Before I begin, I would like to formally apologize for not posting blog entries yesterday and the day before. I can assure you, though, that this has nothing to do with a lack of interest in posting them, or a lack of wanting to post them. I was unwell yesterday and the day before, unable to attend internship due to a doctor's appointment and a general state of unbeing. Thus, there was no way for me to gather sufficient information relating to any sort of material that would be presented in blog format. I will try to make up for it in any way I can, though.
(Tonight's entry is being done at 9:55 pm because I didn't get home until 6 and then was trying to relax after a long day, if you're wondering.)
Project ideas have been bounced around the workplace experimentally; but nothing has officially been settled on as of yet due to this only being my third day of working around the clinic. Our ideas mostly revolve around me watching the proceedures and getting a feel for how things work- naturally, however, this does not advance the needs of the workplace, as my ability to tell you that an ultrasound machine is used to collect urine samples, or that, when under effects of the anaesthetic, animals may need assistance breathing, or that a dog or cat's normal temperature is around 100 degrees farenheight does not at all benefit the workplace, except maybe by saving them a question in the future that I wouldn't be able to ask if I weren't interning there. Although, musing about these random facts I've learned has given me an idea- some sort of flyer that I could make, that would be at the clinic, and feature some things you should know when treating your pet at home. It could feature information I've learned, utilize design skills I've developed over the years, and potentially save the doctors and nurses a lot of stupid questions.
As far as materials go... A pencil, paper, a way to keep notes on what I learn (which I've found is quite easy to do on the iPod touch my brother gave me- no worries, I don't bring my headphones with me), and a computer- which I can work on mine at home for. I can make drafts of possible fliers and show them to the doctors and nurses and see what they think, then make the necessary revisions. It may not be effective for the current store, but they are probably going to be moving or opening a new shop soon, and it would definitely be helpful to new clients and new pet owners.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
INTERNSHIP BLOG #2
Work at Bay Park Pet Clinic has definitely been an interesting experience so far. I am having a lot of fun, be it from watching the procedures and playing with the animals to chatting to the nurses and asking them and the doctors about how things work around the office. I have had a lot of interesting experiences there, including watching a dog get spayed! I am not allowed to take part in the procedures and I have to be extra-careful around the animals, though, since if I get hurt then I'm in for a lot of trouble. I have had plenty of fun just being around the area, though. I've also been able to retrieve things for some of the nurses when they need them, so hopefully I'll be able to help them when it comes to that regard in the future. I also feel like I get along well with the nurses, and while I do feel left out of their conversations about adult life sometimes, I can get a word in here and there and have a good laugh with them, which certainly makes it easier to be around the workplace (especially since I was nervous about interacting with the employees). When pets are brought in I tend to ask what they're in for unless it's already been asked by someone else, and I'll often wander around and watch things that are going on, and the doctors and nurses will explain what's going on upon being prompted, and sometimes on their own too. While I feel like my job isn't a big one, I do feel like I've had a lot of fun and if I make more of an effort I'll be able to do more to help out around the workplace.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
INTERNSHIP BLOG #1
So far, internship has proved to be an exciting and wonderful experience. I have only had one day at my workplace, but I am already interested and involved in what is happening at the workplace. I will record a log of what happened throughout the day to provide better insight about my first day at internship.
Rising from bed was not a problem, as I woke up at 7 am, if only to go to the bathroom. The next few hours were spent interacting with my parents and getting ready for the day, gathering papers I would need and packing the camera in a bag which I decided to bring along, and also grabbing a notebook which I could use to take notes, not to mention a lunch. We set out for Bay Park Pet Clinic at around 9:40 am, since my work hours will be from 10 - 4, as that is when everything tends to happen around the clinic, according to my mentor.
We arrived at the clinic a little after 10, and my dad saw it fit to take a picture of me outside the clinic.
As you can see, I was relatively overdressed... I personally blame our teachers, as they told us to overdress for the occasion. The entry to the clinic is behind that white fence you see me in front of, through glass doors that only human hands are able to open (fortunately). The doors are mostly window, so you can also see what kind of critters are inside the office before you bring your shy, timid pet that hides at the sight of another animal into the office.
