I just got my first birdie! He's a male blue budgie (AKA parakeet), and he's just a baby. So far he's basically just been sleeping at the bottom of his cage (no, he's not dead XP); the evil pet store lady said that the budgies were supposedly playing hard earlier, so I'll just pretend that she didn't just totally make that up at the top of her head and attribute his sleepiness to that.

I don't think that my cats even know that we have him... Bubbles never moves as it is (She basically just lies on the couch downstairs all day. Would you believe that she isn't even two yet, and she hardly ever moves?!), and even though Ragamuffin always hangs around upstairs by where I set up his cage, I don't even think she's noticed he's there (although she has been having fun playing in the box his cage came in.) Likewise, our dog Marcy hasn't seemed to have noticed him either (although she'd probably much rather annoy me or Bubbles anyway, lol.)

He seems like a quiet boy, which is nice, especially since my dad still doesn't know that I bought him yet. (Shh!) I'm still trying to think of a name for him, but I really don't have any good ideas so far. Does anyone out there have any good ideas for a name for a little blue (male) birdie? I'd appreciate any contributions!

Also, if anyone else out there happens to be a bird owner, any insight and advice about bird care would be great! As I said, this is my first pet bird ever, so I'm just a novice.



... And in other news, I've been ridiculously busy with school. x.X; I changed majors over the summer, and now I'm majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. (You have to take so many chemistry hours as a biology major that you end up minoring in it.) It's hard work! I have to study really hard, sign up for a ton of hours of recitation classes and labs, and, not to mention, I'm really being pressured by my Honors advisor (did I also mention that I got into the Honors College? It just means that I have to do extra stuff to fulfill Honors criteria basically just so I can get various little perks as a student of the college.) to begin working on my thesis, though I totally don't feel like I'm anywhere near ready!

I feel a little bit strange about it, but I'm beginning to think that it might take me more than four years to get my bachelors, just because I prefer being a minimum-hour fulltime student (I like being able to spend more time studying for fewer classes so that I can preform better.) It's not a big deal at all, really, but it sort of makes me feel dumb... And then there's also the issue that it looks like I'm beginning to accumulate hours that I DON'T need (this issue really strikes up a lot for me because the credit hours for many of my classes are rather strange and I end up needing to find a low-stress "filler" class to take just so I can be a fulltime student, and because I have to take at least one Honors class, which are usually either freshman-level courses or otherwise strange classes that have little, if anything, to do with my major, every semester in order to stay at the College.) Naw well, hopefully the ends will help to justify the means in the long run.

I'm also looking into applying for certification in forensics... I was going to apply this year, but I felt that I should probably take more math and science classes to give them a better, more holistic idea of how I perform in these classes (the grades you make in math and science classes is a huge determinant of whether you'll get in or not.) I'm also going to join the forensics club next year. I'm hoping that it'll help me learn more about career opportunities in forensic science, as I've been in love with the study for several years. I'm particularlly interested right now in forensic pathology, even though it requires a very large amount of education (bachelors degree, MD degree, residency, and forensic pathology fellowship... That's about fourteen or so years of work!)

Aside from forensics, I've also entertained the idea of other careers, such as becoming a veterinarian or even an animator (yeah, right!)

I really like animals (even though I'm personally not as fond of dogs, snakes, arachnoids and insects... Eek.) and I've been volunteering at the Humane Society for going on eight years now, so I've gotten a tiny bit of insight into what it's like working "behind the scenes" with pets.

Whether you're a human or an animal doctor, you're going to have a lot of stress... Not just from the large amount of work you do or from the hours or anything, but most largely the very core element of life. As a doctor, you come into contact with all stages of life, from the elation of birth to the sorrow of death, and a lot of it can be very unnerving. My experience with seeing a cat be put to sleep was very tough on me. Even though he was "just a cat", it still makes you think, and there is still that low nuance of sadness from the experience that I just cannot shake. The same thing with a human patient would just be all the worse, and it would be amazingly difficult to try and work under such emotional conditions.

Aside, another problem with becoming a vet is that veterinary schools are VERY competitive and difficult to get into because there are so few of them (there are only, like, 28 in the U.S.) In fact, many people looking to become vets end up becoming human doctors instead!

As for the animation... Well, I mean, just look at my gallery and you'll see why that ain't happening, lol. XD

Naw well, hopefully majoring in biology will help to open up enough doors for me that I'll eventually be able to find something that suits me well.



Sorry about the long ramblings, it's nice to speak to you guys after so long!

Bai-bai,

~ Kleo



Art Status

Requests: Never. Don't ask.

Art trades: If I'm interested, I'll be the one to contact you. Otherwise, no, I usually just don't have the time to really carry my end of the trade. Sorry. :<

Collaborations: Same as above. ^

Commissions: Not right now; school is a cruel, demanding mistress.

Projects: Hopefully I'll have enough time to shell out some gifts by the time Christmas rolls around! This is gonna be a huge undertaking. x.x