "hard decision" but necessary for some women. Back to Singer, he points out that parents do abort their unborn infants if they are determined to have some sort of defect. So what is the difference if this happens before or after birth? See how abortion is making society so much more demented? First its the unborn, then disabled infants, then normal infants, then disabled adults...who knows? This is why GOD is the one who decides who lives, dies, and when they happen. It is really scary how things are perpetuating and how many people just go with the flow rather than evaluating what is actually going on. God, save this crooked generation.

Bye Bye Herschel Street

2006-03-20T16:42:00.000-08:00

Well, our landlord came over on Sunday and informed us that he's selling our house. The lease will still be honored (until June 1) so we have until then to find a new place. Someone may buy the house and let us rent it, but we're not banking on that. It's crummy to have to move but also fun to look at houses. Please remember to pray for us, specifically for what we need, as follows: hardwood floors (b/c of Hilary's cat allergies), a set up that would help with Hilary's cat allergies, in-unit washer and dryer, close to vet school, close to bus for Hil and Renee, three bedrooms, decent-sized kitchen, parking on-street, landlord accepts cats, and good neighborhood. Just for fun, because I'm all about fun, pray in addition for: big garage with opener, near a lake, whirlpool bathtub, heat and electric paid, four-season porch, big backyard, and near where my brother is going to live (he may move up here next year). I'm really not worried because God has a great place for us. Pray that we would keep on trusting Him; after all, He hasn't let us down yet!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2006-03-17T12:09:00.000-08:00

Ah, the Irish. Leave it up to them to create a holiday that can only be celebrated through drunkeness and debauchery. A day where it is actually encouraged for tempers to flare and fists to fly. I am a quarter Irish, so in honor of my heritage here is a list (in no particular order) of things that irritate me.

1. Mullets
2. When I can't tell if someone is male or female (a trait that should be obvious)
3. When I'm driving, everyone else angers me! (I'm working on this)
4. When people steal (not just possessions, but ideas too)
5. Laziness (as a lifestyle)
6. Abortion (really angers me)
7. Child abuse
8. Animal abuse
9. "Christians" who aren't (don't call yourself a Christian and blatantly disobey God, you either are or you aren't)
10. All the babyish Bush-bashing (I swear it's a fad; people think it's cool to hate Bush but their only reason is "Cause he's stupid". Wow, what profound logic for a political stance. It is fine to disagree but please have a legitimate argument. I could go on about this for hours.)

Okay, so somethings on the list anger me more than irritate but it really is a good composite. For some reason, this week has been an angry week but I'm not mad anymore. I have today off of school so I got to sleep-in, which probably calmed down my amygdala (the part of the brain responsible for anger).

In other news, I went to a planning meeting for the Christian Vet Fellowship group I'm in at school. I kind of ended up on the board, but I think this could be a great opportunity. I wasn't sure of the group's theology but we got a booklet at the meeting that outlined the beliefs and they are right on. This was a huge relief and I really enjoyed the fellowship. Not everyone who is in the group is a believer, but the president and vice-president are. Also, one of my anatomy professors, Dr. Cox, is a believer and he comes to the meetings as a faculty representative. It's great to know that I'm not alone. He is a hilarious guy. He graduated from vet school many years ago, and did his undergrad work at Cornell. He was telling me about how tough it was to date the Cornell girls. The meeting was held at the CVF president's apartment, and she made us dinner. We all brought something to contribute, but when Dr. Cox came he pulls out his old banana and apple from his lunch and sets it in the midst of the smorgousboard (sp?) of food! It was hilarious, but you really have to know him. Anywho, I'm glad to be in this group and am excited to see what God does.

Have a great St. Patrick's Day everyone!!!