My father and I entered the building, and I greeted Amber the receptionist. She brought me back and let me put my things down, then led me to the back room where the examinations and operations are done. The room itself looked something like this from the back corner.
The door on the left is how you enter and exit the room; the shelf contains some medications and some other random supplies, like tissues and febreeze (the most important supply). Calendars, pictures, and drinks also decorated this wall, as well as a few muzzles and other doggie and kitty supplies.
There were also a few... interesting things around the area, which were quite hilarious to look at. I got the feeling that I would fit right in with these crazy people, especially if they're messing with each other in ways like this. Everyone was very friendly, and helped me get into the flow of things, and didn't mind when I asked questions about what was going on.
I was also given knowledge I had at that point already gathered - my attire was not very appropriate for veterinary work. Jeans and a tee shirt would work fine. I laughed and told them that I had figured as much, and I would dress better when I returned on Friday. Most of the people wore scrubs but they said it was okay if I didn't wear one - after all, I wasn't actually a doctor or a nurse there, and wearing them might confuse the people around me.
The day mostly consisted of me shadowing people, following them around and getting a feel for the kinds of things that would be happening around the clinic. I saw all sorts of things, from X-Rays to Cyst removal to dental cleanings, to even seeing a poor doggie who had been bitten getting stitches. I was not allowed to take pictures of the animals but I was allowed to take pictures of the scenery, so I took some pictures of the area where some of these tasks are done, and one of the cages that the smaller animals are held in (when not being worked on).
The top image is one of the operational rooms - the main room also has a table that is worked on, and a lot of work is done on the floor for bigger dogs, but little mister 'I got bitten' got stitches on that table. There's all sorts of medical supplies in this room, and through the glass is the X-Ray room, where x-rays of the animals are taken to get a better look at their insides. The above cage is where one of the kitties there for dental was being kept, while he was getting his dental cleaning done. There's a paper litterbox and a water bowl, as well as a towel for the kitty or doggie to lay on to keep comfy.
The pictures above are from the blood sampling room, and a computer with pet records is also in this room - then again, there seems to be one of those in every room! The walls were lined with papers and more often than not, someone was in here doing something important. I got lucky and was able to sneak in and take a few pictures during a slow point in the day. It seemed like there were either a bunch of pets that needed to be taken care of at once, or there was nothing to go around and everyone was free to just converse with one another.
Most of these conversations are about either the ladies' lives or the events going on. One of the conversations slipped into money matters, and listening in helped me understand how economics and the recession has affected the clinic. They're a popular clinic, so it seems at first as if they wouldn't be affected, but there were some animals who were brought in a few days after something happened- one dog was brought in three days after he ate a flea soap bar! Prices of medication also tend to go up, at least on a yearly basis. One patient was complaining that the price of medication had gone up since the last payment, which is understandable, especially in a business involving medicine, which has been affected by the recession and economic crisis.
Lunch was a little confusing. It's not so much 'Lunch' so much as 'Okay, so take a break sometime and eat something.' I ended up eating when there were no pets that needed work so I wouldn't be caught off guard by some animal who wanted my lunch. Naturally, I'll have to bring my lunch each day due to dietary needs, but at least I'll constantly be around if I'm needed for something. I also didn't mind eating late, even if it was about two or so hours after I'm used to eating and I was getting awfully hungry.
The day was eventful, but mellow at the same time. I must say that I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of my time working there.
And remember...
WALL MOUSE PLUSHIE IS WATCHING YOU.
Rising from bed was not a problem, as I woke up at 7 am, if only to go to the bathroom. The next few hours were spent interacting with my parents and getting ready for the day, gathering papers I would need and packing the camera in a bag which I decided to bring along, and also grabbing a notebook which I could use to take notes, not to mention a lunch. We set out for Bay Park Pet Clinic at around 9:40 am, since my work hours will be from 10 - 4, as that is when everything tends to happen around the clinic, according to my mentor.
We arrived at the clinic a little after 10, and my dad saw it fit to take a picture of me outside the clinic.
