#NerdsUnite: The secret life of a veterinary technician

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Lindsay. She and I met ... well, somewhere in the social space. I think we might have started talking through this site directly, then through facebook - maybe ... I'm not sure. But she's awesome. I talk to her on twitter almost every day, and she's really rad and TOTALLY a big huge animal lover. Like crazy huge!! In these series of posts she will be talking about her life and random adventures with sometimes more than two legged creatures. I guess there's only one more thing left to say ... HIT IT LINDSAY!!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @TheCraftafarian

My most recent adventure was a quick trip to a local dairy farm. It's really close to my house, like 5 minutes away. I pass it all the time and I've always seen the sign but its never really registered to me that there was a working dairy farm minutes away from me. I think one day I was stuck behind someone really slow and I looked and actually read the sign. It stated they were open to the public only on Saturdays between 9am and 4pm. I've been meaning to go for the last two weeks but something always comes up and I'm not able to make it or I'm too exhausted from work. On the sign it says they have eggs, cheese, and honey. Every time I tell someone about the farm they are surprised there is one so close, most farms are further out in the boonies...I mean I was surprised there was one there! You never know what you will find when you actually stop and look around.

Today really wasn't the best day for me to attempt a visit but I knew if I kept putting it off there was a good chance that I'd never get around to it. After work I wanted to stop by the house I was pet sitting for to check on the kitties and give them more food. After that I knew I had to pass by the farm to get home so it was an easy way to force myself into it.

I turned down the dirt road and slowly drove past several cows and horses happily grazing on hay and whatever was available in there feed troughs. You could tell it was a small, family owned farm by the layout: some equipment here and there, pastures up front, long driveway leading to barn and allll the way in the back there was a house. There were little signs to point you in the right direction labeled "farm shop."Just the kind of place I was looking for!

At first it was slightly difficult to figure out where to park but you kind of just park wherever. They turned the entrance of the barn into a little shop. I walked in and the girl welcomed me. They had butter, biscotti, jams, jellies, cheese, and honey. They also usually have eggs but they were all out when I got there. I was told that they were out of several things and should have everything restocked next week. All I bought was some honey, it was a little more than I would have liked to spend on a big jar of honey ($7) but its from a local beekeeper so I figured "support local."

I tasted the two cheeses they had available. Tomme and Bleu Cheese. They are "Florida raw milk cheeses", you can see the website for more information about that. At first I didn't want to taste the bleu cheese but the other customer told me I HAD to try it. Now, let it be known I don't care for bleu cheese. I'll eat it, if I have to (now why would I have to?) but I won't go out of my way to have it. The bleu cheese I sampled was AMAZING. It is nothing like the bleu or blue cheese you get with wings or salad. Its very mild and creamy, it doesn't have that weird sharp perfumey taste. The Tomme tasted like a soft, mild parmasean, also yummy. The website says they also have coffee.  http://www.winterparkdairy.com/ I'm definitely going back next week for some farm food!

I spoke briefly with the girl running the shop. The cheese and butter is made on site from the dairy cows. The eggs are cage free (I hope that's why they are so expensive!) but are from a farm in Eustis, FL. The honey is local from Orlando, FL. I didn't get to ask much more because she had more customers. A mom and her cute little boy, probably 3 years old. They were there to tour the farm and see the animals. I thought it was really cool that they would do that when asked. I needed to get home to let the dogs out so I didn't stick around for the tour but I may try to get one next week.  

It was a nice experience and now good to know that I have access to some local farm products that don't have growth hormones, antibiotics, preservatives or other chemicals. This past week has been pretty good, I enrolled in school for my veterinary technician license and I am really looking forward to it! I start in the fall but I'll share more about that another time, once I get all my classes figured out. At work I had a career first, anesthesia of a 4 week old kitten. The surgery went very well and the little guy is doing great! I hope everyone is doing well and well you know, #nerdsunite.

#nerdsunite

Click here to follow Lindsay on Twitter!