I hate snow today

2006-03-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

Hey stupid snow, guess what it's March!!! Mid-March!! We got like a foot of snow today, which made for a miserable day for most everyone. The silly vet school wouldn't cancel, but many of my collegues (yeah, that's we are called now) didn't come anyway. I would have gladly jumped on that bandwagon but I am on a fundraising committee that had to put on an exhibitor fair today. A couple exhibitors didn't come because of the carnage outside, but who can blame them? I am petsitting for a family and staying at their house. Last time I stayed at their house, I was able to keep my car in their garage. Not this time though because both of their cars are parked in it. Who would've thought I would have needed it though, since IT WAS 50 DEGREES when they left. So, of course, it snows without abandon. I got stuck backing out of their driveway, but by a miracle of God (really) I was able to get out and go on. The drive to school was TERRIBLE. I was already cross since I had this exhibitor fair so I would have to miss all my classes today. The snow really added insult to injury. The visibility was seriously about 20 feet, people were driving like blind monkeys on PCP, and several stop lights were broken. It took an hour and a half to get to school (usually it is 10 minutes). I had to park in the parking lot because the sides of the streets were too deep in snow, but those fat cats at the U who yoink all my money can't even plow their stupid parking lot. Well played Fat Cats, I know some people who want to be like you. So, I couldn't even get into the parking lot so someone had to push me in. Then I was stuck again. A nice guy and his wife helped push me, then I got stuck again, and they helped again. Finally, the guy dug out a parking spot for me and helped get my car in it. That was sooooo nice of them because I would have been stuck. The exhibitor fair was okay except that we were supposed to get 50 pizzas from Papa Johns to get people to come look at the booths. Papa John's didn't open because the manager went into the ditch on his way in. He didn't even call though and was very rude when one of the other committee members called him. People coming to the exhibitor fair were kind of presumptuous too, as they kept bugging us about the pizza. "Where's the pizza?" "When's it getting here?" Settle down, you bunch of hyenas. One lady, who was the size of me x 5 + a cow + the Kool Aid man /1 was really on the watch for the food. A couple of my committee members drove to another pizza place and got 30 pizzas, and the place delivered another 20 soon after. The first 30 pizzas were seriously gone in about 5 minutes. It was like watching piranas. After the fair, the roads were better but I got stuck going into my garage. The alley was plowed but that piled snow in front of the garage. Stupid, heavy, wet, slippery snow. I was stuck again, but luckily some neighbors came and helped me. I'm glad for all those nice people, but I am mad at snow. All the way to school today I shook my fist at it. I realized that shaking a fist really gives much more satisfaction than the finger, shaking the head, etc. Shaking a fist makes others respect you and has an aire of wisdom about it. A fist shaker can really inflict a sense of guilt on the shakee. What can you do when a fist is shaken at you? You just have to agree that you were wrong.

Bye bye spring break

2006-03-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

Awwww peaches! My spring break is coming to an end. It was a good spring break. My Mom came to visit for a few days, and I played doggie-sitter for a sweet golden retriever mix. For school, we have to do two half days and a full day at a small animal vet clinic. I did a half day today. It was fun, but the clinic wasn't that busy. Also, I think the doctor who is in charge of me is scared to have me draw blood. I can do it, but I just need the practice. The scary thing about going to the clinic was that I AM GOING TO DO THIS IN THREE YEARS!!!! I talked with all the vets who worked at this clinic and we discussed some of their cases. I even understood some of what they were talking about. After that, I went and got a massage. It was scrumtrulescent. I would recommend to everyone to get a massage, even guys. So very excellent. Yes, very excellent. I miss my cats and they need to come home!!! P.S. My fish still isn't eating. How is he still alive?

Why it's hard to be a pimp

2006-03-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

While watching the academy awards this past Sunday, the song "It's Hard out Here to be a Pimp" won an oscar. I'm so glad America is finally recognizing the struggles of pimps. I mean, how would you like it if some two-timing ho was holding out on you? You know, giving you crap about how she has five kids to feed so she can't pay up. I can't even imagine the difficulty of riding around in a velvet-interior caddie with a wicked sound system, dealing out ho after ho like a game of blackjack. Oh, and then there's whitey to deal with. How is a pimp supposed to make an honest living with all those cracker cops just waiting to bust out his gold teeth? Wake up America, the time is a quarter past "make me a sandwich %$&@*" and pimps are in.

Guest columnist

2006-03-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I have a test tomorrow so I brought in a guest columnist to cover for me. Enjoy.

Well, I have reached day three of my hunger strike. The uncomely white homo sapien, who keeps me prisoner in this clear, convex orb, continues to try to force upon me brown betta fish pellets both day and night. Oh, beautiful brown pellets that will satisfy my hunger and "enhance my color" as the manufactuers say. Fools! Color as brilliant and positively awe-inspiring such as mine cannot be brought about by mere human-manufactured nonsense. I come from a long line of valiant warriors who fought courageously and true and for what? That their descendents should be become enslaved by the land-dwellers? I think not! I am aware of the fact that I am just one small voice in a small glass cage, but I must be true to my lineage and fight! I have endured imprisonment, renaming, humiliation, and racial slurs by my captor, yet I continue to hold on. Justice may not come in my time but it would be an insult to those who came before me if I gave in. I beg you, my brothers, hold on for our day will come.

