Mississippi Weekend

Hey Hey!
Well it's another week in the deep south... the weekend went great!! I had the most fun playing with my nieces and seeing my sister and her family. My sister and Holly picked me up on saturday morning and we drove the hour and a half to Ocean Springs, MS (next to Biloxi. I sure love it down there! Everything about it is comforting, could be that I've been down there a lot :)Laura, the girls and I spent the day hanging out, and we even carved pumpkins!!!!! That was something I really wanted to do with the girls. Thanks to dean for mentioning it, it happened! Laura and I got the chance to talk a lot on saturday night, which was very nice to get to do. Sunday was fun. We went to church, watched the saints lose, and I spent the day playing with the girls <3 we played restaurant, house, witches (I was Sleepy Witch), princesses on adventures, and sidewalk chalk! I'm not gonna lie- that was the best day ever. I loved getting to help the girls get something to drink, say goodnight to them etc. Sunday night, Laura, Holly and I went and watched the Vikes almost win and went GHOST HUNTING. hahaha it was a blast! Holly got an app on her htc that allowed us to "radar" for them. Does it work? Idk but we had just got done talking about "Dave" when the next moment the thing said "David." It was way creepy! We went to a graveyard where there are 13 curves in the road going in and 12 going out. Weird? definately! So that was our excitement, and the next day them and Pait brought me back to NOLA.
Yesterday was a good day. I am allowed to do the "hop" behavior with the sea otters, beginning with this week!! This was a big step. It shows that my relationship with them is good enough to ask them to do a behavior, being sure that I will give them reinforcement when they are done.
Today was much of the same. Tonight there was a party for Adopt an Animal. People come, and the aquarists/trainers convince the public to adopt! I looked up jobs, since I technically wasn't working. Let's all keep our fingers crossed. Eventually something will click. Just know it!
Well it's another day tomorrow... oofta.
p.s. good news is we have plans for Halloween!! I'm going to be a fairy, and all of us from the aquarium are going out together :)

Tomorrow is Friday

Last weekend was a blast! On Sunday, Noel and I walked around about 2/3 of the french quarter, and it was so much fun! I got to see so many sights. We went into the oldest cathedral still practicing in the US. It is called St. Louis Cathedral, after King Louis XVI. It wasn't as large inside as I anticipated but very beautiful. I also got my cards read on the street by Janessa. She was right on! the good news is that in my future I will have accomplished many projects and looking to the horizon for more. So I'm taking this as, accomplishments career-wise. The French Quarter is the neatest place to walk around!! We went down Bourbon Street and had a daqairi! Bourbon street is crazy even on a sunday! We saw a beautiful square outside of the cathedral across the street from the river. The square is Jackson Square with a huge fountain. It reminds me of Spain. Right across the street from the square we watched a great hip hop crew perform. That night we went to a ghost tour and heard a lot of history and some spooky stories. Did you know? Restaurants here set-up a "ghost table." Each night they put out wine and bread for the ghosts of the building. The one we saw was in Muriel's, a fancy restaurant in the quarter. The table was in the back of what used to be a slave cell, where many perished. The restaurant that occupied the building before them had the cell as the entrance to the place. The visitors complained about stomach aches and pains. Since the Muriel's changed the point in which people enter the place, no one has complained of these pains. :) Then there is a hotel in the quarter, which is rumored to be haunted by children of the Great Fire. A couple spent their honeymoon there. When they got home, there was an extra picture on their film. It was a picture of the couple... sleeping! It had been taken from above. oooohhh ;) There were many stories, but those are a couple of the stories. I'd love to adventure down there more.
As far as work, nothing new. Sharky, the goldfish, went through his hoop all on his own today without bait :) Yay Sharky!! I'm supposed to train Muffy, the cockatoo, also. I'm looking forward to this, but so far she isn't so into it lol The clicker scared her.
Well tomorrow is friday thank god. I'm headed to Mississippi at 7:30 am on Saturday!! I'm excited! I should be putting pictures on facebook soon.... Miss you all