As you can see, I was relatively overdressed... I personally blame our teachers, as they told us to overdress for the occasion. The entry to the clinic is behind that white fence you see me in front of, through glass doors that only human hands are able to open (fortunately). The doors are mostly window, so you can also see what kind of critters are inside the office before you bring your shy, timid pet that hides at the sight of another animal into the office.My father and I entered the building, and I greeted Amber the receptionist. She brought me back and let me put my things down, then led me to the back room where the examinations and operations are done. The room itself looked something like this from the back corner.
The door on the left is how you enter and exit the room; the shelf contains some medications and some other random supplies, like tissues and febreeze (the most important supply). Calendars, pictures, and drinks also decorated this wall, as well as a few muzzles and other doggie and kitty supplies.
There were also a few... interesting things around the area, which were quite hilarious to look at. I got the feeling that I would fit right in with these crazy people, especially if they're messing with each other in ways like this. Everyone was very friendly, and helped me get into the flow of things, and didn't mind when I asked questions about what was going on.
I was also given knowledge I had at that point already gathered - my attire was not very appropriate for veterinary work. Jeans and a tee shirt would work fine. I laughed and told them that I had figured as much, and I would dress better when I returned on Friday. Most of the people wore scrubs but they said it was okay if I didn't wear one - after all, I wasn't actually a doctor or a nurse there, and wearing them might confuse the people around me.The day mostly consisted of me shadowing people, following them around and getting a feel for the kinds of things that would be happening around the clinic. I saw all sorts of things, from X-Rays to Cyst removal to dental cleanings, to even seeing a poor doggie who had been bitten getting stitches. I was not allowed to take pictures of the animals but I was allowed to take pictures of the scenery, so I took some pictures of the area where some of these tasks are done, and one of the cages that the smaller animals are held in (when not being worked on).
The top image is one of the operational rooms - the main room also has a table that is worked on, and a lot of work is done on the floor for bigger dogs, but little mister 'I got bitten' got stitches on that table. There's all sorts of medical supplies in this room, and through the glass is the X-Ray room, where x-rays of the animals are taken to get a better look at their insides. The above cage is where one of the kitties there for dental was being kept, while he was getting his dental cleaning done. There's a paper litterbox and a water bowl, as well as a towel for the kitty or doggie to lay on to keep comfy.
The pictures above are from the blood sampling room, and a computer with pet records is also in this room - then again, there seems to be one of those in every room! The walls were lined with papers and more often than not, someone was in here doing something important. I got lucky and was able to sneak in and take a few pictures during a slow point in the day. It seemed like there were either a bunch of pets that needed to be taken care of at once, or there was nothing to go around and everyone was free to just converse with one another.
Most of these conversations are about either the ladies' lives or the events going on. One of the conversations slipped into money matters, and listening in helped me understand how economics and the recession has affected the clinic. They're a popular clinic, so it seems at first as if they wouldn't be affected, but there were some animals who were brought in a few days after something happened- one dog was brought in three days after he ate a flea soap bar! Prices of medication also tend to go up, at least on a yearly basis. One patient was complaining that the price of medication had gone up since the last payment, which is understandable, especially in a business involving medicine, which has been affected by the recession and economic crisis.
Lunch was a little confusing. It's not so much 'Lunch' so much as 'Okay, so take a break sometime and eat something.' I ended up eating when there were no pets that needed work so I wouldn't be caught off guard by some animal who wanted my lunch. Naturally, I'll have to bring my lunch each day due to dietary needs, but at least I'll constantly be around if I'm needed for something. I also didn't mind eating late, even if it was about two or so hours after I'm used to eating and I was getting awfully hungry.
The day was eventful, but mellow at the same time. I must say that I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of my time working there.
And remember...
WALL MOUSE PLUSHIE IS WATCHING YOU.Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Honors History Blog #4
1. Discuss your successes as an honors student this past semester.
->As an honors student, my biggest success would be balancing all the work that needed to be done while being out sick and attempting to keep up to date with everything that was going on during class and all of the work from the decaf class as well. I managed to (somehow) keep up with all (if not most of) the work that was expected of me. Other successes would be learning more about historical events than I already knew, and managing to make essays sound like there was actually a point to reading them.
