The Barking Bucketlist

A few things that are on my bucket list are...

1.) Get my skydiving license! (It used to be go skydiving but that has already been crossed off my list!)

2.) Fall in love and get married! (I want to have my very own happily ever after!)

3.) Travel the world and find my own personal seven wonders!

4.) Do a handstand at the South Pole so I can say I held up the world!

5.) Go bungee jumping! ( The prettier the place the better!)

6.) Put a flower on every grave in a cemetery!

7.) Kayak in a bay of Bioluminescent plankton! (When the stars are out too!)

8.) Celebrate major holidays in different countries! (Day of the dead in Mexico, New Years in china and NYC, ect.)

9.) Learn to surf!

10.) Jump off a bridge with friends! ( Just like the saying I heard when I was a kid!)

11.) Go on a road trip in a convertible! 

12.) Be an extra in a movie!

13.) I want to be someone's hero!

14.) Read the entire bible!

15.) Touch as many species of animals that I can! ( Sharks, Polar bears, and lions. Oh my!)

All My Patients Have Tales

I am reading the book All My Patients Have Tales by Jeff Wells, D. V. M.  I am going to read bout 20 pages per week in order to reach the due date. I am not going to plan out how many pages I read per week or a personal due date because when I read a book I really like I just read and enjoy it.
I have read the first few chapters of this book and I really enjoy it so far. The main idea of the book is that he is trying to inform everyone how hard veterinarians work. He started the book talking about a time when a cat was running around the office with diarrhea and climbing on the curtains because it was so scared. My favorite part of the book so far was when he talked about vet school. I have never heard much about the 4 years of graduate school besides the cost. He went in depth about how he didn't get accepted at first but that happens to most students that don't have a bachelor's degree. Something I learned is that to get in to vet school you have to take the same entrance exam that human doctors take! He tried again and he got in! He talked about what each year is like and how stressful it is. He also talked about how many students had to drop out because they were failing. I thought it was really interesting when he talked about his classes and what the tests were like. Each story that followed shared his story of him looking for a job in the "real world" and having to leave home to find one. He shared the story of his first day on the job and how everyone treated him like "the doctor fresh out of grad school". Each story of him helping an animal shows how much he has to gain the trust of the locals and gain respect at the office. I really like this book so far but this book is very eye opening. It shows that he put in a lot of hard work and everything doesn't come at once. Its a journey to be a vet. I think the purpose of this book is to share to the readers that being a vet is a very difficult job and to share the funny and sad stories that occur while on the job. My reaction so far is that I enjoy the book! I changed books because the one I previously chose was more of how dogs think. I wanted to hear about a vet's story. At first I was a bit hesitant to choose this one at the library because it talked about farm animals also and I want to be a small animal vet. I thought it wouldn't hurt to learn about something I don't get to see at my internship. I think it is a nice addition to the book and I like learning about it.

IQuest Update

I intern at Bollinger Canyon Animal Hospital during the given IQuest time. It depends if the week is even or odd, but I'm there for about 2-4 hours each week. When I go in during 5th period, I usually start by saying hello to the doctor and all techs. I also make sure I give a very special hello to Harley and Ally the office dogs. When I first get there, no patients are in because the office is at lunch. Patients that had surgery earlier in the day are in recovery. I have a routine of things that need to be done such as refill the bottles, sterilize the gauze pads, restock, check the laundry, do the dishes, and other things that will help the techs. When patients start coming in I make sure that I am there to help in case they need an extra hand. Most of the time I pat the dogs nose and talk to them to redirect their attention away from the procedure occurring somewhere else on their body. When there are a lot of patients or they want me to be more involved, I restraint the animal or take their temperature. Some of the positives are that I love being very hands on and when they let me try something new. I have seen so many things such as a euthanization and an ultrasound. It may be weird but I really enjoy taking the temperature! This leads into the negative things, though. There has been a recent vet student who is in her third year of graduate school who is working towards her required amount of hours. I've tried talking to her about vet school and what its like but she just gives me a cold shoulder. She isn't much of a charmer. Since she is a vet student and I am just a high school intern she gets much more hands on opportunities. I do understand that at her stage in her career she needs the training but I would be happier if she was a little more pleasant person. I'm going to start asking to be more involved. I learned that I don't mind cleaning and doing the dirty work because it helps out the office staff. They show how much they appreciate it. I've learned that the veterinarian field is very difficult when it involved the owners because they don't always take your advice. I'm going to start staying longer at the office so I can learn more.

