PS: Random Facts for a Dinner Party

Ok, Today was my last day on necropsy duty. A 16 year old cow with horns came in and there was a request from one of the clinicans that she wanted the skull. So I volunteers to....well for lack of a better word....scalp it. Btw, what a great work out for your arms. Anyway I wondered how they would get the rest of the "meat" off of the skull so that it would be nice and clean for mounting. What they do is put it in a vat of rumen juice and water for 4 months and let the bacteria eat away all of the non-bone material. THought that was kind of interesting.

The Madness of Mad Cow Disease

Good grief. Today, another case of BSE was reported in Washington State. Thus I expect to see another round of mass hysteria as uneducated consumers become paniced that tomorrow they themselfs will start frothing at the mouth and disoriented. That in addition to the conspiracy theories that are rapidly spreading that the USDA is "hiding" other cases from the media. So everyone take out your purses and cash in your bonds b/c you are going to be paying for it, if you want to eat meat.

Its frustration how fast, uneducated rumors fly around. First of all there are millions upon millions of cattle slaugtered each year in addition to the theory this BSE can only be transmitted via neural tissue (brain and spinal cord). I don't know about you but cow brain has never been and will never be at the top of my dinner menu. Ok, ok, so the verdict is still out on blood, milk, and semen. But it if does come back that BSE can be transmitted like this, I assume it would have to be in quanities beyond our ability to in take. So...I think Americans have more to worry about (obesity, diabetes, cancer, AIDS) then whether or not they would fit into that minuscule percentage in which they may fit only in the "at risk" range. I would rather spend my time worrying about a volcanic eruption in Oklahoma (at least the percentages are better).

There are ALOT of reportable diseaes that vets have to keep an eye out for. If an animal presents with symptoms that "could" be associated with a reportable disease then you call the state vet and they take care of the investigation. Vets are obligated (by law) to err on the safe side. So although a full fledged investigation may be conducted, the results more than likely are going to be negative for BSE, and thus is not reported to the media.

So word of wisdom for the day: Educate yourself before becoming Chicken Little

Ten Things That Annoy You When You Drive

10. When pedestrians are chatting on the cell phone and walking right into the street without looking. One day I won't be so nice and I WILL run you and your cellie over.

9. People who can't go the speed limit on the highway

8. Tailgaiters...sorry that includes you too mom. Riding my ass is not going to get me over in the other lane any sooner.

7. In construction zones, where 2-3 lanes merge into one and there is always a long line of people waiting their turn to get pass the construction. Yet for some reason some "better then thou" people decide it is their privilege to wait until the past possible moment to merge thereby skipping their "wait time" in line.

6. People who allow their dogs to ride free in the back of their pick-up trucks, going 80 mph down the highway. Heelers are not the smartest creatures, it is NOT uncommon for one of your heelers to lean just a "little" too far.

5. Rubber neckers. I know it is fascinating to see the EMTs scrap remains off the road, but people PLEASE! keep on driving. Curiosity killed the cat.

4. If you smoke...fine, that is your own business. But for heaven's sake, use the ashtrays in your car. Flicking a smoldering scrap, of nicotine laden, cigarette remains is a great way to gain enemies real quick.

3. Ok, you LAZY customers at WALMART. The parking lot is cramped already, there are always massive amounts of customers hopping in and out of Walmart. But when you wait ten minutes for a mom of 3 to load her kids and her week's worth of groceries in to a car so you can get that "first" parking spot and not have to walk that extra 20 feet, I think you may have problems. It is one thing if you are legidmately disabled or elderly but other then that, I think everyone can use the exercise.

2. My car doesn't have an invisible forcefield. Thus, becareful when getting out of your car or putting your shopping carts away.


and MY NUMBER ONE REASON!
1. People who talk on cells phones while driving and think they are all of a sudden cruising alone over a bunch of fluffy clouds. They slow down, speed up, swerve from one lane to another, cut in front of people, miss traffic lights.

