Southwest Wildlife

at 7:17 pm

I started volunteering at Southwest Wildlife last Thursday. It’s been a lot of fun so far. Today I helped to take x-rays of a dog, and transported bobcat cubs and a kit fox! I wrote about wanting to volunteer there in a previous post but didn’t really elaborate on it. They’re “the largest sanctuary for animals native to the southwest in the United States” and “the only sanctuary in Arizona capable of caring for large mammals.”

Here’s the introduction from their Facebook page:

Southwest Wildlife rescues and rehabilitates injured, displaced, and orphaned wildlife. Most are returend to the wild. Wildlife education includes advice on living with wildlife and the importance of native wildlife to healthy ecosystems. Sanctuary is provided to animals that cannot be released back to the wild.

To achieve this mission, Southwest Wildlife provides an on-site medical care center, wild animal rehabilitation, full-time wildlife consultation and education services, an accredited sanctuary for those animals that cannot be released, and volunteer dispatch teams that immediately respond to wildlife emergencies. We also serve as a holding facility for the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program.

The sanctuary seems to have mostly coyotes, bobcats and wolves, but they also have raccoons, coatis, kit foxes, mountain lions, and other cuteness. They even have three black bears and a leopard! Since I don’t have my vaccinations yet, I can’t be in direct contact with the animals. My job is to just help wherever I’m needed. I stand outside the cages and help the person inside the cage. I get and hand them the equipment they need, I handle the hoses, I keep an eye on the animals so that they don’t surprise the person in the cage. I clean, I help around the clinic, prepare food for some animals… basically I do everything I can!

It takes me about an hour to drive there, but I really don’t mind it. It’s mostly freeway and the view is amazing – the sanctuary is located near the McDowell mountains. It’s so far out in the sticks I can’t even get a signal on my phone. The place is beautiful, the animals are amazing, the people are really nice.. I love it! The people who get paid to work in places like that are so lucky. Volunteering there has made me realize I’m definitely studying the right field. This is what I want to do for a living.

I’m not allowed to post pictures from inside the sanctuary, but I took a few on the way there:

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Fender-bender

at 12:34 pm

I’ve never had anything happen while driving before but I knew if something was to happen, it’d happen at the grocery store parking lot.. well, what do you know! Luckily nobody was hurt and the damage to both cars was minor, but oh, my poor car.

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Mulle ei ole koskaan kaynyt mitaan ajaessa, mutta tiesin aina etta jos jotain tapahtuu, se tulee tapahtumaan tuon lahikaupan parkkipaikalla. Onneksi kenellekaan ei kaynyt mitaan ja molempiin autoihin tuli vain pienta vauriota, mutta voi mun auto-raukkaa.

Visitor

at 9:04 pm

My friend is still here for a few more days. I’ve taken him all around Phoenix – we’ve gone hiking and shopping, we’ve visited zoos, museums, restaurants, parks, and whatnot. We also went out of town. In fact, we just got back from a trip to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas earlier today! Grand Canyon is always lovely and Las Vegas is always a shithole. But it’s a fun shithole if you’re into drinking and/or gambling.

I’ve been a bad bad blogger and I haven’t taken any proper pictures, my apologies for that. But here’s a few snapshots I took with my phone:

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Kaverini on viela taalla maanantaihin asti. Ollaan pyoritty ympari Phoenixia ja kayty vahan kaikkialla – elaintarhoissa, museoissa, kaupoilla, yms. Kaytiin myos Grand Canyonilla ja Las Vegasissa, joissa kummassakin olen kaynyt ennenkin. Siksi en ottanut kameraa mukaan, joten mulla ei ole mitaan noita puhelimella otettuja hienompaa nayttaa. Pahoitteluni siita.

Grades and volunteering and hair and…

at 9:28 pm

Grades were posted today – I got an A in all my courses. A 4.0 GPA is not a bad way to end this Spring! I did NOT expect an A in Chemistry since I didn’t even have time to finish the final, but I guess my professor was feeling generous. I’m applying to Barrett, The Honors College later this year, so that 4.0 is going to really help with my application. On top of that, two of my professors agreed to write letters of recommendation for me, so academically I’m pretty much all set. Such a great feeling.

There’s exciting news outside of academia as well. I recently contacted a wildlife conservation center here in Phoenix, and they got back to me the other day. I start volunteering there in June! I’ll be cleaning the cages, doing some landscaping, and taking care of the resident animals (those which can’t survive in the wild on their own anymore). I’m super excited! I’m also trying to find a job/internship during the summer but that is proving to be way more challenging than I expected.. Anyway, you can read more about the wildlife preserve on their website: Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center. I also added the link to my Links page.

In honor of the semester being over, I had my hair cut and dyed yesterday. I’ve been growing it out for a while now and it’s still a bit of an awkward length (only barely hides my ears), but at least now the ends match the roots, heh. The salon I go to is called Hair Pollution and it’s such a fun place. The walls are covered with graffiti and local artists’ work, there is a small boutique with vintage clothing, there’s a CAR hung up on the wall, they play fun music, and all the people who work there are great! I used to go to Stephanie, but sadly she doesn’t work there anymore. So these past few times I’ve gone to Nate – he’s such a fun guy and does magic with the trainwreck that has been my hair.

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Since my friend will be here in only TWO DAYS, I won’t be posting for a while. But once I come back there will be pictures to show and stories to tell. Take care of yourselves and have a great few weeks!

