Insults

Today, at work, I was insulted by a customer.

An upset elderly customer. She was upset because her puppy, Peanut, wasn't responding to her surgery as planned.

The puppy had a hernia, which was repaired on Monday.

She called this morning saying the puppy's belly was swollen and was having a hard time going to the bathroom. I told her to come straight in and we'll take a look and see what's going on with Peanut. She said, "okay."

Around lunchtime, I took a phone call, and it was this woman. I answered the phone as usual, "Small Town Vet Clinic, this is Miss CB" and her response was, "Is this the vet clinic?" I replied with, "Yes, ma'am, it is." Her response was, "And who are you?" I replied with my name. She told me her name and said that she was really upset that the doctor had "butchered her dog".

I was taken aback. No one butchered anything.

I responded with, "Ma'am, I'm very sorry that you feel that way, but it was not our intention for anything bad to happen to Peanut."

She responded, in tears, "I'm sorry you're so insensitive."

My response was, "Oh ma'am, please do not mistake me for being insensitive. Please understand that no doctor or technician would knowingly cause harm to any pet that walks through our doors. I am sorry that Peanut doesn't seem to be responding well."

She cried. Continuing to tell me how the doctor "butchered her dog".

At last she said, "I'm taking her to Davis. That doctor butchered my dog."

And she hung up.

I turned around to see my office supervisor staring at me, ready to take a bite of her lunch, with a look that said, "WTF?"

I told her what the client said, and asked if I had - at all - sounded insensitive. She said, "No. In fact, you handled that call really well. You know, that woman has been a client with us for a very long time. I'm surprised she reacted like that." Then she promptly got up and went to the doctor (the one the client complained about), told her what happened and then the doctor has for my input. She said she would try calling her to see if she could talk to her.

It didn't make much sense that she had wasted 5 hours of the day away after having called me the first time, then call to say she was taking her dog to UC Davis Vet Hospital - 3 hours away and would be close to closing time by the time she got down there. And if she were to wait another day, her puppy would be even worse off.

What we figured was that perhaps she was letting the puppy run around, which could cause sutures to break, re-creating the hernia, or causing worse harm. She probably took the puppy to another vet clinic, and the doctor there could have taken the client's word at face value, and saying that the doctor who performed the procedure had done it wrong. It seems the most logical explanation.

To my followers and friends that are pet owners: Please know that people don't spend several hundred thousand dollars to obtain their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree to "butcher" animals. They work their asses off to obtain that degree because they have a love of animals, and they want to help. When your vet gives you explicit instructions, please follow them. No veterinarian wants to ostracize clients by "butchering" their animals, because trust me, that is no way to keep people coming through the front door. 

Remember that bad word of mouth always travels faster than good. And nobody wants that.

Remember that no matter what, shit can happen, even when you follow directions. We never know how each animal is going to react or heal after an injury or surgery.

But above all, please know that whatever happens, your veterinarian never wants anything bad to happen to your pet.

Ever.

 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  When were you last facing an ocean? Using just ONE word, describe how you felt as you faced that ocean. 

I honestly cannot remember the last time I faced the ocean. It may have been when my BFF and I took a weekend trip to Monterey, but that was YEARS ago. I love just sitting there, watching the ocean. I suddenly feel so small, realizing just how big the world is and that there's a other world on the other side of that ocean. I also tend to feel relaxed, the sound of the waves is very relaxing to me.

2. What are three sounds you hate to hear?

Fighting. Crying. Anything that resembles nails on a chalkboard *shudders*

3. This question comes to you courtesy of some real life friends. Hi real life friends! When you shop for yourself, do you try everything on in the store before buying or do you buy, try on at home, and then return what you don't like or what doesn't fit?

Depends on how I'm feeling. Or how much I ate 20 minutes before at lunch. I tend to try it on in the store, think it looks great and then get home and try it on and think, Um, how on earth did it shrink between home and the store? That's so strange . . .

4. February 26th is National Pistachio Day...are you a fan of the little green nut? Do you use them in cooking and baking or prefer to eat them right out of the shell?

Nope. Not a fan of the little green nut. Mint chip ice cream is green, could that be used as a substitute? (please?)

5. When did you last have to compromise with someone?  Were you happy to reach the compromise or slightly irritated it was necessary? 

I usually compromise at work. If it's with the other techs, I'm usually happy about it. If it's a certain someone else, no, I'm not really ever happy about it. Irritated would be a nice way to put it. lol

6.  Have you ever written a letter to an elected official? Did you get a response?

I don't think so.

7. We 'March' into a new month at the end of this week...what's something on your March calendar guaranteed to make you smile?