Festival of the Pet

On Sunday Mason and I volunteered at "Festival of the Pet" in Oklahoma City. We helped man the "Paws for Friendship" booth. Mason drew alot of attention (as he always does) and by the end of the day I had come to expect the same exact conversation with each person. Curious attendee: "What kind of dog is he?" Me: "A golden retriever" Curious attendee: : " He's HUGE!, Look at those paws". Yes, yes, I know my dog is big boned. And yes, he is full bred and even hit the show circuit as a youngster. No, he isn't part Great Pyrenese.

Oh, well. We had a good time. I got some really cheap dog toys to try and replace the much missed Duck Butt, whose place has yet to be filled.

Here is one an "interesting" art form we saw:


Red, white and blue poodle

Feud over Pig Diarrhea

Ok, now that I have had close to a week to fume, digest, and now think logically about the whole situation I should begin the story about my Grand Rounds topic. Every 4th year student must give a 20 minute presentation about any topic they wish, as long as it has to due with veterinary medicine. Then each Friday morning 2 students give their presentations. In preparation for our national board review exam I wanted to do a "review" presentation on pig diarrhea ( a populuar topic on the boards which most schools spend little time on). Six weeks ago I found my advisor and started collecting info and checking out books. Well this pass Friday after the morning presentations, I got an opportunity to chat with a friend who just returned to the vet school from his off campus rotations. I was telling him about my Grand Rounds Topic, how I have been working on it. In our talk, he reminded me I had to sign up for the presentation. Anyway, later in the day, as I was walkign into the Pathology building he drove up in his car and said that one of the Ross University students had over heard our conversation this morning and ran downstairs to sign up my topic. Of all the topics she could possibly do, why did this girl (whom I don't even know) decide to steal my idea. Ok, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt, maybe the story isn't the way it appears. I went to talk to the secretary you sign up with. She had signed up for the same topic as I did, word for word and hadn't even found an advisor. I believe that flames where literally coming out of my ears I was so pissed I could hardly contain my anger. The secretary agreed to talk it over with the clinican involved in the presentation. So after coming to see her several times, she said "you can both do the same topic, just sit down with her and make sure you review different subjects". Great...do it the ole' Oklahoma way, avoid the confrentation and pass the buck. I must have rolled my eyes or raised my eyebrows at this b/c then she said, well you tell her what you are doing your topic on and if she has a problem, tell her to come see me. Fine, not the way I would have handled it considering her level of dishonesty and the fact her presenation is 2 weeks before mine, making me look like the idot for doing the same topic twice. oh, and after asking around to seee "who she was" I always get these sour faces and evidentely she doesn't have the best reputation. I can see why.

Ok so that is my vent for the day.

Is it Monday already? Why is it that the weekend goes by so fast ? At least I got alot of "chores done". On Sat morning, Nathan and I made a deal. He would come with me to the Garden Show and I would wash his car. We get to the garden show and I ask where all the demos are going to be held, since this is what I really want to see. The woman says all the demo's have been canceled due to "threat" of rain. Funny? it was sunny out . So we just walked around the gardens a bit amongst grey haired couples with their sun hats on. But to make this long paragraph shorter, Nathan was kind enough to help me wash our cars. On Sunday, he taught me how to wax my Corolla. All the while, scenes from "The Karate Kid" run though my mind....wax on....wax off.

On Friday I was in a major purging mode due to a highly dishonest incident played on me at school. So I decided to reorganize all my notes from years 1-3 of vet school. Not (from what I soon found out) an easy task. For 2 days I had papers spewed everywhere in an attempt to condense the useful papers from the crap I would never look at again. Mission accomplished...Sat night.

On Friday, Nathan and I also had dinner with a friend of ours from Wisconsin, who had spent the week here in Stillwater take his CPE exam. We worked in the Orthopaedic Lab back in they day. IT was great to catch up with him and meet his new wife who was very sweet.

