Aaand were back!

After nearly four months of no new posts on my "wildly" "popular" blog I have decided to return.I have had an awesome summer and so far a busy, unpredictable fall. I feel that before I can begin to write about life as of October I should update "everyone" on life since graduation.

Graduation was a crazy week filled with visiting and personal tours of my home for the last 3 years. From the mission to the beaches, from the great food to the great views, and yes I cant leave out YogurtLand I was excited to show off Santa Barbara. I cant thank mom enough for doing a lot of organization to bring people from all over. Though I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with everyone I was so happy to have everyone there to celebrate. I finished UCSB with a GPA of 3.2 and even though I still have not received it in the mail I now have a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences.Here are some pictures from that weekend


Right after graduation I went to work cleaning and packing as moving day was fast approaching. On July 1st I moved in with Carolyn to the infamous Transition Ranch. Over the last 2 1/2 years this ranch has been home to many of our friends many of whom were very much in-between things. Now that Carolyn and I finally find ourselves under the same roof and life is so much easier. If you haven't already visited the ranch I recommend coming to visit while we are still here. Mountain views, horses, a fire pit, horse shoe pit, chicken coup, newly decorated office, garden, and huge yard that is just a short walk to one of the prettiest views in SB is not something you want to miss.

The last box had barely been unpacked before I took off on a nine day excursion to the Sierras with James (aka Jonesy). Taking a where the road takes us approach we headed out to Yosemite then the Pacific crest trail further north. In addition to hiking 50 miles of trails (largely in two days) we hit some natural rock slides, attempted fishing, and boated in a hail storm. Yosemite was beautiful and camping with Jones was non-stop laughs. Here are a few highlights:





Next up was a fundraiser for CIMWI aboard the Condor express whale watching ship out of the Santa Barbara harbor. Carolyn worked hard to help plan the event that was a huge success, raising lots of money for our marine mammal friends. Special thanks goes out to the Turner clan who traveled down to help the cause helping to feed Sea Lions.

Then it was time to get out my sleeping bag again to head off to camp. I cant tell you how exciting it was to finally get back to camp after a 10 year hiatus. Not only was I going but I was able to bring Carolyn and my former roommate Seth. I was delighted to share this experience with people I love and bring great people into the camp Okizu family. After training and orientation we were all placed in respective cabin groups. I (Gumby) had the 14-15 year old boy cabin, Carolyn (Lily) had 8-10 year old girls, and Seth (Spongy) had 8-10 year old boys. We all used every ounce of energy we had bringing constant fun and positivity to the kids all week. In the end we were exhausted but could not have asked for a more meaningful or rewarding experience. I am pretty sure we will all be back next year. Let me know if you want to come next year too!

From camp we all went our separate ways. I breezed through Lodi 'cause I had this wedding thing to go to. No big deal just performing the marriage ceremony for my best friend in front of 200 guests. The ceremony went off without a hitch and my speech went over well. Mike was the event DJ and did a fantastic job. Pretty cool to all be there and be involved in such a big way. Dave is now a married man in part to Rev. Wooddall.




Once home the party finally had to end. Funds were running low and an opportunity presented itself that I had to take. In August I started a new job at CARE emergency clinic in downtown SB. The hours were grueling but the pay was good. Unable to find a job doing something other than vet tech work, I took the job with little hope of actually enjoying it. We all have to do what we have to do, when we have to do it, right?

August turned to September and on September 1st Carolyn and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary. We celebrated big with a wonderfully spontaneous trip to Portland Oregon. Carolyn happened to have frequent flyer miles and I happened to have a few days off of work and so we went!. Portland was a cool city with great food. The food at every restaurant we ate at was above average even if the service was not. The rose garden, Japanese garden, waterfalls, and wine country were all highlights of the trip. We also took in an interesting show at Dante's Inferno Night Club that was a combination of circus act, freak show, and strip tease. Definitely a uniquely Portland experience that provides context to the popular bumper stickers that say "Keep Portland Weird".



