It's sad, really. I've gotten so used to the darkness of the class room (the lights are almost always off and the blinds closed because all my teachers either use powerpoint or overheads to teach) that, even with my blinds half closed over the window in front of my desk, I'm finding the morning light streaming through my window almost too bright. It's that bright snow glare. Damnation, it needs to stop snowing, too! *sigh* Yet another reason that I need this semester to be over with, already.

I think maybe the new Skillet album needs to be my next music purchase. Or maybe it's just my mood tonight. Loud music. I've got it cranked on the headphones. Everything's gona sound really quiet when I take them off. Not many bands I've watched change the way I've watched these guys. I really like this latest album though.

http://www.skillet.com/home

Well, it's been a rollercoaster of a day, but it definitely ended on a high note. 

Had my first CABB (Canadian Animal Blood Bank) shift that I actually -remembered- to attend tonight, and had a lot of fun. It was like being back in the clinic. I miss all the hands on stuff I got to do at the clinic. And what's more, I got my cephalic blood competancy! Yay me! I guess I was not being firm enough in my pokeing and the needle was kind of skimming along the top of the vein but not penetrating. But now I know, so getting my remaining competancies should be a sinch.

I'm still getting pretty sick of school, but this sort of thing reminds me why I'm here, and that I'm going to really enjoy my job when I'm done second year. Here's hopeing I can find a clinic that will pay me enought that I can work at what I love over the summer, instead of going back to that god aweful call center *shudders*

*smiles* But it's late, I'm hungry, and I'm sure I'll be tired after the high wears off (no, I'm not on anything, having fun just gives me lots of energy) So good night to you all.

I wish it was raining. I'm in the mood for a long walk in the rain without an umbrella.

Well, second and last day of calving for this semester is done. Another fun day. Didnt really take many pictures this go around. Only two calves born, both natural births. Just wait, on monday, the day I was -supposed- to go if I hadnt switched with Mandy, there'll be a c-section or somthing else interesting, for sure. *chuckles* That's my luck, all right.

I didnt really do much with the calves today, myself. There were 5 girls, plus Dr.Blair. So rather than stand around and watch, I mucked stalls all day. It was a really great physical day, which is exactly what I needed. It was just great. Nothing like physical labor to get your mind off your troubles. And it was a gorgeous day too. Not sure what it got up to, (weather network says got up to 11 in the city, but that may or may not be the same as what it got to out where we were, about 40 min outside of the city) but the sun was shining, and I was sweating in shirt sleeves. I love spring.. Played with the barn cats lots and listened to the birds sing in the trees.

Two close encounters with moma cows though. One of them (who we knew to be agressive but thought we were ok because she was locked in a stall) busted the bolt on the latch that was holding the stall closed. I just happened to have my head against said stall door at the time because I was watching Brad (Dr.Blair) hook the calf to drag it closer to us so we could get it out to process it. So yeah, the stall door hit me in the head with considerable force. Luckily my skull is thick enough that it didnt hurt much. *chuckles* But it took me a couple of hours to realize that she actually hit that door with enough force that the bolt had snapped. That's probably all that saved me from being nocked out cold.

The other incident was less violent. We'd already moved Moma out to one of the outdoor shelters, and we were processing baby. Well, there was a noise from outside, and Ashley Bowler was like "mom's locked up, right?" We're all like "Yeah, Dr.Blair locked her up" Next thing you know, there's moma comming into the barn. *chuckles* I dont think I've ever climbed a fence that fast in my life. I was chuckling to my self about it for the next hour or so. Moma had actually nocked down a fence to get back to her calf. She wasn't a violent mom, thank goodness, so she probably wouldnt have hurt us, but the whole climb the fence thing (8 foot fences, btw) was total instinct. Height = safety. *chuckles*

But no, fun day in all. *nods* I'll look forward to doing it again next year, for sure.

I swear, some times I spend more time arguing with the bloody program over formatting of my notes than actually studying. Stupid thing.

I'm also definitely not getting enough sleep, or at least not good enough sleep, if I'm tired enough to want to go to bed this early this many nights in a row.

At least I can sleep in tomorrow.

Bwahahah! Beat the sleet home! Poor suckers who didnt listen to the weather and didnt bring an umbrella..

It's amazing the memories this spring is bringing back for me. It's been 7 years since I've experienced spring in the northern half of the province. I didn't realize how much I missed it. I think you feel it more here than in Calgary. In Calgary, things warm up, but it doesnt really feel like spring to me till the trees start budding. Here, everything just shouts spring joyously after a long cold winter. 