Pedigree Personality

My two Holland codes were: SEA and SAE. The "S" stands for Social, the "E" stands for Enterprising, and the "A" stands for artistic. I feel like these results fit me because when I guessed what my codes could be I got the same answer. I feel like am a sociable person because I love to communicate with people. I also believe that Enterprising and Artistic fits me also because I enjoy thinking and working on ideas. The only thing I disagree with is the career choices that goes along with my codes. I do not want to be a high school teacher or a social worker. I feel like the career paths associated with my codes are very generalized.
My Myers-Briggs test result was ENFJ (Extravert, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging). I think this is a very good interpretation of me. I was strong in Extravert, but moderate in Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging. I k now that I am a very social person and I do base my actions on what I know and how I feel. I guessed I would be something along these lines and I agree with it.
I think that these results are good to know for my future when I begin college and in when I start working because I can understand more of the type of person I am and connect with others that are like me. People that are unlike me I will be able to learn from their point of view and understanding.

Tail Wagging Ted Talks

I watched the TED Talk called Veterinary Medicine: Human, Animal, and Environmental Health presented by Molly Dominguez. This talk took place at Westlake, Texas on July 12, 2012. In Molly’s Talk, she discussed how Veterinarians have an impact on other things then just the care of dogs, cats, and horses. She discovered while in the United States Army Medical Service Corps that veterinary medicine has a global leadership role in promoting political, economic, and public health security. She has gone around the world helping areas in need and she has learned that veterinarians have a large impact on the foreign policy. 

What I really liked about the Talk is I never knew that veterinarians could have an additional impact other than on animals. I want to make a difference and I believe that if I continue on with my hope of becoming a veterinarian then I will be able to help more than just animals.

I recommend this Ted Talk because it is eye opening on a career that seems pretty straight forward. Most people think that veterinarians only help animals but after watching this talk they would learn that veterinarians also have an effect on human and environmental health. 

On a side note, I came across another Ted Talk that I really enjoyed. I enjoyed it so much because I have seen the speaker speak in person and that speaker changed my life. It is by Mike Smith and it is called, “Brilliance, It’s in their DNA”. I heard him speak at a leadership camp this past summer and his words inspired me to make a difference in my life. I was really happy that I came across his Talk. 

Untamable Goals

I believe that everyone should set goals in their life because it is important to have something you can strive towards. So far I have learned from experience that if you want to achieve your goals YOU are the only person that makes your personal goals happen and you need to put in an effort. Goals don’t just magically become accomplished they have to be worked towards. 

The goal I have for my Senior Year is that on June 13th, 2014 as I walk across the field as a high school graduate I can feel proud of myself. I want to be able to be happy with the decisions I made, I want to have made a positive impact on the others around me, I want to form lasting bonds that surpass high school, and I want to have preformed well academically. 

My goal for my internship is to have a clear understanding if I want to be a veterinarian by the end of my senior year. I want to know what I want to major in and what area of study I would go into as a vet.

In one year, I hope to be attending my dream college. I want to make it easier on my parents financially with scholarships and to enjoy the college experience. In five years, I want to have finished college and become a graduate attending veterinary medicine school. In ten years, I want to have my own animal hospital and be happily married to the love of my life and traveling the world. I want to have kids one day and be able to support my family. 

Dog-on Amazing People

I am so lucky to have these five people in my life that help me achieve my dreams and goals.

Adrian-He may be my boyfriend but he is also my best friend. I can tell him anything that is going on in my life and he will listen to all my problems no matter how small they are. He is one of the very few people that I have in my life that believes in my dreams and goals just as much as I do. He has never told me that my dreams are too big and I need to be realistic. Right now I am looking at some colleges that my family and other friends don't think I could get into and scholarships to attend certain colleges. He tells me that I won't know unless I try. I tell him all of my goals and he is more than supportive. He ensures me that I can do what ever I set my mind to. He helps me study for my ACT and anatomy tests. When I get discouraged and say that I am going to fail he makes sure I don't give up. He never thinks that my dreams are too crazy. He tells me all of his dreams and goals and they inspire me because of how determined he is and how he doesn't fear the size of his goal. He makes me try to be a better person and I know I can count on him for anything.

Megan-My sister is my number one best friend because she has been with me since day one. Since we are only 13 months apart we have a lot in common but we have also had our differences. My sister is a freshman at Washington State University and this is the first time she isn't a door away to talk to 24/7. It's only been two months without her but I definitely do miss her. I regret that I took advantage of the time that she was here. I tell Megan all of my hopes and dreams and she is supportive every step of the way. She helps me to achieve my goals because of the advice she gives me. She is being very helpful as I try and find my dream college and the things that I should be looking for. When I go to college I will be a little more prepared because of the things my sister let me know of like making new friends, picking a residence hall, jointing a sorority, doing good in classes, and enjoying college. She is very realistic and she will let me know if my goals are not realistic for me. Sophomore year I wanted to be a professional dancer and Megan told me that it would be harder starting at such a late age and that I should look into something else. Turns out I was a pretty bad dancer. She helps me achieve my goals but makes sure that my head is in the right place. I really miss my sister and I appreciate every minute that I get to talk to her.