Lets see what else.... oh yeah we decided to adopt! Her name is Ginger and you can read all about her on Carolyn's blog. She's very cute and excited to meet all of you soon.
Thus concludes my summer wrap up. I am sure that I missed plenty of fun and interesting things I did this summer. If I stumble upon anything else worth noting I will retroactively post. Summer was non-stop fun and truly one of the best summer breaks I've ever had. Unfortunately all good things must end and has summer ends and fall begins the reality of post-graduation life is setting in. Stay tuned for a posting in the next few days that details life in October.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!!

It's finally here. The last week of my undergrad at UCSB. Now only two finals stand in the way between me and freedom. Yes indeed it will feel so good to final get the 600 lbs gorilla off my back. I am certainly not done with school forever but this week will cap off a body of work that spans 9 years, nearly fifty different classes, and 4 schools. When I started my college journey it was a "pre-9/11" world. I remember taking my first math midterm during the first few hours of 9/11, I also remember not doing very. When I started college the first Shrek, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter movies were all hot new releases. Sugar ray and Destiny's Child were in the top twenty. Baywatch had it's last episode and "24" had its first. Gas: $1.70 a gallon and a UC tuition has doubled. I started at Delta College BEFORE the ipod was released! The Kings and Rams were title contenders! I drove a big brown towncar aptly named Jerome and I was dating ol' whats her name.My littlest sis Megan wasn't tall enough to ride anything at the fair. Yes many things have changed since then. 9 years later: new president (thank god), new car (newer), new lady, new town, and new fee increases for everything you can think of. One thing that never has changed is the love and support all of my family and friends has given me. Yes all of my guys in 2001 are still pretty much the same cast of characters in 2010. Mom and Dad haven't perfected life but they have perfected being loving, supportive, and encouraging irrespective of life's challenges. I still wear the same pair of white converse I laced up in 2001. On one hand I feel like I've grown a lot since the last time I donned a cap and gown, becoming more mature, stronger, more responsible. On the other hand I feel like I am very much the same person I was June 12th of 2001. I am not sure whether the idealistic motivated dreamer of 2001 or the weathered, determined, and battle-scared dreamer of 2010 had more to do with getting to where I am now. I do know that without Carolyn I probably wouldn't have made it. With her constant and unwavering support not only was I able to make it through I was able to do better than I ever had before. Be sure to thank her for being the one who got me to the finish line in the last half of this marathon when I was the most exhausted. In a way I feel like everyone around me believed in me more I believed in my self. That faith gave me confidence, strength, and courage to persevere even when I was a my lowest. I am now very proud to have earned my degree and justified all the hardships, late nights, and struggle. I am especially proud to have justified all the faith everyone has put in me. You were all right, I did it. Now wipe away the tears and put your game face on, finals are here and ITS THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! *please watch video for full comedic effect

Wrastle and Release

On Monday two of our CIMWI patients were released back into the wild at a Hollister Ranch Beach just a few miles North of our facility. Both animals were found displaced, underweight, lethargic, and with large festering abscesses. Number 10 was found in the ladies restroom at a beach park in Ventura with a large abscess on his right cheek. I actually had the opportunity to get hands-on involvement in treating his wound when he came in two weeks ago. With guidance from the head vet and an experienced volunteer restrainer I treated the wound and administered fluids as well as all his injections. The very next day he was practically a new sea lion. Now with his wound nearly healed and his weight back up it was time to send him home. Before we send any of our patients "home" we must tag their flippers with a plastic ID number. There are a view reasons to do this. Some of our patients despite our best effort become too comfortable with people and can get themselves into trouble soon after being released. Keeping track of "repeat offenders" can tell us if perhaps a new home at a zoo would be safer for the animal. So far my understanding is that this is rare occurrence. After tagging our patients we loaded them into crates and took them to the beach. When the cage doors swung open they slowly crawled out and took in the scene. It took a few minutes(and a little encouragement) but eventually they figured out that they were free and lazily made their way to the water. Good luck 10 and 11! Number six that I mentioned in a previous blog was released on Tuesday having made a complete recovery. Saving sea lions, that's what CIMWI does!