My Dad's birthday. But I have to wait until the end of the month.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I've recently started trying online dating again. I came across this in a profile this evening. This was all he wrote in his "about me" area. And my mother wonders why it's so hard for me to find someone . . . lol

"Will I'm a guy who has a hard time expaning myself expselly whin comes to writting it out mainly I like to go out and have a good time with my friends and family and i'm tired of being a lone in my life and I wunt to shair with someone in my life."

It's great that he admits he's terrible at writing about himself (welcome to the club!), and that he enjoys being around friends and family. BUT. There's just too much wrong in the longest sentence ever. Good looks don't mean squat if you can't spell and have never heard of a punctuation mark. I realize and respect that spelling and grammar aren't everyone's strong point. I suck royally at math (ask anyone who knows me). But, I run into quite a bit of this in profiles. And if it's not this, these guys write stuff out like a text message. Pet peeve. 

100 Things I Love About the USA: Part 4

I'm doing a series of posts about things I love about the USA. To catch up on previous posts, please click here. And in no particular order, I continue!

#15. We Americans love our freedom - but our freedom comes with laws. And over the years our politicians have created some very stupid laws. I cringe thinking of reasons why some of these laws were even thought of. But nonetheless, they are on the books and are always good for fodder. We even have books about some of our stupid laws from around the country. No really, these things are amazing. Here's a sampling:

Alabama: It is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle. (Seems like that one wouldn't need a law it's so obvious. But, hey, what do I know?)

Alaska: Kangaroos are not allowed in barber shops at any time. (Because apparently barbers were being harassed by the large kangaroo population up there.)

Arizona: Hunting camels is prohibited. (Yeah, I'm pretty sure the zoos frown on that sort of thing.)

Arkansas: It is illegal to mispronounce Arkansas while in Arkansas. (So, if you know it's not your word, don't go.)

California: Sunshine is guaranteed to the masses. (Soooo, Mother Nature, who is responsible for these winter storms where we don't see the sun for days at a time, is being fined, right?)

Colorado: It is illegal to let your cat run loose in Denver unless it has a tail light. (That I want to see.)

Connecticut: A pickle is not a pickle unless it bounces. (Until then it's just a vinegar soaked cucumber, right?)

Delaware: Six year old girls may not run around without being fully clothed. (But any girls younger or older than that, they are totally down with running around naked or partially clothed.)

Florida: Well, Florida holds a special place in our hearts - and I couldn't choose from the laws I found, so, Florida gets multiple. Enjoy.

1. A special law prohibits unmarried women from parachuting on Sunday or she shall risk arrest, fine, and/or jailing. (However, a married woman may do so. Interesting.)
2. If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle. (Oddly, there are a lot of laws around our country that involve elephants. I'm extremely curious how many people actually owned elephants as pets.)
3. It is illegal to sing in a public place while attired in a swimsuit within the city limits of Sarasota. (Damn it. There goes my plans for summer.)
4. Men may not be seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown. (So the cross-dressing/transvestite crowd should find a new state? Seems a bit harsh.)
5. In Miami, it is forbidden to imitate an animal. (There goes my game of Charades I had planned!)
6. It is illegal to fart in a public place after 6:00pm on a Thursday. (But the other 6 days of the week are okay? Seriously?!)
7. It is illegal to have sexual intercourse with a porcupine. (Holy shit! WHY did this have to be a law? WHO in their right mind would do that?!)
8. It is illegal for a woman to bungee jump naked on Sunday before midday. (But it's totally cool for the afternoon and evenings.)
9. In Miami it is illegal to park your elephant on 8th Street on Sundays after 1pm. (Seriously, the elephants again? Was Ringling Brothers in town?)

Georgia: It is illegal to tie a Giraffe to a lamp post. (Well, I thought the fire hydrant was a little low for him . . . )

Hawaii: You will be fined if you do not own a boat. (And parking of all those boats won't be a problem, right?)

Idaho: It is illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than 50 pounds. (Guys, I know we like chocolate, but do this and you will die.)

Illinois: It is illegal to eat in a restaurant that is on fire. (I want to know what idiot did this.)

Indiana: Bathing is prohibited in winter. (I'm going to guess because it can get so cold. However, if it's still in effect, why isn't the entire state under arrest?)

Iowa: In the city of Marshaltown, horses are forbidden to eat fire hydrants. (*insert crickets*)

Kansas: It is illegal to hunt whales. (Makes total sense being a land locked state. Y'all paid someone to think that one up???)

Kentucky: By law, anyone who has been drinking is "sober" until he or she "cannot hold onto the ground". (So you can still crawl home, drunk as a skunk, but you're sober because technically, you can still "hold on to the ground", am I right?)

