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What did it take to make Garfield funny? Remove Garfield.

I haven't really written anything of substance lately. I'll be in town for spring break, maybe something comes up.

One time, I dipped some Cool Ranch Doritos in ranch dressing. It was very ranchy.

Did you get a chance to see the eclipse tonight? Was it any good? Blacksburg was overcast and gross, so I couldn't see a darn thing but the orange glow of sodium lights reflecting off the clouds.

Oh well, fingers crossed for 2010.

Today I had my hand, halfway up the forearm, in the back end of a heifer. No pictures, unfortunately. I also helped to bottle feed a Charolais calf, with pictures to follow as soon as they get sent to me.

See, the cool thing about being in Animal and Poultry Sciences is that you actually do stuff in classes. Microbiology lab is like "Here, do a stain on this bacteria we've cultured here for literally millions of generations and we already know exactly what's going to happen if you do it right." Beef Production lab is "This heifer needs a magnet, pelvic diameter checked, and to be deloused so that she can be sold or become a producing cow next year. Watch me. You do the next one."

It's way too early in the semester for this to be the fourth week of classes.

I have three exams this week, in horse production, beef production, and microbiology. I don't feel like I've learned anything yet! Don't they know I'm a senior? I'm old! These things take time to sink in.

I was laid-up for most of last week with what the health center doctor assured me was "not the flu." I don't care what it wasn't, it was a solid week of fever above 100°F. It was probably not helped by being out in barns on Monday and Wednesday for labs. The problem with labs is that you can't make them up. Unless you are being physically prevented from getting to the appointed location, you go to lab. So I went to my labs, and my bug raged on.

Aside from the week of illness (the first I've had since being in college) the semester is going well. I can Gram stain with my eyes closed, estimate slaughter cattle weight within 50 lbs (usually), and point out five reasons why a given horse should never ever have babies. Incidentally, the horses don't seem to mind so long as you do it in a low soothing voice and rub their chest.

Ok, well, maybe I have learned something.