... and, truthfully, I should have let y'all in on it sooner than this, but here it is, in writing:
I no longer use the blog and haven't been doing so at all since the end of March. Live Journal has become my favorite.

Please continue keeping up with my life, and those of you who have my blog linked from your blog, you could update the link if you wanted to as well, so that my desperate fans do not lose any more of my priceless insights...

www.livejournal.com/users/barisaxyvet/

So, I think that I have some sort of a brain problem. It doesn't seem to matter how much sleep (or how little for that matter) that I get, I am still irrationally tired during the day. Now, I could write this off as some sort of a physical manifestation of my dread of school as of late, but I am also experiencing said problem on the weekends, during which I dread school much, much less. Perhaps it is merely a symptom of being a professional student, especially one with a history of anxiety.

For some reason lately, anxiety has also been rising. There is very little reason for this that I can see. Sometimes I have been able to figure out why anxiety has risen and sometimes I am just as perplexed as I could be. Nine weeks ago my life changed considerably, then slightly less so seven weeks ago. But since then, things have pretty well reached equilibrium. I will say that it is a dynamic equilibrium, but really, aren't those the best kind. Afterall, static equilibrium equals death if you are a cell, I suspect that the same is true of a relationship or a person.

Despite kind of disliking change in my personal sphere, I am ready for another, and soon. I need to shed this crummy semester and move onward and upward, as they say. Summer can not come too soon. Only five weeks of class left (24.5 days) and one hellish finals week. Then I get to get lost in research and the things (and people) in life that will be carried on into the summer.

I recieved awesome birthday presents from my wonderful girlfriend on Saturday night. (For those of you "in the know", you are right, my b-day isn't actually until May 15, but she just couldn't wait.) A book that I have wanted for four years, a lovely piece of art/sex toy that I would love to display in my living room, and also, the crowning glory, a beautiful Aslan Leather strap-on harness!!! Boy am I glad that we had a discussion about harnesses over spring break so that she knew the kinds of harness that I would buy myself. Recieving this harness is really the realization of a long-held dream. Now, I need to peruse options, decide on and purchase a dildo for my new apparatus. I don't know how long I would have waited before actually buying myself a harness (as it has been a real plan for about four years). Really, it was a perfect gift in many ways. The best gifts are often those that you want but haven't yet/would never really get around to buying for yourself, I think.

The weather has been beautiful, high of 72 today. Hopefully park/picnic plans solidify and come through for tonight.
I am less tired now. I am off to do some last minute studying for my neurobiology test that I have at 10:30.

but I am afraid that it won't be a LONG, awaited update due to the face that I have gen path soon.When you were last given a glimpse of my story, I was nearly on my way to Texas for the SAVMA Symposium. It was an interesting experience, that is for certain. Parts of it were fabulously educational or wonderfully fun. But parts of it were just stressful or stupid or disorganized (or any combination fo the above. The experience was kind of like "Vet Student Girls Gone Wild". There was plenty of drinking done by my colleagues. I did a little myself as well, but I am afraid that I just don't go to cnferences to get drunk and be too hung over to attend the meetings/lectures. I did find some subjects that I need to research more/for the very first time. One of them is the Bowen Technique. Anybody who reads this have any info (on any side of the issue) to recommend to me on this subject??
Jeff Corwin was the keynote speaker. That was pretty damn cool. He is from Boston, but doesn't usually have the accent. On certain sounds, though, it does tend to come through. I thank the goddess that he once had a cat named Charlotte that came up in his address. I hear that boston accent and I just melt. Mmmm...
The wet lab on parrot restraint, handling, and clinical exam techniques was useful and I got to help other people learn some stuff that I already knew (as well as make a little friend of a quaker parrot who didn't like anyone else really. I guess that I am a bird whisperer:).)
"Overview of parrot behavior" workshop (lecture, meeting, whatever. At queer conferences they are called workshops) was useful. I definitely came away from it with some good ideas to implement or at lease try out in the present and future.
17 hour bus ride in each direction. This was less-than-pleasant and was very frustrating at times. I did sleep about 10 hours on the way down and off and on for most of the way back, so I guess I can't complain much.It was great, when I returned to town I got a ride back to my place, dropped some stuff off, grabbed a couple of things, and headed to Troy and Rachel's. As I turned the corner onto their street from the south, a car turned onto their street from the north. It was Rachel! How's that for timing? We couldn't have done that if we had been planning to do so.