Louisiana: It is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot the teller with a water pistol. (Either way, if you're dumb enough to get caught, you're still going to prison. Water pistol or no.)

Maine: You may not step out of a plane in flight. (This actually needed to be a law?!)

Maryland: You are not allowed to swear inside the city limits of Baltimore. (I'm guessing here, but I'm sure that one is broken all the time.)

Massachusetts: An old ordinance declares goatees illegal unless you first pay a special license fee for the privilege of wearing one in public. (And yet, there's probably a man who has hair longer than most women in a mullet cut. And that's not illegal?)

Michigan: Alligators may not be tied to fire hydrants. (Because there are so many alligators in Michigan.)

Minnesota: In the city of Minnetonka, anyone involved in allowing or being allowed to enter a massage therapist after 11p.m. is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Because what legit message therapist is open that late?)

Mississippi: It is illegal to teach others what polygamy is. (So does that mean they won't know that polygamy is illegal, too?)

Missouri: It is illegal to have oral sex. (Who monitors this?)

Montana: It is illegal to have a sheep in the cab of your truck without a chaperone. (hahahahahahaha!)

Nebraska: If a child burps during church, its parent(s) may be arrested. (Evidently they take church very seriously.)

Nevada: It is illegal to drive a camel on the highway. (First, I thought one rode a camel. Second, I know Nevada is pretty much all desert, but camels aren't native to the USA, let alone Nevada.)

New Hampshire: On Sundays, citizens may not relieve themselves while looking up. (Ooookay.)

New Jersey: It is illegal to wear a bullet proof vest while committing a murder. (I'm pretty sure that the murderer isn't concerned so much about this crime.)

New Mexico: In the town of Las Cruces, it is illegal to carry a lunchbox down Main Street. (But what if that's where you work?)

New York: Women may go around topless, provided it's not being used as a business (sorry hookers). BUT, it is illegal for women to be walking down the street in "body hugging clothing". (Yeah, makes perfect sense to me.)

North Carolina: Bingo games must not be longer than 5 hours, unless it is held at a fair. (I'm seeing a new reality show - Extreme Bingo.)

North Dakota: Beer and pretzels cannot be served at the same time in any bar or restaurant. (So getting drunk on an empty stomach is preferable?)

Ohio: It is illegal to get a fish drunk. (How many innocent fish got drunk until this law was passed?)

Oklahoma: In Clinton, it's illegal to molest an automobile. (WTF? Who does this?!)

Oregon: It is illegal for babies to be transported on the outside of a vehicle, like running boards, hoods, etc. (Seriously, who let those people procreate?!)

Pennsylvania: Any motorist driving along a country road at night must stop every mile and send up a rocket signal, wait 10 minutes for the road to be cleared of livestock, and continue. (That's going to be a long drive.)

Rhode Island: It is considered an offense to throw pickle juice on a trolley. (But the pickle itself is cool.)

South Carolina: Horses may not be kept in bathtubs. (That must have been a good sized bathtub and a well trained horse.)

South Dakota: Horses are not allowed at the Fountain Inn unless they are wearing pants. (Because it's so easy getting pants on a horse. *facepalm*)

Tennessee: In Memphis, it's illegal for a woman to drive a car unless there is a man either running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians. (I'm insulted but I'm laughing my ass off anyway!)

Texas: A recently passed anti-crime law requires criminals to give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and to explain the nature of the crime to be committed. (So, how's that working out for ya?)

Utah: In Tremonton, it is illegal to have sex in a moving ambulance and if you are caught the guy is let go and the woman is punished and her name appears in the newspaper. (Yeah, that's totally fair. Jackasses.)

Vermont: Lawmakers made it obligatory for everyone to take at least one bath each week - on Saturday. (It's sad that such a law had to be put into place.)

Virginia: In Stafford County, it is legal for a man to beat his wife on the courthouse steps so long as it is before 8:00 pm. (Beg your pardon?)

Washington: All lollipops are banned. (Fun-suckers.)

West Virginia: It is legal for a male to have sex with an animal as long as it does not exceed 40 lbs. (W.T.F.?!)

Wisconsin: It is illegal to purchase or use Sparklers in the city, yet you can buy fully disassembled automatic machine guns. (Because I bet there were a lot of people that had been Sparkled to death.)

Wyoming: It is illegal for women to stand within five feet of a bar while drinking. (For realsies?)

