tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81326673501696939132024-02-07T07:02:48.730-05:00VetwriteAnna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-83511738084797022082020-08-31T20:23:00.000-04:002020-08-31T20:23:08.289-04:00The Seduction of a Series<p>Back in the spring when many of us were in full quarantine, there was chatter in various periodicals and on social media about reading: whether people can focus on a book or not; if they are reading, how much; have their reading tastes changed; what are they looking for at the moment. The <i>Washington Post </i>even tried to help you identify <a href="https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/national_world/which-type-of-quarantine-reader-are-you/article_6dc890b4-0d1f-54d4-82ec-d0c13f4684a3.html">what type of quarantine reader you might be.</a> <br />
<br />
Pre-pandemic--last Thanksgiving in fact--I started N.K. Jemisin's <a href="http://nkjemisin.com/books/the-fifth-season/"><i>Broken Earth</i></a> trilogy and finished it this past February. It's been a long time since I finished a series. And it felt great. There's a sense of comfort when starting a new book in a world and with a set of characters you already know. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINif5jpEc2qeK0OT1DJiookJALjSjhF097yci5LoU2S8NTPfLzCmj5QvuVi2RbWd7UiEAv2UUPNA6DC2a2bQ3k0xikOtuao-hjyX1dDLYLE-Wm64bWADl6LVC-vX1IlNtZmeLcvx7rHbL/s563/1a6b2cf3ca1ebdfc5f8d98948e95616e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINif5jpEc2qeK0OT1DJiookJALjSjhF097yci5LoU2S8NTPfLzCmj5QvuVi2RbWd7UiEAv2UUPNA6DC2a2bQ3k0xikOtuao-hjyX1dDLYLE-Wm64bWADl6LVC-vX1IlNtZmeLcvx7rHbL/s0/1a6b2cf3ca1ebdfc5f8d98948e95616e.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Previously, I've read Margaret Atwood's <i>Oryx and Crake</i> trilogy, <i>The Hunger Games, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i>, and the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Better-Jo-Perry/dp/0990456617"><i>Dead is Better</i></a> series (thanks for the rec, Nicki!). But that's been over the past 15 some odd years. That's it. Thinking back, my childhood was stuffed with the ubiquitous kids' series. In my case, there were the series for horse-crazy girls like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoroughbred_(series)#Wonder%27s_Legacy"><i>Thoroughbred</i></a> series, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saddle_Club_(books)"><i>The Saddle Club </i></a>series, and the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/42013-animal-inn-series"><i>Animal Inn </i></a>series. But as I reminisce, I realize I never finished any of these series. They were more like those TV show syndicates: you pick up the same ones from the library but you never reach the end.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0YhAXs-VmGGZjf3FgcsYJ1paDg5N-3tiZOUDX4CGpjCd5aYe2mG0gK2f7XVVLlfo3et4OqX0q6USSi7PezUmkxkmdJy-RCt5YrUl7lOSqSMcs-IWzfQL8RTMRJkRpilrEaU07HlTAfxK/s2048/IMG_4155.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0YhAXs-VmGGZjf3FgcsYJ1paDg5N-3tiZOUDX4CGpjCd5aYe2mG0gK2f7XVVLlfo3et4OqX0q6USSi7PezUmkxkmdJy-RCt5YrUl7lOSqSMcs-IWzfQL8RTMRJkRpilrEaU07HlTAfxK/w320-h240/IMG_4155.jpeg" title="Series on series on series" width="320" /></a><br />
Now I find myself thirsting for comfort and escape and lookee here, SFF to the rescue (as usual, right?). I purchased V.E. Schwab's <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/series/shadesofmagic/"><i>Shades of Magic </i></a>series after drooling over it at my local indie book shop <a href="https://curiousiguana.com/">Curious Iguana</a> for the past few years and now that Brent Weeks has finished the fifth and final installment of his <a href="https://www.brentweeks.com/series/the-lightbringer-series/"><i>Lightbringer</i></a> series, yep, that's on the list this year, too. In prep for the movie release this fall, it's time to re-read <i>Dune</i> and, what the hell, dive into the rest of that series too. Oh, and the <i>Hitchhikers' Guide </i>series. <i>And</i> I picked up the first three installments of <i>Game of Thrones </i>from a local little free library last winter so . . . <br />
<br />
Whew, that's a lot of series. Quite a shift from my "normal" reading but as it feels like lately with everything else, what's normal? I demand escape and comfort. And I'm finding it (as usual, right?) in books. Are there any other series out there I'm missing? What are you reading lately? <br /></p><br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-41712984453924178122020-07-22T17:29:00.000-04:002020-07-22T17:29:24.753-04:00Resetting the LensMy view has shrunk. Although I'm aware of national and global issues (at some times hyper-aware), because of the pandemic, resultant social distancing, and previous (and future!) quarantines, my lens has been honed to local: country roads, state and city parks, backyard, front porch, office, chair.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvCAZ88AT_EZqQZEMLNUF1ocaYsYxe1laamJ_gUn-0NSkKfG2HRPEHctsT6OLpnvvtDUdX-xRjzyjHpSB5o7Y1f_gfRfkK-YWW5NhNmGG7SKjJqXsmeqhFRog_YFrQsYzwz9wYzNWhliH/s1600/97C050FF-D13E-42CC-94A0-648BFC13248C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvCAZ88AT_EZqQZEMLNUF1ocaYsYxe1laamJ_gUn-0NSkKfG2HRPEHctsT6OLpnvvtDUdX-xRjzyjHpSB5o7Y1f_gfRfkK-YWW5NhNmGG7SKjJqXsmeqhFRog_YFrQsYzwz9wYzNWhliH/s200/97C050FF-D13E-42CC-94A0-648BFC13248C.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A summer azure in the rain in July</td></tr>
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I think time has shifted, too, and lock-down has forced me to alter the way I think.<br />
<br />
For example, I'm noticing things right in front of my face. I am focusing on the little things, like local wildflowers. The joy of learning about <a href="https://www.accentnatural.com/fleabane-the-misunderstood-native/">fleabane</a> has been a surprise. It has become my new favorite flower and it was everywhere, at least in May in Maryland. How could I have never noticed this before? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgENLlvLo5j3VpWAtC0k5LhcRcQLAk18Y-x3rc_eQlBD55mBW1U_TEIGVT2ZEG0c9x46vRun-C3cHjvUKW0SyX4st4howoSx82ZeZPBHYO9rz61MVAN4dQFYTnfp8b3LyaDREj56ghtzna/s1600/516B4C78-E0B6-457D-B227-F519446FB135.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgENLlvLo5j3VpWAtC0k5LhcRcQLAk18Y-x3rc_eQlBD55mBW1U_TEIGVT2ZEG0c9x46vRun-C3cHjvUKW0SyX4st4howoSx82ZeZPBHYO9rz61MVAN4dQFYTnfp8b3LyaDREj56ghtzna/s200/516B4C78-E0B6-457D-B227-F519446FB135.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fleabane in May</td></tr>
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After eyeing it from the car and bike, I picked some (it's neither protected nor rare). I discovered how it is surprisingly soft despite the petals appearing rather pointy. And before the flowers uncurl, they look to me like miniature balls of wound yarn. If you get close enough, you'll notice they have a mild, general "flowery" smell.<br />
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This resetting of my lens reminds me of the lab at the vet clinic. When you peer into it trying to look at a smear of ear gunk to find mites or yeast, or count white blood cells, or examine a manure sample to count parasite eggs, and find someone's been messing with the settings, you have to fiddle around to get it right again so you can see properly. Recently, I feel like I've gone from 100X magnification to 400X and someone's messed with the focus. But on the other hand, sometimes at the microscope, you realize that you <i>did</i> need a higher setting, to see things in greater detail. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeU2JsPvyyHVf8R277moICrE1zFSnHz_kTp61eGG8qgPvAtWGXYm2q2z38gar_7R-RKXkscMy7iUrPrhSKnoCR4XvKK8JwkFn9xU4_zACSforDEIIR7cVkVTeN6ASeRSzd_r-CecqeVCu/s1600/IMG_3436.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeU2JsPvyyHVf8R277moICrE1zFSnHz_kTp61eGG8qgPvAtWGXYm2q2z38gar_7R-RKXkscMy7iUrPrhSKnoCR4XvKK8JwkFn9xU4_zACSforDEIIR7cVkVTeN6ASeRSzd_r-CecqeVCu/s200/IMG_3436.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple crown vetch in June</td></tr>
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I'm reminded of my favorite poet <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver">Mary Oliver </a>who wrote extensively about nature. I've been propelled to pull out one of her collections from my shelf and sift through it again, as I do from time to time. Her words ring true as always; they are soothing, a balm. And also confirmatory. Here, from her poem "The Sun" (<i>New and Selected Poems Volume One)</i>:<br />
<br />
"Have you ever seen<br />
anything<br />
in your life<br />
more wonderful<br />
<br />
than the way the sun,<br />
every evening,<br />
relaxed and easy,<br />
floats toward the horizon . . . "<br />
<br />
And Virginia Woolf, who is not my usual go-to when it comes to observational quotes, but really should be:<br />
<br />
"Happiness is in the quiet, ordinary things. A table, a chair, a book with a paper-knife stuck between the pages. And the petal falling from the rose, and the light flickering as we sit."<br />
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What small new things have you discovered recently? Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-72120775877156032322020-05-17T21:11:00.001-04:002020-05-17T21:11:16.297-04:00One Small Thing<a href="http://summerpierre.com/home-page">Summer Pierre</a> is a cartoonist I have admired for a few years now after I discovered her on Instagram. I love her style and the fact that she focuses on autobiographical cartoons/graphic novels. Her skills of observation make even the most mundane environment or everyday task seem whimsical and endearing, new and interesting. In a way, now that I think about it, she sort of reminds me of an illustrated version of the novelist <a href="https://www.elizabethstrout.com/">Elizabeth Strou</a>t, whose novel <i>Olive Kitteridge</i> blew me away, namely due to her sublime ability to describe everyday people in the most interesting and complete ways.<br />
<br />
These two creative women remind me that anyone who, in any capacity, can take the ordinary and make it feel extraordinary and wonderful (literally, fill me with wonder), has a gift to be treasured and appreciated. Anyone can make a labyrinth or flying saucer seem remarkable. But try tackling something like the kitchen sink. If you can make <i>that</i> seem novel to me in a way that's both relatable and refreshing, my hat's off to you. And probably my credit card.<br />
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Oops, I've wandered a bit.<br />
<br />
So Summer Pierre hosted a comics workshop yesterday via Zoom from her home in upstate New York. It was fun and made my brain hurt. <i>You</i> try drawing a cat in three minutes, then one minute, then 30 seconds, then 15, 10, and lastly 5. These are called repetition drills. They get your brain to distill your subject down to its very essence because, Summer says, comics rely on the essence of how things look, not really how they actually look.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrotsZ2GIZ8MfFUgSZHxLik39C2M82cm6nVZgzaScqdz18GDLaKm5nFi-JMO9ZUC2V1KN5IIOFyoyC1QG9NeMkAmBzqiSESniMfSvorwcanhmN3TH9f_f9ioMaKpMLxbwBDb8ZdNimqUPG/s1600/IMG-3217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrotsZ2GIZ8MfFUgSZHxLik39C2M82cm6nVZgzaScqdz18GDLaKm5nFi-JMO9ZUC2V1KN5IIOFyoyC1QG9NeMkAmBzqiSESniMfSvorwcanhmN3TH9f_f9ioMaKpMLxbwBDb8ZdNimqUPG/s320/IMG-3217.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "cat in three minutes". You do not want to see the five second version. Trust me. </td></tr>
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Apart from the actual comic drawing instruction, though, I also got a lot of value from what Summer said about the creative process. This is really what I wanted to get to today. At the very start of the class, Summer said something that just about made my head explode: "The hardest thing in any creative endeavor is finishing." Ka-pow! (That's a comic term, by the way.)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">"The hardest thing in any creative endeavor is finishing."</span></span></b> </div>
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Honestly, though, how true is that statement?! How many of us (me) have a long list of ideas and/or a long list of half-finished projects. How many times have I become so frustrated with something only half-finished that I trash it. Why do we (I) do this? And boy oh boy does it hamper the ambition to do something new. And now we (I) enter a viscous circle of starting, getting frustrated, quitting. I think this applies to any work, be it writing, art, music, a sport, making a piece of furniture, baking, etc. etc. Apply to anything where you might be expected to think and create and do. Apply and repeat.<br />
<br />
But, if we focus on the completion, it breaks the cycle. I frequently get stuck on something because half-way in--horror of horrors--it's not yet perfect. (Why we demand perfectionism from ourselves half-way through something is a huge topic for another time but it's so annoying, right?) Summer has a balm to sooth this sore: "It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be true."<br />
<br />
Ka-pow again.<br />
<br />
And so, a challenge: practice completion, Summer says.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be true."</b></span></span> </div>
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So then a swell of ambition rises in our hearts and we burn to get started and to finish and to do and. . . but there are so many things. So many ideas. Where to start, how to choose, how do I know when I'm finished, how to be satisfied . . . and under the Wave of Overwhelmishness I am dragged again. (Yes, overwhelmishness. My word. Mine.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkuquN0HkhubwHrR03FBOSSa6wAflW1ATLFXR2jNywcHLDnDgntmxNVLzujfjp8cpRb4-jJoGC4mSylc0c5AmYB7Zh-VNrX9jEwwBHDQpX0b7zNWQ0xlTiappU46ZT3Ri4_195PEurez1/s1600/jeremy-bishop-tqG48KOMKfY-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkuquN0HkhubwHrR03FBOSSa6wAflW1ATLFXR2jNywcHLDnDgntmxNVLzujfjp8cpRb4-jJoGC4mSylc0c5AmYB7Zh-VNrX9jEwwBHDQpX0b7zNWQ0xlTiappU46ZT3Ri4_195PEurez1/s320/jeremy-bishop-tqG48KOMKfY-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wave of Overwhelmishness. Not as big as you thought, right? Doesn't take much. Source: unsplash.com</td></tr>
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But here Summer saves us again. "Set a minimum each day," she says. "One small thing a day. Promise yourself that. A lot grows from this." <br />
<br />
One small thing a day. That's it. Think about it. Every Monday, I have a list of all the things I want to read and write and draw for the week. And it makes me fret. And I maybe get two things on the list sort of accomplished over the course of five days. Sort of. But what if I focused on one small thing a day? And better yet, frame it as a promise to myself? How's that for a positive spin?<br />
<br />
I like this way of thinking. I like it a lot. I'm going to try it. Thanks, Summer. <br />
<br />
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-63146045386928800622020-05-12T21:21:00.000-04:002020-05-12T21:21:11.255-04:00Hello AgainOh dear readers. What to say? What not to say? Even without the current world events, it's been eleven months since my last post. I've lost my posting ways. If I didn't have anything of import to say ten months ago, surely I don't have anything now. And yet. And yet we move forward.<br />
<br />
So much on social media and numerous publications has examined, explained, bemoaned, sympathized, and excused the current state of cloudy thoughts and lack of creative ambition. I've read some of it. And it sort of helps until it gets to a point where it doesn't. I don't have anything new or unique to add to this new canon of pandemic paralysis. So I won't.<br />
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Instead, what to say? What not to say?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsVPOTqj-dVRkuNdmZmK-yBoABiR-oYpbi153DAUuG3tk_paC2Tlay-uZeN3oPUF4D8kFs9YhiS70_P6kw1_zQ-GhqTghtl6C2liOt4DXJqPvCTQgyV0Y2z9CXrt28sCEPki_Lr8NGHNQ/s1600/101ADBBC-9D2A-4BA2-8323-962039A30832.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsVPOTqj-dVRkuNdmZmK-yBoABiR-oYpbi153DAUuG3tk_paC2Tlay-uZeN3oPUF4D8kFs9YhiS70_P6kw1_zQ-GhqTghtl6C2liOt4DXJqPvCTQgyV0Y2z9CXrt28sCEPki_Lr8NGHNQ/s320/101ADBBC-9D2A-4BA2-8323-962039A30832.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found a beautiful morel a few weekends ago in the woods. Magic! </td></tr>
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<br />
Here's something: I have been journaling more frequently than before. As in almost every day. It will usually take me six months or more to fill an average size journal and the one I'm currently working on, started in mid February, will be finished before May is over. What's in it? Mostly navel gazing and the self-pity spiral that ends with the gnashing of teeth and catatonic stares at the wall but also some note taking of current events. For posterity. A "Quarantine Diary" if you will. The <i>New York Times</i> even exalted the virtues of keeping a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/13/smarter-living/why-you-should-start-a-coronavirus-diary.html">Corona Virus diary</a>. Mine started in March, dutifully reporting the total number of <a href="https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/">Maryland cases</a> each day. Lately, though, I've stopped doing that. Seems futile. Depressing.<br />
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Instead, as I flip through the pages over the last two months, I see lots of quotes. Quotes from newspaper and magazine articles about other's takes on the situation, those who are much better at words than I. Books recommended. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/arts/design/nyc-skyscrapers-virtual-tour-virus.html">Architecture</a> to admire. Instructions on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/26/travel/how-to-make-an-illustrated-map-in-8-steps.html">how to draw an illustrated map</a>. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORT2Yu3nqjk3Dr480bjELRjbiYs3OwA8ZWWtkurSv3Z8nB1k5Ttb_nUYzRVqgD5HIc_I1j0oY_wL3CMmyDH416aUYPDGVWvjHVjMjG45fp9d7t_z1EE2qP33rH8G6ShOYEJ8ZFNhnydul/s1600/60909660861__1B2098AA-1E2A-4982-96F1-94B9776E8E38.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORT2Yu3nqjk3Dr480bjELRjbiYs3OwA8ZWWtkurSv3Z8nB1k5Ttb_nUYzRVqgD5HIc_I1j0oY_wL3CMmyDH416aUYPDGVWvjHVjMjG45fp9d7t_z1EE2qP33rH8G6ShOYEJ8ZFNhnydul/s320/60909660861__1B2098AA-1E2A-4982-96F1-94B9776E8E38.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, it's no illustrated map, but how about some radishes? Eh? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Writer <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/10d8f5e8-74eb-11ea-95fe-fcd274e920ca">Arundhati Roy </a>in particular has some excellent observations on this pandemic and--hey, silver lining here--I'm now a huge fan.<br />
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[PANK] literary magazine posted a good article April 30 on "<a href="https://pankmagazine.com/2020/04/30/discovering-the-available-means-on-reading-and-writing-in-quarantine/">Discovering the Available Means: On Reading and Writing in Quarantine</a>" by Nancy Reddy. So, there's also that.<br />
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In summary, I'm floating in a haze. Perhaps posting is a small act of "hey, I did something." Or perhaps, more likely, it's more navel gazing. But it also gives me an excuse to show pictures of my two new cats, Mars and Jupiter:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWesqFPdectQk4czpDLtB09GO_IsDlIaC4-qDwMYVfSrIuzgM7-lA-OVxuocreg8zw2H84o3OnkSKkefkxGhYhGR2p7C9-bO7izv7Ilikh-sjxQgBSKSt401kn-6iJ3bAQXROGKqm3GOnr/s1600/IMG_2910.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWesqFPdectQk4czpDLtB09GO_IsDlIaC4-qDwMYVfSrIuzgM7-lA-OVxuocreg8zw2H84o3OnkSKkefkxGhYhGR2p7C9-bO7izv7Ilikh-sjxQgBSKSt401kn-6iJ3bAQXROGKqm3GOnr/s320/IMG_2910.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mars (left) and Jupiter, the new tenants. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One final thought. One quote I spied recently said this: <span style="color: purple;"><b></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>"Now is the time to grab at every loose idea." </b></span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It's copied purple and huge in my journal. And I think about it a lot. Almost a mantra. Because why shouldn't we? Especially now?! Let's go grab at those ideas. We've got nothing to lose. </blockquote>
