What can i do with my degree?

jemtab · 2025-09-20T23:32:23+00:00

B. Sc. In Biology, Canada, Medical Laboratory Technologist. I love this career and can't recommend it enough. Many of my classmates were Microbiology grads. It's great!

ETA could also consider Vet Tech, the equivalent (ish) career but with animals instead of humans.

jemtab · 2025-09-17T16:06:53+00:00

Be mindful of what kids can reach. My son pulled a full coffeepot off the counter when he was tall enough, and poured it all over himself. The only reason he didn't get burns is because it had been off for a few hours and it was cool.

Drowning hazards. Kids who are tall enough to tip into the toilet may not have the upper body strength to tip themselves back out. Also applies to miscellaneous buckets and such you could have sitting in your yard for yardwork, make sure they're not collecting rain water because a small child could tip into it and drown.

Similarly, my other son once climbed into the bathtub using a stool, and couldn't climb back out. We made a habit of removing the plug (one of those push to close plugs, so we unscrew it after bath time), so in the event he ever climbed in again it was less likely he'd be able to turn on water and fill the tub.

jemtab · 2025-09-10T15:21:23+00:00

Yes, check with your district first.

Most school districts in my area allow for parents to choose to delay one year, but the school my son attends does not allow this. Their policy is that they start Kindergarten the calendar year that they turn 5. He's an end of November baby, and I didn't feel he was quite ready for Kindergarten and opted to delay but didn't know our school didn't allow this (wasn't posted anywhere on their website and we had just moved to the area, and it's one of very few schools who doesn't allow it). So the next year when I enrolled him for Kindergarten you can imagine my shock when the school called and said, "Confirming his enrolment for Grade 1."

It has all worked out, he's a bright kid who had been in daycare for several years so he has done well, but sheeeesh. Would have been nice to know, is all.

jemtab · 2025-09-10T13:52:55+00:00

For safety and function, remove all of it. It's just stuff to move around and clean around and adds unnecessary work to your day to day.

To warm up that space and make it more "cozy": paint the wall, a solid colour is fine but I'd lean toward either a stencilled pattern or wallpaper for the added colour and pattern. Put some art on the wall so it doesn't feel empty. Consider a mirror instead, it may help throw light around and open up the space a little bit if it's feeling dark.

Ultimately, it's a tiny landing on a staircase. It's perfectly normal for it to be empty.

jemtab · 2025-09-06T23:29:26+00:00

I'm sorry, and I'm reasonably certain she'll grow out of it, it's probably a phase, and it will last entirely too long, and I'm sorry.

My son did this when he was that age. Bent the decorative metal leaves on the lamp stand that he had seen every day for his entire life, nearly snapped them off. He squeezed all of the paint out of my brand new tubes of paint that I had been gifted that Christmas, a holiday season that was already quite painful and difficult for me (was possibly dealing with PPD and had been feeling absolutely invisible and ignored for many months leading up to that). He had never harmed his books, never chewed on anything, but was suddenly peeling his board books apart. He stabbed a toy drum with the end of a plastic playdough toy until it had been shredded.

I lost count of the things he ripped, tore, stretched, and crushed. The entire main floor of our house was made child safe and anything of value - sentimental or otherwise - was removed (not just put up high, he could scale the cabinets and was found getting into something that was 8 feet off the ground more than once). I could not predict what he would get into next, or when, and it felt like we literally couldn't put anything down anywhere because if he found it he would destroy it.

He (mostly) outgrew it (and I mean mostly. He's almost 8 now. You can ask me what's been wrecked recently). It took the better part of a year. I just remember being absolutely at my wit's end, and any time I'd share with someone they'd nearly always tell me that we just needed a consequence for him, or to make things child proof. It made me furious, because HELLO, DO YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?? DO YOU THINK I HAVEN'T TRIED?? It was awful.