->As an honors student, my biggest success would be balancing all the work that needed to be done while being out sick and attempting to keep up to date with everything that was going on during class and all of the work from the decaf class as well. I managed to (somehow) keep up with all (if not most of) the work that was expected of me. Other successes would be learning more about historical events than I already knew, and managing to make essays sound like there was actually a point to reading them.
2. Discuss what you might have done differently if you do this past semester of honors over again.
->Not been sick as much! I missed so much work that I feel like it was almost pointless for me to be in class when I was in the first place, since I often missed out on the starts and ends of assignments and kind of just walked in while they were in progress. I could also try and communicate with Randy better about what kind of work that I missed and how I could get it done while keeping up with the decaf work.
->Not been sick as much! I missed so much work that I feel like it was almost pointless for me to be in class when I was in the first place, since I often missed out on the starts and ends of assignments and kind of just walked in while they were in progress. I could also try and communicate with Randy better about what kind of work that I missed and how I could get it done while keeping up with the decaf work.
3. Discuss your goals for honors in the second semester.
->Basically, everything that I listed above. BE THERE! It would help if I were in class more often. Also, I should focus on my work a little more instead of goofing off all the time, which I'll often do when I feel unmotivated (which is a lot when I'm sick). I think I'll also try and make sure I look through more sources for the historical work, especially when I am not present to learn about it.
->Basically, everything that I listed above. BE THERE! It would help if I were in class more often. Also, I should focus on my work a little more instead of goofing off all the time, which I'll often do when I feel unmotivated (which is a lot when I'm sick). I think I'll also try and make sure I look through more sources for the historical work, especially when I am not present to learn about it.
4. If you could choose any parts of literature and history for our honors work, what would you pick and why?
->I would pick the terrible yet awesome fanfiction My Immortal. Insanity aside, I would totally pick Twilight. Why would I curse our class with reading such a terrible piece of literature? So we can take the story, find what's wrong with it, and make it better. It would be an impossible undertaking, yes, but it would be one that we, as Randy's honors students, would be able to do to cure the world of this dreaded Twi-hard disease!
...okay note to self never do blog entries while slightly hyper. I'm done now.
->I would pick the terrible yet awesome fanfiction My Immortal. Insanity aside, I would totally pick Twilight. Why would I curse our class with reading such a terrible piece of literature? So we can take the story, find what's wrong with it, and make it better. It would be an impossible undertaking, yes, but it would be one that we, as Randy's honors students, would be able to do to cure the world of this dreaded Twi-hard disease!
...okay note to self never do blog entries while slightly hyper. I'm done now.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Nature Reading - Desert Solitaire
(did you know that I was always spelling that 'Solitare'?)
Desert Solitaire is a story that only concerns itself with passion - passion for the world around it, passion for a dislike of the things that it dislikes, and a passion for the story it has to tell. At many points in the novel, Abbey is faced with the ongoing struggle between civilization and wilderness. Abbey has an undying love for the natural world around him, and thus tends to reject the civilized world that so many other people chose to live in. However, the life in the wilderness is also a refreshing break from this civilization, so there is no doubt that Abbey begins to struggle between the choice of what he loves and what he loathes and fears.
Abbey has a love for the wilderness that is unrequited and endless in its bounds. He feels that nature is peaceful and should be left in peace, left so that people in the years to come can appreciate its beauty and elements for what it really is, instead of what it has been molded to be. During his stay in Moab, Utah, watching over the Arches National Monument, Abbey bonds with nature in a way that not many people would even consider. He becomes a part of it through a theory which he tests by - of all things - throwing a rock at and killing a rabbit. What makes it worse is that this was merely an experiment he performed to try and determine his place in the world that was around him, to find a place of belonging in a world of solitude.
I try but I cannot feel any sense of guilt. I examine my soul: white as snow. Check my hands: not a trace of blood. No longer do I feel so isolated from the sparse and furtive life around me, a stranger from another world. I have entered into this one. We are kindred all of us, killer and victim, predator and prey, me and the sly coyote, the soaring buzzard, the elegant gopher snake, the trembling cottontail, the foul worms that feed on our entrails, all of them, all of us. Long live diversity, long live the earth!