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-11355222129296213582019-06-11T06:31:00.000-04:002019-06-11T06:31:18.797-04:00Zines as a Mean to Expression<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYAuPLuLjKNMpadlGcCzJjklFXrFvN9ZXFH-GVwq9gk3vVLLWnCeEMbzSdU0o2eHAOQuBCJaO2lFKF9n4nY-xQEY-SLIa9wYb6sLPJeLmuxSFvBy3yahKegvn-JVwrPc83R7bezSVS3M_/s1600/IMG_0426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYAuPLuLjKNMpadlGcCzJjklFXrFvN9ZXFH-GVwq9gk3vVLLWnCeEMbzSdU0o2eHAOQuBCJaO2lFKF9n4nY-xQEY-SLIa9wYb6sLPJeLmuxSFvBy3yahKegvn-JVwrPc83R7bezSVS3M_/s320/IMG_0426.JPG" width="240" /></a>Every late winter/early spring I get into doodling. It never fails. I don't know if it's the culmination of gloomy weather giving me cabin fever with a resultant desire to make maps or what.<br />
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Does this happen to you? This year, I got some decorated bee hives out of it, so there's definitely a perk to it all. But there's also a restlessness.<br />
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In the back of my head, I'm thinking: but what else? Is this a step to something bigger? Because tendrils of ideas have been sprouting, inspired over the past few years by various things.<br />
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Take this <a href="http://lunastationquarterly.com/bringing-back-issues-zine-culture/">post</a> by Linda Codega over at <i>Luna Station Quarterly</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGwknEnGdIHrSMMKWQK0aUBLebd2Khce6lESzd0UOcJTn7lrqnbLqjzyXqCOxQCLP2_SnWW78x2nGnvw6_nMCZOmkrO9x0RONky64iNMAGS1ZoHkxenQBkA9D70HI18aGQm3StRGhWp8_/s1600/E07F7F43-605D-4D51-A9AD-59AB7E688D44.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGwknEnGdIHrSMMKWQK0aUBLebd2Khce6lESzd0UOcJTn7lrqnbLqjzyXqCOxQCLP2_SnWW78x2nGnvw6_nMCZOmkrO9x0RONky64iNMAGS1ZoHkxenQBkA9D70HI18aGQm3StRGhWp8_/s320/E07F7F43-605D-4D51-A9AD-59AB7E688D44.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Take this <a href="https://subversivefrederick.com/">article</a> about the end of <i>Subversive</i>, the underground zine of downtown Frederick. <br />
<br />
Take <a href="https://johnmuirlaws.com/product/the-laws-guide-to-nature-drawing-and-journaling/"><i>Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling</i></a> and <a href="https://www.workman.com/products/50-ways-to-draw-your-beautiful-ordinary-life"><i>50 Ways to Draw Your Beautiful Ordinary Life.</i></a><br />
<br />
Take the monthly subscription called <a href="https://www.zineomatic.com/">Zine-o-matic</a> where you receive a collection of international zines, take <a href="https://artistpublisher.temporaryservices.org/app.php/every-art-book-fair-zine-fest-in-2019">Zine Fests</a>, take the <a href="https://www.glorydoughnuts.com/">local donut shop</a> stating they will only carry zines now as reading material . . . Take the concept of creative freedom as expressed by making something start to finish that can look and feel however you want, tell a story or not, make sense or not, be whatever media you want, and be so analog (or not) that you can freaking choose to hand stitch the binding. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RnVcrLXPmSjqLqb6iidB-VGqHv7Nqj2C0Wd0VQd42QslR1TknoDes2j0T0pZ6GZVnW9er0S05zzDNiwQYgXV_gqiEPvRbe3jHgCusXDY5miZ4L_4fWiW7YgoeCB-k2Jd805ObUOQ-PQC/s1600/IMG_0932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RnVcrLXPmSjqLqb6iidB-VGqHv7Nqj2C0Wd0VQd42QslR1TknoDes2j0T0pZ6GZVnW9er0S05zzDNiwQYgXV_gqiEPvRbe3jHgCusXDY5miZ4L_4fWiW7YgoeCB-k2Jd805ObUOQ-PQC/s320/IMG_0932.JPG" width="240" /></a>Long story short: I want to make a zine. That's where this has been going all along and I recently put a name to it. <br />
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I'm going full millennial here and searching YouTube on how to make a zine, looking for local classes, and then coming to the realization I just have to jump into the deep end, have fun, and figure some things out for myself.<br />
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Who cares right now if my T-Rex is a little mis-proportioned? Let's do it! Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-13810717657240203322019-04-19T08:09:00.000-04:002019-04-19T08:09:08.148-04:00Big Projects and Baby StepsThis past winter and early spring have been filled with a slow and (mostly) steady chipping away at big projects. As a planning sort of person, I love to sink my teeth into a long-term project, breaking it into smaller goals, checking boxes (oh, my love of <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/8-expertbacked-secrets-to-making-the-perfect-todo-list">to-do lists</a> is fathomless), and measuring progress. But there's also that middle-of-the-project malaise when you're knee deep in something but on a day-to-day scale, feel like you're just treading water. Those days can be rough; they drain creative energy and make me crabby. However, when a major milestone has been met or -- <i>gasp</i> -- the entire damn thing is complete, I refuse to dampen the swell of unbridled joy that accompanies <i>finishing something</i>.<br />
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One major project that has recently checked the FINISHED box is something that sprouted in my mind about a year ago and I'd like to share it with you today. It starts with some exposition, so bear with me. <br />
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I have a friend I met freshman year of college. She was my biology lab partner (we sign letters "Bio 4eva") and we quickly found shared interests in jokes, Margaret Atwood, space exploration, physiology, and microscopes. Even after going our separate ways and over the years, finding ourselves on different coasts, we keep in touch. When she announced she was pregnant with her first child last spring, I knew something epic was required.<br />
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So I wrote her newborn daughter a book. A science book. Teaching the ABCs, to be exact.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1x5bfDemaUSDHmzcNM35lVa4t1AKBcK0sOSi0Nsx5iRd4oa9AW5xgJVvY8vqSvCHtnErOvj-R1RKOb6r6PqeUXmO6X6vfMINIVYWYbxZSBbdzrqyrZzVHiuBEiMNTa5dZSjWr1wEe5hiB/s1600/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1x5bfDemaUSDHmzcNM35lVa4t1AKBcK0sOSi0Nsx5iRd4oa9AW5xgJVvY8vqSvCHtnErOvj-R1RKOb6r6PqeUXmO6X6vfMINIVYWYbxZSBbdzrqyrZzVHiuBEiMNTa5dZSjWr1wEe5hiB/s640/Cover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Fair warning: I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination. But, by that same argument, I can pretend to be and have a hell of a lot of fun along the way. This turned out really to be half gift and half challenge to myself: <i>can you, Anna, think of, then actually finish, this thing you dreamed up</i>? <br />
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This children's book takes the reader through the alphabet in sing-song rhyming fashion, matching each letter with a scientific term, accompanied by hand-drawn watercolor illustrations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OQq-nHi-DGut_0ybVBzQATFboYdQwhdztuXUkWWrBnCjkPsLHMdXFw0ksIpzesb-41L9zW3uHY8C1GNHFDGCA6la0N38gbiXvcQpLdwAZcpLL4kNhG0gAD27KGlR4exYX8XcIGJ-DaNl/s1600/A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="1600" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OQq-nHi-DGut_0ybVBzQATFboYdQwhdztuXUkWWrBnCjkPsLHMdXFw0ksIpzesb-41L9zW3uHY8C1GNHFDGCA6la0N38gbiXvcQpLdwAZcpLL4kNhG0gAD27KGlR4exYX8XcIGJ-DaNl/s640/A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed sitting down on rainy, blustery autumn Saturdays last fall with Crayola watercolors in front of me, re-learning wet-on-wet technique and practicing some very sketchy calligraphy with some pens I bought at Barnes&Noble.<br />
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Perhaps as a self-fulfilling prophecy, the part that took the longest was the part I dreaded most: figuring out how the hell to get these images (done on watercolor paper) into book format. Some high resolution scans and a large amount of internet searching later, I found <a href="https://www.ubuildabook.com/">UBuildABook</a>. This company was exactly what I needed in terms of easy formatting and high-quality printing. My intention was never to have this be a "book" book - no ISBN number, not looking to sell online (my only hope is the amateur-ness of the entire production is viewed as "charming" -- I'll even take the slightly more patronizing "endearing"). This was intended as a single issue dedication to someone I hope will grow to love reading and science as much as her mother (and her mother's friend) does.<br />
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Just last week, the finished project (referred to as The Super Secret Project and Sorry This is Taking So Long in letters, given that the child this is in celebration for was born in November) finally made it into the hands of the intended and I received a few texts confirming what I expected: a thank you and the knowledge that the mother was going to get more enjoyment out of it for a while before her daughter learns her ABCs. But, you're never too young to start enjoying books. And I think the glossy print pages are probably drool-proof. So I wish you many adventures in both reading and science, little one. The world is your <i>Crassostrea gigas</i> (oyster).<br />
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Until next time, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting.<br />
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-54671274417580794572019-03-04T19:36:00.001-05:002019-03-04T19:36:26.512-05:00A Parasite a Day Helps Creativity StayHello and happy 2019, folks! Among marathon training and starting a new beekeeping hobby -- oh, and a bit of fiction writing as well -- I had the recent opportunity to snag an interview with <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/the-episiarch">Dr. Tommy Leung</a>, one of the primary scientists behind the blog <a href="http://dailyparasite.blogspot.com/">Parasite of the Day</a>. Capturing the vast array of biodiversity in parasites across the globe, this blog is a <i>must</i> for anyone even remotely interested in biology. . . or monsters, for that matter. If you ever need inspiration for a sci-fi antagonist (or maybe sympathetic anti-hero? It's not their fault they feed off others. . . ), look no further than the world of parasitology. . . but that's for another post.<br />
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Tommy not only runs the blog but is also an <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/the-episiarch/gallery/">artist</a>, creating graphic narratives outlining parasite life cycles as well as creating his own creatures based on knowledge of evolutionary biology.<br />
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Whoa.<br />
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You see now why I had to have this chat.<br />
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So let's get started.<br />
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Admittedly, I forget about evolutionary biology. I love bio but become consumed with the here and now: why is that dog barfing, why is that horse lame, why is that amphibian species doing extinct, and so on. But I think a big part of understanding why things are now comes from knowing how they used to be and where they came from (insert all historians ever: "I told you so. . . "). I asked Tommy why and how he became interested in this niche subject. "What I am really interested in is biology -- in living things," he said. "And since evolutionary biology is the modern foundation to all aspects of biology -- it is like what the periodic table is for chemistry -- becoming interested in evolutionary biology became part of the ideal, so to speak.<br />
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"I am always interested in things that are quirky or unusual and for free-living organisms like ourselves, the lives of parasites are certainly that, even though it has been estimated that parasitism is probably the most common lifestyle on this planet which makes <i>us</i> the unusual ones. I want to know how parasites live their lives and how they came to be the way that they are, so naturally I became interested in their evolutionary biology as well." <br />
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Tommy then explained that he writes and draws things based on topics that he finds interesting, so it's natural then that parasites are the creature feature of the Parasite of the Day blog and his artwork.<br />
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Tommy's artwork is heavily influenced by comics and cartoons. "I guess anime and the graphic novel, in particular Japanese comics, i.e., manga, are particularly suited to exploring unusual stories or narratives because their styles and topics are less constrained compared to some other media," he explained. "I have adopted this style because it allows what I create to be more expressive. Art and science was a natural fit simply because I like both activities."<br />
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Artistically, Tommy did not have any formal training but has drawn since he was a child. Interestingly, his brightly colored creations are a result of scanning his work into TIF files and colorizing with good ol' MS Paint.<br />
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If you delve into Tommy's artwork, you'll soon see creatures not quite of this world, but make sure to get your terminology straight when it comes to fantastic beings. "Cryptozoology is the search for animals that allegedly exist but no solid evidence has been recovered, so this includes things like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and <a href="https://www.livescience.com/38871-mokele-mbembe.html">Mokele-mbembe</a>," he explained. "Speculative biology is a particular sub-set of speculative fiction that focuses on the made-up biology of fictional organisms. It is a common background component in many stories, especially those that take place in a fantasy or science fiction setting." Tommy gave some examples of novels, however, that make the speculative biology aspect the main focus of the narrative -- <a href="https://speculativeevolution.fandom.com/wiki/After_Man:_A_Zoology_of_the_Future"><i>After Man: A Zoology of the Future</i></a> by Dougal Dixon and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/dec/21/featuresreviews.guardianreview29"><i>Evolution</i></a> by Stephen Baxter.<br />
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<br />
"If you've ever thought about questions like: if fire-breathing dragons are real, how would they work or what is the internal anatomy of a <a href="https://www.starwars.com/databank/tauntaun">Tauntaun</a> from <i>Star Wars</i> or what would have evolved if the <a href="https://samnoblemuseum.ou.edu/understanding-extinction/mass-extinctions/end-cretaceous-extinction/">end-Cretaceous Mass Extinction Event</a> didn't happen then you have engaged in speculative biology thinking," he said.<br />
<br />
For someone (me) who loves anatomy and monsters, well, speculative biology is right up my alley.<br />
<br />
Until next time, dear readers -- happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. <br />
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</style>Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-29760360874100858462018-12-30T17:17:00.000-05:002018-12-30T17:17:18.253-05:002018: A Year in ReviewSorry, not sorry, dear readers. This vet blogger has a taste for year-in-review posts this month and shall partake in the reviewery herself. It'll be short and sweet, don't worry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjYz4trM7ar4Sdky9GiVZOmU9J-g0AfyWkIBpVzUO0JNFfn2GWhegIy9e-_DbFzgbbnVI2tdIQbWvz3jLH3fHaWGKTFuYy51rzZDIqXknEnK__xa2ycEc8vJzwoVTk_9imSNPSaxfpdjm/s1600/the-bialons-365005-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjYz4trM7ar4Sdky9GiVZOmU9J-g0AfyWkIBpVzUO0JNFfn2GWhegIy9e-_DbFzgbbnVI2tdIQbWvz3jLH3fHaWGKTFuYy51rzZDIqXknEnK__xa2ycEc8vJzwoVTk_9imSNPSaxfpdjm/s320/the-bialons-365005-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li><b>Best fiction book read</b>: ooooooh, a tie between <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/red-clocks-imagines-a-world-where-abortion-is-outlawed-and-it-feels-eerily-real/2018/01/16/0575e678-fa5b-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.742be77b0624"><i>Red Clocks</i> </a>by Leni Zumas and <i><a href="http://www.kingsolver.com/books/the-poisonwood-bible.html">The Poisonwood Bible</a> </i>by Barbara Kingsolver</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Best non-fiction book read</b>: <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-50856-1"><i>The Demon in the Freezer</i></a> by Richard Preston</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Best song</b>: "<a href="https://florenceandthemachine.net/">100 Years</a>" from Florence + the Machine's album <i>High as Hope</i></li>
</ul>
<i></i><ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh208oW_F2v3XSEHBAst1DZhbm9Hf56B5EzkK2SZxpISdenioIu1-5UzIG1LhfDrGnFeACWDZSUUh4sJIPBwlyeuB8i-_R73vgS0OU0PF7tb5Dsy2vXJYq2WKmX5z3yB_Q3q0Lsnkv1C8DB/s1600/kevin-baquerizo-1181874-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh208oW_F2v3XSEHBAst1DZhbm9Hf56B5EzkK2SZxpISdenioIu1-5UzIG1LhfDrGnFeACWDZSUUh4sJIPBwlyeuB8i-_R73vgS0OU0PF7tb5Dsy2vXJYq2WKmX5z3yB_Q3q0Lsnkv1C8DB/s320/kevin-baquerizo-1181874-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Best quote: </b>nothing new here and not even new to me this year, but felt poignant and relevant:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"<i>It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasm, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and how at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat</i>." -- Theodore Roosevelt</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><b>Best writing advice</b>: from John Steinbeck: "Just set one day's work in front of the last day's work. That's the way it comes out. And that's the only way it does." </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Best animal news</b>: Justify winning the 2018 Triple Crown</li>
</ul>
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-80460854213800813292018-11-12T10:24:00.001-05:002018-11-12T10:24:42.688-05:00Flash Bright: Fiction & Poetry in BurstsLast week I was sitting on a plane coming home from a veterinary conference in Chicago. Planes have always been a <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXkMJVYf9VMJlpckeqEsIVMUzRfIY9I6QhvyhMur9P0gqQ3DGP861bMfxusreH6PlsZ8sVSFGdvbEOGnAZ5AZ-iqiXxl7XXbJBBQEtYnl-devZkAXzmrjrPebiwEegcJV2zvKUsV14QWX/s1600/florian-van-duyn-552731-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXkMJVYf9VMJlpckeqEsIVMUzRfIY9I6QhvyhMur9P0gqQ3DGP861bMfxusreH6PlsZ8sVSFGdvbEOGnAZ5AZ-iqiXxl7XXbJBBQEtYnl-devZkAXzmrjrPebiwEegcJV2zvKUsV14QWX/s320/florian-van-duyn-552731-unsplash.jpg" width="213" /></a>great source of writing time for me -- an imposed finite bubble of singularity where the options for distraction are so limited that it's freeing. On liftoff, along with the funny feeling in the pit of my stomach, I also have a lightness, a sense of freedom from all the clutter of life on the ground. My mind is stripped bare and I'm left to focus on my very immediate environs. I try my best to utilize this space.<br />
<br />
On this flight I was going through back issues of <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine"><i>Poetry</i></a>. In the October 2018 issue, the editors included a section titled "The View From Here" which is an occasional addition where people from different fields comment on their experience of poetry. While there were two fantastic essays from teens about how poetry has impacted them (do yourself a favor and read "<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/147849/teenagers-are-not-exempt-from-poetry">Teenagers Are Not Exempt from Poetry</a>" and "<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/147850/smells-like-teen-poetry">Smells like Teen Poetry</a>" when you get a chance), Greg Pak's "<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/147851/thanks-poetry">Thanks, Poetry</a>!" rang true to certain aspects I've been chewing on as they relate to flash fiction recently.<br />
