It's May, and I'm in Vegas.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I am in Las Vegas and, yes, it is quite warm.  I'm staying with a friend until Monday who lives just outside of downtown; it'a a pretty nice looking area.  I don't know if I could stay here long-term, though.  It's a bit of a shame since I enjoy warm weather as opposed to the sometimes freezing temperatures of Salt Lake City.

Speaking of Salt Lake, I learned today that it is one of seven Utah counties to have failed the EPA's pollution standards.  I guess it's about time the Utah legislature gets its act together and does something, because breathing is nice.  Every breath holds off death for another few minutes!

Vet school is still the best.  We're almost done with the restraint section of our course and we're working with all of the animals!  It's been really fun to really get to know all of the different habits and personalities.

Mountain Edge

I'm now well into my third month at Mountain Edge and we are finally learning about restraint techniques for different types of animals and getting into the medical side of things. 

PSA: If anyone needs their pet's blood drawn for chemistry and cell count, Mountain Edge will be offering blood draws shortly at a discounted price.

Today was all about restraint (types of collars, harnesses, etc.) as well as the different types of restraint necessary for injections and blood draws.  In a few weeks, I will have the skills necessary to go into any animal clinic/hospital and restrain even MOST unhappy cat!

April showers bring May flowers.

Yes indeed; April showers bring May flowers, and Mayflowers bring genocide.

April is upon us; and like the rejuvenation of warm weather, so, too, has my skin started to rejuvenate after winter's dryness.  This is due to the humidifying clay balls that I bought from Amazon, which are literally just clay balls that suck up moisture so that there is more evaporation.  More evaporation means more humidity which means Andrew's skind doesn't suck as much.

Something that I think it is time to mention is that I am officially moving into a condo in downtown Salt Lake in mid May.  It's sort of a big deal for me, especially seeing as how I've either rented or freeloaded my whole life.  Finally having a place to call my own is going to be a change for the better.

Goat and horse vaccinations

Yesterday was a day full of vaccinations and physical exams for a couple of goats and about forty horses.  The goat vaccinations were interesting; their thick hair made it a bit difficult to find the skin, but once we did we were able to get the vaccinations over with.  The goats were great and didn't even scream. 

Next up were the horses.  For the horses we broke up into three groups of three and gave physical exams to all of them.  This involved going over respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and other functions as well as giving them their vaccinations.  There were some horses that were sore or had relatively simple diagnoses to walking difficulties.  There was one that had noticeable back and leg problems and was in a chest brace as well as having foam taped to her hooves in order to try to alleviate her pain.  There were a few horses that were great patients and a few that were less than happy to be there.  There was one horse that we had to calm for about ten minutes after the physical exam just to be able to administer the vaccine!

Back home

I'm back in SLC and I've hit the ground running.  Today marks my second day back at work and my third non-relaxing day of being back in Utah.  I'm shedding my skin again and minor wounds are taking forever to heal.  I've decided that I really need to move somewhere humid at some point in my life so that I don't just turn into dust like Rasputin.  I also bought a couple of humidifiers the day after I got back because I couldn't stand it anymore!

It's March... and I'm in Hawaii!

Kahului, Maui to be exact.  I had a good time yesterday walking around Mākena Bay and took a few really fun photos.

 This is (or was) a Hawaiian Spiny Lobster.  The shell looks sort of like a gauntlet.  I think this should have gone onto Sebastian's costume somewhere.

This was a Hawaiian Red Crab.  They are a favorite of the local birds, which will bang them on the rocks in order to crack the shell and get the meat inside.

First Week of School, The Little Mermaid, and HIR

Welcome to the last week of February!  It's been snowing in SLC rather a lot since two weeks ago and I'm not very happy about it.  That being said, there is a lot that has happened over the past week that has been really fun.

I started vet school last week, and I already know so much more about animals than I did before.  For instance, dog pheromones can travel up to two miles.  My coworkers think that it's gross, but I find it fascinating.  I also learned that birds, contrary to popular belief, do not smell their young, but rather identify them visually.  Also, baby conures are really cute.

I went to see "The Little Mermaid" at HCTO on Saturday.  It's a really fun musical and the costumes are incredible.  There are multiple fog effects used and, while the fog smells like a musty old coat, it adds another layer to the show that is very visually exciting.

Last night I went to see "HIR" at SLAC.  It's a very interesting show that really leaves one thinking about the content of the show.  On the one hand, you have a very unorganized, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants character that is accepting of everything except unacceptance.  On the other hand, you have the very militaristic character that is driven by regulation and order.  In the middle we have a transgender character who is trying to figure out who "zay" (used in place of he/she) is and where zay fits in the world and in terms of personal identity.  While "HIR" doesn't attempt to answer any questions, it is a good show and I recommend that you see it.

That's it for today!  Be sure to check out "The Little Mermaid" and "HIR"!

20 Days and Counting

20 days!  That's how long I have until I start vet school!  As I have said before, I am super excited to begin this next chapter of my life and I know that it will lead to a stable and fulfilling career.

Rentals have started picking up again at Archive, but they won't hit anywhere near Halloween levels, for which I am thankful.

My Hawaii trip is fast approaching and I'm starting to get ready for that.  It's only next month and I'm kind of dreading dealing with the airport.

Auditions for Sense and Sensibility at Hale Center Theater in Orem are coming up and, depending on my schedule, I might try to go down for that.  What I'm even more excited for are auditions for Newsies at Hale Center Theater in Sandy.  I always welcome the opportunity to show off my non-dance skills.

2018

Another year gone.  2017, I felt, was a year of stagnation and disappointment; not only in the larger context of the country, but in my own life as well.  I was so happy for 2016 to be over, but 2017 was bland and uninteresting.  I slipped into a depression that started in mid 2016 that lasted through 2017 and is still going strong, the government is more broken than ever and only works for one month every year, and I'm not financially stable.  That being said, I was accepted into vet school, I got to leave Vivint, and I bought a PS4!

All of the new friends I've made this year have each made a significant impact on my life in one way or another, good or not so good.  All have been actors, actresses, costumers, or musicians.  They, more than anything, have made 2017 worth it.

2018 brings with it hope that I will be able to continue my climb out of depression and into satisfaction.  I am starting a new chapter of my life on February 20; I will be going to Mountain West Veterinary Technology to get my veterinary assistant certificate.  With that will come more money and opportunity and, hopefully, room for growth.

What will 2018 hold?  Who knows?  I certainly know that it will be a year of change for me and my career, and maybe I'll finally finish that book I'm writing!