Crazy, Crazy Day.
I spent all afternoon on my feet at a job fair at the Tucson Convention Center. Among other things, I've signed up for an appointment with the HR department of a company where I used to work. They don't have any openings in my old department, but there's the possibility I'll be able to return in a different capacity. Which would be great, as it was a great place to work with lots of great people.
It was really bizarre to see how many of the other people attending the fair were dressed. There were people there in tattered jeans and too tight T-shirts, strolling along pushing baby carriages, people who wore casual office attire, people in moderately formal attire (that would be me, too), and people in extremely conservative suits. The most casual actually predominated, were often with family members or friends, and tended to walk along chattering as if they were at some kind of entertainment. Most of the booths were for call centers, with health care and education probably the next most represented. I learned that Arizona does not require substitute teachers to be certified teachers; the certification program for subs is basically verification of one's college degree and a fingerprint-based background check to weed out any known child abusers. I'm also eligible to teach some courses at the community college level, so I'll be looking into opportunities at all levels of education.
I'd hardly gotten home and was having a bite to eat while I posted, when my son called about Muffin. We'd been worried about him earlier, but then he'd seemed okay, so we waited, only to have this emergency run. When we got Muffin to the vet they got a urine sample (the vet tech picked him up and must have pressed his bladder, because she said he peed as she did so) and there was blood and crystals in it. So, Muffin will get some medicine and be on special food for a month, but should be okay. However, since he's only 18 months, we're going to have to keep an eye out for this in the future. His brothers may be susceptible, too.
While we were waiting, it was clear that Muffin was feeling better. Once he'd been able to empty his bladder he was perky and happy. We took turns petting him. It was fun watching as Ian stood at the exam table on which Muffin stood and petted him, while Muffin purred, stropped Ian's hands, and attempted to knead the table top, all at the same time. Frankly, I've never seen a cat as calm and happy at a vet's office, unless it was the vet's own cat.
I actually wound up abandoning my son and the cat at the vet's, when my other son got off work and was able to join them, as I'd almost forgotten in all the excitement that I had an appointment of my own. My physician recently left town and recommended that I see a nurse practitioner who happens to work evenings, until I find a new physician. Just some routine follow-up stuff, but I was ten minutes late for my 7:30 p.m. appointment and it was really weird driving up to the clinic and seeing the parking lot completely empty. The doors opened though and I was seen.
It's been a long day though and I'm very, very happy to be home.
It was really bizarre to see how many of the other people attending the fair were dressed. There were people there in tattered jeans and too tight T-shirts, strolling along pushing baby carriages, people who wore casual office attire, people in moderately formal attire (that would be me, too), and people in extremely conservative suits. The most casual actually predominated, were often with family members or friends, and tended to walk along chattering as if they were at some kind of entertainment. Most of the booths were for call centers, with health care and education probably the next most represented. I learned that Arizona does not require substitute teachers to be certified teachers; the certification program for subs is basically verification of one's college degree and a fingerprint-based background check to weed out any known child abusers. I'm also eligible to teach some courses at the community college level, so I'll be looking into opportunities at all levels of education.
I'd hardly gotten home and was having a bite to eat while I posted, when my son called about Muffin. We'd been worried about him earlier, but then he'd seemed okay, so we waited, only to have this emergency run. When we got Muffin to the vet they got a urine sample (the vet tech picked him up and must have pressed his bladder, because she said he peed as she did so) and there was blood and crystals in it. So, Muffin will get some medicine and be on special food for a month, but should be okay. However, since he's only 18 months, we're going to have to keep an eye out for this in the future. His brothers may be susceptible, too.
While we were waiting, it was clear that Muffin was feeling better. Once he'd been able to empty his bladder he was perky and happy. We took turns petting him. It was fun watching as Ian stood at the exam table on which Muffin stood and petted him, while Muffin purred, stropped Ian's hands, and attempted to knead the table top, all at the same time. Frankly, I've never seen a cat as calm and happy at a vet's office, unless it was the vet's own cat.
I actually wound up abandoning my son and the cat at the vet's, when my other son got off work and was able to join them, as I'd almost forgotten in all the excitement that I had an appointment of my own. My physician recently left town and recommended that I see a nurse practitioner who happens to work evenings, until I find a new physician. Just some routine follow-up stuff, but I was ten minutes late for my 7:30 p.m. appointment and it was really weird driving up to the clinic and seeing the parking lot completely empty. The doors opened though and I was seen.
It's been a long day though and I'm very, very happy to be home.