<br />
Enter my primary thesis of this month's post, dear readers: for me, the similarities between flash fiction and poetry are so intertwined that their creative processes are the same. Greg makes the point for me in a more coherent manner. Here, look:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Just writing. </b>Greg writes, "One of the hardest things for many writers and would-be writers is simply beginning the physical act of writing. But when I was a kid, poetry gave me permission to start writing instinctively, with almost nothing in my head. The stakes were low -- how much trouble could I get myself into in a single page of writing?" </li>
</ul>
<i>The stakes are low</i> -- that struck me, big time. Writing a novel is intimidating to me. I have a fear of commitment; what if I'm 40,000 words in and discover a massive plot hole? What if I write myself into a corner? What if it's boring? The stakes are high for that sort of length; imagine the time lost to that many words. I shudder.<br />
<br />
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But a piece of flash that's 1,000 words? Now we're talking. No plot holes, no corners to find yourself in. There's not enough room to be boring. At 1,000 words, the stakes are low. If it sucks, so what? A handful of stinky flash pieces feels more like practice writing than a few attempts at a novel. Maybe it's something about the finish-ability of a flash piece. This is not at all meant to downgrade flash fiction in the eyes of other lengths of work. Flash is serious business; it's raw, honest, emotional, weighty, and tricky. Writing good flash is hard. Writing great flash is very hard. But the stakes? Somehow the blank page isn't so intimidating when my intention is 1,000 words, not 60,000.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Love of language</b>. "Poetry gave me permission to put words together in any way that felt true and sounded right -- or even just sounded interesting." Greg writes comics and says "Comics letterers play with type and punctuation and sizes and fonts, separating dialogue into balloons and captions, spacing them across the page in specific ways to create specific rhythms and emotions in a reader's mind and heart. If that's not poetry, I don't know what is."</li>
</ul>
I love language; most writers do. I find the ability to write more lyrical, highly descriptive language in flash more welcoming than in a longer piece. That's not to say that beautiful words don't belong in longer pieces. But I think they're framed especially well in a short piece of flash--their shine is brighter because they're not drowned out by all the other words. I think what I'm trying to say segues into Greg's next point: <br /><ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Concision</b>. Greg mentions the old cliche: a good poem doesn't waste a single word. He casts reflection on the dubiousness of the word "waste" and I tend to agree. "Still, writing poetry as a teenager challenged me to explore a single idea in a concentrated way, building each element of the work toward a final effect." </li>
</ul>
In flash, you are granted the superpower to face the challenge of writing beautifully but in the period of a heartbeat, nothing more. Peel back the oyster because we want to gaze at the pearl. <br /><ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Heart</b>. " . . . I learned that poetry was a safe place to express all of those confusing, painful, earnest emotions." </li>
</ul>
I read somewhere recently on Twitter about how an author finally acknowledged her internal anger on various subjects and started letting this rage onto the page. Since then, she stated her writing has been <br />
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more visceral and genuine. I am slowly starting to learn this, too. It's hard to write from the true gut--I'm talking accessing those dark corners. It's scary and makes you feel really vulnerable. But sometimes it brings out the best writing. That's true for every form of writing, be it flash or poetry or graphic novels or YA books -- the list includes all genres. But that's also exhausting to write like that, so why not train in short bursts?<br />
<br />
I am slowly working toward the idea of starting a novel, but it's going to take quite a while and I have a ton to learn and practice in the meantime. When gearing up for a big project, I'm reminded of the saying: "How does one eat an elephant? One bite at a time." (I used this mantra to help me study for the national veterinary board exam.) If a novel is the elephant, let me cut my teeth on a few mice first. <br />
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-7909771002765583022018-09-03T15:02:00.000-04:002018-09-03T15:02:01.201-04:00Found in TranslationI focus somewhat on creative writing on this blog, but let's not forget about our scientific writers and editors. I recall when chatting with <a href="https://vetwrite.blogspot.com/2017/02/">Dr. Laurie Anne Walden</a> last year, she mentioned editing scientific articles written by authors whose native language was not English. Today we get to see another variation of working with linguistic challenges from a scientific perspective as we chat with Dr. Nathalie Fernandez Cubas: veterinarian, writer, translator, and founder of <a href="https://nfclinguistic.com/sobre-mi/">NFC Linguistic Services</a> which she says is, "one of the best decisions I've ever made in my career."<br />
<br />
Nathalie received her veterinary degree in Spain in 2007 and after graduation, moved to France where she focused on equine medicine and became fluent in French. After a year, she returned to Spain and, she says, struggled to find professional and personal stability.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"I did not know it yet, but I was about to discover a new passion."</b></span></span></div>
<br />
"I gave myself some months to think about my future," she says. "During that period, I met a professional translator by coincidence who told me how difficult it was sometimes to find translators for highly specialized, scientific texts." It was then that something clicked. Given Nathalie's love of English and her bilingual skills in Spanish and French, she developed a plan. "I would study translation and interpreting at university and try to make a living from veterinary editing and translation. I did not know it yet, but I was about to discover a new passion."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIsIokHZKaVgiiTrKjHfMVLy5RQVdh7CFieupBFoPr8hC4QAZlHX9jt5JXOk3gyZUenbgbtgPBM5FpGP5BFIZ4KBIXhPbdHNebxRNEsS-apUEYxt37ceuXpIPq6xFrLQJnchVpSATP_89/s1600/2photo-pots-207536-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1026" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIsIokHZKaVgiiTrKjHfMVLy5RQVdh7CFieupBFoPr8hC4QAZlHX9jt5JXOk3gyZUenbgbtgPBM5FpGP5BFIZ4KBIXhPbdHNebxRNEsS-apUEYxt37ceuXpIPq6xFrLQJnchVpSATP_89/s320/2photo-pots-207536-unsplash.jpg" width="205" /></a><br />
On a typical workday, Nathalie spends a majority of her time translating veterinary texts from English and French into Spanish. She covers a wide range of subjects, including texts ranging from ophthalmology and parasitology to swine and poultry production, with occasional translations on topics like tourism or cosmetics. "It pushes me a little beyond my comfort zone," she says of these non-veterinary topics.<br />
<br />
Given that veterinary medicine is highly specialized with its own terminology, it might not come as a surprise that the most common issues Nathalie encounters in her translating involve vocabulary due to the author either having scant scientific background or a human medical background, which does not necessarily cross over to the veterinary world. "As we usually say in the veterinary community, 'a cat is not a small dog' and a dog or any animal is not a human on all fours!"<br />
<br />
It's hard to deny Nathalie's enthusiasm for her work. "Translators are not merely readers," she says "They are the <i>best</i> readers. They need to read between the lines, they break the texts down in pieces, they strive to understand every word, every nuance, every concept and then transfer the overall meaning to another language. Isn't that magic?"<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Translators are not merely readers. They are the <i>best</i> readers." </b></span></span></div>
<br />
Being a linguist, Nathalie has a unique perspective on the differences in veterinary medicine, animal health, and animal welfare across many different cultures. Before she began freelance work, Nathalie was an editor in a veterinary publishing house which allowed her to work with veterinary authors across the world. "This allowed me to learn a lot about the reality of the veterinary profession in other countries," she says. "In Latin America, for example, they are now more concerned about animal welfare in production animals." This has resulted in an increase in the number of publications on that topic from those countries. "In Turkey and India, the poultry sector is a leading edge industry," she continues. "In Europe, the pet sector is very dynamic, particularly in the fields of prevention, feline medicine, nutrition, and senior medicine."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCUMVpDrWdKHra4VSCWwZKt5JY2tdWhH9xAUFArAOGPD2V-K-ozHCAoMtUU_vpmgpnnrLIneSpUUJFmF6uQxsMOSGCCg7jSN-9n8lb_6hK2J-dgl6eG8zofJ7ZtJNlURbcD1n9uuGkrpl/s1600/tucker-good-520740-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCUMVpDrWdKHra4VSCWwZKt5JY2tdWhH9xAUFArAOGPD2V-K-ozHCAoMtUU_vpmgpnnrLIneSpUUJFmF6uQxsMOSGCCg7jSN-9n8lb_6hK2J-dgl6eG8zofJ7ZtJNlURbcD1n9uuGkrpl/s320/tucker-good-520740-unsplash.jpg" width="213" /></a>Being fluent in a language other than your mother tongue is a skill that is typically lauded by those who have it <br />
and with today's growing global network in terms of everything from tourism to IT to yep, vet med, learning a new language in some ways can seem essential. "Languages give you an incredible opportunity of discovering other cultures and other ways of thinking," says Nathalie. "I believe it is essential to transmit to the youngsters the important of learning languages." Apart from Spanish, French, and English, Nathalie speaks a little Portuguese and says she would love to learn a Nordic language, too.<br />
<br />
"What I like most about my job is that I learn new things every day," she says. "I am always studying, deepening, and perfecting myself on the most varied subjects. Every day is a new adventure!"<br />
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You can't argue that level of enthusiasm. Until next time, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. <br />
<br />
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-615361813138181052018-08-13T06:27:00.000-04:002018-08-13T19:01:22.048-04:00Degrees of Learning & WritingI'm not one to believe that things happen for a reason but it is tempting to think of serendipity as a helpful nudge in the right direction every once in a while. This past spring, I was perusing the shelves at my local Barnes & Noble, as I'm known to do on any given Friday evening prior to diving into a cupcake at their cafe to celebrate the end of the week. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3KA0P2M_XOA4N8STuy3Z3vq8znh_hFYV1ZtWkiWVO96cALgiihrR_irxUMGL1f219Xu7SEa3eoLwic9_JcrpSfkCehU-TzDmRiG5eZFDQX6yshUALM3awTOtwXlBPGsiuUEymhS8iq60/s1600/IMG_9348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3KA0P2M_XOA4N8STuy3Z3vq8znh_hFYV1ZtWkiWVO96cALgiihrR_irxUMGL1f219Xu7SEa3eoLwic9_JcrpSfkCehU-TzDmRiG5eZFDQX6yshUALM3awTOtwXlBPGsiuUEymhS8iq60/s320/IMG_9348.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CELEBRATION CUPCAKE</td></tr>
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A recent release caught my eye: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/250324/my-patients-and-other-animals-by-suzy-fincham-gray/9780812998184/"><i>My Patients and Other Animals</i></a> by Suzy Fincham-Gray. Flipping straight to the author bio, I found what I needed to know: veterinarian, author, and holder of an MFA, a degree I've been pondering for several years now. You see where this is heading.<br />
<br />
Dear readers, I present to you my interview with <a href="http://suzyfinchamgray.com/about/">Dr. Fincham-Gray</a>.<br />
<br />
Suzy graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2000, after which she came to the US and became board-certified in small animal internal medicine. "After almost a decade as a small animal internal medicine specialist in private practice, I was struggling to find balance in a life that was increasingly centered on my career," she says. "I made a decision to step back from practice and at that time I rediscovered writing, initially as a form of expression and then in a more structured way through the MFA program."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.writermag.com/2016/09/22/mfa-programs/">To get or not to get an MFA</a> (that is, a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing): that is the question for many writers, including me. What does it "get" you? Or, more bluntly: <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/the-pros-and-cons-of-getting-a-creative-writing-mfa">what's it good for</a>? Is this a career move? Is it for people who want to further hone their craft in literary writing? Is it just for the literary types or is there room for those interested in genre writing? Is it a bunch of navel gazing or a gate keeper to secret literary clubs and opportunities or a way of surrounding yourself with like-minded familiars for support and creative growth? So. Many Questions.<br />
<br />
Suzy applied to <a href="https://www.writermag.com/2015/09/25/low-res-mfa/">low residency MFA programs</a> across the US and accepted an offer from the <a href="http://palmdesertmfa.ucr.edu/">University of California, Riverside-Palm Desert</a> which, she says, was a top choice due to the school's emphasis on the practical aspects of writing and publishing as opposed to an academic focus on literature studies. She chose non-fiction as her focused genre.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW8h8cY8nS3p5yrDvrV1b00O1jwaOI5xlf86sNpJCE3GupXHGewLveM_ud_KoIpwDnUg1HcdUm1nY5x2xlW4D-AuHbyJ62ZEJnkGAUoKn9zad0qtY0zTljKo2AqJNuco-I7IP7q0iadR8/s1600/9780812998184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW8h8cY8nS3p5yrDvrV1b00O1jwaOI5xlf86sNpJCE3GupXHGewLveM_ud_KoIpwDnUg1HcdUm1nY5x2xlW4D-AuHbyJ62ZEJnkGAUoKn9zad0qtY0zTljKo2AqJNuco-I7IP7q0iadR8/s1600/9780812998184.jpg" /></a>"The benefits of studying for and obtaining my MFA were many," she explains. "Expert input on my writing from professors; residencies that gave me the opportunity to meet literary agents, editors, and successful authors; and the support from the program, even following graduation, has been excellent."<br />
<br />
Although Suzy's first published book is a veterinary memoir, she says when she began the MFA program she had no intention of writing a memoir. "My initial goal was to explore my writing and gain understanding of the craft, rather than to write a specific piece," she says. "However, in the first few months of the program I realized that most of my work swirled around my experience as a veterinarian." The first ideas of a memoir surfaced during a chat with an editor and aspects of the book evolved from there. "I wrote a proposal and sample chapters and acquired a literary agent," she explains. "We worked on the proposal for around six months and the finished proposal was purchased by <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2152133/spiegel-and-grau">Spiegel and Grau</a>. I then began work on the final manuscript with input from my editor. The project took around five years from starting the proposal to the book arriving at booksellers."<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">"Those rare glimpses of the fluid perfection of writing are the reason I keep sitting in front of a blank page." </span></span></b></div>
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Having read several veterinary memoirs, I'm interested in how an author chooses which stories to tell. In Suzy's case she mentions having some patients that have remained etched in her memory years after seeing them; those were cases she was compelled to write about and include. "Writing was alternately frustrating and rewarding," she admits. "There were moments when I was certain the book would never be finished and others when I was surprised how the writing shaped an idea I'd not consciously formed. Those rare glimpses of the fluid perfection of writing are the reason I keep sitting in front of a blank page."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZo7jtIL5YdC4-RY_wrVZO7YlLVmGrIVgtdFhrvsrCpjG1gKyjoahEV1Zm1r1ghtmX4kbZITqUokJjmL0AEF77oOWZZbxII6kUrznNFm7Gu2ruY1OiQxqTrkekhQq6pMenuHP2TFjnT-ih/s1600/jonas-vincent-2717-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZo7jtIL5YdC4-RY_wrVZO7YlLVmGrIVgtdFhrvsrCpjG1gKyjoahEV1Zm1r1ghtmX4kbZITqUokJjmL0AEF77oOWZZbxII6kUrznNFm7Gu2ruY1OiQxqTrkekhQq6pMenuHP2TFjnT-ih/s320/jonas-vincent-2717-unsplash.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Suzy says she has cut back her days in the hospital to protect and dedicate regular time for her writing. As always, I'm interested in how a veterinarian's scientific and creative sides mesh. Suzy says for her, these two sides complement one another. "Although I sometimes dream about giving up my 'day job' to focus my energy solely on writing, I know that to do this I would also be giving up my inspiration," she says. <br />
<br />
Creating an overall "message" in a veterinary memoir is also something I find interesting. Some books lack one completely and read as a laundry list of memorable cases and you-wouldn't-believe-it stories, while others try to mold an overarching narrative from a life's worth of experiences. In Suzy's case, she wanted to portray veterinary life in the truest way possible in an effort to counter what is sometimes portrayed by the media. "I wanted to explore the many dilemmas--the philosophical, ethical, social and economic--that veterinarians face in their daily practice," she says. "In particular, by finding the universal narrative of caring for our loved ones who cannot advocate for themselves. I hoped to draw out a new perspective."<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>"Creative outlets could provide an avenue to draw our [veterinary] community together."</b></span></span> </div>
<br />
On Suzy's <a href="http://suzyfinchamgray.com/">blog</a>, she states her writing explores the role veterinarians play in the human-animal bond and in the narrative of caring for those we love when they are sick. This hits home alongside the concept of <a href="https://www.narrativemedicine.org/about-narrative-medicine/"><i>narrative medicine </i></a>which is sometimes defined as the narrative between the caregiver and the patient. Used mostly with human medicine, I asked Suzy how she applies this to veterinary medicine. "I took inspiration from <a href="http://atulgawande.com/">Atul Gawande</a>, <a href="https://abrahamverghese.com/">Abraham Verghese</a>, and <a href="https://danielleofri.com/">Danielle Ofri</a>, all of whom are human doctors writing about the challenges of practicing medicine," she says. "I found when reading their work that many of their dilemmas were similar to those we face as veterinarians, in particular when approaching end of life care in patients who cannot advocate for themselves."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sqFneDxY10owtyN04Ovtuahb0nmdcyhUC2y9vFTJtWlS6vm6xXJRWCprJ_qnst2bFaCi2lBNubltDb5K6Zhj1bztVxTVjPDidDjZGUn9toyx4M-kP51Ut76pMuk8URWRC8k00d-cXJNy/s1600/bruno-cervera-460422-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sqFneDxY10owtyN04Ovtuahb0nmdcyhUC2y9vFTJtWlS6vm6xXJRWCprJ_qnst2bFaCi2lBNubltDb5K6Zhj1bztVxTVjPDidDjZGUn9toyx4M-kP51Ut76pMuk8URWRC8k00d-cXJNy/s320/bruno-cervera-460422-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Suzy points out that the relationship between humans and animals continues to evolve and this relationship is arguably deeper and more significant now than it has ever been. "I think it is essential that as a community, veterinarians explore ways to discuss and express the many frustrations, challenges, and difficulties we face in practice." She points to the relatively recent revelations on the high suicide rate in the vet med profession that highlights in a way the challenges we deal with. "Creative outlets could provide an avenue to draw our community together," she says.<br />
