It's so hard to be motivated right now. I can get a C in all my classes and vet school will still be waiting for me in August. Right now I'm rocking an A in everything but Microbiology, in which I have a B+. Soooooo....
Rather than do homework in this lovely 9 hour block of time, I have thoroughly inspected all craigslist ads, researched show rails for my goaties, studied up on some agility equipment plans, drawn up plans and materials list for said equipment, and basically procrastinated my life away. I also made up a list of everything that stands between me and summer:
3 tests
2 quizzes
2 presentations
2 projects
2 scientific papers
2 journal entries
1 epic
2 final exams
Totally do-able. But I need to get motivated... I'm about 1/4 of the way finished with one of the presentations, 1/4 finished with the epic (it's about a peacock named Padmakar), 3/4 of the way finished with both projects, and... that's it. I'm going to try to get the journal entries done tonight so I can feel good about myself.
I think I need to get up and retrieve myself some peanut butter M&Ms and life will be good. It's sort of tempting to just go to bed, though... you know, that whole the-earlier-I-go-to-bed-the-earlier-tomorrow-gets-here sydrome. I also have a very BRIGHT blanket that I am crocheting for Melodie and I would much rather cuddle up in my bed, turn on some music, and relax. But since I've sort of squandered the day anyhow...
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Welcome to Dr. Tora's Goat Hospital... would you like a cave tour?
So I started my job this weekend. I love my job dearly, but it is exhausting. Basically, I lead groups of people of all ages through the cave while chatting with, talking to, talking at, or screaming above them. I only take groups of sizes up to 30 people, normally. It's interesting and I meet a lot of people, and anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to talk.
So why was I ready to quit this weekend? Because I am soooooo sore. And tired. We walk at least 3 to 4 miles a day, up and down hills, on a concrete path, BACKWARD. Remember that we face the group...
So try it one day. Two, actually, Saturday and Sunday, and see how your legs hold up.
On top of that, I trimmed Heather's horses on Sunday and Summer sort of smashed my toe. So I am pretty achy.
But I feel better by now, so I've psyched myself back up for another weekend of work. Plus I have Friday off school and off work (Thank you, Jesus!-- I'm being literal, by the way) so it's all good.
But the main point of this post was an update. We ran a regular hospital in our shop this weekend. Here was the list of patients:
The foundling-- I believe we are calling her Ladybug-- apparently has no owner. At this point we're holding on to her indefinitely. Anyway, just continuing with supportive care/maintenance. She looks fantastically better and is shaping up to be a pretty nice doe.
Ginger Belle-- we already have a Ginger Spice, so when "Ginger" arrived, we had to add a surname-- bleh. She came to us severely anorexic, moderately-to-severely anemic, and mildly hemorrhaging. We got the hemorrhage to stop and her red blood cells on the upswing, but she still had hardly any interest in eating. But she's on the mend.
Quinn-- presented mild dystocia. She progressed for awhile and then, despite hardy contractions, nothing was happening. So I clipped my nails and scrubbed up. I went in and just had to tip the baby's nose down and search for a leg.
And the two neonates-- Sam and Reese. They are bouncing and happy in their playpen in our kitchen. Unfortunately they are both bucks, but they are darlings, too.
So by the time the weekend was over, I was so exhausted I made the decision to drive back to school on Monday morning. I made it through class, 7 hours at Dr. Little's, drove to Zach's to pick up some stuff from the old house, and made it back to my dorm and fell into bed. I feel lots better today and am ready to take on this week! Just two days and one presentation between me and Thursday night... and back to my caprine hospital :-)
So why was I ready to quit this weekend? Because I am soooooo sore. And tired. We walk at least 3 to 4 miles a day, up and down hills, on a concrete path, BACKWARD. Remember that we face the group...
So try it one day. Two, actually, Saturday and Sunday, and see how your legs hold up.
On top of that, I trimmed Heather's horses on Sunday and Summer sort of smashed my toe. So I am pretty achy.