Rejoicing in my innocence and power I stride down the trail beneath the elephantine forms of melting sandstone, past the stark shadows of Double Arch. The experiment was a complete success; it will never be necessary to perform it again.
-Page 34
Wilderness. The word itself is music.
Abbey has a love for the wilderness that is unrequited and endless in its bounds. He feels that nature is peaceful and should be left in peace, left so that people in the years to come can appreciate its beauty and elements for what it really is, instead of what it has been molded to be. During his stay in Moab, Utah, watching over the Arches National Monument, Abbey bonds with nature in a way that not many people would even consider. He becomes a part of it through a theory which he tests by - of all things - throwing a rock at and killing a rabbit. What makes it worse is that this was merely an experiment he performed to try and determine his place in the world that was around him, to find a place of belonging in a world of solitude.
I try but I cannot feel any sense of guilt. I examine my soul: white as snow. Check my hands: not a trace of blood. No longer do I feel so isolated from the sparse and furtive life around me, a stranger from another world. I have entered into this one. We are kindred all of us, killer and victim, predator and prey, me and the sly coyote, the soaring buzzard, the elegant gopher snake, the trembling cottontail, the foul worms that feed on our entrails, all of them, all of us. Long live diversity, long live the earth!
Rejoicing in my innocence and power I stride down the trail beneath the elephantine forms of melting sandstone, past the stark shadows of Double Arch. The experiment was a complete success; it will never be necessary to perform it again.
-Page 34
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Blog #26- The Prospect of Competition
As of the day I am typing this, I am unsure where I can possibly enter an art piece that has a more symbolic meaning. It would not be wise, however, to enter it in anything until after the exhibition, in case the physical copy is needed at the exhibition and our exhibition's dates and needs conflict with the contest or exhibition or wherever it happens to end up. However, I have looked into some possible ideas for contests.
Prospectus: 12th Annual All Media Juried Online International Art Exhibition
Entry Fees:
A fee of $25 must accompany up to five slides or jpegs/tiffs; $5 for each additional. No maximum. Checks or POSTAL Money Orders or for artists outside the U.S. send an International POSTAL Money Order or a Cashier’s Check in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. Bank, payable to: Upstream People Gallery. Western Union via www.westernunion.com or cash (where possible) may also be used. PayPal may be used with payments made to: shows@upstreampeoplegallery.com, with $2.00 added to cover PayPal's fee or $27 entry fee. Later entries after postmark deadline is $30; Later entries with PayPal is $32.
Forms are on the link.
Deadlines too.
There don't seem to be any visible requirements...
So thus I can't evaluate my work against them...
Cue Loony Toons "Th-th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks!"
Prospectus: 12th Annual All Media Juried Online International Art Exhibition
Entry Fees:
A fee of $25 must accompany up to five slides or jpegs/tiffs; $5 for each additional. No maximum. Checks or POSTAL Money Orders or for artists outside the U.S. send an International POSTAL Money Order or a Cashier’s Check in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. Bank, payable to: Upstream People Gallery. Western Union via www.westernunion.com or cash (where possible) may also be used. PayPal may be used with payments made to: shows@upstreampeoplegallery.com, with $2.00 added to cover PayPal's fee or $27 entry fee. Later entries after postmark deadline is $30; Later entries with PayPal is $32.
Forms are on the link.
Deadlines too.
There don't seem to be any visible requirements...
So thus I can't evaluate my work against them...
Cue Loony Toons "Th-th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks!"
Friday, November 20, 2009
Gatsby, The Great
5. Evaluate The Great Gatsby as a criticism of the corruption of the American Dream.
What is the American Dream? To put it simply, it is the idea that through hard work and perseverance, you gain money and become happy. Throughout the course of F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, though, this so called American Dream is thrown on the dirt, stomped on, flattened by a steamroller, thrown in a fire, turned to ashes, fed to a dog, the following feces burned again, and thrown into a tornado to be scattered into the oceans across the world. Basically, it completely destroys the idea, by personifying it through Gatsby himself.
