The end.

There are a lot of things coming to an end for me right now. Like the rest of you, school is coming to an end and like maybe some of you, I am not coming back. I have been in school for the past twenty years! it seems that it is time to really illiterate the fact that I finally wont be in school or planning for school for the first time in my life! It is very stressful for I am not entirely sure what I want to do when I graduate. With a major in Communication Studies, there are a lot of options for me to go into. For one, I took the course "Intro to Public Relations" this semester and really learned a lot about promoting an image for a company or person. Even though I did not excel on my tests (I am a bad test taker), I am optimistic for trying for a PR job somewhere.
On April 22nd, I will be giving my final Mock Interview for my 490 class. I cannot tell you how nervous I am to present this final project. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot about my company that I am "applying" for, but it is still really nerve racking with five people judging you and giving you a grade. Not only that, but This portfolio is so frustrating. I love doing the work for it but it is really hard when I have other classes with school work on top of it. In the morning, I think to myself, "OK I am going to work on my portfolio today." Then when I get on the computer I see a chat that needs to be scheduled, a journal I have to write or questions for a test I need to study for, etc... So I keep putting off the portfolio and before I know it, it is going to be two days before it is due and I have therefore procrastinated the whole thing. But is that really procrastination? I have been doing a little everyday but the main actually putting it together is what I have yet to do. I guess all of those out there who have yet to do COM 490 will be lucky enough to not have it or I wish those who will in the future.
Another thing that is coming to an end is my long and tiring three and a half years at my serving job. The other day one of my "friends" told me that "people are losers if they go straight to a job right after college." ...Well I guess that makes me a loser because I have grown up and stopped screwing around (actually never really did) and find a salary job with benefits to pay off my loan and move onto a better "not college" lifestyle. Then you look at her who as done nothing in this past year but travel to another city and live off of serving income. I will be in school an extra year and still move more forward then her. How is living off of your boyfriends money an actual way to live?! I didn't go to college for 5 years to just graduate and still work in the service industry!!
Also, Paws4people, the organization that me and Yarnell volunteer for, is having a 5k run and walk on Sunday, April 18th. This will be more than likely "the end" for our services for volunteer in this Wilmington chapter for a while. Once I graduate in less than a year, I will be adventuring off to find a well paying job before I can put in any services with Yarnell on my free time. As much as I love doing it and seeing the pride in Yarnell's eyes, I do not have the time to put forth that should be put toward finding that one dream job that can support me.
On the subject of dream jobs, I have to state that my ultimate dream job would be training dogs on the set of movies or shows. When I was in New York City at the circus at Madison Square Garden, I saw an ad on the wall for 101 Dalmatians as a show coming to MSG. It would be such a passion for me to be behind the scenes teaching these dogs all the command they need to know to be on the show. Also if you think about there are a lot of dogs that are in movies: Marley and me, Homeward bound, 101 Dalmatians, something about Mary, as good as it gets, Benji, click,...even the smallest part of a dog, you don't realize how important their acting job has to be right in a movie. Not to mention television shows too. If anyone has any idea how I can go about trying to find my dream job, I would greatly appreciate the advice.

Well, it seems that this is to be the end of something else as well. I cannot believe all the things that are coming to an end for me here and Wilmington and hopefully another chapter will open soon for me somewhere out of this state to explore more opportunities! I had a great semester with this class. Although it was a lot of small assignments, I found it the most enjoyable class in a while. Hope everyone has a great summer!

