Goodbye California, Hello Texas

Summertime has come to an end. I apologize for not updating as much as I would have liked to.  However, I start again -- a new year, new classes, a new(ish) team and a new adventure awaits me.

As I sit here in the DFW airport, I take a glance back what an amazing summer I had… and can honestly say this has been the best summer of my life.  I was able to reconnect with old friends, make news ones, get in shape and get some amazing experience dedicated towards my career goals.  I've grown and learned so much in the past 2 years.  I am halfway through undergrad, and another year closer to achieve my dreams.  

I have one more flight to meet my amazing teammate. She has taken me in with her wonderful family until we can find an apartment.  There was tons of trouble with our housing situation and ultimately I was somewhat forced to change locations with different roommates in a far worse area of the apartment complex.  I wasn't going to pay $200+/month to be in a miserable living situation and am so grateful to have such a generous second family let me come into their home until I get back up on my feet.

I am so rejuvenated and ready to (pardon my language) kick ass.  This is the going to be THE year. I feel it.  

I want to throw another shout out to Cross Fit Echelon.  Mark, Adam, Tyler and Sapphira really helped me out this summer and if it weren’t for them I would've never found out how strong I am and continue to become.  Adam pushed me to my limits all summer and believed that I could do so much more, even if I couldn't!  These 3 months are not the end of my Cross Fit journey, but only the beginning.  I will continue to push myself each day, and return with pride.  Thank you for jumpstarting my journey, and I will not let you down.

That's all for now as my plane is about to board.

Until next time -- peace & love,

Blake

Chirp Chirp

For the past couple weeks I have been interning at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Association, mostly working with various species of birds.  Before working here I knew absolutely nothing about birds and honestly, I had no interest in them.  But gaining more and more experience I have learned so much I would have never known otherwise!  I have not only learned how to treat and care for these magnificant animals, but have also unconciously learned their songs.  The crows are my favorite and have this whiney yet adorable sound, especially when they gobble up their food!  Magpies also have this whiney "GIVE ME FOOD" and get all up in your face and bounce around when you come around to feed them.  I truly believe Robins are just the derps of all birds, (right up there with Pigeons) but have the most beautiful sing-songy voice I've ever heard.

Anyway I've been in Davis for the past day visting my best friend.  We drove around the vet school yesterday and walked around downtown.  This morning we went to the farmers market, walked around and grabbed a hot dog and freshly squeezed lemonade. It was bomb and it was soooo nice outside! I absolutely adore the overall atmosphere and can't wait to be applying here withing the next couple of years!  I'd love to take a tour of the buildings and facilities of the vet school but I can wait until my next break.  Staying here for another day and then I go back to my internship for the next 3 days.

Until next time! Peace and love.

"About Me"

You know how on the first day or week of school in our younger years, we would have to bullet a list on a poster about yourself?  Maybe Elmer's glue some poorly cut out pixelated pictures of yourself enjoying your favorite hobby or your family on vacation, and have to present it to the class? Well, all those years and now I'm actually doing it on my own.  Maybe it won't ever change.

"So a little bit about myself…"  I've played golf since the summer of 7th grade, going on 8 years this summer.  I dedicated more of my time fooling around in high school rather than studying and golfing.  I pulled myself together my senior year and I now play golf for a D1 university in South Texas and am currently heading into my junior year as a Biology/Environmental Science major this fall.  I'm getting decent grades, golfing religiously and gaining as much animal/veterinary experience as I can during my summers off from school. (Does it still count as summer with an online class?)  While at school I have the typical life of a college athlete.  Eat, practice, class, study, shower, sleep.  On repeat every day with a tournament thrown in every other week or so.  Maybe a club meeting or a trip to the movies here and there.  Anyway, now here I am, halfway through an undergraduate degree and moving forward.

Being a veterinarian was a childhood dream and I dropped the thought of it throughout high school, came back to it senior year, dropped it again freshman year of college, and now I'm back--staying for good! I never thought I was smart enough, and still sometimes doubt my abilities to this day. (i.e. impostor syndrome -- but as I've recently learned is fairly common)  But after being able to experience the mere 300 hours I have working with veterinarians and animals, I know this is the right path for me.

I often read and browse many pre-vet and veterinary blogs when I have the chance, and figured I would give it a shot.  After a heart-wrenching case last week at the S/N clinic, I decided I wanted to record my experiences so I will always be able to look back and remember why I chose this path, through the good and the bad.


Stay tuned for some of my experiences!