It was really awesome to be home. I missed sleeping with my loves in a giant bed. Sleeping three people who don't mind touching during sleep in two side-by-side queen beds is a very starkly different situation from sleeping two people in a double bed when touching is disallowed. And I hadn't had sex from anyone, including myself, in five days. This, too, is not an ideal situation to me.Spring break was glorious. Rachel had it off from work and we spent pretty much 24 hr/day together [:)] from Monday until this Monday when I had to go back to school [:(]. Then she was off to work on Tuesday until this Saturday night! Talk about cold turkey...
The trip to IC on Tuesday was bittersweet, what with Ruby's closing and all. We did get to see a couple of very important friends, though. We also obtained peacock feathers with which to play around. This is VERY exciting. Oddly enough, though, we haven't really used them at all yet. Oh well, that will come. It would probably be even more fun with rope, though. But, then again, what ISN'T more fun with rope, right? :))

but I am afraid that it won't be a LONG, awaited update due to the face that I have gen path soon.
When you were last given a glimpse of my story, I was nearly on my way to Texas for the SAVMA Symposium. It was an interesting experience, that is for certain. Parts of it were fabulously educational or wonderfully fun. But parts of it were just stressful or stupid or disorganized (or any combination fo the above. The experience was kind of like "Vet Student Girls Gone Wild". There was plenty of drinking done by my colleagues. I did a little myself as well, but I am afraid that I just don't go to conferences to get drunk and be too hung over to attend the meetings/lectures. I did find some subjects that I need to research more/for the very first time. One of them is the Bowen Technique. Anybody who reads this have any info (on any side of the issue) to recommend to me on this subject??
Jeff Corwin was the keynote speaker. That was pretty damn cool. He is from Boston, but doesn't usually have the accent. On certain sounds, though, it does tend to come through. I thank the goddess that he once had a cat named Charlotte that came up in his address. I hear that boston accent and I just melt. Mmmm...
The wet lab on parrot restraint, handling, and clinical exam techniques was useful and I got to help other people learn some stuff that I already knew (as well as make a little friend of a quaker parrot who didn't like anyone else really. I guess that I am a bird whisperer:).)
"Overview of parrot behavior" workshop (lecture, meeting, whatever. At queer conferences they are called workshops) was useful. I definitely came away from it with some good ideas to implement or at lease try out in the present and future.
17 hour bus ride in each direction. This was less-than-pleasant and was very frustrating at times. I did sleep about 10 hours on the way down and off and on for most of the way back, so I guess I can't complain much.
It was great, when I returned to town I got a ride back to my place, dropped some stuff off, grabbed a couple of things, and headed to Troy and Rachel's. As I turned the corner onto their street from the south, a car turned onto their street from the north. It was Rachel! How's that for timing? We couldn't have done that if we had been planning to do so.
It was really awesome to be home. I missed sleeping with my loves in a giant bed. Sleeping three people who don't mind touching during sleep in two side-by-side queen beds is a very starkly different situation from sleeping two people in a double bed when touching is disallowed. And I hadn't had sex from anyone, including myself, in five days. This, too, is not an ideal situation to me.Spring break was glorious. Rachel had it off from work and we spent pretty much 24 hr/day together [:)] from Monday until this Monday when I had to go back to school [:(]. Then she was off to work on Tuesday until this Saturday night! Talk about cold turkey...
The trip to IC on Tuesday was bittersweet, what with Ruby's closing and all. We did get to see a couple of very important friends, though. We also obtained peacock feathers with which to play around. This is VERY exciting. Oddly enough, though, we haven't really used them at all yet. Oh well, that will come. It would probably be even more fun with rope, though. But, then again, what ISN'T more fun with rope, right? :))