Greeting fom the North

Hell all! I am writing to you from my home that I grew up in, on Long Island. Me and my boyfriend drove up here yesterday at 3 in the morning. A long and painful 12 hours in the car. It wouldnt have been that bad if we didnt take a wrong turn off of the Varrenzano bridge into Brooklyn. Yarnell came with us too. Yesterday morning he basically sleep walked to the car and slept most of the trio.
I have to say though it feels so amazing to come home for vacation from college. Just to be able to get away from the work and stress of school and living on my own. I have to say though it really sucks that I have to take time out of my vacation to write this blog and respond to five others on this small stetch of fresh air I have untill I graduate. Tonight, my mom and dad are going to color eggs with me and my boyfriend and I have to stop all of this to do a discussion chat. Dont get me wrong, I actually love this online class, but this royally sucks that I have to be on the computer typing my day away and not spending it with my family that I have not seen since christmas.
It is amazing how much I miss home. I never realized all of the amazing things I have had here in Long Island untill I brought my boyfriend here that has never been north of Washington. He points out the smallest thing to me and makes me realize all of the perks I have had living here in North Babylon. For instance, Tomorrow, We are going to the city to do the tourist thing and see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Then we are meeting up with my mom and dad and going to Madison Square Garden to see the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. It is all so amazing to be able to encounter all of this in only an hours drive from my home. In the summer time, the beach is only 15 minutes away from my house. On other days you can take a day trip to Six Flags Great Adventure which right now has the tallest fastest roller coaster in the world (Kinda Ka). I have never realized how lucky I was to have all these amazing assets that have been so close to my hometown.
All I can say is that I am glad to be home.

Transitioning all around

On Monday, March 15th, Me and Yarnell finally went back to volunteering with Paws4people. At 10am, we met Susan and her daughter's service dog named Ellie at the Watson school of education. I never realized that building had a class for disabled children. I thought it was just classes for the college students to become teachers. But anyway, It was so great to walk into the classroom of about 10 kids that were for once older than what I have been volunteering with to all run and attack Yarnell with kisses galore. This visit was quite different becasue there was not an agenda, it was just a visit where these kids just give the dogs loving and yarnell just sits there and eats it up. If I didnt want to do any commands with him I did not have to. It was quite wonderful when Yarnell laid on his back and all the kids gathered around him on the floor and petted his stomach.
This was the first time back to Yarnell becasue on Spring Break I had to take a trip up to Boone< NC. My boyfriend's uncle has cancer had this was a trip to say his last goodbyes to him. It was a really tough trip to offically meet the extened family in such conditions. It was my first time in Boone and I absolutely loved the mountains, it is such a transition from flat land and beaches. We stayed at my boyfriends friends house while we were up there and it was my first time meeting them too. Now being raised in New York, it was a site to see how the redneck country talks and eats and handles thier Friday nights. I am not a big drinker yet I felt them shoving shots into my hands to try to get a state of drunkness out of me for some reason. The husband and wife have an interesting relationship for the fact that he calls her "woman" as her pet name. I figured that these friends of my boyfriend would make it a point to get to know me and what I am about since my boyfriend has been though some tough relationships in his past. So when it came time for Saturday that they all showed me around Boone, THe longtime friend of Brian, would not talk at all. Brian was even appalled at how she was acting and not even conversing with him as he tried to bring up memories of thier past in Boone.
The trip was overall not good and very stressful for not only me meeting new people but for Brian who saw a side of everyone that he did not want to see (sad family members and a different quiet friend). In two weeks, I will be heading up to New York again to my hometown to start looking for a new permanent job for after graduation. I am beginning to get very nervous of the job market even though I have been told that NY has more jobs availible then here. Wish me luck in the seach for a new job in these upcoming months.
Oh! and happy saint patty's day. I will be spending it working at a resurant that will probly get no business becasue who will really want ribs on an irish holiday?

Memories of Codington therapy

As all of you know, it snowed on Saturday. Me and my boyfriend woke up early to catch the snow while it was still on the beach. We decided to bring Yarnell with us. He went crazy to finally be outside. He was such a happy dog and politely went up to everyone to say hi on the beach. After The beach we took Yarnell to the woods where we built a snowman. He was so good as me and Brian built the snowman with the great packing snow. Now, Yarnell is used to the snow since he is from New York. This was nothing new to him but It sure seemed like he missed the snow as much as I have. The best part about building the snowman was watching Yarnell eye the stick arms until he was able to take them and play with them.