Insert Kissy noise here

Too Much Time On My Hands!!

With finals right around the corner there's no sign that this train is slowing down. One week after the wedding (Reannas not ours) Carolyn and I were once again braving LA traffic. Our nearly four hour end at the Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, at the pearly (metal detecting) gates of rock heaven. LIVE and in Concert KANASAS, STYX, and FOREIGNER! Carolyn got us tickets for my birthday (what a woman!) for the rock concert event of a generation (not really mine). Upon arrival we broke out our sack lunches and scarfed them while chatting to a nice couple next car over who had seen these guys before I was born. A parking lot T-shirt guy approached us with concert shirts," one for 15, two for 20". I was able to successfully haggle for two t-shirts for $ 15 despite his tough sell mentality. By haggle I mean, I said "I only have 15" and he said "Ok". It was like I was at a crowded bazaar in Morocco! And then it was show time. Kanasas opened and yea they play "carry on my wayward son" and "dust in the wind". They sounded great even though they didn't have as much energy as the other gods of rock. Next up, my favorite, STYX. They sounded awesome and had lots of energy. Though I do have to ask why is it that aging rocker feel the need, nay, the obligation to wear skin tight pants. Are they desperately clinging to their sex symbol status of bygone eras or are those just the same pants they wore on stage when the were Twenty-something. STYX played all the greatest hits, Come sail away, Renegade, Madame Blue, etc etc. It was at this point our faces began to melt due to the rock n roll. Finally Foreigner took to the stage to finish the night off. Hot Blooded Check it and SEE!! Their new signer (not Lou Gramm) sounds eerily like him but looks like Steven Tyler. They had a very cheezy video screen behind them that displayed images the were pretty much literal interpretations of the songs they played. On juke box hero they show a computer animated dude with frickin literal stars in his eyes. Eventually the house lights went up. Carolyn and I were totally deaf and near mute from belting out the classic tunes. Gotta thank my parents for showing me real rock n roll. Especially dad who took me unsuspectingly to all those old rocker shows at the fair. STYX pleads guilty to tight pants charge

Graduation Information

With only three weeks to go until the big day it's hard to stay focused. It only took nine years to do it but I will soon finally be graduating. As promised here is all the info you'll need regarding the actual commencement ceremony:

I am receiving a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences

When: Saturday June 12th, the ceremony starts at 9AM but plan on getting there at 8AM to find parking/get seats. It should be over in about one hour.

Do I need a ticket?
No, there are NO tickets being distributed. Seating is first come first serve and they ask that graduates have only 6 people in attendance (cha right). Carolyn's Dad is an Alumnus as well and may be able to reserve a few seats but for the other 30 of you get there early. If nothing else you can stand in the back and hear just fine.

Where is it?
The whole deal goes down on the faculty lawn behind the university center next to the Lagoon on the UCSB Campus. It will be outdoors and there is a good possibility that it may be a little chilly/foggy so plan accordingly.

What happens next?
After the ceremony is over I can find all of you (try to coordinate a meeting area in the back) and we can take a bunch of pictures and maybe tour the campus. It is a large campus so if you do want to see it, plan on doing some walking. Every restaurant in the area will likely be packed so if we do want to somewhere for brunch we will need reservations. I am totally fine with a breakfast at home as well (maybe easier). Beyond that I have no set plans for that day. Carolyn will be leaving right after the ceremony for a wedding in San Diego and returning on Sunday

Sunday BBQ:
Carolyn and I are planning on hosting a BBQ at Carolyn’s house early Sunday afternoon. Both of Carolyn’s roommates will be graduating on Saturday and we will most likely do one large combined party although at this point it sounds like my guests will outnumber the other families three to one. Carolyn and I are happy to setup, cook, and provide some food/drink but any help with the cost and/or the groceries would be greatly appreciated.

