We got back yesterday evening from our agility trial and we’re all still recovering a little.
I actually had the best time at this trial that I have had since the first trial I went to with my friend, Ellyn. Last fall I had decided I wouldn’t do another trial until I was in a position where I could go on my own without splitting expenses. I get extremely stressed having to deal with another person 24/7 and a) worrying that I am not being as accomodating as I should be to the other person’s needs or b) getting irritated that my needs are not being accomodated. Ellyn, like me, lives all by herself so I can only assume that these are also the stresses she feels when we go to a trial together. All in all, I would say we get a B+/A- for this weekend in terms of making sure that everyone got about what they wanted/needed.
I took some advice from my brother, Dr. Phil and Stonnie. Kind of an odd trio to combine but it worked. I made sure to take some time to really focus on Ellyn’s wants/needs regardless of how silly I might think they were (Gerard); I used the Dr. Phil ‘repeat back the emotion of whatever the person is giving you’ support thing (I’m sorry you had to deal with that ring conflict, that is really frustrating for you. What can I do to make this easier for you?); and, I was as positive about everything and everyone as I possibly could be. (Stonnie) I think the positive thing drove Ellyn a little bonkers but I honestly found that I enjoyed myself so much more as a result that I am just hooked.
I made a point of telling people I didn’t know what a nice run they had. This seems like a very small, very silly thing I know but, for me? That was a big deal! It is very hard for me to just walk up and talk to someone I don’t know. I know that for me getting a positive remark like that completely out of the blue from a total stranger makes me feel great. I also made a big point of cheering for Ellyn on as many of her runs as I was able to watch and telling her how much I appreciated stuff like her doing the driving and dealing with a lot of the organizational details.
Fancy and I ran as well as or better than could be expected in most of our runs, only crashing and burning on a Snooker run (totally my fault) and Jumpers (Fancy always seems to go nuts in Jumpers.) I saw quite a few really good runs and a couple of great runs. There was a really good photographer at the trial, Horace Howell, who got two really awesome shots of Fancy but at $15 a shot it just wasn’t in the budget :( I’m pitching a project this week and if it goes through maybe I’ll celebrate by buying them if he kept them.
My three priorities this week are getting a part-time job, a real spring cleaning and working up a proposal on a site for a guy I know who buys used bikes at the Atlanta auction and sells them here.
Other than that I would also like to get all the photos of Fancy I have actually framed (I’ve had the photos and frames sitting on a shelf in the spare bedroom for months) and on the wall, I have an idea to use Fancy’s ribbons as a curtain on my back door and I’m excited to start some real agility work with the puppy looking at starting her in CPE this fall.