My favorite foods are pastas and sea-foods, but I also enjoy fresh fruit and veggies.  I do wish I could be more motivated to eat healthier and establish a more concrete exercise routine for myself, but that is sometimes hard to do with my crazy work schedule!  Some of my specific favorites include: cocktail shrimp, spaghetti, home-made vegetable soup, and carrots with ranch dressing.  However, I do have a bit of a sweet tooth and chocolate can be an addiction for me at times.  I can never have just one piece of candy or bowl of ice cream…something always entices me to go back for a second helping!!

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My only set “routine” throughout the day is getting to work on time, after that…it is all a huge guessing game.  I never quite have a full grasp on how my day is going to turn out, and it can get very interesting sometimes!! I normally work a 10 or 11 hour day, then come home to a house full of spoiled dogs, a cat, and a 17 year old bird who likes to have all of the attention or he becomes down-right grumpy!  So, it is a challenge sometimes for my husband and I to find time to ourselves, but every day is an adventure, and we kinda like it that way!!

For most people, this might seem like a very odd answer, but after reading books on Puritan Massachusetts, including The Crucible (which I had to analyze as part of my freshman year literature glass), and the famous Ann Putnam, I have always wondered whether these individuals were persecuted based on an act that they actually committed, or on assumption that they were defying the rules of established religion at that time.  To me, it was one of the saddest events of our past, and remains a mystery in terms of whether or not these individuals were actually “confiding in and making contact with the devil.” At this time, there was a lot of turmoil, and a huge war was taking place, so the obvious outlet for the majority of individuals was their god and their beliefs/religion.  Anyone who stepped outside of these beliefs was considered to be evil, and punished accordingly.  I would like to go back and question one of the accused witches to find out exactly what physical and psychological changes were taking place for the villagers to assume that these girls/women were actually “witches” who worshiped the devil.

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I am, and always will be, a person who loves animals.  My job is fun because no two days are the same.  We may have a bite wound come in one day, and an emergency surgery the next, and practicing quality medicine is always our number one priority.  The best part is that we have a full staff, so we can all work on cases and areas that interest us the most.  For instance, I normally work on cases involving hematology and parasitology, while my co-workers seem to enjoy radiographs and dental cases a little more than I do.  While it can be very strenuous at times (especially trying to restrain larger dogs like Great Danes or Pit Bulls), it is well worth it because at the end of the day I feel like I have made a difference in the lives of pets and their owners.  In my mind, that is an honor; and I wouldn’t change anything about my clinic setting or who I work with!!

Those who prepare and volunteer at the Renaissance Festival work very hard to get things ready by the deadline, and it is evident every year when one sees how they have managed to bring everything together to create a very real comparison to the yester-years of 16th Century England.  The festival itself comprises over 30 acres of permanent space and is hosted at the same place each year.  They have TONS of food to choose from that you just can’t find anywhere else (including delicious apple dumplings and roasted turkey legs), entertainment, costumes, crafts, and even juggling and magic shows.  This is an event that would be perfect for families who want to do something together on a quiet Sunday afternoon, or couples who would like to experience something a little different.  Everywhere you look, there are costumes and props that have been created to duplicate the feeling of a renaissance village so that you can really reflect on what it might have been like to live 400 years ago!

One place that I have always wanted to travel to is Italy.  The expense is the only reason I have not done so yet. I have a deep appreciation for the culture here because my great grandfather helped an Italian immigrant obtain a job and allowed the man to stay with him until he could gain citizenship, so he told us a lot of stories when we were little about the man, and even had some photographs that they man had given him that he had brought over from Italy.  While I have do have a particularly rooted interest in Rome and the Vatican, I do think I would prefer to visit Tuscany more than any other area due to it’s amicable charm and the harmony that exists here between the arts and the current appreciation shown by the natives for their culture and past.  There is no place else on earth that combines the expanse of historical monuments with the beauty and elegance of it’s surroundings.  Whether you want to ride in a gondola, spend your time visiting museums or researching Italy’s religious background, or just relaxing in its coastal waters, Italy is the one place I want to try and travel to before I die.

A few years ago, my husband and I visited three different areas in California, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Laguna Beach.  While we were in Laguna, we met another young couple at the beach who suggested that we go to Catalina Island.  We had never heard of it before, but we had our laptop with us so we went to the website to gain a little more insight into what we would be doing if we visited there.  As soon as we saw the pictures and the wide range of nature activities, we were convinced that this was going to be a blast, and it was!!  Our tour guide was a native to the island, and his parents were very good friends with the Wrigley’s (the manufacturers for the well known Wrigley’s chewing gum), who once owned the island.  He took us from the lowest point in Catalina (Avalon harbor), all the way up to the highest point where we could view mountains, coastline, cliffs, and even waterfalls!! Wait, it gets better:  The Wrigley’s brought buffalo to the island more than 30 years ago and they have thrived here ever since.  Since these can be very dangerous and unpredictable creatures, my husband and I did finally end up getting a picture at close range with one of them, but we were standing about 18 feet away in case it decided to charge us!  Anyone who enjoys the outdoors or has an appreciation for marine life, nature, and beautiful scenery will enjoy their trip here.  It is fun, but peaceful and serene at the same time because there are no huge buildings, no traffic to worry about, and best of all: no waiting in line at busy stores or restaurants to be served.  This place was awesome!!

I have a lot of new and exciting things going on that have changed my life for the better!

Lately, things have been going great with me in a number of ways:  I just got promoted at my current job to the director of a veterinary clinic in which I have been a nurse for over 4 years. My husband and I just found out that I am pregnant and we will be having our first baby in October!  The most exciting part of this adventure is taking the time to discuss names together, and picking out color palettes and design ideas for the nursery.  In fact, to make it a little more dramatic, I think we are going to wait to find out what the baby is and make it a little more fun in terms of shopping for everything!  We also just recently put our home on the market and are looking forward to purchasing a larger home to start our family!!