Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A little bit of everything.

Okay, this post is going to start with a rant and go on to other things that I've been meaning to write about. So if you're not in the mood see ranting skip ahead to the second dotted line.

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So, first of all, let me put this out there, I am in no way going on a rampage to make everyone I know a vegetarian. That said, please, PLEASE stop using the excuse that you will shrivel up and DIE if you don't eat meat. I don't usually go on political rants and political issues usually don't get to me as badly as some people (coughCHUCKcough), but this really hits a sore spot. To the point where I have to concentrate on not having to sock the person talking to stop the spew of ignorance. I think it's because when people use that argument, it implies that I'm allowing my body to wither away because I don't give it enough protein to live. That I'm just that stupid. Well, sorry to burst your pretty little bubble of a world, but I'm not that stupid. I'm not depriving my body of anything vital that it needs to live. There are plenty of other sources of protein, that are very available, especially since we don't live in a third world country and have lots of pretty stores that sell pretty much anything we'd ever desire. There are NO health detriments to being a vegetarian, in fact, being a vegan is one of the healthiest things you can do. Unfortunately, I love my dairy too much to be a vegan, and I have no problem admitting that as the reason that I probably will never be a vegan. On the other hand, when you make up reasons, cite reasons that have NO factual basis, that means (to me at least) that you just can't admit the fact that you like meat, therefore you don't want to be a vegetarian. So please, if you don't want to be vegetarian, that's fine - I don't care, I'm not offended, and I don't judge your lifestyle. But please be kind enough not to slander my lifestyle in the process of trying to justify your own to yourself. I don't do it to you, so you shouldn't to it to me. Especially to my face. Then you might get socked.

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Okay, now on to the other stuff I've been meaning to talk about. I think that, for a little while at least, this blog might just become a place that I reflect on stuff that I'm realizing about myself and life in general. I've realized that it helps to write these things down and re-read them when I start to doubt myself.

First of all, the more I think about it and live with my decision, the more I think this is the best thing for me to do! Animals are one thing that I'm truly passionate about, and it's one thing that hasn't changed for most of my life. I'm passionate about other things, but they kind of come and go in waves. And now that I'm pretty much 99.9% certain about this, I feel more creative too. Like, since I don't *have* to be creative, I enjoy it more now, and I feel even more creative - like I don't have boundaries now!

Another thing that I'm excited about is that not only is this going to be intellectually challenging, and physically, but it'll also be emotionally challenging. And that will make me a better person. I'd love to work with the Humane Society or the SPCA one day. That's another thing that helping me see that this could really work - I can actually see myself working as a vet tech. I never could see myself working as an architect. I always just kind of assumed it would happen once I got tossed into the "real world." I guess that never happened!

So the last few weeks I've been waiting and talking back and forth with Gwinnett Tech to find out if I'll need to take a pre-req chemistry course that's required to be done before June 20th (the admission deadline). Basically, if I needed to take it, I'd have to find a Maymester course somewhere that would transfer, enroll and take it. I would have to start working on that immediately, so I was waiting to get all that straightened out before I started a job so I would make sure I had time for a class if I needed it. But I found out today that AP credit transfers (hooray, Mr. Dalby!) so now I get to go find a job (which should be easier now for a whole list of reasons) and save money for tuition! Hopefully I'll get in :fingers crossed: and if not, I'll keep trying until I do. I really like the way this program is structured, and Gwinnett Tech is supposed to be really good. Not to mention that I met with Dr. Ballard, the vet who is the head of the program, started the program, and is one of the two permanent professors in the program, and I really like her. She's very no-nonsense and straight forward.

Other than that, we visited my parents this past weekend. I got to see a good bit of Mallory! She came by after work on Friday to have some banana-chocolate bread (made by me!) while she waited for her friend to get off work. She ended up staying a good while, because of some totally stupid customers her friend had to deal with, and we got to talk a good while. Then we got to have lunch on Saturday, wander Falls Park, and go see Totally Red at the Children's Theater. It was really cute. And if like me, you have never been to Falls Park, for the love of everything holy, GO! You have no excuse - as I had no excuse. And while you're there, go to Blueberry Frog - absolutely the BEST frozen yogurt I've ever had. Then Saturday evening, we hung out with my mom and play monopoly - which I won for like the third time...ever. Overall, an excellent day. Sunday on the other hand...it's amazing how a well-placed, snippy, snide three minute conversation pointing out all your flaws can totally ruin your whole day. If Saturday hadn't been so good, I'd say my whole weekend. Especially when the person talking is your dad. Le sigh. I spent the rest of the day going through cycles of crying and being very angry. But Chuck and my mom are awesome; they gave me lots of hugs, and told me all the right things.

