Schuetz

It was many thousands of years ago when humans first discovered ways to domesticate animals. Dogs were the first pets, and sheep became our first livestock. Many centuries later, animals are still a huge part of the human experience.

As medical technology has changed for humans, it has also changed for animals. Now, working in the field of veterinary medicine is a skilled position that requires expertise far above the ability to muck out a stall or clean out a cage. A Veterinary Technician can perform diagnostic tests, dress wounds, and assist in surgery. A Veterinary Assistant handles clients and records and assists with basic medical care.

If you love animals, you will find a career in veterinary medicine to be deeply rewarding. Here is a more in-depth look at non-veterinarian careers in veterinary medicine.

Veterinary Technician

A veterinary technician (also called a vet tech) is a person trained and licensed to assist veterinarians. They usually complete an associates degree in their field and then take a test to be licensed in their state (requirements vary by statebe sure to check yours). Once they begin working in the field, they find that their job is similar to that of a nurse.

Common tasks performed by a veterinary technician include, taking histories, providing treatment to routine problems, and giving counseling to clients. Remember, animals are the patientsthe owners are the clients.

Technical skills include the following:

Drawing blood
Collecting urine
Performing skin scrapings
Performing routine lab procedures and tests in hematology, chemistry, Microbiology, urinalysis, and serology.

They also assist the veterinarian with physical examinations that help determine the nature of the illness or injury. Veterinary technicians also administer medications, anesthesia, and blood products to the animals as prescribed by the veterinarian.

Tasks in patient care include the following:

Recording temperature
Pulse and respiration
Dressing wounds
Applying splints and other protective devices
Cleaning teeth.

Veterinary Technicians also perform catheterizations, both urinary and venous, ear flushing, intravenous feedings, and tube feedings. Equipment use includes operating electro-cardiographic and radiographic equipment.

Veterinary technicians commonly assist veterinarians in surgery by providing correct equipment and instruments and by assuring that monitoring and support equipment such as anesthetic machines; cardiac monitors, scopes and breathing apparatus are in good working condition. They also maintain treatment records and inventory of all pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies.

In a sadder turn, Veterinary Technicians also assist and sometimes even perform euthanasia. While this can be often be difficult, it is usually a relief to clients to not have to see their beloved pets suffer. In order to be a veterinary technician, you must be comfortable with this fact of the field.

Veterinary Assistant

Veterinary Assistants are an important part of the veterinary medical team. Working with veterinarians and veterinarian technicians, they help provide medical care to sick and injured animals. If you were to draw a comparison with human medicine, you might compare them to physician assistants. Unlike physician assistants, Veterinary Assistants often get on-the-job training, although courses in animal science are helpful.

A typical day in the life of a Veterinary Assistant includes giving medicines, feeding and bathing animals, cleaning up after them, and assisting with examinations and tests. Vet Assistants play a very hands-on role. They take a pet's pulse, temperature and monitor respiration. Some even assist with surgery. Also, many do office work and act as receptionists.

While many Veterinary Assistants work with veterinarians in private practice, many others work in animal shelters, animal control facilities, pet stores, kennels and veterinary drug companies.

Because sick or injured animals need constant care, the work is sometimes hard, repetitious, and dirty, but people who genuinely love animals can find it both interesting and deeply rewarding.

Like all health professions, veterinary care is highly regulated, and licensed veterinarians or veterinary technicians can only perform most kinds of treatment or testing. While veterinary assistants assist with a number of medical procedures, they do not perform any of them completely on their own.

Here are some of the duties that fall to the Veterinary Assistant:

Preparing examination or treatment room
Holding or restraining animal during procedures
Preparing equipment, and instruments for surgical procedures
Assisting veterinarians during surgery
Assisting those who take and develop x-rays
Setting up basic lab tests
Maintaining hospital cleanliness
Answering telephones and scheduling appointments

Once again, Veterinary Assistants also find themselves occasionally facing the reality of euthanasia as a part of their job. They are often the ones having to help a family make the choice and schedule and appointment, or caring for the remains of a beloved pet. Be sure that this is a factor of the job you are comfortable with before making the decision to work in the field.