But I feel better by now, so I've psyched myself back up for another weekend of work. Plus I have Friday off school and off work (Thank you, Jesus!-- I'm being literal, by the way) so it's all good.
But the main point of this post was an update. We ran a regular hospital in our shop this weekend. Here was the list of patients:
The foundling-- I believe we are calling her Ladybug-- apparently has no owner. At this point we're holding on to her indefinitely. Anyway, just continuing with supportive care/maintenance. She looks fantastically better and is shaping up to be a pretty nice doe.
Ginger Belle-- we already have a Ginger Spice, so when "Ginger" arrived, we had to add a surname-- bleh. She came to us severely anorexic, moderately-to-severely anemic, and mildly hemorrhaging. We got the hemorrhage to stop and her red blood cells on the upswing, but she still had hardly any interest in eating. But she's on the mend.
Quinn-- presented mild dystocia. She progressed for awhile and then, despite hardy contractions, nothing was happening. So I clipped my nails and scrubbed up. I went in and just had to tip the baby's nose down and search for a leg.
And the two neonates-- Sam and Reese. They are bouncing and happy in their playpen in our kitchen. Unfortunately they are both bucks, but they are darlings, too.
So by the time the weekend was over, I was so exhausted I made the decision to drive back to school on Monday morning. I made it through class, 7 hours at Dr. Little's, drove to Zach's to pick up some stuff from the old house, and made it back to my dorm and fell into bed. I feel lots better today and am ready to take on this week! Just two days and one presentation between me and Thursday night... and back to my caprine hospital :-)
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Bleh
Let's just say, senioritis has kicked in. But since I'm a senior (by credits) but a third-year student and not graduating (just merrily skipping away), I think I have "I'm-outta-here"-itis. I have no motivation to write an epic, or put together a presentation on the role of Christian values in world literature of the western hemisphere (so basically, it's not world lit, right?). And I particularly don't want to give my speech on pet actors tomorrow, or put together a paper on a bacteria whose identity is so far eluding me. Let's not talk about annotating base pairs 52,000-58,000 of fosmid 12 of the long arm of the third chromosome of Drosophila erecta. (It's fruit fly, and no, I'm not sure why I care to annotate its genome).
So I have been looking up agility equipment plans. I want to get our current equipment up and working, and then start on some new. I have found a fantastic site:
http://www.instantagility.com/
It has great instructions for making good-quality agility equipment on the cheap. A lot of it isn't exaclty regulation, but for home use, I think it's great. I think it's best to expose your dogs to lots of sizes, shapes, and colors anyway.
And if all goes right and we welcome Moxie to our home (SHHHHHHH... it's a secret!!! More on that later!), we are going to need a lot of doggie stuff (like we don't have a ton already!).
So I am NOT going to K-state's open house this weekend... I have to work! I am looking forward to working (read: MONEY), but I wanted to go to Manhattan or Teri's rabbit/poultry show. Phooey.
And on the home front: We are acquiring another goat, another commercial doe, and this time it's my fault. If you know me and my herd well, you know I ALWAYS push to move our herd towards the Fullblood side.
A tiny side-trail to edjemacate you on goats:
For Boers... there are different "levels" of purebred-ness.
Fullblood South African (abreviated FB SA): Absolutely 100% Boer, all ancestors came directly to America from South Africa with no detours.
Fullblood: Absolutely 100% Boer, but ancestors may be from Australia or New Zealand or Canada.
Purebred: Anthing 96% or higher. So these could have other breeds in them a few generations back.
Percentage: Anything 50% or higher.
Commercial: Some amount of Boer but no proof (basically, not registered.)
So, back on track: I like the FB SA goats. FB at minimum. Buuuuutttttttt.....