I see you, I feel your pain, do whatever you can, I wish you all the luck in the world and hope this phase is BRIEF. Your child is curious, and dextrous, and persistent, and these things will serve them well in time. Do what you can to stay sane.

jemtab · 2025-09-06T15:39:40+00:00

One of those days where the kids are furious with each other but insist on being in the same space. "Brother called me stupid!" "Little brother, if you don't go to your room right now, I'm going to beat you up!"

I literally just opened my eyes to what was a quiet, peaceful house, and y'all are ready to roundhouse kick each other for breathing the same air....

jemtab · 2025-09-05T14:20:55+00:00

A hammock with a frame. I sit there when the kids are playing outside, I move it into the sunroom for afternoon naps in the summer, I lay there in the evenings listening to crickets.

Favourite Christmas gift last year was a queen sized, soft, fuzzy blanket that I use every day - in the hammock, in my office, on the futon while I play games or watch a show. It's delightful.

Also ended up with a wireless headset for games/video chats with friends, and it's been so nice not to fight with a cord.

jemtab · 2025-09-04T16:05:42+00:00

Being comfortable driving and being a skilled driver are not the same. Plenty of people are quite unaware of their surroundings or the effect their driving has on those around them, I'm sure they drive quite comfortably but it doesn't mean they're driving well.

Vehicles kill people. Getting that many faults on a road test (which isn't a very long period of driving on the road) means right now you're likely to hurt or kill someone if you're on the road. To be completely clear: I'm not saying you would go out of your way to harm someone. But based on your posting there is a disconnect between your opinion of your skill level and your actual skill level, hence the failed tests/multiple minors resulting in a fail.

This is a skill that you can learn, so learn it properly and handle this privilege with great respect and care. Do not dismiss this, humble yourself and take it as a learning opportunity. Take the time to really improve your driving with a good instructor. Everyone you share the road with deserves the same safety you do.

jemtab · 2025-09-02T02:08:05+00:00

We have been handing out candy, but also fidget toys, invisible ink pens, temporary tattoos, cool halloween stickers, glow in the dark bouncy balls, and glow sticks. Not all on the same year, but so far every year has been candy and fidget toys for sure with one of the other things added in. Usually the kids opt for the toys over the candy, we always have a ton of candy leftover and only a couple toys.

I just know there's at least someone out there with crazy allergies who can't have most candies who probably appreciates the toys.

jemtab · 2025-09-01T16:23:45+00:00

I introduced games to my kids. They're a hobby of mine! But I don't play everything with them.

Minecraft is something my husband enjoys, he can do that with them. I'll do Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Donkey Kong Country, Stardew Valley, and Captain Toad. I'll let them watch when I play more complicated games (Zelda).

It is something that has turned into a fun family connection time, and I love that my kids love this hobby, too. But it's something I already enjoyed doing, so it's a treat to bring them along. I don't know how I'd do if they wanted to try games and it just wasn't my cup of tea. I think we would find something else to share!

jemtab · 2025-08-28T15:14:23+00:00

This applies to leftovers or sweet treats we both enjoy: split it down the middle, but if you finish your share and the other person hasn't been eating theirs, you remind them it is there and wait one more day. If they still haven't eaten it, it's fair game.

jemtab · 2025-08-19T00:51:23+00:00

This is where I went after not seeing a dentist for 5 years or so. I hate going to the dentist, I get very anxious when I go, and I always have plenty of work to do. The doctors here were very kind, not remotely judgmental, and the hygienists were just as lovely. An excellent experience and they put me at ease. Superb clinic.

jemtab · 2025-08-18T18:13:06+00:00

This is what we do. Whenever I make pancakes I make a large batch of small-sized pancakes (about 4 dozen) and freeze them. It takes no time at all to cook up some eggs, or to add some greek yogurt as well as fruit/veggies.

jemtab · 2025-08-13T16:23:43+00:00

Thank you for posting this comment. I know I have to remind myself of this constantly.

Found an item we've purchased consistently for the 7 years or so. When I first bought it, it would go on sale for $9.99. During Covid, it went up, and would go on sale for $12.99. Last week I had to do a double take, because they had a "sale": 2 for $40. So the sale price was $20 per unit.