But all in all, working in veterinary medicine is a job that is full of joy and fascinating science. Unlike a human nurse, you will learn about and treat several species of animalsfrom dogs and cats to rabbits and iguanas, or from cows to sheep to horses. It is a fascinating and diverse field, and a rewarding one.

Originally published at http://www.collegequest.com/

One of the most fun and challenging biking experiences that you can do is Moab Mountain biking. In Moab, there is a great variety of mountain biking trails that will allow any level of biker to have fun. You can find challenging rides or scenic rides, depending upon what you want to do. Moab mountain bike riding will give a ride of any experience level a way to enjoy the beautiful scenery and fun trails.

What is Moab mountain bike riding?

This kind of mountain biking is one that is very challenging and technical, which is why it is so popular. There are many trails that you can choose from that offer you a great ride and a great view. You will not be able to find another place like Moab to ride your bikes. If you are offered the chance to do some biking in Moab, then you need to try it, because it will offer you a great challenge and a lot of fun.

Preparation

You need to do a few things to prepare to make sure that your Moab mountain biking trip is as fun as possible. The first thing that you want to do is to make sure your bike is in tip-top condition. You also want to check out the trails to see which ones that you are interested in. Make sure that the trail that you choose is not too difficult for your experience level and that it offers what you want in your ride.

Essential Equipment and Accessories

You need to ensure that you have the right equipment before you go on your ride. A helmet is an essential piece of equipment because it keeps you safe. You may also want to consider getting some elbow or knee pads to protect those areas. Water and high-energy snacks can help to give your energy a boost. A map can be a lifesaver if you are driving on a new trail to help you to keep from getting lost.

Variety of Trails

You can choose from a big variety of trails in Moab. There are trails for every level of experience and each trail will offer you a different view and ride. You will want to look at the different trails so that you can determine the right one for you and your desires. You can start on the trails for beginner riders and then move up to more challenging trails if you want to make sure that the trail is not too difficult for you.

Group Riding

Riding with a group is one of the best ways to enjoy Moab. It can be a lot of fun to ride with your friends on the trails at Moab. You can laugh, ride, and take pictures together while enjoying the scenery and sights. You can even race is you so choose. Group riding is a fun way to go in Moab.

Fun Riding

Mountain bike riding offers the rider a great deal of fun and excitement. There is nothing else like enjoying being outside and having fun exercising. It will help you to enjoy the wilderness when you are taking a ride through the trails in Moab. You can also enjoy it with the entire family. What fun!

Alastair Hamilton contributes adding long articles on mountain biking for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com. A website with tips on mountain bike reviews.

~Continued from Part 1~

As Selena's popularity grew placing additional demands on the band (e.g. travel), Abraham removed Selena from the 8th grade, drawing immediate unwarranted criticism. Some accused him of violating Child Labor laws while others warned that he was ruining his kids. "They'll be surrounded by drinking and drugs" and "it's going to have an effect on them," the critics incorrectly predicted.[1]

Despite the skeptics, Selena remained unaffected. She continued to have fun and enjoy singing. She kept her down-to-earth personality and refused to snub anyone, believing that "if you treat people good, it [will] come back" in the end.[2] Accordingly, Selena always maintained a great repertoire with her fans and audience.[3] At the same time, she also kept up with her academics and earned a G.E.D. from a Chicago-based Correspondence School at 17.

As Selena was growing into a star, her brother, A.B. III was becoming an accomplished songwriter and producer, after originally taking it up to supply his youngest sister with the quality, original material that the band lacked. One of his first songs, "Dame Un Beso" enjoyed moderate success. Before long, A.B. III supplanted his father as the band's leading songwriter. In addition, Ricky Vela, another band member also assisted with music composition.