A long time ago when I was free with no worries or responsibilities and we had dairy goats, I had a lovely wonderful crazy fantastic doe named Tammie. Tammie KNEW she was special; she was delivered by c-section and was a pretty nice doe to boot. Then her udder was torn up as a first freshener and we did surgeries and blahblahblah... unfortunately Tammie died after her second kidding. She only ever had buck kids, but one of them was named Brett. Brett and Belle (out of our dear doe, Annabelle) had a bouncy baby girl named Adelle. I kept Adelle for about a year but had to sell her when we cut back on our goats. But I always wanted her back, because she was a Tammie granddaughter and to my knowledge the only one.
Unfortuantely Adelle passed away last year. BUT-- she has a daughter who just happens to be half Boer. So guess who wheedled and whined to get her.
Her name is Ginger and she just kidded, but isn't doing so great. The Goatherdess Mother loaded up the GoatMobile and went to get her. Hopefully we can bring her around!
Well I suppose it's time to gather my dog jump instructions and my materials concerning Christianity in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and go study some more.
So I have been looking up agility equipment plans. I want to get our current equipment up and working, and then start on some new. I have found a fantastic site:
http://www.instantagility.com/
It has great instructions for making good-quality agility equipment on the cheap. A lot of it isn't exaclty regulation, but for home use, I think it's great. I think it's best to expose your dogs to lots of sizes, shapes, and colors anyway.
And if all goes right and we welcome Moxie to our home (SHHHHHHH... it's a secret!!! More on that later!), we are going to need a lot of doggie stuff (like we don't have a ton already!).
I worked with Nike last weekend, and I swear, she's ready to walk into an obedience ring and score a 198/200.
(this is an old pic of her creeking)
She has definitely sharpened up in her old age (just kidding, she's only four!). I worked a tiny bit on rally and she's smoking hot there, too. I'd like to get Gonzo into doing something he loves, but he is a mess. More on him later. Agility may be his best bet.
So I am NOT going to K-state's open house this weekend... I have to work! I am looking forward to working (read: MONEY), but I wanted to go to Manhattan or Teri's rabbit/poultry show. Phooey.
And on the home front: We are acquiring another goat, another commercial doe, and this time it's my fault. If you know me and my herd well, you know I ALWAYS push to move our herd towards the Fullblood side.
A tiny side-trail to edjemacate you on goats:
For Boers... there are different "levels" of purebred-ness.
Fullblood South African (abreviated FB SA): Absolutely 100% Boer, all ancestors came directly to America from South Africa with no detours.
Fullblood: Absolutely 100% Boer, but ancestors may be from Australia or New Zealand or Canada.
Purebred: Anthing 96% or higher. So these could have other breeds in them a few generations back.
Percentage: Anything 50% or higher.
Commercial: Some amount of Boer but no proof (basically, not registered.)
So, back on track: I like the FB SA goats. FB at minimum. Buuuuutttttttt.....
A long time ago when I was free with no worries or responsibilities and we had dairy goats, I had a lovely wonderful crazy fantastic doe named Tammie. Tammie KNEW she was special; she was delivered by c-section and was a pretty nice doe to boot. Then her udder was torn up as a first freshener and we did surgeries and blahblahblah... unfortunately Tammie died after her second kidding. She only ever had buck kids, but one of them was named Brett. Brett and Belle (out of our dear doe, Annabelle) had a bouncy baby girl named Adelle. I kept Adelle for about a year but had to sell her when we cut back on our goats. But I always wanted her back, because she was a Tammie granddaughter and to my knowledge the only one.
Unfortuantely Adelle passed away last year. BUT-- she has a daughter who just happens to be half Boer. So guess who wheedled and whined to get her.
Her name is Ginger and she just kidded, but isn't doing so great. The Goatherdess Mother loaded up the GoatMobile and went to get her. Hopefully we can bring her around!
Well I suppose it's time to gather my dog jump instructions and my materials concerning Christianity in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and go study some more.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Eish! An Update!
Well, I'd say it's been a bit too long. ESPECIALLY because I have good news!
I GOT INTO VET SCHOOL!!!!