I Have A New Obsession

First - Granny's home!! My parents drove to Redmond, OR to meet G's family who was driving them from Moses Lake, WA to Redmond. Granny had to ride in the back seat of her car, sitting long-ways in the back seat to try to keep her leg up. Mom and I had moved her furniture in her bedroom a bit to make room for the wheel chair she'll be using to get her in and around the house. We got everything unloaded and got Granny all situated in her chair - with her leg up. I fixed nachos for dinner - something that's yummy and easy enough for my not-so-betty-crocker-ass to fix. Anyway, Granny's home safe and sound, and mending at home.

We are all so grateful to G's family for taking such great care of her, and not to forget the doctors, either.

And now, onto my post.

I have a new obsession.

Many of you know of my love of Pride and Prejudice. I adore the movie with Colin Firth. I love the book. I love the fan-fiction spin-offs. And now there's something else P & P related that I have fallen for.

It's called the Lizzie Bennett Diaries, and it's a "show" on YouTube. Each "episode" is an average of 5ish minutes. It is, of course, all about Lizzie and her family. The tale has been highly modernized, like Lizzie now only has two other sisters - one has been turned into a cousin, the other into a cat. We have yet to actually meet her parents, but she mimics them for us - since it's all from her perspective. The cast is widely diverse in that Charles Bingley becomes Bing Lee. Fitzwilliam Darcy is just William Darcy and his cousin (in the book is Colonel Fitzwilliam) is just "Fitz". Catherine DeBourgh (sp??) is an investor in Mr. Collins' company and he still talks a lot and never really says anything.

It's a new way to tell the time old tale originally written by Jane Austen nearly 200 years ago. And it's funny. There's 90-some videos and I managed to watch them all in, like, a week. I can hardly get enough of these videos and now that I'm all caught up, I'm in agony waiting for the next one to be uploaded.

The premise behind these videos is that Lizzie and her BFF Charlotte Lu are grad school students majoring in Mass Communications and decided to start these videos as part of their thesis (if I remember correctly). Of course, the diaries show Lizzie's point of view on everything, with some input from Charlotte and her two sisters, with a few others that eventually show up.

I don't remember what blog I ran across that mentioned this awhile ago, and it took me a couple months to actually go check it out, but whomever you are, thanks. Totally love it.
 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. When were you last 'on a mountaintop'?  You may answer in the literal or figurative sense.

That would be the last time I went to Mt. Lassen. And it still wasn't the "top", I don't think. But it was however high the highway went. lol
2.  Do you establish and maintain a strict budget in your household?  What is one piece of financial advice you would offer someone just starting out on their own? 

Since normally my household is just me, and I typically live paycheck to paycheck, yes there is a pretty strict budget. My advice would be "do not EVER live off a credit card". Because I have had trouble with that, and I know so many people who have had problems. If you can live without it and you can't afford it then you don't NEED it. Simple as that. There is no reason to go playing "keeping up with the Jones'" because everyone loses.
3.  Cherries-yay or nay?  Cherry pie, cherry cola, black forest cake, or a scoop of Ben and Jerry's Cherries Garcia...pick one. 

Nay. I like cherry flavored things, but not the cherry itself.

Yes. I know. I'm weird.
4.  Should you ever discuss religion or politics with people you don't know? 

This is a bit like a double-edged sword. You can have civilized discussions about both of these topics and in many cases, learn something knew. 

However.

Discussions can easily take a turn for the worse. I personally try not to discuss religion or politics with strangers. Hell, I typically don't discuss them with family or friends. However, no matter who you discuss these topics with, it's best to try to keep an open mind and respect that other people have different ideas and opinions than you. And don't pull the "my faith/political party is better than yours" attitude.
5.  When you take a road trip do you prefer to be the driver or the passenger?  Where were you headed on your last road trip? 

Either. Sometimes just being a passenger can be tiring. But so can being just the driver. So really, if you're alone and all you can do is drive, it's just plain exhausting. LOL
6. If we peeked inside your closet, what color would we say is most prevalent?

Black and purple.
7. Who's your favorite senior citizen and why are they special?

Betty White. Seriously the woman is a rock star. 

Seriously? All of my grandparents would be my favorite seniors. I admire them all for things they've gone through, things they've done, and who they are.
8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Granny's coming home!! G's family took her to the doctor today (Tuesday) and he said there were no blood clots and it was safe for her to travel. G's family is going to drive her down, and my parents will meet them half-way, in Redmond, OR. For those that missed my last post, my Granny broke her leg a couple weeks ago while on a road trip with her (boy)friend, G to visit his daughter for her birthday. His family has been so great to keep her there at their house and take care of her before and after the surgery she had last week to repair cartilage/muscle/tendons that she tore. So, by Friday, my Granny will be home!

Birthdays and Hitches

My birthday (a couple weeks ago) went off with only one hitch this year. It's an upsetting hitch, but a hitch that will be rectified in time.

