Flat -- yep, flat!
No, I am not talking about breasts.
No, I am not talking about tires.
No, I am not talking about baking.
No, I am not talking about abs.
I am talking about land however. In my time here in Ohio I have made a discovery, actually my lungs made a fantastic discovery -- Ohio is everything but flat! Upon my observations, I also discovered that running downhill is much more preferred than runnning uphill - AMEN! In my boredom I have turned to running to fill the empty space that riding and my pony used to occupy. It has been rather fulfilling as well. Last week in beautiful Devou park, I saw a woodchuck, a beautiful fox up close and personal, multiple handsome golfers and few freindly fisherman, oh, and a turtle (can't forget the turtle...). Please note however, I would still prefer to riding my pony. In fect, in just a few short weeks I would be riding my pony at the World Championships -- hmmmmm, maybe next year. When I hae my research job at a big hospital and I am making serious bank! (A girl can dream right?)
Anyway, my point - I live in Illinois where everything is flat and normal. Here, nothing is flat. Driving is like being on a rollercoaster. Coasting downhill and pushing uphill -- I am sure it is great on my gas mileage, not to mention my sensitive stomache that aches with motion sickness. Driving out here is like life on that roller coaster I rode on, like once. Ick!
What I will not tell you that I do not enjoy about this amazing place is the view and the river. The Ohio river is magical and the scenes that surround it are just as glamorous. If the land was flat like Illinois, the life around the river and in this state would not hold their captivating power. A sight worth seeing, I promise.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Lung, and the price of a breath of fresh air.
All Smokers, Marijuana Enthusiasts, and Noxious Fume Inhalers BEWARE -- This posting may rattle you....
Today, I assisted in a procedure called a brochio-alveolar lavage. In short, we used a really neat fiber optic camera that went down into the most precious monkeys lungs and inserted fluids and then sucked it back up -- all in the name of research of course. In realty, it was way cool! You see, there is a disease of the lungs that occurs most commonly when children are born premature that does not allow the lungs to breathe properly and expel fluids and dead cells. This disease haunts these kids throughout their entire life, and the only releif these people/kids get is to hook them up to a machine that allows them to breathe with one lung while they flush out all the "junk" and fluids from the other, then they get the joy of having the other lung pumped as well. Not only is this procedure invasive, uncomfortable, and not offered by your run-of-the-mill hospitals these days, it s also very difficult, expensive, and painful. Currently, this is the only procedure to offer these kids/children relief. Hence, this amazing research being conducted at my place of employment -- YAY!
In the down time in between monkeys, I had several minutes to discuss the research (FASCINATING Folks --Really!!!) and the lung itself. In short terms it all boiled down to -- those of you tormenting your lungs with cigarettes and fumes thinking your lungs are invincible.....your lungs are LYING to you! I learned today the man upstairs, god almighty, apparetly knew that someday stupid humans woudl find tobacco and smoke it. Really, he did! He gave man, and woman of course, 70% more lung than we really needed. Thats a LOT of lung, people! You can survive with only half of it and survive and function like a normal human being.
Not only dod god give you too much lung, but he also created it to LIE to you when you decide to destroy it. You see, the almighty lung will function normaly until you have smoked it into oblivion to the "point-of-no-return!" In laymens terms, the day you start to realize your lungs cannot handle the smoke anymore, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye because life is coming to an end -- in the fastlane!
So, you nasty nicotine addicts that continue to torment your lungs -- sorry about your luck! To those of you loving your lungs and using em' - Hooray for you! Know that deep down your clear and free breathin' lungs are thanking you. Amen.
Meanwhile, let me just tell you all that in order to play with the monkeys I got to put on the most ridiculous puffy white marshmallow suit followed by a clear plastic windshield (it really was a fashion statement -- pictures soon along with excellent monkey story!), it was so worth it! Move over kitties, the monkeys were WAY cooler! Their little feet and hands are so much like ours and they hold your hand -- so cute! Forget kids, honey - can I just have a monkey instead?
Today, I assisted in a procedure called a brochio-alveolar lavage. In short, we used a really neat fiber optic camera that went down into the most precious monkeys lungs and inserted fluids and then sucked it back up -- all in the name of research of course. In realty, it was way cool! You see, there is a disease of the lungs that occurs most commonly when children are born premature that does not allow the lungs to breathe properly and expel fluids and dead cells. This disease haunts these kids throughout their entire life, and the only releif these people/kids get is to hook them up to a machine that allows them to breathe with one lung while they flush out all the "junk" and fluids from the other, then they get the joy of having the other lung pumped as well. Not only is this procedure invasive, uncomfortable, and not offered by your run-of-the-mill hospitals these days, it s also very difficult, expensive, and painful. Currently, this is the only procedure to offer these kids/children relief. Hence, this amazing research being conducted at my place of employment -- YAY!