When the bands second album, "Alpha" was released, it brought Selena her first music honors. She won "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the 1987 West Texas Hispanic Music Awards and KFLZ Awards ceremonies and was voted "Female Vocalist of the Year" and "Performer of the Year" at the Tejano Music Awards. This recognition introduced Selena to two influential people: Rick Trevino, founder of the Tejano Music Awards and Johnny Canales, a television personality on one of the top-rated Spanish shows. Their efforts gave Selena much needed publicity, expanding the horizons for Selena Y Los Dinos.

Two more albums, "Preciosa" and "Dulce Amor" were released in 1988 earning Selena greater recognition. With album sales exceeding 20,000, Selenas name began to spread beyond Texas. Not surprisingly, Selena was a finalist for "Female Vocalist of the Year" for 1988 and "Terco Corazon" and A.B. III were nominated for "Single of the Year" and "Songwriter of the Year," respectively, at the Tejano Music Awards.

Despite Selenas growing fame, the Quintanillas lifestyle had not changed much. They continued to live on beans and hamburgers and shared just about everything. As a result, they had "Nobody You Know" written at the top of the bands bus, Big Berthas front windshield.

Their fortunes, though, changed dramatically when Selena was signed by Jose Behar, the former head of Sonys Latin music division and creator of the Capitol/EMI Latin label in 1989. The signing came about when Behar and a friend, Mario Ruiz, who became President of EMI Mexico attended the 1989 Tejano Music Awards searching for new talent and discovered Selena. The events went as follows according to the account by Jose Behar:

"...We were standing at the back of the auditorium when we saw her. Mario and I looked at each other like, 'Wow. This is special.'"

"...I said, 'It's interesting. Women don't sell in the Tejano market.' And they really hadn't. Yet I said to myself, 'This is the crossover act I'm looking for."[4]

Afterwards, Behar, believing that he had found the next Gloria Estefan, a popular and successful crossover Latin artist went backstage and met and signed Selena after talking to her father. At the time, Behar never imagined how many records Selena would eventually sell.

Despite her signing with Capitol/EMI Latin and her taking "Female Vocalist of the Year" honors at the 1989 and 1990 Tejano Music Awards, and also "Female Entertainer of the Year" at the 1990 Tejano Music Awards, Selena's first few new releases did little better than her previous ones. However, another breakthrough came in 1991 when she was paired with Alvaro Torres in "Buenos Amigos." Their video soared to #1 on the Billboard Latin Tracks Chart giving Selena national exposure. An appearance on "Donde Quiero Que Estes" with the Barrio Boyzz, an immensely popular Latin band further enhanced Selena's rising stature, enabling her to enter the international Latin market with her solo hits, "La Carcacha" and "Como La Flor."

Johnny Canales then helped make Selena an instant Celebrity in Mexico leading to an offer star in a leading role in a Mexican Soap opera, which she turned down because of its steamy scenes. Though determined to make it big, Selena wasn't about to sacrifice her principles. She valued her appeal to her broad audience that consisted of young children and grandparents alike.

Performing in skin-tight pants, low-cut bustiers, and shiny outfits was her limit. Unlike many others, Selena did not need to forego her morals for fame. Her natural-born talent was sufficient. In addition, when Johnny Canales compared Selena to Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Janet Jackson, all pop stars, he declared, "I'd say [Selena] was like those people, but better. Those people never sang Tejano. She could do what they do, but it would be hard for them to do what she does."[5]

Also during this time, the Los Dinos Band was expanding, providing Selena with some of her happiest moments. Pete Astudillo, a Laredo, Texas native and talented artist joined in 1989. Together, he and Selena went on to perform hit duets like "Yo Te Amo" and "Amame, Quiereme."[6] Accordingly the pair were twice nominated for "Vocal Duo of the Year" at the Tejano Music Awards.

A second great addition was Chris Perez, who briefly joined Los Dinos in 1988, left a year later to try it on his own, and then returned in 1990. Chris was a talented guitarist who eventually became Selena's husband. They were married on April 2, 1992.

Although Selena's father initially opposed the marriage, he soon viewed Chris as "a son."[7] Afterwards, Selena and Chris shared a nearby house, with her parents living next door in one house and her brother, A.B. III and his wife and children in another. Between the three houses there were nine dogs, five of which belonged to Selena, an avid animal lover. Later the pair bought a piece of land a little further away with plans to build a larger house to start a family and run a small farm. Prior to her death, Selena had already picked out the furniture.

