blog #5

Blog #5: Share a story (or two) of you as a researcher (defined broadly). Prior to this year, where did your curiosities lie? What did you ask about? Did you research informally or formally? What types of books did you tend to read? What types of TV shows did you watch? What sort of questions did you ask about the world? Consider the research you actually have wanted to (or have) undertaken at previous ages. Do any of those subjects still hold your interest? Don’t try to answer all of these questions, but rather use them as a prompt to help you remember a story or two of yourself as a researcher that you would like to post on the blog.

Growing up as an only child I never really had many people to play with.  I had my dog, Shannon, who I would almost always use as my source of entertainment.  I would pretend to be a vet and fix her "broken" leg by taping a piece of paper around her leg as a "cast".  I would also play with toy horses and pretend to take care of them in their toy barn.  Sometimes when it looked like it was about to rain outside I would get cardboard boxes and put blankets in them and leave it outside.  I thought that any stray dogs or cats would use the boxes as shelter and a home.  When I wasn't playing or trying to save animals, I would watch Steve Irwin on TV on that show "crocodile hunter".  I always had a deep interest in animals and helping them.  Today, I really like to ride horses and go scuba diving.  I also have a dog who is probably my best friend.  I have learned more about myself as I got older, such as I am kind of quiet and prefer to keep to myself and do my own thing.  I like horse back riding and scuba diving because they are very independent activities and also involve animals.  Over the past few years I have gotten very into scuba diving and I have many certifications and I hope to get my professional certification within the next year.  I have researched many species of fish and the environment they live in.  Someday I hope to help with coral reef conservation or conservation of any environment.  I have a deep interest in helping animals and although I don't think I have what it takes to be a vet I think I can make a difference somehow with animals.