In the down time in between monkeys, I had several minutes to discuss the research (FASCINATING Folks --Really!!!) and the lung itself. In short terms it all boiled down to -- those of you tormenting your lungs with cigarettes and fumes thinking your lungs are invincible.....your lungs are LYING to you! I learned today the man upstairs, god almighty, apparetly knew that someday stupid humans woudl find tobacco and smoke it. Really, he did! He gave man, and woman of course, 70% more lung than we really needed. Thats a LOT of lung, people! You can survive with only half of it and survive and function like a normal human being.
Not only dod god give you too much lung, but he also created it to LIE to you when you decide to destroy it. You see, the almighty lung will function normaly until you have smoked it into oblivion to the "point-of-no-return!" In laymens terms, the day you start to realize your lungs cannot handle the smoke anymore, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye because life is coming to an end -- in the fastlane!
So, you nasty nicotine addicts that continue to torment your lungs -- sorry about your luck! To those of you loving your lungs and using em' - Hooray for you! Know that deep down your clear and free breathin' lungs are thanking you. Amen.
Meanwhile, let me just tell you all that in order to play with the monkeys I got to put on the most ridiculous puffy white marshmallow suit followed by a clear plastic windshield (it really was a fashion statement -- pictures soon along with excellent monkey story!), it was so worth it! Move over kitties, the monkeys were WAY cooler! Their little feet and hands are so much like ours and they hold your hand -- so cute! Forget kids, honey - can I just have a monkey instead?
Monday, June 25, 2007
I can sex a guinea pig, what can you do?
Today was my first day at my new job, and my 4th day at my new home for the summer. You would figure that after moving back and forth some hundred times from school that this move would be easy. However, when simple country girls move to big time cities, moving is all but easy.
My apartment -- Amazing! Great location, just a few miles from a HUGE and GORGEOUS park that I have taken up running in (gotta do something with my time when I have no ponies around...) and it has an amazing view. The roommate -- Awesome too! We so click, except for the fact that I have to co-habitate with two very friendly cats for the first time in my life, EVER! But get this folks cause I am only gonna say it once -- The cats and I are co-habitating ... and I don't wish them dead, so life is great!
Interstate/City driving -- took me for a bit of a loop today, and yesterday, and the day before that, but its OK, I found Wal-Mart! So it is not that bad. I have only managed to go the wrong way down a one-way street just once and without accidents -- life is OK. Trip time to work during rush hour -- 15 minutes! What more could you ask for?
At work, I get to park in my very own parking garage. I am pretty sure I have never parked in one of those before. What nobody tells you about parking garages is that parking is the easy park -- finding your car after your long day, not so easy, even if you remember what level you parked on. (yep, picture me wandering all around like the lost dimwit looking for her obviously moved car....I swear someone moved it!) Oh well, I am sure that by summers end I will master both the interstate and parking garages. Following parking in a secure garage, I get to take a very classy red flagged shuttle bus that takes me right to the front door of my building. I almost feel like work for the president, not that I would ever work for this president, well -- maybe royalty...I could do that. I could do anything to live in another country, how awesome woudl that be!
I rememver when I worked at Frito Lay how we had to have this name badge to get into the building, kinda like a prison entrance. Most people need clearance to get out of prison, I had to have clearance to get into that prison. But my ID Badge folks, not just to get into the building and parking garage, but to open about 95% of the hundred doors I walk through every day. My badge had might as well be glued to my hands it is crazy but understandable. I will bet you today, in my first 8 hours, I used my ID card at least 50 times -- 50! Thats like 45 valuable minutes of my life gone due to card swiping -- wierd! Let me tell you though -- every time that card reader says accept and the door grants me access and flashes me a bubbly color green, I feel super special!