<br />
While still working on promoting her current book, Suzy says she is starting to gather ideas for a second. "I'm also continuing to write shorter pieces that expand on the concept of narrative medicine within the veterinary field," she says. "I would love to see my writing in the literary canon of narrative medicine alongside Atul Gawande and Siddhartha Mukherjee. There are so many areas I've yet to explore through my writing and I'm excited to see where my writing takes me over the next ten years."<br />
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And on that uplifting note, I'll leave you to it, dear readers. Until next time, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. <br />
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-14862258877276452142018-07-01T13:22:00.000-04:002018-07-01T13:22:34.226-04:00Summertime SomnolenceHello, dear readers. We're knee-deep in summer heat now in Maryland and it looks like many others across the east coast are experiencing the same. I think it's too soon to call it the dog days of summer, but it sure feels like what I've always come to associate with that term: long days of oppressive heat and accompanying somnolence (if you let it).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QHOG8ov5tFu329-F1ajmfrT3D08qLECFSTn9CrzYD_HR1eFrB-MKanzkzD2EGJdNwX4YJqR793pTR1Nw2Hlf100-eAsSBpI8SV4MBGBs53VApbkpIw1kY4-fdtlikq6W4LFTShWk264t/s1600/IMG_9653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QHOG8ov5tFu329-F1ajmfrT3D08qLECFSTn9CrzYD_HR1eFrB-MKanzkzD2EGJdNwX4YJqR793pTR1Nw2Hlf100-eAsSBpI8SV4MBGBs53VApbkpIw1kY4-fdtlikq6W4LFTShWk264t/s320/IMG_9653.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First tomato of the summer: a delightful yellow pear</td></tr>
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I have some more interviews coming up over the next few months so stay tuned if you're foaming at the mouth for more veterinary creativity. Until then, my garden is flourishing with color and tomato plants that defy the orderly staking process and therefore have arms that are reaching out for salvation.<br />
<br />
In some of the quiet spaces I've found over the past few weeks (still healing a collarbone that had the nerve to break at the end of April), I've tried to nurse some creativity and have fallen short. Instead, I've been prey to lots of distractions -- some good, as I've been reading plenty -- that sap my desire right out of me.<br />
<br />
However, I've come across an excellent quote form Mary Oliver (which is redundant as all her quotes, by definition, are excellent) that has kicked me in the pants when I needed it the most:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time." -- Mary Oliver</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKgFguJQyeYj7eI2mMNiEfKKUkFdWFNv1__ToRoqRrRHHIRA2mgNSiX1Noe-jgYfHD0osZoMUeOGbxDoScfIG-4Iz4t4W6upwKGAPaYOYM7yGfo_AhIsOLhUv0-XNiRZHDD_3w2L5Tdj3/s1600/IMG_9666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKgFguJQyeYj7eI2mMNiEfKKUkFdWFNv1__ToRoqRrRHHIRA2mgNSiX1Noe-jgYfHD0osZoMUeOGbxDoScfIG-4Iz4t4W6upwKGAPaYOYM7yGfo_AhIsOLhUv0-XNiRZHDD_3w2L5Tdj3/s320/IMG_9666.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteer sunflower from dropped birdseed. An unexpected delight.</td></tr>
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I don't know which part about that declaration I like the best -- the bit about creativity needing "power" or it needing "time" -- but the time part in particular speaks to my core. As a heavily Type A personality, I get very caught up in to-do lists and place an overemphasis on productivity with a resultant feeling of despair if something (or far too often, many somethings) doesn't get accomplished. The fact that creative juices need time to marinate and that this time is not only OK but necessary, is such a relief. It's like giving myself permission to take the time to think, all the time I need.<br />
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I came across another quote recently that emphasized this concept of taking time, but under a different context. In November 1958, John Steinbeck's son, who was away at boarding school, wrote his father about falling in love. Steinbeck wrote back a lovely, thoughtful, empathetic response but it was the ending that spoke to me and even though it was in reference to love, I'm going to take the liberty to apply to many other things in life, like creativity:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"And don't worry about losing. If it is right, it happens -- the main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away." -- John Steinbeck</blockquote>
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That declarative "nothing good gets away" might be overly-romantic but my gods doesn't it feel freeing? To know that if there's really something there (love, an idea, whatever -- again, I'm extrapolating) then baby, <i>it's there</i>. I just like the feel of that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0F-VPR2mNQGU5KIh_-fNBz9wpB8FmvTjdHjBPzWOdq3mGgJSyMswGR2h3wSgu0b-DLhVba0TZIhBD1nRZUZ-rAcVcr4cr-oVz9rnSdoC_ua9V3X8sMsw7TeefttcPyN7McaE5wFXSQaef/s1600/IMG_9658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0F-VPR2mNQGU5KIh_-fNBz9wpB8FmvTjdHjBPzWOdq3mGgJSyMswGR2h3wSgu0b-DLhVba0TZIhBD1nRZUZ-rAcVcr4cr-oVz9rnSdoC_ua9V3X8sMsw7TeefttcPyN7McaE5wFXSQaef/s320/IMG_9658.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An explosion of lilies in the front yard -- my own fireworks show.</td></tr>
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And, here's another one from Mary Oliver. This quote is in full view in my office: "Things take the time they take. Don't worry."<br />
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But I also have to laugh. I just finished a collection of Ursula Le Guin's blogs, <i><a href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-NoTimeToSpare.html">No Time to Spare</a></i>. It's a joy to read as her voice shines through in all its clarity and down-to-earthness. It's a comfort. But her message (granted this was written when she was in her 80s and perhaps feeling fatalistic) was focused on dwindling time. No time to spare. Get it done. Hurry. Life is short. Make your mark.<br />
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What to do when your heroes are telling you opposing things!?<br />
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I'll have to go ponder that in my garden.Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-7719073169610384012018-05-20T18:00:00.000-04:002018-05-20T18:00:30.490-04:00A Dose of Reality<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sometimes things just fall into place while you remain totally unaware. Fate is too strong a word here but it does feel a bit whimsical. Here's what I mean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A month ago I came across a veterinarian on Twitter: <a href="http://www.emmathevet.co.uk/">Emma Milne </a>from England. After reading her thoughts on various animal welfare issues and seeing that she's written a few books, I reached out to ask if she'd be interested in participating in this blog. After she agreed, upon more research I found she'd been one of the vets featured on a British reality TV show called <i>Vets in Practice</i> from 1996 to 2003.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's where it gets interesting:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I lived in England from 1998 to 2001. When my family moved there I was in high school and watched <i>Vets in Practice</i> religiously, wanting to be a veterinarian and all. I soaked it up. I remember a blonde vet. . . and squinting at Emma's photo now, twenty years later, I remember her from the show. My teenage years have come full circle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Folks, I am star-struck by a veterinarian. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR3aHpKPTujrGimgTe9gks5WU6pGnTepEN3wezYIrdKbReHoTi81KOXZP5JXtQgtkj3iF-GwALzOoYa14tXh6rETGSLRCps4FGykN89BjcSAejx-PHONqtE-unmPhXuv55QneJU78m81H/s1600/jacob-repko-350193-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR3aHpKPTujrGimgTe9gks5WU6pGnTepEN3wezYIrdKbReHoTi81KOXZP5JXtQgtkj3iF-GwALzOoYa14tXh6rETGSLRCps4FGykN89BjcSAejx-PHONqtE-unmPhXuv55QneJU78m81H/s320/jacob-repko-350193-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I told Emma this, in self-deprecation she laughed and called herself a "proper z-lister" these days. No matter. It's all about personal connections, right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So that's my introduction to Emma Milne, veterinarian, author, speaker, and champion for animal welfare. Let's get to know her a little better, shall we?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb1_A3nTZZwN6dv7szQOKEdxqU2QrL-jQsMyIWYo9WIixuUEr8rIU2zz1G7e4A1YjC5UVbNUqPERwuXAHGi-Y0rND6Z4Z6Iw1UkW7TojlowWbrJbpS_UBuBh0-CrRRl0tJ6udAO4_kjdL/s1600/emma1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb1_A3nTZZwN6dv7szQOKEdxqU2QrL-jQsMyIWYo9WIixuUEr8rIU2zz1G7e4A1YjC5UVbNUqPERwuXAHGi-Y0rND6Z4Z6Iw1UkW7TojlowWbrJbpS_UBuBh0-CrRRl0tJ6udAO4_kjdL/s1600/emma1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Emma Milne<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a new veterinary graduate, Emma entered the work force in front of the entire UK while appearing on VIP, which followed a handful of vets in their daily lives, showcasing events ranging from treating animals to personal issues. The US (and the UK) has more of its share of reality TV now, including some vet shows like <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/the-incredible-dr-pol/"><i>The Incredible Dr. Pol</i></a>, which come with their own <a href="http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=36383">controversies</a>. I asked Emma about her time on TV.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"In general I loved my time on VIP," she says. "It gave me opportunities that I never would have had. Also in the sphere of welfare, it has let me reach many more animals and owners than I perhaps might have in practice. At the time, the show was very different to anything we'd had. We were all new graduates so of course we made mistakes and there were older vets who felt the show was detrimental and that it 'demystified' the profession. I am a huge fan of honesty and vets are only human. I think any show that shows the strains and stresses placed on us is good. My main problem was that the show didn't tackle the gritty subjects I wanted to tackle like tail docking, hunting, farm issues, and pedigree health issues. It was a bit too fluffy. In fact to this day I think there is a huge scope for some really hard hitting veterinary shows." </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">"I am a huge
fan of honesty and vets are only human. Any show that shows the strains and stresses placed on us is good."</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Subsequent to her time on VIP, Emma has been able to take advantage of numerous media outlets as co-presenter on various TV specials, doing guest appearances, and as a guest expert, judge, and columnist. Emma says this has helped enormously in getting the word out about animal welfare. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"I think VIP has been incredible for my welfare opportunities and I always think people in the media should do their utmost to use it for the biggest positive impact they can, be it for animals or humans," she says. "The pros are huge, like the satisfaction of changing perceptions and meeting incredible and inspiring people. The cons are that it's never easy to get across everything you want to, especially in short, live TV slots. Even the written word is hard to disseminate unless you have a huge, rich publisher that can market you. The biggest con is probably the hate and vitriol that I get for things like my stance on hunting with dogs and now my views on pedigree health issues. The lovers of our most extremely diseased breeds can be unbelievably hurtful and I've had all manner of threats and comments. Most of the time I'm OK and I know I'm doing the right thing but I am human, too, and sometimes I hit some real lows and my friends and family see the impact of that."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">She adds, "As for resonating with the public, I think that being down to earth and honest helps. I had to work very hard to get to vet school. My family was not at all well off and it was all done on sweat and tears. I think (and hope) that many people view me as someone they can trust."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxWLfl-ncL1zp-JJnnAAB4-B7t_CJ8FZIZejFrSlXVITP6yv0YH2-d3j320g3aNZizOqSYVKIi1Zwn90fcXBsaSOJiiXB7cJsB21SP0reu2JQWcK9owX2FKRSt-3-3hKpmWWS999NWZla/s1600/truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxWLfl-ncL1zp-JJnnAAB4-B7t_CJ8FZIZejFrSlXVITP6yv0YH2-d3j320g3aNZizOqSYVKIi1Zwn90fcXBsaSOJiiXB7cJsB21SP0reu2JQWcK9owX2FKRSt-3-3hKpmWWS999NWZla/s320/truth.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Emma is steadily growing her list of book by-lines along with her media experience. Her first published book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Cats-Dogs-Milne/dp/1846241375/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526852990&sr=1-1&keywords=the+truth+about+cats+and+dogs"><i>The Truth about Cats and Dogs </i></a>(2008), tackled pedigree health issues. She followed it with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tail-End-Adventures-Practice-ebook/dp/B009S8M81E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526853015&sr=1-1&keywords=Tales+from+the+Tail+End"><i>Tales from the Tail End</i></a> (2013) which was more a veterinary memoir.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"TFTTE came about purely by accident," she says. "I had written <i>The Truth about Cats and Dogs </i>before and as an author and a vet, I had been approached to give a pre-publication quote for another book. During the discussions around that the publisher asked me if I would be interested in writing a book for them and suggested a compilation of humorous/emotional stories from my time on TV and as a vet. I loved the idea. I've done so much serious, sad stuff it was actually a really welcome relief to do something light-hearted. All vets have plenty of such stories so it was just a matter of sitting down and trying to remember all the ridiculous, happy, funny, mad, and sad things that had happened. It was the easiest book to write by miles!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Children can change the world and I really mean it. They have the power to change how future animals are kept." </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Emma has another series out for children, called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Are-Dogs-Right-Pet-You/dp/1910455717/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1525822341&sr=8-7&keywords=emma+milne"><i>The Pet Detective Series</i></a> which she says she dearly loves. This series teaches kids about the five basic welfare needs of pets. </span><span style="font-size: small;">"I was a trustee of a charity
called the <a href="https://www.animalwelfarefoundation.org.uk/about-us/">Animal Welfare Foundation</a> for a long time and helped write some of
their client leaflets, all using the five welfare needs as a template," she explains. "I have
long believed that happiness is just as important for our pets
as healthiness and the social and behavioral needs of pets are so
often neglected. I’ve also worked with incredible charities in poorer countries and have seen how they use education and children to
change long-standing traditions. I decided that teaching children the five
basic welfare needs and trying to get them to empathize with animals was
the way forward. Children have a natural affinity for animals and the
books try to get children to think about how a rabbit might feel lonely in a
hutch or a cat might feel threatened by other cats or a dog might feel sad
being alone all day. I say at the end that children can change the world and I
really mean it. They have the power to change how future animals are kept much
more than we vets do."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"After twenty years as a vet and twelve years in practice I am, frankly, outraged." </span></span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most
importantly, perhaps, is Emma's work on animal welfare issues. Most
recently her work has had a strong focus on pedigree dog health issues,
specifically <a href="http://www.theveterinaryexpert.com/nose-and-throat/brachycephalic-dog/">brachycephalic</a> breeds. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<span style="font-size: small;">I
think the arrogance of humans and our treatment of animals is
often appalling," she says. "As for pedigree health I am absolutely mortified. The fact that we
have got to a point where some people feel it is acceptable
to deliberately select <i>for</i> deformity and disease in the name of the breed standard absolutely beggars belief. That may sound unbelievable to many
people but it’s true and it’s why, ten years after my first book on the
subject, I have decided to re-write it. If anything the health issues have become worse, especially with the exploding popularity of flat-faced dogs and
quirky cat breeds. Breeding animals that are likely to suffer because of their
body shape is fundamentally wrong. Even at uni when we had exam questions on
breed-predispositions I thought it was odd that everyone just seemed to accept
it as normal. After twenty years as a vet and twelve years in practice I am, frankly,
outraged." </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"The fact that we have got to a point where some people feel it is acceptable to deliberately select for deformity and disease in the name of the breed standard absolutely beggars belief."</b></span></span></span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Emma's next book, </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Picking a Pedigree? How to Choose a Healthy Puppy
or Kitten, </i></span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">is scheduled for publication in September of this year. As far as how the UK is moving in terms of animal welfare issues, Emma mostly admits it's a mixed bag. "Some good things are happening in the UK with welfare like the
banning of wild animals in circuses, compulsory CCTV in slaughterhouses and
the like but we also had the utterly ridiculous backward step in Scotland of
the reversal of the ban on tail-docking," she says. "The fact that money not welfare and
expert opinion drives these political decisions is a constant disappointment. Rumor has it though that we are about to see a huge overhaul of
breeding and puppy sales laws which may include the equivalent of the
<a href="https://www.petethevet.com/qualzucht-is-a-term-that-should-be-understood-by-everyone-who-cares-about-animals/">Qualzucht</a> or torture breeding laws. This would mean that you could
prosecute individuals for producing litters that are likely to suffer due
to extreme conformation. This could be absolutely huge as our laws
have never covered future offspring. A test case would be very interesting
indeed. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I'd love the western world to stop being so obsessed with breeds and start thinking about dogs as a species. Dogs are such wonderful animals. They should be healthy, proportioned, and happy. Health and temperament should be way above looks on the breeding priority list." </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0433ff; font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Dogs are such wonderful animals. They should be healthy, proportioned, and happy." </span></span></b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For someone who has worked diligently to be an animal welfare advocate, it was only natural for me to ask Emma how others can try to make positive impacts as well.