Since Yarnell and I are waiting for the "Reading to dogs" video to pursue the volunteer work with the children that need help reading, I am going to reminisce of my past visits to Special education class at Codington Elementary. This school stands out to me becasue of the greeting I received when I first started attending therapy there. When Yarnell and I walked up to the school, the special ed class of about 10 students were outside holding a big sign reading "WELCOME YARNELL!" It was so enjoyable to be greeted with such gratitude from all of the students in her class. Yarnell and I then walked with the class back to the classroom and educated the students of how to interact with Yarnell as well as any other dog they might meet in public. I was able to show off Yarnells tricks and let each student take time to give commands to Yarnell in their own special way. It was a great visit for all of us, the way Yarnell interacted with the children made me know that he wouldn't mind going back to Codington elementary.

The following weeks and sessions that Yarnell and I attended at Codington consisted of the 15 student class being divided up into three groups that would rotate around the classroom to different stations. There was the writing station, the arts and craft station and the station that me and Yarnell were at. Each group would sit in on us for 7-10 minutes of therapy. It was enjoyable the first few times that we had gone to this classroom but after a couple of visits, my imagination of activities to include the kids in on was growing weak. After trying some commands and brushing Yarnell, I was fresh out of ideas. I started getting frustrated because the teacher was not interacting with the students and using Yarnell to his full advantage of having a fully trained dog in the classroom. I have heard of ways that the teacher can integrate lesson plans with the students and making thier reward petting or giving Yarnell a treat. This teacher however, just left the lesson plan up to me for those 10 minutes of my volunteer time.

I discovered after talking to the Wilmington chapter president that it is not my responsibility to provide a lesson plan with Yarnell involved. It is very difficult to go up to a teacher and explain that its not my job its yours. This is why we are trying to do reading dog therapy.

Even though I promised it last week that I was going to have a newly volunteer encounter, I don't. I want to get Yarnell out there soon. He is so bored at home.

Tomorrow is the start of a brand new day

Tomorrow, Yarnell and I will be going to the campus at UNCW to start therapy with Paws4 people. The thing is, I am not exactly sure what our job may be while we are going to the college to work with people that need it. From what I understand we are going to this workshop for rehabilitation. I am really excited to see what it will be like to try something else with Yarnell in a new area for him. Yes, He didn't graduate as an assistance dog, but I feel that al that I have been able to do with him as my pet is more exceptional than just sitting at home with someone that will not use him to his full advantage.

Today, In my COM490 class, I had to give a speech about who I am when I see myself in the mirror, and who I want to be in the future using all the skills I have learned from my past. Well, one…I am a horrible public speaker when it comes to being graded and judged from other people. It is so ironic that I hate public speaking, because I have done so many demonstrations when I raised my first assistance dog to local organizations such as girl scouts and such. So when I had to take a look at this speech, I knew that the one lesson that has taught me so much would have to be the one that I learned by raising the puppies. The hard work, determination, responsibility and success that I have learned from raising puppies was a perfect role to put in paper. It demonstrates my skills and interests that I have. This example also shows how I care about people and things like my dog and others that I will help with Yarnell as well.

    For right now, Yarnell and I will not be going to the elementary school since this is my last semester and the schools seemed to become repetitive. I have received an email today from a Paws4people planner and we will be receiving a DVD that will help up in the next step to become a reading to dog's team here in Wilmington. Yarnell is such a calm dog and if a child will feel less stressed and being able to read to Yarnell then our job is successful. I am so proud of him and he has been very patient with all that I have been putting him though. We have tried so many avenues or volunteering that it will be a relief to find the one that will make him ne the dog that I know is.

    Until next time hopefully I will be able to contribute one of our visits with a school or rehabilitation or library.

Pictures of Yarnells life

Yarnell posing for the camera.Yarnell doing reading with kids at Cox Mills Elementary School.
At the 2009 Azalea Festival at the Paws4people booth.

This is Josh.

He has cerebral palsy and scooted over to Yarnell to give him a hug.

Meet Yarnell

Hello and welcome to my first blog ever! Even though I run a very interesting life, I plan to not write about me. This blog is going to be dedicated to my wonderful dog named Yarnell. Yarnell is six years old and born August 1, 2003. Yarnell is not an ordinary pet. I had received him from an organization called Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). This is a nationally formed organization based out of California. Yarnell was sent to me at eight weeks old on a plane from California to New York. My job was to raise Yarnell and teach him numerous commands for him to one day become a companion to a disabled person that he will help there on in.