Gatsby himself started out as a lowly boy, who started to attend college but could not keep up with the bills and payments required to continue attending because the job he had taken up was, as he believed, below him. So he dropped out of college to become the image of what he wanted to be - a rich man with power and the capability to fulfill his destiny. And, in the process, he wishes to become a happy individual who can live life to its fullest, as a rich and powerful man. In the process, he meets Daisy, who he falls in love with and wants to share his destiny with.
Gatsby, however, looses Daisy because he has to go to war; and when he comes back, she has married Tom and has mostly forgotten about him - until he comes up in conversations, at least. Gatsby, who has accomplished all of the goals of the American Dream, on the other hand, is still missing two things - Daisy, and happiness. Through Nick, Gatsby manages to get closer to Daisy, and the end of the American Dream is finally in grasp - all he has to do is manage to convince Daisy that she doesn't love Tom and she loves him, and they can go off and be happy.
Wait. Crap.
Cue confrontation. Gatsby tries to get Daisy to tell Tom that she doesn't love him - but Daisy, much to his dismay, tells him that she loves both of them. This reacts in an argument, after which Tom insists that Gatsby allow him and Daisy to drive back in Gatsby's car. Daisy drives, and on the way back, hits Myrtle in Gatsby's car. There is a huge freakout, as the impact of killing someone sets in - especially someone like Myrtle, who had a connection to Tom. When George finds out about his wife's death, he eventually links it to Gatsby - the American Dream - and goes to his house...
Draws a gun...
...
Gatsby embodies the American Dream as someone that works hard to accomplish something he can never have. He is also selfish in the regard that he wants everything to go his way. He wants Daisy all to himself, he wants to complete his amazing destiny as a powerful man... and what does he get for it? He loses Daisy, even when he gives everything for her, and he even takes the fall after Daisy (accidentally) kills Myrtle. Gatsby represents the flawed vision that we know as the American Dream... that thing that we will never reach, no matter how hard we try.
What is the American Dream? To put it simply, it is the idea that through hard work and perseverance, you gain money and become happy. Throughout the course of F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, though, this so called American Dream is thrown on the dirt, stomped on, flattened by a steamroller, thrown in a fire, turned to ashes, fed to a dog, the following feces burned again, and thrown into a tornado to be scattered into the oceans across the world. Basically, it completely destroys the idea, by personifying it through Gatsby himself.
Gatsby himself started out as a lowly boy, who started to attend college but could not keep up with the bills and payments required to continue attending because the job he had taken up was, as he believed, below him. So he dropped out of college to become the image of what he wanted to be - a rich man with power and the capability to fulfill his destiny. And, in the process, he wishes to become a happy individual who can live life to its fullest, as a rich and powerful man. In the process, he meets Daisy, who he falls in love with and wants to share his destiny with.
Gatsby, however, looses Daisy because he has to go to war; and when he comes back, she has married Tom and has mostly forgotten about him - until he comes up in conversations, at least. Gatsby, who has accomplished all of the goals of the American Dream, on the other hand, is still missing two things - Daisy, and happiness. Through Nick, Gatsby manages to get closer to Daisy, and the end of the American Dream is finally in grasp - all he has to do is manage to convince Daisy that she doesn't love Tom and she loves him, and they can go off and be happy.
Wait. Crap.
Cue confrontation. Gatsby tries to get Daisy to tell Tom that she doesn't love him - but Daisy, much to his dismay, tells him that she loves both of them. This reacts in an argument, after which Tom insists that Gatsby allow him and Daisy to drive back in Gatsby's car. Daisy drives, and on the way back, hits Myrtle in Gatsby's car. There is a huge freakout, as the impact of killing someone sets in - especially someone like Myrtle, who had a connection to Tom. When George finds out about his wife's death, he eventually links it to Gatsby - the American Dream - and goes to his house...
Draws a gun...
...
Gatsby embodies the American Dream as someone that works hard to accomplish something he can never have. He is also selfish in the regard that he wants everything to go his way. He wants Daisy all to himself, he wants to complete his amazing destiny as a powerful man... and what does he get for it? He loses Daisy, even when he gives everything for her, and he even takes the fall after Daisy (accidentally) kills Myrtle. Gatsby represents the flawed vision that we know as the American Dream... that thing that we will never reach, no matter how hard we try.
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