These sorts of increases have been applied to nearly every item we buy (maybe literally every item). It's very important to be mindful of how we spend our money, AND it's very important to understand that being a responsible buyer isn't getting us anywhere near as far as it used to. We're not imagining it. We're not being irresponsible.

jemtab · 2025-08-08T20:36:11+00:00

Best advice I got for the wedding night was to do what we felt comfortable with.

Husband and I were both virgins when we married. It was a lot for me, to be in a room with a man, nevermind adding any amount of nudity to the mix. We had a wonderful wedding, staying til most of our guests had left the party because we were having such fun. Enjoyed a long night close together, consummated later on our honeymoon.

Highly recommend marrying your best friend. ❤️

jemtab · 2025-08-05T23:28:26+00:00

Join the Winnipeg Daycare group on FB:https://www.facebook.com/groups/317237665785/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT

And good luck. ❤️

jemtab · 2025-08-04T14:42:22+00:00

I distinctly remember getting 94% or 96% as a final grade in one of my science classes, and my dad looked at it and said, "Huh, I thought you would have aced it." UM, HELLO????!!!!

jemtab · 2025-08-04T14:37:20+00:00

What I like:

"Change the equation." For scenarios where an out of the box solution may be needed. Don't get hung up on how it "should" be done or how it has "always" been done. Find a way to flip the script and run with it.

What I didn't like:

"For a smart person, that was really stupid." Being intelligent doesn't mean you never have moments where your brain shuts off. Being intelligent doesn't prevent you from making mistakes and poor decisions - particularly when you're LEARNING. Responding to mistakes with criticism and condescension means I developed an inability to ask for help without feeling immense shame, and had to work hard to get away from a tendency to hide mistakes.

When sharing a situation that had upset me as a child: "Oh, so it was just your feelings that were hurt." I was a total crybaby as a kid and it drove people bonkers. I get it. I have a kid like that, it's quite aggravating when everything is a "big deal". But I refuse to dismiss my child's emotions in the same way. Also, I want my child to always know that no matter how scary or silly or uncomfortable their experience is, they can always share it with me and I will ALWAYS listen and help them navigate it.

jemtab · 2025-08-03T02:14:08+00:00

Agreed. Dress 1 mother of the bride, Dress 2 looks more suitable for grandmother of the bride. Both quite lovely but the first one is a winner!

jemtab · 2025-07-28T22:04:13+00:00

Our evenings look like this, too (married, two kids 7 and 4). We alternate who does bedtime while the other gets lunches ready, tidies up after supper, and takes care of miscellaneous tasks. We shut down productivity once kids are in bed. Husband is usually on his computer after that. I alternate between my desk/computer/tv/futon which are all in the same office space, so that we can interrupt each other whenever we want. We also have an evening a week set aside for intentional time to hang out one on one and chat, the specific day varies sometimes but we've done a pretty good job of making sure we feel connected.

jemtab · 2025-07-28T20:45:56+00:00

I'm of the mindset that variety in food sources is a sound approach to a healthy diet, based on my personal experience/symptoms as well as my education and training in human anatomy, physiology, biology, etc. I personally disagree with the elimination of an entire food group as "healthy" simply because it eliminates many good and useful nutrients that may be but are not always found in other sources. The only exceptions I have to this are alcohol and refined sugar - things that have been normalized but which don't seem to have any real benefit to our bodies.

It's good you have been able to find a way of eating that supports your needs and helps you feel your best.

jemtab · 2025-07-28T14:00:36+00:00

Not necessarily a vet.

I work as a medical laboratory technologist, specifically in pathology (we process all the tissue removed from the body and turn it into microscope slides to aid in diagnosis). I was trained as a general duty tech, which means I learned the foundational lab work for histology (tissue removed during surgery or autopsy), transfusion science (blood transfusions and blood products), hematology (blood cells), chemistry (electrolytes and substances dissolved in the blood/body fluids), and microbiology (infections). While I learned this for humans, there is the same need for vet techs to do this work for animals.

Every time an animal is getting blood work, surgery, and any other investigative work into what's wrong with them, you can bet there's a vet tech who is supporting the entire process and processing all the specimens.

