When I woke up this morning, I weighed myself and I lost 1 lb since last Thursday! This may not sound like much, but considering that all I did was write down the foods I ate, drank more water, and walked a little bit more, this is a huge deal to me! Imagine what will happen when I actually eat within my points range!

I was feeling so good about this progress that I took the Jack Russell Terriers for a bit of a longer walk this morning.

The other pet-sitting gigs went smashingly, by the way. I calmed down about the elderly cats going outside once I realized it was only the big strong male cat who wanted to venture outdoors for the day. Mostly, the other two stayed in. I still worried about them every day, but I was less anxious every time I went over there. Mac, the Golden Retriever, is SO cute, and was a lot of fun to take care of. Other than the weekly appointment with the St. Bernard (who is the largest lap dog on the face of the earth), it's just the JRTs for a while. I don't even have to care for Bobbi's cats as much as I thought I was going to, because she's decided to mostly commute, and only stay overnight in the city a few nights a week. Sounds great to me!

The JRTs are too silly for words, by the way. They team up to try and smother me with doggie kisses. They work well together! I adore them, but could never, ever, in a million years, have one. And certainly not two! God, they're a crazy pair!

So I had a lot of fun with them today. I really didn't do much else other than go to work. And it's weird, because today was my last day. It doesn't at all feel like it! It was so anticlimactic. Thankfully, I don't have a favorite dog there now, the kind I get attached to super crazy easily. So it was easy to walk out of there and not feel too bad. And the guy I worked with tonight is a new guy, so there were no sad good-byes at the end of the night. CatGirl gave me a hug, and Boss Lady said it was a pleasure to have me work there. It was nice. It was simple. And now it's over.

And I don't think I'll ever work in a shelter again. Ever. It's too much. Even in a no-kill shelter, too many sad things happen. It's not for me.

Sometimes I wonder what is for me... I've read that zoo jobs are extremely demanding. They often involve 12-15 hours a day, on your feet. I used to think I could do that. That it would be worth it for the sake of a career I loved. But maybe those kinds of hours would keep me from being able to love it.

One zoo training program I'd been so interested in for so long requires every single student to regularly euthanize small animals as food for the other animals. And for a while I thought I could do that, too. Again, that it might be worth it, that I might be able to accept doing that because those other animals also have to eat. But you know, I don't think I want to be the kind of person who can get used to something like that. I just don't think I could do it. And if I could, I don't think I could handle how that in itself would make me feel. Right now, I don't even like killing mosquitoes while they're sucking my blood.

And zoo jobs don't pay well. While I don't want to be someone who places a lot of importance on money, I do think it's important to face facts. And the thing is, I don't see myself living anywhere other than California. I am not sure how/if/when we'll ever have a house. But it'd be nice to have some cash on hand if we wanted to do that, ever.

Another thing to consider is the possibility of future kids. I want children. I want to be there for their formative years. I want to breast-feed them. I cannot do those things while working crazy hours at a zoo. And do I even support zoos? Many times they just make me sad. How is it possible that my life's dream might not even be good for me?

A different angle is the idea of working in zoo education. That way, I'd get to experience and handle animals, and create programs so that children can learn about them. That is definitely my kind of thing! All in all, I suppose I have to research more about various animal careers. And maybe even take one of those career assessment tests that tell you what you're best suited for.

Until I decide what to do, I'll stick with working with domestic animals. This pet-sitting stuff pays surprisingly well. And I enjoy it. I adore seeing dogs and cats in home situations (as opposed to cages). I love getting into a routine with them, having short visits filled with unending doggie kisses and cuddles. Bobbi described the JRTs as being positively thrilled every time you walk through the door, and I see what she means! They bounce up and down like pogo sticks trying to see who can lick me first! It's these crazy little things that make this kind of job so fun. And I want that to last not just in odd jobs I do as I get through school, but throughout my future career.

What should I do with my life? Good question.

The only answer I have right now? Enjoy it.

~Meg