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The
biggest thing I would say is stick to your guns," she says. "Don’t
lose your ideals and don’t be afraid to take some flak to stand up for
what you really believe. And finally if any of you feel so inclined please join
the global voice of <a href="http://www.vetsagainstbrachycephalism.com/">www.vetsagainstbrachycephalism.com</a>. We
have 53 countries represented now, many organizations and practices, and
almost one thousand individuals signed up. It is a standing open letter to show
the global level of expert opinion that extreme brachycephaly is wrong on
welfare grounds. Have a read of the homepage and sign up if you agree."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On that note, we'll see you soon, dear readers. Happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. </span></span></div>
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-13395795339163082382018-03-05T15:39:00.000-05:002018-03-05T15:39:19.074-05:00Small Fiction, Small TruthsOver the past several years, short stories have become my fiction outlet de jour, both for reading and writing. The stack of to-read books on my nightstand (ever-growing and ever-threatening my safety as the tower sways) has noticeably switched from predominantly novels to half novel and half short story anthologies and dammit, who can blame me? Short stories are so good: a captivating chunk of creativity, just enough to sate the appetite without the commitment to full-out novel-length development. Plus, the language <i>has</i> to be water tight. What a challenge to write, for sure. And what a delight to read.<br />
<br />
Imagine my excitement when I recently came across Dr. Ray Morrison. Ray is a small animal vet practicing in North Carolina and in his spare time, he writes. He writes <i>short stories</i>. In fact, in 2012, he had his first collection published: <a href="https://www.press53.com/short-fiction/in-a-world-of-small-truths-by-ray-morrison"><i>In a World of Small Truths</i></a> by Press 53. Naturally, I asked him some questions and happily, he answered.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMa-0InmmJLnEW56tgwPRAOpQL4y3Qq8RaZ24N_A13f3Ayeo4BStGYEVHS6rfBys73RGDLEQuK4hGc82m8pVBig8LaLrJ6-NpJFexaGATr9gYD_NbOQajKn7jCib-SJxJGMxfx_nabKNS/s1600/Cover_In_a_World_of_Small_Truths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMa-0InmmJLnEW56tgwPRAOpQL4y3Qq8RaZ24N_A13f3Ayeo4BStGYEVHS6rfBys73RGDLEQuK4hGc82m8pVBig8LaLrJ6-NpJFexaGATr9gYD_NbOQajKn7jCib-SJxJGMxfx_nabKNS/s320/Cover_In_a_World_of_Small_Truths.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
Ray says his writing has had two distinct phases split apart--not surprisingly--by his endeavor to become a vet. "As a young teenager in the early 1970s I loved to read science fiction and horror," he says. "Yet at the same time I'd also spend hours reading classic short stories. In high school I discovered creative writing and although by that time I'd known I wanted to become a veterinarian, I would write short stories and poems for fun. In college, I read a lot of Raymond Carver and Flannery O'Connor so my affection for short fiction solidified."<br />
<br />
Although running the pre-vet gauntlet as an undergraduate offers little time to explore interests other than science, Ray says any time he had an elective opportunity he'd take a creative writing class. However, once vet school began in earnest, followed by graduation and marriage, the first stressful and tumultuous years of practice, then buying and managing his own clinic (with his wife who is also a veterinarian) created a gap in creative production. Happens to the best of us.<br />
<br />
"Writing was the farthest thing from my mind in those days," Ray says. However, as their practice grew, Ray and his wife were able to hire associates. This meant a bit more breathing room for the practice owners. This is where Ray's second writing phase began.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"I penned a dreadful novel that I will always love because it served to get me writing again."</b></span></span></div>
<br />
"One evening, while having dinner with some friends, one of them mentioned he was writing a novel. It was literally like something snapped in me when he said that. <i>I want to write a novel, too!</i> I thought. Which I did. Over the next two years, I penned a dreadful novel that I will always love because it served to get me writing again. Upon completing this massive endeavor, though, I was slightly intimidated by the thought of spending another two-plus years on another novel. Another friend said one day, 'Why not just write a short story?' And that was that. I found what I loved and have to date written more than a hundred short stories, nearly half of which have been published."<br />
<br />
Ray has since taken serious steps in his writing career, starting with attending writing workshops and fiction classes. After winning first place in a short story contest held by the publishing company Press 53 in 2011, Ray was asked--by the same publishing house--if he had enough stories for a collection and, by golly, he sure did. In November of 2012, <i>In a World of Small Truths</i> was published by Press 53. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CSffYaMUJfpYq1PZYgrwMCpWpcFHi8UW9RQCWuMSxj3g1YY117gBfZ_8M5LJm5EYsV_ThJqqzuX8uMYGS-uDfsVro1uSZ12stq4j2dPtyosxTTfSYkUeOGpqoeO6QPR80bzeLo5T7d7e/s1600/ray_morrison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="500" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CSffYaMUJfpYq1PZYgrwMCpWpcFHi8UW9RQCWuMSxj3g1YY117gBfZ_8M5LJm5EYsV_ThJqqzuX8uMYGS-uDfsVro1uSZ12stq4j2dPtyosxTTfSYkUeOGpqoeO6QPR80bzeLo5T7d7e/s320/ray_morrison.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ray Morrison, DVM</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There's a wonderful interview of Ray done by TSP, the blog of the Story Prize (read <a href="http://thestoryprize.blogspot.com/2012/10/ray-morrison-register-of-human-deeds.html">here</a>) where Ray talks about how his writing focuses on everyday truths. This sort of writing about everyday things--but somehow making them incredibly rich--reminds me a bit of Elizabeth Strout and her book <i><a href="http://www.elizabethstrout.com/books/olive-kitteridge/">Olive Kitteridge</a> </i>(which is lovely, go read it). I asked Ray how he does this.<br />
<br />
"The most important thing I have learned about writing is that, as the famous saying goes, 'writing is rewriting.' Are some people naturally better writers than others? I think so. But it is, at the end of the day, a craft; one that requires learning and practice. If there is any aspect of my ability to create vibrant descriptions, it is my knack for observing people and translating what I see into words. But rarely, I think, do I get it right the first time. That takes revision."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Animals often find their way into my stories but I am not another James Herriot."</b></span></span></div>
<br />
I'm always curious about how writers (or artists or musicians) balance their veterinary profession with their creative calling and how, if at all, one might influence the other. Ray elaborated on his own balance. "I would say the biggest impact that spending thirty years as a veterinarian has had on my writing is that when I write it is my escape from that side of my life," he says. "People, especially my veterinary clients, when they find out I write short stories, nearly always ask if I write 'animal stories.' I answer that animals often find their way into my stories, but I am not another James Herriot. On the other hand, everything I've learned as a vet has accumulated in the well of experiences I draw on when I write. My career in veterinary medicine, and the thousands of people I've met during it, can't help but influence how I create characters, even if the stories themselves are not specifically about veterinary things. I have written exactly three stories, all unpublished at this point, with veterinarians as protagonists or main characters. I struggle with them, however, because I think I end up writing about me and not the fictional character. I like to stay out of my stories--bad things usually happen to my characters."<br />
<br />
Ray has a second collection of short stories coming out in May this year, so keep your eyes peeled. I asked about any novels in the pipeline. Here's how he responded: "I rarely get the bug to write a novel, but once in a blue moon I toy with the idea. Who knows? I'd like to think I could write a (good) novel. But for now I still am too much in love with short stories."<br />
<br />
Until next month, dear readers: happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-69891218488079294792018-02-05T19:15:00.000-05:002018-02-05T19:15:53.959-05:00Poetry for Pets<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Poetry is . . . what <i>is</i> poetry? High school English class taught us it doesn't have to rhyme and the work continually featured in literary and poetry magazines shows us poetry can almost be damn well <i>anything</i> as long as someone believes in it. OK, maybe that's getting a bit too Disney but in all seriousness, poetry is <i>still</i> a bit of a mystery to me yet I find myself continually drawn to it, trying to understand, trying to learn, and in the process of it all, collecting more and more pieces that I like. It's like broadening one's palate. On that note, I was delighted to snag Dr. Marjorie McMillan to ask her about a recent book of poetry she's published. Marge, owner of the <a href="http://www.windhovervet.com/staff.php">Windover Veterinary Center</a> in Walpole, MA, and board-certified veterinary radiologist, has recently published <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Wet-Noses-Whiskers-Tweets/dp/1973938847"><i>Cold Wet Noses, Whiskers and Tweets</i></a>, a book of poems for and about animals. Here's what she had to say. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1G9KyiMBzOcatneCJ6DHrkv8DWKcrfADzc1IJq7e2S4Dp2nRJU_OoDBhfkeFtHvEy_Q1EHETIPajbKLOZSPjj8mpKRzgAtKlR1egHcUP-ui3R_gf3MhG06IIg1M6ncx6IXgzofmvGfoG/s1600/51tCIYifxaL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1G9KyiMBzOcatneCJ6DHrkv8DWKcrfADzc1IJq7e2S4Dp2nRJU_OoDBhfkeFtHvEy_Q1EHETIPajbKLOZSPjj8mpKRzgAtKlR1egHcUP-ui3R_gf3MhG06IIg1M6ncx6IXgzofmvGfoG/s320/51tCIYifxaL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I have been seriously writing poetry for about five years," said Marge. "I belong to a poetry writing group and we meet to encourage each other and critique each others' work. Much of my poetry is about nature and animals and I finally had enough poems to publish a collection. I also wanted to be able to convey to my clients and the general public some of the emotions that go along with being a veterinarian."</span></span></span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>"I wanted to convey to my clients and the general public some of the emotions that go along with being a veterinarian."</i> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most people have an inclination toward a particular breed of pet for a plethora of reasons. I wondered if a certain favoritism found its way into Marge's poems, but she emphasized the individual. "It's not so much a particular species or breed," she said, "but what inspires me as a poet is a certain animal or situation or emotion that I want to express in powerful language." Evoking emotions in those who read her poems is the aim. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZvcIzweBU1BCYZokR9MgtHaXSixiuF9V5tTEfxwFTHHq5o9JH7JYk1N9ZCMf5Rco5vldDzKJfZkXGam7vyd5cAXIyL-pAVQEshBPesRnyd124kndrYDxSAkVKdUMv5M7zb1ns6S6LNnC/s1600/federica-diliberto-57819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZvcIzweBU1BCYZokR9MgtHaXSixiuF9V5tTEfxwFTHHq5o9JH7JYk1N9ZCMf5Rco5vldDzKJfZkXGam7vyd5cAXIyL-pAVQEshBPesRnyd124kndrYDxSAkVKdUMv5M7zb1ns6S6LNnC/s320/federica-diliberto-57819.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tackling the subject of rhyme in poetry, Marge said she's in it for the challenge. "I like to write in rhyme and meter; it's harder than open style, so I like the challenge, but not all topics lend themselves to rhyme and meter. It's hard to get it really right like the great poets. Most people who are not serious readers of poetry seem to prefer poems that rhyme." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Given the intricate, intimate, and sensitive nature of most poems, it seemed to me there must be a certain level of empathy required to write poetry. Herein lies my connection between the creative arts and veterinary medicine because to truly connect with patients and clients, a veterinarian (this also applies to physicians and others in the wide spectrum of medical sciences) should also be highly empathetic. I asked Marge if she thought attributes of
poetry writing crossed over into the successful practice of veterinary
medicine and vise versa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>"Poetry allows me to connect on a deeper level with clients and it also gives them insight into the depth of my feelings. It creates a stronger veterinarian-client bond." </i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"There has been much published lately about the mental health of veterinarians and the suicide rate," she said. "Poetry allows me to process the very difficult emotions around ending animals' lives, the difficulty of dealing with angry and sometimes impossible clients, and the joyful experiences. It allows me to connect on a deeper level with clients, especially around the loss of their pets, and it also gives them insight into the depth of my feelings. It creates a stronger veterinarian-client bond." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This connection between the sciences and arts is occasionally nurtured at graduate school; see the elective course at <a href="https://cvm.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine</a> featuring writing, reading, and discussing poetry, short stories, and novel excerpts in order to "help engender empathy for clients, encourage moral reflection, and sustain the joy of being a veterinarian." See <a href="http://vetwrite.blogspot.com/search?q=elizabeth+stone">VetWrite's interview</a> with Dr. Elizabeth Stone for more on that. Another example is the <a href="https://trentcenter.duke.edu/resources/humanities">Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, and History of Medicine</a> at Duke University. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's more is Marge's fulfillment from having others read her work. "A poem isn't a poem until it is read by someone else," she said. "Writing poetry has allowed me to connect in a deeper and more spiritual way with animals and nature."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's extra special about Marge's clinic, Windover Veterinary Center, is that the creativity does not stop with her. Cathy Symons, a certified veterinary technician and certified canine rehabilitation professional is an associated specialist with the clinic and has written a book titled <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blind-Devotion-Enhancing-Visually-Impaired/dp/1469952661"><i>Blind Devotion: Enhancing the Lives of Blind and Visually Impaired Dogs</i></a>. Joan Powers, Windover's hospital manager, was the photographer for Cathy's book. "I have a wonderful staff of creative women," said Marge. "The writing is a way of helping clients and animals in a right brain way. It allows us to step out of our usual medical roles and left brains and relate to clients in a different way. I also think it allows us to listen differently and hear beyond the factual medical history." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marge has a second collection of poetry in the works as well as a book half finished about her lawsuit for <a href="http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-1st-circuit/1420460.html">gender discrimination</a>. She also confirms that her favorite poet is indeed the wonderful <a href="http://vetwrite.blogspot.com/search?q=mary+oliver">Mary Oliver</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until next time, dear readers: happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-61370339874284517972017-11-06T19:32:00.000-05:002017-11-06T19:32:00.536-05:00Expounding InspirationThere's quite a story behind the creation of a newly published children's book series on being a veterinarian and I recently talked with the author, <a href="https://www.doctorhartfield.com/">Dr. Rebekah Hartfield</a>, to get the scoop. Rebekah's ambition and desire to inspire the younger generation to go forth and conquer (and while they're at it, maybe try their hands at rural veterinary practice) is brimming with sage positivity and it's my pleasure to share it with you. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevIQO0Cdh8iENAQQ6exBTZt5ypEcnqg0gXrGvmrhbK91JOtQGrOVo1Wa9ABq6l_NXkNRwT9zjbqSYRuJ9Ph_oKr06kXdTp6P1OVYGol4lOWMV47FNEGZN1-oJ0NMzjxR9tEtKPsPO6xn1/s1600/book%252Bfront_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1000" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevIQO0Cdh8iENAQQ6exBTZt5ypEcnqg0gXrGvmrhbK91JOtQGrOVo1Wa9ABq6l_NXkNRwT9zjbqSYRuJ9Ph_oKr06kXdTp6P1OVYGol4lOWMV47FNEGZN1-oJ0NMzjxR9tEtKPsPO6xn1/s320/book%252Bfront_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Rebekah's "Doctor Hartfield Veterinary Book Series" is a series of six books pitched for fourth graders and under. "Fourth graders understand it," Rebekah says. "And for pre-K and kindergartners, they just enjoy the story. I've read to pre-K through fourth grade and they all seem to enjoy the book." The first book in the series, <i>Rosie the Pig</i>, was published in August of this year. The book tells the story of how a young girl named Abby and Dr. Hartfield diagnose and treat a pig named Rosie with respiratory disease. It's based on a true story. But, we're getting ahead of things.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>"I want to encourage kids to want to learn about all the different
species and hopefully inspire them to want to practice in those areas."</b></span></span></div>
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<i>Rosie the Pig</i> started when Rebekah was in her fourth year of vet school. "At the time, my younger sister was in graphic design school and she had to do a senior project," says Rebekah. "We had talked about how I wanted to do something more with my platform when I graduated as a veterinarian." Coming from a creative family, Rebekah also paints and is a photographer and was looking for ways to weave creativity into her new profession.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gBtBxoFBtrYky9yS3gATVmKBHJBFgrd0w0yk8sexT4Gu8lkte9Ut_JeDd7zHq5UJrLNy3ygKP0pqo03MmUUsqtgfc3l6sSb779zChSMr7NwASj7CA9KP02a7VfXEbXwtwEbxi2Z_yk2U/s1600/DSC_4625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gBtBxoFBtrYky9yS3gATVmKBHJBFgrd0w0yk8sexT4Gu8lkte9Ut_JeDd7zHq5UJrLNy3ygKP0pqo03MmUUsqtgfc3l6sSb779zChSMr7NwASj7CA9KP02a7VfXEbXwtwEbxi2Z_yk2U/s320/DSC_4625.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebekah Hartfield, DVM</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"It just so happened that a couple of things occurred at the same time," Rebekah continues. "A friend had called me up and needed a good book recommendation for her daughter who was 10 and wanted to go to vet school." Rebekah did some research and came up nearly empty handed. "Most of the books were way over a ten-year-old's head," she says. "They were too wordy and not very creative." That got her thinking. Rebekah identified a need in the market for books on being a veterinarian that were pitched for a younger audience. So she brought the idea to her sister. "That's kind of how it started," she says.<br />
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But the origin story isn't over yet. That Thanksgiving, Rebekah's niece visited and one of Rebekah's pigs -- named Rosie (you guessed it) -- was sick. "We went to the barn and I showed my niece how to do an exam and what went into diagnosing and treated Rosie. Rosie got better and I called my sister and said: I've got my story."<br />
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<i>Pistol the Horse </i>is the second book in the series, with a release date planned for May 2018. Each book in the series will be about an actual case in a different species. Rebekah says the dog story might be about heartworm, since she encounters that disease frequently in her Oklahoma practice. The other books will be about cases in a cat, a cow, and a goat.<br />
<br />
One of the unique aspects of Rebekah's book is that in addition to the story, there are interactive puzzles which makes the book visually stimulating on many levels. Rebekah's sister was the illustrator. With pronunciation guides, <i>Rosie the Pig</i> teaches kids about anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, rounding out the spectrum of an entertaining yet highly informative guide to vet med aimed at young kids. <br />
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One of the other goals Rebekah hopes to accomplish from her book series is to encourage kids to go into rural veterinary practice. "We just don't have a lot of rural veterinarians," she says. "In Oklahoma there's a pretty big shortage of vets serving these areas. I want to encourage kids to want to learn about all the different species and hopefully inspire them to want to practice in those areas." <br />
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Ambitious and busy, Rebekah has many more irons in the fire. She says she has a whole list of goals. "I want to have this children's book series but I really want to create a series of books for each age group leading up to college," she says. "I have a current page on my <a href="https://www.doctorhartfield.com/so-you-want-to-be-a-vet/">website</a> about how to prep to be a vet but I'm also working on another page about college, talking about the GRE and the entrance essay." Rebekah mentions when she decided to apply for vet school, she was unaware of all the different requirements. "I had to scramble around and get my credits -- I didn't even know you had to take the GRE." <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Don't let a "no" stop you from achieving your goals."</b></span></span></div>
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"Another part of my platform is about inspiring kids. I want let them know: don't let a "no" stop you from achieving your goals." Rebekah says she encountered a lot of no's in her life as she attempted to get into vet school, and once she got in, it wasn't easy, either. "But I made it through," she emphasizes. "And through all of that, it made me a better veterinarian and it gives me a story to tell other people who are maybe going through the same thing and struggling themselves."<br />
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Rebekah's <i>Rosie the Pig</i> is available on her <a href="https://www.doctorhartfield.com/shop/">website</a>, which is where you'll also find her <a href="https://www.doctorhartfield.com/blog/">blog</a> and other resources. <br />
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And until next month, dear reads: happy reading, happy writing, and happy vetting. Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-44735997028718519462017-10-02T18:39:00.000-04:002017-10-02T18:39:02.822-04:00Becoming a Writer.... via The Beach Boys<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One aspect of writing that people, including writers themselves, often don't realize or appreciate is that the art takes time. Sure, there are writers (and journalists of course) who work to a tight deadline, turning out excellent copy like a riverboat chopping at the Mississippi. But many writers, whether fiction or nonfiction, need weeks, months, years (dare I say decades--<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/21/books/donna-tartt-talks-a-bit-about-the-goldfinch.html?mcubz=1">Donna Tartt</a>, I'm looking at you) to piece together the bits of a puzzle that inevitably will make the final product. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To that point, on a much smaller scale, I first read about veterinarian-author <a href="https://becomingthebeachboys.com/">Dr. Jim Murphy</a> in an article from <a href="https://veterinarypracticenews.com/becoming-jim-murphy/"><i>Veterinary Practice News</i></a> late last fall. Jim had just published his first book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Beach-1961-1963-James-Murphy/dp/0786473657">Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961 - 1963</a></i>. It wasn't until late spring of <i>this</i> year that I took the opportunity to talk with Jim about his writing and it wasn't until <i>right now</i> that you're seeing the fruition of our conversation. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtcVOs2SdbD2sGVVxmPtM7I0Fy9VxoXooF_W0IXWakxspVBkeV3uXIWv65BBddYfkTNhDcnz4eNjbi2YrYmUzF5Laiffv3FLB2LvcvpnHkBnk2lHwLc2wi4jzt0uS83q2U8mCK3MBYs3C/s1600/978-0-7864-7365-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtcVOs2SdbD2sGVVxmPtM7I0Fy9VxoXooF_W0IXWakxspVBkeV3uXIWv65BBddYfkTNhDcnz4eNjbi2YrYmUzF5Laiffv3FLB2LvcvpnHkBnk2lHwLc2wi4jzt0uS83q2U8mCK3MBYs3C/s320/978-0-7864-7365-6.jpg" width="224" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So it goes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On a much grander scale, it took Jim eight years to write this book, which has been described by the author as "...an academic look at the band's origin," including over 80 interviews, twelve appendices, and 1,100 foot notes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aren't you curious how and why Jim did this, while still finding time to practice veterinary medicine in DC? I was. So I asked him.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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"I was still practicing part-time," Jim says. "On days
off I would try to write as much as I could." On work days, he would write at night.
