just need this is be outside of myself

When I was two years old, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. The cancer started in her saliva glands, and so she went through extensive radiation until she went into remission several years later. I remember her leaving for doctors appointments, not knowing where she was going, or if she was coming back. I used to sit and scream at the back door, crying, waiting. One of my most prominent memories of my mother was that she always had a bottle of coca-cola, and chap-stick, because the radiation left her mouth permanently dry.

   She was Re-diagnosed when I was 8, a little older, this came as a quite a blow. The next two years consisted of many treatments, surgeries, doctors, hospitals. My mom was sick for so long, but she was still the kindest, most generous, and most alive person I've every met. I never doubted that she would beat her cancer. This time brought me and my dad very close.. so much waiting together.

  She died a few months before my 11th birthday, on my brother's 13th birthday. I was having a sleep over, we were watching Annie. My sister came and told me we had to go home, she was scared, and I knew something had happened without her telling me. I remember picking out my shoes for my mom's funeral, and standing in the snowy cemetery. I remember 97 missed calls on the phone. I remember waking up one morning and finding our kitchen full of food that people had left. People seem to think casserole is the answer to grief.

  After she passed, it was mostly just me and my dad. I don't remember my siblings being around much, though a lot of that time is hazy. My dad took me and my brother to England the following autumn, to visit our sisters, and to take our minds off of things. My dad became my best friend, my confidante, my hero. We did everything together. I had anxiety attacks over staying at other peoples houses for years, afraid that something would happen to my dad while I was gone.

  When I was 17, my dad remarried. This was extremely difficult for me, learning to share my dad, my space, and my life. I felt like I was losing precious time with him as I finished my senior year, and prepared for University.

   I'm 20 now, and have recently completed my 2nd year of University. Several weeks before finals, my dad called and told me that  he had been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, it's aggressive, there's no treatment. I had no idea how to study for exams, and focus on school when every part of me wanted to drive home just to make sure that he was really still there. The doctors say 3 years, but of course I know that they're just guessing.

  To be completely honest, I can't believe this is happening. My dad is the only parent I've ever really know, and I'm scared. Scared of not having any one to turn to for comfort, scared to be alone. I have no expectations in writing all of this down, I just thought maybe if it existed somewhere outside of myself, it would make more sense.

An ALES 204 Reflection

I have never taken a class likes ALES 204 before, and at first, I was incredibly skeptical. How crazy is it to have a  Class Blog  for all of your homework?! I did not think that I needed to learn about using Twitter or Facebook. Sometimes it was frustrating, other times it was the most fun I have ever had in a class. I had no idea what to expect from this class, no idea what I would take away, but I have certainly learned a lot.

A Better Twitter [Digital Image].(2010). Retrieved April 10, 2012, From:
       http://blog.twitter.com/2010/09/better-twitter.html                           

     As the semester wore on, I began to see the networking potential in it, and I have learned to use social media tools in ways I had never imagined. For example, I learned how to make a professional Facebook page (you can see this in one of my older blog posts), which is like an online resume for potential employers. I have also been able to connect with students who share similar experiences, and interests as me. Throughout the semester I have read several of my fellow students blogs and Jenna, Josh, Pauline, Danielle, and Andria, are some students who I really connected with through their blog entries.

     Another important thing I have learned is how to conduct myself professionally online. The lab we did on 'How to Write a Professional E-mail' was incredibly helpful. I have always struggled with how to address professors in E-mails, especially when they are very informal in person, so having some guidance in this area was very much appreciated. Being able to write a professional, respectful email is a skill that will help me for the rest of my academic and (later on) professional career.

     One thing I would change given the chance, are the lab periods. Throughout the term, I found myself going all the way across campus to my lab only to discover than we really did not really have anything to do that day, and the power points from the lab periods were more than sufficient to complete any assignment. A lab every second week would have been sufficient. Overall, my experience with this class has been fantastic and if it were open to students outside of ALES, I would definitely recommend it to my friends.

-Hannah

Wiki editing

Starting this assignment was incredibly daunting, because it sounded like so much work, time, and effort. I really had no idea how to go about choosing a stub to edit, a problem common among my peers (Shelley), but I decided to dive in. I started by searching through biology stubs that relate to my field of study. I finally found a stub about animal spines, the external modified hair type, not the bones in our backs. Studying animal biology, I felt my knowledge was extensive enough to complete this stub.

      I found this stub interesting, because evolutionary studies are a major focus in the scientific community. Spines are an excellent example of how animals change and adapt their bodies for protection. Wikipedia is an incredible source of information, and I use it all the time. Every time I'm curious about something and Google it, I always look at the Wikipedia entry first. I'm not saying that everything on a Wiki is going to be accurate, and its certainly not suitable for academia, but it's an amazing place to start.


        The format for editing Wikipedia articles was completely foreign to me, and it took some time to become comfortable with it. Once I got started it went pretty smoothly, though I did have some difficulty deciding when it was appropriate to add references and citations. Another issue I found was that many other articles contained similar information. For example, much of the information under the spine stub, could be found under the article for porcupines. This made me realize how much information on Wikipedia is repetitive. How many pieces of information can be found in numerous other articles?


       I have to admit that I was unenthusiastic about this assignment, though now that it is complete, I feel good knowing I contributed to something like Wikipedia that thousands of people use every single day.