Thursday at work, I jokingly told Dr. S that I didn't want any emergency calls that night as I was going out with friends for my birthday (we were both on call that night). He said, "Oh, happy birthday! How old are you gonna be? 35?" I promptly told him he's now on my Shit List. How dare he add two years onto my age?! He won back a couple brownie points for emptying the dishwasher for me because he had nothing to do. But he's still not out of the woods.  ;o)

Thursday evening I had dinner with a couple of girlfriends at a nice restaurant, and as a bonus an old high school classmate of ours was serenading the restaurant patrons with his guitar. He played lots of tunes from my high school days (mid-late 90s), which was great because I don't hear those songs very often anymore. After he finished a set, he came over and visited with us for a bit. After he had his dinner but before he went back on, he came back over as my birthday dessert arrived and sang Happy Birthday. I'm glad he didn't use the microphone, but since it's a small restaurant, I'm pretty sure everybody heard anyway. The folks at the restaurant got a thumbs up from me as they wrote in strawberry something-or-other "Happy Birthday Miss CB 17th". Considering the waiter carded me when I ordered a drink, I'm pretty sure he knew it wasn't my 17th birthday.

Friday, my birthday, I had to work half the day. One of my co-workers went and bought me a small chocolate cake. I got home, and my mom had fixed what I wanted for my birthday dinner - Brangus Burgers and fries, with funfetti cupcakes for dessert. The story behind the Brangus Burger is that was the name of the restaurant my parents owned when I was really little. It's a simple burger - BBQ sauce, onion rings, bacon and cheese. An ex-boyfriend had them once and said, "so basically it's a western bbq burger from Carls Jr." Yes. It is. But we had never heard of Carls Jr at the time of our restaurant. Jack ass. Carl has got nothing on a Brangus Burger.

I finally got to open the presents that had been sitting on the buffet, torturing me all week long. Granny got me an electric throw blanket - which is awesome because the house gets cold. As does the 5th wheel. My parents got me a pair of Skecher shoes that are slippers inside yet are tennis shoes on the outside - score! And the bestest present ever? I got me a Buster Posey Jersey!! I was so shocked and excited! Now I just need to go to a Giants game. ;o)

Saturday night I got to have dinner out with my family at my choice of restaurant. I chose Red Lobster because I only go there every couple of years or so and I have had a craving for those cheese rolls for at least that long. Plus I wanted clam strips. All of it was yummy and I was miserably full afterwards.

The hitch was that a couple days before my birthday, we got a call from Granny saying that she had fallen down and had broken her left leg. She had taken off with G for a road trip a few days prior to see the coast and then drove up to Washington to see one of G's daughters for her birthday. We found out on my birthday that she will need to have surgery as she'd torn the cartilage surround the bone. And that it would need to be done as soon as possible - preferably up there, and then would have to stay put for at least two to three weeks. G's family has been taking great care of Granny, and G's granddaughter is a CNA so we know she'll do her absolute best for my Granny. Granny's one request? If my parents could bring her recliner up there. By Friday afternoon, my parents had decided to drive up to Washington on Sunday, stay for Granny's surgery on Monday, and drive back either Tuesday or Wednesday (each trip about 12 hours). So, when I got home from work Saturday, I helped my parents get the recliner out of Granny's room, out her back door, through the back yard and into the back of my parents truck and wrapped in a tarp and tied it down with bungee cords. What we do for Granny. lol

Her surgery went well, and now she has to stay up there, with her leg up for two to three weeks. We're so grateful for G's family up there for taking such good care of her. We wish she was home, and she will be eventually. 

Valentine's Day Victory

Valentine's Day is the kind of holiday where I can take it or leave it. We're not always on good terms, but the way I see it is that if I'm still breathing at the end of the day, it's a success. I've dated guys that didn't bother to make it special, making me feel like an afterthought, an obligation, a nuisance. I've dated guys who made an effort at least to make the day nice. I've also been dumped around this time of year. So, yeah, I'm not always on good terms with the holiday of chubby cherubs with bows and arrows.

This year, however, I would consider a success. Thanks to my parents. Thanks to Dad. I wasn't expecting anything at all, with the exception of maybe some chocolate from my parents.

I had to work a ten hour shift today, and I literally had no energy. I didn't want to get up - I was just tired and didn't want to get up. I dragged myself to work, where a sales rep passing through town brought us a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. I hadn't had one of those in years. I pretty much inhaled one, telling myself it doesn't count if you only eat one every 5 years or so. I was able to stay busy until lunch. Another sales rep for one of our products came in and bought all of us lunch. That was a perk, as I hadn't known about it. The sales rep saved me from my PB & J. By the time I finally grabbed my sandwich, I was starving and I think the sandwich tasted good. After lunch, my energy took a nose dive. And I wasn't the only one - everyone seemed to be dying for a post-lunch-afternoon nap.