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--></span></font></style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I had charts on my wall, Post-It notes all
over the place--where should I start, where did this person or that person
enter the story. You know, writing is really about solving problems. I had
three dogs while I was writing the book. Sometimes, before writing, I'd take
them for a walk in the park. It was so relaxing and I would think
about the problems I was having and more often than not the solution would just
come to me."</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"I loved it because you learn so much when you write a book, especially that first book."</b></span></span> </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jim was candid about how much time the sometimes-tedious research process took. "Writing non-fiction is a lot of research, involving digging into the Library of Congress, making phone calls, finding people, going through
old high school year books," he says. "That part is really time consuming, really taxing.
You spend hours and hours and hours which is ultimately productive but can be a
drain. You've got to really love that sort of detective work.
Then doing the interviews and figuring out what part of it can I use, then writing it
up, transcribing--all of that. It's really a different type of writing than
fiction."</span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m3pfPgodBAmGsp9fI7URHz5dbieWszxoEVXGfvCZTSISeVh7PW6h2JdhSYegoOUVGXshGkkC2WZujuT1Xwg_ggxSzow8Jszjc_IYbU7bqXdpc8SL4w3OKMafgutDhn3deiBnqwZwDFU0/s1600/160501k_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m3pfPgodBAmGsp9fI7URHz5dbieWszxoEVXGfvCZTSISeVh7PW6h2JdhSYegoOUVGXshGkkC2WZujuT1Xwg_ggxSzow8Jszjc_IYbU7bqXdpc8SL4w3OKMafgutDhn3deiBnqwZwDFU0/s320/160501k_1.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dr. Jim Murphy</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Jim continued to write, his draft grew. And grew. Then grew some more. At one point, it clocked in at 180,000 words. "It was crazy," he says. "I had all kinds of side stories.
I
culled a lot of that stuff, saved it and included it on the <a href="https://becomingthebeachboys.com/">website</a> for
supplemental reading for diehard fans. But
I loved it because you learn so much when you write a book, especially that
first book. And I looked at it like, OK, this is cool, I'm learning and
I'll forgive myself for making these mistakes. And if I write another one,
whether it be fiction or non-fiction, I will have learned a tremendous amount
about this process and I won't make these same mistakes again." </span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>"Life is short, time is finite, you never know how much more time you have so there is nothing, in my opinion, that is more important than doing something that brings you joy." </b></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear readers, I cannot fathom working on a single project for eight years. Maybe I have a fear of literary commitment. A copy of David Foster Wallace's <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/feb/15/infinite-jest-at-20-still-a-challenge-still-brilliant-emma-lee-moss"><i>Infinite Jest</i></a> waits, unread, on my bookshelf. And that's just reading. But when Jim explained his reasoning behind keeping his nose to the grindstone, it made se<span style="font-family: inherit;">nse. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The th</span>ing about The Beach Boys book, in everything
that's ever been written about them in dozens and dozens of books over the last
55 years, no one had gotten the origin story correct," he says. "And I felt like, I can do this. I think I can
find some of these people. That's what kept me going. There were times when the structure was all messed up and I was moving
things around, backing up every night, frantic I was going to lose something
because the document was so big and the only thing that really kept me going was: I
think I can do this. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b><b>
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</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>"[Writing is] frustrating, it's difficult, but it's so fulfilling when you get the words right." </b></span></span></span></span>
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--> </span></font></style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the end of the day, Jim says it comes down to doing what you enjoy. "That's something important in writing," he says. "Life is short, time is finite, you never
know how much more time you have so there is nothing, in my opinion that is
more important than doing something that brings you joy. When I
was writing The Beach Boys book, there was not a day when I could not wait to
sit down, turn on the computer, crack my fingers, have a cup of coffee, and
tackle it. I was like a kid on Christmas morning. It's frustrating, it's difficult, but it's so fulfilling when you get
the words right."
</span></span>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So what's on Jim's to-do list now? Fiction.
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</span></font></style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
He's working on a novel. "It's animal related," he says. "It's inspired by the [veterinary] profession.
And it's so different. I don't have to interview anybody, and I'm free to
create whatever I want to create. </span></span><style><font size="3"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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</span></font></style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
What I'm finding now, I kind of like this [fiction
writing] because you can be as creative as you want. It's an open world. It's liberating. You can go anywhere with it."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear readers, I hope you're going where you want to go in your own reading and writing. Until next time, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting.
</span></span>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-22694386579858525522017-09-04T20:03:00.001-04:002017-09-04T20:03:23.343-04:00Write What You Will, Write What You WantLet's start a debate. Many of you are probably familiar with the adage "write what you know." To an extent, I get it. If you're not a veterinary orthopedic surgeon, you probably shouldn't write an article on the latest hardware for <a href="http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/tplo.htm">TPLO</a> surgery for the J<i>ournal of the American Veterinary Medical Association</i>. But when we're talking fiction, things change. As far as I'm concerned, this rule goes out the window. I mean, it doesn't apply to writers within the fantasy or speculative fiction genres. Who has experience with dragons? Talking toasters? Self-aware pirate ships? Orcs? If I want to write a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/24/books/24mieville.html?mcubz=0">novel about kraken</a>, I shouldn't be discouraged simply because I don't have a doctorate in krakenology. Likewise, it's fun to research and learn about something new in order to write about it. Everyone knows that.<br />
<br />
My bottom line is this: don't ever think that just because you're not already an expert in something that you can't or shouldn't write about it, at least in a fictitious sense.<br />
<br />
Ahem. Excuse me. Let me step off my soapbox.<br />
<br />
Now then. Let me introduce you all to this month's VetWrite feature. Trust me, this ties in with my mini-diatribe. Back in late spring of this year, I had the opportunity to talk with author <a href="http://michaelkula.com/biography/">Michael Kula</a> whose first novel, titled <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Doctor-Michael-Kula/dp/1988214122/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504467251&sr=1-4&keywords=The+good+Doctor"><i>The Good Doctor</i></a>, came out this year. A piece of historical fiction, <i>The Good Doctor</i> is about Dr. David Roberts, a veterinarian in Wisconsin at the turn of the 20th century. We chatted about the book, the writing process, and the challenge of writing about a veterinarian while not <i>being</i> a veterinarian.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz2-weLneQZOHSJh4xpWv4WiP9EyhF4l1bJtiMZoNOb-qQ0YeRXhB5uEwC19WOz0y4l1Y6U1BFTVedvwzyg4CDcZkiHBjxHSI9SDkNN62vagR6qIcOsuYvrVVwHh6fENoNKf6hg_onTlb/s1600/GoodDoctorCoversmaller.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz2-weLneQZOHSJh4xpWv4WiP9EyhF4l1bJtiMZoNOb-qQ0YeRXhB5uEwC19WOz0y4l1Y6U1BFTVedvwzyg4CDcZkiHBjxHSI9SDkNN62vagR6qIcOsuYvrVVwHh6fENoNKf6hg_onTlb/s320/GoodDoctorCoversmaller.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div>
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An associate professor in the <a href="http://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sias/cac/twrt">Writing Studies program</a> at the University of Washington-Tacoma, Michael's story line started somewhat fortuitously when he stumbled upon a sensational love scandal involving a veterinarian at the turn of the century in small town Wisconsin. As he dug deeper into historical records, the story grew into what Michael describes as quite "sensational stuff" given the time period. <br />
<br />
After further research, Michael reached out to a local historian. "I was guarded about my idea," he says. As it happens, however, the historian of this small Wisconsin town had his own personal historical museum in his basement. [In another universe, this would totally be the setup for a horror story.]<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ErUkIuRd5CLLR9Nl5L851t2t88jjjFmT9GHFeRZgt1XDt4UDk7KYD4les7_2zL_YhFNR0LLrKyDyDIOCT4-Klend97u6nNeHvEkYRqo8WqZra_Vbpw0bZ5-6PyMS-5jBGfU8AGBh_nyH/s1600/DrRobertBarn-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="900" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ErUkIuRd5CLLR9Nl5L851t2t88jjjFmT9GHFeRZgt1XDt4UDk7KYD4les7_2zL_YhFNR0LLrKyDyDIOCT4-Klend97u6nNeHvEkYRqo8WqZra_Vbpw0bZ5-6PyMS-5jBGfU8AGBh_nyH/s640/DrRobertBarn-1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy Michael Kula</span></span><b><br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
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At first, Michael describes the basement as filled with standard collector's paraphernalia from resort hotels circa early 1900s. "Then," says Michael, "I turned the corner. There was a big shelf display that said 'Dr. Roberts'. It was floor-to-ceiling full of this man's commercial goods and I said: this is want I want to write about."<br />
<br />
Michael calls Dr. Roberts the "Martha Stewart of the veterinary profession"; a man who made and sold his own veterinary products. "He really did brand himself," he says. "He had a huge line of products under his name: Dr. Roberts' Veterinary Company."<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"He was the Martha Stewart of the veterinary profession."</b></span></span></div>
<br />
But it got even better: in this basement museum, the historian pulled out a copy of Dr. Roberts' memoir. "At the time," says Michael, "I didn't know this guy had written a memoir late in his life."<br />
<br />
It turns out ol' Dr. Roberts had a reputation of being a womanizer. "After his first wife died, he was married three more times," explains Michael. "In 1955, when he was about 80 years old, he was married to a 24 year old who was working for him at the time. He had written his memoir with this young woman. Local legend has it that when he passed away, apparently he had a room full of these books that he had published but didn't distribute. When he died, the young woman burned them all. Apparently, there are only four copies of this thing in existence."<br />
<br />
One of the copies was owned by our now beloved hero, the local historian. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjiKIlDVfS_QZHkHFYriZs7J1VS6RQSLep15vXq5_a2kAg6qNBsFCCebOC-KTh_hTRVmhB7BpwKGRN4MlgTHAHkLByTxiVfwEfGf5d6qA5I-E2jzb4oh6r8iKqc1duSAoVs4REmb1Ulow/s1600/PostCardHotel-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1400" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjiKIlDVfS_QZHkHFYriZs7J1VS6RQSLep15vXq5_a2kAg6qNBsFCCebOC-KTh_hTRVmhB7BpwKGRN4MlgTHAHkLByTxiVfwEfGf5d6qA5I-E2jzb4oh6r8iKqc1duSAoVs4REmb1Ulow/s640/PostCardHotel-1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy Michael Kula</td></tr>
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Suffice it to say, Michael had stumbled upon the holy grail of writer's research. Now it was time to craft the story between the lines recorded by history.<br />
<br />
"The story is based on historical facts," he says, "but it's not factual. It was a journey of trying to humanize this guy. While he was kind of a scoundrel, he was, by all accounts, incredibly caring and generous. There was a good guy in there somewhere and I hoped to capture that in the book."<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"How would you put down a cow in 1917?"</b></span></span></div>
<br />
Because Dr. Roberts was a veterinarian, animals and veterinary work factor heavily in this book, which was a challenge as Michael strove to capture these actions accurately. "Some of the veterinary-specific aspects were hard," he says. Michael notes how easily he could interview today's veterinarians, but quickly found they lacked insight into what vet med was like one hundred years ago. The closest thing Michael could grasp in terms of early 20th century medicine was a veterinary instruction manual from 1905. Then he turned to the <a href="https://uwveterinarycare.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison Veterinary Hospital</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWCex4u_vE79_zTFaUYTwADpo-SI7ytsTsxFup0bNKcIE18U6VnmYcYzld8EMyZ0AXVZLIMxYG_rjwlWY48Cfk3dvQL-fImnNLg1oD7vMXhtmbyQFsw-sPA-kYUcL8rnmT0oLrpozOIX1/s1600/PostCard.WomenChurch.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1028" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWCex4u_vE79_zTFaUYTwADpo-SI7ytsTsxFup0bNKcIE18U6VnmYcYzld8EMyZ0AXVZLIMxYG_rjwlWY48Cfk3dvQL-fImnNLg1oD7vMXhtmbyQFsw-sPA-kYUcL8rnmT0oLrpozOIX1/s640/PostCard.WomenChurch.jpeg" width="412" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy Michael Kula</td></tr>
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"I talked to a professor at the school and asked him: how would you put down a cow in 1917? We ended up having a really nice conversation about ethics." Herd health also come into play in the novel, as Dr. Roberts was a renowned and frankly innovative dairy expert. "In one scene, the doctor is called out to an overcrowded barn where lots of the animals are sick," Michael says. "I had to figure this scene out in terms of what could cause this--what could wipe out a bunch of animals in an overcrowded barn in a relatively short period of time?" Spoiler alert: Michael aptly decided on coccidiosis. This vet approves. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"I had to figure this scene out: what could wipe out a bunch of animals in an overcrowded barn in a relatively short period of time?"</span></span></b></div>
<br />
The book's narrative is driven by three different characters: Dr. Roberts, his wife, and the woman who becomes his mistress. "The love triangle that develops comes in part from the characters' connections with animals," says Michael. Social stratification in the early 1900s also plays an important role. In real life, as in the book, Dr. Roberts comes from rural Wisconsin but Michael explains that he lacked historical evidence regarding the veterinarian's wife's roots. "This is where I took some liberties," he says. "In the book, I had her come from big city money. Part of her character is drawn to her husband because of the sensitivity she saw in him in his occupation. But she had no background or interest in rural life, agriculture, or animals." Enter the woman who eventually becomes Dr. Roberts' mistress who <i>does</i> have a rural background. Do you feel the heat rising, or is it just me?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Why would anyone read historical fiction? I just didn't get it."</b></span></span></div>
<br />
Some of my constant readers may be aware that in the end, I like to know why a writer (or artist or musician, etc.) does the thing they do and how it makes them feel. Michael's answer was satisfactorily revealing. "The funny thing was, when I was in grad school, I wrote very literary, straight fiction. I remember thinking: why would anyone read historical fiction? I just didn't get it. Then I fell into this project. I've since realized I can't imagine doing anything else. It just fits me." What more could you ask for?<br />
<br />
Until next month, dear readers, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. <br />
<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-4289467365930124402017-07-04T17:10:00.001-04:002017-07-04T17:10:58.728-04:00Gone Fishin'--an updateAh, summertime. This is adventure season, folks. Hiking, biking, explicitly <i>NOT</i> running (way too hot for that foolishness right now), roller skating, swimming, grilling, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm">traveling</a>, lightning bugging (I just made that up but it involves sitting on the porch at dusk drinking <a href="http://www.delish.com/cooking/g2824/sangria-recipe/">sangria</a> and enjoying the company of <a href="http://www.firefly.org/">lightning bugs</a>), and reading.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZY36fVSlgc_OIK3KLpbm47YFlcuJk9IGcl-vaSmWXmfy7pkQlUM6KiUzGQ__jhW3i2xVNRmQ6hpQQwRPLAv7-6DlsqY7RbGw4q8474oSTgPDHLrfLueYxVhe3xXDMImtQnztirhyphenhyphenUahxe/s1600/cat-wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZY36fVSlgc_OIK3KLpbm47YFlcuJk9IGcl-vaSmWXmfy7pkQlUM6KiUzGQ__jhW3i2xVNRmQ6hpQQwRPLAv7-6DlsqY7RbGw4q8474oSTgPDHLrfLueYxVhe3xXDMImtQnztirhyphenhyphenUahxe/s400/cat-wine.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna in cat form in summer mode.</td></tr>
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And very little writing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkM5Q5Cxp-WoWpzi6tfYEmr7vSXlCZJ0YnHFQ2UgH0IH4uwdqH-hT6tVIE2w7C-fKeYJdX8iQtL4H5z5HgfHrzCCCkroLBBcx6TEKJph5y1w_0gM2EjdwUKqb46AW4KYxg9Si5elohftW/s1600/kittens-car-shutterstock_136515128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkM5Q5Cxp-WoWpzi6tfYEmr7vSXlCZJ0YnHFQ2UgH0IH4uwdqH-hT6tVIE2w7C-fKeYJdX8iQtL4H5z5HgfHrzCCCkroLBBcx6TEKJph5y1w_0gM2EjdwUKqb46AW4KYxg9Si5elohftW/s400/kittens-car-shutterstock_136515128.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get in, losers. Road trip. </td></tr>
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Catch me in February, all sunshine-deprived and wrapped in blankets in a ball on the couch and you've got your writing weather. Not now. Now is the time for celebrating sunshine. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzJvzaHBfY2PKMw5Ig85LKD_2EcbZ2DshI7mZ-B6TvCxbkVt8GVw2OL123WS4tq9KEuoEmGXg3l62WKaDddt3A8owfLWgAcBjXChAAuA7RJYGFQD5lqtfJU8SA6v047bpH6SG51rt696g/s1600/IMG_9893-614x409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="614" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzJvzaHBfY2PKMw5Ig85LKD_2EcbZ2DshI7mZ-B6TvCxbkVt8GVw2OL123WS4tq9KEuoEmGXg3l62WKaDddt3A8owfLWgAcBjXChAAuA7RJYGFQD5lqtfJU8SA6v047bpH6SG51rt696g/s400/IMG_9893-614x409.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hell yeah, summertime!!!</td></tr>
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You may deduce this is as the reason why VetWrite slows down come May, into June, and now with this you're-not-fooling-anyone-Anna update in July. You're right. You're so smart.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vfNu73HPavbc6pbo33bowNXtFAomD_5FXUP-GJKlA8Ry05c-VCMTXz_RQ1IXQuGV_j04Pyc_q5705eHnMsUnH8_UCoVNsL_Co984D1EC2LeqQli8BlMXcFNTx22x04IFHqmLl8vwl0fw/s1600/33918-Nerdy-Cat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="500" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vfNu73HPavbc6pbo33bowNXtFAomD_5FXUP-GJKlA8Ry05c-VCMTXz_RQ1IXQuGV_j04Pyc_q5705eHnMsUnH8_UCoVNsL_Co984D1EC2LeqQli8BlMXcFNTx22x04IFHqmLl8vwl0fw/s400/33918-Nerdy-Cat.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is so you. </td></tr>
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So here's the deal. I have two fantastic interviews with authors coming up for posting this fall. Keep your beautiful eyeballs peeled for September. Until then, get outside, go kayaking, bird watching, wash your dog. Wait, that's my to-do list. OK. You get the point. I'll catch you when school is back in session.<br />
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If you're really jonesing for some reading material, I'm pleased to say that I've had a few fiction pieces published recently (when it rains it pours, but mostly a drought). Scoot on over to my "Fiction" page for the deets. But I'm way more interested in what <i>you </i>are reading and what <i>you</i> are writing. Dish, please, in the comments section. <br />