The snow is almost gone in most places that get sun for a good part of they day, and a lot of the puddles have dried up, but walking home from the bus stop this afternoon, the smell just hit me. I cant even describe it. It's sun warmed pavement and dust, but somthing else too, that you only smell in the spring. It brought back childhood days of playing in the puddles and collecting the gravel off the road to dump down the storm drains. Finally not having to put on snow pants to go put and play, and getting to wear the spring jacket instead.

I have a lot of great memories from my childhood here, even if I would never be living here now by choice..

But I miss the smell of the sap rising in the poplars as I go by them every night on the train on the way home from work. That is the way spring smells to me now, and I miss it. I cant wait to go home.

Whee! Much happiness in the world of Angi. Went shopping for new frames yesterday with mom, and I found the perfect ones! More like my old ones. Less oval more rectangular. I'm in love *grins* So now I just have to get my eyes checked in case my prescription has changed when I'm home for the summer in a month, and I'll have new glasses! *dances*


Update  Looking at the photos I took, I'm thinking maybe they're too wide for my face... Hmm. Have to get a few opinions and try them on again when I go home in a month. May have to wait till the styles change again. All the styles seem to have that width in common right now..

Nrrg... So tired..

Early bed tonight, one way or another, or I'll never make it through tomorrow, getting up at 4:30 for clinic care..

Finally have a bit of a break from the pressure of exam after exam. I'm thinking I'll take the night off and rent a movie. But first, I have to figure dinner out... Wish I could afford to eat out.

Brr. Winter's gone and made another appearance. It's bloody cold out there today.

Hmm, it appears that a hangover is not conducive to studying. Who'd a thunk it?

Im sore, I'm exhausted, and I smell like cow. I had -so- much fun!

There was way more work to today than I expected. We didnt have to assist with any of the births, but we didn't stop working the entire time. Moving cows that looked like they were going to be ready to calve soon from one area to another, moving mothers and their calves, processing the calves them selves (which involved castrating them if they were male, giving them Vit E & selinium, and Vit A&D injections, and giving them two ear tags.) They fought the ear tags most because they hurt. The calves we were working with weighed b/t 100 and 130lbs and I tell you, they're strong little buggers! They're also quite difficult to move when they dont want to, and none of them wanted to go from the nice warm barn out into the pasture, so you actually had to push them the whole way by basically walking right behind them and pushing them along with your thighs while leaning over them to use your hands to keep them going in the direction you want them to. *laughs* I havent gotten this good a workout all year, I swear. There were also a lot of stalls to be mucked out and filled with fresh bedding. For any one who has never mucked out a stall, it's hard work. The straw is quite heavy when it's wet, and when you add shit to the equation... My arms are not thanking me for working them so hard.

While we didnt' have to assist with any births, we did have a necropsy to do on a calf that died yesterday. This was the second calf from this one cow that had died with no apparent cause. They suspected maybe a heart problem, but while it did turn out to be related to the cardiovascular system, it wasn't his heart. What happened is that there was a genetic defect in both his umbilical arteries, and they ruptured. So basically he bled out internally. His whole abdominal cavity was full of blood. It was really cool to be able to see. Dr. Blair hadn't seen anything like that before either. Also got a good look at some of the other anatomy, like the larynx. I got lots of good photos. Not for viewing by the squeemish, be warned!

A really fun day all around. Had lots of laughs with the girls and Dr Blair, and there were half a dozen super friendly barn cats too, which is always a plus. Good times, good times. Cant wait to see what happens during my next shift on April 2nd!

*chuckles* It was beautiful out when I left the house for school this morning. Now, there's almost a blizzard going on out there. I did -not- dress for that. Hopefully it will have cleared up in 3 hours when I'm leaving. You'd think I'd know better, having grown up here and all that. I was lulled into a false sense of security by all the consecutive days of beautiful, warm, sunny weather. This is Alberta, after all. Dont like the weather, wait 5 minutes.

I'm sitting with my head on my arms and looking at the reflection of my face in the glass top of my desk. All I can really see between my arms and my laptop are my eyes, and the wood grain below the glass. I wonder, what am I thinking? Its a shame that feeling of peace never lasts. I need school to be over for the summer.

I just cleaned my desk off yesterday and it's already a mess.

There is a little purple duck with horns sitting on top of my desk lamp.

Well, I think that was the most peacefull thing I've done in a long time.

I woke up this morning at about 5:00. And I dont know why, but I decided not to go back to sleep. I really dont know why. But what I decided to do, was to sit and watch the sun rise. So I sat at my desk with all the lights off, listening to some morning music, and I watched the sky slowly go from full dark to full light.

And I'm glad I did, because it's left me with a peace I certainly didnt' go to bed with last night. I feel a great deal better.