Eric-Eric and I haven't been friends for very long but recently he has become one of my closest friends. We are very similar people and we both believe in the same things. We have recently been going on walks and talking about our problems and thoughts. I know that he won't judge me and will listen to what I have to say. The last time we went on a walk we talked about our future and our dreams. He was very supportive and listened to my plans for my future. He believed in my dreams and he helped me with my small problems that I was thinking about. He gave me advice and I know that no matter what our future has in store for the both of us that we will continue to help each other along the way. He makes me feel that my dreams can never be too big.

Comet-Some people may think that it is weird that one of the 5 "people" that help me achieve my goals is my dog. It is a bit crazy but since I want to be a vet when I am older I really have a passion for animals. She isn't able to talk to me or give me advice but she I can feel her support. She is always there for me and I'm sure it's not because she wants food from me. Whenever I am crying Comet always manages to comfort me and she licks my tears away. She can never say anything to make me mad at her and she just wants me to be happy. I have had Comet since the 4th grade and I grew up with her. She is  the one thing that I can count on and that will ALWAYS be there for me. It is such a different bond between a human and a dog but it is equally as important. She is the reason I wanted to become a vet because she made me realize how much I love animals. I try to live by the saying, "Be the person your pet thinks you are." I know my dog sees me as a perfect human being and this makes me want to be that person. She helps me achieve my dreams because she will always be there for me.

My Mum and Dad-My parents have made me into the person I am today and they support me in everything I do. They make sure I am always realistic about my dreams and they also make sure that they put in their 2 cents about everything. They have supported me in every thing that I have done. They went to every soccer and softball game, every cheer competition, every dance recital, every award ceremony, and even the one choir concert I was in. They help me achieve my dreams and goals by giving me advice. They also help me achieve my goals by doing whatever they can to help me succeed. My junior year I wanted to understand and get good grades in Chemistry and Algebra 2, so my parents got me a tutor. I want to do well on my ACT so I can get a scholarship, so they signed me up and paid for an online test prep class. They have supported me in my internship and my volunteer work. My mum saw how miserable I was at my old job and she was able to help me come to the conclusion to leave that job. Because of her I was able to have the confidence to leave and find a new job at Pet Food Express! My dad pushed me to do well in school and he was there when I received my first academic letter. Without my parents none of my dreams or goals would be possible.

Getting off of Someday Island:
1. Clean my room
2. Study for the ACT and do another practice test.
3. Schedule Comet's vet appointment
4. Start applying to colleges
5. Go into my internship

Working My Tail Off

Hi there! My name is Molly Williams and I am a senior at Cal High. One thing I know for certain about my life is that it is far from boring. I work at Pet Food Express in Danville and I get to help pet owners gain as much information as they can about animal nutrition everyday. I love my job so much! I have only been there for about  a month but it has been great! My co-workers are amazing and I have a passion for helping animals. Not to mention I get to play with and pet puppies every day: an added bonus. I also volunteer at the SPCA in Dublin and have been volunteering for more than a year. I am given the opportunity to help people find a new addition to their family and I also care for these animals. I have been an intern at Bollinger Canyon Animal Hospital for more than a year. I get to see a lot of amazing things because of this internship. I have seen animal surgeries, one day old puppies, x-rays, and sadly dying and deceased animals. As you can probably tell from all of my extracurricular activities, I want to help animals when I am older. My IQuest passion is to become a veterinarian. Due to the IQuest class I will be able to intern at the animal hospital more due to my busy schedule. I am very excited for this opportunity and I can't wait to get started. Senior year is bitter sweet. I'm ready to move on and start my future far from San Ramon but I'm going to miss the friendships that I formed here. I know that I won't talk to most of the people at Cal High for a very long time or ever again. It just makes me sad to think about. I have lots of goals I want to be proud that I accomplished my senior year, as I walk across the football field with my diploma in hand on June 13th, 2014. I want to have gotten a 4.2 both semesters of my senior year, have a successful year as president of the FLOA club, I want to have gotten into my dream college, I want to from strong relationships that will survive past high school, I want to still be dating my boyfriend, Adrian,  I want my parents to be proud of me and realize that I do work hard, I want to have made a positive impact on everyone around me, I want to MC for more than one rally, I want to make a difference in Leadership and start the first Kindness Week, I want to be certain of my career path, and I want to be able to look back at all four years of my high school experience and be proud. I'm ready to work my tail off!