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So, until September, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting, my friends and dear readers. Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-80142191480030628572017-04-03T14:48:00.001-04:002017-04-03T16:04:03.617-04:00Celebrating Life with Style, Soul, and a WinkThe March 15, 2017, cover of the <a href="http://avmajournals.avma.org/toc/javma/250/6"><i>Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association</i></a> features a pair of greyhounds. But not just any greyhounds--greyhounds with paisley. This piece is called "<a href="https://www.andehallart.com/paisley-paws-de-deux">Paisley Paws de Deux</a>" by <a href="https://www.andehallart.com/about">Dr. Ande Hall</a>, a veterinarian who is now a full-time artist in Kansas. Recently we talked about whimsy and not taking yourself too seriously. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfobSTEGY5xtkXtpABMOw7v1wBusZO2rzwIOoe3_wwrRJfiHDcL_f-46df-wmNoHh4RMPMKE6thnuxaohU5_W_VoD29tVoxxwD49plUaQTuOR1MLL0eBzWS0WPCQUwXrmpj7YLss3A5cP/s1600/95fbb0_c3b99b0a38124af2b121d37152806940%257Emv2_d_2160_2880_s_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfobSTEGY5xtkXtpABMOw7v1wBusZO2rzwIOoe3_wwrRJfiHDcL_f-46df-wmNoHh4RMPMKE6thnuxaohU5_W_VoD29tVoxxwD49plUaQTuOR1MLL0eBzWS0WPCQUwXrmpj7YLss3A5cP/s640/95fbb0_c3b99b0a38124af2b121d37152806940%257Emv2_d_2160_2880_s_2.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Paisley Paws de Deux" by Ande Hall, DVM</td></tr>
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Ande used to live in <a href="http://www.canyonroadarts.com/">Santa Fe</a>, New Mexico, a desert city haven for artists. "I had a practice in Santa Fe for many years and I idolized the art," Ande says. "Whenever I went on a gallery walk there was a little voice inside me that said: I'm going to do that."<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Whenever I went on a gallery walk there was a little voice inside me that said: I'm going to do that."</span></span></b></div>
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After moving from Santa Fe to Kansas, Ande took ceramics at the local community college. In Pratt, Kansas, she had her first solo ceramics exhibit and began teaching classes in the medium. Ande says there were several reasons why she started with ceramics. "It was very tactile, I really enjoyed it," she says. "It's art but it's also craftsmanship." She says ceramics had a similar feel in the way you use your hands as surgery does, which was her favorite thing to do in practice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRw876zjpA9nE6Jz1O_sqkaIQvgk3GoDMD6ZTdGWixD6WNY_twDRSztQbh__H4axm-ZuDnfpfSjZ2lKRv0iNcV4UPQTKUjuZsMBzTiIODsP1DCT0RJvOrNaFc57ShEZcy5L0Uq9w73uPo/s1600/draft.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRw876zjpA9nE6Jz1O_sqkaIQvgk3GoDMD6ZTdGWixD6WNY_twDRSztQbh__H4axm-ZuDnfpfSjZ2lKRv0iNcV4UPQTKUjuZsMBzTiIODsP1DCT0RJvOrNaFc57ShEZcy5L0Uq9w73uPo/s640/draft.jpeg" width="473" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Power" by Ande Hall, DVM</td></tr>
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"When I first got into ceramics, it felt like a safe art form," she says. "<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span></span>he pressure to produce something astounding was not there. It's an earthy art form and it usually doesn't take itself too seriously. Anything that you made that was a cup or plate or saucer had a function so even if it failed aesthetically, it always had a use. There was a utilitarian function to it." <br />
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In 2012 she and her family moved to a different town in Kansas. Not wanting to make the considerable investment of buying her own ceramics supplies and kiln, Ande turned to painting. She now works primarily in oil pastels and acrylic. Looking through her oeuvre on her <a href="https://www.andehallart.com/">website</a>, her slogan appears at the bottom of the page: "Lively and eclectic contemporary paintings that celebrate life with style, soul, and a wink."<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"I think that as a veterinarian there are perfectionist tendencies. In the long term, that can be wearing."</span></span></b></div>
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Ande says her slogan comes from the struggle to not take herself too seriously in anything that she does. "I think that as a veterinarian there are perfectionist tendencies. In the long term, that can be wearing. I try to make art that doesn't take itself too seriously. I like making things that have grace and dignity but also some humor."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5Z-Z1WE9UrOsL3dmfUL7ywyHoTSjlEmiFbNS5UZJWUIYShlt6sUXf71oXP-4q3VA8nArQOMGXtCjbv3jEXCMlT9vyaGPvpE29SuLChoT96cvY9EeL0Mnb3XtToel5V8Om5DjdyRdcO1J/s1600/dane.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5Z-Z1WE9UrOsL3dmfUL7ywyHoTSjlEmiFbNS5UZJWUIYShlt6sUXf71oXP-4q3VA8nArQOMGXtCjbv3jEXCMlT9vyaGPvpE29SuLChoT96cvY9EeL0Mnb3XtToel5V8Om5DjdyRdcO1J/s640/dane.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Jest, I surely do!" by Ande Hall, DVM</td></tr>
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Grace is a predominant feature in a series of Ande's called "Winged Megafauna." These are large mixed media pieces featuring big pachyderms like elephants and rhinos. "I once saw a documentary on rhino poaching," she says. "It makes me so sad to think that these animals are more valued for their body parts than alive. I wanted to do paintings that juxtaposed their grandeur and size with their fragility and vulnerability. I was trying to think of a way to highlight their plight."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypZyE3VVohvGsJcDVEgUhDrDrOAX8W_uEFr4CsgHhD3vugQs2bvmYfyguU70QJaVNpY8IawYMkV-kIqZBgLisYnW48idrNm8vMmmpSK5Jfj4cF63HNQvQi8eukoJ8yw5hF4WUAgcEnANn/s1600/gold.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypZyE3VVohvGsJcDVEgUhDrDrOAX8W_uEFr4CsgHhD3vugQs2bvmYfyguU70QJaVNpY8IawYMkV-kIqZBgLisYnW48idrNm8vMmmpSK5Jfj4cF63HNQvQi8eukoJ8yw5hF4WUAgcEnANn/s640/gold.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"More Precious than Gold" by Ande Hall, DVM</td></tr>
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A large part of the whimsy that Ande breathes into her work comes from the fabric she chooses for her mixed media pieces. "These are a specific project I've been focused on for the past year," she says of her fabric pieces. "My mission is to explore ways to use pattern that are both expected and unexpected. I started with things that were really easy to see, like the paisley patterns to create brindle greyhounds. But then using cabbage rose for a Jersey cow--that was more whimsical."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHO8BnslRbD_8xKQTOByLKr3MzAIXgYCLvqCYX_Yj2fU-wtr1Wii_On56DL40uXIBGi6EAshgqL65rns4X5btbfKW2K4bFqk6yA24kMOPZhsMRmUyGtaXac2xDWM2TQ9_t4WgnCsFedcd/s1600/rosy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHO8BnslRbD_8xKQTOByLKr3MzAIXgYCLvqCYX_Yj2fU-wtr1Wii_On56DL40uXIBGi6EAshgqL65rns4X5btbfKW2K4bFqk6yA24kMOPZhsMRmUyGtaXac2xDWM2TQ9_t4WgnCsFedcd/s640/rosy.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Rosy the Jersey" by Ande Hall, DVM</td></tr>
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A central concept that has surfaced in other conversations I've had with veterinary artists is that a deep, hands-on knowledge of anatomy helps when conveying an animal's body onto the page. Animals have a central theme in many of Ande's pieces--she also paints flowers--but Ande has a different perspective. "It's not that simple," she says of the anatomy/art link. "Sculpting is easier to apply your familiarity with anatomy. It's a three-dimensional art form and you have a three-dimensional memory of the structures you're depicting whereas painting is two-dimensional. It's quite different."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8EBuZC9vOtqHPpYcbPwwhdkD6I1g8NaH5DAQIp3WzDb0Jdz5SWlqFU41_4CYHan3z9QYLZ01vZgftOkJlJgz8qIm7iOuUC-F4fMorOuqnOGURgWe9dbP1vR6vINKuiB1Dw3IY4KrLagi/s1600/yohann.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8EBuZC9vOtqHPpYcbPwwhdkD6I1g8NaH5DAQIp3WzDb0Jdz5SWlqFU41_4CYHan3z9QYLZ01vZgftOkJlJgz8qIm7iOuUC-F4fMorOuqnOGURgWe9dbP1vR6vINKuiB1Dw3IY4KrLagi/s640/yohann.jpeg" width="467" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Johann" by Ande Hall, DVM</td></tr>
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When asked where Ande finds inspiration for her work, she doesn't hesitate to state point-blank: "Everywhere." She admires historic art which sometimes surfaces in her own work, like her piece "Johann." She also takes pleasure in the research of her subjects. One painting might lead to another, she says. Or she'll re-visit a piece she's done in the past. Ande's outlook and practicality make one feel as though the possibilities are endless.<br />
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Until next month, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting!<br />
<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-83189030246861800042017-03-06T19:24:00.001-05:002017-03-06T19:24:40.534-05:00Write What You Want to ReadSometimes, if you can't find what you want, you just have to roll up your sleeves and make it yourself. And I'm not talking chocolate chip cookies here. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of talking with <a href="http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/blog/alumni-spotlight/lydia-staggs/">Dr. Lydia Staggs</a>, senior veterinarian at <a href="https://www.gulfworldmarinepark.com/">Gulf World</a>, the largest marine rehabilitation center in the panhandle of Florida. Besides from a kick-ass day job, Lydia has recently made a splash (gimme a break, I couldn't help myself) in the fiction world with the recent release of her second novel, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rea-Shamar-2-Lydia-Staggs/dp/1635540232/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PNSW13CM5YCDXRQ60PA3">Rea</a></i>, in her urban paranormal series, <i>Shamar</i>.<br />
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As always, I bugged Lydia about the how's and why's and what's and when's of her inspiration, perspiration, and exhilaration at being a published novelist. She indulged me mightily. What came from our conversation was twofold:<br />
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1. The amount of fun Lydia has writing is almost palpable.</div>
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2. When you can't find what you want, you just gotta make it yourself. No excuses. </div>
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Here's Lydia's story:<br />
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"In 2014, I was home with my son," she says. "My husband was overseas and my child was four at the time and in bed by 7:30 every evening so I was sitting in the house, bored out of my skull. One weekend, I went to the bookstore and couldn't find anything I wanted to read. I talked to the personnel about what I like--fantasy, adventure, series--and they were like: 'We have <i>50 Shades of Gray</i>. You're a woman, you would like that.' And I was like, no."<br />
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Lydia experienced the same situation at a second bookstore across the street. Understandably, she was miffed. <br />
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"They couldn't help me and I got really frustrated," she continues. "I complained about this at work and my intern said to me: why don't you write something? I said I'm not a writer. I mean, I write peer-reviewed stuff, which is really dry." But Lydia's staff convinced her to try her hand at fiction.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5V-8KIhoGQGREvdIjgcJ-PIndlKJo0tRZeltjWmuNYeU5JbrNOjQGLuDQHujEpY-jbVVdKO7XEdrHGGb7CrbnWYnPQ4DC7vs7uPIjzavb0CfIB3Wa5HqBFIpq76sUg2mdLVttyLtEYrs/s1600/Dr-Staggs-and-Otto-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5V-8KIhoGQGREvdIjgcJ-PIndlKJo0tRZeltjWmuNYeU5JbrNOjQGLuDQHujEpY-jbVVdKO7XEdrHGGb7CrbnWYnPQ4DC7vs7uPIjzavb0CfIB3Wa5HqBFIpq76sUg2mdLVttyLtEYrs/s1600/Dr-Staggs-and-Otto-1.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia Staggs DVM and friend</td></tr>
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"I wrote the first three chapters of <i>Shamar</i> and handed it back to my intern," she says. "I told her to read it and if she thought it was crap, I wouldn't go any further. And if she liked it, I would finish it."<br />
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End result? I think you can guess. "She said it was fabulous. So I said OK." Since then, Lydia hasn't looked back. With a complex plot bridging urban legend with dark family secrets, the <i>Shamar</i> series now consists of two books and Lydia is finishing a third. <br />
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"It started off as a single book," she says. "But it morphed into something else. I kept coming up with more ideas and thought, wait a minute. I could turn this into a series." Lydia anticipates her <i>Shamar</i> series will end with four books but with a caveat: "I don't know if that's really going to happen, but that's the goal. The story between the two main characters will probably end at four," she contends. "But other characters... there might be a sort of spin-off with them. Another series."<br />
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What Lydia has done, really, is what all fiction authors should aspire to: <i>write what you want to read</i>. That's how it started for Lydia: by not finding what she wanted in her local bookstores, she created her own universe.<br />
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Other authors have commented on this concept. <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/toni-morrison-9415590">Toni Morrison</a> said: "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." And <a href="http://www.carol-shields.com/">Carol Shields</a>: "Write the book you want to read, the one you cannot find."<br />
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Having fulfilled that initial goal of creating the book she couldn't find at the bookstore, Lydia says her writing has now since turned into a therapeutic outlet. "If I've had a bad day, I can sit here and write. When I have a really bad day, I tend to kill half my characters so then I have to go back and save them! It helps me deal with things like compassion fatigue, stress at work, and the challenges of being a mom."<br />
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Lydia has identified some of the challenges we face on a day to day basis in veterinary medicine and addressed these issues in her books. Her main female protagonist, Juliet Greene, is a veterinarian. "I wanted to show vet med in its own light," she says. "I wanted to portray the profession correctly and show the challenges vet med has." Her novels shed light on topics such as euthanasia, the challenge of non-talking patients, and the salary disparity between physicians and veterinarians.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"[Writing] seemed so Herculean at the beginning but then I thought, wait a second. Tackle little bits at a time. Remember: you did not become a veterinarian overnight, either."</span></span></div>
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As such, the old standby of <i>write what you know</i> easily applies to Lydia's fiction in part. However, she acknowledges this concept somewhat tangentially, connecting the physical act of writing in vet med with the act of writing in fiction. "Because I write so frequently in medical records, that pattern of writing helped with my novel," she says. "It didn't feel arduous. It wasn't intimidating because I already write so much every day." <br />
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Lydia makes novel writing sound like a blast. Her enthusiasm and love of her craft shined through our conversation the entire time. "This has been a fun experience," she says but openly acknowledges that the hardest part of the entire process was getting the damn thing published, which to many writers nodding with a wry smile while reading this, is not a surprise. But the writing itself? "I didn't realize until I got started how less of a challenge it really was. It seemed so Herculean at the beginning but then I thought: wait a second. Tackle little bits at a time. Remember: you did not become a veterinarian overnight, either."<br />
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You heard her. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. Until next month, happy reading, happy writing, and happy vetting. Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-5269875236860082292017-02-06T19:02:00.001-05:002017-02-06T19:02:16.985-05:00Medical Writing: The Cool, Smart Practicality of It AllOK, folks. Let me bend your ear (eyes?) a little bit. There are many facets to writing. We all know this, but sometimes forget it as we get sucked into our own projects and read our comfort books on our favorite topics. But I'm not talking genre differences--literary versus sci-fi versus romance (oh, but watch me try my hand at some sci-fi this year! Scary in an out-of-my-element sort of way but SO MUCH FUN!). I'm talking fiction versus non-fiction and then traveling one level deeper to break non-fiction into creative non-fiction, technical writing, medical writing... Wait. Did I say <a href="http://www.amwa.org/about_med_communications">medical writing</a>?<br />
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Yes. Yes, I did.<br />
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Medical writing is a thing. A hidden-in-plain-sight sort of thing I was only aware of at the very fringes. Medical writing to me used to be like a shadow that catches at the corner of your eye--you're not really sure what it is but you're vaguely aware of it.<br />
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Recently I talked to <a href="https://waldenmedicalwriting.com/about/">Laurie Anne Walden, DVM</a>. Laurie Anne just so happens to be both a veterinarian and a medical writer and she enlightened me on this fascinating writing niche, which I'm thrilled to share with you all now. Ready? Let's meet Laurie Anne.<br />
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First things first. Laurie Anne opened her medical writing business, <a href="https://waldenmedicalwriting.com/">Walden Medical Writing, LLC</a>, in 2014. Her journey to her present professional place has not been the typical path medical writers follow. But, as each of our own lives leads a tortuous path and one never knows where she is going to pop out of the woods, Laurie Anne is taking it all in stride. She went from vet school to internship to private practice for more than ten years before she made the gradual shift to writing.<br />
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Here's how she explains her beginnings: "I blame it all on the kids." (I suspected I was going to like Laurie Anne before I talked to her and this confirmed it.)<br />
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Seriously, Laurie Anne was a full time small animal vet until deciding to go part time when she had her first child. She continued part time after having her second child, but as the kids got older and went to elementary school, Laurie Anne started thinking. "I enjoyed being in charge of my own schedule," she says. "I wondered what I could do at home as a vet."<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"I love editing. It's not about being critical. It's about helping people be clearer with their writing."</span></span></div>
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Some exploration online and contact with a colleague piqued Laurie Anne's interest along the lines of technical writing. "I had always liked writing and reading," she says. "So, the more I looked, I found out that medical writing was actually a thing."<br />
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Laurie Anne got her start editing research articles written by non-native English speakers. She says this experience was interesting and positive, though not a sole way to make a living. "I had so much fun doing that," she says. <br />
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With the pay for that sort of editing being quite low, Laurie Anne considered it as sort of her "internship" into medical writing. "It was a way of starting to get home-based employment in the field," she says. She spent a little more than a year editing in this way and loved it. "To me, I love editing," she says. "It's so much fun. It's not about being critical. It's about helping people be clearer with their writing. It's like being a hairdresser to their writing. Especially when their first language isn't even English. I think the fact that they're even trying is great."<br />
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After dipping her toes in the self-employed editing world, Laurie Anne got serious. She joined the <a href="http://www.amwa.org/about_us">American Medical Writers Association</a> and then passed a certification exam. She's now on the <a href="http://www.bels.org/">Board of Editors of Life Sciences</a>. "You don't have to have any qualification to say you're an editor," she cautions. "Just go online and announce you're an editor and there you go. I decided a certification would be at least something I could show people." After earning her editing certification and a writing certification from the AMWA, Laurie Anne says she feels better about her editing credentials.<br />