A quick update with the promise of a better one next week
Histo/phys got doen 10 m inutes early this morning, thus I have time to give y'all a quick update on the state of things here in Ames/my life before immunology (a double shot of it).The past week has been testing hell. I have an amazing sense of relief now that that is all over.Tonight at 6:30 pm I will be leaving from the vet school on a bus headed for College Station, TX, for the SAVMA Symposium. It should be good, a bit stressful, a bit inconvenient, but it should also be educational in a novel way. This I am looking forward to.
Also, there will be 16 or so hours on a bus (overnight) today and all day on Sunday during which some damn good sleep should be achieved, since I am an expert at living on a charter bus after my experiences the summer of 98 and 99.
Monday night was a night of some amazing and creative sex and intimacy. I am astounded, really, at how much I love Troy and Rachel and how that has so profoundly changed my life in the past six and a half weeks. I will definitely miss them a ton during the next four to five days that I will be gone and not seeing them :( But I know that I have an awesome thing to come back home to (not to mention a week with no class!!!) and that makes life so much more meaningful.
Next week is spring break!!!!!! No classes, limited school work. Rachel has taken the week off of work so many adventures will be had. It will be glorious. Included in said adventures is going to be a pilgrimage to IOWA CITY!!! But for a mournful reason: Ruby's Pearl is closing it's pearly gates! Everyone, go support them in their final days (until March 26) and tell them how much they have meant to you and the community for the past few years! I MEAN IT! GO! Also, bra shopping and lunch eating will happen. I can't wait to take on the women at Victoria's Secret if they won't let us go in the dressing room together. She is my girlfriend, boyfriends get to go in with girlfriends all the time. I want justice and it shall be obtain. Funfunfun.
I must go to class, wish me luck in Texas and I wish you all luck in life.

here in Ames/my life before immunology (a double shot of it).
The past week has been testing hell. I have an amazing sense of relief now that that is all over.
Tonight at 6:30 pm I will be leaving from the vet school on a bus headed for College Station, TX, for the SAVMA Symposium. It should be good, a bit stressful, a bit inconvenient, but it should also be educational in a novel way. This I am looking forward to. Also, there will be 16 or so hours on a bus (overnight) today and all day on Sunday during which some damn good sleep should be achieved, since I am an expert at living on a charter bus after my experiences the summer of 98 and 99.
Monday night was a night of some amazing and creative sex and intimacy. I am astounded, really, at how much I love Troy and Rachel and how that has so profoundly changed my life in the past six and a half weeks. I will definitely miss them a ton during the next four to five days that I will be gone and not seeing them :( But I know that I have an awesome thing to come back home to (not to mention a week with no class!!!) and that makes life so much more meaningful.
Next week is spring break!!!!!! No classes, limited school work. Rachel has taken the week off of work so many adventures will be had. It will be glorious. Included in said adventures is going to be a pilgrimage to IOWA CITY!!! But for a mournful reason: Ruby's Pearl is closing it's pearly gates! Everyone, go support them in their final days (until March 23) and tell them how much they have meant to you and the community for the past few years! I MEAN IT! GO! Also, bra shopping and lunch eating will happen. I can't wait to take on the women at Victoria's Secret if they won't let us go in the dressing room together. She is my girlfriend, boyfriends get to go in with girlfriends all the time. I want justice and it shall be obtain. Funfunfun.
Daniel, my dear, are you around for break and will I be able to briefly see your shining face when we come down?
I must go to class, wish me luck in Texas and I wish you all luck in life.

Good news, my people, the Seuss cake has turned out BEAUTIFULLY!! I shall post pictures of the assembling and the final product at some point soon, hopefully. I need to retrieve them from Troy's digital camera and figure out somewhere where I can have them hosted so that I can put them up here. But I promise, the wait will be well worth it. This cake a creation of which the cat in the hat himself would be proud, including much mess and disorder and a few fiascos on the way to its completion!
Fanfare!
Drumroll!
Now I must clean...