I abused my power over the ROP student that came in - making her clean up a couple nasty messes, sweep, mop, take out the trash. In all fairness, I did all the laundry, got my hands and arms dirty helping a doctor clean out a laceration under a dogs chin, making a puppy vomit because he got into Mommy's Valentine candy, cleaned exam rooms, dumped the mop bucket, and started the dishwasher. Among various things that popped up. 

Around 5pm, everything was done, and I got a text from Mom that said I "have the sweetest dad ever". Well, I already knew that. But I figured that meant he got me something nice for Valentine's Day.

And I was right.

I walked in the house at 6pm, smelling something cooking on the barbecue, a single red rose, the world's sweetest card (no, seriously), and a huge chocolate-peanut-butter candy - from my Dad. My Mom made sugar cookies, got me a sweet card, and a red and white stuffed puppy, and a Kit Kat. The two of them cooked up an amazing dinner of tri-tip, salad, garlic bread, and homemade french fries.

After dinner, we settled in for our recorded TV shows - one of them was a new Inside the Actor's Studio, which Hugh Jackman, who belted out a few tunes of Heartbreak Hotel. From there, the three of us lost it. Mom and I teased each other about who Hugh was singing to, when Dad pulled out the dog's rope toy out of his lap. I don't remember exactly what set us off - who said what - but the gutter was involved. Mom asked if that was a bone or if he was happy to see her - we all died laughing. It kept going, anything with the word "bone" in it, we started laughing harder and harder. I literally had tears rolling down my cheeks, I could hardly breathe, and it was relentless. We did eventually make it through the show. But I'm pretty sure we did the equivalent of a million situps/crunches with all the laughing we did.

All in all, I would say that this Valentine's Day was a good one.  Thanks to the best parents a girl could ever ask for.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  This week marks the beginning of Lent...will you be giving something up or adding anything to your life during this season of the year? 

Mama didn't raise no quitter. lol I've never observed Lent. Doesn't mean I never will, but I have yet to do so.
2. The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday... tradition states you eat pancakes on this day. In some parts of the world Shrove Tuesday is actually known as 'pancake day'. How do you like your pancakes? Or don't you? 

I'm simple, I like my pancakes with butter and syrup.
3.  I'm sure there are many, but what's one love song you really love? 

My all-time favorite song is "Fishin' in the Dark" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I was so proud of myself for finally remember all the lyrics when I was a kid. Now the song just takes me back to riding around in the truck as a kid trying to sing it. Good times.

4.  What are some things you do to let others know you love them? 

I will do something nice for them without being asked. Sometimes I send family members or my BFF a postcard just to say "hi".
5.  Roses...red, pink, or do you prefer another color? Can you recall the last time someone gave you flowers? Given your choice would you like to open the door and see a dozen red roses, a dozen purple tulips, or a dozen pink peonies?

I'd say lavender because purple is my favorite color. But I love red roses, too. It's been a very long time since anybody has bought me flowers of any kind. So if I were to open my door, as long as the flowers aren't dead, I'd be happy. lol
6.  President's Day will be celebrated in America next Monday. Does US Presidential history and trivia interest you?  Many Presidential homes are open to the public and offer guided tours...Monticello (Jefferson's home), Mount Vernon (Washington's home), Montpelier (James Madison's home), Hyde Park (FD Roosevelt's home) and The White House (home to the sitting President) to name just a few. Of those listed which would you be most interested in touring?  Why?

I have been to the White House, Monticello, and Mount Vernon. All in the same week. lol Monticello was interesting, Thomas Jefferson was an interesting man. Mount Vernon was pretty cool, too, if I recall. The White House - it was an okay tour. For some reason, it looks more regal on TV, but up close and personal it didn't seem to impress that much. My whole class left that tour a bit disappointed. But it was still cool to see. Maybe one day I'll see the others.
7.  Are you good at keeping secrets? 

Fort Knox, baby.  ;o)
8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

I think Petunia was sent home with her owner yesterday as she wasn't at work. I was actually disappointed to not see her as I really wanted to. Silly little pig, stole my heart away. Click here if you missed the story of Petunia the Pig.

A Pig Named Petunia

This last Saturday at work, a guy burst through our front door with a piglet wrapped in bloody towels. Her name is Petunia. Petunia the pig had been attacked by a dog and badly. According to the owner, he had only just taken possession of the piglet about two hours prior - supposedly from a neighbor who didn't seem to be taking good care of her - when another neighbor's dog tried to eat it for lunch.