As Selena's career took off, she released two hit albums: "Ven Conmigo" featuring the hit song "Baila Esta Cumbia" in 1990 and "Entre A Mi Mundo" featuring the hit songs "La Carcacha" and "Como La Flor" in 1992. The great success of these albums completed Selena's transformation from "unknown" to "star." Then a show featuring Selena, La Mafia, and Emilia Navaira at the Summit in Houston in the summer of 1991 drew more than 9000 people. Next followed "Selena Live" in 1993, which gave the young singer her first Grammy along with three Tejano Awards, opening the door to mainstream pop.

After four years of attempts, Jim Behar, using Selenas soaring popularity and sales to their advantage, finally convinced EMI's pop division to give her the crossover chance she had been dreaming of. Prior to 1993, Behar had faced repeated setbacks and had to start over each time when key executives left the Company. As one EMI executive, Nancy Brennan, Vice President of Artist and Repertoire summarized, "All he [Behar] ever talked about was Selena. He was like a broken record, 'Selena, Selena...'"[8]

Brennan was exposed to Selena when she attended a Billboard Latin Music Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada to see Jon Secada, an immensely popular EMI artist. There, Selena's opening made a lasting impression. By December 1993, Selena had been signed by EMI's SBK subsidiary to begin her crossover album, which took a year-and-a-half to produce due to the tedious effort of finding the right songs and producers.

The 1994 "Amor Prohibido" success also added to the crossover delays since Selena was requested to appear everywhere. Nancy Brennan recounted one such episode when had been forced to postpone a recording session: "This is the first time I have ever made a debut album by an artist who was too busy to record for me. How can you tell someone, 'No I don't want you to play the Astrodome for 60,000 people; I want you to work on your record. Everyone wants her."[9]

The "Amor Prohibido" album featuring four #1 Latin Singles (title track "Amor Prohibido" "No Me Queda Mas," "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom," and "Fotos Y Recuerdos" launched Selena's greatest year to date. When "Amor Prohibido" came out, it promptly replaced Gloria Estefan's "Mi Tierra" at #1 on Billboards Latin Tracks Charts and even made the top 200 on Billboard's Pop Charts. It led to six awards at the Tejano Music Awards ceremony attended by more than 45,000 people "Female Entertainer of the Year," "Female Vocalist of the Year," "Orchestra Album of the Year," Record of the Year," "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" "Song of the Year," and "Techno Cumbia, Crossover Song of the Year." More than 400,000 copies had sold at the time of Selena's death less than a year after its release.

Selena also realized two more dreams in 1994. First, she opened a boutique/salon in Corpus Christi called "Selena Etc." Since childhood, Selena had dreamed of designing clothing and jewelry. Second, she played a bit-role "Don Juan DeMarco," a film released in early 1995 that starred Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp and offered the potential of leading to greater and perhaps leading roles. Acting had been a recent dream of Selena's.

With the impending release of Selena's cross-over album, "Dreaming of You," her wide-spread fame and rocketing demand, a million-dollar record deal, a Grammy Award, endorsements from sponsors like Coca Cola and her own line of clothing, it seemed like Selena's meteoric career could only rise higher. By this time, Selena had been named "one of the most successful Latin entertainers in the world" by "Hispanic Business" magazine.

The sold-out Astrodome Concert for the Houston Livestock and Rodeo February 1995 with a crowd of 61,000+, at the time, the largest in Astrodome history only strengthened this belief. Yet ironically and almost prophetically, when Selena was asked to speculate on her future during a July 1994 interview, she modestly stated, "I just hope still to be alive, hopefully singing still and later on, maybe 10 years yonder, I hope to have a family by then."[10]

Four years earlier, Yolanda Saldivar, a self-professed "biggest Selena fan" had come into Selena's life after persistently requesting to start a fan club in her honor. Although Abraham had initially refused, he eventually gave in when Yolanda agreed to make it not-for-profit and donate leftover proceeds to charity. Eventually Yolanda's relationship with the Quintanillas deepened when Selena named her Operations Manager to handle sales, customer-relations, and Selena Etc.s finances.