Beyond what I have posted here I have no other solidified plans. There will people coming from every-frickin where staying all over Santa Barbara County. If possible set aside a few days to hang out and party. It is going to be a very very very busy and chaotic weekend in trying to organize so many people who are all scattered. I love and appreciate all of you for making the long trip down to SB and I will try my best to spend time with all of you. Please forgive me in advance if your time with me is too brief. As of right now I plan on taking it easy for most of the summer with a few trips home so there will be more time to hang out then. In the meantime I will try to organize things to maximize the Santa Barbara experience and my time with everyone.

Tips:
There will be traffic because 101 is the only way in and out of SB and all of the southern UC's will also be graduating as well as Cal Poly. Plan accordingly so you don’t miss out and pack your patience. It won’t be as bad as LA but it will be slowed down.
I don’t want to rain on everyone’s parade but June is typically not a great month for weather in Santa Barbara. The mornings are likely to be foggy and slightly chilly and the nights windy. Hopefully we will luck out and have great weather but please back a few sweaters/coat/long pants. Don’t worry the fog will burn off and we will get some beach time during the day.
Theres no target or walmart here..... only a kmart. Try to get your film, batteries, sun screen, etc before coming.

Thats all for now. Look for grad announcements in the mail this week.

Wedding on a Wednesday:

On Tuesday (5/12) Carolyn and I caught a 9:30 flight out of LAX to Phoenix Arizona, our destination: a Wednesday wedding on the shores of Gold Water Lake. This date in May was exceptionally special because it marked the anniversary of Auntie and Unkies own anniversary which was the original reason for the non-traditional weekday affair.We were received by my mom and cousin Colette both of whom were running on no sleep for over 24 hours. Colette had to drive all night to rescue Mom and Mallory after Mom’s car broke down near Bakersfield proving once again anything that could go wrong with Lynette WILL go wrong (Happy Birthday Mom:( ). Alas at nearly 2 am on Wednesday morning we were all in Arizona. The next morning Carolyn and I woke up, had some coffee, breakfast, and did some stretching so as not to pull any muscles as we ran like crazy all over the Prescott-Chino Valley area. It was strategically decided that Carolyn and I were to divide and conquer by our commanding officer. I spend most of the day driving various members of the bridal party to various locations. Between shuttle trips I spent time with Mallory, Mom, and Carolyn hanging decorations and setting up the tables. Before we knew it, it was 4:30 and the wedding was set to begin.
Reanna looked beautiful in her dress, the girls (Haley and Isabel) were adorable in their flower girl gowns and the wind had died down setting the stage for a lovely ceremony. Once the ceremony was over the real craziness began. The park where both the ceremony and reception was to be held closed at sundown (about 730) so we had about two and a half hours to take the wedding photos, introduce the new couple, do the toasts, eat the wonderfully home-made Mexican themed feast, cut the cake, have the first dance, take down all the decorations, throw the bird seed, and completely pack up. It was a lot like a super bowl half-time show: set-up, rock out, get food, take-down. All in all everything went as smooth as such an event can go and it was a lot of fun.
Afterward most of the wedding party moved to the bowling alley where we all bowled in our formal attire. It was nice to finally sit and enjoy a beer and have a little post-wedding stress-free fun. It was nice to meet Jason, Reanna’s new husband, and to have a chance to hang out a bit. As per usual the three children under six all had higher totals than I did. The next day Carolyn and I had breakfast with everyone and took off to the airport. We were asleep before our heads hit the pillow that night when we finally got home around 11pm. We were both so happy we could make the trip and it was an honor to walk my cousin down the aisle on her big day. Though we aren’t as close as we were when we were kids it’s understood that we will always share a strong bond of love and friendship for life. Congratulations cuz!

Life in the Fast Lane!!!

Hey everyone sorry for the extended delay from the last post. I have been too busy doing stuff to write about the stuff I've been doing. Immediately after my trip to Davis I took on my first round of midterms. Despite not having that much time to study I actually did better than ever. I am currently taking Developmental Neuro Biology, River Ecology, and Gods of India. So far so good with only 4 weeks left. Here's a brief run down of what Ive been up to.