Today was kinda boring -- I am with the quality control people today... So about the most I got to show expensive college education today was that I can do a physical exam on a guinea pig -- oh, and tell you if they have a pretty pink winky hiding in their fuzzy man parts or not! Yep, that was the highlight of my day -- yipee! It kinda remined me of pop-goes-the-weasel. "Hmm, let me see here, nope I think your a girl - POP, ohhhh... I found it!" Oh, I also got introduced to the mice, rat, guinea pig, ferret, sheep, monkey, frog, rabbit, and fish rooms today. Boy, am I looking forward to spending time with all of those... too cool! Totaly makes coming to this big bad city worth it!
So what if it is a new city, a big city, a strange city -- I get to sex guinea pigs yo! What can you do?
My apartment -- Amazing! Great location, just a few miles from a HUGE and GORGEOUS park that I have taken up running in (gotta do something with my time when I have no ponies around...) and it has an amazing view. The roommate -- Awesome too! We so click, except for the fact that I have to co-habitate with two very friendly cats for the first time in my life, EVER! But get this folks cause I am only gonna say it once -- The cats and I are co-habitating ... and I don't wish them dead, so life is great!
Interstate/City driving -- took me for a bit of a loop today, and yesterday, and the day before that, but its OK, I found Wal-Mart! So it is not that bad. I have only managed to go the wrong way down a one-way street just once and without accidents -- life is OK. Trip time to work during rush hour -- 15 minutes! What more could you ask for?
At work, I get to park in my very own parking garage. I am pretty sure I have never parked in one of those before. What nobody tells you about parking garages is that parking is the easy park -- finding your car after your long day, not so easy, even if you remember what level you parked on. (yep, picture me wandering all around like the lost dimwit looking for her obviously moved car....I swear someone moved it!) Oh well, I am sure that by summers end I will master both the interstate and parking garages. Following parking in a secure garage, I get to take a very classy red flagged shuttle bus that takes me right to the front door of my building. I almost feel like work for the president, not that I would ever work for this president, well -- maybe royalty...I could do that. I could do anything to live in another country, how awesome woudl that be!
I rememver when I worked at Frito Lay how we had to have this name badge to get into the building, kinda like a prison entrance. Most people need clearance to get out of prison, I had to have clearance to get into that prison. But my ID Badge folks, not just to get into the building and parking garage, but to open about 95% of the hundred doors I walk through every day. My badge had might as well be glued to my hands it is crazy but understandable. I will bet you today, in my first 8 hours, I used my ID card at least 50 times -- 50! Thats like 45 valuable minutes of my life gone due to card swiping -- wierd! Let me tell you though -- every time that card reader says accept and the door grants me access and flashes me a bubbly color green, I feel super special!
Today was kinda boring -- I am with the quality control people today... So about the most I got to show expensive college education today was that I can do a physical exam on a guinea pig -- oh, and tell you if they have a pretty pink winky hiding in their fuzzy man parts or not! Yep, that was the highlight of my day -- yipee! It kinda remined me of pop-goes-the-weasel. "Hmm, let me see here, nope I think your a girl - POP, ohhhh... I found it!" Oh, I also got introduced to the mice, rat, guinea pig, ferret, sheep, monkey, frog, rabbit, and fish rooms today. Boy, am I looking forward to spending time with all of those... too cool! Totaly makes coming to this big bad city worth it!
So what if it is a new city, a big city, a strange city -- I get to sex guinea pigs yo! What can you do?
Friday, June 22, 2007
Horses and Rivals ... It's so Bittersweet!
There is a rival in all of us. The passion we have for a sport, activity, friends, work (thats scary...), etc. Somewhere within our steadily beating little hearts there is that instant tempation to be the best. Man, woman, or animal -- I am pretty sure we have it in one form or another. Soem may be more die hard than others, but basically, we are all human beings with a competive streak driving us to do more, work harder, or to strive for something more.
I wonder where it comes from. Is it something we pick up as we are growing up from the people we are surrounded by or is it chemically enhanced into our soft little brains in the womb?
I worry about those who don't have this competive chip on their shoulder. It makes me wonder what they really live for, want, pursue whole heartedly. Is there any excitement or gratification in their lives?
My competitive edge comes from my horses. I was that girl that got lucky enough to grow up around them. Not just horses, but GREAT horses. I was born into a family of equestrians. Mom and Dad both showed and had lots of expirience. Making me the luckiest kid alive growing up -- Thanks Mom and Dad! I had a few AMAZING ponies to teach me the rules, balance, patience, and the meaning of hard work. The parents backed up the non-horsey lessons, like cleaning stalls, baling hay, and appreciation for working hard to obtain my goals.