Regards,
J. Octavian Bettalauian III

Just a Tuesday

2006-02-28T15:56:00.000-08:00

Yay, only 3 more days until my spring break! My mom is coming to visit, so I'm really excited. I keep forgetting what day it is, because I will not be tested on what day it is so I need to make room in my hippocampus (part of the brain responsible for short-term memory) for material that I will be tested on. This week, I have a test on the kidneys. It seems so easy to only have one test this week as opposed to five last week. The administration, seeing that we would get a whole week to study for this test, decided that half of the test material should be presented in lecture last week and the remaining half the day before the test. Fire up those ulcers kids, Thursday is going to be a long night! Anyway, my friend Molly from vet school came to church (Bethlehem Baptist) with me last Sunday. She asked me first if she could come, which was cool. I wasn't sure what she thought, but we talked about it today. It was a really enjoyable conversation, especially how she kinda felt wigged out by this girl and guy nearby who were waving their hands in the air and bawling. It is understandable though, especially if one isn't used to it. Oh, in other news of me my cats had to go live with my aunt and uncle for awhile because of my roommates allergies. We had tried EVERYTHING and nothing helped. My aunt and uncle live really close to me so I can visit them easily, which is nice. I miss them a great deal though. They always hung out with me and followed me around...like my own little fan club. I really miss having animals around so I got a betta fish yesterday and call him Magnum. He is a really gorgeous, bright blue color but he won't eat because I think he can't find his food when I drop it in. He's not too bright, but the pretty ones never are...

A word on being a nerd

2006-02-25T15:15:00.000-08:00

I have finally come to grips with the fact that I am a nerd. I first came out to Renee, and she was very supportive. She also knew i-t all along, but let me come to the conclusion on my own. I have to admit, all the signs were there and have been steadily increasing. First of all I like science, a trait which automatically makes one a nerd-suspect. I did well in school, also a nerd characteristic, and have never dated or kissed anyone (as it goes for many nerds). The symptoms really intensified once I started vet school. I found jokes about DNA and other biological components extremely amusing. Also, I discovered that when I hadn't showered for three days I didn't care because I needed to study and my pants have been riding higher and higher. I have also had the disturbing thought that dressing in costume and attending a Star Trek convention "really isn't that weird". The moment I knew happened when my pharmacology professor asked our class if anyone likes classical music. Before I knew it, my hand was raised (so were other people's). Rather than flee out of the room as they do on the Maury Show I froze in my seat, perplexed. I felt a range of conflicting emotions; I wanted to do calculus and give myself a wedgie at the same time. After a visit to the G. L. B. T. office (that's Geek, Loser, Big nerd, and Total weiner), I accepted who I was. I now own my nerdness and am working on promoting nerd pride. Now that I know I fear only one thing: having to marry another nerd. This fear came about in my neurobiology class when one of the professors for the class (I think her name is Dr. Vulcainavoa or something but I refer to her as The Vulcan) was giving the lecture. Now, most of our professors put in pictures of their pets and family and tell us stories to break up the monotony. So, when The Vulcan put up pictures of her kids it was no surprise. However, these kids were wearing sweaters circa 1985, had messy hair sticking out everywhere, and were playing a piano. They were only like 3 years old, and even I wanted to beat them up. "Wow", I thought, "how'd this happen?" It was then that The Vulcan mentioned that her husband is a PHYSICIST!!!! Being the nerd that I am, I formulated this equation: nerd + nerd = more nerds! (I am researching the outcome of a geek + loser cross. I'll let you all know my results). I cringed at the thought of my future children undergoing beatings, wedgies, swirlies, and other humiliating acts by the cool kids. Tragically, most nerds have to marry other nerds for lack of anyone else and this cycle perpetuates. I pray that I will break that cycle and spare my children undeserved berating. Spread the word of nerd awareness to everyone you know. Together, we can change the world! It is with this that I bid you farewell: live long, and prosper.

Study, study, study

2006-02-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is my final test in my test quintatholon (5 tests), thankfully. I was beginning to lose hope. I have been so busy that I finally took out a sliver that I had for 3 days but couldn't give up study time for. My immune system did a great job though as I have no residual effects. Good thing I didn't need an organ transplant. All my prayers for the last few days have consisted, ver batium, as follows: Dear God, help, amen. He got me through them and was with me as He promised. Wow, five tests in seven days. My feelings? Hmmmm.....No sir, I don't like it.

My Children

2006-02-21T15:31:00.000-08:00

My first entry

2006-02-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

Wow, I'm doing this. Warning to people who read this blog: I am a crazy person with all sorts of weird notions that just pop into my head all the live long day. If you don't want to be friends with me after reading these postings, I'll understand. If you have a weak stomach, delete my name from your blog list and no longer enter into my realm of madness. However, if you choose to come along and listen to my rants about vet school, being a nerd, and other such tom foolery I bid you to "saddle up partner". No, it won't be a fun journey but trust me it will be whimsical.