RECAP: this weekend, school, upcoming event

Good Afternoon one and all!
I've been a bit out of the loop for a few days due to a very busy schedule and a fun little stomach bug I caught over the weekend. However, I am now back and ready to write! I've already mentioned the "upcoming event" in the title...hence, the recap. Also, no big news from the pre-vet school thing either. So, onward!

This weekend was Strut your Mutt in NYC to help support NYC animal charities. The walk was sponsored by Best Friends Animal Society, a great organization for animals of all kinds. It was a huge success! I've recently heard from my colleagues at City Critters that it did indeed make a good amount of money, all of which will go to NYC animal rescues/shelters/welfare groups - and City Critters is one of them! So, thanks to all the Strutters out there.......the pawes and the causes thank you!

School is still scary...and boy am I tired! That commute out of the city during evening rushour is for the birds! I do not recommend it. It should take me 45 mins to get to campus, but it has taken me up to 1.5 hours so far....let's see what the record will be! I've also driven up there during a tornado hitting NYC that I didn't even know about at the time. I knew the weather was scary and awful, but a twister? Who knew? Meh, just another day in NYC. I guess you get used to it. They warned me that would happen : )

And for the upcoming event....drumroll please.....the Walk for Farm Animals in Central Park, Oct 24 @ 10am! Be there or.....stay in bed. Whatever works for you. But if you aren't walking....maybe a little support via my fundraising page would be a good idea? Maybe? Just a thought. (the link to the page is on my blog on the left, just above Vaca's pic) The walk supports the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY. They are a great place and I know all the hooves, wings and other fun stuff up there thank you bunches.

Ok....I will try to write more tonight/tomorrow. I STILL haven't told you about my great trip to the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. So, that will come up soon. And I have to tell you about a City Critter friend who just wrote an animal book! So, stay tuned : )

TTFN

PRE-VET: three weeks down.....

....and many more to go!I try not to think about how long school will take....baby steps, remember? Any who, finishing up the third week of classes and so far I am still having a blast. We even got to play with microscopes in bio lab last week. I was so happy...I am fairly sure my giddiness annoyed some people. But hey, I've paid a lot of money to play with that microscope and I am going to enjoy it!!!

The "college experience" is very different this time around. I am enjoying it just as much, but it is so different. This time there is a clear goal - a mission, a point - to every class, every piece of information. I know why it is important to know this...b/c I want to know what I am talking about in a clinical setting! I wish I could have told my 20 year old self how important having an end goal would be, but you live and you learn. Who knew getting older could be fun? They don't put THAT in those Loreal commercials for anti-aging stuff. Maybe that should be a commercial....a thirty something person back in college and acutally happy. What a concept!

So, we've covered the basics of medical terminology in my intro vet science class and are moving onto ethics/jurisprudence next. I think clinical pathology after that. I can't wait! My bio class is moving at the speed of light, but I'll be ok.

I'm pooped, but feeling good. This is a good time to be me.

TTFN

EVENT: STRUT YOUR MUTT NYC!

Do you live in NYC? Do you have a dog? Well, then I have an event for you! Best Friends Animal Society (home of DogTown as seen as the National Geographic Channel) is holding the Strut your Mutt event in NYC!
This Sunday, Sept 26 at 8:30am. It is a 1.8 mile walk that begins at Pier 84/Hudson River Park (12th Ave & W. 44th Street).

Come on down and walk with us! I will be walking with the City Critters dog pack and part of the proceeds of this walk will go to City Critters as we continue rescueing and adopting our kitties to their forever homes.

If you don't want to walk, you can also sign up as a "Cat Napper" or "Doggie Dozer" for a discounted rate and still get the great tshirt!  Check out the link below for more information:

http://bestfriends.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&eventID=500&participantID=2723

See you there!!!

PRE-VET: second week finished

I've just finished my second week/starting third week of my vet tech/pre-vet med program. I am going for a BS that will allow me to either become an LVT (licensed vet tech) or apply to vet school with all of the necessary pre-reqs. I completed my BA in psychology in 2000 and my MA in experimental psychology a few years after that, so I am a bit nervous going back now. However, a few tips if you've ever thought about doing something like this:
1. DO IT!!! Talking about it is nice, but you'll regret it down the road if you don't try. Don't be the one saying, "I wanted to do that"..."I should've gone back when I was....."
2. I am not the "old lady" in class with a bunch of 18 yr old freshman. I was shocked by how many people are around my age or older. So, if you are worried about that...don't be.
3. Well, the nerves haven't gotten any better yet. I am still scared to death I will fail spectacularlly, but I am still putting one foot in front of the other. That is the key....BABY STEPS!
4. Having a supportive spouse is SUPER important. You need to have your support system on board with you....they will suffer from these trials and tribulations you go through too.

Ok, now if you have any tips for me......please share. I am two weeks in, so an expert by no means. I am trying to be a "sponge" and soak it all up. So, any advice?

EVENT - Walk for Farm Animals

PLEASE DONATE BY VISITING MY FUNDRAISING PAGE:
http://www.firstgiving.com/kristinsaunders

Date: Oct. 24
Location: Merchant’s Gate in Central Park
Registration Time: 10 a.m.
Walk Time: Noon
Local Walk Coordinators: Jennifer Parrucci and Calla Wright
nyc@walkforfarmanimals.org

Notes: The Walk begins at Central Park West at 59th Street. We will be walking for about an hour and a half.

Special Attractions: There will be inspiring speakers, including Farm Sanctuary Co-founder and President Gene Baur, a bag lunch, and an awesome raffle. Special musical performance by singer/songwriter Jenn London!
Visit http://www.walkforfarmanimals.org/registration.htm to register. See you there!

Post categories

Hello everyone! Glad you could join me in the blogosphere. Happy to have the company. Since this is my first post, I wanted to use it to explain how I will be organizing the blog titles. This will be done for each post, in order to make it a bit easier to find the type of info you are interested in. I will be writing about several differerent topics, all animal-related, but quite independent of each other. So, please see the topics below that will be covered and how that topic will be abbreviated in the post title. Each title will begin with the appropriate abbreviation, followed by the actual title.

Topics:
PRE-VET: Info about my experience going back for my BS in Vet Technology/Pre-veterinary medicine courses 
SALE: sales, coupons, etc related to stores or websites that offer pet products
PRODUCT: specific info about particular products that I have liked, that are new, that I've heard about, etc
EVENT: related to some sort of event coming up soon - may be rescue-related, charity-related, or something else, but is a specific animal-related event coming up
RESC/ADOPT: info specific to a rescue and/or animal for adoption
VETS: info specifically about finding vets or about particular kinds of vets
NEWS: animals in the news
BOOK: related to books I've heard about or read within animal subject matter; may be a recommendation, review, or anything else about books
SANC: info about animal sanctuaries I've heard about, visited, want to visit, etc
TRIP: info about any animal-related road trips I've taken
ANIMAL (species inserted here): info about a particular animal
MISC: covers any other material not already under the other topics

I hope you will enjoy reading the information as much as I enjoy writing about it. I mean, there has to be someone out there that likes this stuff besides me, right? Maybe? Who knows.

Anywho, happy trails readers and I will post again soon.

Thanks for stopping by,
Kristin