Avett Brothers Concert:
I recently had the pleasure of taking in an Avett Brothers concert and the majestic Arlington Theater in SB. Carolyn, Braden, Ryan, Kevin, Lindsey and I all scored tickets to what was one of the best shows I've seen in some time. The Avett Brothers are two brothers that hail from North Carolina who are accompanied by a celloist, bassist, and drummer. Their style is hard to categorize and changes from song to song. Some songs have a bluegrass feel, other and rock songs with catchy melodies and great lyrics. In addition to singing the brothers play piano, banjo, guitar and harmonica. Few people have heard of them as they enjoy success just below the mainstream radio surface. Their newest album (I and Love and You) is fantastic from start to finish. Leave me a comment with a request for it and I will send you a free copy of their newest CD to check out!
Favorite Lyrics:
The weight of lies will drag you down, follow you to every town, cause nothing happens here that doesn't happen there
So when you run make you run to something and not away from cause lies don't need an aeroplane to chase you down.



Marine Mammals!:
My recent unemployment has left me with some time to fill up and an opportunity to do something a little different. Enter the Channel Island Marine Wildlife Institute (CIMWI). CIMWI is a non-profit organization run by a local vet and his wife that rescue and rehabilitates marine mammals in Ventura County (South of SB). I began volunteering in April and have had an opportunity to care for two 1 year old California Sea Lion pups. As a volunteer I clean the pup's enclosure, feed, medicate, and sometimes take the patients for a swim. Each of these pups was found under weigh and too close to heavily populated areas. We operate out of an old abandoned school up the coast from SB.Here's a few pictures of patients number 4 and number 6. (We don't name them to avoid getting too attached, yeah right):




Sadly Number 4 has since passed away. However, I am pleased to report the little girl (Number 6) is getting stronger and it now eating 6 pounds of Mackerel a day. Wish her luck! I will be volunteering at CIMWI for next next few months at least and will be sure to share my experiences.

And if all that weren't enough I recently gassed up the Honda and headed north to Tahoe. The occasion: Dave's Bachelor Party Weekend! After knowing Dave for 17 years it was a little surreal attending his bachelor party. His was the first bachelor party Ive gone to and it was a blast. Dave's cousins and family members found a cabin in Tahoe which we all chipped in on, renting it for the weekend. Here are a few highlights of the trip:

Upon arriving in Tahoe after 9 hours on the road I met everyone at Harvey's and got the idea to put a twenty bill into a slot machine so as to obtain a free drink. I promptly lost my twenty dollars without so much as a cocktail waitress fly-by. Dejected and a refreshed memory of why I don't like to gamble I became a spectator. Watching Dave and his brother lose money was a lot easier. Gradually the machines began to call to me and I put the last one dollar bill into a slot machine "Hot Pennies". Dave said "press the red button"! I said "what does that do?". "I dunno just do it" he replied. Upon pressing the red button I realized I had bet all but 40 cents of my dollar in one fell swoop and I started to yell at Dave. Soon I was interrupted by flashing lights, loud noises, explosions, ringing. When the noise had concluded I had won back $18.60. Time to call it a night. I never did get a free drink.

Quotes from Drunk Dave:
"I am going to stoke this smogie"
"Guys, guys, I'm going to be like 65% serious right now"
Next Morning: "Dave you need anything" Dave from bathroom floor: "a bullet....for my head"

We also played a mysterious dice game with all of Dave's family. It seemed fun so I tried it despite not having a concrete idea of the rules...or the objective...or why i had to pay a dollar. As it turns out on my first and second roll I did something right because Daves uncle said I sucked, Dave high-fived my hand off, and people started calling me "Mr. Midnight". Good times. It was nice to see John and Mikey who eventually arrived in time to toast the bachelor and toss back a few shots of Petrone. By the way his wedding is in August and I am set to officiate the ceremony which was in fact agreed upon far prior to any drinking. Goood times.

Whew! So there are the highlights from the last few weeks. I type this now waiting to hop a flight to Arizona to assist my cousin Reanna down the aisle at her wedding(apparently she gets lost easily). I promise to post info regarding all things graduation very soon. Thanks for reading, love you all, hope yall are well.