At the time, no one saw Saldivar's dark obsession. Furthermore, no one had been aware that Yolanda had failed to pay off a $5300 student loan, left her nursing job under suspicious circumstances, been turned down by Shelly Lares, a prominent, young Tejano singer to form a "Shelly Lares Fan Club," and been accused of stealing $9200 from a dermatologist she had worked for.

However, by early 1995, Abraham Quintanilla began to receive complaints from upset fans who reported that they were not receiving the Selena packets, consisting of a T-shirt, baseball cap, cassette/CD, and autographed poster they had paid for in membership dues. Money also began to go missing from the boutiques. With their suspicions growing, the Quintanillas conducted an investigation and discovered that Yolanda had written four checks, including one to herself for $3000 from the Fan Club's books. Selenas father then angrily confronted Yolanda who claimed she could explain everything if given some time. Afterwards, Saldivar purchased a .38 caliber gun.

Yet despite the mounting evidence, Selena sent Yolanda to Mexico to assist with opening a Selena Etc. boutique in Monterrey. Hopeful that they could remain friends after the confrontation, Selena was willing to give Saldivar the chance she had requested to "prove her innocence and find the missing papers."

Then while in Mexico, Yolanda phoned Selena to hysterically report that the car containing the documents had been stolen and that she had been raped. Yet Yolanda refused medical care when she returned to Corpus Christi. Instead, she requested that Selena meet her at the Day's Inn motel in Corpus Christi. When Selena and her husband arrived, Yolanda failed to produce any documents.

Afterwards, Yolanda called Selena around midnight on the morning of March 31, 1995 claiming that she was suffering from internal bleeding caused by the rape. During the phone conversation, Saldivar pleaded for Selena to return alone, which she did in the morning.

Once there, Selena drove Yolanda to the hospital where she retracted her rape story. Afterwards Selena drove her back to the motel where they both argued after, it is believed, Selena fired her and planned to return a Faberge Egg ring funded by all of the boutique employees, which she had been misled into believing that Yolanda had generously given to her as a gift.

Upon hearing the argument and a gunshot, a maid cleaning a nearby room looked out the window and saw Selena clutching her chest, screaming for help as she fled from Yolanda who clutched the .38 in her right hand, aimed and fired again.

When Selena made it to the lobby, she collapsed, bleeding profusely from her wound. Although the desk clerk locked the door and called 911 for an ambulance, it was too late. Efforts to revive Selena, despite a blood infusion and electric shocks that briefly restarted her heart, were to no avail. She was pronounced dead at 1:05 PM. Afterwards, tens of thousands filed past Selenas open coffin to pay their last respects as her body lay in state.

Today, nearly 12 years after her death, Selenas legacy lives on. Despite the tragedy, Selena made the crossover into mainstream and is an icon whose spirit still lives. Reminders of Selenas warmth, generosity, and indelible beauty are all around Corpus Christi. Mirador de la Flor stands along the Gulf shore while a museum dedicated to her career stands only a few miles away. Each year thousands visit Selenas grave, Mirador de la Flor, and the Selena Museum. Selena memorabilia remains popular with rare autographs going at times for more than a $1000. With her continued fame and popularity, it would not be surprising if the United States Post Office eventually issued a stamp to honor Selenas enduring legacy.

__________

[1] Rick Mitchell. Interactive Corpus Christi Caller Times Biography. (Houston Chronicle), 1995.

[2] Rick Mitchell. Interactive Corpus Christi Caller Times Biography. (Houston Chronicle), 1995.

[3] Bill Hewitt, et al. People Weekly. (Chicago, April 17, 1995) 49.

[4] Rick Mitchell. Interactive Corpus Christi Caller Times Biography. (Houston Chronicle), 1995.

[5] Rick Mitchell. Interactive Corpus Christi Caller Times Biography. (Houston Chronicle), 1995.