Petunia had puncture wounds all over, from top to bottom. A couple puncture wounds punctured through her chest cavity, exposing her lungs - which were unharmed as far as we could tell. She was in shock, her gums were pale and she was shaking. And her temperature was so low, it barely registered on our thermometer. An average body temp for a pig is anywhere between 100 and 103* (F), although potbellied pigs can be a bit lower. When I left her at 3pm, her temperature was 93.9 and that was an improvement.

Dr. M spoke with the pig's owner, as well as the dog's owner, about cost and they both agreed to try to save her. The dog's owner put down the required $500 deposit, and both men were quoted that the bill could get as high as $1000. We got Petunia started on oxygen, we had the ROP student get hot water into bottles and lots of blankets. I started clipping the different wounds, while trying to keep pressure on her right side as that was where the hole into her chest cavity was. Dr. M didn't have everything she needed to fix Petunia completely or properly, but we sutured her up as best as we could and cleaned her up. I set up a cage for her and put fresh hot water in the water bottles and extra towels. I just kept petting her on her nose. I'm not partial to pigs, but she's super cute. Besides, how can you not love a pig named Petunia?

I went to work Monday morning, having thought and worried about this poor little pig through the weekend, went straight to the back to see if she was still on our white board for in-house patients. She was. Then I went to her cage in the cat ward, and there she was. I opened her cage door, she started oinking. I was so happy, I was near tears. Over a pig. I fed her a bowl of dog food and she just chowed down on it. We have to syringe feed her water, because she'll knock the bowl over and only make a mess. Her wounds have already started healing. She's still sore, and won't actually walk. Dr. M had me take her outside to see if she'd walk. She squealed the entire way. I'm pretty sure the folks in the pizza kitchen next door had to be wondering, "What the hell?!" lol

Once outside, she just sat there. And scooted around a little. But she wouldn't walk. I took her inside when she tried eating rocks, because we don't need that. I took her back inside, carrying her with her squealing away. I got her back in her cage, gave her more food and water, and let her be. She's still not out of the woods by any means, but she's slowly improving.

As I was leaving this afternoon, I told one of the girls to, "not forget to water the pig." That really tickled her funny bone, and I only made it worse when I said, "well, her name is Petunia, so don't forget our little flower."

I will see how she's doing on Tuesday.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10th, and 2013 is the year of the snake. When did you last see a snake?  Are you okay around snakes or do they give you the shivers? 

 

I saw a snake wrapped around a guys hand at Barnes & Noble awhile back. I'm not fond of snakes, but after working for Petco for 3 years in college, I did learn to handle snakes. If I know they're biters, I won't hold them, but if they're not, I'm okay with it. 

2. The color red in Chinese culture usually means good luck.  Do you believe in luck? 

Yes - to a point. Whether it's just random luck, or you make you're own luck, or even bad luck, it all happens to us at some point. 

3. Sledding-ice skating-building a snowman...if given a choice, which activity would you choose?  Which of the three have you done most recently?  

I've never been ice skating and probably not wise to do so with my horrible ankles. I haven't been sledding since I was a little kid. And I haven't built a snowman in ages. So, sledding and/or building a snowman would be good fun! 

4.  Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, "The years teach much which the days never knew."  Where have you seen this quote played out in your own life?  

Probably all the time. It's looking back on things - lessons learned, things learned over time, that you realized how much you have learned. Each day I learn something new, but sometimes either you don't really realize it, or don't focus on it. It's all of it combined, that when you look back, you realize how much you've learned. 

5. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?  

In the last few months. When my job  opened it's new office our reps brought us all kinds of goodies and then there were the holidays. Plus Mom is baking some for my birthday on Friday.

6. What's something you can't say no to?  

A Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Lord help me. 
 

7.  Are you a doodler?  

Sometimes, yes. And I'm not very good. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

I've signed up for the A-Z Challenge - again. This will be my third time. Which means I must really be crazy if I'm willing to do it more than once! I may actually try to do a theme this year, which I haven't done in the past. However, creativity is not my BFF, so any ideas would be awesome.

Also, congrats to the Baltimore Ravens for winning Superbowl 47 this past weekend. They opened up a can of whoop-ass on my Niners. A very large can. It was embarrassing, really. Luckily they rallied back in the second half and made it a game worth cheering on. But alas, the better team won. Although, the Superbowl ads pretty much sucked this year. The Budweiser commercial brought tears and I loved the Paul Harvey bit by Dodge. Other than that, not worth air time.

What Are We Doing To Our Kids?