Road Trip:Pre-Vet Club trip to Davis

On Thursday five members(myself included) of the UCSB Pre-vet club piled into one car and hit the road to check out the UC Davis vet school (6 1/2 hour drive). Our day on Friday was a full day of activities that spanned from 830 am to 630 pm. We met with an admissions director that led us on a comprehensive tour of the school, the labs, and the teaching hospital. We got to sit-in on two classes with all the other vet students. I had to laugh to myself when I noticed that there were still more than a few vet students navigating their facebook pages during lecture, I guess vet school isn't all that different. The day ended with a B.B.Q. for all the students, vets, profs, and visitors in the courtyard of the vet school. I ran into a girl that I used to work with at a vet hospital in SB two years ago, who had since applied and got accepted to UCD. It was very exciting to see a familiar face and learn that one of my peers had made it. She had some good advice and many encouraging words for me. As some of you know getting into vet school is no walk in the park and it seems everyone you meet in the field has a story (or two) of friends that apply 5 times before getting in. Some of you may not know all that much about vet school (clients at work used to ask all the time Do you have to go to school to be a vet? der) and the details are sometimes surprising. Here's a summary of the numbers:
Vet School is 4 years spent like so: year 1 science/theory, year 2 apply science to animals, year 3 surgical experience/more classes, year 4 clinical practice.
Classes typically will last from 9 to 5 five days a week, and then you get to study. No body works, everyone is a full-time vet student.
After graduation many choose to do an externship for 1 or 2 years or gain specialty training.
Here is a list of things that keep me up at night:
There are 132 Medical Schools in the US, compare that to only 28 veterinary schools in the US.
Over 7,000 people apply to vet school and only roughly 2,500 get accepted. By the numbers about 1 in 3 make it in to vet school whereas almost 1 in 1 make it into med school.

Here are the stats from UC Davis Veterinary School's 2009 admittance:
Prerequisite course work to apply:
1 year Inorganic Chemistry (with Lab)
1 year Organic Chemistry (with Lab)
1/2 year Bio Chemistry (with Lab)
1 year Physics (with lab)
1 quarter Physiology
1 quarter of stats
1 year English
1 year Intro bio
1 year Calculus
1/2 year Genetics
* (some schools require microbiology, cell biology, or animal nutrition)
Peace of CAKE !
Average GPA 3.53 (I am currently at 3.2, could finish maxium 3.3)
Total Number applied to UCD: 1153
Number of students accepted: 143 (only 23 guys)
17 UCSB students applied, only 1 was accepted
23 UC Santa Cruz students applied, none were accepted
2 PhD's and 14 Masters students were excepted
Mean number of hours of Vet-related experience at time of application: 3,100 hours
The GRE: the GRE is a standardized test like the SAT's that gauges a students intelligence or at least their ability to study. There are three sections: Verbal, Quantitative (math), and Analytical writing. A very high score will gain you acceptance into any school you want, a low score will keep you out of grad school. The average GRE for accepted Davis students was 73% (seventy-third percentile, in other words better than 73% of all kids that took the exam). Every year 500,000 people take the GRE. Taking a GRE prep course for around a grand is strongly recommended in addition to GRE study books and practice exams
Applying to vet school will cost you around 1,000-2,000 dollars if you only apply to 8 or 9 schools.
The admissions personnel I met with on Friday had one message: be afraid, be very afraid,.....and also get really good grades! Toward the end of the day I found myself in a large treatment/surgery room that was strangely familiar. It occurred to me that I had been this very same room ten years ago almost to the day. Ten years ago I traveled to Davis to sit-in on a tiger spay with Dr. Turner, a day spent in this room set me on this path, and now I am back a UC grad ready to apply. Even more ironic was the timing of my last day at San Roque Pet last week. It seems the circle is now complete (kind of a starwars reference). I am more scared than ever about looking forward, but also more motivated and closer to the end than I have ever been. In less than six months I'm placing my bet. Hopefully vet school is in the cards for me.