Then yesterday, now that I had a plan and was about to go out on Wednesday (once I found out about the class) and pretty much beg for a job at whatever store, when I got a call from Jay asking if I'd like to do some design work for one of his friends. His friend actually asked for another of Jay's friends that's in advertising, but she never got back to him. So he was checking with me to see if I'd be interested, and then he was going to talk to his friend. So that looks promising, but I'm not getting too excited or anything. I'll meet with Jay and see what happens. But I think even if that doesn't work, I could get a job at any store now, because they won't be worried that I'll run off once I get a awesome architecture job. I almost got some jobs like that before, but pretty much they all decided to with someone else b/c a high school student would be more permanent than I would. But now, I'd be more permanent! Heehee :-)

I think there was other stuff I wanted to write about, but I'm hungry b/c I decide to write this instead of eating. I didn't think it would take as long, but I got interrupted by a text convo with Tracey! She's going to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for her Master's in Architecture! It's in Rensselaer, New York, pretty close to Albany. I'm so excited for her! I'm already planning a road trip for Chuck and I (even though we have no money right now for it :-P) to visit her and Andrew up there, and Vicky on the way! Maybe if my dad decides to move to the Halifax plant, (waaaay in the future, so I'll talk about that later - hunger takes precedence :-P) we'll visit my parents too! Heehee, I'm silly sometimes in how excited I get.

Much love 'til later. Now time for noms. ^_^ (Yes, I know I'm having a very, VERY late lunch.)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

AAAAHHHHHH!!! :squeeeeeaaaaal:

I DID IT!!!! I have *finally*, FINALLY figured out how to alter my own pants. And on top of that - I DID IT!!! And it's awesome, and great, and amazing, and everything! I finally did it on this pair of nice black pants with this checked/boxy design (sounds totally 80s and gross, but it's really cute and not overwhelming...Think pinstripes but in both directions) that I got in the juniors' clearance for like seven bucks. The waist was waaaaay to big (even bigger than usual on me) because everyone knows that all juniors are built like logs with no curves what-so-ever. Duh. But anyway, so I managed to take in the waist and shorten the legs by 1.25," and it doesn't look home-sewn at all! It's like the pants were just made for me :-D It took me the better part of the day to figure it out (and work up the guts to actually take the pants apart to do it), but I did it! Yay me! Now if I could actually work up the guts to make a pair of pants... :-D

Friday, March 12, 2010

Wow O_o

It's things like this that make me want to move far, far, FAR north when I have children - so they don't become brainwashed by people being ridiculous and trying to re-write history. Honestly? You can't just CUT OUT Thomas Jefferson from the American Revolution because you don't like what he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html?emc=eta1

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Meh. Not awake enough to title this post.

So, yesterday I got ALL of my paperwork done and mailed off in an orderly fashion for Gwinnett Tech. Now it's just waiting for the post office to do it's job. So that the college gets all it's info then can contact me. In the mean time, I'm continuing to sift through jobs at all the hospital systems and healthcare systems. Yeah, I *just* realized that Atlanta has a metric crap tonne (yes, spelled the British way - it's that big) of hospitals, and they've *got* to have some people doing desk/secretary/appointment scheduling type of work.

In other news, I have insomnia again. But not in the I-just-can't-sleep kind of way. Also in the once-I-do-get-to-sleep-I-wake-up-at-dust-bunnies-sneezing kind of way. I've gone through sleeping through football games in Death Valley to waking up to rain. How messed up is that? Rain makes people sleepy! Not wakes them up, then taunts them with all it's watery noises. Blah. This is getting so annoying. Especially the other night when I took a sleeping pill (like benedryl but a stronger antihistamine), and went to bed all happy that I'd get sleep...only to not sleep...urgh.

Well, I'm off to try again with this sleeping thing.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

College Board LIES

Just a note:

So remember back in high school when the AP test people told you that if you ever lost that little booklet with your AP number on the back of it, horrible, horrible things would happen? The world would end, there would be an outbreak of zombies and we would all get our brains eaten? Worse of all, you'd never, EVER get your AP scores ever again?!

Well... they totally lied. :-D Damn scare tactics.

Monday, March 8, 2010

The latest, I suppose...

So I figured it's time to write again. Practice doesn't work if you don't, well, practice.

This weekend wasn't bad - part relaxing, part thrift store-ing, part being mad at the insurance company, and part hanging out at the in-laws. The first two parts are pretty self-explanatory. So I'll skip them.