*steps onto soapbox*

Humans have a tendency to overreact. A lot. It's apparently in our nature. And inevitably, we upset ourselves, our society, our way of life, etc.

These days, our overreacting is hurting our children, who are innocent bystanders in this world. They are now being forced to grow up too soon because of how society works. The shootings in Newtown, CT and terrorism are huge things in America right now. Adults are often afraid because of racial or ethical stereotypes and what they see on the news. Or should I say "news".

If you've seen recent headlines with kindergartners being suspended over childhood items at school, then you know what I'm talking about. Kindergartners are 5 years old. Typically, they don't see the news headlines about the violence in not only our nation, but around the world. They are learning to color inside the lines, how to write their ABC's, how to read, and how to play with others and share. Most parents don't want their little ones to see headlines regarding school shootings, murder investigations, and that the guy who does the voice of Charlie Brown recently got arrested. Parents want to protect their kids from bad things like these. I am not yet a parent, but these things I know.

When a 5th grader gets called a "murderer" by her classmates and school administrators because of a piece of paper that she forgot was in her pocket that somehow resembled a gun (think more of a taser, really), and also gets a suspension, I think our overreacting has gotten way out of control. She's in 5th grade people, she's only 9 or 10 years old. She's fucking innocent. It's a piece of paper. If she had brought a real gun to school, then no, that's not overreacting. But it's a piece of paper that barely resembles a gun. What's she going to do, give someone a paper cut? Give me a fucking break.

This is the gun the girl had that was considered a "terrorist threat".

When a kindergartner is suspended for talking with a friend about shooting each other with a Hello Kitty Bubble Gun, I think we're overreacting. First, it's Hello Kitty. It's pink. It looks like a hair dryer. And it blows bubbles. Unless she forces the bubbles down her friends throat, I think the kids are safe. Holy crap, people. Stop and think about this. She's five years old. She doesn't know about the school shootings, doesn't understand the implications behind her words. Because she's five years old. She still believes whole heartily in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Clause. She still believes that unicorns exist and leprechauns. When I was her age, I would have been made to share it's use, or made sure I had enough for everyone. I wouldn't have been suspended.

Who is a afraid of Hello Kitty?

When a first grader is suspended for making a gun motion with his hand, I think we're overreacting. What's he going to do, poke an eye? OMG, call the cops! Trust me, at six years of age, he's not going to do much else with it. Maybe pick a nose. And eat the booger (hey, he's a boy, it happens). Boys do this sort of thing. They play cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, Harry Potter and Voldemort (I'm sure it's happened somewhere). And in the first two, guns are involved. Hand gestured guns. I remember playing those as kids. In school even. We didn't get in trouble. This little boy now has a record that states, "threatened to shoot a student". With what?! His finger nail? Are you fucking serious?! This little boy was sent to the Principal's office three times in one day for making a cutting motion with his fingers like scissors (WTF?! Don't people know that finger scissors don't cut anything?!) and making "hand gun" gestures. Because the school believes it was a threat of gun violence. He's six years old. He barely understands what a gun is.

 Obviously these adults don't remember Uncle Joey from Full House.

When six year old boys are suspended for making hand gun gestures with their hands while playing cops and robbers, I think we're overreacting. They. Are. Boys. Next you're going to tell them that the mud puddle they want to splash in will blow up and kill them all. Cops and robbers doesn't work as well without the hand gun motions. Besides, it wasn't like one kid was chasing the other with a baseball bat. Just sayin'.

What are we doing to our kids? These little ones will one day run the world. Do you think it's going to help them by forcing a psych evaluation on a 5 year old for her Hello Kitty bubble phase? What about the 5th grader who had been called a murderer over a piece of paper? How will this affect her in the long run? These kids are forced to pay for some random asshole's insanity and trigger happy finger. The kids are not the problem. Their play-acting is not the problem. We adults are the problem. Our propensity for overreacting is the problem. Our lack of healthcare for mental illness is the problem. Loopholes in gun control laws are the problem.

What happened in Newtown was a tragedy through and through. But it wasn't a kid's fault. No child died at the hands of another child in this tragedy. They died because a mentally ill adult had some kind of psychotic break and he wanted to inflict the most pain possible.

A 5 year old wanting to shoot bubbles from a pink bubble blower is not the problem. A 6 year old playing cops and robbers is not the problem. A 10 year old with a piece of paper that could easily be an "L" for all we really know, is not the problem.

The problem is the adults. We're not letting the kids be kids anymore. The world is constantly changing, sometimes for the worse. But kids should always be allowed to be kids. Simply put.

The next time those schools (or any school) have an issue like this, they should make it an educational opportunity. Not a lynching.

*steps off of soapbox*