For a long time, I was spoiled little girl whose parents bought her nice horses so she could win. What they didn;t realize is that everything we had we made happen on a budget. Living in the country and having horses does not mean you're rich, just happy. I think that just about rings true for every horse owner out there.
I had to prove myself when I became a teenager. I bought my first horse for $500, that investment paid off big. As my first training attempt, that little tyke is now a multiple world champion and is packing around a 10 year old, hopefully teaching her everything that my old ponies used to teach me. Every project from there on has gotten better and better. Oh, and let me not forget to mention he also a STAR on the cover of the breeds promotional brochure -- YAY!
My parents always worried that when I got older and interested in boys that my interest in horses would change. Even I saw it happen in my friends. My age division got smaller and smaller. As all of us got older and college happened, the numbers got smaller again. There was a short time where I put a boy above my pony. I don;t think I ever regretted that more. I lost me in the process and it has taken a long time to find that girl again. Eventually, you come to the realization that there a few things in your life that are constant -- my horses are mine. You can either handle the fact that I am going to spend my time with them or you can walk your happy ass right out the door -- Kapish?
Ok, so while I am thankful for my ponies I am also thankful for Summer! The time where pony and I unite and hit the show scene to challenge our rivals and see just how much my youngster and I have improved and accomplished over the winter. This year -- Success! I attempted my first all-around high point this past weekend and took it right out of the hands of a friendly rival. We also became a circuit award winner that previous weekend. The competive edge was there and we were a success.
Now I get to put it all on hold for 8 weeks while I join the working world in Cincinnati. What a bummer!
So, I guess while I am not going to make it to the World Championships this year, I am already re-qualified for next year and boy am I planning to go. Lets just hope that life doesn't get in the way.
I wonder where it comes from. Is it something we pick up as we are growing up from the people we are surrounded by or is it chemically enhanced into our soft little brains in the womb?
I worry about those who don't have this competive chip on their shoulder. It makes me wonder what they really live for, want, pursue whole heartedly. Is there any excitement or gratification in their lives?
My competitive edge comes from my horses. I was that girl that got lucky enough to grow up around them. Not just horses, but GREAT horses. I was born into a family of equestrians. Mom and Dad both showed and had lots of expirience. Making me the luckiest kid alive growing up -- Thanks Mom and Dad! I had a few AMAZING ponies to teach me the rules, balance, patience, and the meaning of hard work. The parents backed up the non-horsey lessons, like cleaning stalls, baling hay, and appreciation for working hard to obtain my goals.
For a long time, I was spoiled little girl whose parents bought her nice horses so she could win. What they didn;t realize is that everything we had we made happen on a budget. Living in the country and having horses does not mean you're rich, just happy. I think that just about rings true for every horse owner out there.
I had to prove myself when I became a teenager. I bought my first horse for $500, that investment paid off big. As my first training attempt, that little tyke is now a multiple world champion and is packing around a 10 year old, hopefully teaching her everything that my old ponies used to teach me. Every project from there on has gotten better and better. Oh, and let me not forget to mention he also a STAR on the cover of the breeds promotional brochure -- YAY!
My parents always worried that when I got older and interested in boys that my interest in horses would change. Even I saw it happen in my friends. My age division got smaller and smaller. As all of us got older and college happened, the numbers got smaller again. There was a short time where I put a boy above my pony. I don;t think I ever regretted that more. I lost me in the process and it has taken a long time to find that girl again. Eventually, you come to the realization that there a few things in your life that are constant -- my horses are mine. You can either handle the fact that I am going to spend my time with them or you can walk your happy ass right out the door -- Kapish?
Ok, so while I am thankful for my ponies I am also thankful for Summer! The time where pony and I unite and hit the show scene to challenge our rivals and see just how much my youngster and I have improved and accomplished over the winter. This year -- Success! I attempted my first all-around high point this past weekend and took it right out of the hands of a friendly rival. We also became a circuit award winner that previous weekend. The competive edge was there and we were a success.
Now I get to put it all on hold for 8 weeks while I join the working world in Cincinnati. What a bummer!
So, I guess while I am not going to make it to the World Championships this year, I am already re-qualified for next year and boy am I planning to go. Lets just hope that life doesn't get in the way.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Dear Blog...
Dear blog, my apologies for being so long. Dial-up internet got the best of me and was not worth my time. But I am back now and ready to tell you all about my summer, my move, and my life. Bear with me blog, I am back in action!
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