It's Friday

Hello, hello~
Well yesterday and today were exciting! Besides feeding Buck and Emma, I was able to run both of the stingray feedings on both days! This means helping little kids and some adults feed cow-nose stingrays silverside fish. Some of the aquarists hate it, but it's a blast! The curator asked me to feed her large exhibit both days also. I felt special :) It's a ton of fun. I feed eels, a turtle named Treme, and fish in her exhibit. I also was able to helpout with both penguin feeds yesterday! The last two days were the best yet.
This weekend we have big plans for a ghost tour on sunday and touring the French Quarter. Should be good! They sell Hurricanes right before the tour, buy one get one :/ uh-oh haha I don't know if we'll do that or not, but it's tempting. I am looking forward to having the adventure.....

2nd week

This week has been sort of busy, sort of not. I am working 6 days this week, so halfway through. Monday, not too much happened. Noel and I were the only otter people at the aquarium. We set up some amazing enrichment for Buck and Emma! Noel made a "kelp monster" out of a small garbage can and carwash straps cut into kelp shapes. I put up a black tub and filled it with ice along with making a "cave" out of a garbage can and ice. They had fun! I later put a lady bug pool filled with ice into the upper pool with a hoola hoop attached to it. Emma LOVED it; she managed to stuff the pool and hoop under the deck of the pool it. It was hilarious to watch her do this!! Yesterday, I was able to see the stingray feeds, where children feed them. It was a lot of fun! I watched how Tom and Kristine did them; so now I may do them. Hope they ask me to soon!! It was sort of an off day, but today was better. I got to work with power tools!!! I think I made my dad proud :) I had to connect a broom handle and brush with a screw. I drilled the handle and brush all by myself :) I would have gotten to actually finish screwing them together, but I got offered to sit in with the penguins again!! it was so much fun! I've gotten to sit in there three times now. Other than that, the evenings aren't too exciting during the week. I made corn on the cob for the first time tonight, and it turned out wonderfully. I've just hanging out and getting things done. This weekend we are planning on going on a ghost tour (YAY!!!) and adventuring the french quarter. Looking forward to it! Well til next time...

My first NOLA weekend

So not much else happened the rest of the week (7&8), just a whole lot of nailing down what I had been taught. Although, I believe it was the 7th that I was asked if I'd like to sit in with the black-footed and rockhopper penguins!!! I was excited! And I hope Tom (the keeper)asks me agian if I could help out, I loved it :) I love marine mammals, but penguins are fun too :) Except for the biting aspect of it ha ha ha. Oh yes, a funny part of the internship is that I am training a goldfish. I had to look at the supervisor to make sure she was serious. His name is Sharkie, and already last week I had him going through a hoop, literally. LOL He will do great things :) The weekend was good. I was super bored on Saturday, so I cleaned the entire place. At least it's clean right? But then last night, Noel and I found Pat O'Briens in the French Quarter to get a hurricane. WOW they are very large!! and have a ton of rum with some vodka and a little juice (mostly for coloring hahaha! halfway through and I would have been good stopping lol No worries, I got a very large glass of water :) On the way to the car, we stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a smaller one but clean-cut and nice. The ones in Madrid and Paris were larger than this one, but the St. Louis Hard Rock was smaller. The food was delicious! On our way to the bar we saw living statues, people selling art on the street, a tarot card lady, and even street musicians!!! it was culture shock! It was so cool!!! The souvenir shops and gelato shops were open very late, even the Urban Outfitters. I feel I could spend days in the French Quarter just looking at everything!!
Today, Noel and I adventured to the bigger mall here. We found Beignets!!! They were de-li-cious!!!!!!!! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Good thing I can't just go across the street and get them. They come in orders of 3 for only $2.14, so super cheap and ooh so good... haha they were square-shaped with mountains of powdered sugar and hot :) I found my new favorite endulgence haha And finally got my smoothie from the Smoothie King. I was craving a smoothie for a week haha Other than that the mall had a cool little train for lil kids to ride for Halloween. It was called the Goblin Express. The Great Pumpkin was there for little kids to get their picture taken. I guess the G.P. grew legs and wears overalls?? Mia drew me a "We Love Nessa" picture and my mom sent me a picture of her sitting by it <3 it made my day! I also got an adorable picture of Vinnie, smiling after he woke up from his nap today. I miss my family and friends DEARLY. And a bonus of today is that THE SAINTS FOOTBALL TEAM LOST TO ARIZONA!!! WOOOOOO
That's all for today... 'Til next time.