Next week... The Avett Brothers Concert

Check this out

My roommate Seth sent this too me, pretty good right.

Cha-cha-cha changes

In February of 2000 my mom told me that her good friend Michelle’s fiancé (at the time) Rick was a vet in town and that he needed some help around the office. At the time I was 17 with a newly acquired license and a very thirsty Towncar so money in the bank was gas in the tank. I agreed to check it out for the day. I worked my first day in khakis and a sweater, a day that ended with me assisting Rick in amputating an injured duck’s wing. The next day I was due to work I was very late and Rick was upset, I didn’t really realize that I had an actual job. Soon I purchased my first pair of scrubs and I found myself falling in love with the profession.
On April 9th of 2010 I worked my last day at San Roque Pet Hospital, perhaps hanging up my scrubs for good. I have worked at 7 clinics, for 17 doctors, and put in countless hours over the past decade. For now I have no plans to start a new job at least until after June. When I do get another job it will most likely not be as a vet tech either. At this point I feel like I’ve taken this avenue as far as it will go and with the exception of an extremely unique opportunity to learn more I will retire from being a vet tech (Bret Farve rights reserved). Perhaps the next time I go to work at a clinic, with any luck, it will be as a DVM. In the mean time I will be looking in to volunteering and other avenues for me to learn and work with animals. The money I’ve made as a tech has allowed me to support myself while paying for school. It has supplied me with countless stories and a large photo album that most of you have been subjected to at least once. I am proud of my work and will always cherish the people, clinics, patients, and stories that make up all the fond memories. One random opportunity I stumbled upon in high school has led to the discovery of a lifelong passion and perhaps a career. Thank goodness for that because without a goal/dream to drive me all these years who knows whether I would have kept going. Even though the road to vet school is hard I have always considered myself lucky to at least know my path.
Walking away from the only job I’ve ever done is pretty scary but it is the beginning of a period of big change. For ten years my life has been centered on two things: getting my degree and getting everything I could out of my years as a vet tech. I am looking forward to something new and a chance to miss net medicine in my time away from it. Now these two journeys come to an end and the ultimate goal of applying to vet school is on the horizon. It’s funny to think about how important my work and my school were to each other. Without my love for vet medicine who knows whether I would’ve had the motivation to go this far in school. Without vet medicine I may not have been able to pay for school. Getting a tech job in Santa Barbara was crucial to me being able to move here and eventually go to UCSB. Getting a degree from UCSB is a big step toward someday becoming the vet I found out I wanted to be when I was 17.

Songs:
Roll With The Changes- R.E.O. Speed Wagon
Changes- David Bowie

Hey look at that, I did it!

Friends, family, and starwars nerds who accidentally found my blog, welcome! This is my blog and it is my attempt at being more accessible to the people whom I love. Graduation is around the corner and I hope that this blog will keep everyone up-to-date on all graduation festivities. I also aim to keep everyone up to date on what I'm up to as I embark on what promises to be a crazy year. Hopefully downtime between studying will go into putting together thoughtful, entertaining, informative, and interesting blog posts rather than watching youtube or Hulu videos.You may have noticed that I am on facebook but rarely use it and I think twitter is a little riducuous. Perhaps this blog will be a better format for me to stay connected with everyone, perhaps it will end up being almost like a journal for me. In any case if you can keep up with me on this blog next time we do get a chance to talk I can find out about you. (Kelley Neu Neu Imma talkin to you). Plus if I havent caught up with you in a while we'll have lots to talk about next time I see you. Please leave comments as you see fit to let me know people other than my fellow blogger Carolyn are reading it. And dont worry I promise not to continue with the starwars analogies and references (sorry random starwars nerds). I realize that probably not many people will actually read any of this so theres isnt much chance of the blog becoming massively self-important. Ok theres the deal, Hope you all follow my blog religously its a manual to live by but for now this jedi is engaging in hyper space and taking the Millenium Falcon for a spin around the moons of Endor, may the force be with you! Oops sorry wont happen again.

I'm not sure if i'm doing this right

Lets see if this works