Arvosanat tulivat tanaan – sain kaikista kursseista A:n, eli “taydet pisteet.” En odottanut yhtaan noin hyvaa arvosanaa kemiasta, taisi proffa olla vain anteliaalla paalla. Mulla on siis 4.0 keskiarvo, milla pitaisi paasta heittamalla Barrett, The Honors Collegeen sisaan. Akateemisesti kaikki on siis vallan mainiosti! Opiskelujen ulkopuolella menee myos hyvin. Otin yhteytta yhteen luonnonsuojelualueeseen, mista vastattiin mulle pari paivaa sitten. Aloitan vapaaehtoistyon siella nyt kesakuussa. Tuun siivoamaan hakkeja, hoitamaan luontoa/kasvillisuutta ja pitamaan huolta elaimista, jotka ovat alueella pysyvasti (eli eivat enaa parjaa luonnossa omillaan). Odottelen sita innolla.

Kaiken taman kunniaksi kavin eilen kampaajalla leikkauttamassa ja varjaamassa hiukseni. Oon kasvatellut niita jo jonkin aikaa ja ne ovat vielakin vahan oudon pituiset, mutta nyt ainakin latvat on samaa varia juurien kanssa. Niin, ja se kaverini tulee tanne kahden paivan paasta, joten blogikirjoituksia ei minulta pariin viikkoon nay. Mutta kun tulen takaisin, on mulla varmasti kuvia ja tarinoita teille jaettavana. Pitakaa siis hauskat pari viikkoa!

Finals

at 4:26 pm

It’s finals week. I had my Chemistry final on Thursday, and I know I didn’t do very well because I ran out of time. It doesn’t bother me though, I know I’m still going to pass the course. Yesterday I had a study date with a friend for Maths, and I know I’ll do well there. The only thing that worries me is my Biology final tomorrow – so much to memorize, so many concepts to grasp. Ugh. My head is so full of different terms and numbers and systems that I’m afraid it’ll all overflow soon.

On Saturday I got to go out. I’ve been stressed out so it was a nice break from everything. We went to my favorite pizzeria, Cibo, which has the best pizza I’ve ever had in my whole life. And yesterday I decided to treat myself further with some strawberries, whipped cream, and a ridiculously good red Moscato. I would have taken a picture of my treat, but my cravings were too strong to stop and think about it at the time.

IMG_8888The label does not lie, this Barefoot Red Moscato is deliciously sweet.

It should be acknowledged that I only procrastinated once the whole semester, and it was so horrible that I decided to never do that again. Thus, I have been mostly cured from my procrastination! I’ve also learned to not be such a perfectionist. Overall it’s been a pretty good spring, and it’s about to get even better: A friend of mine from Finland is coming here in a week! I get to show him around Phoenix, and we’ll go to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. It’s going to be great.

Tenttiviikko on meneillaan ja mun stressitaso on korkealla. Kemian tentin kavin jo tekemassa, se meni miten meni – multa loppui aika kesken. Paasen kuitenkin kurssista lapi, joten eipa silla valia. Matematiikassa tiedan parjaavani, joten ainoa aine mika huolestuttaa on biologia. Kamalasti termeja sun muita muistettavana. Stressia onneksi helpotti lauantainen illallinen mun lemppari pizzeriassa, seka sunnuntai-illan mansikat kermavaahdolla ja alyttoman hyva punainen Moscato. Yksi makeimmista viineista mita oon juonut, ai etta.

Viikon paasta ystavani Suomesta tulee tanne ja paasen nayttamaan hanelle Phoenixia. Kaydaan myos Las Vegasissa ja Grand Canynonilla. Kaksi hauskaa viikkoa siis edessa!

Home décor

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The coffee table now has a centerpiece. I couldn’t find a natural wooden tray anywhere, so I bought a plank of wood and sanded and stained it. Everything else is from Michael’s. The slate has little foam pads under it so it doesn’t scratch the wood or the glass. The book is actually a box with a magnet closure.

It isn’t perfect, but I like it.

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Sohvapoyta sai koristuksensa. Se ei ole taydellinen, mutta kelpaa! Kirja on muuten laatikko. Mitakohan sinne katkisi?

Joy is

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Joy is the knowledge that this semester will be over in two weeks. And the fact that in two weeks a friend of mine from back home will be here. And joy is a clean house, even if it’s only half-way so. Joy is a new friend. Joy is witnessing the happiness of others. Joy is a sunny campus filled with the sound of live jazz. And joy is a new eau de toilette, which smells like spring.

I have gift cards to spend at Crate & Barrel and Ikea. The kitchen and livingroom need some decoration, but I’m at a loss as to what to get. I know I want a big centerpiece on our black coffee table, but I don’t want fake flowers or anything tacky. I’ve always loved the idea of interior design (I was even going to study it), and I know what I like when I see it, but I haven’t a clue how to decorate. I do, however, know that I’m going for a modern vibe mixed with rustic accents.

centerpieceuncommon handmade & Terrene Products

If any of you have suggestions, I’d love to hear them. DIY ones are also very welcome.

Mulla on ollut onnellinen olo viimeaikoina, kai se on tama kevat mika sen saa aikaan. Halu koristaa omaa kotia on kova. Osaako kukaan ehdottaa kauniita, moderneja tai rustiikkeja koristeita, jotka sopisivat moderniin kotiin? Etsin lahinna jotain isoa koristetta keskelle mustaa sohvapoytaa. Tee-se-itse -henkiset ehdotukset ovat myos tervetulleita.