So Far So Good

So an update on my fish, only one more has died since Sushi died. I have three fish left and it has been 4 days since the last death. This is looking promising. I am debating whether or not to get another betta and either put him in the big tank again, or into the small tank where Sushi seemed to do so well. I don't know if I want to manage two tanks right now however. Any ideas on good fish to put in there? Without a betta in my 10 gal. it opens up a lot of doors for different kinds of fish. I don't have time for a long post, but I just thought I should let you all know. If all is still well next week, I will probably try to get another fish or two.

What A Sad Day!

So I have some bad news for all of you...Sushi died!! I think I know what happened, but it still came as a surprise this morning. On Saturday morning when I fed them he seemed just fine. I noticed on Thursday that a couple of my other fish seemed to be not doing so well, like they were having a little bit of a hard time breathing, but I figured it was just me being paranoid. I've been watching those two very closely and it seems like they are starting to swim a little crooked, but that could also just be paranoia in light of Sushi dying. The other two seem just fine. I never noticed Sushi acting funny either. I don't remember seeing him last night when I fed them because I wasn't really feeling well so I didn't stop to watch them eat like I normally do. I didn't think anything of it because he likes to hide in one of my decorations and usually it takes him a minute to come and eat. But this morning when I was feeding I didn't see him again and this time I looked under his rock and there he was dead. For quite a while it seemed too. I took a test of my water and it seems some of my levels have skyrocketed. I'm sure that's what killed him but I didn't expect it to be so sudden. So here's to Sushi, the best fish ever. I wonder if I put too many fish in there at once, but hopefully I can get this tank worked out so I don't keep killing things.

Fish!

So I have some exciting news...I got fish! I set up a new 10 gallon fish tank last week, with some help Ryan and am happy to report that my tank has been stocked with 5 healthy fish. Usually it takes a little longer before you are supposed to be able to put fish in a tank (but thanks to some advice from Ryan) I took a few tests to check the levels in my water and the lady at PetSmart said that I could add some fish. So I got a couple cool looking ones and decided to put my Betta in with them. So far so good. He has shown very little interest in them except to chase them away from wherever he wants to go at the time. Although I think he has started to adopt one of the corners with a decoration that he can kind of hide in as his territory. The other fish are so much smaller than him that I doubt there will be any trouble as long as they stay out of his way. He is really pretty though when he swims underneath the light cuz it really makes his red stand out on his fins. Now that I have my new phone that I can take pictures on and upload them to my computer, I will take some and regularly update my blog with pictures! Same phone number, so don't worry. They look like they are happy in my new tank so if all is well in a week I will go get the rest of my fish. I will prolly get 4 more, maybe 5 if I find a cool one I have to have. My choices are limited though since I have the betta in there. They have to be smaller fish that don't have flowing fins. Otherwise he might think they are another betta and we would definitely have trouble then. Anywho...Life is good with me as I hope it is with you. Call anytime, I love to chat :D

Where does the time go?

Once again...it has been quite some time since I last posted. I was just about to bug mom about not having updated her post since Halloween, but I'm not really in a position to talk :D So here is my post, and my official call to mom to update hers. If I can do it...so can you! So here's what's been going on in my life, as well as some thoughts and feelings that I wish to express.

School is AWESOME!! I am loving the things I am doing here at school. Last semester was just a teaser, we always talked about the stuff we were going to do, but we didn't actually do very much of it. This semester we are actually doing a lot more. The funnest thing I have learned to do so far is blood-draws. (I know you guys probably think I'm weird) Cows were actually a little scary to do, because it's not like people where you can take your time and gently place your needle, then glide it right into the blood vessel. Getting them into the chute and prepped is the easy part. Finding the vein isn't even that difficult as long as the cow isn't a total nut-job. The hard part is getting past the mental block. Like I said before, you can't just glide a needle into a cow. First off because they won't just hold still and say "here, stab me!" but more importantly because their skin is much thicker and you have to do just that....stab them. I'm not talking about driving a needle clear through their neck, but you do have to use a certain amount of force to get through the skin, and let me tell you its nerve racking with your entire class watching you go first. I was shaking so bad I could hardly hit my mark, and it took me a minute to get it just right but finallly I got it! It was actually an exciting feeling and I was somewhat proud of myself that I got it on the first try. We did goats next and they were easy. They were much easier to restrain and we got to use a smaller needle. With goats you can just slide the needle in nice and easy and it takes about 20 sec. for the whole process.

Besides just having fun, I am learning a much greater appreciation for the miracle of life through my schooling. I am constantly in awe of the body and the amazing things it does, from the most intricate relationships between cells to the way it communicates with the greater environment. I am getting more and more excited as time goes on to learn all I can so that I can do my best to help these animals that have no other way to help themselves.