After a year and a half of raising Yarnell and acclimating him to all different types of places, he was off to advance training to pursue his job of helping someone in need. It was definitely a surprise when Yarnell got rejected from CCI. The trainers said Yarnell was too aloof and resisted to be pet will in uniform. At this point I was in college and my parents were kind enough to take him in until I got my own place that aloud pets.

It was in this time that my mother saw potential in Yarnell and knew that his working journey was not over. She certified Yarnell in Pet Therapy with an organization called Bide-A-Wee. She took him for visits to the convent on Long Island while I was focused on school. In 2007, I finally bought a place of my own where I could have Yarnell come and live with me in Wilmington.

It took about a year to get Yarnell certified as a therapy dog in Wilmington, but after much research I found a worldwide organization called Therapy Dog International. I had to get Yarnell certified at Einstein's K9 for a therapy dog test to make sure his obedience was up to par. The founder of Einstein's tested Yarnell and told me that she has never in her experience saw a dog pass the test as well as Yarnell did that day. Like a proud mother, I cried.

Finally after a year of paperwork, phone calls, and training classes, Yarnell and I started going to the Cancer Center at New Hanover Medical Center. The hospital was very stressful for Yarnell. I could tell by his tenseness while walking down the hallway or in the rooms with the severe patients. Any command that I gave Yarnell in the hospital, he would not respond. All the sickness and terminally ill people really tensed up my dog. I found that the hospital was not the place for Yarnell and me to visit.

It wasn't until the Azalea festival in April 2008 that I found an organization in Wilmington that was exactly that I was looking for. They are called Paws4people and have newly developed this Wilmington chapter to have dogs do therapy in the community. Everyone was so friendly in this organization. They saw so much potential in me and Yarnell. Last year, in 2009, my spring break consisted of going to Charlotte, NC to learn how to work with Yarnell as an educational assistance dog. Everyone was so unbelievably nice and could not believe how obedient Yarnell was. There was not a dry eye in the room when a boy with cerebral palsy scooted over to Yarnell to give him a hug. Yarnell gently scooted to the book and let Josh put his arms and feet all over him without a reaction from Yarnell. It is amazing the gentleness of these creatures.

Once we came back to Wilmington, Yarnell and I started going to Parsley Elementary school for a reading workshop once a week. To add onto that we also visited Bellamy Elementary school's special education class as a weekly tradition. The physically handicapped children would light up as Yarnell would lie on the floor with them very calmly.

This past fall semester, Yarnell and I volunteered at a special education classroom at Codington Elementary School. The children were all so delighted to have Yarnell come in the classroom to love on as a therapy session. We also continued to visit Bellamy's classroom every week. It was such a joy to see how calm Yarnell acts with the children that need his assistance. Although after so many times of visiting, it seemed repetitive to just sit in a classroom and have these children pet Yarnell. We decided to take a break over the winter holidays and pick back up in the new year of 2010.

Yarnell and I still attend the Paws4people meetings the second Tuesday of the month. This past meeting on January 12, we got to talk about our difficulties in the classroom of being very repetitive time and time again. We were offered to switch it up and become a reading to dog's team. This means that Yarnell and I will be going to classrooms or libraries to schedule meetings for a child to cuddle up with Yarnell and read a book to him. Now, this may sound stupid, but it is very helpful for a child to practice reading to a dog. This is because a dog is not judgmental, he is very patient and will tolerate a child that stutters or sounds out words to practice. I have seen many children just put their hand on Yarnell for comfort as they read, his calmness calms their nerves and the child will begin to read more fluently. This also encourages children to want to read for they will have this one day that they will look forward to as the day that they get to read to Yarnell.

Along with Reading to dog's program, Yarnell and I were also offered to volunteer at Creative Solutions in Leland. We will attend day treatment classes with the children that have mental health struggles, and provide therapy that may calm their fast paced nerves.

So there you have it. This is the journey of Yarnell (who is loudly snoring on my bed right now). At six years old, he is still going strong and helping out those who need therapy. He is an amazing dog who is not just a pet. I look forward to blogging about me and Yarnell's interactions in our future. Tune in for more posts about our visits!