A Life Devoted to Animals--A Saturday Journal

A quick detour on Golden Globes weekend, for the sake of my animal friends...

I have been away from home, dog-sitting since December 27.  Right now I'm with Shayna, a Border Collie who I have cared for many times.  It is a long time to be living away from home, in spite of my being only a few miles from our house.  

I miss my routine.  I still have to juggle my household responsibilities with Mark, work my regular job a the College, and provide quality time for this loving animal.

My "tenure" ends this coming Friday with the return of the dog's "parents". Then I can return home, and continue our winter "nesting", safe in our little house, getting through the snowy season and making our plans for the summer.

Spending time with animals in this way reminds me that I had once considered a career in animal care of some kind: veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, dog-training, and other career directions. 

Life has a way of moving in odd ways.  You move with it to keep up, and tug in other directions to create movement, in what Ruth Gordon in "Harold and Maude" called "the cosmic dance."

But reinventing one's self offers an opportunity to sort through old decisions, and see which ones are still feasible. I realize that it is still possible to re-explore making a living devoted to animals.

Until I "shed my skin" and emerge fully committed, I seem to have found other ways to satisfy my craving for animal care and companionship: in-house dog-sitting as I described; volunteering at the Buddy Foundation; becoming involved with "Mercy for Animals"; and writing about it all. 

And maybe, this spring, bringing a new dog home to stay...

Also, I enjoy reading books and web sites to learn about new trends in dog care, as well as personal anecdotes from those who love their pets and other animals.

I recommend a very informative web site called

Vet Tech :

  "Vet Tech is the combined work of Tina Marconi and Joseph Morris. With more than 15 years of experience in the veterinary field, we share our educational experiences and knowledge with prospective veterinary technicians in order to shed some light on this very rewarding field." 

For anyone thinking about entering the veterinary tech. field, this is an excellent resource.  It's also invaluable for those wishing to know as much as possible about the health of their pets.

The journey continues....As long as there are animals that need help, people to know, loved ones to love, books to read, movies to discuss and debate with friends, and topics to write about...then the way is paved for the cosmic dance that leads to reinvention...

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COMING UP: 1970..the year...the movies..the Oscars!