-Hannah


Image citation:
Wikimedia commons. from: http://www.wikipedia.org/. retrieved 3/28/2012

My future in a zoo

Without a doubt, I can say that my dream job would be working in a Zoo.

At first seeing these beautiful animals in cages saddened me, but I started researching (using the internet). A lot of people do not realize that many species would not exist without zoos, and that they are necessary to conservation (Read On!). I am passionate about animal education, and though my primary goal is to act as doctor and nutritionist, I would like to get involved in public education. This is where social media is incredibly useful. Not only can you use it to spread information, but you can create online petitions, and make events.

There are many animal activist groups today, many of which, seem to me, to be uninformed though great at using social media to spread their beliefs. Many of these groups want to see animals released. Animals that have never been in the wild, or who's only companions are in the zoo. My wish, is that these groups would stop fighting the zoo, and start working with them instead. I believe that we have an obligation to these creatures, who's natural habitats are growing smaller every year because of our actions, to give them the best life possible.







did you know that the Siberian Tiger (the largest cat in the world) is endangered? Their numbers are only 400-500 in the wild. Most Siberians live in zoos

Public education is new to me and I may need to enlist the help of fellow conservationists like Jenna to help me along the way. Social media can help me build this kind of network. I know it won't be easy, but if I can make even a small impact on the lives of these, or even future animals, I will have achieved the greatest success possible. 

-Hannah 

Image citations:
Dusheck, Jennie. A zoo veterinarian examines the San Diego Zoo's female giant panda cub [Digital image]. (1999). retrieved 27 Feb, 2012, from: http://www.biologyreference.com/Ve-Z/Zoology-Researcher.html


Sartore, Joel. Siberian Tiger [Digital image], retrieved 27 Feb, 2012, from: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/siberian-tiger/

Read more: Zoology Researcher - Biology Encyclopedia - body, animal, different, species, ways http://www.biologyreference.com/Ve-Z/Zoology-Researcher.html#ixzz1sbgn7t9s  

Facebook... Professional?

My Facebook Page

If you had told me a few days ago that Facebook was beginning to be used in a professional way, I would have been baffled. Lets face it, when we think of Facebook, we think of embarrassing photos from last weekend, and the endless posts containing the every passing thought of our entire friends list. But now I'm beginning to see the potential; an online resume, that not only tells your future employer who you are in a professional capacity, but can also catch a glimpse of who you are outside of work. I think this last point is important, because you want good people working for you, people with good values.

Just like everyone else, my profile is cluttered with (sometimes inappropriate) photos, posts, and conversations. There is a tonne of stuff that I would never want my parents to see, let alone a potential employer. This is where the Facebook page comes in, showing all the good parts of myself while maybe concealing some of my private life. I created my Facebook page as a class project, to learn how to present myself as a professional to others. However, while I was creating it I began to feel hopeful. It was like speaking to future me, who had accomplished some of my important goals, and who had a bright future. Now I see this page as a sort of stepping stone, and a reminder for the things I want to become. 

This page will be my business card, my resume, and my cover letter. It will introduce me to clients, employers, and fellow veterinarians. It will let me network with others in my field, and allow me to build a community within Facebook to further my career. I think this is an excellent implementation of an already popular social media site. I very much look forward to what is yet to come. 

Always a pleasure sharing my thoughts,

Hannah. 

P.S. I specifically chose that photo for my Facebook page because it was taken by Professor Frank Robinson out at the South Campus Poultry Unit during an ANSC 200 lab. It was one of the most enjoyable classes, and Prof. Robinson's intense poultry passion only strengthened my desire to do animal sciences. 

Note: If you're interested, here are some more thoughts on the professional use of Facebook: 

http://mashable.com/2009/08/14/facebook-networking/

From other students: 

http://cerickson-ales204.blogspot.com

http://www.julielacko.blogspot.com/

http://baconismylife.blogspot.com/

my Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hannah-OReilly/214444111983533

Introduction: about me and my studies

My Home Town  

I guess I'll start by introducing myself..


 My name is Hannah O'Reilly, I am 19 years old, and I am in my second year at the University of Alberta.  I was born and raised in Peace River Alberta, which to be perfectly honest, has nothing to do with the fact that I am studying Pre-Vet medicine. I did not grow up on a farm, nor do I have any desire to live or work on one. Though I have a passionate dedication to animals, and my background is in a rural community, I'm a city girl at heart.  


I have wanted to be a Veterinarian since I was six years old, though only recently I decided that my dream job is to work in Zoos around the world. This dream combines my love of animal care, and my passion for travelling. This path requires approximately 10 years of schooling, A lot of money, and even more willpower, but it's one day at a time. 


Communication plays a huge role in the field I am trying to break into. I must be able to communicate with other Veterinarians/Researchers, and clients, as well as being able to analyze and communicate the results of patient exams. When it comes to medicine, whether human or animal, there is always more to learn. Communication technologies provide a way to access the knowledge of others in my field, and to share experiences with each other that may be beneficial to future patient cases. It is also plays a huge role in building a support system, which is incredibly important in a field so demanding and stressful. 


(still thinking of a catchy sign-off phrase)
until next time, Hannah. 



citation for image:


 Scott Simpson. 2009. Peace River region rejects another hydro dam. retrieved: January 15, 2012, from: http://www.sqwalk.com/bc2009/001763.html