Ow. I tried to convince myself it was just cramps, but no, I'm back on antibiotics. I always wonder how much my lifestyle impacts my health versus how the stress and inactivity at work does. It's ironic that my first jobs were all very physical, the exact opposite of now.
At 14 I started shelving books in our local public library, which involved pushing full carts of books. At 16 I decided that I wanted to be a veterinarian (although that obviously changed when I looked at the student loans I would have had to take out), so I became a version of a veterinary technician. New Jersey is one state that doesn't require a certification to become a VT, so now a high school student is responsible for the regular mopping, cage cleaning, holding dogs and cats (some as large as 100 pounds) as still as possible during procedures, along with a host of other tasks that required some muscle. What made the most impact, however, was closing the hospital, making sure IVs are set for the night, and basically making sure nothing dies overnight from my mistake. That taught me responsibility VERY quickly as well as giving me the first step toward my medical knowledge that I still use today.
Along the way I worked in the Meat Science department in college grinding dead rats (yes, you read that right), the Psychology department doing brain surgery on live hamsters (yes, you also read that right), various other vet hospitals including an exotic animal vet, but two jobs really challenged me physically. I would say the hardest job was working in the local stable, where mucking stalls and hauling bales of hay was required, along with oiling saddles and occasionally wrangling with one of the horses so they didn't crush me against the side of their stall. This also required steel toed boots so your foot wouldn't get flattened if the horse stepped on you.
Coming in second was working at the local shelter. While I was in the Cattery, where moving the cats was much easier than dogs, the amount of cleaning was definitely on par with my usual vet jobs. The difference was the volume passing in and out, and mostly, the amount we were expected to carry. The garbage bags were so large and heavy that I had spasms in my back, one so severe I actually crashed to my knees in pain. On a positive note, because of this exercise that came with the jobs, I never had to go to a gym, and stayed trim throughout undergrad.
Once I gave up veterinarian as a job choice and opted for librarian, however, it's very different to say the least! The most physical I get at my job is walking to another floor of the building since pretty much all of our sources are online. Since I was "spoiled" by never having to actively exercise, my natural instinct is to just come home and chill. I tried yoga, but the class times didn't work well around my work schedule, plus the cost was outrageous. I can't run since I had shin splints even in high school and have had arthritis in my knees since I was 22, so that's off the table. I'm still searching for something that would get me back in shape, doesn't cost an arm and a leg like a gym membership, but would require me to regret smoking and gain some muscle back.
Maybe someday I'll find something that does work to keep me in better shape, and in better health.
At 14 I started shelving books in our local public library, which involved pushing full carts of books. At 16 I decided that I wanted to be a veterinarian (although that obviously changed when I looked at the student loans I would have had to take out), so I became a version of a veterinary technician. New Jersey is one state that doesn't require a certification to become a VT, so now a high school student is responsible for the regular mopping, cage cleaning, holding dogs and cats (some as large as 100 pounds) as still as possible during procedures, along with a host of other tasks that required some muscle. What made the most impact, however, was closing the hospital, making sure IVs are set for the night, and basically making sure nothing dies overnight from my mistake. That taught me responsibility VERY quickly as well as giving me the first step toward my medical knowledge that I still use today.
Along the way I worked in the Meat Science department in college grinding dead rats (yes, you read that right), the Psychology department doing brain surgery on live hamsters (yes, you also read that right), various other vet hospitals including an exotic animal vet, but two jobs really challenged me physically. I would say the hardest job was working in the local stable, where mucking stalls and hauling bales of hay was required, along with oiling saddles and occasionally wrangling with one of the horses so they didn't crush me against the side of their stall. This also required steel toed boots so your foot wouldn't get flattened if the horse stepped on you.
Coming in second was working at the local shelter. While I was in the Cattery, where moving the cats was much easier than dogs, the amount of cleaning was definitely on par with my usual vet jobs. The difference was the volume passing in and out, and mostly, the amount we were expected to carry. The garbage bags were so large and heavy that I had spasms in my back, one so severe I actually crashed to my knees in pain. On a positive note, because of this exercise that came with the jobs, I never had to go to a gym, and stayed trim throughout undergrad.
Once I gave up veterinarian as a job choice and opted for librarian, however, it's very different to say the least! The most physical I get at my job is walking to another floor of the building since pretty much all of our sources are online. Since I was "spoiled" by never having to actively exercise, my natural instinct is to just come home and chill. I tried yoga, but the class times didn't work well around my work schedule, plus the cost was outrageous. I can't run since I had shin splints even in high school and have had arthritis in my knees since I was 22, so that's off the table. I'm still searching for something that would get me back in shape, doesn't cost an arm and a leg like a gym membership, but would require me to regret smoking and gain some muscle back.
Maybe someday I'll find something that does work to keep me in better shape, and in better health.
posted by AnonymousX at 7:52 PM
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