#NerdsUnite: The secret life of a veterinary technician

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Lindsay. She and I met ... well, somewhere in the social space. I think we might have started talking through this site directly, then through facebook - maybe ... I'm not sure. But she's awesome. I talk to her on twitter almost every day, and she's really rad and TOTALLY a big huge animal lover. Like crazy huge!! In these series of posts she will be talking about her life and random adventures with sometimes more than two legged creatures. I guess there's only one more thing left to say ... HIT IT LINDSAY!!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @TheCraftafarian

This week started off really weird and ended...OK. So that's good, I guess.

I had some fun animal shenanigans this week. Normally when I find animals they are kittens or puppies (or the adult versions) but Sunday night was a first for me. I was driving my boyfriend home from work when we noticed an animal on the side of the road. At first I thought it was a cat, but I talking about a cat, plus I wasn't really looking closely because I was driving. David told me it was an owl just sitting in the road!! After debating for about 30 seconds we found a place to turn around and went back to the owl. We parked several yards away so that it wouldn't be frightened by the car, but we had driven right past him and he didn't even move. David went around to block traffic as I slowly walked up behind him and placed my jacket around it. I picked him up and carried him to the parking lot where the light was bright, so that I could examine any wounds. He didn't appear to have much more than a few scrapes and likely a bad bump to the head. Probably hit by a car as he was flying. I picked him up again (I had set him down to look at him) and he became startled and tried to fly away. He flapped, got some air, but seemed disoriented and was unable to actually get any altitude. Damn! I was hoping he would just fly away. He kind of glided into some bushes two feet away and I was able to get him out of there and into a cardboard box David got from his job. Once we got him home I placed him into my "kitten box" (that would be my kitten raising box, orphans will live in a large crate when unsupervised or too young), covered the crate with a sheet, and got to researching on the internet.

I knew there was a local birds of prey center but it was sunday night!!! Animal control isn't even open, but supposedly are available for animal emergencies (not pet emergencies). Plus they only do dogs and cats I'm told. I called the Audubon Center here in Maitland and left a message--that wouldn't be open to the public until tuesday, all I could think was "What am I going to do with this owl for two days?!" Finally I found number for the Florida Wildlife Rehab Center in Gainesville that was open 24 hours a day. I left them a message hoping for a call back with some advice. As the recording promised they did get back to me within an hour and informed me that although the birds of prey center wasn't open to the public Monday, they would accept dropped off/rescued birds. FL wildlife got in contact with them and made sure they knew I was coming. I was instructed to leave the owl in a dark, quiet area and not to offer any food or water. Got it, easy!!

The next morning he was looking much better as he looked completely freaked out that night. I think he realized we weren't going to eat him and that maybe he was safe. Bright and early I showed up at the Audubon Center with my owl. They were so very helpful and friendly. They took him out as I filled out paperwork (as if he was my own owl!), weighed him, and did a quick look over. I explained to them I was a vet tech and examined his wings but didn't find any obvious fractures, but also I don't ever see owls so what do I know.  The Raptor Technician gave me a business card for the center and wrote the owl's ID number on it. She told me I could call to check on him later as she wasn't going to be able to do a full exam right away. I told her I wasn't concerned now that he was in the right hands and he appeared to be mostly uninjured besides a likely headache. His bruised noggin didn't stop him from trying to bite the technicians. Thank goodness he was too shaken up the night before to try to bite me.

I did call that afternoon to check on him. They found a few abrasions and some blood in his mouth and eye. Probably from head trauma. They expect a full recovery once healed. I told them if they needed help releasing him I would be more than happy to come along. I'm expecting a call sometime next week. It was really satisfying to be able to save him from certain death by car or predators and make sure he gets the proper care. Plus the FL rehab center thanked be profusely as did the Audubon staff, made me feel really good. I think if I can find some extra time I'd like to volunteer there now and then. 

Oh yeah! Turns out there are only like four species of owls in Florida so David and I were able to figure out what species it was before the Birds of Prey Center even told us he was a Barred Owl. 