To a birthday celebration for Dr. Seuss!!!!
When: Saturday, Feb 26, 2005, 1-3pm
Where: Firehouse Books, Downtown, Ames, Iowa (on Douglas St)
What: To celebrate the genius and memory of the late, great Dr. Seuss, who would have been 101 year old on March 2 this year!
Nifty Cat in the Hat cake will be provided to all attendees! Bring your favorite Dr. Seuss book to read or have read to the crowd.
Who: Anyone and everyone. Children of all ages 0-312!

Because I fear that I may have tuberculosis, contract from our goat, Guinness. Well, I may fear that, but my trip to the doctor yesterday said otherwise.
Here is the timeline up to now:
Three weeks ago- upper respiratory illness, much inflamation and soreness, copious amounts of mucus. Fun was had by no one. Recovery time- ~2 days
A little over a week and a half ago- sore throat is back. What a cruel world! Here comes the runny nose as well. Didn't my immune system just give this bug the old what for? Coughing, much coughing, mostly at night. This makes it hard to sleep.
Recovery time- for the sore throat, ~3 days, the coughing, read on.
Yesterday night, middle of the night- I have been coughing all night, little sleep has been obtained. My throat is now raw and sore from coughing. Then breathing becomes increasingly difficult. Wheezing and labored breathing do not make any bit of life easier, let alone getting sleep. Nose is stuffy again too, where did that come from? Time passes, morning comes, the condition has only worsened. I have a fever. All of my muscles are sore and I have a headache, both likely from coughing. Pulse is racing, likely due to fever. I decide to forgo histo/phys, on account of not being able to breathe, and obtain a doctor's appointment to try to fix my respiratory apparatus. Student health appointment is obtained suprisingly quickly (I called at 10:12, the appointment was 10:30). Fever, 100.8F. Racing heart, 120bpm. Labored breathing, it's gotten worse. Lung capacity, ~50%. Lung sounds, PERFECT. WTF? Well, at least it isn't TB. So, I was nebulized with Albuterol, no effect except shakiness and numbing of extremities. I was sent home with cephalexin, prednisone, and an albuterol inhaler. Come back in one week, we will see where things are. Ok. Fine.
Yesterday afternoon- slept for five hours, took ibuprofen, fever finally broke. Could breathe much better by bedtime, still not 100%. Much less coughing.
Went to morning classes only today, I faded quickly once I got up this morning and the cough was returning. I also figured that my lungs could use a break from the formalin-soaked, rumen-stink-laden anatomy lab, so I was already planning on passing up that this afternoon.
Books were bought (2 Seuss, one sex manual, I figured, the first two were a must for tomorrow's Seuss party, the third was a present long-awaited for being sick), lunch was had, in public, whilst reading said sex manual, groceries were bought for supper and seuss cake, nap was taken.
There have been a few small, contained mini-fiascos with regards to the supper and seuss cake, but everything is well undercontrol, except for the fact that it is now 10:30 and the red velvet layers (hopefully I will be able to get two out of this single cake) are still in the oven. Why do I have such fabulous elaborate ideas??
11:13pm UPDATE- A single red velvet cake did not seem like it was going to be sufficient to make two layers in the finished product. Thus, I have just put a second one in the oven (~30min). Then it must cool (goddess knows how long this will take, I have been putting them outside for super-cooling once 15-20 min are up, though, so that helps) before I can frost them.
Also, there is a rhythmic clicking noise in Troy and Rachel's kitchen that is driving me BONKERS!!!! And this computer monitor makes this really high frequency noise that Troy can't hear, but it drives me OUT of MY GOURD!!
The assembling of said Seuss cake will hopefully go off without a hitch, or without many hitches, anyway. The plan: red velvet layer, white layer, red velvet layer, shaped like the cat in the hat's hat, frosted to resemble this famous hat.
We will see where dental floss, a sharp, cold knife, a paper pattern, and plenty of cream cheese icing in red and white varieties will get me.
With any luck, I will be in bed, with a fabulous cake under my belt, by 1am. Wish me luck. Off I go.
11:45 UPDATE
Feeling less grumpy. Just had mind-blowing sex. Cake #4 is almost done (#1 was a lost cause, fell to pieces).
I think that I will leave this entry here.
Goodnight, world!