It's decided...

I'm a Gaucho! I did look into a graduate program at UC Davis, in Animal Behavior, and made sure that I could still do that with the courses at UCSB. I still really want to go to Davis, so this was an option. Long story...It was a tough choice, but the two were really close. It really came down to a coin toss... almost.

On another note,
Zoo today was awesome! Denise was off in the field looking for egg masses (froggies!!!) so I got to hang out with Mark in herps! When both Sophie and I are volunteering (a) everyone gets jealous, and b)) we called ourselvs, "Mark's Army". We're silly. We were set up on a few projects this morning: cleaning the radiated tortoise den/exhibit, cleaning the "oh-crap-I-forgot-which-tortoise-species"den/exhibit, and cleaning Mary-Lou's (american alligator) pool. I love the radiated's because they are affectionate, and also, contrary to our other tortoise friends (not desert, but something else), they are NOT covered in their own feces!!! Gross. Hokay, so we were hanging out with radiated's and we had to hose the bottom part of the den, so we removed it, and swept it off, etc, then took it outside of the exhibit to hose. I turned on the water and let Sophie hose, but as I was trying to get out of the line of fire, I tripped over a tree knot in the roots, and tumbled all over the place... I'm sure it was a hilarious site, but my back/neck/shoulders are really sore now. Plus, I slashed up my finger on something. It was exciting.

Here's some cuteness from the zoo:

The littlest radiated tortoise getting her morning scratches. I love when they dance... wiggle butt!!

The two larger radiated's getting their scratches. Dancing tortoises!

Nom nom nom....

La vida es buena.

Life is good.

Busy freaking week writing papers and such.... TAKE THAT PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION!!!!!!!! Word. Glad that's over with.

So, I started going to SBCC with the intention that I would get an AA in Spanish and be done with it. Had all but one class taken care of, and it was the class from hell that I didn't think I'd be able to pass, so I dropped it, and it was rarely offered. Shortly after this catastrophe, I decided to be a bio major instead, and work towards transferring to a UC to study animals.
In the process of getting everything in order for the transfer, counselors began telling me I was eligible for this degree and that. So I applied for an received an AA in Liberal Studies: Emphasis in Math and Science. Woot. Then they told me to apply for an AA in Chemistry this spring, so that once I pass (which I will!!!) ochem, I will have completed the requirements, and earned the degree.
So, I'm stoked, because it seems like SBCC is handing out degrees like candy, and I'm collecting. Then, while working diligently on my 5000+ word paper on photophosphorylation in the library on Tuesday, I run into an old friend, who happened to be working on a few degrees simultaneously, Spanish being one of them. I mentioned that I was like one class short of the degree, and told her which it was and she said she didn't have to take it. So, today, after submitting my bazillion page paper, I hopped on SBCC pipeline to check the DARS report, and lo' and behold!!! I have completed all requirements for my Spanish degree! Yahoo! So, I applied for the degree, and it will be ready to pick up in like 2 weeks! STOKED!

What I had originally set out to do, was accomplished :) Not that I'm stopping here. Bachelor of Science, here I come!


Some squee and cuteness:

Frog's favorite water park ride :)

Hugs!

Dance, dance, dance!!!!

Happy Easter!

This was from Friday at the zoo, but I forgot I'd taken it. I apologize in advance if the quality is bad; I've never uploaded/posted a video. Also, apologies, I stupidly recorded it sideways...

I call it the "Jack-Jack Dance"

I'm a turtle, you're a turtle, we're a turtle all....

...and when we get together, we do a turtle call!


Sharell and Casey did a "Complete the Sentence" post... I'm bored, so I'm gonna too.
"I have never . . . gone fishing on a bright sunny day, down by the pond where the little fishies play...
I would love to go to . . . Costa Rica (for the sloths, baby!!!!!!!!!!)
For breakfast I ate . . . pancakes!
I wish that . . . my lit review would write itself, and that I am able to correctly identify my ochem unknowns in lab this week.
Tomorrow I am . . . Eastering in Ventura at my Aunt's house... and meeting my uncle's family for the first time (is that redundant??)
My ideal car . . . is fuel efficient, has four doors and a backseat.
My dog is . . . still out there, waiting for me to adopt it.
I love it when . . . it rains when I'm swimming.
One of my favorite things about . . . my cat, is that he's BONKERS!
Every time I see . . . a lizard, I imagine the smile on HBOO's face
I rarely ever . . .  forget to make my bed"


In other news... been accepted to UC Davis!!!!!!(finally)!!!!! Looking at all the financial aid offerings from Davis and Santa Barbara, and weighing out my options. TOUGH choice.


Zoo on Friday was NUTS! The weather also could not decide to be hot or cold, wet or dry. Had some fun cleaning Cats of Africa, and the tiniest little cat scared me at least three times.... hehe. Also seen lions act.... like lions. FEROCIOUS BEASTSSSSS!!! Haha :) 

Big kitteh feets

Seven otters snoozing in the sun

Long time no..... sleep?

Still waiting to hear back from Davis... <insert Jeopardy music>.... It's late April, what's the deal??

Anywho, so basically this week and next week.. and actually the next 4 weeks are kind of going to be rough, and I will be exhausted by the end of it. This week is midterm hell (Ochem today, Sociology tomorrow and Cell bio on Thursday). Then next week is paper's galore.... Lab Report on Photosynthesis, and Lit Review on Photophosphorylation due, then the next week my Sociology paper is due, and the abstract for my seminar... and so on and so forth. I can't wait to be done with the Lit Review. 5000 words... I'm on it.

But first must conquer ochem and bio midterms.

SLEEP?!?!?!?!!1 What's that?!

And now, some cuteness, because we all need some.

I think he's learning how to turn the water on...

Too hot to study... (side note, he's always lingering when I am doing chemistry... never biology...)