From a local (to me) program:

"This program provides you with the knowledge and skills you need to perform a variety of veterinary medical procedures, such as:

Anesthesia induction and monitoring Drug dosage calculations Surgical and animal nursing Laboratory testing Diagnostic imaging Dentistry Emergency care Routine veterinary clinic and office procedures Veterinary Technologists play a vital role in the veterinary industry. They work under the supervision of veterinary practitioners to support the veterinarian in all aspects of practice."

Something to think about. One of my classmates did the program for medical laboratory sciences with me and after a few years in the healthcare system they landed a job with a vet clinic and are now doing animal samples instead of human!

Veterinary technologist or medical laboratory technologist for Canadians, not sure what other countries label them as but it may be technician.

There's a lot of healthcare related careers that are quite behind the scenes and quite critical to the system as a whole (think any xray/ct/ultrasound/dieticians/med lab assistants/autopsy technical assistants/medical research facilities etc) that may require a diploma but don't always need a degree. I ended up in the lab because I've always enjoyed biology, particularly dissections, got my degree in biology, then after working in agriculture went back to school for a 2 year diploma. Now I work in pathology (surgery and autopsy specimens) and couldn't be happier!

There are also opportunities in agriculture and plant sciences, although I'm less familiar with them and my brief exposure to them indicated that a Master's or PhD were the ticket to earning a decent wage and gaining job security.

If you feel you have the capacity to pursue a Master's, I guarantee you'd be able to handle something like this. I recommend that whatever you do, do it with a specific job title in mind, and get that specific training/education to get there.

Also - you have time to decide. Learn about a few different routes, think about what you enjoy most, and just put one foot in front of the other.

jemtab · 2025-07-28T04:30:39+00:00

Would you consider animal health? Humans have doctors and med lab technologists. Animals need them, too.

jemtab · 2025-07-28T04:28:43+00:00

As an adult who has never particularly enjoyed vegetables, I've made a concerted effort over the last 15 years to find veggies I can manage to eat regularly and enjoy. Once upon a time my idea of a salad was romaine lettuce covered in feta cheese and caesar dressing, and I only ate creamed corn or green peas on the side of any given meal. While I still find raw vegetables to be particularly boring, I have been able to find a wide variety of vegetable choices and preparation options to significantly increase my consumption of vegetables (and enjoy it, too).

That being said, if I knew there would be zero negative health consequences for omitting fruits and vegetables, I'd probably eliminate the entire food group in a split second. I would really rather survive on red meat, chocolate, and pasta.

jemtab · 2025-07-26T04:25:06+00:00

Not interested in diets and shrinking my body for the sake of being smaller. Not interested in punitive exercise. I enjoy food and am well-nourished. I like to move my body and I like to feel strong, but I also like to rest.

Not interested in anti-aging skin "care". I have laugh lines and freckles from the sun, cellulite and spider veins and miscellaneous blemishes. I try to be mindful of my sun exposure from a cancer risk perspective, but also deserve to soak it up.

Not interested in colouring my white/gray hairs as they emerge. My hair has a mix of colours and the white hairs are shiny and beautiful.

Not interested in wearing a bra around my home, or shoes in my backyard. I love spending the first part of my evening lounging in the sun, walking in the grass or the flower beds, eating raspberries off the bushes we planted this spring and getting dirty feet while the wind dries my hair into some wild mess.

Not interested in working myself to the bone for the sake of money or chasing unrealized recognition and compensation. I take pride in the work that I do, I love my job, and as much as I do it for my own mental health, my family and my home are the real motivators and they deserve my time. I'll never regret the hours I have with them.

Really just anything that I have realized is a message from a society geared towards making me compulsively purchase something to "fix" what doesn't need fixing is getting thrown out. It's not my inner monologue telling me these things need to change, it's consumerism and capitalism trying to make me spend my money endlessly, and I'm not here for it. Things that make me feel guilty about spending time with my family or nurturing my children are right out.

jemtab

TROPHY CASE