Ultrasound and Homeward Bound

I just realized I have been going so crazy this week I haven't written anything.

ON Monday was my first 414 lab(that's Sheep and Goat Productions for those wondering). The only thing I have wanted to do in that class is ultrasound, and guess what we did on the very first day of lab. WOOHOO! It was so much fun!!! I got to ultrasound 3 sheep for pregnancy and found the little tykes right off with little to no guidance from the TA. The only one he helped me with was a ewe that was so far along in her term you could only make out one giant placentome, the area of fetal/maternal blood, waste and gas exchange. I was thoroughly impressed with myself.

Anyways, the rest of the week has been fairly uneventful. I finalized my 481 seminar topic which will be Osteochondrosis: Developmental Orthopedic Disease In Horses- Causes, Symptoms and Treatments. The reason behind choosing this topic is because Hayley, my rescued Thoroughbred mare at home(and pictured above), suffers from this in both front legs. Since I am completely petrified by giving presentations, I'm hoping that having the link to home and being able to talk my first few minutes about her story will ease my jitters so I can successfully finish the rest of the presentation. Maybe, just maybe, this grand plan will work.

I'm headed home to Fort Worth this weekend for a wedding for one of my practically brothers, Louis. Kev was supposed to be joining me until we got the news the wedding was at 7pm...on Sunday evening. I have an 8am class on Monday morning...and he has a 9am class. So it just didn't work out for him to come. I will put myself through the all night drive back to College Station and going to class on little to no sleep, but there is no sense in making him do it too. On the brightside, the dress I have for the wedding is so pretty. I love it! Pictures to come, of course.

Since the papers from all my classes have finally done their job of practically drowning me, I must get to working on them before going to work.

A Week Well Done

Working out this last week went amazingly well. Sunshine assisted with my early Thursday workout and I went later in the afternoon with Katie. Everyone involved was so sore on Friday, we opted to take the day off and concentrate on being able to function for Corbin, Stickney and Carp's birthday bash planned for the evening.

The party on Friday was great, minus the rude interruption of our friendly neighborhood police. I had to work on Saturday afternoon which is when my body decided to remind me of the past week of torture...lets just say movements other than plain walking was not welcomed by any muscle, which made for an interesting work day. After work, I had the grand idea of doing so lap swimming to aid in the loosing process of my muscles. At first it seemed like a failed plan, but this morning I feel much better. Total workouts for the week-6; I'm finally using the Rec fees I pay for every semester!



Kevin and I went on a grand adventure last night in a search of ice cream. We were actually headed out to try the new frozen yogurt place called Spoons, but upon arrival the mass of people diverted our destination to Coldstone. Sadly, the same thing happened there. Who knew ice cream was on the minds of every college student last night. On the way to Sonic, I mentioned getting a blizzard from Dairy Queen. Done deal, Dairy Queen it was. Once we got back to Kev's place, Corbin came in from a movie with Reimers and Matt Fox. They had followed our lead, except stopped at Coldstone. Great minds think alike.

The Right Motivation

The first thing my friend, John, said after I told him about my motivation to start working out again for spring break was, "That's how eating disorders are started!" To give reason to his statement, my motivation came from the arrival of Victoria Secret's 2010 Swimsuit Catalog.
Though this might drive the slightly insane person to stop eating completely, or start purposely losing what they decided to put in their mouth, you can ask anyone who knows me, that will definitely not be the case. I love food WAY to much. What it did encourage me to do is start a workout routine again. So, my roommate and I are hitting up the rec center every day during the week, excluding this past Monday since we started with the first day of class on Tuesday. We'll see what I say at the end of the week, but as of now I feel better than I have in months.

We both have very attainable short term goals for spring break and I'm really excited about continuing our routine after that as well. In addition to working out with Katie each day, my friend, Dustin aka Sunshine, is going to act as sort of a personal trainer, I guess you could say. It always helps to have motivation and working out with Katie has been a life saver. It really keeps me going when I would normally just stop. I'm really excited to work with Sunshine as well. He's an intense runner and is going to help me out in that area.

Should turn out to be a transforming semester!!

And, in case you were wondering, I don't plan on looking like the pictured model...though I'm sure Kevin wouldn't mind... :-)

A Last First Day...Finally!