With this excitement has also come an anxiety because while my professors are teaching us all the ways that we can help animals, they are also making us painfully aware of all the ways we can kill them as well. The difference between life and death in a horse (or any other animal but its of particular concern in horses) is the difference between giving medication in a vein vs. an artery. Often times, especially in the neck, these two are sitting right on top of each other. We have also learned of various other mistakes that could easily happen while doing rather routine procedures. I am scared to death that one day I am going to kill something that had no cause to die. On a similar note, I know that there will come a time when I have to put an animal to sleep because I know it's the best help I can give that animal. This is something that I am prepared for, though I don't think that will make it any easier when the time actually comes. It's times like these when I wonder if I have really picked the right profession. But then I see animals like the ones we have adopted for the semester, and I see the awful state of life they came from, and how happy they are now and it makes it all worth it. We got some dogs this semester that were severly emaciated. I mean every bone was sticking out and they were depressed and had no energy. I nearly cried when I saw them for the first time. A couple of them would just sulk in their kennel and barely acknowledge our presence. They gulped their food down so fast it would make them puke. Now, less than 2 weeks later they have gotten a spark back in their eye and seem to want to live again. They have been steadily gaining weight and are eating food at a normal pace. They bark and jump at their cages when we enter the room and seem genuinely happy to see us again. (Even though we do poke and prod at them quite a bit). One of the dogs is still a little reserved but she is doing much better. It is these moments that make me 100% certain that what I am doing is the right thing. I feel such a sense of pride and joy that I was a part of making these animals' lives worth living. And that is enough to make up for everything else.

Another fun thing that I have been doing in school that I want to mention, and I actually have pictures, is the building of our new bird house! This 'bird house' is a 10x10x10 building that we built from the ground up. The pieces all came pre-cut but we put everything together it was quite the adventure!! The pictures aren't in order, and the barn isn't totally done, we still have to put in the insulation and windows...but let me tell you, I can't think of a better place for a sick bird to be than this will be by the time we're done with it :) There's a loft and everything.

The gang. It was mostly just us Vet Tech's but towards the end we had a couple male hands chipping in, it's almost done in this picture :D
That's me in the blue coat helping to nail down the roof.

Haha...I hardly think standing on a tractor follows the OSHA guidelines for safety, but sometimes it's just better to turn a blind eye

Wrapping up for the day

Corrie in front and Richelle in back trying to screw the front of the barn together.

Molly is on the left wearing her sweet hat her dad brought her from Peru I think. If you can't tell, it's a beanie with a mohawk on it. Molly and Richelle are two friends I hang out with most.

Lol...kind of a candid moment, I wasn't really expecting the picture. I'm standing in the loft.

All in all it was a fun day and Beck (our red-tailed hawk) is about ready to move into his new home. We have a chain link pen that we're going to put out front so that he can be indoors and outdoors, hopefully everything will be done by this week. Anywho, I think this post is about long enough so I will try to keep this more updated so I don't have to do big huge posts every time....but I've been saying that all along so we'll see what actually happens.

So I suppose it's time for me to update again, as it's been about 3 mos. since my last post. I am loving school here at CSI. We get to do so much fun stuff and I am learning a ton. Just yesterday I got to help take x-rays of a Red-tailed Hawk named Beck and a Great Horned Owl named T-Pat. We got these birds from the Fish and Wildlife service and have been re-habbing them for about 3 weeks now. It was really cool to help handle the birds and to actually do things instead of just talking about it in class. Some other cool stuff I've gotten to do is vaccinate a bunch of pigs (which wasn't that much fun because I ended up with some pretty sweet looking bruises) and soon we're going to get to help castrate a llama, which is sure to be an adventure. I've also just got registered for classes next semester with 19 credits. I have 19 credits this semseter also but two of those classes I just take for fun. I'm not signed up for any 'just for fun' classes yet but I hope to get into at least one.

And the greatest news of all, I got a job at Welch Music! I am actually really beginning to like this job MUCH more than working in fast food because its a much slower pace and I don't have to work with grouchy people as often. I even get to sit down and play a grand piano once in a while when we're not busy. I would love to have one of those when I get old and rich :D

Hopefully I will be able to get some pictures soon of some of the stuff we've been doing and will post them on here. Maybe I should ask Santa for a camera for christmas this year...

Life in Twin Falls

Ok, so I know that I have been a slacker about blogging, but really my life isn't that exciting! I have had a lot of fun here in Twin Falls with my new roommates (Tessa in the middle and Abby on the right). School started on the 24th, and has gone good so far. We're having a BBQ today for all the Ag. programs with relays and everything, so my classes were cancelled for the day! Woohoo! I'm thinking the semester is going to get very busy though, as I'm taking 17 credits. yikes! It will be fun though, I'm really excited for my classes.

This is a picture of my textbooks so far...I still have about three more to get!

And this is my pet fish, Sushi. I got the name from Lindy who got it from Missy. He is a very pretty betta, but is also camera-shy. After the first time the flash went off, he would start swimming around all crazy when I brought the camera up to take another picture, so this is the best one I got. He is mostly red with blue on his throat, and lots of diferent shades of pinks and purple on his body, and white tips on his fins. Maybe he'll get a friend one day :)

Dannika came over last night and we made some Banana Chip Muffins. They were sooo yummy!! (The recipe is in the family cookbook from Dan & Jill). Then we watched The Guardian and just chilled. I can't wait to get to see Matthew again in a couple weeks!!! Everyone cross your fingers that I get to go, and don't have to stay here!

My New Do!

So, it's been a while since I posted some pictures of myself on here...so I thought I would put one up of my new hair cut! I've only had it for about two weeks, and its been pretty weird because my hair used to be about 3 inches past my shoulder. I love it though! I know this isn't the greatest picture, but I just took it because one of my friends wanted me to send one, and I figured I wouldn't get a better one anytime soon. I just got done working out when I took it so it's not me at my best...but it serves it's purpose. I can't believe I only have 3 1/2 weeks left in this semester!! Boy, am I ready for a break!!

I hope everyone is doing well, don't forget to keep in touch...I love to receive emails!