On Sunday, Mason, Oscar, and I went to the nursing home. Most people where sleeping, but that didn't stop the nursing from giggling at Oscar who walks on a leash right next to Mason as though he were a dog. What a pair. Some of the residents really like have both of them nudge each other out of the way for their undivided attention.

I am still waiting for Adam to fulfill his bet with me (over the NCAA game WI vs Bucknell) or should I rename you Scanning Slave :-D .

Ok, Ok enough procrastinating. Gotta do my assignment for tonight and study a few topics for Natioal Boards.

Ok my fun site for the day: http://www.stuffonmycat.com/ . An who said that cats aren't tolerant?

10 Things You Wish You Knew When You Were in High School

Saw this meme challenge on my favorite scrapbook website Two Peas In A Bucket.

10 Things You Wish You Knew When You Were in High School

1. Popularity in high school is a "club" of its own. In HS, being cool, having all the designer clothes, dating the guys on the sports teams, doing drugs...etc, etc...was what gained you entrace. But once in college, these people all of a sudden became nobodies and often became lost in places that encouraged individuality. Those of us who were considered the "geeks" however bloomed because we had learned in high school that a person is not measured by how well he/she fits in but rather how she/he can approach a challenge through unique and creative views.
2. Be confident of who you are. Don't be afraid to voice your opinion, get involved in activities, or approach people.
3. My gullibility is written right across my face. Don't let people take advantage of you.
4. Don't get so emotionally involved in everyone's problems and failures. At some point you just need to step back and say, I have done all that I can.
5. My temper is out of control. Learn to control it before something got really hurt.
6. It is not what you say, it is how you say it that counts. Bluntness is only appropriate in some situations. Learn the art of tact.
7. There are some great non-political show-animal organizations out there that rewards kids for their hard effort of raising, caring, and showing livestock and small ruminants.
8. Just b/c you touch a computer, it doesn't mean that you are destined to be an electrical engineer.
9. Stand up for what you believe in or in situations where you feel wrongs are being committed.
10. I am not odd in thinking there is more to life than material goods, exotic vacations, and an uppity personality

Ok, ok I know I have given into the Jones and joined the rat race...so sue me. But I know I don't have 36 hours in a day I would love to have to keep in touch with y'all (Like my Oklahoma accent?). So this gives me a way to catch up or say hi and let you know that I thinking of you even though I may not see or talk to you for a while.

So here I go!

1st official post

Ok, I thought this thingy was suppose to be easy? I can't figure out how to make it look less unfinished. Oh well, maybe b/c I am tired.

Hmmm...a quick update on me? I am on my third veterinary rotation as a 4th year: Diagnostics. What does that mean? well in the morning we look at slides and in the afternoon we cut up the animals that die over in the vet hospital (necropsy). The smells in the necropsy room definetely take you back to freshman dog and horse anatomy. Our schedule isn't as "time consuming" as some of the other rotations, so I am using that time to prepare my 20 minute presenation for Grand Rounds and study for my National Boards.

Enough with vet school, what else is going on? Well it is summer in Stillwater. The temp reaches 90 degrees before 8am but on the plus side WalMart is not as busy since the students left.
Question of the day: How do you know you live in a small town?
Answer: You are excited that WalMart is remodeling.

Anya (the doggie we adopted for Logan and Kristin) is adjusting well to home life. We heard her bark for the first time last night at the handy man working next door. She is no longer petrified of Oscar and they spend their days chasing each other around the house. Oscar has found a brand new "spot" to sleep....my hamper. He picked up his mini-duck butt animal and jumped into the hamper for a nice snooze. When he was done he picked duck-butt up and dragged him out of the hamper. Only Mason could have taught a cat to love stuff animals. Oscar has also developed a new hobby. Apparentely, toads like to sit next to our sliding glass door at night and of course Oscar must watch them intenetly for any sudden moves.

It is getting late. I better get all the pets ready for bed.