English 301, aka Technical Writing, thank you for becoming my last first day of undergraduate classes. I will admit I was not excited about taking this class, but my prof seems really cool so hopefully it won't be as bad as I thought. There are two other graduating seniors in the class, and he said to not worry, he won't be the reason for us to not walk...good to know.

I really aiming to get a 4.0 this semester. Honestly, I better be able to. There are really no excuses as to why I couldn't. So, semester goals are as follows:

1. Make a 4.0, as stated above
2. Overcome my insane fear of public speaking, since I have to do a huge presentation in my Senior Seminar class. Or figure out how to just deal with it enough to make it through that speech.
3. Workout 4-5 times a week...i have the time so I figure, why not?
4. No Procrastination!!! We'll see how that goes...

With the return of class comes the fun additions to notes as well. Today's doodle of the day: Pacman, a plinco-ish game, and the typical Bonfire. It was a productive day of class.

All Work and Maybe A Little Play

As most know, I work at American Eagle Outfitters. It is the typical crappy college retail job paying minimum wage with meager hours, the only benefit being the convenient discount given on the clothing and accessories.

I was planning on quitting upon my return from Christmas because of the tension between the manager and the rest of the employees, including the assistant managers. Luckily, when I arrived back in town I came back to a new manager...well, not quite yet, but his first day is Tuesday.

The change in atmosphere just over the last week has been unreal. It's amazing how employees that enjoy their management staff will work to please them rather then working because they have to. Tasks get done more efficiently and attitudes stay as positive as they can be given the certain situations.

I just got done with my most hated part of the job, floorsets. What was supposed to be three back-to-back days of all-night floorsets turned into just two for me, after being cut from Fridays schedule. The work is not what gets to me during floorsets. What sends me into a whole new dimension of pissed off is the uncertainty of when we will be finished. Though the schedule said 9pm-4am for Saturday and 6pm-midnight for Sunday, we actually left at 6am and 4am, respectively. And this happens every time. My saving grace this time around was finally having a MOD who is ridiculously amazing. Thank you, Jentri.

Now, after ruining my sleep schedule the day before the semester starts, I need to go to sleep.

One Last Hurray

The Spring semester starts Tuesday...oh joy, oh joy. Even though the Sheep and Goat Management class I was shoved into at the last second added the dreaded 8am class to 3 of my days, I'm still quite happy with the line up for my final semester.

If you are wondering why Sheep and Goat Management the answer is simple. The class counted for 2 different courses I needed to be able to walk the stage in May...anything to spend less money, right? I have no interest in sheep or goats, but I am looking forward to a couple of opportunities this class may have to offer. See, with those two species, ultrasound is used for almost every type of diagnostic because it is quick and easy...and can be used outside the body (if you have ever worked with horses or cows, you'll understand the significance of working on the outside of the animal...) I have always been fascinated with x-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc etc, so maybe I'll be able to try out the ultrasound machine. The Animal Science department here at TAMU is very hands on and very willing to let the students try just about anything they want to in lab...which makes the classes fun and a tad awkward at times.

Up to Date!

With the last post it brings us to now! The Spring semester starts on Tuesday, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of time that needs to be wasted after that.

Dunn Hall Tour de Ski: Part Deaux

After tearing up the slopes of New Mexico over last spring break we decided to travel a little more north to get the full snow affect for New Years. We traveled a little differently this time around since we left so close to Christmas. A group of 6 left from College Station and drove to Midland to pick up Corbin then met the 3 of us who were traveling from the DFW area just south of Amarillo in Hereford to pick Chuckles. After loading up Chuckles, we headed north and west to Colorado.

Wolf Creek, CO was our final destination and it was a fantastic choice. We stayed in an awesome cabin in South Fork which is about 15 miles away from the actual ski resort but it worked out perfectly because the mountain got over 15 inches of snow on the 2nd day we were there.

Probably the best addition to this trip was our Rest and Recovery day in Pagosa Springs where we took advantage of the natural hot sulfur springs to soak our soreness away.

Sadly, we were having so much fun carving up the mountain, we forgot to take any pictures on the mountain but we did get some back at the cabin.

L to R: Me, Kevin, Chris T, Funke, Katie, Reimers, Corbin, Chris C, Jr, Chuckles, and Sean

New Years Eve brought many drinking games. Kevin wasn't very happy with me by the end of the night..hahaha...
L to R: Kevin, Me, Sean, Jr, Chris C
After being stuck in a cabin with 9 guys, any girl would go a little crazy! j/k. We love our guys!!
My most amazing roommate, Katie, and I being goofy on New Years Eve.