Day 2

Day 2 was a good one, a little long but good. Today was Dive Day so we had to "tend" to the supervisor who was diving to clean. it was a little hectic, but I think I showed them I can do things on my own already. tomorrow is day 3 so day by day I'll get used to everything and prove myself. Made a nummy supper, which after feeding buck and Emma, was my only excitment of the day. I did get to skype with Dean today though and got to Skype with Katie the other day :) Miss everyone but Ionly have until shortly before Christmas to adventure and make the most of NOLA. so I'll try to make the most of it! ttys

First Day!

Today I started at the aquarium. There was a lot to hear about and a lot to learn, just like when beginning at any new place. The supervisor is really nice as well as my roommate who is a trainer there. The otters are so intelligent and graceful :) I really enjoyed today. I got to feed them already! I was so suprised, and pleased! It was the second feeding of the day and then two more. Soon I'll learn the ropes I'm sure. But the day definately flew by. well hope tomorrow goes as well as today
And tonight, I saw Glee for the first time tonight. Interesting show. I'll have to watch again next week. I made supper tonight, raspberry chicken and veggies :) mmmm I'm proud of myself hahahaha yay for me!

New Orleans, Louisiana

Well everyone, I've been in New Orleans as of the 1st! After working all night at the zoo and hanging out with the dolphins, I drove the hour and a half back home to shower and jump in our car for a 20 hour drive down here. We got in at around 6:50am, and I met my roommate, Noel who is super nice. So then we hauled all of my things inside and set it all up. So all moved in and up all day and night, what to do? Go to the aquarium of course! We had lunch and headed over to the aquarium. And of course, with me driving, we got lost haha even with a gps!! well the gps wanted us to take a ferry across the canal to the aquarium. We decided we didn't want to do that, and proceeded to get extremely lost in a bad part of town (yikes!). We finally made it out and to the aquarium. It's a nice place! It's Right along the water and two levels; the only thing is it's downtown which is busy all the time it seems. We went in just in time for the otter talk and saw Buck and Emma. They are 4 1/2 feet long and about 60 lbs. Buck was sleeping just under the water's surface, letting is air bubbles out very slowly haha he was so mischievious! I got to meet the curator and supervisor too. I'm the only otter intern. Sounds like I'll be able to learn so much here and get involved in multiple areas of th aquarium! They have a beautiful tunnel section with many many stingrays that looked like montereys and had specials sections for frogs, sea horses, river life, etc. That was pretty much friday in nutshell.
Yesterday, we traveled over to D'Iberville, Mississippi to have lunch with my sister, Laura, and my nieces, Paityn (4) and Kayleigh (6). The girls have grown so much! They are sweethearts. Kayleigh even asked me to pick her up from school one of these days since she thinks NO is right next door. But to me, an hour and a half is right next door haha! So I really am hoping to be able to do that! Laura seemed very well :) and Pait Pait is very smart and loves to draw. We went to a beach afterwards. Nothing like putting your toes in the sand! At the hotel tonight, the power went out and saw what looked like an explosion outside our window. Flashes of that creepy hotel movie popped in my head haha I guess it was a transformer?
Well that's all for tonight ttys