Today was Landing Day

 

Today was the first "landing day" for 2017.  Being a professor in a distributed model of clinical education means I don't spend time making up lectures.  I help to create experience for my students through partnerships with practicing veterinarians.  My students are placed "in situ" with these partners for a two week session.  Except for exam week every 8 weeks, I get a new set of students every two weeks all year long.  They are in transit on Sunday for a Monday morning start.  I call the start of each session "Landing Day."  Travel issues, hotel issues, and emergency health issues pop up.  I wait for the students or veterinarians to text or call or e-mail.  I have talked students to the entrance of the site on a cell phone.  I have fielded text questions about wardrobe.  I have had a students who were hit by a car as a pedestrian.  Life happens.  It is a totally different set of tasks than your typical professor requiring a close relationship between faculty and students.  You really get to know each other when you travel together.  Yes, everywhere they go I also go...Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Davis, Berkeley, Duarte, Loma Linda, San Diego and Denver.

The good life is built with good relationships.

In November 2015 Robert Waldinger presented a Ted Talk revealing the lessons from a 75 year study.  What do we need to know?

Good relationships keep us happier and healthier.  

They learned three big lessons about relationships.

1. The first is that social connections are really good for us, and that loneliness kills.
2. The quality of your relationships is the best predictor of a happy and healthy life.
3. Good relationships don't just protect our bodies, they protect our brains.

So "lean in" to your relationships.  Put your hard work there because:

The good life is built with good relationships.

Veterinary Nomad

January 3, 2016

Welcome 2016

2015 was an incredibly busy year with lots of travel.  I was concerned about posting too much about my whereabouts due to concerns for security.  I had an attempted break in at my home while traveling.  Now I have upgraded my home security system with ADT alarm system and cameras amongst other improvements.   I hope to be back on track with the Veterinary Nomad blog this year.  More books, more food and more travels planned for 2016.

Welcome 2015!

I was so excited to welcome in 2015 with my fellow fans of Pink Martini, Kim Holt and Spring Halland.  We love Pink Martini, but the Walt Disney Concert Hall is a fabulous place to hear them (or any other music.  We caught a glimpse of the Los Angeles Grand Park NYE Celebration and the giant projections onto the iconic City Hall building.  We enjoyed our champagne and tailgate picnic in the warm parking garage (yeah - 70 degrees while outside was closer to freezing). 

Happy 2015!

Pink Martini is such a delight and the special guests are always, well, special.  This performance included the Von Trapps.  Yes, they are the great grands of "those" Von Trapps, as in descendants of the ones in the Sound of Music.  I recommend you check out the Von Trapps and Pink Martini's album  "Dream a Little Dream" which is $8.99 for the MP3 on Amazon.com.  If you have Amazon Prime, my favorite track "Storm" streams free.  I get goose bumps thinking about that song.  Ari Shapiro showed up to sing the reply to China Forbes "And then your gone."  China and Ari sang a duet first performed by Barbara Streisand and Judy Garland.  A group of business men from Portland flew to LA to bring their unique Blue Brothers Japanese Portlandia style to the event.  They were hilarious.  Totally hilarious.  No, truly.  Hilarious!

If you have never heard of Pink Martini, it is challenging to explain the music they perform.  Of course I was listening to them while writing this.  Looking at the genres listed in iTunes you can find a single song listed with classical, jazz, Latin and lounge and then another would be classical, African and disco.  I think I finally have a was to explain them to the Pink Martini Newbie.  They a genre-blending multicultural musical integration.  Got it?  No. Well, go listen and see for yourself.

Balls and Dragons" Reptile Super Show 2014

Not many places where you can see a big banner stating, "Superior Balls and Dragons".  Ball pythons and bearded dragons were some of the most featured reptiles at the largest reptile show in the United States www.reptilesupershow.com). There is still plenty of pacman frogs,  king snakes and after the title critters.   My favorites: the adorable sulcatta tortoises, Eastern indigo snakes (if I had a $1000) and the Living Gems Reptiles rainbow boas (on Facebook & lgreptiles@yahoo.com). 

Oscar Reducindo, silver jewelry craftsman, does beautiful work AND he does custom pieces by request.  Visit his etsy store at biologicaljewels.etsy.com.

Exotic Animal Care Center of Pasadena was the only veterinary practice represented.   This practice is growing so quickly that they have recently added a third doctor to the staff.  Dr. Stephanie Lamb has recently joined doctors Tiffany Margolin and practice owner Dr. Sari Kanfer.  Way to go Sari!

There are good prices on reptile housing and husband the supplies abound.  The show continues at the Fairplex in Pomona til Sunday January 5th at 5 pm.

I posted this entire blog from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3.  I even took and edited photos and videos.  They'll be on my Facebook page: Diane McClure DVM

Here's to better success at regular blogging in 2014!

Veterinary Nomad Journal 1.4.14

Back that thing up!!

Back that thing up!!  and I am not referring to twerking.  Before you upgrade to iOS 7, take a few minutes to follow the suggestions in this great article by CNET.
Five Things to Do Before Installing iOS 7

Welcome to 2013!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

UC Denver Anschultz Medical Campus

DVM 2015 and 2016 have started their first PBL cases for the year.  DVM 2013 have arrived at their 3rd year course sites.  We have two new sites beginning:  Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for Zoo & Wildlife Medicine and UC Denver for Lab Animal Medicine & Research.  DVM 2013 on campus are enjoying a 9:00 am start.  DVM 2014 are still on the road, but many have successfully hurdled the National Boards (NAVLE).  Congrats to the DVM 2013 who have this milestone behind them!

  ~Veterinary Nomad journal 1-8-13