[6] Himilce Novas. Remembering Selena: A Tribute in Pictures and Words. (St. Martins Griffin: New York, 1995) 43-44.

[7] Rick Mitchell. Interactive Corpus Christi Caller Times Biography. (Houston Chronicle), 1995.

[8] Rick Mitchell. Interactive Corpus Christi Caller Times Biography. (Houston Chronicle), 1995.

[9] Rick Mitchell. Interactive Corpus Christi Caller Times Biography. (Houston Chronicle), 1995.

[10] Bruce Hagan, Producer; Joshua Kuvin, Editor, et. al. Dateline NBC Obsession. (April 7, 1995).

William Sutherland is a published poet and writer. He is the author of three books, "Poetry, Prayers & Haiku" (1999), "Russian Spring" (2003) and "Aaliyah Remembered: Her Life & The Person behind the Mystique" (2005) and has been published in poetry anthologies around the world. He has been featured in "Who's Who in New Poets" (1996), "The International Who's Who in Poetry" (2004), and is a member of the "International Poetry Hall of Fame." He is also a contributor to Wikipedia, the number one online encyclopedia.

I have an exercise machine that I've used once. Did I hear you say 'Me too'?

Hey, I'm not proud of that, but I make this revelation with more confidence today than I would have done yesterday.

Why?

Well, last night I was watching a TV programme about us - the public - and our attitude to exercise.

Guess what?

I am not alone.

In fact, the presenter went down one average street here in the UK and nearly every household had unused or nearly-new exercise equipment. One lady had enough to equip a gym, plus work out videos galore - BUT - all untouched and gathering dust - if not mould - in her garage.

No wonder there are so many TV channels selling this gear - we can't get enough of it - but at the same time, use the exercise bike as a clothes hanger, and dumbells as doorstops.

I'm in the wrong business!

The thing is that all this equipment does get bought with good intent in mind - so what goes wrong?

We all have those moments - you know the ones - Right!! I'm going to get fit. I'm going to lose weight. AND you mean it (at the time).

Those fleeting moments usually coincide with New Year or when hiding in an X-Large t-shirt on the beach.

Just had a thought - maybe I'll sell exercise equipment from a stall on the beach.

Now if you are like me, you struggle with this whole thing of weight and exercise.

For years, I have grappled with why I can't keep some modicum of exercise as part of my daily routine. An even bigger dilemma is why I can't keep my weight down.

For goodness sake!

I know the theory and consequences of eating poorly and failing to exercise. A large part of my adult life has been spent nursing. Add to that the critical intimidating Health Visitor 'once over' that my wife gives my torso, as I derobe for whatever.

You'd think that I had motivation enough.

The formula is simple enough:

Eat healthy diet within a daily calorie limit and exercise for twenty minutes, 3 or 4 times a week. At least, that is what I thought.

But no ....

There is one additional and probably much more important element to consider.

The complete formula is:

Healthy controlled calorie eating + Exercise + CHANGE OF MINDSET.

I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with a guy called Adam Eason, a hypnotherapist. My company built his website, and I was gradually more curious about the wide range of physical and mental conditions that Adam was successfully involved in.

The penny dropped one weekend, when I filmed a video of Adam speaking at a weekend seminar about hypnosis.

I discovered that the chatterbox in our head is often our own worst enemy. Talk about a traitor. Our own mind fed constantly from the subconscious, with garbage which we have collected over the years and is now holding us back.

Just think about it for a moment - think of the excuses you make to yourself - think about the internal arguments in your head - think of the things you think, and what you actually say.

Not worth thinking about, is it?

Hypnosis can help replace a lot of the nonsense that is coming out of the subconscious. It takes time and a bit of effort, but a few short weeks can replace completely a poor mindset with basically a new programme to run our mind and thoughts.

A new healthy orientated mindset. That's my target.

I am getting my exercise bike out for action again.

How about you?

Keith Watson - 25 years as a registered nurse. Now writing about and promoting a holistic approach to health issues. To find out more about how hypnosis can help your confidence levels go to http://www.adam-eason.com