Insurance company: Our insurance company is Aetna. Chuck gets his through his deal with Emory. So we only have to buy mine, as a dependent on his policy - and anyone that's paid for health insurance knows it ain't cheap. And since he's a student, pretty much all of our medical stuff goes through student health. That's all good and fine. So we paid my third quarter payment, like good little children. Day after we mail off the check, we get a notice in the mail saying "if we don't get the check by such and such, your policy will terminate." We thought, well okay, we mailed it yesterday, it's fine, the notice and our check probably crossed in the mail. So fast forward a month to this past Friday. We get a notice in the mail saying that my coverage is terminated, with an addendum at the bottom saying, "if you paid, then please disregard this message." Let me just say - there are SO many things wrong with this situation.
Firstly, you can't just send out mass termination messages without being at least 90% sure that the person hasn't paid - talk about mass hysteria. Secondly, they had cashed my check on Feb. 25th, five days before that letter was postmarked. Thirdly, if you take away a week each way for mail time (which is generous), that still leaves two work weeks for them to update their system. Fourthly, I had (no longer do) an appointment on Wednesday for an annual physical (not even anything special), and apparently I don't have insurance, that I paid for.

That leaves two possibilities: someone other than Aetna cashed that check, or they took my money and ended my coverage. Turns out it was the second one. I mean, seriously? Talk about interdepartmental communication failure.

Okay, so enough ranting about that - hanging out at Chuck's parents' house was fun. Got to play with all the dogs. And got to see Amy and Josh because it's their spring break. Unfortunately, Chuck's dad had to run around a lot because Chuck's mom's car decided not to turn off. They had to pulled some fuse/relay thing out of the engine before it overheated, and tow the thing to the dealership.

Other than that, not much. We've been taking Rasha on longer walks to this dog park that's maybe 15 minutes away. The first time we took her there she was really overwhelmed and bared her teeth at all the doggies that tried to say hi to her. But this time she was really shy but she explored the whole dog park and even said hi to some of the dogs. But the best thing was that she actually went up to this one lady there, albeit cautiously, and actually let her pet her! I think that Rasha's a little more trusting of people that she sees with dogs. I believe that her people to trust meter goes like this, from most trusted to least:

Chuck and Puja -> Chuck's and Puja's families -> Mallory (she was allowed to come into the apartment, so that makes her okay) -> Vix, Kay, the maintenance man, and some of Chuck's friends -> strangers with dogs with them -> strangers that smell like dog -> strangers that have nothing to do with dogs -> kids

Poor neurotic puppy. I think she's terrified of kids because she's never been exposed to them. And when they see her, they don't understand that she's scared of them and keep trying to pet her. Oh well, she'll learn eventually.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Picture Crazy

Hah! This picture is everywhere. It's slowly going to take over the world. Rasha the Wonder Puppy - AWAY!

If this is any indicator of the type of mom I'll be one day - the kind that takes a gazillion pictures of their babies - then the world is doomed. I'll be so busy taking pictures, I'll never have the time to find a cure to cancer. Alas. I'm sorry in advanced world.

On a completely unrelated note, I've recently discovered GTA San Andreas. This game is hilarious - such an overblown satire. Makes it very hard to take any of the game seriously.

On a completely related note, I'm bored and just writing to see myself write. Nobody said anyone actually had to read it. That's the beauty of the internet.

I am SO indecisive.

Okay, first, sorry that this isn't the next part of the story. It's been a LOONG few days, and I'm pooped. But I just wanted to go ahead and post about my question/answer session at Gwinnett Tech - the school I'm thinking about going to for the vet tech stuff. I met with the program director, Dr. Ballard, a veterinarian, who actually started the program and is one of the two permanent professors. It went well. The program seems really intense and hard. It's really competitive, and they only accept about 30 students every fall. It's a day time program (for the most part), and only about half the students graduate... Which of course, makes me want to do it more b/c I'm a sadist like that. She also explained a good bit about vet school later on (she used to be a vet tech too). Also the program is supposed to be really strong b/c it was the first program of it's kind certified by the AVMA that doesn't have animals on campus. That in turn makes it stronger b/c all of the students' hands-on experience has to be done off campus at clinics. So graduates of a normal/traditional program graduate with about 40-50 clinical hours, while graduates from Gwinnett Tech graduate with about 850 clinical hours. Needless to say, that makes job placement very easy (in addition to the apparent shortage of vet techs).

I guess the only thing really now is myself. I keep second guessing myself, and to be completely honest, I'm not sure why. I don't know if it's because it kind of goes against everything that I grew up with. My family (not my brothers really I don't think) doesn't really get why I would want to work with animals when I could do the same thing with people. And I wouldn't really make much money... I don't think it would be too bad. My dad doesn't know yet, and the general assessment I get is I shouldn't tell him until I'm enrolled and taking classes. I keep thinking that I'm talking myself into this, because it would be easy. But then the rational (itty bitty little) part reminds me that I've already made more of an effort in this field to make contacts, done more research, can actually see myself doing it, and I actually wanted to be a vet when I was little but my family made fun of me so I stopped. AHHHH! I need to make up my mind. Chuck thinks that I've got my heart set on it, I'm just rationalizing it to shreds.

Bleh - I'm so indecisive. I'll write the story after I wake up from my sleeping pill induced sleep :-) Love you guys!