Really, I'm more excited than that. This has been my dream forever, so the fact that I've finally reached it? Pure heaven. Now there is just a ton to do.
I received my acceptance from the University of Missouri-Columbia's College of Veterinary Medicine on March 26th, 2011. I mailed my $100 deposit and acceptance form the Monday following.
Yippee! So here's my list of things to do:
Rock at least a C in all my classes (check! First time I've not had to worry about my grades!)
Check out housing... my bestie and I are hoping to find a place together.
$ave $ave $ave.
Figure out finanacial aid.
And have fun this summer.
I got my summer job back, as a tour guide. It's going to be fantastic again. Really, that job made my summer 2010 the best ever, and I hope 2011 is better! I want to kayak a bit and backback some, and get Nike to some trials to get her CD and RN titles (obedience and rally competition awards, for those who aren't aware).
So that's the news on the school front. Just have a few more exams, a couple papers, finals, and 4 1/2 weeks of undergrad!!!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... we have a lovely crop of kids on the ground. Actually they are just ready to be weaned, which means that our whole herd dynamic is about to change. Not so fun.
The babies go in the weaning pen, but so does Misty, so her boys will have to stay in the field with all the other mommies. And of course some mommies are crazy and try to jump fences, so we've got to keep an eye on that. Yay children.
Quinn, my older Nubian doe, has been stringing us along for several weeks now. We don't have an exact due date on her, so we are just impatiently waiting.
And, I guess word has gotten out around our new town that we are a family of goatherdesses. Someone called the Goatherdess Mother about some loose goats. So, what do we do?
Why, we load up in the Goatmobile and go searching. Unfortunately we were only able to get our hands on one. We're still searching for the others. We brought the captive one home and gave her plenty of water and some food. She is very dehydrated but doing better. Now, to find her rightful goatherd/ess... that is the trick.
Well, I'm off to go work on my speech for Friday. My topic is "How to make your pet a STAR." So far, it's pretty excellent, I must say.
I GOT INTO VET SCHOOL!!!!
Really, I'm more excited than that. This has been my dream forever, so the fact that I've finally reached it? Pure heaven. Now there is just a ton to do.
I received my acceptance from the University of Missouri-Columbia's College of Veterinary Medicine on March 26th, 2011. I mailed my $100 deposit and acceptance form the Monday following.
Yippee! So here's my list of things to do:
Rock at least a C in all my classes (check! First time I've not had to worry about my grades!)
Check out housing... my bestie and I are hoping to find a place together.
$ave $ave $ave.
Figure out finanacial aid.
And have fun this summer.
I got my summer job back, as a tour guide. It's going to be fantastic again. Really, that job made my summer 2010 the best ever, and I hope 2011 is better! I want to kayak a bit and backback some, and get Nike to some trials to get her CD and RN titles (obedience and rally competition awards, for those who aren't aware).
So that's the news on the school front. Just have a few more exams, a couple papers, finals, and 4 1/2 weeks of undergrad!!!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... we have a lovely crop of kids on the ground. Actually they are just ready to be weaned, which means that our whole herd dynamic is about to change. Not so fun.
The babies go in the weaning pen, but so does Misty, so her boys will have to stay in the field with all the other mommies. And of course some mommies are crazy and try to jump fences, so we've got to keep an eye on that. Yay children.
Quinn, my older Nubian doe, has been stringing us along for several weeks now. We don't have an exact due date on her, so we are just impatiently waiting.
And, I guess word has gotten out around our new town that we are a family of goatherdesses. Someone called the Goatherdess Mother about some loose goats. So, what do we do?
Why, we load up in the Goatmobile and go searching. Unfortunately we were only able to get our hands on one. We're still searching for the others. We brought the captive one home and gave her plenty of water and some food. She is very dehydrated but doing better. Now, to find her rightful goatherd/ess... that is the trick.
Well, I'm off to go work on my speech for Friday. My topic is "How to make your pet a STAR." So far, it's pretty excellent, I must say.
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