Pretty cool I think! :)

#nerdsunite

<3 Lindsay 
twitter: @thecraftafarian
blog: craftafarian.blogspot.com
email: craftafarian at gmail d c

#NerdsUnite: The secret life of a veterinary technician (on #love)

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Lindsay. She and I met ... well, somewhere in the social space. I think we might have started talking through this site directly, then through facebook - maybe ... I'm not sure. But she's awesome. I talk to her on twitter almost every day, and she's really rad and TOTALLY a big huge animal lover. Like crazy huge!! In these series of posts she will be talking about her life and random adventures with sometimes more than two legged creatures. I guess there's only one more thing left to say ... HIT IT LINDSAY!!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @TheCraftafarian

Hey Nerds! Sick of valentines day posts and tweets yet?? Well sorry, you're about to get another one. I promise not to be too sappy but just share my experience with my two valentine's dates. 

Ha! That was sorta a trick, its sounds very interesting but in actuality I hung out with my good friend on vday night and my boyfriend and I make our own valentines day....

My boyfriend and I have been together for 5 years. We've lived together for 3. Throughout all 5 years we have struggled to spend time together. We started dating when I lived in Gainesville, FL. I worked the night shift in small animal ICU hospital and he worked as a cook in Orlando, FL. We saw each other on the weekends when I had days off--which was crazy because he usually worked weekends and had days off during the week (go figure). So I would come down and stay at his place and we would spend time together when he wasn't working. I moved back to Orlando in December 2008, which is when we moved in together. Now I work full time as a vet tech in a general practice and he works as a server at an italian restaurant. Our days off hardly ever match up and he works later in the evening than I do. Maybe that's why we work so well, because we have plenty of time by ourselves--everyone needs time to be by themselves. So anyway my boyfriend and I aren't all that into valentines day. We do celebrate it because we are both so very busy and like to be able to devote a night or day to each other. 

We do a few things different though:

1. We never ever ever go out on the actual day/night of February 14. Even if we both have off we wouldn't want to go out during that madness. But he didn't because he was busy serving other people out for their valentines dinner. We always go out the before, after, or within a few days. This year we went out February 15th around 8pm and it was awesome. 

2. We don't do gifts, its not about that. It's about spending time together and enjoying it. (Ok I take that back, one year we were too broke to swing a nice dinner and I was working late so he went out on February 15th and got me a cute little bear, heart candle, a bunch of candy, and mcdonalds. He met me at the door when I got home. So cute. That's the only time he actually purchased gifts for the holiday.)

3. We usually go out to dinner to a place we both like AKA steak (or a new place) and if we can afford it will go "all out" and get appetizers, dinner, drinks, and dessert. We talked during dinner and had a great time. I even had plenty of leftovers for a yummy dinner the next night (he had to work). That night we had talked about going to a movie but we both agreed we would just go home and watch TV--we just got cable after two years of using the internet for TV, downloading, and antenna. It was a great night, yummy food, drinks, TV, and my boyfriend. :)

The actual night of Valentine's Day I made dinner for my good friend @therabidsmiley and we watched the Harold and Kumar Christmas Movie and you know, did what you should be doing while watching Harold and Kumar. Good times! I didn't want my friend to have to be alone on Wicked Heart Day or Single Awareness Day (or myself for that matter) so we hung out, talked, and had a general good time. I guess the point of this story is that you don't have to be in a relationship to have a nice vday (although I'm sure its much preferred, I understand) and just because you don't get to be with significant other during the holiday doesn't mean you can't' make it happen. However if I had to go to court on vday like Jen, I wouldn't be too happy about it either. Honestly going to court any day sounds terrible--speaking of which I just got a jury duty summons and I'm pretty sure I don't have a way out of it....

Thanks again @therabidsmiley for being my valentine's night date and thanks to my awesome boyfriend for taking me out to dinner (he would correct me and say WE took us out to dinner).

#nerdsunite

<3 Lindsay 
twitter: @thecraftafarian
blog: craftafarian.blogspot.com
email: craftafarian at gmail d c

#NerdsUnite: The secret life of a veterinary technician (exciting news)

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Lindsay. She and I met ... well, somewhere in the social space. I think we might have started talking through this site directly, then through facebook - maybe ... I'm not sure. But she's awesome. I talk to her on twitter almost every day, and she's really rad and TOTALLY a big huge animal lover. Like crazy huge!! In these series of posts she will be talking about her life and random adventures with sometimes more than two legged creatures. I guess there's only one more thing left to say ... HIT IT LINDSAY!!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @TheCraftafarian

I have news!! Yay!! I start school this Summer and I'm so freaking excited (I'm starting to feel like a dork). *happy dance* I'm even more happy because if you remember my post 10 Life Tweaks for 2012, figuring out school was on there. So I've accomplished a goal also. YES.

