3 . For nearly a decade now, Merebeth has been a self-employed pet transport specialist. Her pet transport job was born of the financial crisis(危机) in the late 2000s. The downturn hit the real estate (房地产) firm where she had worked for ten years as an office manager. The firm went broke and left her looking for a new job. One day, while driving near her home, she saw a dog wandering on the road, clearly lost. She took it home, and her sister in Denver agreed to take it. This was a loving home for sure, but 1, 600 miles away. It didn’t take long for Merebeth to decide to drive the dog there herself. It was her first road trip to her new job.

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This wanderlust is inherited from her father, she says. She moved their family from Canada to California when she was one year old, because he wanted them to explore a new place together. As soon as she graduated from high school she left home to live on Catalina Island off the Californian coast, away from her parents, where she enjoyed a life of sailing and off-road biking.

It turns out that pet transporting pays quite well at about $30, 000 per year before tax. She doesn’t work in summer, as it would be unpleasantly hot for the animals in the car, even with air conditioning. As autumn comes, she gets restless—the same old wanderlust returning. It’s a call she must heed alone, though. Merebeth says, “When I am on the road, I’m just in my own world. I’ve always been independent-spirited and I just feel strongly that I mush help animals.”

4 . The Best Medicine

As I approach the hospital wearing my white coat, I look just like any other doctor. That is until I put on my curly rainbow wig, big red nose, and add my name badge “Doctor Larry Laugh-Out-Loud”. I walk through the doors into the waiting area, where there’s a familiar atmosphere of boredom and tension. People sit uncomfortably on plastic chairs, looking through old magazines, all of which have been read hundreds of times previously. Anxious parents do what they can to comfort nervous and crying children.

In the middle of this particular scene I spot a small girl whose ankle is twice its normal size. I speak with the on-duty nurse, who tells me that Lara’s parents rushed her to the hospital after she fell off her bicycle.    1    .Although it’s the doctors and nurses who will treat her injury, it’s my job to make her feel better.

Scientific studies show that laughter produces chemicals to make people feel better, which means clown doctors can be helpful. We are specially trained clowns who work as part of a programme known as “hospital clowning”.    2    . Although the doctors and nurses did a great job, hospitals weren’t really designed for children. I spent much of the time when I was there feeling frightened and more than little bored! Being a clown doctor means I can help people by entertaining them.

Visiting hospitals and other health care facilities, we clown doctors work together with medical professionals. On a typical day, we spend our time cheering up patients, their families, and more often than not, the hospital staff, too! We do this by doing magic tricks, singing songs, telling stories and, of course, telling silly jokes. Some children, though, don’t feel like laughing, especially if they’re in pain. We have to be very sensitive and work closely with the doctors and nurses, who keep us updated on each patient.

    3    . While the doctor concentrates on examining Lara’s ankle, I get her attention by doing a magic trick. Although she is clearly still in some pain, her scared and anxious look has been replaced—first by a small smile, and then by loud laughter as I “magically” produce her sock from out of my pocket. Seeing their daughter so much happier has in turn made Lara’s parents more relaxed.

And as for me? Well, when I take off my wig and my red nose, I’m still wearing a big smile, as I remember all the fun and laughter of the day. While there might be more hospital visits ahead for Lara and others, I hope that clown doctors help make it a friendlier place to visit.     4    .

There isn’t just one skill or quality that makes someone a good yourself. But I can think of two things that most journalists have in common, they are curious, and they love language. Journalists look around and always ask who, what, why, where and when. Then they try to tell others what they find out.

10 . For nearly a decade now, Merebeth has been a self-employed pet transport specialist. Her pet transport job was born of the financial crisis（危机）in the late 2000s. The downturn hit the real estate（房地产）firm where she had worked for ten years as an office manager.The firm went broke and left her looking for a new job. One day,while driving near her home, she saw a dog wandering on the road, clearly lost. She took it home, and her sister in Denver agreed to take it. This was a loving home for sure, but 1,600 miles away. It didn’t take long for Merebeth to decide to drive the dog there herself. It was her first road trip to her new job.

Merebeth’s pet delivery service satisfies her wanderlust. It has taken her to every state in the US except Montana,Washington and Oregon, she says proudly. If she wants to visit a new place, she will simply find a pet with transport needs there. She travels in all weathers. She has driven through 55 mph winds in Wyoming , heavy flooding and storms in Alabama and total whiteout conditions in Kansas.

This wanderlust is inherited from her father, she says.He moved their family from Canada to California when she was one year old, because he wanted them to explore a new place together.   As soon as she graduated from high school, she left home to live on Catalina Island off the Californian coast, away from her parents,where she enjoyed a life of sailing and off-road biking.

It turns out that pet transporting pays quite well at about $30,000 per year before tax. She doesn’t work in summer, as it would be unpleasantly hot for the animals in the car, even with air conditioning. As autumn comes, she gets restless the same old wanderlust returning. It’s a call she must handle alone, though.Merebeth says, “When I'm on the road, I’m just in my own world. I’ve always been independent-spirited and I just feel strongly that I must help animals.”