Observations from my lack of social life.

( LOTS of photos from a night of herping )

GRE in September. I feel like I'm in high school all over again. It's such an SAT-like thing to take. I need to pick up the study guide when I'm out today. I remember back in high school how limited my choices were though. I was such a slacker. Now I pretty much have all my options open as far as choices go.

I sat down and deliberated for A LONG TIME yesterday, and I'm 95% sure I want to get my masters in zoology. There is no fucking way I want to continue in wildlife. The management side of it just doesn't appeal to me. Now to find colleges that offer such a program. The University of Florida has a good zoology program PLUS a doctoral program in zoology as well. That school is pretty high on the list. There is also Washington State's zoology program, which looks to be very nice. It's kind of far away though. I want to see where I will be in life before making this decision. Florida would be nice though because I will still have my beloved herps surrounding me. I don't know. I'm not ready for the real world just yet.

Last year I had the opportunity to live in an amazing AMAZING house. It was like a little animal forest in my front and back yards (and sometimes in my ceiling and laundry room). The property was lisenced by the National Wildlife Federation as wildlife habitat-primarily avians. I hate thinking about it, because I know I'm going to miss it so so much. I think I really would love my future house to be like this one: small, containing only what I need, and with wild wild growth and creatures surrounding it. My new place is going to be awesome, but it will pale in comparison to my last home :c

( Leaves and Pecans and Feather-beings and Marsupials. PICTURE HEAVY! )

Somethings have been a little rocky at the start of this summer, but I can feel myself going back to that chill, happy happy zen state that I found myself in one year ago. Stress seems to interrupt those feelings, as I had difficulty upholding this state through college this year. It's nice to get it back. VERY VERY nice. My thesis research fell through yesterday morning and I have yet to hear back about my wildlife rehab internship/job. These things stress me, but there's nothing I can do at the moment to fix them: which is usually my most preferred method of action. I'm just riding the floooooow flow flow.........

OWL CITY PLAYS IN ATLANTA JUNE 20!!! I want to go BADLY.

I went herping three time yesterday. Finds included:
Thamnophis sirtalis
Agkistrodon piscivorus
Rana clamitans
Acris spp.
Bufo terrestris
Trachemys spp.

The B. terrestris that I found was WEIRD. I always seem to find these totally messed up specimens. The one I found last night had a large scar from its eye to its mouth, was missing its front right foot, and had so little dorsal coloration that I originally thought it was leucistic until I brought it into normal lighting.

Bad photo.




Things to do today:
-checks
-get mum to sign lease application
-call Highland
-rent
-get my services switched
-turn in lease application
-relax with Chris
What an unpleasantly chore-filled day :c At least it's all stompy and angry-sounding outside. Thunderstorms are my favourite.

It is so pathetic that I have gone almost the entire year with only a few scant posts :c Oh gooosh it was so weird and hard! I made like...this little life blog thing over in the internet boonies (http://laughing0wls.blogspot.com/) but even that was rarely updated!

How has everyone been? I feel so bad because people leave me awesome comments, then I never have the time to respond. I read them all though and they make me so happy c: I've been doing a lot of herping. A LOT A LOT. I'll have to upload some pictures later on!

Here's where I've been putting my art for the last year: http://shroomstalks.blogspot.com/
I'm working my way back to FA a little, also. I missed posting to the internet and talking with everyone. I have to get on over to herpetology class now. It will be happy times because my professor is not my MENTOR and will be funding my toad research this summer and fall semester! Bufonidssss <3 But not as much as Varanids, Heterodontids, oh fuck I'm not listing Latin.... Cold sores suck ass.

EDIT: AHHHH!!!! http://www.newson6.com/global/Category.asp?c=163029&nav=menu682_10_2

The last time I posted, the semester had just begun! And now it's OVER! I was taking wildlife techniques, invertebrate zoology, animal behavior, backpacking, and conservation genetics. BEST SEMESTER EVER. EVER. So much went on this semester. It was definitely the hardest, but most enjoyable one I've ever had. And now, a list of things I accomplished/endured/defeated/experienced these last few months:
-wrote A LOT (soooo many scientific papers)
-learned A LOT and loved it
-met a small amount of new and wonderful people
-learned to swing dance
-learned to ride a motorcycle
-draws draws draws (seriously...HUGE art post on the horizon)
-reached my 3/4" goal size for my ears
-developed tolerance and patience
-conquered my stress eating habit
-lost 15 lbs
-found a wonderful roommate/live happily on a NWF bird sanctuary
-foster cared a rabbit
-discovered that I love coffee
-learned to play D&D and Magic (:B)
-learned how to budget money
-grew my hair out! (and I'm itching to lop it off again)
-fell in love
-knit a whole bunch
-watched a lot of The Office
-read good books
-came to finally view Athens, GA as a home, and not just a place where I live
-became diagnosed with anorexia and conquered it with the help of Chris and my family
-got a job cooking!
-learned to love myself finally
-became a little more independent
-taught Ember how to make kissing noises and whistle
I feel like there is so much more, but I can't really think of it at the moment. It really was an absolutely wonderful semester. I learned so so much about lots of things, and I couldn't really ask for more than that! I think I will go play Pokemon and burn time while waiting for Chris to finish his last psychology finals. He wants to take me out to lunch afterwards, which is fabu because I'm freaking starving! Maybe we will eat sammiches. And Jittery Joes. And I will beat his ass with my stompy green beast Magic deck. Fuuuuuuu I love our dorky relationship <3

I am in love with the most amazing guy I've ever met.

The other day I was exploring my external hard drive and I found a backup folder of my entire iPhoto library, save about 4 months worth that were lost in the great hard drive crash of June '08. Needless to say, I'm incredibly pleased. Thank you SO much spiralunwinding for the selfless offer to service my poor, dead hard drive! It looks like just about everything that needed saving has been found! Tell your boy that I appreciate his offer more that I can even express, seriously. You guys are incredibly awesome <3

( Cut for whining about work. )

Tomorrow my family is going to North Carolina to go hiking and rafting for the holiday. Thank goodness, because I needed a nice break!

So this isn't the most exciting entry ever, but I just made a big breakthrough with one of my resident rehab chicks and I figured I'd celebrate/waste some time by showing off my little flock to the internet! I went herping today too and found a male eastern box turtle, two eastern narrowmouth toads, a ton of green anoles, a broadheaded skink, and a green frog. It was a good day for all things wildlife.

( 11 pictures of some babies. )

I now have a permit to rehab wildlife! I am celebrating the occasion with 13 chimney swifts in need of a mum. They're shriekey and damn adorable!
Things I did today:
-woke up and realized I lost a ton of weight unexpectedly
-bathed and groomed a big pit and 2 shih tsus (hair down to their paws, it was a huge task)
-said goodbye to two lovely rehab birds before they departed this world
-watched a bloody surgery
-fed a rabbit torso to a lady sharp-shinned hawk
-saw many parasites
-brought home many bundles of life and spunk in the form of baby chimney swifts
-came home and found my bird field guides from bookmooch arrived
-fed many mouths
-ate asparagus and cake

Hi LJ land! I haven't seen/read/explored you in such a while. Art and photo post soon!