After researching several schools I finally applied to a school with a veterinary technician program so I can earn my certification and license for Florida, super exciting! I was conflicted for a long time about what to do regarding school and my career. I mean I love animals, medicine, and science so I feel like I'm in the right field but it would be nice to further my education and/or have something to fall back on. Plus many times more education in the field means more compensation so that would be great. I don't know if I'm going to stop after this degree, I guess it just depends on how I feel. 

I enrolled at San Juan College, located in New Mexico-They have an awesome online distance learning program. I chose this school for a number of reasons:

1. Highly recommended by a graduate I spoke to online.

2. When I emailed the adviser for information she responded immediately and even gave me a phone number to call her directly if I had any questions. (I can't even get on the phone immediately with a real person at any of my previous schools when I call.) She encouraged that I call to discuss  any questions(I never did, hehe I just like that I can if I need to).

3. Even though the school is located in New Mexico the cost for my out of state tuition is less than the cost of Florida in state tuition. Maybe I should move their because their in state tuition is a steal. 

4. NM considers me a degree seeking student while the state of FL classifies me as a non-degree seeking student (personal interest) because I have an AA degree. This classification is very important because only degree seeking students can receive financial aid. 

5. I don't have to take a drug test for this school--which is great because I really hate going to the lab centers and waiting to pee in a cup.

6. I don't have to travel to the school to take exams or do hands on skills. The school in FL requires you to drive to their testing center or pay someone at UCF $25 per exam to proctor. 

7. Maybe more, I  can't think right now. 

Basically I take my tests and quizzes online, submit assignments, and group chat discussions. The thing about the distance learning program is that you have to be working at a veterinary office in order to get "classroom experience." My boss is going to be my mentor and he has to sign off on skills so that I can move forward in the classes. Just because I live and work in FL doesn't mean I have to go to the school here. I chose an AVMA and AAHA accredited school (vet associations) which means its a good solid school and the degree being on my resume will be an asset. Once I earn the degree I have to take the national exam which costs $300 or more--it takes about 6 weeks to find out if you passed. Then in order to be licensed in FL I have to take yet another exam (and pay another $50) once all that is finished I will have earned my veterinary technician degree. Like any medical degree you have to obtain a certain number of continuing education credits to keep your license active (and pay dues, of course). I think this will make me feel very accomplished. Also being certified tends to get you loads more respect in the field than experience. *sigh* With 12 years experience you would think I wouldn't be talked to like a kid...(not my boss or coworkers, just other people, other colleagues)

My plan after that is to start a bachelors program in biology or marine biology (I like science) and then maybe a masters, maybe one day a PhD or DVM (veterinarian). The reason I'm not starting a bachelors degree now is because my GPA isn't awesome and I'm kinda blacklisted from UCF so I don't really have a public university that I can go to right now. That's why I decided to get my vet tech degree as I am currently working in the field and don't plan to change anytime soon. Plus taking these classes will help boost my GPA (if I do well, I mean WHEN) and then I can apply with a nice plump GPA. More on that stuff next week, its a fun tale. 

I haven't taken classes in over two years (I think). Now I have even more stuff to juggle but I'm really happy about it. Sometimes I had trouble with classes that didn't interest me so I'm hoping that since this is going to be all vet tech stuff I'm going to dive right in and be a genius. Haha. It will take hard work but it's so going to be worth it. 

Anyone else out there going to school? Let's help motivate each other!

Next week I'll share the story of my epic education failure...(even though it was lame then I'm happy it all happened otherwise I would not be the same person I am today, nor would I be living the same life. ie. boyfriend, current job, pets, LIFE)

#nerdsunite

<3 Lindsay 
twitter: @thecraftafarian
blog: craftafarian.blogspot.com
email: craftafarian at gmail d c