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Currently, Laurie Anne has shifted to writing more copy. While she still does editing (because she loves it so!), she primarily is now a medical writer. Laurie Anne is an interesting example of a freelance medical writer who--important point here--still practices part time. "Most people who do medical writing either work for drug companies or for medical publication firms," she says. "So starting as a freelancer is not the way I'd recommend doing it. I never wanted to quit practice so working full time at a company was not an option for me."<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Actually, veterinary training prepares you really well for being a medical writer. You understand the language of medicine."</span></span></div>
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Opportunities for freelance medical writers can vary widely. Currently, Laurie Anne has a bulk of work writing articles that summarize recent research in the scientific literature. "I'm summarizing what's relevant in these articles and what will make veterinarians' lives easier," she explains. She says this work has been interesting and challenging. "Some of the research articles I have to summarize are not in the areas I have any expertise in, so it's great that I have this opportunity to learn about new stuff," she says. And then Laurie Anne taps into one of every clinician's fears: hard core radiology. "I have had to edit some radiology documents that were basically all physics," she says. "Oh god." I feel your pain, Laurie Anne. I feel your pain. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radiation physics??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!</td></tr>
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She's also recently written various client education articles, which she enjoys, as it's a marriage of her clinical and writing skills. "Actually, veterinary training prepares you really well for being a medical writer because you understand the language of medicine and understand where it all comes from," she says.<br />
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Laurie Anne stressed that her path isn't likely the most usual path for those interested in pursuing a career in medical writing and encourages folks who might be interested in medical writing to do their research first. The <a href="http://www.amwa.org/">American Medical Writers Association</a> is a great place to start and has lots of resources. <br />
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Until next month, happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting! <br />
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<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-85443323872371574632017-01-03T15:47:00.001-05:002017-01-03T15:47:16.907-05:00The fun, the challenging, the personal: daily blogging the vet wayHappy 2017, dear readers! I'm fortunate to start the new year sharing a delightful conversation I had recently with Dr. Shawn Finch, a veterinarian at <a href="http://www.gentledoctoranimalhospitals.com/">Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital</a> in Omaha, Nebraska. Shawn's daily blog, <a href="http://finchdvm.com/">Finchdvm.com</a>, caught my eye some months ago. During our conversation, she shared with me some of the reasons why she writes what she writes and I'd like to share them with you, too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shawn Finch, DVM</td></tr>
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Shawn started blogging in 2006 and her first blog, <a href="http://rileyandjames.com/">Riley and James</a>, was prompted into existence by one of Shawn's brothers, a web designer. "I first wanted to get the word out about preventative veterinary care," explains Shawn.<br />
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While Shawn doesn't regularly post to Riley and James anymore, it's still available as a resource. Blogging part deux occurred when Shawn's brother suggested she write shorter posts on a daily basis. "I really liked that idea," says Shawn. "It has more structure and it's been fun to post something every single day. I need external structure to get anything done, so that's been helpful."<br />
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One of the many cool things about <a href="http://finchdvm.com/">Finchdvm.com</a> is its color palette. This was something that struck me immediately about the site and I didn't realize until talking with Shawn that there's meaning behind the look. "When my brother asked me how I wanted the new site to look, I was thinking about how dogs and cats see things differently than we do. For example, we used to think that they can't see three dimensionally and we know that's not true and we once thought they could only see black and white and that's not true, either. So I thought it would be cool if the blog was in the <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-study-shows-that-dogs-use-color-vision-after-all-13168563/">colors dogs and cats can see</a>. I've had fun with that."<br />
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Love it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.finchdvm.com/#welcome">Finchdvm.com </a>has been live for about 16 months now and Shawn still considers it relatively new. However, she's just now feeling the friendly pressure of daily writing requirements. "When I started, I had a bunch of stories and could fill up my post queue without writing daily," she says. Now, she's running out of her backlogged content and is pushed to writing in real time. "It's a bit scary," she says, "But it also makes me think through my day."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example of the dog/cat color vision palette on Finchdvm.com</td></tr>
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This act of daily writing and quiet reflection is becoming very important to Shawn, especially as she identifies herself as an <a href="https://cgblake.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/why-introverts-make-good-writers/">introvert</a>. "Sometimes, with the days in the clinic packed, if you're not able to pick your way through the day, you can find yourself depressed and not really be able to put your finger on it," she says. Writing daily on her blog gives Shawn the space and time to look back on a busy day and internalize it. "It also allows you to think of things from a happier perspective," she continues. "You can write whatever you want. Even if you just gave vaccines all day, you can go home and write about how cute the dogs were. I really like it."<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"[Writing]... allows you to think of things from a happier perspective."</span></span></div>
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Shawn says her goal for her blog is to connect to pet owners. "I get a little tunnel vision in the clinic," she says. "I get caught just thinking through: is this dog sick or healthy and how am I going to fix it. I want to relate to the owner and in a twenty minute appointment, you can kind of do that, but not really. I wanted to look at the more fun side of pet ownership. Not that it's all fun--some of it is sad--but leave the technical side out of it. Make it more relatable. I'm such an introvert and in the exam room, I think that I'm coming across as relatable but I'm probably not." <br />
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There have been many things written about the benefits of daily writing, as in a <a href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/09/04/famous-writers-on-keeping-a-diary/">journal</a>, and what Shawn is talking about exemplifies this in a fantastic way. "It's a good stress reliever, too," she says.<br />
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And her blog really <i>is</i> relatable. She breaks her blog into three categories: fun, challenges, and personal. Some posts are directly related to her daily life as a vet and others aren't. It's a glimpse into a life that is sometimes vet but always (subtly) writer and observer. It's extremely calming.<br />
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Shawn writes occasionally for <a href="http://www.dvm360.com/shawn-finch-dvm">DVM360</a>, too. (Read about how Shawn's clinic uses underwear as a tool for positivity <a href="http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/you-guys-positivity-starts-with-your-underwear">here</a>.) It was surprising to me to find someone who is so engaged in writing and yet Shawn says the art is somewhat new to her. "I didn't really start writing until I started Riley and James in 2006," she says. "I didn't realize how much I would like it. Once I started there, I just started writing a lot. It was never something I did as a kid or thought I would be good at; I had no formal training. But, it's really fun." <br />
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You see that word Shawn keeps using? Fun. Talk about positivity! <br />
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Subscribe to Shawn's <a href="http://www.finchdvm.com/#welcome">blog</a> for a daily dose of wonderfulness (and fun) and visit her on Twitter: @Finch93.<br />
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Until next month! Happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. <br />
<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-85310848203914622982016-12-13T19:56:00.000-05:002016-12-13T19:56:31.657-05:00A Utopian Feline FutureI must take a moment and share something wonderful with you all. The other week I was reading <i>Vetted</i>, a daughter publication of the <a href="http://www.dvm360.com/">DVM360</a> empire. The October 2016 issue was devoted in part to veterinarians providing their "predictions" for the future of the vet industry. There were the standard "new technologies will save the world" and "cure for cancer" hopefuls, but, amidst the well-meaning tropes, I found a gem.<br />
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Enter <a href="http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/cats-out-bag-dr-elizabeth-colleran-one-cool-kitty">Dr. Elizabeth Colleran</a>, feline specialist, and owner of two feline specific hospitals in Oregon and California. Her entry is provided below (a more extended version is available <a href="http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/peek-vet-med-tomorrow">online</a>):<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"As Northern American cities continue to grow and urban migration increases, the conflict between demand for feline companionship and well-meaning efforts to sterilize cats will escalate. Chemical sterilization techniques will improve and fewer colonies of cats will be found. This will create a shortage of cats just when people want to adopt. Recognizing this, veterinarians, geneticists, ethologists and other scientists will start working to build a population of cats that people want. The protection of cats will become a worldwide undertaking with every country working to create a healthy gene pool of cats for whom homes can easily be found. And that's how cats will be responsible for world peace."</b></span></span></div>
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I love it. No, I love YOU, Dr. Colleran. You have <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">created</span></span> the perfect blend of scientific fact with socioeconomic observations combined with a healthy dose of full-hearted, well-intentioned assumptions and voila: the future seems bright.<br />
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Thank you, Dr. Colleran, for providing us with a utopian feline future.<br />
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Stay tuned for the next post on the first Monday of January. Until then: happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8132667350169693913.post-5445227099065612222016-12-06T08:02:00.001-05:002016-12-06T08:02:27.893-05:0021st Century VetI'm a bit of a Luddite, I confess. My iPhone and iPod are out of date and I just don't get Snap Chat. I always prefer a map over innately trusting GPS directions and I can't quite trust making a bank deposit on my phone <i>yet</i>.<br />
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But I'm not immune to the fact that there's a lot of cool stuff out there. Even I can get excited about the latest <a href="https://www.wired.com/2007/02/top_gadgets_for/">gadgets for writers</a> (although you will have to pry my <a href="http://www.moleskine.com/us/">Moleskine</a> notebook out of my cold, dead hands). And of course the world of veterinary medicine is chugging right along with new medical advances at an impressive rate: <a href="http://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet_column/advances-technology-impact-veterinary-medicine/">3D printing</a> and <a href="http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2008a/080604AkkusFracture.html">micro fracture detection</a> in horse limbs using acoustic sensors are just a few of the newest and brightest technologies in our industry's future. <br />
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I hadn't really given a lot of thought to the way technology and vet med can combine in creative ways, although this is really the way <a href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/06/01/the-art-of-scientific-investigation-beveridge-2/">scientific discovery</a> begins, right? So you might imagine how delighted I was to talk to Dr. Doug Thal, equine practitioner and <a href="http://thalequine.com/">practice owner</a> in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Doug has spent the last five years developing an app for horse owners called the <a href="http://horsesidevetguide.com/">Horse Side Vet Guide</a>. A writer himself, Doug began by compiling his knowledge and writings of equine ailments to form something practical for use on the farm. Here's the story of how he did it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horse Side Vet Guide app</td></tr>
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In practice for almost 25 years, Doug was frustrated. "Over time, I have become frustrated by misunderstandings that have arisen from poor information and poor decisions that horse owners make based on something a friend said or something they picked up from the internet," he told me. "I've written articles on horse health and given seminars--all the usual stuff. I felt in the moment they were helpful to the people who read the articles or attended the seminars. But really, I didn't feel it was enough. The people who needed that information the most weren't reading and weren't in attendance."<br />
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Doug had at his disposal more than sixty of his own articles and started thinking about how to better organize them to make them more accessible. "In 2011 I got my first smart phone and was amazed," he says. "It dawned on me that here was all this power on your belt, all this access. How could it be used to change how people use information to help their horses? I decided at that point, I was going to make an app."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doug Thal, DVM</td></tr>
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Doug started as anyone should start an overwhelming task (and writing an app from scratch on the entirety of equine ambulatory medicine is about as overwhelming as you can get, in my opinion) and it reminds me of a rhetorical quote: <i>how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.</i> But it's not just about taking it step by step. It's thinking about the overall framework.<br />
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"The structure I created was based on a horse owner's observations," Doug explains. "It was this idea that really any information accessed needs to start with what the horse owner observes. That sort of approach really seemed to be lacking anywhere else. What people do is go out and see that their horse has a runny eye. Then they'll go back to their computer or ask their friend about it. And the response they'll get is: oh yeah, I had that once and I just squirted some saline in there and it went away. And that might be true, but the question remains: what's causing the runny eye? For some reason, many times that question is lost or disregarded."<br />
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Doug's app is based on this informational organization. "I thought of every single observation I've ever heard a horse owner describe to me and started writing," he says. This process evolved from writing in Microsoft Word to File Maker, and then putting the database online. From website to app took even more time and outside help. "I had a strong idea of what I wanted the app to look like but it turned out conceptually, I just was pretty far off," Doug says. "We ended up going through five different app development teams over the course of about two years until finally in late 2013, we launched an ISO app and two months later launched an Android app."<br />
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He had arrived.<br />
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"We went through an unbelievable adventure just trying to get to that release," says Doug. "And when we did finally get it out, we were proud of it."<br />
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Doug reports that his app has been well received and has been downloaded in 70 different countries. His Facebook page is one of the best ways he's been able to get the word out and engage with folks and herein lies the next challenge: marketing. "Marketing is always a challenge," Doug acknowledges. "It's like, ok, we've made this incredible product. I naively thought that you make this great product for only $5 and every horse owner is going to buy it and boy, was I in for a shock. It's just amazing what it takes to market something like that." The key, though, is Doug's belief in his own work. "I'm trying to get it out there because I so believe in it."<br />
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Perhaps most interesting is that Doug describes how the app development process has made him become a better veterinarian. "It's helped me fundamentally analyze on a deeper level what it is that we're doing when we communicate with a client about an animal," he says. "I feel like I'm more in touch with what my clients really need and I'm better able to really dive into that. I feel like it's helped me analytically."<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"It's helped me fundamentally analyze on a deeper level what it is that we're doing when we communicate with a client about an animal."</span></span></b></div>
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I'll jump in here for a moment to clarify some points. The point of Horse Side Vet Guide is not to diagnose a medical problem. That's a vet's job. We all know that. Instead, this app is meant to help owners work through the problem they are seeing in front of them. Step by step, the app takes the owner through identifying what they are seeing, how to determine if it's an emergency, and what it is they need to describe to their veterinarian.<br />
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"I wanted it to be an endeavor that vets would feel ok about," Doug says. "I was very careful to make the clear message that this was not encouraging people to diagnose their own animals." Doug says this very fact does frustrate some users. "They say, well, what good is this if I don't have a diagnosis. The answer is you can't have a diagnosis, you shouldn't have a diagnosis." That's for the vet to decide.<br />
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Horse Side Vet Guide is always evolving and constantly expanding. Both the website and app update constantly and Doug can--and does--add new information. "I can change something right now and when you open the app, you'll immediately get the updated version," he says. There is also a feature that allows customer feedback if they receive a null search. Doug has added more than one hundred other data points from customer feedback.<br />
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Doug says he's also never wanted this app to contain only his thoughts. Gradually, he is adding contributor vets. These folks review his work and there's the hope that soon other vets will write their own content. "It really is supposed to be providing the best information to horse owners, not just my own stuff," he says. <br />
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Until next month--happy reading, happy writing, happy vetting. <br />
<br />Anna O'Brien, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710687354374198601noreply@blogger.com0