My Golden Angel

The highs points and joys of the year could never have prepared me for the heartbreak of the low.


When I went to pick out my little bundle of golden fur back on labor day weekend of 2003, I could have never imagined the bond and friendship I would grow to have with the most amazing dog I have ever met. The golden ball of fur would be known as Bailey, named after her milky puppy color which was quite similar to that of Bailey's Irish Cream, and Bailey would be one for the record books.

Her quirky personality soon became evident and her obsession with tennis balls was something no one could avoid noticing. She had a love for cats and would specifically find stuffed cats to carry around and also try to cat-whisper all the neighborhood cats and make them into her playmates. She was a character.

She spent 2 years in College Station with me and guarded the SASA CASA so very well. She befriended Montclair, the neighborhood cat, and they would bask in the sun on our porch for hours on end. She was my running partner and would impress everyone on our leash-less runs through campus. She was always happy and greeted everyone with a smile, or a tennis ball!

With the move to my new residence in May, Bailey had to move back to Fort Worth because I couldn't afford the $500 pet deposit. As much as I missed her, it worked out well because my mom was finally able to get her German Shepard puppy and Bailey was put on puppy sitting/mentoring duty.

Her fight would start at the beginning of November with an emergency surgery to stop a ruptured mass and internal bleeding. She would continue to steal the hearts of the entire staff of Davis Blvd Clinic and many others while battling for her life. She never objected and continued to greet the staff with a wag of her tail every time she saw them. Against all odds she made it through procedure after procedure and it wasn't until the last surgery on December 11th that she decided the fight had lasted long enough.

Her loss was felt quite literally around the world. She was the greatest dog and such a fighter. Her strength was beyond anything I could have imagined. She will forever be remembered and always be missed.

In true obedient form, Bailey holds my Aggie Ring

my guardian angel

Rest Peacefully My Beautiful Bailey
July 15, 2003 - December 11, 2009

A Little Ring Made of Gold

On September 18th I became the very proud owner of my 3rd and final piece of Gold. The Aggie Ring is one of the most recognizable piece of jewelry in the world and I am ecstatic to be able to look down and see it on my hand everyday. After being a nomad for so long it feels beyond amazing to finally be able to label myself with one incredible school.

The Ring Ceremony is a huge to-do and involves family, friends, a big presentation process and, of course, a full pitcher of beer of the ring bearers choice to chug as fast as possible...because that is a fantastic idea. This is better known as a Ring Dunk. I was blessed to have almost my entire family in town for this special occasion. Not only were they able to attend my ring dunk on Friday the 18th but I was also able to get tickets for all of them to attend the home football game on Saturday, because there is nothing like an Aggie Football game.

The emotional overload is something I can't explain, and yes, my mom got to present it to me which was very cool.
I haven't been able to look at beer the same.

My friend, Karl, dunked his ring with me because it's always better to dunk with someone and it helps that the majority of our friends are the same. Sadly, he had just eaten a $30 steak at Christopher's Steakhouse for his dad's birthday, so he didn't keep much of his beverage, or steak for that matter, down for long. Here's a video. He only finished before me because I started laughing at the very end.

And last but not least, the everyone that was able to come in from Fort Worth. I was so happy to have them all here! From left to right: Bonnie, Louis, me, mom, Elizabeth, Donnie, Joe, Nikki, Walt and Jonathan.

And, if you are wondering why I said the 3rd piece of gold, this should explain.
The ring, horse and an unforgettable dog made of Gold. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Fall 2009....Tis the season of Bonfire

The Fall semester brings a part of the year I will forever hold dear. Bonfire. It's a sticky subject for some, but for those that participate in Student Bonfire, it is a family of amazing people who all come together, putting aside differences and rivalries, to build a magnificent structure. Blood, sweat and tears go into 3 months of building the 5 tier bonfire which burns a few days before the Thanksgiving football game between Texas A&M and the University of Texas.

I am a part of Dunn Hall, a previously all male dorm on southside which recently changed to co-ed about 3 years ago. This is my family away from home and will be a group of life long friends.

This is also how I met my most wonderful boyfriend, Kevin. In true Bonfire style, our first date was burn night and it was amazing!

During the 'cut' part of the season, Dunn was put in charge of stack site and unloading and organizing all of the logs coming in from cut site. In previous years this job was normally given to a dorm as punishment, and though that may have been the original intentions of the upper leadership, we quickly made it into our own domain and renamed it 'Dunnload.' We unloaded and sorted during every type of weather condition, including the non-expected flood of mid-September.

This year the upper leadership decided to bring back the true 'push week' during stack which means instead of just working from 6pm-midnight, we had two crews alternate between a 6pm-midnight shift and a midnight-6am shift. This was an incredible experience, though extremely taxing on the body and immune system.

-A Misty Morning At Unload-

-Just another day of Unload in the Rain-
Sunrise over stack taken by my roommate, Katie. This was after the 1st midnight-6am shift.
Absulutly stunning and named the best picture of the year, for obvious reasons.
Kevin and I at Burn. November 25, 2009

Summer 09

May 2009 - I moved into my new place on Legacy Ln. The move was one of those bitter-sweet moments because I loved the quirky Montclair Ave house, my neighbors and the happy neighborhood cat appropriately named Montclair, but the time had come to upgrade to a better residence with new roommates in a less sketchy area of the city. I will miss Montclair, but Legacy Ln is a great place to be!

June 2009 - I turned 23. It was the first time I have actually been able to celebrate it with friends, so I took FULL advantage of every second of it, starting with a trip to Northgate with Katie and Gilmore on the night of the 25th/first hours of the 26th and finishing with a rather large gathering at my house on the night of the 26th. It was the most fantastic birthday I have ever had.

The awesome message Katie left for me in the bathroom of one of the bars.

Me, Katie and Gilmore at the Dixie Chicken. We decided if we put on Gilmore's hat and glasses we instantly became him. Funny thing, I don't remember this picture being taken...go figure!

August 2009 - My mom, sister and I had the rare opportunity to visit my brother, Luke, and his girlfriend, Andrea, in NYC. Walt, my brother-in-law, was so amazing to take care of the twins for the week we were gone. We did all the tourist things including visiting Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, Time Square, China Town, Little Italy, etc etc. Andrea and her son, Miles, were amazing tour guides and took us all around the city. We also took an afternoon and went to Ledo Beach, which was a ton of fun.

The Rundown...Spring 09

I tired to do the entire year at once, but I haven't figured this site out completely and for some reason I can't get another picture to load, So, I'll break it up a little. That will make it seem like I have done more too....I'm pure genius, I know. :-)

1. January 6, 2009 - I got my first, and hopefully only, tattoo in memory of my brother, Mark. The tri-horse design is a celtic symbol Mark used to always wear. After removing the intricate knot-work I had the tattoo put above my left ankle. Mark's initials are 'branded' on each of the horses. It was simply done and matches what I wanted it to represent perfectly. I had a great support group including Mark K, Chris C, Sean and, of course, my best friend Amber.

2. Spring Break 2009 (March) - 9 of my most amazing friends and I packed up and headed to New Mexico for some skiing/snowboarding fun at Sipapu and Taos. It was the 1st trip I had ever taken with a group of friends and turned out to be a very memorable one. From left to right: Kevin, Funke, Anna, Chris, Katie, Me, Corbin, Reimers and Jr.
3. April 2009 - The Dunn Hall group volunteered for Big Event, which is an annual area wide volunteer day Texas A&M hosts. It is the largest organized volunteer day in the nation, so it was really cool to be a part of it. We helped a young couple finish a garden they had been working on for almost a year. The wife was 8 1/2 months pregnant and they really wanted the garden finished before the baby came. Well, we did it, because we are awesome. From left to right: Andrew E, Katie, Kelsey, Alli, Cody, Christina, Jr(behind cody and christina), Daniel, Kevin, Funke, Sean, Me.

Is this a good thing?

I have finally conformed to the current blog craze. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, we will soon find out.

So, here is your formal welcoming to the blog of my Life as a current student at Texas A&M University. I am entering my final semester and it should pan out to be one of the best of my long career as a student. Hopefully my optimistic attitude will be maintained through May when I finally join the Association of Former Students.

After I eat some food, I'll catch you up to date on the events of the past year. The highs, lows and everything in between.